TP&W is proposing to

extend general deer season statewide until 3rd Sunday in January.


That will leave 5 weekends for after deer season quail leases.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXPWD/bulletins/1de8a56

This might put some of us out of the bird dog business.

I was just coming on to post the same thing. I just heard about this yesterday. I see no benefit to deer hunters but a huge issue for quail hunters. Hopefully, someone at TPW will listen to the quail hunters or the ranches will realize how much revenue they will lose from quail hunters and just cut off the deer hunters. it really sucks when you consider how hot February has gotten the last few years.

What I see happening is that the quail hunters are going to have to compete financially at the same price per acre as the deer hunters to obtain a lease, if they become available. I would encourage bird hunters to voice your opinions to your state legislators to try to knock this proposal down. The state is basically paring down quail season by 75% for a lot of bird hunters. Quail hunting will definitely become a rich man’s game if this proposal passes.

meh

It’s an easy fix increase number of doe tags. Does same thing without messing anything up.

I can tell you I will be waiting on paying for lease till I know what is going to happen.

Sounds like some negations are in order..

Deer is king in TX, quail hunters are screwed.

How is it not a benefit for deer hunters? It gives us extra hunting time that the south zone already gets. Quail season starts a week before deer season and runs well past the end of the season, so quail season is already longer than deer season. It sounds like people don’t want to compete with deer hunters for the same property to lease, otherwise why not lease for the entire season and this is a non-issue? It may be different in different parts of the state but no one leases just quail hunting after deer season where I hunt. The deer hunters bring in the money, quail is included for nothing extra for us.

I'm lucky to be on a full season lease, but the ranch is large enough that deer and quail run at the same time but on different land. I have no idea what deer hunters pay for ground but know they can put more folks on the same piece of land. So even if the price was the same the land owner would make more on deer hunting. So most or a lot of the good quail country in the rolling plains is quail after deer seasons so the proposed new regulations would shorten the season for a lot of quail hunters which is a bad deal. But money talks and in Kansas, Okla, and Texas good quail land is hard to lease for a full season. So I think the new regs stink.

I would bet that a large percentage of Texas quail hunters are after deer season guys. If we lose a big percentage of our hunters quail hunting will die. If there is no money from quail hunting ranchers have no incentive to manage for quail. This could crush Texas quail hunting.

Truly a scary thought. Let's hope they find a better solution to deer herd control.

If anything, they should open deer season earlier. This is a terrible idea, and I will be contacting TPWD to tell them my opinion.

The rut is much later in south texas, extending the season down there makes a little bit of sense because it allows for the secondary rut. In north texas and the rolling plains this is not an issue. And when you take into account that the deer start losing their antlers in late december early January it increases the odds that someone shoots a buck by mistake. Most deer leases allow for 1 trophy buck and hunters will postpone shooting doe until they take their buck. Extending just puts this off longer, it does not increase the number of deer shot. If anything, they should do an early season doe season if their goal is to increase the number of deer taken each year.

We pay our ranch about about 24k over what the deer hunters pay for the right to hunt quail. The access to our acreage is staggered but most of it comes after deer season. I'm not sure the deer hunters would be willing to pick up that tab for the right to hunt 2 more weeks. But when you take those 2 weeks away from quail hunters it's huge.

If it does happen, Landowners that dont want to lose money will have to set the dates that deer hunting stops and quail hunting begins on their land. I don't see them losing money to give a deer hunter 3 more weeks without the deer hunters paying for it.

If they do this and I think they will, talk to the deer hunters and set hunting times, dawn to 9 a.m. for deer and 3p to dark for deer and 9a to 3p for quail. I know some deer hunters think we would scare off the deer but an experience I had was while sitting in my deer blind my feeder pin full of deer, The land owner and his brother came right in front of me with dogs and a jeep. The deer ran into the brush. After they passed the deer came right back.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback...iled_deer.phtml

Ok This looks like where you can say your peace on the subject

Thanks for that DWQ

I submitted my $.02

I gave them my 4cents!

This, plus what someone else wrote about opening deer season earlier. General deer season should open on or about August 1, and close on Jan 1. This was the season when I lived in S.Carolina and it worked well.

I gave them my best argument.

Thanks

What counties have bucks losing their antlers in December? I’m not in south Texas and they are just now starting at our lease.

Good news: Rumor has it that this proposal will not get approved. Good work to everyone that submitted comments.

Hope you are right.

We are MLD and we still shut it down early. It's to much pressure on the deer and it's to much time for more mistakes at the wrong deer. Plus me and ccbirddogman need our space.

Unfortunately it's not an issue for me - there are no quail in Jack & Young counties no more

If the real issue is over population of deer then the State of Texas should open the deer season earlier and let the deer hunters kill all the female deer they want to shoot. Texas residents should immediately call TPWD and let them know this would be a terrible new rule.

Heard it didn’t pass. I also heard partially because quail hunters had spoken up.

They are already whining.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/7123157/Deer_Season_Decision#Post7123157

10%ers...

Way to go guys. Held them off for awhile at least!

Nice work Team Quail!!

Very good news! Now if it will just rain maybe.........