Texas Hunting Leases

FORT WORTH, Texas —For the 14^th consecutive year, duck hunters in Texas will get the liberal waterfowl season with a 74-day season and six bird daily bag limit framework during the 2009-2010 general waterfowl seasons, but mottled ducks will be off the table during the first five days. The framework was finalized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its Aug. 27 public meeting.

After three years under the Hunter’s Choice experimental bag, Texas will revert to a conventional six-duck limit per day in the aggregate, with the following species and sex restrictions: five mallards (of which only two may be hens), three wood ducks, two scaup, two redheads, one pintail, one canvasback, and one “dusky duck” (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids). Mottled ducks may not be harvested prior to Thursday, Nov. 5 in the North and South Zones and Nov. 2 in the High Plains Mallard Management Unit.

The bag limit on mergansers is 5 daily, of which only 2 may be hooded mergansers and the daily bag on coots is 15.

2009-2010 Waterfowl Seasons

DUCKS

High Plains Mallard Management Unit

Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 24 — 25

Friday, Oct. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 24

Youth-only season Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 17-18

North and South Zones

Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 29

Saturday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Jan. 24

Youth-only season Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 24-25

Falconry season for ducks is Monday, Jan. 25 through Tuesday, Feb. 8 in the North and South Zones. There is no extended season in the High Plains Mallard Management Unit.

GEESE

Western Goose Zone

Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 7

The daily bag limit is 20 light geese in the aggregate and four Canada geese and one white-fronted goose. Possession limit is twice the daily bag limit for dark geese and no possession limit on light geese.

Eastern Goose Zone

Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 24 for light geese and Canada geese

Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 10 for white-fronted geese.

The daily bag limit is 20 light geese in the aggregate and three Canada geese and two white-fronted geese.

Light Goose Conservation Order

Monday, Feb. 8 through Sunday, Mar. 28 in the Western Goose Zone

Monday, Jan. 25 through Sunday, Mar. 28 in the Eastern Goose Zone

No bag or possession limits.

SANDHILL CRANE

Zone A

Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 7

Daily bag limit of three birds.

Zone B

Friday, Nov. 27 through Sunday, Feb. 7

Daily bag limit of three birds.

Zone C

Saturday, Dec. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 24

Daily bag limit of two birds.

Possession limits statewide are twice the daily bag limits.

New this year, purchase of the Federal Duck Stamp will cost $15-$17 depending on where you buy. If purchased through the TPWD license system there is a $2 administrative fee. Your license will indicate Federal Duck Stamp purchase and the physical stamp will be mailed. There are other options for purchasing the stamp, either at some major post offices or online.

Waterfowl hunters are reminded they will need to request HIP (Harvest Information Program) certification from the license clerk when purchasing their hunting license this year. HIP certification is required in order to hunt migratory game birds in Texas.

Also new this year, sandhill crane permits may be obtained in person at no cost only through TPWD Law Enforcement offices and TPWD headquarters in Austin. Permits are also available anytime online through TPWD’s online license sales and by calling 800-792-1112 (option 5, menu 2) or 512-389-4820 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For online and phone orders, a confirmation number will be issued in lieu of a permit and a $5 transaction fee will be charged.

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reminding customers who want to buy lifetime hunting, fishing or combo licenses at fiscal year 2009 prices that purchase applications must be received at TPWD headquarters by Aug. 31. Applications that are post-marked by Aug. 31, but not received by this date, will not be accepted.

The department’s 2010 fiscal year starts Sep. 1, and on that date the electronic sales system will automatically sell licenses at a new, higher price. The change is part of an across-the-board increase in hunting, fishing and boat registration fees.

Starting Sep. 1, Texas Lifetime Resident Hunting License and Texas Lifetime Resident Fishing License costs will increase from $600 to $1,000, and the Texas Lifetime Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing License will increase from $1,000 to $1,800.

Lifetime license purchases require buyers to submit an Application for Texas Resident Lifetime License form. The application form may be obtained at any TPWD Law Enforcement office in Texas, from the TPWD Web site or by calling (800) 792-1112 (option 9, extension 4820). Lifetime licenses are only available for sale from the department’s Austin headquarters.

Dove Season! The very words conjure up excitement for the beginning of hunting season. In just a few days, thousands of Texans will take to the fields to fulfill their annual pilgrimage by sitting along tree lined crop fields and cattle tanks looking for the fast flying birds. But, because Dove season begins essentially in hottest time of the year and is the first hunting season to partake in, special preparations should be taken before packing up and heading out. Among the obvious at this time of year is getting an early start on your hunting license.  Knowing your hunting zones and regulations is also a must. For the heat make sure that you are prepared to keep cool and hydrated.  And finally, make sure you have done your homework on your Dove Species and hunting lease or outfitter.

Texas boasts fall dove populations in excess of 40 million birds and its 300,000 dove hunters harvest about 6 million birds annually or roughly 30 percent of all doves taken in the United States. Dove hunting also has a major economic impact, contributing more than $300 million to the state economy.  Beginning this year, Texas will be going to a 70-day dove season and 15-bird daily bag statewide. Possession limit is still twice the daily bag. The season in the North and Central Dove Zones runs Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 25 and reopens Saturday, Dec. 26 through Saturday, Jan. 9. The South Zone dove season runs Friday, Sept. 18-Tuesday, Nov. 3, reopening Saturday, Dec. 26-Sunday, Jan. 17.

This year, TPWD has leased nearly 50,000 acres of public dove hunting fields in 46 counties; many of which are located near major urban areas. The 140 hunting units are distributed from South Texas to the Panhandle and from Beaumont to West Texas.  “Approximately seventy-two percent of the dove units and 71 percent of the acreage are located in the four major metro areas of Austin/Waco, Houston/Beaumont, San Antonio/Corpus Christi and Dallas/Fort Worth,” said Vickie Fite, TPWD public hunting program coordinator.”

Texas Dove Hunting Leases are popping up all over and doing some homework by calling around and getting prices, types of hunting terrain and amenities is a good idea.  With this season’s bag limits up to 15 birds this year, you can certainly get a full day’s shooting.  Finally, after a great hunt, enjoy your dove with a good beverage and a few of your favorite fixins’. The little bird is a favorite on the grill, the frying pan and even in the casserole dish. Good Hunting!