Month: February 2010

More Mule Deer Hunting in Texas?

White-tailed deer hunting may be the most sought after big game animal in Texas, but whitetail are not the only deer living in the state. Mule deer cover much of the Trans-Pecos as well as the Texas Panhandle, where mule deer hunting seasons currently exists. However, conservative regulations  have allowed mule deer to reclaim some of their historical range and that may allow additional recreational opportunities. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)  is now looking at increasing mule deer hunting in a couple of Texas counties.

“TPWD is recommending an open general season for mule deer in Dawson and Wheeler counties, and adding a day to the season across the Trans Pecos region. Department staff presented the proposals to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regulations Committee. The proposals address a priority goal in TPWD’s Land and Water Resource Conservation and Recreation Plan to increase access to and participation in the outdoors.

Currently there is no open season for mule deer in Dawson or Wheeler counties. Implementing a nine-day, buck-only season in Dawson County and a 16-day, buck-only season in Wheeler County would offer increased hunter opportunity without adversely impacting mule deer reproduction or distribution. Continue reading More Mule Deer Hunting in Texas?

Buffalo Herd Shot in Texas Panhandle

Not all that long ago, buffalo once roamed most of Texas, save the piney woods. After all, Texas is in the southern portion of the Great Plains. Now, most of the buffalo found in the Lone Star State are found on private land, with the animals having come from captive herds. The legal status of those captive herds, however, is now in question after a man shot 51 buffalo that roamed onto his ranch from a neighboring ranch:

Source: A West Texas Ranch wants new state laws in place after the majority of their herd of buffalo is shot dead on neighboring land. The Guthrie ranch says it was one man who picked up a gun and shot the buffalo, they say unnecessarily. Continue reading Buffalo Herd Shot in Texas Panhandle

Trapping Armadillo – How do You Trap An Armadillo?

Armadillos are funny looking mammals that can’t see very well and spend their nights hunting for grubs and insects to eat. They hunt by smell and, unfortunately for many home owners, dig up the ground and people’s lawns and gardens looking for food. Trapping armadillos is most often the best way to eliminate these burrow-dwelling critters in suburban areas, but how do you trap an armadillo? There is more than one way.

If an armadillo that is tearing up your lawn or garden does not live in your yard, or if you can’t find the burrow, then you might consider shooting or trapping it. Armadillos are usually active early in the morning or late at night. A gun and a flashlight is all that you need if you’re a night owl, but this method is not suitable for suburban areas. Home owners can either get up early or stay up late and attempt to net the armadillo if you see it. Continue reading Trapping Armadillo – How do You Trap An Armadillo?

Deer Hunting Important to Texas

Interest in white-tailed deer hunting remains strong, but for some Texans, finding a place to hunt means traveling a lot further than in previous decades. Subdividing ranches for housing developments is a common occurrence in bedroom communities such as Bandera County near San Antonio. “Hunting is still a very important part of the Bandera County economy, but it has changed,” says Johnny Boyle, owner of Bandera True Value, which sells hunting supplies and equipment.

“It used to be all about that eight-week rush of the white-tailed season. Now there are not as many leases available as there once were, but there is more year-round hunting for hogs, axis deer and other exotics.” (Non-native “exotic” deer such as axis deer are not subject to restricted hunting seasons.) And hunters seeking their own land are heading further west than Bandera, Boyle says.

“Instead of buying 400 acres of Texas land for sale in the Hill Country, they go to Rocksprings [in Edwards County] and buy 1,500 acres,” he says. Even so, hunting remains highly important to rural Texas, says David K. Langford, a member of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s White-Tailed Deer Advisory Committee and vice president emeritus of the Texas Wildlife Association, which lobbies on behalf of ranch owners and outdoors enthusiasts. Continue reading Deer Hunting Important to Texas

Whitetail Hunting Economically Important

Whitetail deer hunting is not immune to tough economic times. Businesses that rely on hunting have to adapt, says taxidermist and animal processor Gary Broach, owner of Rhodes Brothers Taxidermy in Kerrville. “Guys like us in Kerrville are fortunate to have year-round hunting with the axis herds and sika and fallow deer,” Broach says. “A lot of small taxidermists out there, rural guys, are really hurting,” he says.

“I’ve talked to them about where they need to put advertising dollars and where to get in with whitetail hunting ranches. I like the fact they aren’t giving up. They just need to regroup.”

Continue reading Whitetail Hunting Economically Important

Breeding and Nesting of White-Winged Doves

White-winged doves begin breeding during March and April depending on environmental conditions. As the breeding season begins, males begin calling and displaying for potential female mates. When a male white-winged dove finally attracts a female, she will fly to him, they copulate, and afterwards they preen each other. Within a few days, the pair will begin construction of a nest using small twigs. White-winged doves prefer native vegetation such as Texas ebony, Texas sugarberry, and huisache; however, in urban areas they readily nest in large ornamental shade trees including live oak and Rio Grande ash.

In South Texas, they nest in the citrus orchards that have been planted where native habitat once existed. Interestingly, white-winged doves rarely nest in mesquite, likely because the tree canopies are too open. The nests are typically between 8 to 30 feet above the ground, but several animals including hawks, owls, snakes, and feral and domestic cats, among others, still prey upon the eggs and nestlings. Continue reading Breeding and Nesting of White-Winged Doves

Bobwhite Quail Population Dynamics

Bobwhite quail are an amazing upland game bird species with dynamic populations. Research has found that annual cumulative rainfall from April through August is a predictor that explains over 92% of the variance in annual bobwhite quail productivity, based on juvenile:adult ratios obtained from hunter bags in South Texas. Basically, annual reproduction is highly correlated with precipitation.

Overwinter survival of bobwhites in South Texas ranges from about 17 to over 80%, and is far more variable than overwinter survival of bobwhites in the Rolling Plains, which is only about 30%. Harder, colder winter weather obviously can take it’s toll on bobwhite quail populations. Continue reading Bobwhite Quail Population Dynamics