Category: Public Hunting

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:

1. Shoulder heights of 40-60 inches
2. Body length of 5-9 feet
3. Body weights of  225-700 pounds
4. Shaggy coat from yellow-brown to dark gray
5. Long tail for a deer species
6. Nocturnal or crepuscular (like whitetail)
7. Diet consists of grasses, browse and fruits
8. Bucks dig antlers into urine-soaked soil (Mmmm good)
9. 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!

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Powderhorn WMA: Hunt On!

Powderhorn Ranch is a soon-to-be wildlife management area (WMA) and state park administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), but the hunting has already begun. A group of 14 lucky youth hunters had the opportunity to take part in the first-ever public hunting opportunity at Powderhorn Ranch, which is located just north of the Port O’Connor City Limits.

The youth group got to experience remote deer hunting and the ups and downs that go with it, as well as learn more about the wildlife that call the Texas coast home.

Hunting Powderhorn Ranch

The hunt was a result of a partnership with the Texas Youth Hunting Program (TYHP) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. The TYHP strives to get kids outdoors so that they can experience what hunting is all about, such as being safe, ethical and making sound use of our natural resources.

Many parents and their kids are interested in hunting, but having a place to go ends up being the limiting factor.

The TYHP tries to fill the gap by combining outdoor teaching and experience with interested youth hunters and their mentors on properties where hunting is beneficial to the resource. The newly-acquired property fit the bill, since not completely staffed and ready for TPWD’s drawn hunt system.

The opportunity not only presented a learning experience for young hunters also was the public’s first introduction to Powderhorn Ranch.

Powderhorn WMA

The Powderhorn is as cool as its name, sprawling an incredible 17,351 acres. The Powderhorn is located along the coastal prairies of Texas, comprised of woodlands, grasslands and, of course, wetlands. A variety of native wildlife species call this property home.

The Powderhorn Ranch is to serve both as a state-managed WMA and Texas state park. This means the Powderhorn Ranch WMA should offer hunting opportunities for deer, doves, ducks, geese and non-native feral hogs, too.

The park will provide day-use and overnight facilities for families interesting in exploring Texas’ coastal plains.

Powderhorn Patchwork

Source: “Everything has purpose and value, but it also has timing and balance,” said Gene McCarty, the property’s caretaker and retired deputy executive director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “I like to call it a mosaic. It’s a patchwork of habitats that all work together.”

Powderhorn Ranch was acquired in 2014 and with the infrastructure and environmental renovation, the property is being opened to the public in a limited fashion. The plan is to open as a state park sometime after it changes into the care of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2018.

McCarty scanned the golden grasslands boarded by the Powderhorn lake and live oak mots.

“If they only know this world from looking at their iPhones, all this is in jeopardy,” McCarty said as he shook his head side to side. “These places are so beautiful, so unique, so important to the bigger picture. It’s important we do what we can to protect the pieces that are left and to be able to use those pieces for the education and enjoyment of its citizens.”

Who needs hunters education to hunt in Texas? Chances are if you are asking about hunters education you will need it to hunt in Texas. Texas hunting regulations state that every hunter, including out-of-state hunters, born on or after September 2, 1971, must successfully complete hunter education prior to hunting.

The minimum age for hunters ed certification in Texas is 9 years and the cost of the course is $15. It is important to note that proof of hunters ed certification is not required to purchase a hunting license.

Hunters Education 

If plan to hunt in Texas, you will need the course if you were born on or after September 2, 1971 and you are:

• under 9 years of age, you must be accompanied*.
• age 9 through 16, you must successfully complete hunter education, OR you must be accompanied.
• age 17 and over, you must successfully complete hunter education; OR purchase a “Hunter Education Deferral,” and you must be accompanied.

*Accompanied means: By a person who is at least 17 years of age, who is also licensed to hunt in Texas, who has passed hunter education or is exempt and you must be within normal voice control. Proof of hunters education in Texas or elsewhere or a deferral is required to be on your person while hunting.

Hunters Ed Deferral Option in Texas

Any hunter 17 years of age or older who has not completed hunter education may defer completion for up to one year. A deferral may only be obtained once and is only valid until the end of the current license year. You must be accompanied while hunting in Texas if you have a deferral.

The one-time Hunter Education Deferral is available at license vendors and costs $10. So… do I need hunters education in Texas? We hope this article helped you answer that question.

If you are interested in the Texas public hunting drawings for white-tailed deer do not waste any time. The application deadlines for deer hunts on public lands will be here soon. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Drawn Hunts for deer categories have until midnight Tuesday, September 20, to apply.

Texas Public Deer Hunting Costs

The Drawn Hunts program offers economical deer hunting opportunities across Texas, including several Youth-Only hunt categories. Application fees for public deer permits are $3 or $10 depending on the hunt category. Selected adults hunters may also need to pay a Special Permit fee of $80 for regular hunts and $130 for extended deer hunts.

Some categories, such as the Youth-Only deer hunts, require no application fees or permit fees, so these are good ways to get your kids a big outdoor experience for a only a little money.

Application Deadlines for Public Hunts

It’s mid-September so there is no time to waste! Among the popular drawn hunt categories closing September 20 include: E-Postcard-Youth Deer Antlerless/Spike; Gun Deer — Antlerless/Spike; Gun Deer — Either Sex; Gun Deer – Management; Youth Only Gun Deer — Either Sex; and Youth Only Gun Deer – Management.

Hunters can apply up to 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the application deadline and after the application is submitted, and they can check their drawing status online at any time.

How to Apply for Draw Hunts in Texas

All hunt opportunities can be viewed by category or by hunting land/area using an interactive map. The entire process is handled online — from browsing opportunities, to permit applications, fee payments and deer permit issuance. To participate, applicants will of course need internet access, an email address and a credit or debit card.

It also helps to have a current hunting license. The Customer ID number from the applicant’s hunting or fishing license is one of the easy ways to access the system, but you do not need a current hunting license to apply.

For more information about Texas public hunt drawings and to get started in the application process visit the TPWD web site. They have all of the deer hunts broken out by hunt type, method of take and by site/area.

Colorado Bend State Park (SP) offers hunting for a variety of game species, but white-tailed deer hunting is the most popular. All hunts are by special permit only, which means hunters must apply and be selected to hunt at Colorado Bend SP. The park offers archery deer hunts, gun hunts for antlerless and spike deer, either sex gun hunts for bucks and does, and either sex gun hunts for youth hunters.

During these deer hunts, selected hunters at Colorado Bend can shoot an feral hogs, aoudad and other exotic deer in unlimited numbers. The park does not have high numbers of exotic deer, although hog populations are strong and aoudad numbers are likely increasing. On gun hunts, the success rate (harvest of at least a single animal) runs about 30-40 percent.

Colorado Bend Hunting Information

Colorado Bend SP consists of 5,328 acres of cedar-dominated, rough terrain and is located about 4 miles south of the community of Bend in San Saba County. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is managing the property for public use and native habitat and wildlife.

Objectives to restore and maintain healthy populations of native fauna and flora in their natural habitats and to provide for compatible public use. Where game populations exceed the carrying capacity of the habitat, the preferred method of reduction is public hunting. Hunters are the only way TPWD manages deer in the park and hunting helps to control feral hogs and exotic ungulates.

Selected, permitted hunters should report to the hunter check station by 10:30 a.m. on the first day of their assigned hunt period. The hunter check station is located at the Colorado Bend SP park maintenance area.

Hunting at Colorado Bend

Persons interested in deer hunting at Colorado Bend SP and most other public hunting lands in Texas must apply through TPWD’s online drawing system. Selected hunters will get an email notifying them of their selection and that they must pay the required fee by specified deadline.

Drawn hunters must contact the area staff as soon as possible if they are unable to attend their accepted hunt or not able to arrive on the first day for orientation. Colorado Bend SP does offer opportunities for standby hunter positions. Standby hunters should report to the check station by 10:30 a.m. on the first day of the desired hunt period to complete the application process. Standby hunters will be drawn at 11:00 a.m., as vacancies permit.

Following an orientation, TPWD personnel will guide hunters to their hunt compartment. Hunting will end at 11:00 a.m. on the final day of the assigned hunt.

Colorado Bend Hunt Rules

Hunters are reminded that they must have a Special Permit, valid Texas Hunting License, and any stamp as required by statute. Hunters 17 years of age and older must have in their possession a valid I.D. Hunter Safety Education is required of Texas hunters born on or after September 2, 1971.

Hunters must wear a minimum of 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material, with at least 144 square inches appearing on both chest and back and orange headwear.

During deer hunts, only one legally permissible weapon per hunter will be allowed into the hunt area.

Non-permitted visitors and family members will not be allowed in the hunt area during hunts except that a non-hunting person directly assisting a permitted handicapped individual will be allowed.

Hunters will be responsible for the reasonable care of their game after harvest. No facilities for deer storage are available on the park, but commercial facilities are available in the towns of Cherokee, Lampasas, Llano, Lometa and San Saba.

Hunters do not use tags off of their hunting license. Hunters that harvest a deer will be given a TPWD Legal Deer Tag, issued at the area, that must be attached to a harvested deer prior to leaving the hunt area.

Disturbance or removal of plants, rocks, artifacts, or other objects is prohibited. The possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
Hunters’ vehicles will be allowed into the hunt area only on designated roads and disabled individuals may hunt from a stationary motor vehicle. Operation of an off-road vehicle(ORV) or all terrain vehicle (ATV) is prohibited, except by disabled persons or an adult directly assisting a disabled person.

For more information on Colorado Bend State Park hunting, give them a call at 325-628-3240.

Recommendations for Hunting Colorado Bend SP

Camping is available at Colorado Bend SP for permitted deer hunters. However, there are no hookups for electricity or water at the camping area, nor is there a trailer dump station available on the park. Chemical toilets and drinking water are provided in the camping area.

Campfires are allowed on the Park in designated fire rings. The normal overnight camping fee will be charged to those hunters utilizing the park’s facilities. In addition, commercial motels and campgrounds are available in the surrounding towns of Lampasas, Llano, and San Saba.

It is recommended that each public hunter bring a flashlight, food, drinking water, and foul weather gear. A good pair of boots is a must since public hunters will often encounter some rugged, rocky terrain.

The Texas Youth Hunting Program (TYHP) has a full schedule that offers plenty of outdoor opportunities for young hunters this fall. In fact, this year’s new offerings from TYHP are rocking and rolling with more than 90 hunts now scheduled and available for online sign-up.

“Our volunteers have really outdone themselves this year. They have twice as many youth hunts posted this year as the same time last year. We’re really excited about that,” said Chris Mitchell, TYHP director, in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Radio Network. Mitchell said TYHP completed more than 190 hunts last year. He expects the program to meet or exceed that number this year. Sign-up is available on the TYHP website.

“As long as they’ve completed hunter education, and they’re between the ages of 9 and 17, they can come to our website, create an account and then sign up for any one of these hunts that are posted now or hunts that will be posted in the future,” he said. The program offers one of the easiest and best ways to get youth with little or no hunting experience outside and involved in our natural resources.

TYHP is a shared effort of the Texas Wildlife Association and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Youth hunts are safe, educational and affordable. Introductory, instructive youth hunts for a variety of species are available. Mentors, lodging and meals are provided.

“We’re offering two dove hunts that will be in September and one in October. Of course, in October, that’s when a lot of the deer hunts kick in because a lot of our landowners have extended seasons through the Managed Lands Deer Permit program,” Mitchell said. “We will also be offering our third annual pronghorn hunt in October in the Panhandle. And, of course, hog hunts, turkey hunts, duck and waterfowl hunts are all interspersed among the offerings on the website.”

The James E. Daughtrey WMA is offering predator and feral hog hunting this fall through the TPWD public hunt program. Hunters can enter online at no cost through an “E-postcard” application. Daughtrey WMA has lots of game and covers over 31,000 acres. The property include Choke Canyon Reservoir between Three Rivers and Tilden in Live Oak and McMullen Counties.

The WMA was named in honor of State Game Warden James E. Daughtrey of Tilden who was fatally injured in an automobile collision while pursuing game law violators.

The Daughtrey WMA

Approximately 6,000 acres of uplands are open to public hunting by Annual Public Hunting Permit at conservation pool. The terrain on the WMA is generally flat with thorny brush dominated by mesquite, black brush and cacti. E-Postcard hunts for archery deer, feral hogs and coyotes will be limited to specific compartments on drawn dates as published annually.

Only specific areas identified during orientation will be open. Some areas are accessible only by boat or significant hiking by foot. Hunters should take this into consideration before applying for this hunt. Some roads provide access to limited areas.

Hunting Daughtrey: Things to Know

A hunter orange vest and headwear is required for hunts with firearms. All hunters must attend a mandatory orientation at 11:00 a.m. on the first day of the hunt period. Hunt ends at noon or on the last day of the hunt period. Stand-by positions may be available. Hunters must fill out a harvest questionnaire at the end of the hunt.

A primitive campground is located at the area headquarters and will open the evening before the start of the hunt. Drinking water and electrical hookups are not available. A limited number of fire rings and picnic tables are provided on a first come, first served basis, as is one rented chemical toilet. There are no cold storage facilities available on site.

Camping is also available at Choke Canyon State Park – Calliham Unit, 361-786-3538. For further information contact WMA personnel at 361-274-3573 or 830-879-5496.

E-Postcard Details for Hunting at Daughtrey WMA

1. All hunters must attend a mandatory orientation at 11:00 a.m. on the first day of the hunt period. Hunt ends at noon on the last day of the hunt period depending on hunt type. Stand-by positions may be available. If you cannot attend orientation the Department is not obligated to offer makeup dates.

2. At orientation all hunters must have on their person a valid E-Postcard confirmation, valid driver’s license or ID card, Annual Public Hunting Permit, a Texas hunting license, and any special stamp as required by statute. Only hunters drawn for the E-postcard hunt will be admitted.

3. A permitted supervising adult must accompany hunters under the age of 17. Visitors will not be allowed to accompany hunters into the field. Hunter Education is required of all hunters born on or after September 2, 1971. (See Outdoor Annual for more information).

4. Daily On-Site Registration is required. All game harvested must be recorded on the form. Only species defined by hunt period at the time of orientation may be taken.

5. For the Feral Hog and Coyote Hunts only legal archery equipment, shoguns with slugs or muzzleloaders are allowed.

6. Hunter orange vest and headwear is required for all hunters on this hunt, regardless of hunt method.

7. Bag Limit: Unlimited feral hogs and coyotes on E-Postcard hunts. No other animal game or non-game may be taken or possessed.

8. Portable stands are allowed and baiting is permitted. All equipment must be removed before the end of the predator and hog hunting period. Corn must be certified less than 20 ppb aflatoxin free.

9. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-road vehicles (ORVs) are not permitted on the WMA, except for use by a disabled person or an adult directly assisting a disabled person. Proof of disability is required.

10. Alcoholic beverages may not be publicly displayed or consumed on the WMA, and persons under the influence of alcohol/drugs will not be permitted to enter the hunt area.

11. Hunters in the field and vehicles, including boats, within the WMA are subject to inspection by WMA Personnel and/or Game Wardens. Vehicles must also display a parking permit and be registered at the area headquarters.

12. Do not take any plants, animals (other than legally taken game), or artifacts from the Daughtrey WMA while hunting or otherwise, including shed deer antlers or skulls. Any artifact found must be left as they are; shed antlers or skulls can be brought to the check station.

Some of the best public duck hunting opportunities in Texas can be found at the state-owned wildlife management areas (WMA) scattered along the gulf coast. During most years, these properties have good numbers of birds, good habitat and offer a number of hunt periods for waterfowlers. Freshwater is typically stable along the coastal plains of Texas, and the ducks know it.

Hunters looking for public duck hunting opportunities should take advantage of Texas’ WMA system. The state is even looking to get hunters off on the right foot.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) invites the hunters and others within the community to attend an informational meeting on public land hunting access during upcoming migratory game bird hunting seasons. Updates on public hunting access within the Upper Coast Wildlife Management Areas and information on the rules and regulations of leased lands will be covered.

The public meeting will be held Tuesday, August 23, from 6-8 p.m. at the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area Check Station at 10 Parks and Wildlife Drive in Port Arthur, on the south side of highway 73 near the intersection of Jade Avenue.

Additional information regarding public hunting opportunity on TPWD-owned lands is available online. Hunters specifically interested in duck hunting at Murphree WMA can contact them directly at 409-736-2551. Bring on the birds!