Texas Hunting Times

Habitat Management for Waterfowl – Better Duck Hunting in Texas

While biologist located in the northern states and Canada are reporting record waterfowl production, Texas has little to offer these winged-migrants this fall. And the winter is not looking very bright either. But even with no rain in sight, habitat management should be on every duck hunters mind. There are several management practices that can be implemented that can help produce duck foods and put birds in your bag.

While it is dry, consider disking to improve conditions to favor future production of smartweeds or millets, both of which are excellent waterfowl foods. Properties will flooded stands of smartweeds and millets will also have outstanding duck hunting. Disking is typically needed about every 3 to 5 years to promote and maintain these annual seed-producing plants for waterfowl and helps reduce the numbers of many undesirable perennial plants.

Shredding is another habitat management practice often needed on an annual basis to control wetland growth and nuisance vegetation like green ash, black willow, Chinese tallow, and cocklebur. These species are not favored by waterfowl. By the way, you will need approved aquatic herbicides to control particularly hard to kill woody species like black willow and tallow. That’s because these woody species will sprout back from the roots, so shredding or disking them does not eliminate them.

Additionally, duck hunters may need to consider herbicide treatment of undesirable perennial herbaceous plants, such as soft stem bulrush or maidencane, if they take up too much surface area in your wetlands, then this can actually decrease the value of the waterfowl habitat of your duck hunting area. Cockleburs and some other undesirables can easily be killed with a glyphosate herbicide.

If you are unsure of the species of plants you have growing in your wetland, don’t do anything until you have identified them. You may think they are bad, but they may be good seed producers or important for the duck habitat on your property. There are several good sources to use to identify your plants. And the Web is always a good place to look.

During the summer and fall months, clear swamps of invaded hardwoods such as maple, ash, gum and Chinese tallow trees. Also remove any brush such as buttonbush and water elm while these wetlands are dry. An excellent technique for performing this habitat management practice would be with a mulching machine followed with herbicide treatment of woody sprouts to kill the roots. If you decide to mulch, hire an operator with a large mulching machine. You will pay more per hour but your results will likely be a savings in the end. Make sure your wetland is dry first!

Forested wetlands can also be enhance with a dozer. I would encourage developing some openings within swamps that are overgrown. Do not clear out all the brush and hardwoods, but rather create some sizable openings, leaving a mosaic of waterfowl habitat. This habitat will bring in the birds and make for some awesome duck hunting in wooded areas from Beaumont to Katy to anywhere in East Texas. This clearing will also promote the growth of seed producing plants that waterfowl consume.

I have seen great results from increased production of smartweeds from such dozer clearing. In addition, millet and barnyard grass seed can also be broadcast into the wetland to provide additional food for migrating birds. Wetland habitat management for migrating waterfowl is a great way to get more ducks on your property. And more ducks means better duck hunting for you. It’s difficult to carry out these management practices when it may not rain this fall in Texas, but even if it does not your wetland will be ready for next year.

Deer Hunting in Gillespie County, Texas

I have spent many a deer season hunting white-tailed deer in the Hill Country of Texas. Llano, Mason and Gillespie County are all great places to hunt deer. Because of the once very high deer numbers, they were all great counties to see deer, but true-to-life trophies were few a far between. Deer hunting in Gillespie County, however, is getting better. Times have changed and many land owners have adopted various versions of a deer management program. Some are a little out there, but everyone has good intentions.

We had a deer lease in Mason County for about eight or nine years running. Initially, the deer population was high on that piece of property and the bucks were dinky. But over the years, because of selective harvest and an effective wildlife management association, the deer numbers were lowered, the weights increased and the antlers did too. It just goes to show what bucks can do when they get the right nutrition. Here is a case in point: Continue reading Deer Hunting in Gillespie County, Texas

Deer Hunting at Caprock Canyons State Park

Question: “My hunting buddy and I were drawn for the December mule deer hunt at Caprock Canyons State Park in the Texas Panhandle. I have never been to this public hunting area, so could you offer some advice about where and how to hunt site place? We have been mule deer hunting in Texas before, but that was out in West Texas. From what I have heard, mule deer hunting at Caprock Canyons will be a bit different. Any information would be appreciated.”

Response: One of my good friends grew up in that area of the state and still hunts about 15 miles from Caprock Canyons State Park. We used to spend quite a bit of time deer hunting around that country. I have seen some monster mule deer bucks in the park. In that part of Texas, the mule deer almost always rut right after the General White-tailed Deer Season and well after the General Mule Deer Season, near first of January. Continue reading Deer Hunting at Caprock Canyons State Park

Black Gap Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Hunting

The Black Gap Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located in Brewster County, which is actually the largest county in Texas. The WMA is located 58 miles south of Marathon, on FM 2627, and offers public >hunting for deer and quail. The management area has approximately 25 miles of the Rio Grande as the south boundary, adjoining the Mexican state of Coahuila. The Black Gap WMA contains 119,171 acres of semi-arid land, but is home to some great hunting.

The area is scenic, but rough. Annual rainfall averages in the Black Gap area are approximately eight inches. The Black Gap WMA offers public hunting for mule deer and white-tailed deer in December of every year. Hunters must apply through the “Applications for Drawings on Public Hunting Lands” booklet that comes out each year. Applications can also be found online.

Participants in public hunts held on the management area should bring all necessary provisions with them. Primitive camping is allowed during public hunts in designated areas, but no trailer hookups are available at Black Gap. Firewood is scarce so hunters should either bringing a supply or using camp stoves that burn white gas or similar fuel. For more information on public hunting opportunities as Black Gap WMA, call the area headquarters at 432-837-3251.

Whitetail Deer Hunting in Navarro County

Question: “My friend and I are looking at jumping on a deer lease of about 3,500 acres that is located in Navarro County. It is in the area of FM 55 and FM 744. Do you know what is the whitetail hunting is like in this area? I have recently heard that there are a lot of feral hogs, but other than that I have never heard much about the hunting in Navarro County. It’s been dry across the state, so I imagine that it’s drought like over there too. Any info on deer hunting in Navarro County will be appreciated. Thanks!”

Response: I have a good friend that hunted that area for about eight years, and the deer hunting was solid. His deer lease was about 1,000 acres with a big creek running through the ranch. There are some very nice deer in the parts of Navarro County that have brushy and wooded habitat, but it’s not an area where you will see deer every time you go out. That said, the deer density can range from low to high, but in general the bucks will be bigger in the areas where there are less deer. Continue reading Whitetail Deer Hunting in Navarro County

Caprock Canyons State Park Hunting

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind public hunting opportunity in Texas, look no further than Caprock Canyons State Park in the Texas Panhandle. Caprock Canyons is located in southeast Briscoe County, about 3.5 miles north of Quitaque, off State Highway 86 on FM 1065. The park has some wild habitat and is 13,960 acres in size. The property was purchased in 1975.

Hunting at Caprock Canyons State Park is by Special Permit drawing only. The entire area is closed to park visitors when opened to public hunting and the entrance fee is waived for person participating in the hunts. Hunters may use park camping facilities and the normal fees are charged.

The park is quite rugged. Because of the extremely rugged terrain in portions of the park, all hunters should be prepared for a very strenuous hunt. In addition, there may be severe winter conditions such as freezing rain or snow. You will still be in Texas, but things get a little more intense the further north you go! Additionally, the removal of the harvested animals from portions of the park to the nearest road or pickup point can be very strenuous because of the terrain and size of the larger animals.

Mule deer, white-tailed deer and aoudad can go 200 pounds plus, so be in shape and prepared for some work should you be fortunate enough to bag one of these bruisers. For more information on public hunting opportunities and Caprock Canyon State Park, call the park headquarters for additional information at 806-455-1492.

Dove Hunting in Texas – Reports Mixed

The dove hunting reports coming in from around the state of Texas are mixed. Weather has ranged from cool to hot recently, and the dove hunting in Texas has been the same. Whitewings continue to dominate San Antonio fields of corn and milo in the afternoon as hunters have shot near-limits around tree lines. High-flyers have trickled from South Zone fields near Uvalde. The area around Katy, Hockley and Brookshire fields have been fair at best, and hunter participation has been low this season. What can you expect? Low bird numbers equates to low hunter turnout.

The Waller area hunters saw better shooting this weekend as nearby South Zone fields were hunted, pushing mourning doves north to Central Texas fields. More whitewing showed around Sealy and Columbus over the weekend. On up the coast, Dayton and Beaumont fields have given up half-limits of both whitewing and mourning doves. Some also reported good shoots on public dove hunting lands. The hunting season runs through October 23 and prospects are fair to good right now. Look for food and water.

The best hunting in the South Zone came from traditional South Texas haunts in the Rio Grande Valley where whitewings have been good around milo, corn and wild sunflowers. Devine, Big Foot, Three Rivers, Fashing and George West enjoyed limit shoots too. Dove hunters along the northern boundaries of the South Zone reported losing most of their birds just before the opener as high winds and rain blew through Wharton and Matagorda county fields, sending the bulk of the whitewing population to other areas.

The dove opener there was a lackluster one, but doves began moving back in by the end of the weekend. Mourning doves were solid near Palacios, Beasley, Lissie and Eagle Lake, but El Campo had mixed reports with most hunters leaving with far less than limits. The dove season runs through October 30 in the South Zone and the dove hunting outlook is fair to good depending on location.

Teal Hunting in Texas: Lots of Birds!

The weather has warmed up along the coast this week but the blue-winged teal are still here! The season started off with a bang and some cool weather earlier in the season help the hunters and the birds. But despite the warming weather, teal hunting in Texas is holding up well. A small push of cool weather made it down the Central Texas today, so a few new birds should be in the area. According to the latest duck hunting report, teal season along the coastal prairies was arguably the best most hunters could remember. That is, if you had ponds brimming with fresh water.

Many duck hunters reported seeing more teal than ever throughout the entire 16-day season. A new wave of bluewings arrived last week which made the last weekend of the season just as fast as opening weekend. The largest concentration of teal were seen in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties. These counties are the historic rice growing counties of the central coast, and the birds still love them.

Marsh hunting suffered due to low tides and a hypersaline environment brought on by the drought. Teal do not like super-salty water and that never bodes well for these birds. The first tiny flocks of specklebellies appeared this week on the coast, as well. The Big Hill Unit of J.D. Murphree WMA faired well. In addition, teal hunters said they saw noticeably more big ducks like pintails and shovelers during teal season. With regular duck and goose season kicking off November 5, some serious duck hunting is not all that far away. Again, if you have the water you will have birds!

San Saba County Deer Hunting Report; Dry, Still Good

The white-tailed deer bowhunting season opens this weekend in Texas and a lot of hunters are pumped-up about the prospects of sticking a good buck. One of my favorite places for chasing whitetail in the state is no other than San Saba County. I hunted this county for many years, and even tagged some nice deer, but now I do most of my deer hunting at a property closer to home. With all the dry weather many hunters are thinking this year will be a bust, but not the following San Saba deer hunter:

“I have 600 acres near Richland Springs. All of our whitetail deer herd looks good. Fawns are doing extremely well. I’ve heard some really bad deer reports about people seeing dead fawns all over the place further south of us, but animals are still holding up good here. I still have a couple tanks with some water and our landowner has water tanks all over the property being filled via well so our land has plenty of water. Continue reading San Saba County Deer Hunting Report; Dry, Still Good

Texas Duck Hunting Report: Teal Season Looks Okay

When it comes to bird hunting, September is one of the best months in Texas. Dove hunting and teal hunting seasons cranks up this time each year and things look pretty good for teal birds thus far. Coastal prairie hunters reported seeing more teal the second weekend compared to the opener. More hens and their first-of-the-year birds showed mid-week, along with a noticeable number of greenwings. Many duck hunting reports showed quick limits continued in Wharton County fields.

Some seasoned teal hunters have said can’t remember seeing this many bluewings during the early teal season. Lack of water in the marsh and on the prairies has definitely contributed to larger flocks on fewer ponds. Strong teal shoots have been had near Eagle Lake, Lissie, El Campo and Port Lavaca. Marsh hunters near Collegeport and Palacios have enjoyed half-limits of teal, as well.

Trinity Bay hunters took half-limits of teal as well, with a few filling their straps. The Justin Hurst WMA near Freeport has averaged less than a bird per hunter due to limited hunting sites due to the drought. Mad Island WMA near Bay City has seen fair results, again due to limited ponds due to the drought along with low tides that have not allowed tidal ponds to hold water. The teal season ends at sunset September 25. Find some fresh or brackish marsh along the coast and you will find the teal. That’s all for this weeks duck hunting report.