Category: Big Game

Kansas’ Young Deer Hunters Head to the Field

Kansas Youth Doe Hunt 

What’s better than deer hunting? How about taking some aspiring young deer hunters to the field for a shot at their first white-tailed deer? Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) drawn five young hunters from more than 20 applicants for the first Youth Doe Hunt held January 2. All five young hunters successfully harvested an antlerless deer. KDWP employees Jared Eatmon, Alan Midcap, Rob Riggin, James Svaty, and David Jenkins assisted the young hunters, along with a parent of each youth.

The day began with lunch at Claythorne Lodge, where Jenkins and Riggin spoke to the hunters about safety and rules of the hunt. The group then adjourned to the shooting range to sight in their guns. After sighting in, hunters went to designated areas provided by Claythorne Lodge, Sam and Frieda Lancaster, Hugh Sosebee, Sam Dismuke, and John Parsons. John’s Sports Center of Pittsburg was also a sponsor. Claythorne provided meals, the shooting range, and organization of the shooting areas. Continue reading Kansas’ Young Deer Hunters Head to the Field

Texas Bighorn Sheep Population Reaches New Record

Desert Bighorn Sheep 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff have counted a record 1,193 desert bighorn sheep in aerial surveys August 14-September 9, up from 991 sheep last year. Numbers of the mountain sheep climbed slowly for decades, after TPWD and various partners began sheep reintroduction efforts some 60 years ago. But in recent years a threshold of some kind appears to have been cleared, with sheep population increases now gaining momentum.

“We rocked along for years with very low numbers, and that makes it hard for a population to gain momentum,” said Mike Pittman, TPWD Trans-Pecos Wildlife Management Area project leader. “You’ve heard of safety in numbers?—with sheep that’s very true. With larger herd groups, there are more eyes to help avoid predators. Also, increased social activity means ewes going to lambing areas are able to produce more sheep.”

The record sheep count makes possible a record number of hunting opportunities. Texas will allow 15 bighorn sheep hunts in the current season, which started September 1 and runs into next summer. Eleven of those hunts will go to private landowners, who have been instrumental in the bighorn comeback through efforts like modifying fences to facilitate sheep movement and constructing water facilities for sheep and other wildlife. Continue reading Texas Bighorn Sheep Population Reaches New Record

The Oklahoma Archery Season is Fast Approaching

Bow hunter in a tree 

While deer gun season is still more than a month away, thousands of Oklahoma deer hunters have the October 1 archery deer season opener in their sights. Last year, an estimated 74,194 Oklahoma archery hunters harvested 11,090 deer with the bow and arrow, of which about 80 percent were taken before the start of deer gun season.

“Archery hunters have a great opportunity to get out there and see the woods and deer activity before everyone else,” said Jerry Shaw, big game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

According to Shaw, the state’s 2008-09 archery season looks good for hunters in terms of deer population and herd health, and after last year’s tough hunting conditions, hunters can expect another successful year in the woods.

Last year’s total deer harvest, including those taken during muzzleloader and gun season, was 95,891 deer, down from the year previous when a record-setting 119,349 deer were harvested. Continue reading The Oklahoma Archery Season is Fast Approaching

Elk Released at Royal Blue WMA

Elk Released at Royal Blue WMA

An estimated 500 people braved the elements on the morning of Saturday, March 8th, to witness thirty-four elk being released at the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area in Campbell County. The elk were transported from the Land-Between-The-Lakes area in Kentucky after all test results reflected a clean bill of health for the entire herd.

The elk began the trip to their new home on Friday morning in four specially designed trailers. They arrived after dark that evening and were held overnight at Royal Blue WMA. Saturday morning the trailer doors were opened and the elk surveyed their new home as a beautiful blanket of snow fell on the already snow covered Massengale Mountain. Continue reading Elk Released at Royal Blue WMA

Hunting and Fishing Worth $14.4 Billion in Texas

How does a $14.4 billion Texas-based industry go unnoticed? Easy when you consider most of its participants go about their business cloaked in camouflage or tucked in some secluded backwater hideaway.Despite not appearing on the stock market rolls, hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers in Texas collectively are a major economic force, according to new findings by the Southwick Associates, a Florida-based research firm specializing in economic and business statistics related to fish and wildlife resources.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Division commissioned the Southwick group to ascertain the economic effect from fish and wildlife-related recreation in Texas, based on data in the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The firm recently completed its Texas-focused report. According to the Southwick report, the economic effect from Texas hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers was estimated to be $14.4 billion. In other words, if these outdoor enthusiasts were to stop spending money in Texas and not spend these dollars on other in-state items, the state economy would shrink by $14.4 billion. Continue reading Hunting and Fishing Worth $14.4 Billion in Texas

Deer Management: The Spike Debate Continues

Spike debate is still alive

Dr. James Kroll, Stephen F. Austin State University professor, argues that spikes should be removed from restrictive antler regulation if the goal is to protect young white-tailed bucks.

With requests from hunters and landowners in hand, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is considering another round of expansion of counties operating under special antler restrictions.

Already the rule in 61 counties statewide, the department is now considering expanding into 11 additional Pineywoods counties for the 2009-10 hunting season. Those on the current shortlist include Angelina, Hardin, Jasper, Liberty, Montgomery, Newton, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, and Walker.

Under the regulation a legal buck is described as one with an inside spread of at least 13 inches or a spike. Hunters are restricted to just one of the larger bucks.

The goal of the regulation is to improve the age structure of the deer population by taking more pressure off the 1 1/2-year-old and 2 1/2-year-old bucks. It is, some would say, a case of the state getting neighboring landowners and hunters to do what the landowners and hunters can’t get each other to do. Continue reading Deer Management: The Spike Debate Continues

Permit Auction Helps Texas Bighorn Sheep

A permit to hunt a desert bighorn ram at Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area was auctioned for $70,000 last week at the annual meeting of the Wild Sheep Foundation. In recent years such permits have brought more — the last two auctioned for $77,000 and $85,000.

Regardless of price, permit sales still raise important funding for sheep research, management and restoration. Also at this year’s meeting, longtime department employee Clay Brewer was inducted into the foundation’s Wild Sheep Biologist Hall of Fame. Continue reading Permit Auction Helps Texas Bighorn Sheep