Public Hunting Program – Establishment of an Open Season on Public Hunting Lands and Approval of Public Hunting Activities on State Parks

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Summary

Executive Summary: With this item, staff seeks:

  • Adoption of an open season on public hunting lands for the 2025-2026 season; and
  • Authorization of specific public hunting activities on public hunting lands (including units of the State Park System) for the 2025-2026 season.

Resumen ejecutivo: Con este punto, el personal busca:

  • La adopción de una temporada abierta en los terrenos públicos de caza para la temporada 2025-2026; y
  • La autorización de actividades específicas de caza pública en terrenos públicos de caza (incluidas las unidades del Sistema de Parques Estatales) para la temporada 2025-2026.

Action

Public Hunting Program – Establishment of an Open Season on Public Hunting 

Lands and Approval of Public Hunting Activities on State Parks

May 22, 2025

I.     Executive Summary: With this item, staff seeks:

  • Adoption of an open season on public hunting lands for the 2025-2026 season; and
  • Authorization of specific public hunting activities on public hunting lands (including units of the State Park System) for the 2025-2026 season.

II.   Discussion: Under Texas 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 must prescribe by rule any terms, conditions, and fees for the issuance and use of permits for such use.

Texas 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 Texas 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 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 WMAs 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:

Motion 1 — "The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes an open season on public hunting lands to run from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026."

Motion 2 — "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."

Attachment – 1

  1. Exhibit A — Proposed Public Hunting Activities for State Parks, 2025-2026 Season
Proposed State Park Hunts for 2025-2026
  Park Species/Hunt Type Drawn Hunt Category Type Permit Hunt Positions Hunt Groups Proposed Hunt Dates Visitation Restriction
1 Abilene Archery Deer and feral hogs ADE Special 8   Dec. 9-11 Yes
  Abilene Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 8   Dec. 9-11 Yes
  Abilene Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 8   Dec. 6-7 Yes
  Abilene Waterfowl   APH     Jan. 11-26 Partial
  Abilene Feral Hogs (Novice)   MHP 10   Feb. 6-8 Partial
1 Atlanta Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 6   Dec. 2-4 Yes
  Atlanta Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 6   Jan. 17-19 Yes
1 Bastrop Youth Deer and feral hog YDE Special 16   Jan. 2-4 Partial
  Bastrop Deer and feral hog GDA Special 16   Jan. 7-9 Partial
1 Big Bend Ranch Archery Mule deer and exotics AMD Special 12   Oct. 6-9 Partial
  Big Bend Ranch Mule deer and exotics MDG Special 12   Dec. 1-4 Partial
  Big Bend Ranch Javelina and exotics GJE Special 12   Oct. 13-16 Partial
  Big Bend Ranch Youth Mule deer and exotics YDE Special 12   Nov. 17-20 Partial
  Big Bend Ranch Quail   APH/e-Postcard 24   Jan. 5-8 Partial
1 Brazos Bend Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 30   Nov. 18-20 Yes
  Brazos Bend Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 30   Dec. 16-18 Yes
  Brazos Bend Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 15   Oct. 25-26 Yes
  Brazos Bend Waterfowl   MHP 10   Jan. 23, 24 Yes
1 Caprock Canyons Mule deer, wt deer and feral hogs MDG Special 8   Dec. 16-19 Yes
  Caprock Canyons Exotics and feral hogs EXO Special   6 Dec. 9-12 Yes
  Caprock Canyons Youth Mule deer, wt deer, feral hogs YDE Special 8   Dec. 26-29 Yes
  Caprock Canyons Mule deer, wt deer and feral hogs EDR APH/e-Postcard 4   Nov. 14-30  
1 Choke Canyon - Calliham Deer, feral hogs GDM Special 3   Jan. 6-9 Yes
1 Choke Canyon - North Shore Archery Deer, feral hogs ADE Special   3 Dec. 27-30 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Deer, feral hogs GDE Special   3 Jan. 6-9 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Deer, feral hogs GDM Special 9   Nov. 24-26, Dec. 2-4, Dec.9-11 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Youth Deer, feral hogs YDE Special 3   Dec. 16-18 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Youth Deer, feral hogs YDA Special 6   Nov. 1-2, 8-9 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Youth Deer, feral hogs YDM Special 3   Nov. 15-16 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Javelina GJE Special   2 Feb. 10-12 No
  Choke Canyon - North Shore Feral hogs EFH APH/e-Postcard   3 Feb. 14-22 No
1 Choke Canyon - South Shore Deer, feral hogs GDM Special 2   Nov. 24-26 Yes
1 Colorado Bend Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDA Special 50   Nov. 18-20, Jan. 13-15 Yes
  Colorado Bend Deer, exotics and feral hogs ADE Special 25   Oct. 21-23 Yes
  Colorado Bend Youth Deer, exotics & feral hogs YDE Special 50   Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Dec. 5-7 Yes
1 Cooper Lake Youth Deer, feral hogs YDA Special 13   Jan. 3-4 Yes
1 Cooper Lake- South Sulphur Unit Deer and feral hogs   APH/OSR     Dec. 6-21 Partial
1 Copper Breaks Deer and feral hogs GDA Special   6 Dec. 5-7, 19-21 Yes
  Copper Breaks Deer and feral hogs ADE Special   3 Nov. 14-16 Yes
  Copper Breaks Waterfowl   APH/e-Postcard   6 Jan. 9-11, 23-25 Partial
1 Davis Mountains Javelina and feral hogs GJE Special 8   Oct. 4-7, 8-11 Partial
  Davis Mountains Exotics EXO Special 4   Nov. 8-11, Feb. 21-24 Partial
1 Devils River-Dan Allen Hughes Unit Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 14   Dec. 5-8 Partial
  Devils River-Dan Allen Hughes Unit Exotics EXO Special 14   Jan. 16-19 Partial
1 Devils River-Del Norte Unit Exotics EXO Special 12   Jan. 16-19 Yes
  Devils River-Del Norte Unit Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDM Special 10   Dec. 5-8 Yes
  Devils River-Del Norte Unit Youth Exotics YEX Special 12   Jan. 2-5 Yes
1 Devils Sinkhole SNA Exotics and feral hogs EXO Special 4   Mar. 20-22 Yes
  Devils Sinkhole SNA Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDA Special 4   Jan. 16-18 Yes
  Devils Sinkhole SNA Exotics and feral hogs YEX Special 4   Apr. 17-19 Yes
  Devils Sinkhole SNA Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 4   Nov. 22-24 Yes
1 Dinosaur Valley Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 10   Nov. 17-19 Yes
  Dinosaur Valley Deer and feral hogs YDA Special 10   Nov. 24-26 Yes
1 Enchanted Rock Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDA Special 25   Jan. 27-30 Yes
  Enchanted Rock Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDE Special 41   Nov. 4-7, Dec. 2-5 Yes
  Enchanted Rock Archery Deer, exotics and feral hogs ADE Special 20   Oct. 14-17 Yes
  Enchanted Rock Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 10   Dec. 20-22 Yes
1 Fort Boggy Archery Deer, feral hogs ADE Special 5   Nov. 17-21 Yes
  Fort Boggy Feral hogs GFH Special 5   Jan. 19-23 Yes
  Fort Boggy Deer, feral hogs GDE Special 5   Dec. 1-5 Yes
1 Garner Deer, exotics and feral hogs ADE Special 12   Dec. 20-22, 27-29, Jan. 9-11 Yes
  Garner Youth Deer, exotics & feral hogs YDE Special 32   Jan. 3-5, 6-8 Yes
1 Government Canyon Archery Deer and feral hogs ADE Special 10   Nov. 18-20 Yes
  Government Canyon Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 30   Dec. 2-4, Jan. 6-8, Jan. 13-15 Yes
  Government Canyon Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 8   Nov. 14-16, 21-23 Yes
1 Guadalupe River Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDE Special 8   Jan. 13-15 Yes
  Guadalupe River Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 8   Nov. 22-24 Yes
1 Hill Country Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 36  Nov. 3-5, Dec. 8-10, Jan. 20-22 Yes
  Hill Country Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 24   Nov. 24-26, Dec. 22-24 Yes
1 Honey Creek Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDE Special 3   Jan. 13-15 Yes
  Honey Creek Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 3   Nov. 22-24 Yes
1 Huntsville Squirrel   Reg/APH-OSR     Dec. 3, 4 Yes
  Huntsville Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 6   Jan. 2-4 Yes
  Huntsville Youth Deer, feral hogs YDE Special 6   Dec. 12-14 Yes
1 Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 7   Dec. 16-18 Yes
1 Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 14   Dec. 2-4, 9-11 Yes
  Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 7   Nov. 7-9 Yes
  Inks Lake/Longhorn Caverns Deer and feral hogs   MHP 7   Nov. 18-20 Partial
1 Lake Brownwood Archery Deer and feral hogs ADE Special 5   Dec. 8-10 Yes
  Lake Brownwood Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 8   Jan. 5-7, 7-9 Yes
  Lake Brownwood Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 6   Dec. 6-7 Yes
1 Lake Colorado City Dove   APH     Each day of the Central Zone Partial
1 Lake Mineral Wells Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 8   Dec. 10-12 Partial
  Lake Mineral Wells Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 8   Dec. 6-7 Partial
  Lake Mineral Wells Deer and feral hogs ADE Special 7   Dec. 8-10 Yes
1 Lake Somerville- Birch Creek Deer, feral hogs GDA Special 12   Dec.10-12, Jan. 14-16 Yes
1 Lake Somerville-Nails Creek Youth Deer, feral hogs YDE Special 12   Dec. 13-14, Jan. 24-25 Yes
  Lake Somerville-Nails Creek Archery deer and feral hogs   APH/e-Postcard 5   Oct. 4-Nov. 23 No
  Lake Somerville-Nails Creek Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 5   Jan. 21-23 Yes
  Lake Somerville-Trailways Waterfowl   APH     Early Teal, North Zone Duck, Youth WF Partial
1 Lake Tawakoni Youth deer YDE Special 5   Oct. 25-26 Yes
1 Lake Whitney Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDA Special 30   Dec. 8-10, 10-12, Jan. 21-23 Yes
  Lake Whitney Youth Archery Deer, exotics and feral hogs   APH/e-Postcard 10   Jan. 16-18 Yes
1 Lost Maples SNA Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDA Special 5   Jan. 6-8 Yes
1 Palmetto Youth Deer   APH/e-Postcard 4   Dec. 13-14 Yes
1 Palo Duro Canyon Exotics and feral hogs EXO Special 24   Dec. 10-12, 13-15, 16-18 Partial
  Palo Duro Canyon Deer, turkey, and feral hogs ADE Special 2   Dec. 8-10 Partial
  Palo Duro Canyon Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDM Special 4   Dec. 5-6, 7-8 Partial
  Palo Duro Canyon Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDA Special 4   Dec. 6-7, 13-14 Partial
  Palo Duro Canyon Deer, turkey, and feral hogs (Disabled Veteran)   MHP 1   Dec. 3-4 Partial
1 Pedernales Falls Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDE Special 24   Dec. 16-18, Jan. 6-8 Yes
  Pedernales Falls Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 12   Nov. 23-25 Yes
1 Pedernales Falls Annex Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDE Special 6   Dec. 15-18, Jan. 5-8 Yes
1 Possum Kingdom Youth Deer and feral hogs YDA Special 12   Dec. 20-21, 29-30 Yes
1 Post Oak Ridge Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 12   Jan. 6-8 Yes
  Post Oak Ridge Deer and exotics GDA Special 12   Jan. 9-11 Yes
  Post Oak Ridge Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 12   Nov. 14-16 Yes
1 Powderhorn Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 8   Nov. 22-24, Jan. 3-4 No
  Powderhorn Exotics and feral hogs EXO Special 8   Nov. 3-6, Feb. 2-5 No
1 Purtis Creek Waterfowl   MHP 24   Oct. 25; Jan. 10, 24 Partial
1 Ray Roberts Lake - Isle du Bois Youth Deer YDA Special 7   Jan. 10-11 Yes
1 Resaca de la Palma White-winged dove   APH-OSR/ Reg     Sept. 5-7, 12-13 Partial
  Resaca de la Palma Mourning dove   APH-OSR/ Reg     Sept. 14, 20-21 Partial
1 San Angelo Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 20   Nov. 4-6 Partial
  San Angelo Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 20   Dec. 2-4 Partial
  San Angelo Youth Deer and feral hogs YDA Special 20   Oct. 25-26 Total
  San Angelo Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 20   Nov. 29-Dec. 1 Total
  San Angelo Javelina GJE Special 6   Jan. 13-15 Total
  San Angelo Deer and feral hogs (Novice)   MHP 6   Jan. 13-15 Partial
  San Angelo Archery Deer/Turkey   APH/OSR     Sept. 27-Oct. 23, Nov. 11-26 No
  San Angelo Dove   APH/OSR     Sept. 1-26, each day of second split No
  San Angelo Early Teal   APH/OSR     Each day of the Early Teal season No
  San Angelo Quail   APH/OSR     Dec. 6-Jan. 11, Jan. 17-Feb. 22 No
  San Angelo Squirrel/ Rabbits   APH/OSR     Sept 1-26, Dec. 6-Jan. 11, Jan. 17-Feb. 22 No
  San Angelo Waterfowl   APH/OSR     Dec. 6-Jan. 11, Jan. 17-end of the season No
1 Sea Rim Waterfowl- Teal   APH/OSR     Sept. 22-28 No
  Sea Rim Waterfowl   APH/OSR     Tues,Thurs., & Sat. of the South Zone Duck season No
  Sea Rim Geese   APH/OSR     concurrent with waterfowl hunts No
  Sea Rim Youth/Military Vet Waterfowl   APH/OSR     South Zone Duck - Youth No
  Sea Rim Rails, gallinules, snipe   APH/OSR     concurrent with waterfowl hunts No
  Sea Rim Youth Alligator YAL Special 1   Sept. 20-21 No
  Sea Rim Feral Hog GFH Special 5   Jan. 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30, Feb. 4-6 No
1 Seminole Canyon Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 10   Dec. 1-5 Yes
  Seminole Canyon Deer and feral hogs GDA Special 10   Jan. 5-9 Yes
1 South Llano Exotics and feral hogs EXO Special 20   Dec. 2-5, Feb. 3-6 Yes
  South Llano Deer, exotics and feral hogs GDA Special 30   Oct.21-23, Nov. 4-6, Dec. 16-18 Yes
  South Llano Youth Deer, exotics and feral hogs YDE Special 20   Nov. 24-26, Dec. 27-29 Yes
1 Stephen F. Austin Deer and feral hogs GDM Special 14   Dec. 2-4, Jan. 6-8 Yes
1 Village Creek Deer and feral hogs GDE Special 8   Jan. 5-7 Yes
  Village Creek Youth Deer and feral hogs YDE Special 8   Dec. 29-31 Yes
52         1,381 32    
  Special Drawn Special Permit            
  MHP Mentored Hunting Permit            
  APH Annual Public Hunting Permit            
  OSR On-site Registration            
  Reg Regular (daily) Permit            
  e-Postcard Hunt by on-line Postcard Selection            
  TYHP Texas Youth Hunting Program            
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Public Hunting Program – Establishment of an Open Season on Public Hunting Lands and Approval of Public Hunting Activities on State Parks

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