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Texas Duck Hunting Forecast Sounds Favorable

Things have changed this year for ducks and duck hunters in Texas. We’ve had some rain, so there will be surface water for our migratory friends from the north! According to Mike Rezsutek, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) waterfowl biologist for the Upper Coast Wetlands Ecosystem Project, the tides have dropped and water levels in the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area are dropping towards their target elevations.

“Chances are good that we’ll have favorable water conditions by the opening day of waterfowl season,” he predicted. “In the rice fields and other inland areas there is plenty of surface water at the moment, but that may change if the clouds stop dropping rain.”

Habitat conditions on the mid-coast range from fair to good depending on recent rainfall events, according to Matt Nelson, TPWD’s Central Coast Wetlands Ecosystem Project Leader, which includes Mad Island WMA. “Most of the mid-coast has received adequate rain over the past two months but there are still some key areas in need of additional precipitation,” Nelson noted. “Tides have been running high lately and have most of the coastal marsh full to capacity and the wigeon grass is starting to respond positively.”

Nelson went on to report the early teal season hunting on the mid-coast WMAs was slowed by lagging migration, but observations of large groups of blue wings using the marsh and large groups of pintails and gadwall arriving after the last cool front have him optimistic for the opener.

“We are starting to see some white-fronts on the coast as well,” he said. “In short, we could still use some rain in key areas along the coast but overall habitat conditions are fairly good. Now we need the birds to cooperate and migrate through.”

Additionally, the lower Texas coast south of Corpus Christi has received much needed rain in the last few weeks that has greatly increased the available fresh water on the landscape. That’s good news for redheads and pintail ducks that require frequent visits to fresh water after foraging on the sea grasses on the Laguna Madre.

In the eastern regions of Texas, things are also shaping up well, according to Jared Laing, TPWD waterfowl biologist. “We had well-timed rains that produced great food resources on most North Texas reservoirs,” said Laing. “Natural marshes are in decent shape, but some stayed too wet to grow adequate plants that waterfowl prefer. Managed wetlands are good to excellent, but due to the very wet growing season, some areas are late with food resources.”

Pineywoods reservoirs are another story, Laing noted. They stayed full all spring and summer for the most part and many are now covered with invasive aquatic plant species. Bird use on these should increase as winter progresses, vegetation decomposes, and open water becomes more available.

“Of course, as always, the quality of our season and bird densities on the landscape hinges on the amount of water on the landscape,” Laing pointed out. “Right now we’re sitting fair; we just need a good 4-6 inch rain event to boost North and East Texas wetlands as the birds arrive.”

Texas Quail Hunting Better, But Not Out of the Woods

Texas is still plagued by a long-term drought, but this year much of the state received enough timely rain to promote robust nesting by bobwhite quail. The reproduction effort this year will spur population growth that will should support what could be the best quail hunting season than in recent memory. But even if things are looking better this season, such short-term population changes do not reflect the long-term downward trend of Texas quail.

Since 1980, bobwhite populations in Texas have declined at a rate of about 5.6 percent per year. Scaled quail populations in western Texas have declined at a rate of about 2.9 percent per year. These numbers add up – or down to be more correct – to a 75 percent loss in bobwhites and a 66 percent loss in scaled quail. Many reasons are cited for the declines, but evidence points to changes in the quantity and quality of habitat as the leading cause.

Besides quail, at least 24 other grassland birds are all in serious decline. The situation was highlighted in the “The State of the Birds 2014” report released Sep. 9, billed as the most comprehensive review of long-term trend data for U.S. birds ever conducted. The report stated “Since 1968, the grasslands indicator for 24 obligate breeding birds declined by nearly 40%.” This explains why birding groups like the American Bird Conservancy are partners in the quail initiative. By restoring grassland habitat, it benefits many birds at the ecosystem level.

“Birds like the scissor-tailed flycatcher, even the meadowlark, a traditionally common bird that is now in decline—none of these birds are hunted, so hunting is not the issue,” Perez said. “Even though the bobwhite is our flagship species, we don’t have a narrow focus on a single species; we know when we improve grassland habitat we’re helping dozens of bird species.”

There was some good news for grassland birds in the national report, which went on to say their “…decline flattened out beginning in 1990. This recent stabilization noted in the 2009 report continues today, reflecting the significant investments made in grassland bird conservation…Conservation works!”

Quail restoration grants are guided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Upland Game Bird Strategic Plan, a five year road map for quail recovery. This in turn is part of a national umbrella plan, the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.

How to Tag a Deer in Texas

When a Texas hunter successfully harvests a deer, one of the first dilemmas he/she faces is how to properly tag the deer. Depending on the circumstances, every deer harvested must be tagged with either a license tag, OR appropriate permit (LAMPS, MLDP, USFS antlerless permit, etc), but never both. If the deer is harvested under the authority of a permit, no license tag is required. However, all other deer must be tagged with the appropriate tag from your Texas hunting license. These two scenarios will be described in greater detail below.

1). A hunter kills a deer in which no permit is applicable. This deer (buck or antlerless) must be tagged with the appropriate (white-tailed deer) tag from the hunter’s license. Hunters should read the tag descriptions carefully as some of the tags can legally be used on a buck or antlerless deer. However, using one of these tags on an antlerless deer potentially limits the number of bucks a hunter could harvest. In order to be properly tagged, the month and day must be CUT OUT, and the property name and county must be written, in ink, on the back of the tag. In addition, the hunter must properly complete the log on the back of the hunting license. Every time a deer tag is used, the license log must also be completed. Failure to complete all of these steps results in a deer that is not properly tagged/logged.

2). A hunter kills a deer under the authority of a permit. The appropriate permit (buck or antlerless) must be placed on the deer, but no license tag is required. In this case, the hunter is not required to complete the license log on the back of the hunting license. The month and day must be CUT OUT and all other information on the permit must be completed. Failure to complete all of these steps results in a deer that is not properly tagged (permitted).

Other important points to remember:

A “buck deer” is a deer with a hardened antler protruding through the skin. All other deer are considered antlerless deer.
The tag/permit should remain attached to the deer until the deer reaches its final destination and is quartered
If the head is removed from the carcass, then the appropriate tag or permit must remain attached to the carcass
It is unlawful to possess a deer with proof of sex removed unless the deer is at a final destination and has been quartered
Proof of sex is: the head of a buck deer with antlers attached, the head of an antlerless deer, or a completed Man-aged Lands Deer Permit, Landowner Assisted Management Permit, TPWD Drawn Hunt Legal Deer Tag, or Antlerless and Spike-buck Control Permit
A deer can only be tagged with a tag from the hunter’s license who killed the deer
A deer tag can only be used once

It is important to remember to place the tag on the deer immediately upon kill and to complete the harvest log. Failure to complete the harvest log is one of the most frequent violations that law enforcement officers encounter in Texas. Without a complete harvest log, there is no way to verify that the statewide and/or county bag limits are being adhered to.

Although the tagging/permitting process may seem confusing, if the hunter reviews and understands the requirements prior to hunting and harvesting a deer, many of the common mistakes can be avoided. For additional information please refer to the current Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual that is available anywhere hunting licenses are sold or online. Tablet or Smart Phone users can also download the Outdoor Annual for free using the new Texas Parks and Wildlife Department app.

Avoid Diseases Carried by White-tailed Deer

Archery season for white-tailed deer is already under way and the rifle season is just around the corner. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is reminding hunters to be careful in handling the game they harvest. It is not common, but some diseases can spread from wildlife to humans. One such disease is anthrax, which is caused by naturally occurring bacteria found in soil. Animals can come down with the disease by swallowing anthrax spores while grazing. Humans, in turn, can contract the disease through touching infected animals, either alive or dead, or consuming their meat. Other conditions, including tularemia, brucellosis and rabies also can be transmitted to people through direct contact with live animals or while field dressing harvested game. In addition, insects and ticks can transmit West Nile virus, Lyme disease, plague and other diseases such as EHD and bluetongue.

Fortunately for hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts, safety methods are easy. Using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and long pants is the simple way to prevent illnesses that can be passed to humans by mosquitos and ticks. Health professionals also advise wearing gloves while cleaning game or when cutting and packaging meat. And be sure to wash your hands when you are finished. The Texas Department of State Health Services recommends the following precautions:

Do not harvest animals that appear ill or are acting abnormally.
Wear latex-type gloves when dressing game.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling game. If soap is not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good alternative.
Consider eye protection when dressing game to prevent contact between fluids or tissues and eyes. Shooting glasses provide an adequate level of protection in most cases.
Avoid eating, drinking, using tobacco, or rubbing eyes while dressing game.
Do not touch non-hunter-killed dead animals or their remains, including antlers, bones and hides.
Use an approved insect repellent and follow the instructions on the label. EPA-approved repellents include those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus/p-Menthane-3,8-diol.
Stay on trails and avoid areas of overgrown brush and tall grasses.
Wear protective clothing such as a hat, long-sleeved shirt and long pants tucked into boots or socks, and check frequently for ticks.

Additional disease information for deer hunters and other outdoors enthusiasts is available on this web site

Donate Deer Meat in Texas Cost-Free

Each year, Texas hunters harvest several hundred thousand white-tailed deer, andmany of those animals end up being donated to help those in need of food. The hunting season is a great time to remove surplus deer from the landscape and help provide less fortunate families with lean protein. More venison could be donated, but many hunters feel a little funny about paying for the processing of a donated deer that they already harvested, quartered and delivered to the processor.

If you hunt in or around Brownwood, then The Deer Project will take your venison cost-free to the hunter. An annual raffle prior to the deer hunting season is helping an organization feed the hungry. Good Samaritan Ministries is a Brownwood volunteer agency that provides meals for hungry children through food donations.

One of their programs, The Deer Project, uses donated deer meat to assemble their meals. “If you don’t need the meat you can still hunt and donate it, and know it’s going to a great cause,” Misty Bowers, Good Samaritan employee, said. Hunters who want to donate can have their meat processed for free through a company that works in conjunction with Good Samaritan.

Although the service requires no additional costs for hunters to participate, maintaining the initiative puts demand on Good Samaritan to find funding. One of the ways they do so is through annual raffles.

Participants in this year’s raffle have a chance at winning a Yamaha Grizzy 4-Wheeler.More information can be found on their web site.

Another cost-free, deer meat donation program includes Hunters for Good. Hunters can also donate harvested venison and pay for processing at Hunters for the Hungry. As expected, the program that works best for you will depend upon location and participating processors.

Become a Better Duck Hunter: Waterfowl Wounding Loss Workshop

Duck and goose season is just around the corner and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is offering a Waterfowl Wounding Loss Workshop at San Angelo State Park on October 11, 2014. Registration for the workshop will begin at 8:30 am and the workshop will run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Hunters will learn shooting techniques to minimize the wounding and loss of birds.

Staff from TPWD Hunter Education will be teaching the class. here will be some classroom instruction on basic hunting, while the rest of the class will be conducted outdoors. So dress and be prepared for all adverse conditions pertaining to the outdoors. Outdoor activities will consist of: Shooting and Shooting Techniques; Judging Distances (Subtending); and Shot Patterning.

All participants must provide their own shotgun(s), as well as their own matching gauge ammunition (steel shot only) that he/she will be using while hunting waterfowl. Seating is limited to 20 and there is no charge for the course. For more information about becoming a better duck hunter as well as more information or to register for the workshop, contact Kurt Kemp at 325-947-2687.

Quail Populations Up in Texas: Better Hunting in the Future?

It’s been a tough run for quail over the past few years. Persistent drought has hammered many species, but bobwhite quail have really suffered due to poor nesting habitat across Texas. But quail respond readily to the addition of water, as was the case in 2014. Much-needed rainfall at the right times this year are helping to bolster bobwhite quail numbers and should lead to improved hunting compared to last season, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists.

Texas quail season opens statewide on October 25 and runs through February 20, 2015.The daily bag limit for quail is 15, with 45 in possession. Legal shooting hours for all non-migratory game birds are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The bag limit is the maximum number that may be killed during the legal shooting hours in one day.

Continued drought conditions over much of the core quail hunting areas in the spring and summer of 2013 resulted in below average production last year and many ranches opted to limit hunting last season in hopes to aid local recovery.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) quail surveys show modest recovery this year, thanks to adequate range conditions during the nesting season. Biologists stress that additional winter rains are needed to aid continued population recovery into next spring and summer.

One region indicative of a positive shift is the Gulf Prairies where TPWD quail surveys showed 19.9 bobwhites were observed per route compared to 11.3 last year and is a record high for this area.

“Bobwhite are less dependent on rainfall in this region, where there is usually enough moisture available for nesting,” said TPWD wildlife biologist Robert Perez. “Habitat conditions in areas of native rangeland are in good condition. Hunters should focus on the central and lower coast in native prairie habitats.”

Most of the quail country around the state saw similar improvement in quail numbers compared to last year, although still below the long term average since quail surveys began in 1978. In South Texas, for example, surveys showed 11.6 birds per route compared to 6 last year. This is below the long term average of 17.4 and is predictive of a below average hunting season for the region as a whole. However, field staff and ranch-level surveys on private and public lands are reporting above average numbers in many areas.

In the Rolling Plains, rangelands are in recovery and where grazing has been reduced, Perez said prime nesting habitat is definitely more available than last year. Field reports suggest that many areas have improved enough to support limited hunting and last year’s hot spots will likely improve this season.

“Although there are certainly areas within each region where some quail hunting opportunity remains, this survey is not designed to detect changes in localized populations, especially in fragmented landscapes,” Perez cautioned. “Looking forward, most of the core Texas quail hunting regions did get a flush of vegetation and insects and a corresponding increase in bobwhite reproductive efforts.”

Teal Hunting Season Looks Terrific in Texas

If you like your birds fast and furious then teal hunting season is right for you. Waterfowl biologists agree that habitat conditions across the majority of Texas are much better than years past, and teal populations are up. Late summer rain has improved habitat found along coastal marshes and prairies. More “sweet water” means better conditions along the coast and directly translates into more flooded habitat.

In Eastern Texas, the ponds, lakes, and reservoirs could use some additional water, suggest waterfowl biologist, but waterfowlers that seek out the shallow waters of many of the water bodies that remain will likely encounter many of the migrating teal leaving the breeding grounds moving though the area daily. Heading westward, playa wetlands of the High Plains also received good rainfall early in the summer and some are still holding water that will attract early-season teal.

Source: Texas duck hunters should see more action during the upcoming early teal season, Sept. 13-28, thanks to near record numbers of birds and an anticipated typical migration pattern. Prospects for early teal season are looking very good, especially compared to the last few years, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Waterfowl Program Leader Kevin Kraai.

“First, blue-winged teal populations are near record high and production reports are excellent. Additionally, unlike last year’s very late spring, nesting efforts were more on time this year and thus should result in a timely migration that will overlap better with our teal season dates.”

Some weak fronts are evident and blue-winged teal are already along the coast. Teal hunting can be hit or miss, but this year looks to be good given habitat conditions and the fact that birds are cooperating. Look to traditional wetlands and the shallow ends of reservoirs to put birds on your strap.

Texas hunters can take up to six teal daily during the 16-day season. The possession limit is three times the daily limit, which cannot be applied before the third day of the season.

Improved Quail Hunting Means First Stopping the Decline

Bobwhite quail have taken it right on the nose in recent years. Hunters have noticed less quail, which means less quail hunting. Much of that can likely be attributed to low rainfall since quail tend to be a boom and bust species, highly levered to habitat conditions. But is that all that is happening with regard to quail? Texans concerned with the widespread decline of wild quail across the state can learn about measures to stop the loss by tuning in to three fall webinars starting September 11, 2014.

The webinars, also set for October 9 and November 13, are a collaborative effort of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The series is part of the Reversing the Quail Decline in Texas Initiative coordinated by Dr. Jim Cathey, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at College Station, and Dr. Dale Rollins, retired AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, San Angelo. Each of the webinars, all slated from noon-1 p.m., can be found on the Forestry Webinar portal at http://www.forestrywebinars.net/.

The September webinar will feature Rollins and Robert Perez, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department quail program leader, La Vernia, presenting “Reversing the Quail Decline in Texas.” The webinar will describe the overall project, and provide background for better understanding the situation and its ramifications. “Quail aren’t the only birds suffering a steep decline in numbers,” Cathey said. “Several species of grassland birds that share habitat with quail are also experiencing a dramatic drop in numbers.

“In our first webinar, we’ll provide an update on how our wild quail and their habitat neighbors are faring today. The webinar will then delve into the Reversing the Quail Decline Initiative’s funded research projects on quail biology and habitat management, as well as the widespread educational efforts that are currently being implemented. This first webinar is meant to serve as a barometer to indicate where wild quail populations are today and what the agencies are doing in support of this very important, legislatively supported initiative.”

Cathey said the Oct. 9 webinar will discuss successful quail habitat restoration efforts, while the Nov. 13 webinar will focus on the Texas Quail Index, a statewide monitoring effort by landowners, AgriLife Extension agents and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to evaluate quail populations and the factors that affect them. For more information, contact Cathey at 979-845-7471, jccathey@tamu.edu

Dove Season Texas 2014 – It’s Set!

The 2014 dove hunting season will soon be upon Texas, and I for one am looking to make the Central Zone and South Zone openers. Dove hunters will have more opportunity later in the season with dates and bag limits finalized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) this last week. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved the 2014-2015 Texas dove season, including a 70-day season and 15-bird daily bag statewide.

The traditional September 1 dove season opening day in the North and Central Zones of Texas remains; this year falling on Labor Day Monday. However, the first segment in those zones will be shorter than last season, closing on Monday, Oct. 20. The hunting season will reopen Friday, Dec. 19 and run through Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 in the North and Central Zones.

In the South Zone and Special White-winged Dove Area, the first segment will be shortened by five days compared to last year, and those days would be added to the end of the second segment. The South Zone opens Friday, Sept. 19 and runs through Monday, Oct. 20. The second segment will run Friday, Dec. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015.

The daily bag limit for doves statewide is 15 and the possession limit is 45.

The Special White-winged Dove Area will be restricted to afternoon only (noon to sunset) hunting the first two full September weekends on Sept. 6-7 and 13-14. Dove hunting in this area will reopen Friday, Sept. 19 and continue through Monday, Oct. 20, and then reopen Friday, Dec. 19 through Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015. During the early two weekends, the daily bag limit is 15 birds, to include not more than two mourning doves and two white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens, the aggregate bag limit will be 15 with no more than two white-tipped doves.