If TPWD would recognize elk as native, I would completely support adding them to a slam.

Elk were/are native to Texas, but were once thought to have been eradicated in the state. However, the past few years TPWD has not specifically determined if the elk have increased naturally, escaped from private ranches, or migrated into the state ( which is not likely). In southwest Texas near the Big Bend area, there have been 4-5 instances where elk have caused highway traffic accidents!

had a buddy that farmed near Dalhart, right on the border. Was always having to run off/shoot elk that crossed over from NM


From what I have understood, the Elk that were native to Texas were of the Merriams subspecies, which were a desert dwelling elk. from what I know about elk....they were hunted so hard during the late 1800's - early 1900's they were eradicated from most of their native range country wide with only the mountain dwelling elk surviving. Most of the herds now are transplanted Rocky Mountain elk.

So they were typically plains animals (not mountain dwelling like most herds today) that reached from coast to coast.



Jury is still out on what/how common they were but Texas is so big its assumable that prior to European influx that Elk did live and cross the borders of what Is now Texas....although a lack of pictures/stories/heads of dead elk killed in Texas prior to the 1900's are scarce.

I see them out in West Texas from time to time and they seem to be doing Well. I know guys who hunt in the Glass Mountains and they kill some monster ek

Surprised no one mentioned black bears yet since they are becoming more common along the borders in SW and West Texas. Elk, Bear, and Bison were all native to this state at one time. As far elk numbers, there are way more of them out in the Trans Pecos area that people realize. Some ranches have 100's of them.

Longfellow probably has a thousand elk.



I know people that have seen black bear all the way up to the leakey area. There will be more and more common....but to me a little desert bear is more of a cool to-look at than a game animal.

If the three, only elk are free range and legal to hunt.....bison are in private herds and bears are a No No!

Native ungulates for me

Texas is a far, far different place than it was pre-1800's. From accounts all of south texas was a sea of grass with mesquite and oak only in the creek bottoms.

I was told a story of a rancher in Hebbronville that his ancestorys who founded the ranch used to see pronghorn antelope there up until the 1930's.



I think most people would be surprised at the diversity of animals that were around back then.....It was a lot more than just a bunch of whitetail deer.

Mulie
Whitetail
Pronghorn
Axis
Elk

3 natives
1 exotic (making a good living)
1 used to be native, making a comeback

One thousand is severely under shooting it. Hunted the Longfellow in September. There's way more than one thousand.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/nongame-and-other-species

Exotic Animals and Fowl
An exotic animal is any animal that is not indigenous to Texas, including but not limited to feral hog, Russian boar, aoudad sheep, axis deer, elk, sika deer, fallow deer, red deer, and blackbuck and nilgai antelope. An exotic fowl is any avian species that is not indigenous to this state, including ratites (emu, ostrich, rhea, cassowary, etc.).

Elk could have migrated into Texas from NM. I've hunted Unit 30 for years around the Queen area and there are lots of elk there. I'm sure they could have drifted from there into Texas through the National Park. Plus, there's a large elk refuge on the Texas/NM line at the entry point into the National Park at McKittrick Canyon. So, it's possible elk wander into Texas on their own. Two years ago I almost hit one on the west side of Lake Buchanan crossing the road. Was not expecting that.

One I didn't see here was alligator. A real fun hunt.
As far as pronghorn, I've just been drawn for a pronghorn hunt in the TPWD drawings so hopefully I'll be able to check that one off!

Interesting

I may be ignorant but don’t see the challenge for gators.....interesting idea tho.....

You are absolutely correct, not much challenge at all. When that sucker is on on the line, all ticked off spinning and snapping though, your heart rate will definitely go through the roof! You can make it more challenging using archery gear if you choose.

Besides, I've been on a bunch of deer hunts that weren't much of a challenge either.

Agree..... ...I bet a really big lizard can be a handful in a hurry....

The LF was way north of 1000 cow elk alone about 5-6 years ago.

I remember reading something about how S. Tex turned from primarily grasslands to brush country. Carrizo Springs is named for the grass that was common. There were artesian wells all over and used to irrigate some ag fields. Then the springs went dry so no more farming. Cattle and sheep pooped what they eat everywhere and the brush took over. They probably didn't manage like now and severe droughts destroyed the grasslands. I probably over simplified it though. Same can be said for many areas west where deer were not as abundant as they are now.