Is axis deer population control needed? Maybe. Gillespie County AgriLife Extension and Hill Country Alliance have launched the Axis Deer Control Project and are encouraging landowners and hunters to participate.
Axis deer are an exotic species that were introduced from India to the Texas Hill Country in the 1930s. Since their introduction, this species has proliferated in several portions of Gillespie County, adversely impacting native wildlife, particularly white-tailed deer.
Exotic species such as Axis deer can out-compete native white-tailed deer because of their ability to shift their diet to grasses, once they have eaten desirable forbs and browse. White-tailed deer, however, cannot switch their diet preference, and will eventually suffer from malnutrition if grass is the only available vegetation.
Axis Deer Compete with Whitetail
Joyce Moore, a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist based in Gillespie County, notes, “Axis deer and other free-ranging exotic ungulates pose a significant threat to Hill Country ecosystems through a unique ability to adapt breeding seasons and forage preferences. These ‘adaptations’ have allowed them to expand their range to habitats historically occupied only by native species.”
Following a recent deer census for the Cave Creek Wildlife Management Association, local landowner, Ronnie Ottmers, expressed his concerns about the population growth of this exotic species. “Over three nights, we counted 347 white-tailed deer and 546 Axis deer along our transects. It’s ridiculous.”
Texas Tech University Ph.D. student, Matthew Buchholz, adds that Axis deer are also physically larger and more aggressive than native white-tailed deer. They can browse on their hind legs between 6 – 7 feet and, when in herds that can exceed 150 animals, may physically displace white-tailed deer and other animals from optimal habitat and food sources.
The goal of the Axis Deer Control Project is to raise awareness about the impacts of free-ranging Axis deer, to support research that will improve management, and recognize land stewards for their efforts to control this exotic species.
Axis deer may be hunted year-round with a hunting license; they may also be trapped.
Axis Deer Population Control, Contest
Hunters and trappers are encouraged to bring a frozen ear from each harvested Axis deer to one of the scheduled drop-off points; ears will be used by a Buchholz, a graduate student at Texas Tech University, who is conducting genetic research that will enhance the understanding of the Axis deer population health and dynamics in the Hill Country.
November 16th at Stonewall Smokehouse from 9 am to 11 am
December 11th at Gillespie County AgriLife Extension from 8 am to 5 pm
January 11th at Stonewall Smokehouse from 3 pm to 5 pm
January 12th at Weinheimer and Son from 3 pm to 5 pm
Participants will be entered into a drawing for prizes donated by Lochte Feed General Store, Vogel Orchards, Los Cazadores, Weinheimer and Son, Hohmann General Store, Sweetbriar Rose, Cave Creek Wildlife Management Association, and the Gillespie County Agricultural Committee.
Considering Axis Deer Population Control
Future stories will highlight the ongoing research by Texas Tech University and the adverse impacts of Axis deer on agriculture and creek-side (riparian) habitat. To learn more, contact Daniel Oppenheimer (210-287-0478 or daniel@hillcountryalliance.org).
The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country. Visit us at www.hillcountryalliance.org.
One of the lesser known exotic hunting regulations in Texas is that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing is mandatory on all properties. With fall here and hunters headed to field, we are reminding Texas landowners of exotic CWD susceptible species rules for the 2019-20 hunting season. Hey, we’re just trying to help you stay out of trouble.
“When CWD was first discovered in far West Texas in 2012, Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) took important steps toward preventing the spread of the chronic disease by establishing CWD zones and implementing surveillance and movement rules,” said Dr. Susan Rollo, State Epidemiologist. “On May 30, 2017, TAHC enhanced the surveillance and movement requirements for exotic CWD susceptible species in Texas.”
Exotic Susceptible Species
Fortunately, not every exotic species in Texas is believed to be susceptible to CWD. With that in mind, the list is shorter than it could be. Exotic susceptible species include:
North American elk or wapiti
Black tailed deer
Red deer
Reindeer
Sika deer
Moose
Any associated subspecies and hybrids.
White-tailed deer, mule deer and other native species are under the jurisdiction of TPWD.
CWD Testing Requirements for Susceptible Exotics in Texas
Premises where Exotic CWD Susceptible Species are Hunter Harvested
Owners of high, low, or no fenced lands where exotic CWD susceptible species older than 16 months of age are hunter harvested, are required to submit a mortality record to the TAHC. Mortality record forms are due to the TAHC on or before April 1 of each year.
Every calendar year, landowners must have eligible mortalities CWD tested until such time that three animals are tested. An eligible mortality is a death from any cause of an exotic CWD susceptible species that is 16 months of age or older.
This includes hunter harvested mortalities or herd culling, natural mortalities, or animals moved directly to slaughter. Once valid CWD test results are obtained, they are to be submitted to TAHC and accompanied by a test submission form.
Owners Moving or Transporting Live Exotic CWD Susceptible Species
Any person engaged in the business of buying or selling exotic CWD susceptible species in commerce must maintain records for all exotics transported within the state or where there is a transfer of ownership. This data can be recorded on the TAHC movement record form.
All live exotic CWD susceptible species moved or transported within the state must have official identification. Contact TAHC ADT department for more information on official ID.
An owner of a premises where exotic CWD susceptible species are located within a high fence must keep an estimated annual inventory for all exotic CWD susceptible species. Annual inventories are due to TAHC on or before April 1 of each year.
Texas CWD Requirements for Hunters, Landowners
In addition to the TAHC’s statewide movement and surveillance requirements for exotic susceptible species, hunters should be aware of the CWD zones that have been established in Texas by TPWD.
The CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones include the Trans-Pecos zone, Panhandle zone, and South-Central Texas zone. Mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, red deer, or other CWD susceptible species hunter harvested within the zones are REQUIRED to bring their animals to a TPWD check station within 48 hours of harvest.
It’s finally starting to feel like fall, so time to review the 2019 Texas quail hunting forecast. Quail hunting season opens Saturday, Oct. 26 statewide and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) wildlife biologists predict average to above-average prospects across most of the state.
“Habitat and weather can cause dramatic shifts in bobwhite and scaled quail populations from one year to the next,” said Robert Perez, quail program leader for TPWD. “Although last year’s quail season was not very productive, quail have an uncanny ability to quickly bounce back when habitat conditions are good. Thanks to favorable weather conditions earlier this year, hunters can look forward to productive quail hunting across most of the state this season.”
Quail Nesting Equate to Quail Hunting
For the core quail range in Texas, this year’s El Nino weather pattern translated to above average rainfall and below average temperatures, resulting in an above average bobwhite quail season in most of South Texas, average to slightly above average scaled quail season for the Trans Pecos region, and good prospects for scaled quail and bobwhite in the Panhandle above Interstate 40.
“Favorable weather conditions spurred calling and pair formation in the majority of South Texas counties, and land manager and staff reports suggest an average to above average season,” Perez said. “Scaled quail in the Trans Pecos also look better than average, so it’s a good year to put on some tennis shoes and chase this elusive game bird.”
Quail Hunting in the Texas Rolling Plains
In the Rolling Plains, field reports indicate a very active roosting calling period in the spring and pairs spotted throughout the summer. Quality habitat across the region provides plenty of nesting and brooding cover and plants like dove weed and ragweed provide chicks with the protein-packed insects they need.
“The Rolling Plains appears to be up from last year but still below average, although our surveys may have underestimated the population due to dense roadside vegetation and extreme heat, which may have influenced habitat use,” Perez said. “Overall, the Rolling Plains has the potential to have an average year. And an average year in Texas is better than just about anywhere else in the country.”
Texas Quail Surveys
TPWD projections are based on annual statewide quail surveys that were initiated in 1978 to monitor quail populations. This index uses randomly selected, 20-mile roadside survey lines to determine annual quail population trends by ecological region. This trend information helps determine relative quail populations among the regions of Texas.
Comparisons can be made between the mean (average) number of quail observed per route this year and the 15-year mean for quail seen within an ecological region. The quail survey was not designed to predict relative abundance for any area smaller than the ecological region.
A regional breakdown of this year’s TPWD quail index survey, including highlights and prospects, is available online.
Quail hunting season runs through Feb. 23, 2020. 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.
Public Land Quail Hunting in Texas
Hunters can find public quail hunting opportunities at several wildlife management areas located within the core quail range, including Elephant Mountain, Black Gap, Gene Howe, Matador, Chaparral and James E. Daughtry.
There is no doubt that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) threatens deer hunting in Texas. The best way to avoid the impacts of the disease is to avoid spreading CWD from one place to another. In Texas, much of the white-tailed deer population is currently insulated from CWD, but we all have to do our part to keep it that way.
“Because many hunters process their own deer, they are key players in preventing environmental contamination or minimizing the spread of diseases such as CWD,” said Alan Cain, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) White-tailed Deer Program Leader. “One possible way that disease can spread is by the transportation and improper disposal of infected carcass parts.”
Transfer of CWD
Many deer species can become infected with CWD if they come into contact with other infected deer or an environment contaminated with CWD prions. While CWD prions are found ubiquitously throughout the body of an infected deer, they are known to accumulate in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes. As such, it makes sense not to move these parts around and throw them in your back yard or the back 40.
This is a good idea for all deer hunters but is especially important and mandatory for hunters with CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones in Texas. Texas currently has three zones: Trans-Pecos, South Central and Panhandle CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones.
Hunters cannot take whole deer carcasses, or carcass parts that contain brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, or lymph nodes, out of the CWD zones or from another state or country known to have CWD.
Stop CWD: Stop Carcass Movement
“We recommend hunters in the CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones quarter deer in the field and leave all inedible parts at the site of harvest, or preferably dispose of in a landfill, or bury at site of harvest if possible,” Cain said. “Proper carcass disposal is good practice anywhere in the state, but especially critical in CWD zones.”
Cain also noted that hunters wishing to take an intact skinned or unskinned deer head to a taxidermist outside a CWD zone or from another CWD positive state or country may do so, but must obtain the Deer Head Waiver at any TPWD CWD check station or at the TPWD CWD website. The waiver should be completed and kept with the hunter or with the deer head until it reaches the taxidermist.
6 Tips for Proper Carcass Disposal
Avoid cutting through bones, spine, or brain when processing deer carcasses.
Place carcass parts in trash bags and properly dispose of them through a trash service or landfill.
Remove all muscle and brain tissue from antlers attached to skull plates
Remove all excess tissue from hides or capes
Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spine or head attached
Ideally, keep the carcass within the CWD zone for processing and taxidermy
Hunters in CWD Zones
Hunters who harvest deer and other CWD-susceptible species in the South Central zone during archery season beginning Sept. 28 are required to bring their animals to a TPWD check station within 48 hours of harvest in order to have tissue samples removed for CWD testing. Hunters will receive a proof-of-sex document at the check station, allowing them to lawfully dispose of the head as recommended.
Those hunting in the Trans-Pecos zone during archery season should call (512) 221-8491 and those hunting in the Panhandle zone during archery season should call (806) 420-0439, as check stations in these areas do not open until November.
“Texas Game Wardens will be doing compliance checks to make sure hunters are meeting the requirements in the CWD restricted zones and when bringing big game from CWD positive states, which includes Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming,” said Region I Texas Game Warden Major Jason Huebner.
Proper deer carcass disposal is important for hunters within CWD zones to avoid the fines associated with state regulations to reduce the spread of CWD, but all hunters should be concerned with not fast-tracking the disease somewhere else in Texas.
Texas’ 2019 teal season is set to be hot, and we’re not just talking about the temperature. It will rain again one day, but restricted surface water has its upside. State waterfowl biologists are suggesting this year’s early teal hunting season is looking “really good.” The migratory bird forecast indicates that waves of blue-winged teal are headed for Texas. I’ll take that.
“Literally millions of teal are heading our way and growing numbers are already being reported across the state,” said Kevin Kraai, waterfowl program leader with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). “It is looking like the timing of this year’s teal season may be another encouraging point considering the full harvest moon will be on Friday, the day before the season opener. That will trigger mass migration of teal out of the Dakotas.”
Teal Season Tell
While the stars may be aligning for what could be a bountiful teal hunting season, the extended dry weather across much of Texas could be a real concern. Kraai indicated a lack of water now following the wet spring and early summer that hit much of the eastern half of Texas isn’t necessarily a detriment to the 2019 teal season.
“Seems we are always in a pattern of too much or too little rainfall here in Texas,” he said. “We have definitely entered a dry spell over the last couple of months, which is not necessarily a terrible thing for many parts of Texas. Typically, when there is less water spread out across the landscape it concentrates birds in areas where teal hunters tend to be waiting.”
The extremely wet spring and summer in eastern Texas had rivers flooding and lakes way above conservation pool. This unfortunately will impact the amount of terrestrial seed producing vegetation that generates the high energy foods that teal will be seeking. The upper ends of these reservoirs will still be a great place to check for migrating teal despite high waters earlier in the year. Submerged aquatic vegetation should be growing rapidly this time of year and aquatic bugs, essential to migrating and molting teal, will be flourishing in those locations.
Texas Teal Season Prospects for 2019
As for conditions and prospects for teal season around the state, TPWD waterfowl biologists report:
The Gulf Coast is drying out quick but freshwater flows into the bay systems have sparked an above average amount of submerged aquatic vegetation currently growing in places that are typically much more saline. Marsh complexes up and down the coast should see an increase in teal use this fall.
Further inland in the agricultural areas of the Gulf Coast there are a lot of people prepping for the wave of teal coming our way. Pumps are running night and day and canals are open and flowing. These folks will most certainly see incredible teal concentrations enjoying the tables that they set for them.
Much like the rest of the state the High Plains playas received substantial rainfall this spring and summer. Very high temperatures and strong dry winds have really wreaked havoc on the standing water across much of the Panhandle the last couple of months. There are still some locations with clusters of wet playas, but they are receding fast. Definitely going to need some replenishing rains soon to carry this important waterfowl area into the winter.
2019 Texas Teal Hunting Season Dates
The 16-day statewide early teal season in Texas will run Saturday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 29. The daily bag on teal is six, with a possession limit of 18. The Eastern Zoned Canada goose season runs concurrently. Bag limit for Canada geese will be five and a possession limit of 15 in the Eastern Zone only.
Teal Season Must-Haves
A teal hunting trip typically ranges from pleasant to downright miserable, but the worst day of teal hunting still beats a day at work. Like most everything, one of the best ways to approach the outdoors in Texas is to be prepared, especially when it comes to the early teal season.
If you’re headed teal hunting, below are a few things you will want to take with you into the field:
In Texas, grazing leases and hunting leases are a lot alike. In fact, they sometimes they go hand-in-hand, where having a grazing lease on a property offers up the option of a hunting lease. Not a leasing pro? Who is? Fortunately, a half-day Ranchers Leasing Workshop set for November 8 in Waco will cover all aspects of leasing including grazing, hunting and livestock.
The free grazing and hunting lease workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the McLennan County Community College Emergency Services Education Center, 7601 Steinbeck Road in Waco. Lunch will be sponsored by Ag Workers Insurance.
“Many Texas landowners and livestock producers are in leasing relationships, either as landowners or tenants,” said Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist, Amarillo.
“This workshop offers an opportunity to discuss the law related to leasing, tips for what should be included in a lease and a discussion of landowner liability. We focus on offering practical, real-world information that people can take home and implement in their own livestock and hunting operations.”
Participants will be able to interact with Lashmet, and Dr. Greg Kaase, AgriLife Extension economist, College Station. They will also receive a copy of the Rancher’s Agricultural Leasing Handbook, which contains checklists and sample lease language. All which could pay big dividends for someone looking to enter a lease contract.
Lashmet said over 750 Texans have attended these leasing workshops over the last two years and surveys have indicated 100 percent of attendees would recommend the workshop to a friend.
Those interested in attending the leasing workshop should email Lashmet at tdowell@tamu.edu or call 806-677-5681 prior to November 1 to RSVP for the leasing workshop.
Antler restrictions for mule deer will be a new addition for hunters chasing mule bucks this fall in Briscoe, Childress, Cottle, Floyd, Hall, and Motley counties this year. The new antler restriction regulations prohibit the harvest of any mule deer buck with a main beam outside spread of less than 20 inches.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is implementing the new experimental regulation with the goal of improving buck age structure and sex ratios in these counties by reducing excessive hunting pressure on younger bucks. A similar antler restriction for white-tailed deer has been in place for a number of years in other parts of the state, and has successfully shifted the age class structure toward older bucks.
Managing mule deer hunting and harvest is one part of herd management that can be controlled through hunting regulations. The other part falls on landowners and hunters, by maintaining good mule deer habitat and staying within the law while in the field.
Mule deer archery-only season in the antler restriction counties occurs September 29 – November 2, with the general firearm season occurring November 17 – December 2. Information about hunting licenses can be found online.
Mule Deer Antler Restrictions
To protect young bucks, TPWD has set the minimum legal outside spread of the main beams at 20 inches based upon many years of harvest data. In other words, any buck having main beams with an outside spread smaller than 20 inches is NOT legal to harvest.
Additionally, any buck with at least one unbranched antler (e.g., spike) is NOT legal to harvest, unless the outside spread of the main beams is 20 inches or more in width. Based upon data collected by TPWD, the average ear-tip to ear-tip spread of 2 ½ to 8 ½+ year old mule deer bucks with ears in the alert position is about 21 inches.
This information on ear-tip to ear-tip measurement can be a useful guide to mule deer hunters attempting to field-judge mule deer bucks with at least a 20-inch main beam outside spread.
Experimental Antler Restrictions
The experimental antler restriction will be conducted for four hunting seasons. TPWD wildlife officials will collect age and antler measurements at voluntary hunter-harvest check stations to assess the effects of the regulation on buck age structure. Annual aerial surveys will be used to document sex ratios. Based on findings after four years, TPWD will either propose to extend the regulation, modify the antler restriction, or permanently terminate.
Mule Deer Antler Restriction Incentives
To gather the most harvest data possible, TPWD will offer incentives to hunters who check their harvest. Hunters who bring their harvest to a check station will be entered in drawings for items such as rifles, lifetime hunting licenses, and gift cards donated by Dallas Safari Club, the Texas Panhandle Chapter of the Dallas Safari Club, the Mule Deer Foundation, and Houston Safari Club. These data are essential to effectively evaluate the success of the experimental antler restriction.
More information is available online regarding mule deer seasons, the experimental mule deer antler restriction regulation, check station locations, dates and hours of operation, check station incentives, and drawing results.
It’s almost dove hunting season in Central Texas and beyond as September creeps into view. As hot as this summer has been, September, October, November can not get here soon enough! Really looking forward to some cooler weather, but not before a tried-and-true, sweat-it-out dove hunting opener.
September 1 is the opening day of dove hunting season across the state of Texas. , Yet again, Texas dove hunters can look forward to a liberal 90-day season and 15-bird daily bag limits.
In addition, hunters in Texas’ South Dove Zone have the opportunity to hunt every weekend in September thanks to the Special White-winged Dove Days September. 1, 2, 8, and 9, combined with a Sept. 14 zone opener, the earliest in half a century. Though hunting hours are limited to afternoons during the Special White-winged Dove Days (noon-sunset), hunters in the southern portion of the state are now able to take advantage of the earlier dates in which the majority of dove harvest in Texas occurs.
Each year, Texas hunters harvest nearly one third of the mourning doves taken nationwide. This far surpases the number of birds harvested in any other state. In recent years, an estimated 10 million doves are harvested in Texas annually. While Texas supports breeding populations of over 34 million mourning and 10 million white-winged doves, those numbers swell during the fall when birds from northern latitudes head south looking for warmer weather.
Texas is a Dove Hunting Hot Spot
“Texas is uniquely situated to catch a lot of migratory birds as they move through the central part of the continent. Couple that with the fact that we are such a big state with diverse habitats, and it makes sense that we have such large numbers of doves,” said Owen Fitzsimmons, TPWD Dove Program Leader.
“Despite the dry conditions this summer, we had excellent production very early in the spring thanks to a mild winter and good rains in February and March, so there are a lot of birds around,” Fitzsimmons said. “Unless we get significant rain in the next couple of weeks, hunters really need to key in on areas with water. That’s where the birds will be concentrated.”
Whitewings Boost Dove Hunting Bag
White-winged doves were historically found in the lower Rio Grande Valley, but they have rapidly expanded in numbers and distribution across Texas in recent years. According to Fitzsimmons, white-wing populations continue to grow and are making up a larger percentage of daily bag limits state-wide.
White-wings are now found mostly in and around urban areas, providing hunting opportunity for those hunting just outside major cities and urban centers.
Texas Dove Season Dates 2018-19
North Zone: Sept. 1 – Nov. 4 and Dec. 21-Jan. 14, 2019.
Central Zone: Sept. 1 – Nov. 4 and Dec. 21-Jan. 14, 2019.
Special White-winged Dove Days (entire South Zone): Sept. 1-2, 8-9.
South Zone: Sept. 14 – Oct. 30 and Dec. 14 – Jan. 21, 2019.
During the early two weekends for the Special White-winged Dove Days (in the South Zone), 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. During the general season in the South Zone, the aggregate bag limit is 15 with no more than two white-tipped doves.
Buy a License Prior to Dove Hunting
Hunters are reminded that licenses went on sale Aug. 15 for the 2018-19 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.
Hunting and fishing regulations for the new season are available in the Outdoor Annual in print, online and on the Outdoor Annual mobile app. A limited number of Outdoor Annual booklets can be picked up at any of the 1,700 license retailers. A Spanish language version is also available online.
In addition to a hunting license, anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971, must successfully complete a hunter education training course in order to hunt legally in Texas. The TPWD Hunter Education certification is valid for life and is honored in all other states and provinces. More information about hunter education is available online. If you misplace your certification you can print a replacement online at no cost.
Dove Hunting Fine Print
Don’t let those license clerks at some of the big box stores short you when it comes to getting your hunting license. Anyone that hunts migratory birds in the US needs to be certified to do so, but it’s as simple as a few questions. However, some license sales staff will skip right over it.
A Migratory Game Bird endorsement and Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification are required to hunt dove. HIP certification involves a brief survey of previous year’s migratory bird hunting success (number of harvested doves, ducks and geese) and is conducted at the time licenses are purchased.
The Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is offering exotic hunting for Sambar Deer this fall through the state’s Drawn Hunts. The Powderhorn, by the way, is the newest property on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s property list.
The WMA is so new that many hunters do not even know it exists or if so, where to find it. The Powderhorn WMA is located on the coast in Calhoun County immediately northwest of Port O’Connor, about 75 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, 110 miles southwest of Houston and 130 miles southeast of San Antonio.
Sambar Deer
The Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor) is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent, southern China, and Southeast Asia that is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Sambar deer populations have declined substantially in their native range due to severe hunting and exploitation of the habitat found there.
It inhabits tropical dry forests, tropical seasonal forests, subtropical mixed forests with stands of conifers, broadleaved deciduous and broadleaved evergreen trees, to tropical rainforests, and seldom moves far from water sources. Obviously, the Powderhorn WMA meets all the needs of the Sambar Deer, providing evergreen live oak country and lots of surface water.
Sambar Deer by the Numbers
This species reminds me of a somewhat of cross between an Axis and an Elk. While much larger than Axis and just a little smaller than an Elk, Sambar bucks have an antler configuration similar to Axis (with typically six antler points). Sambar Deer measurements and more:
Shoulder heights of 40-60 inches
Body length of 5-9 feet
Body weights of 225-700 pounds
Shaggy coat from yellow-brown to dark gray
Long tail for a deer species
Nocturnal or crepuscular (like whitetail)
Diet consists of grasses, browse and fruits
Bucks dig antlers into urine-soaked soil (Mmmm good)
Female Sambar lack antlers
Powderhorn WMA Sambar Hunt
Hunting Sambar Deer and Other Game
In addition to Sambar Deer, the Powderhorn WMA has viable and huntable populations of whitetail deer, feral hogs, coyotes, Rio Grande Turkey, dove and waterfowl. Like much of Texas, bobwhite quail are also found there, but in limited numbers. Maybe increased management on the property leads to huntable quail populations down the road?
In my opinion, the 17,000+ acre Powderhorn WMA’s size, configuration and distribution of habitat means that the property should be a honest to goodness public hunting mecca within the state’s hunting system. Keep an eye out for the Powderhorn and best of luck in getting out there for a Sambar Deer hunt. And if you are lucky enough to have been drawn, please share your experience with us in the comment section. Thank you!
By Colleen Schreiber, Livestock Weekly, A – Drones are growing in popularity. While many use these unmanned aerial vehicles for recreation, the growth is really in commercial applications. So how about drones for deer surveys?
All sorts of entrepreneurs are finding innovative ways to use drones to improve efficiency and accuracy for everyday applications. Already, drones are being tested, and in some cases used, for package delivery, even delivery of food. The military has been using drones for many years, and the agriculture industry is making greater use of them as well, everything from use in precision ag for crops to monitoring of water supplies, fencing, and livestock.
They’re also being tested as a means to gather and move livestock, more specifically serving as a spotter of sorts for those on the ground.
Researchers Eye Drones for Deer Surveys
Now the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is investigating the possible use of drones to conduct annual deer surveys for monitoring populations and proposing harvest recommendations. The initial research work is being done by scientists at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Some of their initial findings were presented by Dr. Randy DeYoung at the recent Deer Associates annual gathering here.
DeYoung started with a discussion on some generalities. First he outlined some reasons for investigating the use of drones for wildlife surveys, noting in particular that there are some “real serious limitations” with the current survey methodologies, be it with helicopter, fixed wing aircraft, spotlight counts, or game camera surveys.
“We’re not seeing all the deer, for example,” said DeYoung. “Consequently, if we survey the same pasture two or three times, we’re going to get very different counts, sometimes a 50 to 100 percent difference. That’s primarily because we’re relying on animals to move, and at some times of the day and/or on different days, they just don’t move.”
He offered some plausible reasons for investigating the use of drones for wildlife aerial surveys. Perhaps at the top of that list is safety. “Aircraft is probably one of the most significant causes of death of biologists,” said DeYoung.
Another benefit of drones over current methods is that the industrial grade drones offer thermal or infrared technology, which means surveys could be done at night, when deer are typically more active.
Conducting Deer Surveys Using Drones
While drone technology has come a long way in a relatively short period of time, there are still some limitations. With respect to the possibility of using them for wildlife censusing, DeYoung acknowledged that flying time, for example, could be a limitation. Some of the smaller, less-expensive drones may only allow for 10 to 20 minutes of flying, he said, though technology is improving, and flight durations are better for the more expensive types.
The Federal Aviation Administration has also implemented regulations on drones, and those regulations are likely to increase. Weather may also be an issue for the small drones, as they can easily be blown around in windy conditions. Visibility may be an issue as well, DeYoung said.
“Can we use these in the South Texas brush? Also, we may be able to count the animals, but can we tell sex and age or can we even tell fawns from adults? Those are real important things from a management perspective,” he pointed out.
The goal of this initial research, he said, was first to investigate the feasibility of drones for wildlife surveys and then, depending on that outcome, develop some protocols for surveying populations using drones. On the latter, such issues as procedures for how the drones are flown, reviewing the footage — what’s a deer and what’s not. In other words, the counting with drones will not be done in real time, and therefore the images may not be all that clear as to whether a “blob” seen on the infrared footage is a deer or a coyote, for example. Also, observers may see something on the tape differently each time it’s viewed.
“We will need to find out if the results are repeatable,” DeYoung pointed out. “Can different people look at the footage and come up with something very similar?”
Investigating Drones for Deer Surveys
Turning to the actual study, he said stage one simply focused on learning about the capabilities of the various drone technology by doing some actual test flights. Stage two focused more on actual evaluations. Researchers were able to take advantage of the long-term research ongoing on the Comanche and Faith ranches in southwest Texas. Because each of the ranches already had 200-acre enclosures with known deer densities, researchers recognized they could compare their drone surveys with a relatively known population of wild deer.
As for the types of drones tested, one was a small recreational-type drone easily purchased online. With this model they did some daytime flights where they tested different altitude capabilities and camera angles.
“At this point we really weren’t trying to do counts,” DeYoung commented. “We were basically just testing how far the drone could fly and what we could really see from the air.”
One fact was obvious, DeYoung said. They did not see many deer unless the deer were running, and the deer only seemed to react to the drone when it got down to the 50 to 60-foot level. “In quite a few cases, that proved to be a bit hazardous,” DeYoung said. “There were some pretty tall mesquite trees that we had to dodge.”
Drone Survey Methods
Researchers also worked with a commercial partner in this initial phase to do some test flights at night using infrared technology. First, DeYoung acknowledged that this commercial drone was considerably more expensive. The platform was not that different, but the camera and sensor, he said, are in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.
In the initial flight, the operator attempted 100 percent coverage of the 200-acre enclosure. Consequently, DeYoung estimated transacts overlapped by about 10 percent. He attributed this to the fact that their commercial applicator’s primary business is mapping, where they are stitching together a bunch of views into one map.
“It was really difficult on the observer watching the footage, because sometimes it was hard to know if you’d already counted those deer that were right on the edge,” he explained. “We did notice that as the drone was turning right at the boundary of the enclosures that sometimes it spooked the deer, and so those deer could have run over into the next transect.”
Also, the same observer watched the taped footage several different times to see how consistent the counts were. DeYoung pointed out that all of the javelinas and pigs were removed from the enclosures, though occasionally a coyote or a bobcat comes through. The point being that even though the deer were the only large animals in the enclosures, when viewing the footage, there were instances when it could not be definitively determined that what was seen was indeed a deer.
Though there were some variations between views of the same footage, in general the drone sightings pretty well tracked the trends of relative known deer density in the enclosure. “We learned some things with this initial valuation, DeYoung told listeners, “but it looks pretty promising.”
More Drone Surveys for Deer
Another set of surveys were done with a different corporate partner and a slightly different setup. This particular drone incorporated thermal technology, thus the surveys could be done during the day and at night. Researchers were also interested in doing another video camera valuation — an optical count — as well.
“This type of sensor and camera would require pretty deep pockets,” DeYoung admitted. This time, they flew multiple flights on two of the enclosures on each of the ranches.
“We wanted to see again how variable the counts were from flight to flight,” DeYoung said. “We also wanted to see if reducing the overlap would help the observers in their counts.”
Strip width was about 100 yards, flown at about 130 feet above the ground. With this approach, researchers estimated that they covered about 63 percent of the 20-acre enclosures. What they found was that again, with the optical count, if the deer were not moving out in the open, it was difficult to see them.
“Our early assessment is that the smaller drone with simple video capabilities will have limited use for our purposes,” DeYoung said. The drone equipped with the thermal sensor again looked “pretty good” for both daytime and nighttime surveys.
“We still had some variation among drone surveys and then views, either different people or the same person viewing the same survey over and over,” he said. “Again, it was the ‘blob or deer’ thing; sometimes it was just difficult to tell if it was a deer.”
Nonetheless, in phase two with the other commercial partner, the drones again tracked relative density quite well, though there was some undercounting. “We will have to come up with an objective protocol for when we call it a deer or not a deer or uncertain,” said DeYoung.
Also, it was pretty clear that identifying age and sex would be difficult, thus making it impossible to determine a fawn crop, for example. Finally, range and duration of the drone is likely to be a limitation for large ranches.
“Maybe we can develop a protocol for larger survey areas using different percent coverage, things like that,” DeYoung told listeners. “All that to say there’s more work to do.”
TPWD on Using Drones for Deer
Mitch Lockwood, TPWD’s big game program director, closed out the discussion with a few comments. He acknowledged that the department continues to field calls from landowners and from their own biologists about the feasibility of drones for technical guidance purposes and for use in their Managed Lands Deer program.
“Everyone recognizes the potential,” Lockwood said, “but there are some obvious limitations.” He also noted that a drone is considered an aircraft, so federal law requires an air and wildlife management permit for wildlife surveys or other wildlife management uses.
“Also, there are major limitations to using drones for deer surveys at night. We need to look deeper into that,” he concluded.
