by John Jefferson

Last week, this column reported the fishing reg changes adopted at the March TPW Commission meeting. Those including a reduced bag limit on spotted sea trout (specks) in the Laguna Madre and multi-waterbody changes in freshwater catfish regs. Check ‘em out.

This week’s column will report changes in hunting regulations. There’s a full game bag of them.

Someone once wrote that there are two types of writer: poets and those who just make lists. It’s hard to be anything other than the latter when writing about new regulations.

Since it’s now turkey season in most of Texas, let’s start with those.

The Eastern turkey season in Panola County will close for next season (2022). If you can find a bird, take him. And it better be a “him”. Hens are illegal. And all kills must be reported to TPWD by mobile app or online. According to TPWD’s turkey leader, Jason Hardin, the population is low and not well distributed. That caused next spring’s closure .

TPWD doesn’t just day-dream regulations to propose. Regs are based on population, habitat, and hunter surveys. But insufficient data from Hunters’ Surveys in the “Western 1 Gobbler” counties in southcentral Texas wasn’t sufficient. Those counties will consequently come under mandatory reporting next season. Surveys should be answered.

A change which makes sense aligns the spring and fall turkey seasons with the North and South Zone boundaries along Highway 90. This starts September 1 — except for the emergency Laguna Madre trout regulations. They’re effective NOW.

Whitewing hunters will get two more days of hunting during the Special White-winged Dove Days in south dove zone. All other migratory game bird seasons were altered to fit the current and 2022 calendars.

The experimental pronghorn permit system in the northern Panhandle was eliminated and the regular season extended from nine to 16 days.
Squirrel season was opened year-round in counties where previously closed. However, the traditional East Texas season remains unchanged:

May 1-31; Oct.1– last Sunday in Feb.

And muzzleloaders are now assured only the projectile and powder must be muzzle-loaded. Some are probably relieved.

An old tradition in ten counties is one that reflects changing times. For years, hunting deer with dogs in east Texas was practiced. Dogs were released to run deer. Abuses occurred when dogs chased deer across private property. Landowners complained. TPWD reacted and prohibited the practice. Some continued it and were fined. Gradually, old dog hunters and their hounds got older.

As that practice waned, fewer illegal incidents occurred. More hunters began calling for the conservation tool of allowing a dog to trail a wounded deer. That beats losing deer to die in the thick cover. Game wardens agreed that it was no longer a problem. The prohibition was removed in six counties. In four others — Jasper, Newton, Sabine, and San Augustine – trailing deer with just TWO LEASHED dogs was permitted.

And the change everybody has been waiting for: the chachalaca season will open the same day as quail season does!

JJ