In This Issue:
 Are you having dreams of a wildly successful opening day? You should, because it looks like all the rain we had this spring is bringing out the birds. The forecast indicates doves in droves and terrific teal numbers. Here's a video forecast with more information. This year, the dove season is extended to 70 days with a 15-bird daily bag limit statewide. Check your Outdoor Annual for all the regulations, and study this dove identification guide to make sure you know your doves before you get into the field. There are at least eight species of doves and pigeons that occur in Texas, of which only four are legal to hunt. Then grab your Hunter’s Education certification, migratory game bird stamp, HIP certification and polish up your favorite gun, because dove season opens September 1 in the North and Central Zones. The South Zone opens September 18. If you’ve never hunted dove, it’s never too late to learn - meet a novice dove hunter learning the skills in this video. We’ll see you in the field!
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On rocks, on water, in a field, anywhere you hunt, the Outdoor Annual Mobile App lets you take this handy guide along – even to spots without internet access! The Outdoor Annual app brings you 2015-2016 Texas hunting regulations, including extended season dates and bag limits, and news and stories of interest to the sportsman and sportswoman. If you prefer to read the Outdoor Annual on a big screen, just access it on the web. If you like having a hard copy, the printed version is available wherever licenses are sold. It’s also available in Spanish. However you take it, take the Outdoor Annual with you when you hunt.
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Hunting licenses went on sale August 15. But how do you choose which one will work best for you? It’s a lot easier than buying a car, but you start the same way: by doing a little research. There are 3 basic types of recreational licenses:
- Hunting
- Combo
- Super Combo
A hunting license allows you to hunt any legal bird or animal; stamp endorsement requirements apply. It has you covered if you don’t plan on doing any fishing this year.
The Combo license allows you to combine a hunting license with your fishing license(s) of choice. A Combo license is a streamlined version of the Super Combo (see below). The difference is, you have to decide what type of fishing license(s)/stamps you want to add to your Combo license. Decisions, decisions (but still not nearly as tough as buying a car).
The Super Combo license will get you the most bling for your cha-ching. Only available to Texas residents, this top-of-the-line license is for the sportsperson who wants to be ready for anything or is planning to do everything. For a mere $68 you get a hunting license, salt and freshwater fishing licenses, and all the state tags and stamps you’ll need. It’s a super deal for seniors (65 and over) who get it for $32. Active duty military who are Texas residents and disabled veterans get the Super Combo at a super discount - for free!
Go online or head to your favorite retailer and buy the license that's best for you.
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A message from a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sponsor:
Hunter Education, we know everybody needs it and we know why: no one wants some guy who hasn’t taken Hunter Ed. swinging a shotgun in their direction. It also teaches the ethics of hunting, something that everyone who picks up a gun should know. And it’s the law. Over 1 million Texans have completed Hunter Ed. and the field is a much safer place to be because of it.
There are four ways to get certified:
- Basic Hunter Education
- Enhanced Hunter Education
- Extended Basic Education
- Online Course for Complete Certification (only for those 17 years or older)
All of these courses are also available in Spanish.
REMEMBER: Once you’ve completed your Hunter Education it’s very important that you take proof of your certification on the hunt with you. It’s required you carry it when you hunt in Texas. Remind your friends, too. If you can't find your card, go online and print a duplicate at no charge. Keep that proof in your pocket! And have a safe, relaxing time on your hunt.
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Have you ever hunted on public lands? There are 180 walk-in hunting areas that cover nearly one million acres of land, including:
- popular dove hunting areas
- wildlife management areas
- private leases
- state parks
Hunters can access these great hunting opportunities with an Annual Public Hunting Permit available for $48 and free for youth under 17 that accompany an adult with a permit. These diverse public lands are available to permit-holders nearly year-round. Here, they can hunt for white-tailed deer, feral hogs, dove, quail, turkey, waterfowl, rabbit, squirrel and more. New this year, you can use our website to search by game, county, area name, region or unit number. Use it to plan your next hunting expedition by finding an area near you with the legal game you wish to hunt.
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Central Market brings mouthwatering flavor to the harvest of the hunt with Wild Game Cooking classes this September 15 at 7 locations across the state. Learn how to cook West Texas Venison Chili; White Wing Dove-style Grilled Quail; and Vietnamese-style Baked Snapper. A Texas Parks and Wildlife representative will be on hand to discuss game management, hunting and the great outdoors, as well as to answer your questions. Every Central Market Cooking School in Texas participates and you’ll find them in: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Southlake, San Antonio and Houston. Please join us and learn how to create flavorful dishes from the harvest of the hunt and pick up some pointers on preparing your own bounty at home. Classes fill fast, so register soon! And if you miss this one, the next one is in November.
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 You want every shot you take to be a successful one and the best way to do that is to work on your shotgun skills. This 3 1/2 minute video demonstrates a few simple, everyday exercises that can sharpen your shot:
- the flashlight drill
- the three-bullet shell
- mounting
Give these exercises some practice and you’ll hear your buddies in the field saying, “Wow! Great shot!”
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Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a debilitating neurological disease that affects members of the deer family. It’s been found in 21 states, including Texas, where it was first discovered in 2012 in free-ranging mule deer in far west Texas. Earlier this summer, it was discovered in four white-tailed deer in a deer breeding facility in central Texas. Unfortunately, outside of containment, there are no known ways to eradicate CWD once it becomes established in a deer population. So, disease prevention is currently our best defense in order to protect the species, save the hunt and avoid unfavorable economic impact.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Animal Health Commission, in coordination with the state’s deer management interests, have developed a CWD management plan which we’ve posted on our CWD webpage. There you will also find hunter information including:
- common sense precautions for anyone who handles deer, including proper deer carcass disposal
- interactive map of risk zones and check stations
- latest news releases
- video explaining CWD symptoms and the role that hunters have in controlling it
In many cases an animal infected with CWD can be infected for years without showing symptoms, which are:
- Emaciation
- Salivating
- Circling
There is no current scientific evidence that CWD poses a serious risk to humans. But if you see a deer you suspect has CWD, please call 1-800-792-1112 and tell us the exact location where you spotted it. Hunters play a real role in helping Texas cope with this disease; and with vigilance and common sense precautions, together we will keep Texas hunting the best in the country.
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Broaden your Texas hunting horizons by exploring these 3 opportunities:
- Big Time Texas Hunts: From ‘gators to gemsbok and bighorn sheep, these premium hunt packages will take some lucky winners onto some of the finest private ranches and prime wildlife management areas in the state. This one is $9 per online entry, $10 if you enter by phone, mail or retail store.
- Lifetime License Drawing: This is your chance to win a Lifetime Super Combo License, giving you the right to hunt and fish in Texas without ever having to buy another state license. Enter before December 27. It’s only $5 per entry and you can enter as many times as you like.
- Drawn Hunts: Apply online for a chance at special permits to hunt your favorite game on private and public lands across the state. Adult application fees are $3 or $10 per person, and youth (under 17) applications are FREE.
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 Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s 2015 Hunting Forecast is your free, go-to source for season forecasts, safety tips (do you know the top three hunting risks?), game recipes, and of course, those beautiful photographs we all love to see. The rain has created healthy wildlife populations and the outlook for fall hunting is good across the board, so refer to the Forecast and start planning your hunts now. You’ll find it online and, for the first time, this special issue is accessible for free via the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine app, which can be downloaded to your iPhone or iPad. This is not a year to sit out - Texas is one of the best places in the country to hunt and this should be a bonanza season. See you out there!
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A message from a Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertiser:
The Hunt Texas e-newsletter is made possible in part
by the generous support of Toyota.
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