In This Issue:
 The general deer season opens November 1 and ends January 4 (North Zone) and January 18 (South Zone). The white-tail population benefited from a milder summer with increased rainfall, so hunters should find improved opportunities for harvest. Watch the deer forecast video.
Read more about what to expect in Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s free, digital extra,Texas Hunting 2014.
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 Think fast: is that buck in your sights legal or illegal? Watch this video on how to assess antlers in your sights to be sure you harvest bucks legally.
Antler restrictions matter. They allow young bucks to grow and reach their full genetic potential for body size and antler growth, creating a healthier herd as well as more trophy bucks. At the request of some East Texas landowners, TPWD set antler restrictions in 6 East Texas counties in 2005. The department suggested that a buck whose antlers have a spread that grows beyond both ear tips meets the minimum width requirement — a guideline that still is in play today. The results were so impressive that antler restrictions are in place in 117 Texas counties, nearly half of the counties where whitetails are hunted. Read the East Texas story in “Growing Bigger Trophies” in this month’s Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.
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 What is the most common deer hunting violation? Hint: it has NOTHING to do with antlers. Watch this video to find out.
Each hunter is responsible for knowing the specific regulations for the county in which he or she is hunting. Check your local hunting regulations in the Outdoor Annual online or download the new free mobile app for Apple and Android devices. You can also pick up a hard copy at any license retailer, or download the PDF.
Answer: The Number 1 ticket written by game wardens is for failure to complete Hunter Education. Review your four options for completing this important and effective safety course.
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 Breeding populations for waterfowl are at an all-time high. But the success rate for Texas hunters depends on what goes on further north before waterfowl reach our state.
Keep these tips in mind for waterfowl hunting:
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In addition to a hunting license, a migratory game bird stamp is required to hunt any migratory game in Texas. A HIP Certification and Federal Duck Stamp are also required of hunters 16 years of age or older. The free Federal Sandhill Crane Hunting Permit required to hunt sandhill cranes is only available online, at Law Enforcement offices, and at TPWD headquarters.
- Licenses, license packages, stamp endorsements and tags, unless otherwise noted, may be purchased at approximately 1,700 retailers statewide where licenses are sold. Licenses may also be purchased online or by calling (800) TX-LIC-4-U (800-895-4248) between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed Saturday, Sunday and most holidays).
- Be prepared for a visit from a game warden with this video review of waterfowl tips, including common violations.
- The most common violation game wardens encounter during waterfowl season is failure to show proof of participation in a hunter education course.
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A message from a Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertiser:
 “It’s a duck. It’s a goose... No, it’s a… what IS that?”
Waterfowl hunters must quickly distinguish between migratory game species (geese, sandhill cranes) and nongame ibis, egrets, pelicans and the endangered whooping crane. This has become even more of a challenge over the last few seasons as whoopers have ventured outside their traditional range, using areas near Tivoli, Bayside, Collegeport, El Campo, Louise — even Granger Lake in Central Texas.
Take this video quiz to be sure you are aiming at the right bird in the right season.
Know someone who needs to brush up on waterfowl ID? Share the quiz. And if there’s any doubt about your target, don’t shoot. Everyone’s careful observation helps protect all species.
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 Quail in three target areas of the state will benefit from $4 million worth of quail habitat conservation projects:
- Southeast Texas area – counties around Columbus, Sealy, Victoria
- I-35 Corridor in Navarro and Ellis counties
- Rolling Plains/Cross Timbers – counties near Wichita Falls
The goal is to demonstrate that quail habitat can be successfully restored and to inspire and guide private landowners. The TPWD funding, provided through a special appropriation by the Texas Legislature, was generated from the sale of $7 Upland Game Bird Stamps purchased by hunters.
Visit the Quail in Texas page to learn more about this popular species and the challenges it faces today.
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 Tree stands are popular tools for hunters, photographers and wildlife watchers. They elevate the user’s field of vision and lessen the chance of being detected by wildlife. However, nationally, one in three hunting injuries involves a tree stand. Watch this video about how to use a tree stand safely, including the use of a full body safety harness and a haul line.
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 Calling all optimistic big game hunters! Before you head to the field, learn what it takes to enter your trophy in the Texas Big Game Awards Program, a partnership between Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Wildlife Association. Designed to promote responsible land management, the program has compiled some of the most significant records in Texas deer hunting history. Read "Big Game, Better Habitat," from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine to learn why this program is much more than a contest.
Entry categories include Scored, Youth, and First. Landowners may enter also if a qualifying animal is harvested on their property. Your entry may earn you a trophy.
Your entry also helps future hunting prospects. Bigger game is a result of better habitat. Over the years, the Texas Big Game Awards have taught biologists and landowners where the game are healthiest and what‘s the best environment for them to thrive.
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 Bringing the game you harvested to the table is the crowning event to your hunting experience.
You may prefer tried and true family game recipes or maybe this year you want to add a new ingredient - think achiote marinade, pickled red onions, horse radish, or sriracha sauce. Check out three recipes for dove, quail and venison from Texas Hunting 2014, the free digital extra from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.
Any game deserves to be carefully processed and cooked. Watch “How to Clean, Store and Cook Dove,” a video that takes dove from the field to the table with a demonstration of how to breast dove, freeze them, then how to grill them, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese and jalapeño.
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A message from a Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine sponsor:
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