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Public Hunting Opportunities in Texas

Public hunting lands are an excellent way to find a place to hunt in Texas; or if you already have a place, they can provide a new and unique hunting opportunity. In the Lone Star State, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) offers two separate types of hunts: Annual Public Hunting Permit hunts (APH hunts) and special permit hunts. Both are very different as far as access and what you are allowed to harvest.

APH permits allow you to access public land when APH hunts occur. APH permits are available anywhere licenses are sold and cost $48. When you purchase an APH, a booklet is mailed to you with maps of all the current public lands, what species you are allowed to hunt on each property, and when you can access those lands. This information is also available on the TPWD website. Public lands in this system offer a wide variety of game to pursue including: waterfowl, dove, quail, pheasants, rabbits, and hogs.

Most of the public lands in Texas that you can access utilizing an APH have unmanned check stations. You are required to fill out general information at onsite registration (OSR) booths set up at the entrances of the hunting area. APH permits are good for the license year (September 1 through August 31).

Many Texas residents who hunt are probably looking for new places to hunt deer and other big game. These are typically not allowed on APH hunts, but instead through special permits. Special permit hunts are made available through a lottery system. Usually around mid to late July, a booklet (Applications for Drawings on Public Hunting Lands) comes out that has all of the special permit hunts that will be available for the upcoming hunting season. There are 24 different categories (such as Archery Deer, Gun Deer, Youth Deer, Alligator etc.), for which you can apply.

All of the information you need is in the book, such as hunt dates, what you can harvest on that hunt, how many permits will be issued, number of applicants the previous year and the success rate. There are application forms in the back of the book that need to be filled out. There is one form for each category, so you must apply for each one separately, and you may only apply for each category once. You can have up to 4 people total on a card depending on the hunt. Incomplete applications will not be accepted, so pay close attention when completing these forms. Also, do not try to enter yourself and your hunting buddies on one card, and then have them enter for the same category on their card. The computer will catch the duplication and throw both application cards out.

The cost is just $3.00 per adult applicant per category to enter the drawing. Big Time Texas Hunts entries are $10 per applicant. If you are lucky enough to be drawn, you will need to pay $80 – $130 per adult, depending on the length of the hunt. Youth hunters (under 17) are exempt from any fees. Applications and fees must be received at TPWD Headquarters by the posted deadline which will vary by hunt category.

This article on public hunting in Texas was written by Daniel Walker,Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist, Chaparral Wildlife Management Area. Article originally appeared in TPWD publication “The Cedar Post”, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2012.

Every year that you put in for the drawing and are not selected, you start to accumulate preference points for each category. So let’s say that you applied for the Gun Deer Either Sex (GDE) hunt for the first time last year and were not drawn, and then applied for the GDE this year. You now have one preference point which means your name is put into the drawing 1 extra time. If you are not selected for the next 5 years, you will have your name put in 5 extra times for that category and so on.

Some public hunt categories at certain locations are very popular and are difficult to get drawn for. For instance, at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area we regularly have 3,000+ applicants competing for about 40 of our deer hunting permits. Most of the selected hunters end up with 15, 20, or even 25+ preference points before they are drawn on a whitetail deer hunt.

Once you are selected for that category, your preference points are reset and you have to start over accumulating them. Some categories and hunting areas are more popular than others, so if you are looking for the best chance of getting drawn then look at the previous year’s number of applicants and the number of permits offered so that you can gauge your chances.

Whitetail Deer Hunting in Mills County, Texas

Question: “I have always heard the whitetail deer hunting in Mills County can be good. I’ve hunted near this part of Central Texas before when we had a lease just south of San Saba. Currently one of my friends and my brother and I are looking at 320 acre deer lease just southeast of Goldthwaite. Do you have any experience with the deer hunting in this area? We have heard that there are lots of deer, but that they are not very big? What do you got?”

Deer Hunting: That part of Texas can be really good for whitetail deer and often some incidental exotics, as well, though they are few and far between. As you stated, the deer population can be high in certain locations in that part of Central Texas. The deer hunting in Mills County will be best along the major creeks and the Colorado River. Same for the turkey hunting. There will be more deer in the drainage areas, but the quality of animals will depend upon overall management in those areas.

Whitetail Deer Hunting, Deer Lease in Mills County Texas

A fellow I went to college with is from Mills County and he used to hunt several ranches in the area. He ended up shooting some really nice bucks, all of which were mature deer. The place he lived on had a high deer density when he was young, but then they developed a deer management plan with the local biologist and the body and antler size increased. Like any place, the real deal is to allow the bucks to mature. If you can get some age on them then you will see and shoot some nice bucks.

A guy I know that has a ranch in northern Coryell County, just south of Mills County, has had great success in managing his place. He has even more control with a high fence, but the deer are all native. That ranch produces 150+ inch deer every year and they get a buck that is 170+ every third year or so. Those numbers will rival most places in Texas. Of course, he has had that piece of real estate under a management program for about 10 years.

Can the deer hunting in Mills County be good? Absolutely, especially if you are located along the river or a major creek. How things play out on your 320 acre deer lease will depend a lot on what the landowner and neighbors are doing though. If the area is overgrazed then the deer quality will suffer. There may be a lot of them, but antler growth will be less than optimal. The buck quality will also depend on what the neighboring lands are shooting or not shooting. Buck quality will take some management, if you and your neighbors are on the same page.

Best Protein Feeder for Supplemental Feeding of Deer

Question: “We want to improve the deer hunting at our lease. We are thinking about adding supplemental protein to our deer lease. We are looking at the tube feeders to dispense pellets, but also like the idea of an open trough type feeders. What is the best protein feeder for deer out there? Do you think a tube style or trough style will work best? Also, what are the pros and cons of each feeder type? Will the addition of feed help deer hunting or just up our feed cost?”

Deer Hunting: When it comes to deer feeders there are a million of them on the market. But you are aware of this and that is likely why you have asked your question. To answer your last question first, the answer would be, yes! Supplemental feed can make a big difference from a deer management standpoint and that can lead to healthier, bigger deer, both bucks and does. Food is typically the limiting factor when it comes to body and antler growth in whitetail deer. Continue reading Best Protein Feeder for Supplemental Feeding of Deer

Mule Deer Hunting in West Texas Trans-Pecos

When the words “hunting” and “Texas” are mentioned together most hunters will automatically think of white-tailed deer hunting, but the mule deer hunting in Texas can be noteworthy, as well. In fact, both the Trans-Pecos and the Texas Panhandle have been producing some picture-worthy mule deer bucks in recent years. Deer management, including both habitat improvement and select harvest, have payed off big for thoughtful landowners and mule deer hunters. The trend is likely to continue, but like many saw this season, hunting will always be hunting.

Mule Deer Hunting: Texas 2012

The mule deer hunting season out in far West Texas was a slow one in 2012. The Trans-Pecos just has just had a tough run of it lately. From what I’ve seen, mule deer activity, and subsequently, hunting, for mule deer in this region of Texas was the slowest in many years. Many hunters observed low buck numbers, but there were at least a couple of reasons why many mulie hunters did not see as many deer as in years past.

Habitat Great, Mule Deer Hunting… Slow!

The grass is sometimes greener on the other side. Too green, in fact, according to many West Texas guides that had a more-difficult time putting customers on deer. The mule deer hunting season for gun hunters is only two weeks long, meaning the weather must cooperate during this window to encourage mule deer movement, generally making them more vulnerable for hunters. But habitat conditions in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas were great this season. Good rainfall high quality food, and plenty of it, was available.

Mule Deer Hunting Cools Down as Temps Rise

Rainfall allowed mule deer foods to flourish, but the heat kept them growing. Mild to hot temperatures limited hunter movement in many cases and the better-than-average leaf cover kept the deer that did move plenty hidden. One hunter said, “There are just too many places for deer to hide, and too much for them to eat. Why would they move?” Mule deer hunting during the cooler mornings were more successful than evening hunts. The deer that were spotted were in great shape, fat and happy. A wet year does that for Texas’ wildlife.

Moon Phase During Mule Deer Season

Ask any deer hunter about a full moon and more often that not you’ll get a sentence full of colorful language right back at you. A full moon means deer activity after dark is much higher than normal thanks to increased visibility. It just so happened that there was a big, bright, full moon during the mule deer hunting season this year. The abundance of food, the warm temperatures and the moon had put everything in favor of the mule deer. And that, my friends, is why they call it hunting. Each year of deer hunting is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.

Deer Hunting in Schleicher County Texas

Question: “Moved to central Texas just a few months ago from the mid-west and looking to do some deer hunting. Been conspiring with one of my co-workers to find a place to go hunter and it looks like a deer lease is going to be our best option in Texas. We spoke with a group that needs some additional hunters on their lease. How has the whitetail deer hunting been in Schleicher County in recent years? He also said there were exotics, specifically axis and aoudad, on the property as well. Does this sound right?”

Deer Hunting: Most of Texas is home to good deer hunting, but it always depends on the property in question as well as the hunters expectations. What will satisfy some folks with disappoint others. The deer hunting in Schleicher County can be fair to very good. I have seen some good deer in that part of Texas, both from the road and hunter-harvested. Continue reading Deer Hunting in Schleicher County Texas

Habitat Management Grants for Wildlife – NRCS EQIP Funding

One of the challenges faced by landowners is ability to maintain good or improve plant communities for both livestock and wildlife. Wildlife and habitat management have become increasingly important in recent years because of the recreational value of providing healthy, abundant wildlife populations. Hunting in Texas is more popular than ever, but the costs of wildlife habitat management faced by landowners are more expensive than ever. The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) management grants can help.

“Applications for funding opportunities with the USDA’s NRCS Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) are currently being accepted at all NRCS offices across Texas. NRCS in Texas has received its initial allocation of EQIP funding for 2013 and will begin ranking and obligating EQIP contracts after February 15. All agriculture producers interested in submitting an EQIP contract application for 2013 should do so before this ranking deadline.

EQIP is a voluntary, continuous sign-up program that allows landowners or operators to apply for financial and technical assistance for the application of specific conservation practices; but the deadline for the first 2013 funding is February 15, 2013. Contracts are offered for wildlife management periodically depending on budgetary allocations. Applications made after the deadline will be considered in the next funding cycle. Higher priority will be given to those applications that address national, state and local priorities and provide higher cost efficiency.

NRCS encourages any person interested in participating in their programs to contact their local field office, usually located at the county seat. EQIP offers technical and financial help to install or implement structural, vegetative, and habitat management practices that can benefit the soil, water, air, plants, livestock, and wildlife. Each county in the state is funded yearly to assist producers financially with these land management practices.

Last year, NRCS in Texas funded over 4,000 EQIP contracts with $76 million to accomplish conservation practices such as irrigation efficiency, minimum tillage, brush management and more on 2.1 million acres across the entire state. In addition to helping our environment, Farm Bill conservation program funds support rural communities. In Texas, it is estimated that each dollar of NRCS and private matching expenditures on NRCS conservation programs generates an additional $2.54 in sales of goods and services.

For more information, including eligibility requirements, call the USDA Service Center office serving the county where your land is located. Service center locations and program information can be found on the Texas NRCS web site.”

Habitat management leads to better plant communities and increased hunting opportunities, but it can also be expensive to implement. The EQIP program is a good way to cost-share and get on-the-ground work accomplished on your property.

Big Buck Shot in Ridgeway Wisconsin – Giant 8 Point with Droptines!

Wisconsin deer hunting is known for producing some truly giant bucks, both in terms of body size and antlers. This year, a giant main-frame 8 point buck was shot near the town of Ridgeway. The heavy-set buck has 8 normal points and 2 abnormal points, both of which are drop tines! One on each side. This is prime example of a monster whitetail buck that most hunters can only dream about. At this time, I don’t know who shot the deer, or who even commented on the deer, but here is what they had to say about this Ridgway beast of a buck:

Unknown Author: “Here’s the big 8 point buck shot while deer hunting in Wisconsin, longest tine is 17 inches. It’s already insured for $10,000.00 and in a vault. Rough estimate of the deer’s age by the DNR is 3 ½ years old, Boone and Crockett representative is scheduled to score the rack in about 40 days, buck shot on opening day. Trail camera pic’s started to show up after the buck was shot; no one talked about it prior to the kill (imagine that). Continue reading Big Buck Shot in Ridgeway Wisconsin – Giant 8 Point with Droptines!

Public Hunting Lands in Texas – More on the Way?

A democrat-written bill that was designed to provide additional federal land access for public hunting and fishing was shot down this week. The bill also excluded lead for fishing and hunting from any environment regulation. What’s most surprising, the hunting bill was shot down by the GOP. Is this another partisan battle? Currently, it appears the Republicans took a stand against this public access bill only because of the riders and unclear the taxpayer cost.

If they can work out the cost and rider issues, then certainly more public hunting land access would be a good thing. How will this impact Texas hunters? It’s unclear at this point, especially since Texas is low of federal land. But there is definitely more land that will be available for public hunting in Texas if this bill ultimately passes.

Source: A wide-ranging bill to give hunters and fishermen more access to public lands stalled in the Senate Monday after Republicans said it spends too much money.

Republicans supported opening lands for outdoorsmen and many other provisions in the bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, but GOP senators blocked the legislation on principle Monday evening in a mostly party-line procedural vote after Senate Budget Committee’s top Republican, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, objected to spending on conservation programs included in the bill.

The sportsmen’s bill would increase land access and allow hunters to bring home as trophies 41 polar bears killed in Canada before the government started protecting polar bears as a threatened species. The legislation would also exclude ammunition and tackle from federal environmental laws that regulate lead, allow bow hunters to cross federal land where public hunting isn’t allowed, encourage federal land agencies to help states maintain shooting ranges, boost fish populations and protect animal habitat.

Attracting Bucks to Your Property

Question: “We never deer hunted our property because there have never been any deer, but that has changed. Behind my barn I have recently found three does and a fawn on my game camera. These deer have been out there for about 3 months, but are coming from an adjacent property. One doe has a fawn so I know there is at least one buck somewhere around there. However, I have yet to see a buck on my game camera. Any suggestions on attracting bucks to come to my corn feeder from the neighboring lands? It’s buck-only during the deer hunting season and I’m hoping he shows up. Thanks.”

Deer Hunting Pros: Deer hunting would be so much easier if we could just bring them in on a string, but deer have a mind of their own. Free ranging whitetail deer have the luxury of selecting when and where they want to go. Bucks will cover more acreage than does, so the buck that sired the fawn you observed on your game camera may be miles away from your property today. Continue reading Attracting Bucks to Your Property

Deer Hunting in South Carolina: Bucks and the Rut

Question: “I deer hunt a suburban tract of woods directly behind my house. I live on the edge of a subdivision and own the 50×100 yards of woods that divide the subdivision and a horse farm. Its a natural funnel for whitetail deer that are traveling between two large-acre tracts of woods and I regularly see 18 to 25 deer a day walking through.

I shot a big, well for South Carolina, 8 point buck last week during the first days of the rut. I just moved here last spring and have never hunted in this type of situation before and never put much thought into this but… I know bucks get territorial during the rut. I do know this was the 8 pointers main area because I watched him run a nice 10 point out about two weeks ago. Continue reading Deer Hunting in South Carolina: Bucks and the Rut