In This Issue:
 While it’s a bit early to have an official spring turkey forecast, dedicated turkey hunters may want to begin planning for the season that rolls out in the South Zone in March. Get in the spirit of the hunt with “Playing the Turkey Game,” a video story of two guys trying to outsmart their target.
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Check the season dates and zones in the 2014-2015 Outdoor Annual.
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Brush up on some fast turkey facts. For example, did you know that they can hone in on noises from a mile away?
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NEW! Hunters can now report harvested eastern turkeys online. Meet the mandatory check-station requirement for harvested Eastern turkey using our mobile application for Apple or Android devices. Download the app for iOS or for Android.
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Find a place to hunt. You can hunt turkey on many of our Wildlife Management Areas and other public hunting lands.
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You might want to stash away these turkey recipes for when you get lucky.
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 Thirteen lucky sportsmen were winners of this year’s Big Time Texas Hunts. The winners were selected by random computer drawing. The lucky winners are:
- Texas Grand Slam – Buddie Gunter, Corpus Christi, TX
- Premium Buck Hunt – Thomas Archer, Bastrop, TX
- Exotic Safari – John Klee, Swansea, IL
- Whitetail Bonanza – Scott Shimek, Pearland, TX; Richard Sims, Arlington, TX; Matthew Hrncir, Tomball, TX; Keith Mack, Winnsboro, TX; Gregory Fox, Sweeny, TX; Charles McCall, Broken Arrow, OK
- Big Time Bird Hunt – Nancy Beaulieu, Beaumont, TX
- Gator Hunt – Ron Lott, Tyler, TX
- Texas Waterfowl Hunt – Donald Wilson, Houston, TX
- Wild Hog Adventure – William Kabela, Port Lavaca, TX
The winner of this year’s Big Time Texas Hunts crown jewel, the Texas Grand Slam, which includes four separate guided hunts for Texas’ most prized big game animals; desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope and mule deer is Buddie Gunter of Corpus Christi.
Gunter said he has been entering Big Time Texas Hunts for several years and is looking forward to taking his son with him on the hunts.
“Fortunately I’m self-employed and pretty flexible so I can make it work,” he said. “I’m looking forward to taking my son with me and having a good time. That desert bighorn is a once-in-a-lifetime deal so that’s going to be awesome.”
All told, hunters bought 68,174 Big Time Texas Hunt entries during this year’s sales period. This generated $640,825 in gross revenue to support wildlife research, habitat management and public hunting.
All winners have been notified. Entries for next year’s Big Time Texas Hunts will go on sale May 15, 2015.
Image: 2014 Whitetail Bonanza winner Richard Sims and son Scott
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 More than 50 young people from across the state recently took part in what organizers are calling the world's largest youth deer hunt. The sixth annual Super Hunt is a way for neighboring ranchers to manage their wildlife populations while providing many urban kids their first experience with nature and the outdoors. Each participating youth was required to pass a hunter education and firearm safety course through Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Watch one young man take to the field in "Eli's First Hunt," and read his mom's take six years later on the impact it had in “First Hunt” from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.
Hunting changes the lives of young participants, teaching ethics, responsibility and appreciation for the natural world. If you have a son or daughter age 9-17, consider taking them on a hunt through the Texas Youth Hunting Program. If you’re an experienced hunter, please consider taking young people hunting and provide the guidance to make the event both enjoyable and educational for the beginning hunter. Learn more about the Texas Youth Hunting Program.
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 More than half of fatal firearms accidents reported each year occur in the home, making gun safety at home as important as gun safety in the field. As a matter of fact, it's against the law to store, transport or abandon an unsecured firearm in a place where children are likely to obtain access to it.
How does your home gun storage plan measure up? Learn how firearms should be stored in this home firearm safety video.
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 The second that a hunter pulls the trigger is the culmination of careful planning, target assessment and practice at the range. Ideally, the game drops where it stands. However, that’s not always the case. A responsible, ethical hunter will track any wounded game if at all possible, drawing on learned tracking skills to locate downed game. Review a few clues and tips for trailing a wounded animal in “Where Did It Go?”, a skill builder from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.
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 Never underestimate the value of a great recipe. We know everyone has their favorite game recipes memorized. But still, if there’s game in your freezer or in your future, it pays to add to your resources.
Here are three recipes and cooking tips to check out from the Passport to Texas radio program:
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A message from a Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertiser:
 Calling all big game hunters! If you’ve scored big this season, enter the Texas Big Game Awards.
The Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA) recognizes hunters for their high-quality and even record-breaking harvests. A joint program between Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Wildlife Association, TBGA celebrates the conservation efforts of sportsmen and landowners.
Entry categories include White-tailed Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope and Javelina. There are also categories for youth and first-time hunters. All entries must be scored by a TBGA certified scorer.
Landowners can enter for qualifying game harvested on their property. Bigger game is a result of better habitat and TBGA wants to recognize landowners that have helped make Texas a great place for hunting.
The deadline for entries is February 15. Find a TBGA certified scorer and complete program rules and information online.
Winners will be recognized at one of the three Regional Sportsmen's Celebration banquets. Check out last year's winners from around the state.
Don’t miss your chance to rack up some well-deserved bragging rights!
Image: Roger Theisen, bighorn sheep, Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Score 175 3/8, 2013-2014 season
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A message from a Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertiser:
 Game wardens have to be ready for anything when it comes to protecting wildlife. In this excellent video example, a Comal County warden receives a call about two "locked up" bucks. Connected by a nylon rope, their survival is in jeopardy. The warden travels to the location, assesses the situation, and uses his truck as "cover" to set the deer free.
Roadrunners, alligators, blue crabs, javelinas and more can wind up in a game warden’s day. Read this issue of Game Warden Field Notes to see what we mean.
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