Texas Hunting Leases

Although most Texas hunters may not be as familiar with Georgia based QDMA - Quality Deer Management Association, they are sure to be familiar with the contents of their 2nd annual “Whitetail Report“.   Texas takes its Odocoileus virginianus very seriously and are arguably some of the most knowledgeable sportsmen on the subject.  So we are sure that many of the state’s one million plus hunters will be keenly interested and somewhat surprised on where we rank relative to other whitetail hunting states.  The report is 77 pages long and is full of great information on the various state and regional issues affecting whitetails and the hunters who pursue them.

According to its own introduction, “QDMA launched the Whitetail Report in an effort to share what [they] know about the threats, concerns, successes and challenges that are shaping the future of white-tailed deer”.   Some interesting observations we found were as follows:

• Texas harvested the most whitetail deer (1.5 years or older)  in 2008 with 340,159.   Michigan was second with 248,350.
• Wisconsin harvested the most doe in 2008 with 313,378.  Texas was second with 279,491.
• Texas was not even in the top-five for QDMA’s “Deer Success Management” rankings.  Mississippi was number one in the Southeast Region.
• In 2008, 68% of the reporting states sold more hunting licenses than the year before.  Texas was up 1.8%.
• Texas ranked second in “hunter effort” with 9.5 man-days.  Michigan was first with 9.7.

Also in the report are interesting studies on adult buck home range size which included one by Texas A&M – Kingsville.  The average home range size in the South Texas study was 2,271 acres.  But some deer were found to roam upwards of 7,000 acres.   The study also found that as bucks mature, they did not necessarily increase their range size.  However, bucks do move more just before the peak of rut.  Collared bucks in Texas moved 7 to 15 miles per day!

The Whitetail Report is full of other interesting issues, trends and research on the subject.  There are just too many to reference here.  But for those of us who actively pursue this passion, its a great read and our congratulations to QDMA on their fine work.

 AUSTIN – Expansion of mule deer hunting opportunities tops a short list of proposed changes to the state’s hunting and fishing regulations the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is considering for 2010-2011.

TPWD is recommending an open general season for mule deer in Dawson and Wheeler counties, and adding a day to the season across the Trans Pecos region. Department staff presented the proposals to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regulations Committee. The proposals address a priority goal in TPWD’s Land and Water Resource Conservation and Recreation Plan to increase access to and participation in the outdoors.

Currently there is no open season for mule deer in Dawson or Wheeler counties. Implementing a nine-day, buck-only season in Dawson County and a 16-day, buck-only season in Wheeler County would offer increased hunter opportunity without adversely impacting mule deer reproduction or distribution.

According to TPWD wildlife biologists, mule deer populations in these counties are limited, but are present in some areas having suitable habitat and implementation of a buck-only season will not have any measurable impact on herd productivity or expansion.

Traditionally, big game hunting seasons in Texas open on Saturday to give hunters a full weekend of opportunity. Because the mule deer season in the Trans Pecos starts on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the TPW Commission asked the Wildlife Division to explore an option to open a day earlier to take advantage of the long holiday weekend. This proposal would add a day to the current 16-day season and create an opening day on the Friday following Thanksgiving each year.

Wildlife biologists suggest adding a day to the season in the Trans Pecos will not negatively impact the mule deer resource.

In addition to hunting regulation proposals, TPWD staff presented an abbreviated slate of potential changes to fishing regulations and, based on input during recent public scoping meetings, removed from consideration a proposal to lower the length limit on snook from 24 to 22 inches.

The department had considered the drop in length limit on snook to allow additional harvest of fat snook. Opinions expressed during scoping meetings reflected concern about potential impacts to common snook resources under reduced length limits and TPWD coastal fisheries officials opted to table the recommendation.

Fisheries staff will be seeking public comment on proposals strengthening commercial reporting requirements and separating commercial and recreational regulations, as well as a clarification of rules regarding catching and possessing fish within protected length limits or in excess of bag limits.

Official proposals will be available for review and comment during a series of public meetings in February, as well as online. The TPW Commission will make final determination on proposed changes at its April 1 public hearing.

SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS
2010-11 STATEWIDE HUNTING AND FISHING PROCLAMATION
ALL MEETINGS START AT 7 PM

Feb. 15
San Antonio, National Shooting Sports Complex Clubhouse, 5931 Roft Rd.
Houston, Lone Star College, Library Room LB 103, 2700 W.W. Thorne Dr.

Feb. 16
Dickinson, TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab, 1502 Pine St. (FM 517).
Lamesa, Women’s Building, South Houston St.

Feb. 17
Amarillo, Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd West.

Feb. 18
Port Isabel, Port Isabel Community Center, 213 Yturria.

Feb. 22
Garland, Bass Pro Shop, 5001 Bass Pro Dr.

Feb. 23
Tyler, Smith County Courthouse, 100 N. Broadway.
Corpus Christi, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Natural Resources Center, 6300 Ocean Drive, Room 1003.

Feb. 24
Wheeler, Wheeler County Courthouse, Commissioners Courtroom, 401 Main St.

Mar. 2
Fort Stockton, Pecos County Civic Center, North Hwy 285 next to Airport.

Mar. 3
Alpine, Turner Range Animal Science Bldg, Room 130, East Hwy 90.

Mar. 4
Van Horn, Van Horn Convention Center & Visitors Bureau, 1801 W. Broadway.

Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Goose hunters enjoyed better decoying action near Dumas, Spearman and Amarillo with the snow and colder conditions. Larger Canada geese are showing with frozen ponds in the northern states. Snow geese have been tough to fool over decoys without weather. Specklebellies and Canadas continue to work in Knox and Haskell counties. Duck numbers continue to build in the Panhandle, with more mallards showing on playas. Most hunters have had to break ice to find open water in shallow ponds. Prospects are good.

North Zone Duck: Duck hunters have taken good numbers of mallards in sloughs, creeks and river bottoms. Colder weather and frozen waterways to the north have encouraged more mallards to cross the state line. Canvasbacks and other divers have been steady on Lake O’Pines, Toledo Bend and Lake Fork. Backwaters around Toledo Bend has produced good mallard shoots as well. Gadwalls and wigeons have been taken in shallow coves of lakes and reservoirs. Wood ducks have been steady at first light in the timber. Hunting remained steady around the zone boundaries of IH-10. Freshwater impoundments have held pintails, wigeons, shovelers and green-winged teal. Prospects are good.

South Zone Duck: The coast continues to produce steady duck shoots on the prairies, marshes and bays. Gadwalls, wigeons, shovelers and pintails have been steady near Eagle Lake, Garwood and Wharton. Absent has been the large concentrations of green-winged teal that many hunters count on to fill limits. Bay hunters enjoyed limits to half-limits near Port O’Connor and Rockport. Redheads, bluebills, gadwalls and wigeons have made up the bay bags. Hunters in Trinity Bay have enjoyed half-limits of gadwalls and bluebills on the north shoreline. Marsh hunters near High Island and Sabine Pass have seen slow hunting. Snow goose hunting has been difficult, even with weather conducive to goose hunting. A small juvenile population of snows has been the culprit for slow decoying action. Specklebellies have shied from calling. Sandhill crane numbers are steady, but few hunters have set up decoy spreads. Most cranes have been harvested by goose hunters in white spreads. Prospects are good.