In This Issue:
White-tailed deer season opens November 7, but the hunt for deer is ageless. Deer are so connected with the idea of hunting that the word “venison” came from the Latin “venari,” which means “to hunt.” Some years are better than others, and this year is shaping up to be a good one. Spring rains are critical for a good deer season and 2015 has had above-average rainfall. Expect the deer to be well-fed and lively. And don’t even think about sitting this season out!
What about that all-important antler growth? It should also be well above average. Add to that a good number of healthy, mature bucks and you’ve got prime conditions for a superb season. Makes you itchy just thinking about it, right? You can find the entire forecast online.
Once you’ve cleaned your rifle and geared up, the Outdoor Annual will help you bone up on this year’s deer-specific regulations. It’s available online, as an app for your mobile device, in print wherever licenses are sold and in Spanish. Speaking of licenses, got yours? If not, it’s easy to get a hunting license online or from a retailer. This season is too good to pass by, so make some time for the timeless tradition of deer hunting.
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Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was recently found in Medina County and Lavaca County deer breeding facilities. It’s a fatal disease that affects the deer family. In order to protect the species, save the hunt and avoid unfavorable economic impact, we are asking all Texas hunters to help us keep tabs on deer health by submitting deer samples for testing.
Hunters can assist with this statewide monitoring effort by voluntarily taking their harvested deer (or the head of the harvested deer) to a location where TPWD wildlife biologists will be collecting tissue samples for CWD testing. TPWD biologists will submit samples to the Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at no cost to the hunter, and test results should be made available to the hunter within 3-4 weeks. TPWD would prefer to collect the tissue samples within 24 hours of harvest; however, the appropriate tissue samples will remain viable for a few days if the head is chilled soon after harvest, and remains chilled until the samples can be collected. It is very important that the deer head not be frozen.
Locations where TPWD wildlife biologists will be collecting samples this year will be posted online. Additionally, landowners and hunters can contact their local wildlife biologist for more information regarding CWD sampling opportunities in their area. A hunter who allows for a CWD sample to be collected will receive a sample receipt that can be used to track test results online.
Hunters play a real role in helping Texas cope with this disease. With cooperation, vigilance and common sense precautions, together we will keep Texas hunting the best in the country. You can find more information about CWD, including tips for handling carcasses, on our website.
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For the first time in years, we’ve got higher water levels in Texas. And that means there’s going to be a whole lot of splashing going on as record numbers of waterfowl arrive. In fact, mallards and green-winged teal numbers are at all-time highs. Woo–hoo!
Regular duck season opens October 31 in the South Zone and High Plains Mallard Management Unit, and November 7 in the North Zone. For the drill-down on all the different waterfowl seasons (like Falconry, which opens everywhere February 1) and regulations, pick up the Waterfowl Digest, now available as a PDF online or wherever licenses are sold. Don't forget your Migratory Game Bird endorsement, Federal Duck Stamp and HIP Certification. It’s going to be a very good year for duck hunters – don’t miss out!
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 Thursday, October 15 is this year’s deadline to enter Big Time Texas Hunts. It’s your chance to win one or more of our guided hunting trips, which take place on some of the finest private ranches and state wildlife management areas in Texas. There's no limit to how many times you can enter; so go ahead and try for all 9 packages!
The Ultimate Mule Deer Hunt is the newest addition to Big Time Texas Hunts. If you like being first, this is the experience for you: the winner will be the first to hunt on the newly-acquired Yoakum Dunes Wildlife Management Area. And if you win, you’ll be stalking mule deer bucks in December, during the peak of their rut.
No matter what other hunts you enter, you have GOT to try for the ultimate package, the Texas Grand Slam. One winner will go on 4 separate hunts: bighorn sheep, pronghorn, white-tailed deer and mule deer. Check out this video of Dillon Gunter and his guide going after a desert bighorn sheep as part of the 2015 Grand Slam experience.
Each hunt package entry is only $9 online or by calling (800) 895-4248*. You can also enter for $10 at any license retailer. Every penny of your entry fee directly supports conservation, wildlife management and public hunting in Texas. Remember, if you don’t enter, you can’t win. So don’t delay, enter today!
*A $5 administrative fee is charged per online or phone transaction. You may purchase multiple entries and other licenses in a single transaction.
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 It’s an old saying and a good one: practice makes perfect. And for a hunter, a perfect shot can make your day. If you want to bump up your shooting skills, consider a trip to a shooting range. You’ll find folks there working on their target practice, sighting in or trying our new equipment. And if you enjoy competition, shooting ranges are a great place to compete in matches at the local level on up to international contests.
Whatever you’re interested in firing, there’s probably a shooting range for it near you: rifle, bow, shotgun, handgun. There are indoor ranges, outdoor ranges, ranges with still targets and ranges with moving targets. Families will enjoy archery and air gun ranges; check out the Project ChildSafe video for tips on how to talk to children about gun safety. Even expert marksmen and markswomen continue to work on their skills in shooting ranges, because they know that persistent practice is what makes them perfect.
Are you ready to bump up your shooting skills to the next level? Watch this video on sighting-in your rifle, then find yourself a shooting range and get into the rhythm of regular practice. Remember, if you don’t get the skills, you won’t get the thrills.
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Looking for the perfect accompaniment for your next hunting trip? If you join Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation by November 8, you’ll be automatically entered in a TPWF drawing to win this special-edition YETI cooler!*
As a member, you’ll receive exclusive benefits like invitations to special events, access to webinars with wildlife experts, and other members-only perks. And, you’ll be supporting TPWF’s work to conserve our state’s wild things and wild places.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF), the nonprofit funding partner of TPWD, believes in the importance of promoting our state’s hunting heritage. From supporting the acquisition of new wildlife management areas to providing more public hunting opportunities, TPWF is working to make sure the hunting heritage in Texas will always be here for future generations to enjoy. You can support TPWF’s efforts by becoming a member today.
Help keep Texas wild for everyone - join TPWF today.
*The price of membership pays for TPWF membership only and not for the chance to win the YETI cooler drawing. Members who join between October 6 and November 8 are automatically entered in the drawing.
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Astronaut Charlie Duke has been to the moon, but he believes his longer-lasting achievement is sharing a love of the outdoors with his children and grandchildren. Son Tom got his first buck at age 10. “Going to the deer lease, sometimes just to camp out, gave me the opportunity to have a lot of quality time with Dad,” he says. “Doing something that people have been doing for such a long time feels natural; it feels great,” says grandson Parker.
If you would like to share your love of hunting with the children in your life, there are special youth-only hunting opportunities that will help you do just that.
Young waterfowl hunters 15 years old and younger get the first crack at ducks in the High Plains and South Zone October 24-25 and in the North Zone October 31-November 1. Kids 16 years old and younger get to hunt white-tailed deer and Rio Grande turkey during the special youth season the weekend of October 31st. You can go online to learn more about the seasons and to get youth hunting license information.
In addition to the special youth-only hunts and seasons, select state parks and wildlife management areas have mentored hunting workshops designed to help educate beginning hunters and their mentors. Many public hunting areas offer youth-only and youth/adult hunting opportunities as well.
Read more about how Charlie has passed on his love of hunting to his children (and how Texas rattlesnakes came up in a conversation on the moon) in “Lunar Legacy” from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. Then, create your own memories that will last a lifetime, teach a child how to hunt.
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 The “eat local” trend is nothing new in Texas, which has a long hunting heritage. Even today, 95% of hunters eat the game they take, and deer provide one of the most popular meats. We’ve compiled some recipes which will help you enjoy it to its fullest. One way to get the best from venison is to soak it in a marinade then grill it over high heat. Chef Jesse Griffiths shares this recipe and others:
Venison shreds easily, which makes it perfect for tacos. Try a Shredded Venison Salad, which is found on restaurant menus throughout Mexico. Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine also has a new collection of wild game recipes, including Venison Steaks with Juniper and Thyme Pan Sauce. You’ve invested yourself in hunting - now it’s time to show off the spoils!
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The classic hunting dog story, "Old Yeller," takes place in 1860's Texas.
Messages from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertisers:
The Hunt Texas e-newsletter is made possible in part
by the generous support of Toyota.
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