Category: Public Hunting

The Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area (WMA) provides 10,958 acres of public hunting for white-tailed deer and other game species. The area is operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and can be accessed through regular permit hunts or special permit hunts. The Engeling WMA serves as a wildlife research and demonstration station for landowners found in the post oak savannah ecoregion of Texas.

APH Permit holders can access the Engeling WMA during regular permit hunt dates without any additional fee. Those without the APH Permit can pay a daily use fee each day. Special permit (draw) hunts are held for white-tailed deer during the archery and general season for selected hunters. During some years, the management area will also hold hunts for feral hogs.

The landscape found on the Engeling WMA varies from nearly flat to gently rolling post oak woodlands consisting of dense stands of oak and hickory overstory with understory plant species of yaupon, greenbriar, elm, and huckleberry. Although most of the area is upland habitat with sandy loam soil, there is a good amount of bottomland habitat. These areas are great for duck hunting and hold a number of feral hogs.

The Engeling WMA is located about 38 miles southeast of Corsicana and 22 miles northwest of Palestine on US Highway 287. Hunters selected for special permit hunts must attend a mandatory orientation on the first day of the hunt at the Wildlife Conservation Center, which is located 1/2 mile north of the main gate on the main WMA road. Standby applicants must report to the Conservation Center at 10:30 am on the first day of the hunt.

Trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended because portions of the area may be difficult to access during wet weather. Portable deer blinds that do not damage trees are encouraged when on the are. However, portable blinds are not available at the Engeling WMA, so bring your own. An improved campground with camper pads and restroom facilities is available for use by hunters and anglers. For more information on public hunting at the Engeling WMA call the headquarters at 903-928-2251.

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Stop the press! Just when it looked like Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) was going to increase the amount of public land in Texas the train has come to a halt on the new Devils River State Park. It is being reported that top TPWD officials have ordered the state agency staff to continue exploring options to acquire land for a new state park or natural area on the Devils River while strengthening a commitment to protect the river’s sensitive resources.

This move will now stops a final, but gives the agency more time to explore alternatives in response to recent stakeholder input. TPWD Commission Chairman Peter Holt, said:

“We took this off the November 4 agenda because we’ve received great feedback from a lot of people around the state who felt the process may be moving too quickly. Also, several people have brought to us some very interesting alternatives. We want the staff to go forward and figure out how to make this work. We understand the concerns of landowners, hunters, paddling trail enthusiast and conservationists and want to make sure we take all that into consideration.

On the other hand, we represent a state with about 24 million people. The Devils River Ranch is a real opportunity to add something to our park system that is second to none in terms of wildness, but at the same time would allow more people to experience this phenomenal area in appropriate ways.”

Carter Smith, executive director of TPWD, said this regarding the new Devils River State Park, “We will continue considering the entire range of options for conservation and recreation on the river, working with all stakeholders, with a goal to bring back to the commission a suite of alternatives to achieve both the conservation and recreational access elements of our mission.”

As an agency that deals with outdoor recreation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is always keeping a lookout for land acquisitions. These land acquisitions typically result in state natural areas, state parks, and wildlife management areas. More state-owned land bodes for Texas hunting, particularly public hunting prospects. However, this deal is not totally additive because it involves a land swap.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on November 4 will consider a proposal to acquire a 17,638-acre property for a new state park on the Devils River in Val Verde County. TPWD leaders will hold public meetings about the proposal on October 20th in Del Rio and on October 26th in San Antonio.

The proposal would result in the exchange of the existing Devils River State Natural Area as partial payment for a privately owned ranch downriver, which would become a new state park. The ranch has significantly more river frontage and better public access as well as outstanding natural and cultural features. Outdoor activities the property could provide would be paddling, camping, hiking, and hunting. Carter Smith, TPWD executive director, said:

“By repositioning our existing assets along the Devils River, we can increase public access to and awareness of this spectacular river, as well as expand protection of this region’s uniquely important natural and cultural resources. A permanent conservation easement on the existing state natural area property will prevent unsuitable development and ensure continued protection there. The new property, which is also protected by a conservation easement, will become a premiere park to boost the regional economy and provide enhanced recreation options to Texans for decades to come.”

The Val Verde County ranch has 10 miles of frontage on the Devils River and Amistad Reservoir with spectacular views from mesas and canyons, and a variety of wildlife habitats. It sounds like a great deal for the State of Texas as well as those that enjoy the outdoors, so hunters should keep there fingers crossed that this property provides some much-needed, additional public hunting.

The Muse Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is the newest management area in Texas — established in 2006 — and it opened its doors this past weekend. A total of 45 Brown County residents turned out this past Saturday for an open house that included barbecue at the Muse WMA. The WMA is located about 15 miles northeast of Brownwood.

This former private ranch was donated to TPWD in 2006 to be used as a wildlife research and demonstration area, as well as provide public hunting opportunities in north-central Texas. According to TPWD District Leader Kevin Mote, the agency is using the area to manage wildlife habitat for native and migratory species while providing some excellent public hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities.

The WMA also is being used for research and to demonstrate habitat management practices for area landowners and other interested groups.

Since TPWD acquired the WMA, the department has hired a full-time wildlife biologist to manage the area, constructed necessary maintenance facilities, established a workable road system, and begun to develop baseline data on wildlife populations and habitat.

The Muse WMA is not open to the public on a walk-in basis, but 3 public hunts for white-tailed deer are held annually, including one for youth only. The hunts are selected through TPWD’s drawing system. The statewide hunting draw booklets come out in August each year.

Many deer hunters and birders are familiar with the Kerr Wildlife Management Area located about 35 miles west of Kerrville, Texas. As enjoyable as this place is to be, it seems the property has become even more welcoming thanks to a new, $1.8 million conference center. The building is to be dedicated on August 27 at the management area. This structure will provide Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with a great venue for presenting habitat management and ecological programs to thousands of landowners, students and researchers.

Since its opening in March of this year, the new 2,300 square foot conference center has hosted more than 400 people at 13 meetings and seminars at the Kerr WMA. The Lee and Ramona Bass family donated $1 million as seed money for the project. Additional funding for the center, which includes more than 8,000 square feet under roof and a large parking lot, came from other private donations and in-kind services from the Texas Department of Transportation. According to the manager, Donnie Frels:

“The main purpose of the new facility is to facilitate sharing of information, planning and programs for research projects, deer habitat management programs, demonstrations and public use at Kerr Wildlife Management Area. In the future, we hope to add a native wildscapes area, rainwater harvesting, local cultural resources displays, a prescribed burning demonstration area and new hunter check station.”

Since the mid-1970s, more than 2,000 tours and seminars have been presented to nearly 55,000 people. In addition, the Kerr WMA hosts 40 to 60 tours and seminars each year for landowners, wildlife professionals, sportsmen groups, universities and others on wildlife and range management practices.

The upper coast of Texas is blessed with coastal marsh that offers great public hunting for migratory waterfowl. The J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA) contains over 24,000 acres of fresh, intermediate, and brackish water marsh within the prairie-marsh zone along the upper Texas coast near the Louisiana border. The J.D. Murphree WMA is managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and is divided into two units that are divided by the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW).

The Big Hill Unit is located north of the GIWW and the Salt Bayou Unit is located south of the GIWW. All J.D. Murphree WMA waterfowl hunting, teal hunting and all alligator hunting will be administered out of the WMA headquarters located on the south side of Highway 73, which is located about 1/2 mile east of the Taylor Bayou Bridge and 3 miles west of the Highway 87 intersection in Port Arthur. All hunters must report to the appropriate check station for orientation, assignment to a hunting compartment, and validation of their hunting permit.

The check station for Salt Bayou Unit waterfowl hunts opens at 4:00 a.m. and the check station for Big Hill Unit waterfowl hunts opens at 4:30 a.m. on each designated day and permits will be issued until 30 minutes before legal shooting hours. Waterfowl hunters for the Salt Bayou Unit must be checked out and off the Murphree WMA by 12:00 p.m. when the check station closes.

The Big Hill Unit is approximately 8,900 acres of fresh to intermediate marsh. Access to the Unit is by boat only. A shallow draft aluminum boat equipped with an outboard motor (20-40 horsepower) is ideal for duck hunting and alligator hunting. A 14 to 16 foot aluminum boat is perfect so that is is light enough to be pulled over small levees; this will allow you to access more of the area. In addition, an additional canoe or small boat may aid in accessing assigned hunting areas within leveed compartments, especially if you expect to use a larger boat. Large, moderate draft, or heavy boats will limit access in many hunt areas due to shallow water conditions and levee portages.

The Salt Bayou Unit is approximately 15,300 acres of brackish to salt marsh. Access to the Unit is by boat only. A shallow draft boat approximately 14+ feet in length equipped with a moderate-sized outboard motor (25-75 horsepower) is recommended for alligator or goose and duck hunting. An additional canoe or small boat may aid in accessing assigned duck hunting areas within hunt compartments. Boat launch accommodations are limited to shallow draft boats only. Rough and choppy water conditions frequently exist on Keith Lake during windy days.

The construction of permanent waterfowl hunting blinds is prohibited on the Murphree WMA. In addition, it is a hunter’s responsibility to maintain a distance of 200 yards from other hunting parties. Airboats are prohibited on the WMA except in Big Hill, Taylor’s, Hildebrandt Bayou, Blind Bayou, and Keith Lake. In the Salt Bayou Unit only, airboats may only be used for access by permitted waterfowl hunters and must have a motor of less than 10 horsepower. Retrievers are welcomed and make sure you bring your goose and duck hunting decoys. Use caution during warm weather because alligators are present on both units.

TPWD has stated that the following equipment is necessary for hunters on the J.D. Murphree WMA: a boat and outboard motor as described above, proper safety devices as required by law, paddle, flashlight, push-pole, outboard gas sufficient for 25 miles of travel, rain gear, boots or waders, insect repellent, appropriate ammunition and a shotgun. Keep in mind that boats (persons, equipment, harvested game, etc.) may not exceed U.S. Coast Guard approved loaded capacity.

Any hunters utilizing inadequate boats or equipment may be limited to sharing available hunt areas. Food, lodging, and hunting supplies are not available on the WMA, but commercial lodging facilities are available in the Port Arthur and Beaumont area. Alligator and duck hunters are strongly encouraged to thoroughly test all of their equipment before arriving at the J.D. Murphree WMA Headquarters. Call the headquarters at 409-736-2551 for more public hunting information.