If you'll be watching sports, or you've got friends and family coming over to play cards or other games during the holidays, try these recipes for hearty snacks. Each one features wild game and they're a fun way to share your harvest.
Gamebird Gourmet's Upland Pizza. If you don't have time to make a pizza dough, put the the toppings on pita bread for mini-pizzas.
For finger food, try Wood Duck Carpaccio, These two-bite wonders are simple, quick and elegant.
Venison Sourdough Toast is an open-faced sandwich created by pro chef Jesse Morris, and it's a culinary delight. Find more of his recipes at Killer Chefs.
Enjoy the holidays!
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Curious children will be at home over the holidays, and a "hidden" firearm is not a safely-stored firearm. Practicing safe gun storage protects our kids, prevents accidents and keeps guns out of the hands of criminals.
Be a smart gun owner and learn the 3 steps to safe gun storage, download a safety checklist and take the safety quiz at Safe Gun Storage Texas.
Hunter Education teaches the safe handling of firearms at home, in transport and in the field. And it works – hunting-related accidents have gone down significantly in Texas since 1988, when Hunter Ed became mandatory. Today, anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971 must complete Hunter Education to hunt in Texas.
For more on home gun safety watch our short video, Home Firearm Safety Tips.
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If you score big this season, show your Texas pride by entering the Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA) now through March 1, 2023.
The TBGA is a joint program between Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Wildlife Association. It was created to recognize the conservation efforts of landowners and hunters by rewarding high-quality harvests. There are no entry fees.
Entry categories include Youth Division and First Harvest, as well as White-tailed Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope, Javelina and the Texas Slam award. All entries must be scored by a TBGA certified scorer.
Winners will be recognized at Regional Sportsman's Celebration banquets and a state celebration, and nine scholarships will be awarded. For more information see the program rules, and watch the video Texas Big Game Awards. Good luck!
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Everyone wants to make a clean shot that takes down game where it stands, or at least where you can see where it falls. But even with a well-placed shot, you may find yourself trailing a wounded animal for recovery.
As a responsible, ethical hunter you want to track any animal you've wounded. It will save you time and energy to learn efficient ways to locate downed game. Pick up some tips on how to track and recover wounded game in Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine's Where Did It Go?.
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The New Year is nearly here, so it's time to think about resolutions. In 2023, resolve to give back by sharing your knowledge, skills and appreciation of hunting and conservation by volunteering for one of these two hunting-related organizations.
If you'd like to pass on your knowledge to the next generation of hunters, volunteer for Texas Youth Hunting Program (TYHP). The TYHP gives kids an opportunity to participate in hunting activities and learn about safety and conservation. Get started by registering as a volunteer and use "TYHP" in the search box to find opportunities. Add your contact info to the TYHP directory, and one of their huntmasters will contact you when they have an opening.
Are you a veteran hunter? Then volunteer to become a Texas Hunter Education Instructor. The goal of Hunter Ed is to teach safe, responsible hunting and target-shooting practices. Take an instructor course next year to begin giving back. Then contact a Hunter Education Staff Member in your region and join the ranks of instructors!
Find out more about the Hunter Education community by signing up for the official newsletter Target Talk.
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Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) affects various species of deer including white-tailed deer and mule deer. The red and yellow areas in the map above show the CWD Zones where deer harvest reporting is required.
There is no evidence that CWD has become established in native populations of deer other than in far West Texas and the northwest Texas Panhandle – the large red areas on the map. But there is growing concern, since deer have tested positive outside of infected deer-breeding facilities in Medina County. Also, one case of CWD has been found in Lubbock, and three cases have been detected in Del Rio.
Several isolated areas in the eastern two-thirds of Texas have had CWD detections within captive deer breeding facilities. We are conducting surveillance in those areas, hoping to confirm that CWD is not established in the native deer population.
Areas in the western part of the state, where CWD appears to be established in the wild, have larger zones. The red Containment Zones are where CWD has been detected. The yellow Surveillance Zones form a protective monitoring area around each Containment Zone, but CWD has not been detected in those Surveillance Zones. Both red and yellow zones make up "CWD Zones."
All deer harvested in any of the CWD Zones on the map must be submitted for free CWD testing.
Regardless of zone size or location, the goals are the same: if CWD is there, keep it in. If it's not there, keep it out.
You can help us achieve these goals and protect Texas deer in several ways. Submit your harvest for free CWD testing, even if you're outside a CWD Zone. Find out more from the blog post Hunters Can Help Protect Texas Deer from Chronic Wasting Disease.
If you're new to hunting, check out our short video Hunting in a CWD Zone. For recent CWD news, see our press release Chronic Wasting Disease Detected at a High Fence Release Site in Kaufman County. Protect Texas Deer. #Test4CWD
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