Author: Tex Hunter

CWD in Texas



Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was found in Texas in 2012 and has been spreading within the state since that time. CWD is a neurological disease in deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family, known as “cervids.” The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado, and has since been documented in captive and free-ranging deer in 21 states and two Canadian Provinces.

This disease presents numerous challenges for state wildlife agencies across North America. Of concern is the potential for decline within deer, elk, or other susceptible cervid populations. In addition, CWD could have indirect impacts on hunting, hunter participation, and economic benefits derived from big game hunting. In Texas, hunting is a $2.2 billon economic engine, supporting many rural towns across the state. CWD is a threat to landowners, hunters, and wildlife conservation.

CWD in Texas Updates


CWD Updates: CWD in Texas

Managing CWD in Texas

Because eradication is thought to be impossible once CWD becomes established in a population, it is imperative that a sound CWD management program is established to reduce the severity of implications resulting from the disease. Of course, disease prevention is the best approach to protect cervid populations and prevent social and economic repercussions.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) have developed a cooperative CWD management plan to guide both agencies in addressing risks, developing management strategies, and protecting big game resources from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in captive or free-ranging cervid populations.


CWD in Kaufman County Deer

CWD in Kaufman County!

It looks like CWD in Kaufman County has become a reality. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was detected on a high fence release site in Kaufman County. This is the first positive detection of CWD in a white-tailed deer in the county.

The buck, harvested at a high-fence release site located in a CWD Surveillance Zone, was delivered to a Hunt County CWD check station in compliance with surveillance zone requirements. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received notice of the CWD-positive test result from the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) on November 14.

CWD n Kaufman County

Prior to this detection, the high-fence release site was identified as a “trace herd” property to the Hunt County CWD-positive deer breeding facility reported on March 31, 2021, meaning deer were transferred from the Hunt County facility to this release site prior to discovery of CWD in that facility. 0

Plans to conduct additional CWD investigations are underway. Additional deer could have CWD in Kaufman County. Hopefully, that is not the case.

CWD Transmission in Kaufman County

“The incubation period of CWD can span years, creating disease detection and management challenges as seen in this recent detection,” said Andy Schwartz, TAHC Executive Director and State Veterinarian.


Animal health and wildlife officials will continue investigations to determine the extent of the disease within deer within the property and mitigate risks to Texas’ CWD-susceptible species. Adequate surveillance and quick detection of CWD can help mitigate the disease’s spread.

“The discovery of CWD in Kaufman County on this ranch is an unfortunate situation that TPWD and TAHC take very seriously,” said John Silovsky, TPWD Wildlife Division Director. “Both agencies will respond appropriately to this matter to protect the state’s susceptible species from further disease exposure. Hunters are reminded of the requirement to bring their harvested deer to the check station within 48 hours of harvest.”

Testing for CWD in Texas

First recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado, CWD has since been documented in captive and/or free-ranging deer in 30 states and three Canadian provinces. To date, 420 captive or free-ranging cervids — including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer, and elk — in 17 Texas counties have tested positive for CWD. Unfortunately, the list continues to grow.

Testing for CWD allows wildlife biologists and animal health officials to get a clearer picture of the prevalence and distribution of the disease across Texas. Proactive monitoring improves the state’s response time to a CWD detection and can greatly reduce the risk of the disease further spreading to neighboring captive and free-ranging populations.

This confirmation is a good reminder to those hunting in CWD surveillance and containment zones to know the submission requirements for CWD susceptible species. Additionally, hunters outside of established surveillance and containment zones are encouraged to voluntarily submit their harvest to TPWD for testing at a check station, for free, before heading home from the field. The presence of CWD in Kaufman County was found through mandatory zone testing, but voluntary testing can also help TPWD know where CWD is and is not.

Texas Quail Forecast 2022

Forecasting Quail

The prior was a good one for quail, but the Texas Quail Forecast 2022 is not as bright. Unfortunately, it was hot and dry and not want quail or quail hunters would have dialed up, given the option. September 2021 through March 2022  proved to be one of the driest stretches in Texas on record.

Measurable precipitation was absent from most of the state until late April. In South Texas, a good year of production and grass growth in 2021 was insulation from the worst these conditions, but up north in the Panhandle there was little cushion.

Texas Quail Forecast 2022

Texas Quail Forecast 2022: Coming in Hot!

The common refrain was, “hot and dry,” resulting in little early season breeding activity. Pushing into May and June scattered, intermittent showers and runs of cooler days sparked calling and the first reports of nests and broods on the ground, but the unrelenting heat that followed limited any meaningful gains.

Long stretches (>30 days) of 100-degree days became the norm and July was the hottest July on record in Texas since 1895, and the fifth driest. With few exceptions the trajectory for Texas bobwhite populations was set early on, difficult to alter, and the continuation of a multi-year stretch of below average abundance that began in 2018.

Quail by the Numbers

In late summer, range conditions ran the gamut, but a consistent thread was a decline in habitat quality as we moved into late summer. Outside a handful of counties in South Texas bobwhites were few and far in-between. The lack of birds was most apparent in the Rolling Plains where, for the second year in a row, the region set an all-time low for abundance; the 0.86 bobwhites per route was well below our 15-year mean of 12.10 and lower than the 1.50 bobwhites per route observed in 2021.


This downward trend was similar for the other northern regions, including the High Plains and Cross Timbers. However, the lone bright spot again this year was the South Texas Plains, the only bobwhite region in the state to see an increase in recorded abundance. With a grain of salt, the number of bobwhites observed per route was up from 3.10 to 5.26, but still below the 15-year mean of 9.01. These numbers will provide some comfort to Texas hunters, but the statewide outlook again points to tough sledding in 2022.

Finally, it is unknown how widespread rainfall throughout August and September will impact bird populations. It’s likely this late season moisture will improve opportunities for late season nesting, but how well those broods will fair and what their contributions will be to fall populations remains unknown. With that said, we welcome any new recruits to help springboard bobwhites into the new year.

Texas Quail Forecast 2022: Rolling Plains

 

There’s little solace for bobwhite hunters heading to the Rolling Plains this year as populations contracted for a fourth straight year. When paired with long-term changes in habitat, the impacts of inconsistent annual precipitation have clearly driven populations downward. Some areas along the Canadian River welcomed rainfall earlier in the year and in those areas bobwhite numbers and range conditions are encouraging , but exceptional heat likely dampened reproductive activity elsewhere.

Most late season reports reference single birds, pairs, and small coveys (e.g., 6-8 birds), with chick sightings at a premium. There has also been a notable deterioration in habitat quality for most counties, even those areas where early season vegetation reports were optimistic. With close ties to nesting habitat and insect production, worsening cover conditions (e.g., grasses, forbs) only exacerbated the impacts of the drought.

As such, below average hunting conditions across the Rolling Plains region are expected. There are certain to be scattered pockets of good hunting, but the overall quail hunting forecast is less promising.

Texas Quail Forecast 2022: South Texas

If there was an enigma these past few years it’s been South Texas. Despite survey numbers indicating below average abundance in 2021, the on-the-ground reports were more encouraging. Hunting exceeded expectations with hunters moving upwards of 10-20 coveys per day, and as many as 30 into the late season (e.g., Duval, Jim Hogg, McMullen counties).

Only interrupted by a mid-January cold front, many went home with well worked dogs. This level of production was insulation for populations heading into 2022 and it turned out to be needed. Early season rainfall led to an early season hatch in some regions (e.g., Sand Sheet) and counties (e.g., Webb, Dimmit, Maverick), but drought conditions settled in early and led to a deterioration in habitat conditions.

An increase in wildfires highlighted the difficulties, with temperatures soaring throughout the summer. There were exceptions, and bright spots included Bee, Duval, Live Oak, and McMullen counties, which all seemed to have benefited from good production this year. Of those, Bee and Live Oak represented two of the top three bobwhite survey routes for South Texas (Willacy rounding out the top tier).

State officials observed a bump from 3.10 bobwhites per route in 2021 to 5.26 in 2022, and while still below their 15-year mean of 9.01, seems hopeful for the upcoming season. To that end, late summer rainfall may benefit South Texas with its longer nesting season and should improve the outlook in the coming months. Average quail hunting conditions across the region are expected, with certain ranches engaged in active quail management outperforming our forecast as usual.

Texas Quail Forecast: Everyone Else

Dry conditions put the Gulf Prairies in a position to be successful early, but the availability of cover resources and insects decreased as we moved deeper into the summer and made successful nesting and brooding less likely. There is little recent evidence to suggest otherwise, as surveys by state officials fell below average for a fifth year in a row.

The High Plains took the brunt of the drought and with herbaceous cover at a premium, the region is unfortunately mirroring a landscape we became familiar with in 2011. As for the Cross Timbers, there were plenty of anomalies when it came to bobwhite observations, with state officials reporting coveys in areas not typically seen. However, that will be a footnote in a year where below average abundance and hunting opportunities are again expected in the region.

CWD in Limestone County Texas

CWD Found in Limestone County

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) discovered Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Limestone County. A white-tailed deer within a breeding facility tested positive for CWD. The is marks the first positive detection of CWD in Limestone County. With deer season just around the corner, will this affect hunters?

The deer was found as part of a required CWD surveillance program.  Samples from four deer were detected with CWD prions by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station on September 5. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa confirmed CWD in two of these samples on Sept. 13. In addition, the lab should complete testing of the other two samples soon.

CWD In Limestone County

Animal health and wildlife officials have taken action to secure the deer breeding facility. State officials must now identify and notify other breeding facilities that received deer or shipped deer to this facility in the last five years. CWD seems to be on the move, as earlier this month CWD was found in Gillespie County. The recent news makes you wonder where CWD will be found in Texas next?

Looking at CWD in Limestone County

“TPWD and TAHC are taking this situation very seriously,” said John Silovsky, Wildlife Division Director for TPWD. “Fortunately, these positive cases were detected early, and we have a good sample distribution across the facility. At this time, CWD appears to be contained to one pen within the facility.

Animal health and wildlife officials will continue to investigate to determine the extent of the disease within the facility and mitigate risks to Texas’ CWD susceptible species. Quick detection of CWD in Limestone County can help mitigate the disease’s spread.”

CWD Zone in Limestone County

TPWD officials are developing surveillance zone boundaries that may include portions of Limestone, Hill, Freestone and Navarro counties. CWD zones are an effective strategy for managing and containing the disease. Hunters in surveillance and containment zones must take harvested CWD susceptible species to a check station or otherwise meet submission requirements.

TPWD will provide additional information to landowners and hunters within the surveillance zone regarding CWD sampling locations. Furthermore, TPWD will provide options to have white-tailed deer or other CWD susceptible species tested. There is no cost to the hunter for this testing. A public meeting will be held concerning CWD in Limestone County prior to implementation to provide the details of the zones and CWD management.

“Surveillance is an essential part of managing CWD,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC Executive Director and State Veterinarian. “While the disease’s incubation period poses challenges, quick detection can help mitigate the disease’s spread and protect cervid populations in Texas.”

Testing Required with CWD in Limestone County

Testing for CWD allows wildlife biologists and animal health officials to get a clearer picture of the prevalence and distribution of the CWD disease across Texas. Additionally, proactive monitoring improves the state’s response time to a CWD detection and can greatly reduce the risk of the disease spreading further to neighboring captive and free-ranging populations.

TPWD and TAHC encourage hunters outside of established surveillance and containment zones to voluntarily submit their harvest for testing at a check station, for free, before heading home from the field. A map of TPWD check stations can be found on the TPWD website. CWD testing required for exotic deer in Texas according to TAHC, regardless of location.

CWD in Texas and Beyond

First recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado, CWD has since been documented in captive and/or free-ranging deer in 30 states and three Canadian provinces. To date, 392 captive or free-ranging cervids — including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk — in 16 Texas counties have tested positive for CWD.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in certain cervids, including deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family. The disease is highly transmissible and can remain infectious on the landscape for several years. If left unmanaged, CWD can have long-term impacts on the native deer herd and local economies.

Clinical signs may include progressive weight loss, stumbling or tremors with a lack of coordination, excessive thirst, salivation or urination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture and/or drooping ears. These signs may not become evident until long after animals have become infected. Therefore, testing remains the best available tool for detecting CWD at an early stage and containing it with appropriate management strategies.

To date, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or non-cervids. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend not to consume meat from infected animals. However, because there is CWD in Limestone County deer, local hunters need to be aware of testing requirements.

CWD in Gillespie County, Texas

Found: CWD in Gillespie County

State officials have discovered CWD in Gillespie County. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered in a deer breeding within the county. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) are collaboratively working to determine the source and extent of the first positive detection of the disease in this county.

CWD is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. CWD has been found in some areas of Texas and it continues to increase. It may take over a year before an infected deer develops symptoms, which can include drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, listlessness and other neurologic symptoms. CWD can affect deer of all ages and some infected animals may die without ever developing the disease. CWD is fatal to animals and there are no treatments or vaccines.

CWD Found in Gillespie County, Texas

Deer Positive for CWD in Gillespie County

After the mortality of a white-tailed deer on the premises was identified, tissue samples from the one-year-old buck were submitted by the deer breeding facility as part of a required CWD surveillance program. The samples were tested at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station on August 17 and indicated the presence of CWD. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa confirmed CWD in those tissue samples on August 30.

Immediate action has been taken to secure all deer located at the facility and plans to conduct additional CWD investigations are underway. Additionally, other breeding facilities that received deer or shipped deer to this facility, during the last five years, have been identified and placed under movement restrictions.

READ: CWD Testing Required for Exotics in Texas

“Response staff are diligently working to conduct epidemiological investigations, but the nature of the disease makes definitive findings difficult to determine,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC State Veterinarian. “The incubation period of CWD can span years creating disease detection and management challenges.”

More CWD in Gillespie County?

Animal health and wildlife officials will investigate to determine the extent of the disease within the facility and mitigate risks to Texas’ CWD susceptible species. Quick detection of CWD can help mitigate the disease’s spread. 

“The discovery of CWD in Gillespie County at this breeding facility is an unfortunate situation that TPWD and TAHC take very seriously,” said John Silovsky, Wildlife Division Director for TPWD. “Both agencies will respond appropriately to this matter to protect the state’s susceptible species from further disease exposure.”

Facts About CWD and Impacts to Deer in Gillespie County
A CWD fact sheet is available from the Texas Animal Health Commission.

More on CWD

First recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado, CWD has since been documented in captive and/or free-ranging deer in 30 states and three Canadian provinces. To date, 376 captive or free-ranging cervids — including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk — in 15 Texas counties have tested positive for CWD. For more information on previous detections visit the CWD page on the TPWD website. The discovery of CWD in Gillespie County makes it the most recent county added to the list.

Testing for CWD allows wildlife biologists and animal health officials to get a clearer picture of the prevalence and distribution of the disease across Texas. Proactive monitoring improves the state’s response time to a CWD detection and can greatly reduce the risk of the disease further spreading to neighboring captive and free-ranging populations. With each discovery of a new CWD positive area in the state, CWD zones are established as a strategy to manage and contain the disease. TPWD officials will be working towards delineating and establishing a new zone in Gillespie County to be implemented later this fall.

How to Control Cedar Trees in Texas

Cedar trees are aggressive species that can overtake rangelands and woodlands. Cedar can be controlled, but which type of cedar trees are on your property? Learning how to identify and control cedar trees as well as other invasive woody species is important. Proper identification allows land managers to correctly control and/or suppress brush species on their property.

There are two major cedar tree species west of Interstate Highway 35, redberry cedar and blueberry cedar. As the names imply, blueberry cedar has blue berries and redberry cedar has red berries. In addition, redberrycedar has small specks of white wax on its leaves and twigs. Blueberry cedar is more common in central and south-central Texas, while redberry cedar is more common in west, west-central and north-central Texas. It is not uncommon for the two species to occur together in some parts of the state.

How to Control Cedar Trees in Texas
Blueberry cedar covers much of Central Texas.

How to Control Cedar Trees: Annual Management

Unfortunately, controlling cedar trees on a property is not a one-time job. Livestock and wildlife spread the seeds easily, so you’ll need to check your land annually and treat unwanted seedlings. It is important to control cedar when young, as both seedlings and saplings. Controlling mature cedars requires heavy equipment or large quantities of herbicides and is usually very expensive. Cedar is not something you eradicate. Instead, it’s about managing cedar abundance.

Besides, cedar trees do have value. Some cedars grow in areas where other plants struggle. In addition, cedar trees provide thermal cover for associated plants and animals. Wildlife readily consume the berries. It’s not about totally removing cedar, but rather managing what you have on the landscape. Brush management means retaining cover where it’s needed and removing cedar where it’s not welcome.

Chemical (herbicide) treatments work best on cedar trees less than 3-feet tall. Mechanical treatment is required for larger, established trees. After reading this article and watching the enclosed cedar tree ID video, the hope is that you can successfully identify the cedar on your land and effectively manage it. This article will cover:

  • Leaf spray using herbicide for cedar trees
  • Spot spray with herbicide for cedar control
  • Mechanical top removal for established cedar trees

How to Control Cedar Trees: Leaf Spray

The leaf spray method works best on blueberry and redberry cedars less than
3 feet tall. The best time to apply herbicide using the leaf spray method is during the spring and summer, when cedar trees are actively growing. Land managers will need a herbicide sprayer to control cedar trees using the leaf spray method.

There are a variety of spray rigs on the market. Small pump-up garden sprayers, backpack sprayers, cattle sprayers, or sprayers mounted on 4-wheel-drive all terrain vehicles (ATVs) work well for cedar control. Garden sprayers are best for treating a few plants, and backpack sprayers are usually more efficient for larger acreages or higher cedar densities.

ATV sprayers become more efficient on very large acreages or as the distance between plants increases. Most importantly, make sure your spray gun has an adjustable cone nozzle (X6 to X8 orifice size) capable of delivering a coarse spray (large droplets).

Land managers can achieve 76-100 percent root kill of small cedar by spraying with the herbicide Tordon 22K™. Prepare the spray mix as a 1% concentration of Tordon 22K™ in water. In addition, to ensure a thorough coating of the cedar leaves, add commercial surfactant or liquid dishwashing detergent to the spray mix. It’s also helpful to add a dye, such as Hi-Light Blue Dye™, to mark plants that have been sprayed. For best results, thoroughly wet all the leaves of each cedar plant to the point of runoff.

How to Control Cedar Trees in Texas

Spot Spray for Cedar Control

The soil spot spray method works on blueberry or redberry cedars less than 3 feet in height. Ideally, this application should be applied in late-winter to mid-spring just prior to expected rainfall. Soil spot sprays should be applied with an exact delivery handgun. This equipment is available from most herbicide retail outlets.

The handgun delivers a thin stream of predetermined volume when triggered. Adjust the handgun to deliver 2 ml (cc) for each pull of the trigger. If only a few plants are to be treated, a disposable syringe can be used. All spray equipment should be thoroughly cleaned immediately after use.

The recommended herbicide for soil spot spray cedar control method is Velpar L™. The herbicide is used undiluted, by attaching an exact delivery handgun or syringe to the herbicide container. Apply undiluted Velpar L™ to the soil surface midway between the cedar stem and the canopy edge.

Apply 2 ml for every 3 feet of plant height or every 3 feet of plant canopy diameter (whichever is greater). If plant size requires more than a single 2-ml application, space applications equally around the cedar tree. Apply each 2-ml dose to a single spot on the soil surface. On slopes, apply most of the herbicide on the uphill side of the stem.

How to Control Cedar Trees: Top Removal

The top removal method is very effective at controlling some cedar tree species. On blueberry cedar (Ashe juniper), remove the plant top at or near the ground line with a chain saw, pruner, axe, etc. Seedlings (plants less than 2 feet tall) can be killed easily by hand grubbing, but why bother when you can simply lopper them off at the ground. This is game over for blueberry juniper as they do no resprout.

The top removal method takes a little more work with redberry cedar. Redberry cedar resprouts when cut, so top removal will not effectively control plants that are over 8 to 10 years old. Redberry cedar plants less than 2 feet tall can be easily killed if they are grubbed below the basal “knob.” This know is located at or slightly beneath the soil surface.

Control Cedar Trees by Grubbing and Cutting

Controlling Cedar Trees in Texas

Brush now exist on more Texas rangeland than at anytime in recorded history. Much of this brush is cedar. Brush has long been considered one of the major management problems confronting land owners and managers in Texas. A dense stand of cedar or other brush reduces grass cover. Reduced grass cover results in loss of livestock production, increased soil erosion and inefficient use of rainfall. Dense cedar cover reduces grass and forb cover and results in reduce water captured within the land. This impacts other plants, the water table and springs.

For the most effective cedar and brush control, a management plan should be developed for the property. The plan must outline the purpose of brush management, what methods will be used where and when and what is the appropriate follow-up management, such grazing and maintenance brush control. The management plan should include wildlife goals in addition to land and livestock considerations.

The management plan must be consistent with the property objectives and be part of the overall property plan. An effective brush management plan will help meet long term objectives for the property. Selection of brush management methods is important. Methods should be selected on the basis of property objectives, resources available, expected response, economics and personal preference. Learning how to control cedar trees means more than just identification and treatment. Cedar management takes planning and commitment.

Texas Dove Hunting Season Forecast 2022

Texas Dove Hunting Season Outlook

It’s hot outside but how about that Texas dove hunting action? Texans are used to scorching summers, but this year’s record highs across much of the state have left many dove hunters wondering about the upcoming season opener.

“Unless conditions change drastically over the next few weeks, hunting near water will be key for opening day this year,” said Owen Fitzsimmons, TPWD Dove Program Leader. “Hunters will likely see larger concentrations of birds at watering holes and food sources than they have in the past due to limited resources. Agriculture production has been hit hard by drought so birds may be more reliant on native foods this September. Look for stands of common sunflower, croton, and other native annual forbs and grasses.”

Dry, But Dove Season Good

Doves are well-adapted to dry conditions, particularly white-winged doves, which are a sub-tropical species. They may be the bread and butter of this Texas dove hunting season.

“Our spring surveys indicated a decrease in breeding abundance, which is a carry-over from poor hatch-year production last year,” added Fitzsimmons. “However, doves kick reproduction into high gear in dry years like this, and we’re seeing a lot of young birds this summer, based on our banding efforts.”

TPWD officials remind hunters to prepare for the extreme heat and make sure they are packing all the essentials for a day in the field. They should bring plenty of water to stay hydrated and take measures to stay cool in a shaded area. The same is true for canine hunting partners.

“If this extreme heat persists, think twice about bringing your dog out in the early season,” said Fitzsimmons. “Temperatures this high can be dangerous for dogs, particularly when they’re excited and running hard after birds. If you do bring them, try to limit the hunts to early mornings or late evenings.”

Texas Dove Hunting Season

The regular dove season in the North Zone runs Sept. 1-Nov. 13 and resumes Dec. 17-Jan.1, 2023. The regular season in the Central Zone is Sept. 1-Oct. 30, then resumes Dec. 17-Jan.15, 2023. The regular season in the South Zone is Sept. 14-Oct. 30 and Dec. 17-Jan. 22, 2023. For the second straight year, there will be six Special White-Winged Dove Days. The Special White-Winged Dove Days will be Sept. 2-4 and 9-11.

During the regular season in the South Zone, the aggregate bag limit is 15 with no more than two white-tipped doves. During the Special White-winged Dove Days in the South Zone, dove hunting is allowed only from noon to sunset and the daily bag limit is 15 birds, to include not more than two mourning doves and two white-tipped doves.

All updated hunting regulations for this year’s hunting season can be found in the Texas Outdoor Annual mobile app or online at OutdoorAnnual.com.

Texas Dove Hunting Licenses

Hunters are reminded that licenses are on sale now for the 2022-23 hunting seasons and can be purchased through the agency’s 28 law enforcement field offices, at more than 50 state parks and over 1,700 retailers across the state. Licenses may also be purchased online through the TPWD website or by phone at (800) 895-4248. Call center hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and there is a required $5 administrative fee for each phone or online transaction. The online transaction system is available 24/7.

Enhancements have been made to make the licensing process simpler and faster. “Expedited checkout” improves the process of purchasing the same license items bought most recently within the last three years. It’s also now easier to show proof-of-license. Now hunters can use a digital image of their license as proof-of-license for any hunting that doesn’t require a tag, like dove hunting. Accepted formats include: (1) a digital photo, (2) an emailed receipt, (3) within the Outdoor Annual app or the My Texas Hunt Harvest app, or 4) online purchase record.

For the first time, Texas residents can purchase a digital Super Combo license (Items 111, 117 and 990) that will authorize digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey and oversized red drum. The digital license option is available through online purchase only when licenses go on sale Aug. 15. A digital license holder will not receive a printed license or tags but must keep their digital license available while in the field. The license can be viewed through the TPWD Outdoor Annual and My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile apps.

In addition to a hunting license, anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971, must successfully complete a hunter education training course to hunt legally in Texas. The TPWD Hunter Education certification is valid for life and is honored in all other states and provinces. Hunters can find more information or print a replacement at no cost online.

A Migratory Game Bird Endorsement (Stamp) and Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification are also required to hunt dove. HIP certification involves a brief survey of previous year’s migratory bird hunting success and is conducted at the time licenses are purchased.

Mule Deer Surveys in Texas

Mule Deer Surveys: Above & Beyond

Mule deer surveys are an important component of managing mule deer populations in the Texas Panhandle. In Texas, large-scale aerial mule deer surveys are conducted by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Wildlife Department (TPWD) annually.  And as it turns out, counting mule deer is more complicated than you’d think. Biologists don’t simply fly around counting the deer that they observe down below.

Survey data ensures sound regulations and stable populations for future hunting opportunities. According to TPWD, “The mule deer range in the Texas Panhandle covers a large area and we simply don’t have the resources to survey everything, so the area is divided up into Monitoring Units. Then a computer randomly selects transects.

Mule Deer Surveys in Texas
This map shows where mule deer survey transects are flown in Texas.

This helps ensure that we randomly sample the entire area and not just the very best habitat with the most deer. The survey transects are anywhere from 10 to 35 miles in length. We fly them during the winter in a helicopter with a pilot and two observers, going 35-55 mph at a height of 60 feet. We only count deer that are within 100 yards of each side of the helicopter.

When we see a deer, we record how many animals and if they are bucks, does and/or fawns. We also record the factors that determine the probability of seeing a deer, these factors go into our ‘sightability” model. These mule deer survey factors include:

  • Light condition for survey
  • Distance to the deer from the helicopter
  • Activity of the deer during survey
  • Vegetation along survey route
  • Terrain along mule deer survey

It’s easier to see a deer that’s running close to the helicopter, on a sunny day, on flat terrain with no brush versus seeing a deer that’s further out, standing still, on a cloudy day in the bottom of a brushy canyon. These factors are used to predict the likelihood of seeing or not seeing a deer, it helps us to estimate deer missed on the survey, no survey counts all the deer, it’s all an estimate.”

Mule Deer Survey Units

The Monitoring Units (MU) are based on deer densities, which consists of:

  • High – <50 acres/mule deer
  • Medium – 51-100 acres/mule deer,
  • Low – 101-300 acre/mule deer
  • Very Low with 301+ acre/mule deer.
Estimated Mule Deer Density in Texas based on Aerial Surveys
Estimated mule deer density in Texas based on aerial surveys conducted by TPWD.

According to TPWD staff, “For the 2021-22 Season, we observed in the High MU: 45.45 acres/mule deer, 1 buck/7 does and 31% fawn survival, in the Medium MU: 263.71 acres/mule deer, 1 buck/3.5 does and 37% fawn survival and in the Low MU: 183.41 acres/mule deer, 1 buck/5.5 does and 37% fawn survival.

We calculated a lower deer density in the Medium MU compared to the Low MU this year, this could be attributed to poorer range conditions and fawn survival for the last couple of years due to drought or other factors.”

Texas Mule Deer Population Trends
Texas mule deer population trends in Texas based on TPWD mule deer surveys.

Mule Deer Surveys Necessary Management

TPWD: “Across the Panhandle, we estimate this years’ mule deer population to be 72,171 total animals. This is down from the last several years. In 2017, we estimated the population at 133,048. We believe that low fawn survival and several significant weather events such as Winter Storm Uri and drought have negatively impacted survival and reproduction.

Texas Mule Deer Trends based on Deer Survey Data
Texas mule deer population trends based on annual deer survey data.

Considering the habitat conditions we are currently experiencing and how this might affect production and survival for the upcoming season, land managers and hunters might want to be conservative with their harvest during the 2022-23 Hunting Season.”

CWD in Hunt County

Deer Positive for CWD in Hunt County

Another deer tested positive for CWD in Texas. Now hunters get to deal with CWD in Hunt County. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered in deer breeding facilities in both Hunt County. This marks the first positive detection of the disease in Hunt County.

The tissue sample was submitted by a deer breeding facility as part of required CWD surveillance program. The sample indicated the presence of CWD during testing at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station on March 24 for the Hunt County facility. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, has since confirmed CWD in that tissue sample. The sample reported for Hunt County is undergoing DNA testing to confirm animal identification and origin.

CWD In Hunt County

­Officials have taken immediate action to secure all deer at Hunt County deer breeding facility and plan to conduct additional investigations for CWD. In addition, other breeding facilities that received deer from these facilities or shipped deer to these facilities during the last five years are under movement restrictions and cannot move or release deer at this time.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) are working together to determine the extent of the disease within the facilities and evaluate risks to Texas’ free ranging deer populations. Quick detection of CWD can help mitigate the disease’s spread.

CWD in Hunt County & Beyond

“Recent CWD discoveries in new locations across the state are deeply concerning and underscore the criticality of redoubling efforts to help arrest the spread of this disease,” said Carter Smith, Executive Director of TPWD. “While it is important to realize that CWD is still not widespread in Texas, complacency is not an option.

The only way to ensure we are effective in combating the further spread of CWD is with the active help of hunters, wildlife managers, deer breeders, and landowners. Clearly, it is imperative that we work together to protect our native deer populations to ensure the health and vitality of one of our state’s greatest natural resources.”

Although animal health and wildlife officials cannot determine how long or to what extent the disease has been present in these deer breeding facilities, both breeding facilities have active CWD surveillance programs with no positives detected until now.

CWD was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado. CWD has also been documented in captive and/or free-ranging deer in 26 states and 3 Canadian provinces. CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in certain cervids, including deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family. CWD is a slow and progressive disease.

Clinical signs may include, progressive weight loss, stumbling or tremors with a lack of coordination, excessive thirst, salivation or urination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture, and/or drooping ears.

“The incubation period of CWD can span years creating disease management challenges,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC State Veterinarian. “Response staff are diligently working to address each herd affected by these new detections to manage further spread.”

To date there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or non-cervids. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend not to consume meat from infected animals

Feral Hogs Kill Woman in Texas

Feral hogs are bad news. Texas farmers and ranchers lose billions of dollars in agricultural products each year. Wild hogs are not native, but feral hogs kill native wildlife and compete for habitat and space. In short, nobody likes feral hogs.

But, unfortunately, it gets worse. It’s now reported that feral hogs are responsible for the death of a Texas woman. How did feral hogs kill a woman on her way to work?

Feral Hogs Kill Woman Outside Home

Killer Hogs?

Christine Rollins drove her white sedan toward the rural Texas home and parked /it just a few steps away from the front door. She got out of the car, locked it and headed toward the house where she worked as a caretaker for an older couple.

Instead of making her way in the home, according to the authorities who are now investigating her death, she was attacked by a herd of feral hogs before she could make the short walk.

Hog attacks are rare in Texas and elsewhere, but the scene was so harrowing that investigators could find no other explanation for Ms. Rollins’s death early Sunday morning in Anahuac, about 50 miles east of Houston. It was just the fifth deadly feral hog attack documented in the United States in nearly two centuries, according to one study.

Feral Hogs Kill: Deadly Scene in Anahuac

“It was like nothing we’d ever seen,” Sheriff Brian C. Hawthorne of Chambers County said in an interview on Tuesday, the day after a medical examiner ruled the cause of death as “exsanguination due to feral hog assault,” using a medical term for severe blood loss.

One of the homeowners went to check on why Ms. Rollins, 59, had not come inside at her usual time and discovered her body on a small patch of grass.

Ms. Rollins was one of three caregivers who worked 12-to-14-hour shifts looking after the husband, 84, and wife, 79, who suffer from memory loss. She was known for her compassion, the sheriff said, relaying a story of when Ms. Rollins drove over from another town to feed the couple when the wife got sick.

Ms. Rollins’s son-in-law told a local television station that the family had been preparing for her 60th birthday, which falls on Christmas.

Sheriff Hawthorne said it was clear from her injuries that Ms. Rollins had fought back against the hogs. He said it was impossible to know exactly how many had attacked her, but that there had been more than one, based on the varying sizes of her bite wounds.

Wild Hogs Attack and Feral Hogs Kill

Feral Hogs Kill in Texas

There are millions of wild hogs in Texas, though they are rarely violent toward humans. Texans mostly encounter them when the animals have uprooted a flower bed or damaged crops. Unlike domesticated pigs, feral hogs can become aggressive if they feel trapped, or if a female hog is defending her offspring. Most weigh about 200 pounds, though they can grow to more than 500.

“Feral pigs will lunge at you and attack you” if they perceive a threat, said John J. McGlone, a professor of animal behavior at Texas Tech University who has studied feral and domestic hogs.

There were about 100 documented attacks by feral hogs on humans in the United States between 1825 and 2012, four of which were fatal, according to a 2013 study. The most recent of those was also in Texas, in 1996.

Three of the four fatal attacks were by pigs wounded by hunters. But feral hog attacks in urban and suburban areas have increased since the mid-1990s, said John J. Mayer, the study’s author. He warned that many attacks likely go unreported, especially in rural regions.

Sheriff Hawthorne said the tragedy was one of the worst he had seen in his 35-year career. He said that as developers build houses in rural areas, more wild hogs are coming into contact with people. But the only other hog attack he had worked on was when one had attacked a pet cat.

“Feral hogs are just that: They’re feral, they’re wild and they roam,” he said. “One minute they’re tearing up the land on one ranch, the next minute they’re tearing up the ranch in the town over.”

Biology of Feral Hogs

Feral hogs descended from European wild boars, which were first brought to Texas in the 1500s and sometimes bred with domesticated pigs, Professor McGlone said. They mostly eat vegetation but are omnivorous, and can briefly run at speeds up to 30 m.p.h.

The animals tend to move in darkness to stay cool, which may have been why Ms. Rollins encountered them early in the morning. Adult males travel alone, Professor McGlone said, but juvenile males sometimes travel in pairs, and adult females travel in herds with one another and their young, sometimes numbering up to 50.

Some quick facts on feral hogs:

  • Feral hogs are found in 38 states
  • There are 4-5 million hogs in the U.S.
  • About half of those are found in Texas
  • Females are reproductive at 8-10 months
  • Gestation is about 115 days
  • 70% of the herd must be killed annually to keep the wild hog population from growing

Feral Hogs Kill, So Kill Them

Feral hogs are not native to Texas and not protected. Wild hogs can be hunted year-round in the state and neither hunters nor landowners need a hunting license.

Hogs are known to consume the nests of ground nesting birds such as quail, turkey and countless songbirds. Feral swine have also been documented to consume snakes, other reptiles and amphibians and white-tailed deer fawns.

Research is currently being conducted that would develop a feral hog toxicant that could be used to control feral hog populations in North America.