What is LAMPS?

LAMPS is an automated antlerless deer permit issuance program adopted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for the Pineywoods and Post Oak ecological regions. LAMPS permits allow antlerless deer to be taken in an otherwise buck-only season.

Who is eligible?

Any landowner (or eligible person with permission from the legal landowner) may apply for the LAMPS program participation on properties in counties where LAMPS permits are available. The property must meet minimum acreage and habitat requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements make you eligible to apply, but does not guarantee permits. To see if you are eligible, please use the LAMPS Application Screening Form.

If the property is smaller than the minimum acreage requirement, adjoining properties can be enrolled together to meet the requirement. Separate non-adjacent parcels of land must have separate applications. If the property occurs within two or more counties, the county in which the majority of property occurs will be used for determining requirements. (more…)

How many LAMPS permits can you get?

The number of LAMPS permits issued are calculated for your property based on acreage and habitat types, as well as white-tailed deer density information from the county. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) does not have the flexibility to alter issuance rates on individual properties. Permit issuance may increase or decrease with a change in habitat or county-wide harvest rate. Generally speaking, properties with better quality habitat will receive a greater number of permits. (more…)

Here are the deadlines for Texas Parks & Wildlife Departments LAMPS permits. If you plan on getting LAMPS permits to hunt white-tailed deer does in your area, you better not miss these dates!

LAMPS Deadlines for Applications:

1. September 1st to guarantee a response before the first day of hunting season

2. October 1st for counties with “doe days” beginning opening day of General Season or

3. 3rd Friday in October for counties with “doe days” beginning Thanksgiving Day

Black Bear in Texas? Yes! Texas actually has a fair number of black bear in the western part of the state, especially the area of Big Bend National Park and westward. Northern Mexico has numerous black bears that travel back and forth across the Rio Grande River into Texas. In addition, New Mexico has a healthy populatin of black bears that move in and out of far west Texas.

Add the northern Mexico bears to the New Mexico bears and Texas functions as the crossroads for black bear traffic. Although Texas has many bears that move into and out of the state, most of the black bears found in Texas are residents.

Whitetail fawns are usually born in May or June, but sometimes into July at southern latitudes. White-tailed fawns weight 6 to 8 pounds at birth. Fawns spend their early days clinging to their mothers, bonding and learning about the big new world. Sometimes does and their offspring gather in small groups. And, it’s within these groups fawns learn to walk, run and react in the face of danger. Fawns are playful and get exercise by nudging, jumping and boxing one another with their legs and feet.

The first few days and weeks are perilous for fawns. They survive best in areas with lots of cover. Fawns rely heavily on their natural camouflage. The white spots scattered across their reddish-brown bodies blend well with fallen leaves and brush. When a fawn beds down, they tuck their legs, head and neck into its body for ultimate concealment and remains motionless. This helps avoid predation by bobcats, coyotes, or anything else. (more…)

An event to mark the opening of the Victoria-Riverside Park Paddling Trail on the Guadalupe River will take place Wednesday, January 23. This is the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s fifth inland paddling trail and 12th trail overall, constructed in a partnership with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and the City of Victoria. The trail features a nice new main access ramp near the Stayton Street entrance to Riverside Park in Victoria. (more…)

Machinist Ricky Sorrells said friends made fun of him when he told them he saw a flat, metallic object hovering about 300-feet over a pasture behind his Dublin home. But that wasn’t enough to stop him from coming forward after he read similar accounts in the Stephenville Empire-Tribune.

“You hear about big bass or big buck in the area, but this is a different deal,” Sorrells said. “It feels good to hear that other people saw something, because that means I’m not crazy.”

(more…)

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is planning to start emergency feeding operations for big game animals in the Gunnison Basin as soon as possible. Mule deer will be targeted because they are most impacted by adverse weather conditions. However,feed and hay will also be provided to bighorn sheep, pronghorn and elk.

Providing feed to wildlife requires a major undertaking and many personnel hours, and the DOW is seeking volunteers to help with the emergency feeding effort. DOW wildlife managers are now working on the logistics of the operation. While some feeding will start as soon as material is available, the effort will increase as feed, specially formulated for deer,becomes available from a mill next week. (more…)