Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter:
Justin Dreibelbis
Action
Public Hunting Program
May 21, 2015
I. Executive Summary: This item seeks:
- adoption of an open season on public hunting lands for the 2015-16 season; and
- authorization of specific public hunting activities on public hunting lands, including units of the State Park System, for the 2015-2016 season.
II. Discussion: Under Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 81, Subchapter E, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) is authorized to promulgate rules governing access to and use of public hunting lands and specific hunting, fishing, recreational, or other use of wildlife management areas (WMA) and requires the Commission to prescribe by rule any terms, conditions, and fees for the issuance and use of permits for such use.
Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 12, Subchapter A, provides that a tract of land purchased primarily for a purpose authorized by the code may be used for any authorized function of the Parks and Wildlife Department “if the Commission determines that multiple use is the best utilization of the land’s resources.” Additionally, Chapter 81, Subchapter E, provides the Commission with the authority to establish open seasons, and authorizes the Executive Director to determine bag limits, means and methods, and conditions for the taking of wildlife resources on wildlife management and public hunting lands, which includes units of the State Park System designated as public hunting lands.
III. Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Commission adopt the following motions:
- "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes an open season on public hunting lands to run from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016."
- "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes the public hunting activities contained in Exhibit A to take place on units of the State Park System."
Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit A
Proposed Public Hunting Activities for State Parks, 2015-2016 Season
| PARK | SPECIES/HUNT TYPE | DRAWN HUNT CATEGORY | TYPE PERMIT | # PERMITS | PROPOSED HUNT DATES | Visitation Restriction | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abilene | Archery Deer and feral hogs | ADE | Special | 8 | Dec. 15-17 | Yes |
| Abilene | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 8 | Dec. 19-20 | Yes | |
| Abilene | Feral Hogs | MHP | Jan. 30, Mar. 5 | Partial | |||
| Abilene | Dove | MHP | Sept. 12, Oct. 10 | Partial | |||
| 2 | Albert & Bessie Kronkosky | Deer, exotic, feral hogs | YDE | Special | 6 | Oct. 25-26 | No |
| Albert & Bessie Kronkosky | Deer, exotic, feral hogs | GDE | Special | 12 | Nov. 6-8, Dec. 4-6 | No | |
| 3 | Atlanta | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 12 | Nov. 17-19 | Yes |
| Atlanta | Deer and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 12 | Jan. 16-18 | Yes | |
| 4 | Bastrop | Deer and feral hog | YDE | Special | 15 | Jan. 1-3 | Partial |
| Bastrop | Deer and feral hog | GDA | Special | 15 | Jan. 8-10 | Partial | |
| 5 | Big Bend Ranch | Mule deer and exotics | AMD | Special | 6 | Oct. 5-8 | Partial |
| Big Bend Ranch | Mule deer and exotics | MDG | Special | 6 | Dec. 7-10 | Partial | |
| Big Bend Ranch | Javelina and exotics | GJE | Special | 6 | Oct. 10-12 | Partial | |
| Big Bend Ranch | Mule deer and exotics | YDE | Special | 6 | Nov. 7-8 | Partial | |
| Big Bend Ranch | Quail | APH/Postcard | Nov. 16-19, Dec. 14-17 | Partial | |||
| 6 | Brazos Bend | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 60 | Nov. 17-19, Dec. 8-10 | Yes |
| Brazos Bend | Deer and feral hogs | YDM | Special | 15 | Oct.17-18 | Partial | |
| 7 | Brownwood | Deer and feral hogs | ADE | Special | 5 | Dec. 7-9 | Yes |
| Brownwood | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 10 | Dec. 14-16, 16-18 | Yes | |
| 8 | Caprock Canyons | Mule deer, wt deer and feral hogs | MDG | Special | 8 | Dec. 2-4 | Yes |
| Caprock Canyons | Exotics and feral hogs | EXO | Special | 24 | Jan. 13-15, 27-29 | Yes | |
| Caprock Canyons | Youth Mule deer, wt deer, feral hogs | YDE | Special | 4 | Dec. 29-31 | Yes | |
| 9 | Choke Canyon - North Shore | Archery Deer, feral hogs | ADE | Special | 8 | Jan. 5-8 | No |
| Choke Canyon - North Shore | Deer, feral hogs | GDE | Special | 4 | Jan. 12-15 | No | |
| Choke Canyon - North Shore | Deer, feral hogs | GDM | Special | 12 | Dec. 1-3, 8-10, 15-17 | No | |
| Choke Canyon - North Shore | Feral hogs | GFH | Special | 8 | Mar. 8-10 | No | |
| Choke Canyon - North Shore | Youth Deer, feral hogs | YDE | Special | 4 | Dec. 19-22 | No | |
| Choke Canyon - North Shore | Youth Deer, feral hogs | YDM | Special | 12 | Nov. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22 | No | |
| Choke Canyon - North Shore | Youth Feral hogs | YFH | Special | 8 | Mar. 3-5 | No | |
| 10 | Colorado Bend | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 50 | Dec. 9-11, Jan. 6-8 | Yes |
| Colorado Bend | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 50 | Dec. 14-16, 16-18 | Yes | |
| Colorado Bend | Youth Deer, exotics & feral hogs | YDE | Special | 50 | Dec. 5-6, 28-30 | Yes | |
| 11 | Colorado Bend Annex | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 2 | Dec. 9-11, Jan. 6-8 | No |
| 12 | Cooper Lake- South Sulphur Unit | Archery Deer and feral hogs | APH/OSR | Dec. 5-20 | Partial | ||
| 13 | Copper Breaks | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 1 | Dec. 4-6 | Yes |
| Copper Breaks | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 1 | Dec. 54-6 | Yes | |
| Copper Breaks | Feral hogs | GFH | Special | 1 | Feb. 5-7 | Yes | |
| 14 | Davis Mountains | Javelina and feral hogs | GJE | Special | 16 | Jan. 4-6, 6-8, 11-13, 13-15 | Partial |
| 15 | Devils River-Big Satan Unit | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 12 | Dec. 11-14 | Yes |
| Devils River-Big Satan Unit | Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 12 | Dec. 19-22 | Yes | |
| Devils River-Big Satan Unit | Youth Exotics and feral hogs | YEX | Special | 12 | Jan. 16-19 | Yes | |
| 16 | Devils River-Del Norte Unit | Exotics | EXO | Special | 48 | Jan. 8-11, 22-25, 29-Feb. 1 | Yes |
| Devils River-Del Norte Unit | Youth Exotics | YEX | Special | 12 | Jan. 16-19 | Yes | |
| 17 | Dinosaur Valley | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 20 | Jan. 4-6, 6-8 | Yes |
| Dinosaur Valley | Archery Deer and feral hogs | ADE | Special | 5 | Nov. 17-19 | Yes | |
| 18 | Enchanted Rock | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 32 | Dec. 8-11, Jan. 12-15 | Yes |
| Enchanted Rock | Archery Deer, exotics and feral hogs | ADE | Special | 20 | Oct. 20-23 | Yes | |
| 19 | Fairfield Lake | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 50 | Nov. 30-Dec. 2, Dec. 2-4 | Yes |
| Fairfield Lake | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDA | Special | 50 | Dec. 28-30, 30-Jan. 1 | Yes | |
| 20 | Fort Boggy | Archery Deer, feral hogs | ADE | Special | 12 | Oct. 19-21, 21-23 | Yes |
| Fort Boggy | Deer, feral hogs | GDE | Special | 12 | Nov. 16-18, 18-20 | Yes | |
| 21 | Garner | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 36 | Jan. 4-6, 6-8 | Yes |
| Garner | Exotics and feral hogs | EXO | Special | 36 | Jan. 11-13, 13-15 | Yes | |
| Garner | Youth Deer, exotics & feral hogs | YDE | Special | 30 | Jan. 1-3, 9-10 | Yes | |
| Garner | Archery Exotics and feral hogs | AEX | Special | 10 | Dec. 19-23, Jan. 25-29 | Yes | |
| 22 | Government Canyon | Archery Deer and feral hogs | ADE | Special | 5 | Dec. 8-10 | Yes |
| Government Canyon | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 2 | Dec. 8-10, 15-17 | Yes | |
| Government Canyon | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 10 | Jan. 5-7, 12-14 | Yes | |
| Government Canyon | Deer and feral hogs | GMD | Special | 5 | Dec. 15-17 | Yes | |
| 23 | Guadalupe River | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 20 | Dec. 7-9, 9-11 | Yes |
| Guadalupe River | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 20 | Jan 11-13, 13-15 | Yes | |
| 24 | Guadalupe River-Bauer Unit | Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 5 | Nov. 7-8 | Partial |
| Guadalupe River-Bauer Unit | Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs | YDA | Special | 10 | Nov. 14-15, Dec. 5-6 | Partial | |
| Guadalupe River-Bauer Unit | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 4 | Nov. 16-20 | Partial | |
| 25 | Hill Country | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 104 | Dec. 7-9, 14-16, Jan. 18-20, 25-27 | Yes |
| 26 | Honey Creek | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 40 | Dec. 7-9, 9-11, Jan. 11-13, 13-15 | Yes |
| 27 | Huntsville | Squirrel | Reg/APH-OSR | Dec. 2, 3 | Yes | ||
| 28/29 | Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 10 | Dec. 8-10 | Partial |
| Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 40 | Dec. 15-17, Jan. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21 | Partial | |
| Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 10 | Dec. 29-31 | Partial | |
| 30 | Kickapoo Caverns | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 20 | Nov. 30-Dec. 4 | Yes |
| Kickapoo Caverns | Deer and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 20 | Dec. 7-11 | Yes | |
| Kickapoo Caverns | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 15 | Nov. 27-29 | Yes | |
| Kickapoo Caverns | Archery Deer and feral hogs | ADE | Special | 20 | Oct. 19-23 | Yes | |
| 31 | Lake Arrowhead | Waterfowl | MHP | Dec. 15-16, Jan. 5-6 | Yes | ||
| 32 | Lake Colorado City | Dove | APH postcard | Sept. 4-6, 11-13 | |||
| 33 | Lake Mineral Wells | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 12 | Dec. 13-15 | Partial |
| Lake Mineral Wells | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 12 | Dec. 9-11 | Partial | |
| 34 | Lake Somerville- Birch Creek | Deer, feral hogs | GDA | Special | 24 | Dec. 9-11, Jan. 13-15 | Yes |
| 35 | Lake Somerville-Nails Creek | Youth Deer, feral hogs | YDE | Special | 24 | Dec. 5-6, Jan. 9-10 | Partial |
| Lake Somerville-Nails Creek | Feral Hog | GFH | Special | 10 | Jan. 19-21 | Partial | |
| Lake Somerville-Nails Creek | Waterfowl | APH | Early Teal, North Zone Duck, East Zone Goose, Youth WF | Partial | |||
| 36 | Lake Whitney | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | special | 20 | Dec. 14-16, 16-18 | Yes |
| Lake Whitney | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDM | special | 20 | Jan. 11-13, 13-15 | Yes | |
| 37 | Palo Duro Canyon | Exotics and feral hogs | EXO | Special | 30 | Jan. 20-22, 27-29, Feb. 3-5 | Partial |
| Palo Duro Canyon | Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs | YDA | Special | 9 | Jan. 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 | No | |
| 38 | Palo Pinto Mountains | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDA | Special | 6 | Dec. 21-22, 28-29 | |
| 39 | Pedernales Falls | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 36 | Nov. 10-12, Dec. 29-31, Jan. 12-14 | Yes |
| 40 | Pedernales Falls Annex | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 9 | Nov. 9-12, Dec. 28-31, Jan. 11-14 | No |
| 41 | Possum Kingdom | Youth Deer, exotics & feral hogs | YDA | Special | 12 | Dec. 21-22, 28-29 | Yes |
| 42 | Purtis Creek | Waterfowl | MHP | Oct. 3; Jan. 3, 16 | Partial | ||
| Purtis Creek | Archery Feral Hog | APH Postcard | Feb. 3-5 | Yes | |||
| 43 | Resaca de la Palma | White-winged dove | APH-OSR/ Reg | Sept. 5, 6, 12, 13 | Partial | ||
| Resaca de la Palma | Mourning dove | APH-OSR/ Reg | Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27, Oct. 3, 4 | Partial | |||
| 44 | San Angelo | Deer and feral hogs (Disabled) | MHP | Oct. 24-25 | Partial | ||
| San Angelo | Deer and feral hogs (novice) | MHP | Dec. 12-13 | Partial | |||
| San Angelo | Dove | MHP | Sept. 12-13 | Partial | |||
| San Angelo | Youth Deer and feral hogs | YDE | Special | 15 | Nov. 14-15 | Partial | |
| San Angelo | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | Special | 15 | Nov. 17-19 | Partial | |
| San Angelo | Javelina | GJE | Special | 10 | Jan. 8-10 | Partial | |
| San Angelo | Deer and feral hogs | GFH | Special | 7 | Jan. 15-17 | Partial | |
| San Angelo | Turkey | GTS | Special | 40 | Apr. 8-10, 15-17 | No | |
| San Angelo | Archery Deer/Turkey | APH/OSR | Oct. 11-Dec. 14 | No | |||
| San Angelo | Dove | APH/OSR | Sept. 1- Oct. 9, Dec. 18- Jan. 1 | No | |||
| San Angelo | Early Teal | APH/OSR | Early Teal season | No | |||
| San Angelo | Quail | APH/OSR | Dec. 14-Jan. 14, Jan. 18 Feb 21 | No | |||
| San Angelo | Squirrel/ Rabbits | APH/OSR | Sept 1-Oct. 9, Dec. 14-Jan. 14, Jan. 18-Feb. 21 | No | |||
| San Angelo | Waterfowl | APH/OSR | High Plains Mallard and Western Zone Goose - Dec. 14 through end of season | No | |||
| 45 | Sea Rim | Waterfow- Teal | Reg/APH/OSR | Early Teal season | No | ||
| Sea Rim | Waterfowl | Reg/APH/OSR | Sun, Wed., & Fri. of the South Zone Duck season | No | |||
| Sea Rim | Geese | Reg/APH/OSR | concurrent with wf hunts | No | |||
| Sea Rim | Youth only Waterfowl | Reg/APH/OSR | South Zone Duck - Youth | No | |||
| Sea Rim | Rails, gallinules, snipe | Reg/APH/OSR | each day of the WF season | No | |||
| 46 | Seminole Canyon | Deer and feral hogs | GDE | special | 20 | Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2-4 | Yes |
| 47 | South Llano | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 20 | Nov. 17-19, Dec. 12-14 | Yes |
| South Llano | Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs | YDA | Special | 20 | Dec. 21-23, 28-30 | Yes | |
| South Llano | Deer, exotics and feral hogs | GDA | Special | 10 | Jan. 12-14 | Yes | |
| South Llano | Feral hogs and exotics | GFH | Special | 2 | Jan. 26-27 | Yes | |
| 48 | Stephen F. Austin | Deer and feral hogs | GDM | Special | 16 | Dec. 1-3, Jan. 5-7 | Yes |
| 48 | Units of State Park System | ||||||
| 1,633 | Drawn Hunt Positions | ||||||
- Special — Drawn Special Permit
- MHP — Mentored Hunting Permit
- APH — Annual Public Hunting Permit
- OSR — On-site Registration
- Regular — Regular (daily) Permit
- Postcard — Hunt by Postcard Selection