Category: Whitetail

Texas has a program where hunters can help the less fortunate by providing venison for their tables. The statewide wild game donation program is called Hunters for the Hungry and allows sportsmen to provide a healthy source of protein to Texans in need.

The mission of the Hunters for the Hungry is to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in Texas, provide a meaningful outlet for hunters wishing to help their communities, and to promote stewardship of the environment through sensible wildlife management plans.

So, how does Hunters for the Hungry work? Well, hunters bring their tagged, legally harvested deer to a participating meat processor, and pay a nominal fee to cover basic processing costs. The meat processor grinds the venison into burger, packages and stores it for local food assistance providers to pick up.

A deer processing fee of about $35 helps to cover the costs of the processor’s equipment, labor, and other expenses. The processing fee may be tax deductible for the hunter, but consult a tax advisor for more information. The processor provides a receipt for such purpose.

The deer meat will then be donated to the Hunters for the Hungry program and is distributed to families and individuals in need through local food assistance providers such as food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, etc.

Charitable food assistance agencies in Texas seeking Hunters for the Hungry donations should contact TACAA at (800) 992-9767, ext. 506, to learn more. Individuals in need of food assistance, should phone 211 or visit 211texas.org for help. Hunters for the Hungry participating meat processors by city are listed below. If there is a notation after the business listing it denotes that thier charge may be above the customary $30 to $40 charge and they have special requirement for game.

Hunters for the Hungry Processors by County:

ABILENE Stephens Wild Game Processing 4132 Vine (325) 695-4868
ABILENE The Deer Shop 4535 Iberis Rd (325) 260-4364
ALBANY Escalon’s Buck ‘N Hog 6490 Highway 180 W. (325) 762-3800
AQUILLA R & R Processing 164 HCR 2218 (254) 694-2801
AUSTIN Hudson’s Sausage Company 1800 S. Congress (512) 445-6611; Skinned & quartered preferred, Over $35 skin on
AUSTIN Texas Sausage Company 2915 East 12th Street (512) 472-6707; Skinned & quartered only
BALLINGER Owen’s Deer Processing 500 Hutchings Avenue (325) 365-2430
BAYTOWN Going Custom Slaughter & Deer Proc 6813 East Wallisville Rd (281) 421-2237
BELLVILLE Bellville Meat Market 36 S Front (979) 865-5782
BOERNE Farmer’s Meat Market 342 N Main (830) 249-8063; Skinned & quartered preferred, Over $35 skin on
BOGATA Rivercrest FFA 4126 US Hwy 271 S (903) 632-5989; Skinned deer only
BRADY Brady Co-op Locker 113 Elm St (325) 597-2440; Over $35
BRECKENRIDGE Ray’s Grocery & Market 1117 West Walker (254) 559-2341
BRONTE B & K Deer Processing 114 N Washington (325) 473-4015
BROWNWOOD Perks Deer Proc & Cold Storage 5100 FM 2126 (325) 643-5022
BURLESON Lee Deer Processing 7164 Drury Cross Road (817) 561-1975
CALDWELL Texas Chaw & Meat Products 1109 Commerce St. (979) 567-7448
CANADIAN Scroggins’ Meat Processing 620 North 2nd (806) 323-6231; Over $35
CASTROVILLE Dziuk’s Meat Market 608 Hwy 90 West (830) 538-3082
CASTROVILLE R & R Alsatian Sausage & Products 1034 Country Lane (830) 931-2430
CISCO Rust Deer Plant 8913 Hwy 6 East (254) 442-1653
CLEVELAND Reed’s Meat Processing 7187 FM 1010 (281) 689-0253
CLIFTON Big Buck Meat Market and Deer Proc 814 N. Avenue G (254) 675-2825
CLUTE Brazoswood High School 302 W Brazoswood Dr (979) 730-7300 X 29329; Skinned & quartered only
CLYDE Lone Wolf Wild Game Processing 3573 S. FM 604 (325) 893-3003
COLEMAN Halls Custom Packing 3500 Hwy 84 North (325) 625-4813
CROSS PLAINS Cross Plains Frozen Food 125 N Avenue D (254) 725-7571
DANBURY C & R Smokehouse 1722 Avenue C (979) 922-1048
DEKALB Dekalb FFA 101Maple (903) 667-2061; Skinned & quartered only
DETROIT Detroit Locker Plant 105 Garner St (903) 674-6911
DILLEY Sou-Tex Sausage Company 701 W. Hwy 85 (830) 426-6527
D’HANIS The Country Mart 7390 CR 525 (830) 363-7286
DUBLIN Clay’s Processing & Smokehouse 111 West Elm St. (254) 445-4180
FAIRFIELD J & S Meat Processing 180 FM 833 E (903) 389-6169
FORT STOCKTON Miller Meat Company 1013 North Nelson (432) 336-2979
FREDERICKSBURG Hill Country Deer Processing 2162 N US Hwy 87 (830) 997-6043; Over $35
GARLAND David’s Meat Market, Inc. 4010 N Jupiter Rd. (972) 495-8315; Skinned deer only
GOREE Trainham Ice & Meat 205 N. 5th Street (940) 422-5321
GRANBURY C & J Butcher Shop 400 South Morgan Street (817) 579-8077
HAMILTON Hamilton Quality Meats 1205 S Rice (254) 386-4646; Over $35
HARPER LDR Processing and Meat Market 16656 Hwy 290 West (830) 669-2024; Over $35
HEBBRONVILLE Coronado’s Wild Game Proc 911 N Elm (361) 527-2500
HELOTES Schott’s Meat Processing 20145 Bandera Road (210) 695-5411
HOOKS Hooks FFA 401 Ave A (903) 547-2215; Skinned deer only
HOUSTON Clear Lake Cuts – CCISD 2929 Bay Area Blvd (281) 284-2093; Skinned deer only
IMPERIAL Buena Vista High Imperial FFA 208 N Lincoln (432) 536-2261; Skinned deer preferred
INGRAM Woodbury Taxidermy & Wildgame 3286 Junction Hwy (830) 367-5855
JASPER Jasper Quality Meats Inc. 549 E. Gibson (409) 384-9924; Over $35
JOHNSON CITY Harvest House Farms 506 North Nugent (830) 868-7253; Over $35
KATY Midway Food Market 5901 Highway Blvd (281) 391-3101
KEMP C & D Game Processing 29085 CR 2100 (903) 498-3411
KERRVILLE Milton Bernhard Meat Processing 2920 Junction Hwy (830) 367-2995
KINGSVILLE Hibler Wild Game Inc. 207 E 5th St (361) 221-9747; Over $35
KOUNTZE Kountze High School 1488 FM 1293 (409) 246-3474; Skinned deer preferred
LAREDO JW Nixon High School FFA 2000 Plum (956) 795-3849 EXT 163; Skinned deer only
LAREDO Ruiz Custom Meats 2119 Lyon St (956) 724-3013; Over $35
LLANO Miiller’s Llano Smokehouse 705 W. Young (325) 247-4450; Over $35
MARBLE FALLS Hill Country Fine Meats 1405 State St (830) 693-7024; Over $35
MENARD Ranch House Meat Company 303 San Saba St (325) 396-4536
MERIDIAN Meridian Frozen Food Locker 112 East Morgan (254) 435-2803
MERIDIAN Samples Ranch 12089 State Hwy 22 (254) 597-7750
MIDLAND Clark’s and Winford’s Meat Co. 6002 South Hwy 349 (432) 686-8123; Skinned & quartered preferred
MUENSTER Fischer’s Meat Market 304 N Main (940) 759-4211
MUENSTER Walterscheid Meat Company 605 N. Mesquite (940) 759-2744
NEEDVILLE Lad’s Smokehouse & Catering 3731 School Rd (979) 793-6210
NEW BRAUNFELS Granzin’s Meat Market 1644 Old Mcqueeney Rd (830) 625-3510
NEW BRAUNFELS The Rust Game Place 1778 South Hwy 46 (830) 608-1910
NEW ULM Eckermann’s Meat Market 2543 FM 1457 (979) 836-8858
PERRYTON Big 4 Packing 1602 S. Cedar (806) 435-5679; Over $35
PILOT POINT Golden Triangle Meat Plant 203 South Jefferson (940) 686-2456
POST Jackson Brothers Food Locker 121 South Ave H (806) 495-3245
RAYMONDVILLE Rudy’s Meat Market 588 N 10th (956) 689-2186
RIVERSIDE Tallent Sausage & Grocery FM 980 and Hwy 19 (936) 594-2591
ROANOKE Syracuse’s Custom Meats 13794 Old Denton Rd. (817) 379-2230
SAN ANGELO J’s Processing 7000 US Hwy 277 S (325) 651-6175
SAN ANTONIO Broadway Frozen Food Lockers 875 E. Ashby Place, Ste. 3000 (210) 226-3189
SAN SABA Hibler Family Processing 103 E. Wallace (325) 372-5195
SANTA ANNA Santa Anna Wild Game Proc. 503 Wallis Avenue (325) 348-9171
SANTA FE Doreck & Sons Packing Co. 4101 FM 646 North (409) 925-6611
SCHULENBURG Willie Joe’s Processing 2220 Krischke (979) 561-8272
SEYMOUR Bayco Services 205 E McLain (940) 889-2424; Over $35
SLATON Klemke’s Sausage Haus 255 West Garza (806) 828-5394; Over $35
SNOOK Slovacek Sausage Company Hwy 60 West (979) 272-8625
SPRINGTOWN Goober’s Deer Processing LLC 2127 E Hwy 199 (817) 444-1414
THROCKMORTON Escalon’s Buck ‘N Hog 308 S. Reynolds Avenue (940) 849-0656
TYLER Lynch’s Food Store 3400 East Fifth St. (903) 593-1521
UVALDE Uvalde Meat Market & Processing 508 South Wood St. (830) 278-6247
VICTORIA Country Slaughter House 3857 Burroughsville Rd (361) 573-9043; Over $35
VICTORIA Harwell’s Custom Processing 7804 FM 236 (361) 575-5120
WACO Fulton’s Quality Meats 1400 N. Robinson Dr. (254) 662-5608
WEATHERFORD Teel’s Custom Meats 1820 N. Main St. (817) 613-0095
WHITE DEER Clint & Sons Main St (806) 883-7831; Over $35
WILLOW CITY Rabke’s Table Ready Meats 3875 Eckert Rd (830) 685-3266
WINK Home Smoked Meat Processing 402 N Monahans Dr (432) 527-3991
WINNIE Harrington Packing Company 344 Best Rd (409) 296-9794
ZEPHYR M & M Deer Processing 4300 CR 278 (325) 739-2211

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Hunters for the Hungry is a Texas hunting program set up where hunters can donate surplus game to help families short on food. The program allows hunters to achieve their much-needed deer harvest goals and helps prevent hunter in Texas.

Hunters can help by donating deer, by making a monetary donation, or by helping to raise money in your community to offset processing fees. All of these ways will help ensure Hunters for the Hungry carries on it’s long-standing commitment to helping put food on the tables of those in need.

Below, you will find a list of participating deer processors by county. If there is a notation after the business listing it denotes that thier charge may be above the customary $30 to $40 charge and they have special requirement for game. Visit this webiste or call (800) 992-9767, ext. 506.

Hunters for the Hungry processors by County:

AUSTIN Bellville Meat Market 36 S Front Bellville (979) 865-5782
AUSTIN Eckermann’s Meat Market 2543 FM 1457 New Ulm (979) 836-8858
BAYLOR Bayco Services 205 E McLain Seymour (940) 889-2424; Over $35
BEXAR Broadway Frozen Food Lockers 875 E. Ashby Place, Ste. 3000 San Antonio (210) 226-3189
BEXAR Schott’s Meat Processing 20145 Bandera Road Helotes (210) 695-5411
BLANCO Harvest House Farms 506 North Nugent Johnson City (830) 868-7253; Over $35
BOSQUE Big Buck Meat Mkt and Deer Proc. 814 N. Avenue G Clifton (254) 675-2825
BOSQUE Meridian Frozen Food Locker 112 East Morgan Meridian (254) 435-2803
BOSQUE Samples Ranch 12089 State Hwy 22 Meridian (254) 597-7750
BOWIE Dekalb FFA 101Maple Dekalb (903) 667-2061; Skinned & quartered only
BOWIE Hooks FFA 401 Ave A Hooks (903) 547-2215; Skinned deer only
BRAZORIA Brazoswood High School 302 W Brazoswood Dr Clute (979) 730-7300 X 29329; Skinned & quartered only
BRAZORIA C & R Smokehouse 1722 Avenue C Danbury (979) 922-1048
BROWN M & M Deer Processing 4300 CR 278 Zephyr (325) 739-2211
BROWN Perks Deer Processing & Cold Storage 5100 FM 2126 Brownwood (325) 643-5022
BURLESON Slovacek Sausage Company Hwy 60 West Snook (979) 272-8625
BURLESON Texas Chaw & Meat Products 1109 Commerce St. Caldwell (979) 567-7448
BURNET Hill Country Fine Meats 1405 State St Marble Falls (830) 693-7024; Over $35
CALLAHAN Cross Plains Frozen Food 125 N Avenue D Cross Plains (254) 725-7571
CALLAHAN Lone Wolf Wild Game Processing 3573 S. FM 604 Clyde (325) 893-3003
CARSON Clint & Sons Main St White Deer (806) 883-7831; Over $35
CHAMBERS Harrington Packing Company 344 Best Rd Winnie (409) 296-9794
COKE B & K Deer Processing 114 N Washington Bronte (325) 473-4015
COLEMAN Halls Custom Packing 3500 Hwy 84 North Coleman (325) 625-4813
COLEMAN Santa Anna Wild Game Processing 503 Wallis Avenue Santa Anna (325) 348-9171
COMAL Granzin’s Meat Market 1644 Old Mcqueeney Rd New Braunfels (830) 625-3510
COMAL The Rust Game Place 1778 South Hwy 46 New Braunfels (830) 608-1910
COOKE Fischer’s Meat Market 304 N Main Muenster (940) 759-4211
COOKE Walterscheid Meat Company 605 N. Mesquite Muenster (940) 759-2744
DALLAS David’s Meat Market, Inc. 4010 N Jupiter Rd. Garland (972) 495-8315; Skinned deer only
DENTON Golden Triangle Meat Plant 203 South Jefferson Pilot Point (940) 686-2456
DENTON Syracuse’s Custom Meats 13794 Old Denton Rd. Roanoke (817) 379-2230
EASTLAND Rust Deer Plant 8913 Hwy 6 East Cisco (254) 442-1653
ERATH Clay’s Processing & Smokehouse 111 West Elm St. Dublin (254) 445-4180
FAYETTE Willie Joe’s Processing 2220 Krischke Schulenburg (979) 561-8272
FORT BEND Lad’s Smokehouse & Catering 3731 School Rd Needville (979) 793-6210
FREESTONE J & S Meat Processing 180 FM 833 E Fairfield (903) 389-6169
FRIO Sou-Tex Sausage Company 701 W Hwy 85 Dilley (830) 426-6527
GALVESTON Doreck & Sons Packing Co. 4101 FM 646 North Santa Fe (409) 925-6611
GARZA Jackson Brothers Food Locker 121 South Ave H Post (806) 495-3245
GILLESPIE Hill Country Deer Processing 2162 N US Hwy 87 Fredericksburg (830) 997-6043; Over $35
GILLESPIE LDR Processing and Meat Market 16656 Hwy 290 West Harper (830) 669-2024; Over $35
GILLESPIE Rabke’s Table Ready Meats 3875 Eckert Rd Willow City (830) 685-3266
HAMILTON Hamilton Quality Meats 1205 S Rice Hamilton (254) 386-4646; Over $35
HARDIN Kountze High School 1488 FM 1293 Kountze (409) 246-3474; Skinned deer preferred
HARRIS Clear Lake Cuts – CCISD 2929 Bay Area Blvd Houston (281) 284-2093; Skinned deer only
HARRIS Going Custom Slaughter 6813 East Wallisville Rd Baytown (281) 421-2237
HARRIS Midway Food Market 5901 Highway Blvd Katy (281) 391-3101
HEMPHILL Scroggins’ Meat Processing 620 North 2nd Canadian (806) 323-6231; Over $35
HILL R & R Processing 164 HCR 2218 Aquilla (254) 694-2801
HOOD C & J Butcher Shop 400 South Morgan Street Granbury (817) 579-8077
JASPER Jasper Quality Meats Inc. 549 E. Gibson Jasper (409) 384-9924; Over $35
JIM HOGG Coronado’s Wild Game Processing 911 N Elm Hebbronville (361) 527-2500
JOHNSON Lee Deer Processing 7164 Drury Cross Road Burleson (817) 561-1975
KAUFMAN C & D Game Processing 29085 CR 2100 Kemp (903) 4983411
KENDALL Farmer’s Meat Market 342 N Main Boerne (830) 249-8063; Skinned & quartered preferred, Over $35 skin on
KERR Milton Bernhard Meat Processing 2920 Junction Hwy Kerrville (830) 367-2995
KERR Woodbury Taxidermy & Wildgame Processing 3286 Junction Hwy Ingram (830) 367-5855
KLEBERG Hibler Wild Game Inc. 207 E 5th St Kingsville (361) 221-9747; Over $35
KNOX Trainham Ice & Meat 205 N. 5th Street Goree (940) 422-5321
LIBERTY Reed’s Meat Processing 7187 FM 1010 Cleveland (281) 689-0253
LLANO Miiller’s Llano Smokehouse 705 W. Young Llano (325) 247-4450; Over $35
LUBBOCK Klemke’s Sausage Haus 255 West Garza Slaton (806) 828-5394; Over $35
MCCULLOCH Brady Co-op Locker 113 Elm St Brady (325) 597-2440; Over $35
MCLENNAN Fulton’s Quality Meats 1400 N. Robinson Dr. Waco (254) 662-5608
MEDINA Dziuk’s Meat Market 608 Hwy 90 West Castroville (830) 538-3082
MEDINA R & R Alsatian Sausage & Products 1034 Country Lane Castroville (830) 931-2430
MEDINA The Country Mart 7390 CR 525 D’Hanis (830) 363-7286
MENARD Ranch House Meat Company 303 San Saba St Menard (325) 396-4536
MIDLAND Clark’s and Winford’s Meat Co. 6002 South Hwy 349 Midland (432) 686-8123
OCHILTREE Big 4 Packing 1602 S. Cedar Perryton (806) 435-5679; Over $35
PARKER Goober’s Deer Processing LLC 2127 E Hwy 199 Springtown (817) 444-1414
PARKER Teel’s Custom Meats 1820 N. Main St. Weatherford (817) 613-0095
PECOS Buena Vista High Imperial FFA 208 N Lincoln Imperial (432) 536-2261; Skinned deer preferred
PECOS Miller Meat Company 1013 North Nelson Fort Stockton (432) 336-2979
RED RIVER Detroit Locker Plant 105 Garner St Detroit (903) 674-6911
RED RIVER Rivercrest FFA 4126 US Hwy 271 S Bogata (903) 632-5989; Skinned deer only
RUNNELS Owen’s Deer Processing 500 Hutchings Avenue Ballinger (325) 365-2430
SAN SABA Hibler Family Processing 103 E. Wallace San Saba (325) 372-5195
SHACKELFORD Escalon’s Buck ‘N Hog Processing 6490 Highway 180 W. Albany (325) 762-3800
SMITH Lynch’s Food Store 3400 East Fifth St. Tyler (903) 593-1521
STEPHENS Ray’s Grocery & Market 1117 West Walker Breckenridge (254) 559-2341
TAYLOR Stephens Wild Game Processing 4132 Vine Abilene (325) 695-4868
TAYLOR The Deer Shop 4535 Iberis Rd Abilene (325) 260-4364
THROCKMORTON Escalon’s Buck ‘N Hog Processing 308 S. Reynolds Avenue Throckmorton (940) 849-0656
TOM GREEN J’s Processing 7000 US Hwy 277 S San Angelo (325) 651-6175
TRAVIS Hudson’s Sausage Company 1800 S. Congress Austin (512) 445-6611; Skinned & quartered preferred, Over $35 skin on
TRAVIS Texas Sausage Company 2915 East 12th Street Austin (512) 472-6707; Skinned & quartered only
UVALDE Uvalde Meat Market & Processing 508 South Wood St. Uvalde (830) 278-6247
VICTORIA Country Slaughter House 3857 Burroughsville Rd Victoria (361) 573-9043; Over $35
VICTORIA Harwell’s Custom Processing 7804 FM 236 Victoria (361) 575-5120
WALKER Tallent Sausage & Grocery FM 980 and Hwy 19 Riverside (936) 594-2591
WEBB JW Nixon High School FFA 2000 Plum Laredo (956) 795-3849 EXT 163; Skinned deer only
WEBB Ruiz Custom Meats 2119 Lyon St Laredo (956) 724-3013; Over $35
WILLACY Rudy’s Meat Market 588 N 10th Raymondville (956) 689-2186
WINKLER Home Smoked Meat Processing 402 N Monahans Dr Wink (432) 527-3991

The Deer Management Permit

The Deer Management Permit (DMP) is a permit issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) that allows for the more-controlled breeding of wild deer. The DMP authorizes owners of high-fenced properties to temporarily detain white-tailed deer in breeding pens located on the property for the purpose of natural breeding. Deer may not be detained for purposes that do not include natural breeding, such as the “soft release” of bred TTT deer.

Landowners can use DMP’s to “trap” deer within a portion of their ranch, typically 5 to 60 acres, to facilitate breeding using a specific whitetail buck, even breeder deer that are placed in the permitted area. All ranch facilities (DMP pastures) must be completed prior to submitting the application and deer management plan to the local TPWD Wildlife Biologist for review and approval. The application and deer management plan must be approved and signed by an authorized TPWD Wildlife Biologist.

Deer Management Permit Participation & Application

Participation in the DMP program requires a written Deer Management Plan that details the proposed breeding operation. The Deer Management Plan is incorporated into the DMP Application, which can be completed online using the Texas Wildlife Information System (TWIMS). No other forms may be substituted for the Deer Management Plan.

TPWD does require is a non-refundable application processing fee of $1,000. Applications for a Deer Management Permit must be made in consultation with an authorized TPWD Wildlife Biologist. To contact the appropriate TPWD Wildlife Biologist`s in your area landowners should call the Wildlife Division District Leader for their county. Follow this link to select the appropriate county and the District Leader contact information will appear on that page.

Specific Information on the Deer Management Permit

DMP breeding pens/pastures must be between five and 100 acres in size. There may be multiple breeding pens on a property. Up to 20 does and one buck may be detained in each breeding pen. The following types of deer may be placed into the breeding pen: (1) wild deer captured on the high-fenced property, (2) wild unbred deer transported under a valid TTT permit from an approved ranch, (3) deer purchased from a permitted Deer Breeder facility that will be liberated on the property after breeding, and (4) buck deer from a permitted Deer Breeder facility that will be temporarily placed into the pen for breeding and subsequently returned to the Deer Breeder.

Wild unbred deer from the high-fenced property may be trapped and placed in the breeding facility between September 1 and December 14 depending on ecoregion.

Deer may be transported from another ranch directly into DMP pens with a valid TTT permit between October 1 and December 14 depending on ecoregion . Please be advised that neither bucks nor does may not be trapped for purposes of TTT from tracts of land where Deer Management Permit (DMP) deer have been released during the same permit year.

To facilitate release, a minimum of 20 feet of fence or gate must be removed and all supplemental food and water must be removed from the pen for at least 30 days. Pens may contain multiple openings to meet this 20-ft requirement; however, no such opening may be less than 10 feet in width. Each gate or fence opening to facilitate release of deer from the DMP pen must open directly to the pasture from which they were captured (except for deer that entered the DMP facility via TTT permit) and not through another pen. Deer that entered the DMP facility via TTT must be released directly to the release site indicated on the TTT Release Site form, and not through another pen. Deer must be released no later than 45 days prior to the trapping deadline of the subsequent DMP trapping season.

All deer mortalities must be kept in an edible condition and donated to a charitable institution. Accurate records documenting the number and origin of deer in breeding pens must be maintained by the deer management permittee. Deer Management Plan facilities and records may be inspected by an authorized TPWD employee at any time and without warrant.

The Chaparral Wildlife Management Area is a 15,000 acre state-owned research and demonstration area located in LaSalle and Dimmit counties in the heart of the South Texas brush country. White-tailed deer hunting on the WMA is by lottery special permit drawing. The area has an abundance of mature bucks and is well known by Texas hunters for the quality of its buck harvest. Due to its popularity, the Chaparral WMA receives more than three times as many applications for either sex hunts than any other public hunting area in Texas!

From 1991 to 1994, deer hunters were allowed to harvest one buck. Under these harvest regime hunters most often selected mature bucks exhibiting above average antler development – or high grading of the buck segment of the deer herd. Harvest regulations were modified in 1995 to increase the harvest of bucks with poor antler development. The bag limit was increased to two bucks and a buck harvest antler restriction was implemented for the public hunts.

Under these antler restrictions, one of the two bucks must have less than 8 points and the other buck must have inside spread greater than the tip-to-tip ear spread. The objective of these regulations was to increase the harvest of bucks exhibiting poor antler development. These bucks included yearling spikes and medium age and mature bucks with less than 7 antler points. Prior to heading out into the field, hunters were given a pre-hunt orientation explaining the objectives and the rationale behind the antler restriction regulations. Hunters were encouraged to harvest spikes and mature bucks with less than 8 points.

Under antler restrictions the harvest of whitetail bucks with poor antler development increased from less than 20% of the annual buck harvest to about 50%. However, a modest decrease (35% to 25%) in the percentage of mature bucks in the herd was observed as result of the increased harvest of spikes and any other young cull buck. The number of trophy bucks – with gross antler score of greater than or equal to 140 Gross Boone & Crockett points – harvested each year has remained stable. Interestingly enough, a trend of decreasing inside spread in mature bucks has been observed at the Chaparral WMA while average gross Boone & Crockett score for mature bucks has remained stable since the implementation of antler restrictions.

Texas public hunting lands have long been used for research and demonstration to aid in developing hunting regulations and assisting private landowners with habitat and deer management. The Chaparral WMA buck harvest study is ongoing.

The fall hunting season is underway in Texas, so better time to make sure you have everything you need. Each year, game wardens issue hunters citations that could have been avoided had hunters simply taken more time to prepare for their hunt. With alligator, teal and dove hunting season on, and the rest on the way, let’s look at some ways to keep you hunting-violation-free.

The number one, most common hunting law violation in Texas is failure to be certified in hunter safety, which is is a Class C Parks and Wildlife misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of as much as $500. All of the most common citations issued by law enforcement are Class C Parks and Wildlife misdemeanors, again, punishable by a fine of up to $500.
The top ten wildlife enforcement violations during the Texas hunting seasons are as follows:

1. Hunter safety violation (no hunter education certification)
2. White-tailed deer harvest log not completed
3. White-tailed deer improperly tagged
4. White-tailed deer not tagged
5. White-tailed deer hunting or possession in closed season
6. Mourning dove hunting without a license or failure to produce
7. Mourning dove hunting with unplugged shotgun
8. White-tailed deer hunting without a license or failure to produce one
9. Mourning dove over daily bag limit
10. Public hunting land and other misc. violations