TEXAS 2018 OVERVIEW

TEXAS

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 4200 Smith School Road • Austin, TX 78744 | 512-389-4800 | www.tpwd.texas.gov

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR THE TEXAS PUBLIC DRAW AND THE BIG TIME TEXAS HUNTS RAFFLE IS OCTOBER 15, 2018.

exas allows you the opportunity to apply for high-quality hunts 2018-2019 NON-RESIDENT FEES Tacross the state for adults and Big Time Texas Hunts Raffle Entry $9 Online & $10 Mail, Phone, or Retail youth hunters. Application fees are as Public Draw Application Fee $10 low as $0 up to $10, and all youth hunt entries are free. The application process is Non-Resident Hunting License $315 simple and quite cheap. You can apply for (required if successful) $10 for the regular drawing, and you can purchase as many chances as you would like for the Big Time Texas Hunts at $9 a tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_ piece plus a $5 processing fee. No permit hunt_drawing/. The online application fee is required for successful applicants, process is very simple and easy to but they will need to purchase a Texas use. You will first need to create an hunting license for $315. The application account and be assigned a customer deadlines for the 2018-2019 draw hunts ID number. If you have any questions began August 1st with deadlines following or need assistance with applying for on the 1st and 15th of every month. October any of the guided hunt packages, you 15th is the deadline for many great hunts, can either call Texas Parks and Wildlife including the guided bighorn sheep, at 512-389-4800 or the Huntin’ Fool gemsbok, and Scimitar-horned . License Application Department at October 15th is also the deadline to get 435-865-1020. your entries in for the Texas Grand Slam hunt package and all other raffles for the Preference points were instituted Big Time Texas Hunts. For the official rules on September 1, 1985. Now that BOB AUERBACH, for the Big Time Texas Hunts, visit http:// the application system is online, all BIGHORN SHEEP tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/ preference points will carry over and TEXAS WITH HIGH WEST btth/rules.phtml. will now be called Loyalty Points. Each OUTFITTERS Loyalty Point equates to the number Point system, first-year applicants Public draw applications will only be by which the applicant’s name is being have the ability to draw these sought- accepted online at www2.tpwd.state. put into the drawing. With the Loyalty after permits. DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP

ypically, there are 13-15 Desert AUCTION TAG and are decided upon by the auction bighorn sheep permits available The auction tag is valid for a winner and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Tevery year based on the annual pre-determined unit that can change Department. The hunter may bring along census. Of those permits, only two are year to year. It is decided upon by one non-hunting companion. In addition available through a raffle or public drawing. surveys done by the Parks and Wildlife to the permit, the hunter is required to Another permit is auctioned off by a non- Department. For the last few years, the possess a valid Texas hunting license. profit organization chosen by Texas Parks auction tag has brought in $100,000+ and Wildlife, and the remaining permits are to all of the organizations it has been LANDOWNER TAGS 36 issued to private landowners. sold through. The hunt dates are flexible Landowner tags are available in Texas. TEXAS 2018 OVERVIEW

TONY HAWK, DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP WYATTE GRACE ANDREWS, ORYX TEXAS WITH HIGH WEST OUTFITTERS TEXAS WITH HIGH WEST OUTFITTERS

Permits are issued to landowners or Gap, Elephant Mountain, or Sierra Grand Slam package where one lucky their agents in the areas of west Texas. Diablo WMA. This will be a five-day winner wins four separate Texas big The exact number of permits will be guided hunt with food, lodging, and hunts – Desert bighorn sheep, decided on based on their fly of the area transportation provided. Season dates whitetail , , and mule in late August, and Texas will notify the are January 1-July 31, 2019. Dates may deer. This hunt package includes food, landowners this month. At this time, the vary depending on availability of the lodging, taxidermy, and a professional Texas Parks and Wildlife Department permit. When Texas last offered the guide service for all four hunting trips. does not have a process in place to guided bighorn sheep hunt in 2016, the Hunters may purchase as many entries release the contact information of the deadline to apply was in December, into this raffle as they want. The price landowners who receive permits. but it will now be October 15th if a is $9 per entry plus a $5 administrative draw occurs. The cost to apply is $10, fee that is charged for each online PUBLIC DRAW TAG and you are only allowed to submit transaction. Payment may be made by Last year, the Texas Public Draw one application per person. A Loyalty Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Entries hunt package was unavailable due Point will be awarded to unsuccessful purchased at licensed retailers, by to Desert bighorn sheep restoration applicants. Harvest success is 100% phone, or by mail are $10 each. The efforts between Trans-Pecos WMAs. almost every year. Last year, there deadline to apply is October 15, 2018. If Texas Parks and Wildlife began their was not a hunt, but draw odds for you are successful in drawing this hunt annual aerial survey in August where the 2016-2017 season were 1 in 5,631 package, you will be able to negotiate herd population and composition are and for the 2015-2016 season were 1 the hunt dates to accommodate your determined. September 1st is when in 5,461. schedule. To apply online or to learn they announce if there will be a permit. more about this hunt package, go to Outlook for a permit is promising. The RAFFLE TAG https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/ hunt will be conducted on the Black Big Time Texas Hunts offers the Texas public/btth/grandslam.phtml. OTHER SPECIES HUNTS

GUIDED GEMSBOK HUNT place on the Mason Mountain WMA, and rate on the hunt. For 2015-2016, there PACKAGE you will be able to harvest one gemsbok were two permits for 4,145 applicants, Much like the guided bighorn sheep of either sex and unlimited feral hogs and with a 100% success rate on the hunt. package, Texas offers an awesome coyotes. Only centerfire rifles are allowed The guided Scimitar-horned oryx hunt chance to hunt gemsbok in the public with a minimum caliber of .270 with package will be running in conjunction draw. The hunt is guided, and food, 150 grain projectiles. For 2017-2018, there with the gemsbok hunt package. lodging, and on-site transportation are were two permits for 4,655 applicants, provided. This is an adult-only hunt with with a 100% success rate on the hunt. GUIDED SCIMITAR-HORNED a minimum age of 17. The hunt dates are For 2016-2017, there were two permits ORYX HUNT PACKAGE January 22-25, 2019. The hunt will take for 3,942 applicants, with a 100% success The guided Scimitar-horned oryx hunt 37 TEXAS 2018 OVERVIEW

GARY ELMORE, SCIMITAR-HORNED ORYX MITCH JOHNSON, AOUDAD TEXAS WITH OFFGRID OUTDOORS TEXAS WITH DOUBLE DIAMOND OUTFITTERS

will take place on the Mason Mountain through Big Time Texas Hunts for Endorsed Outfitters. Many hunters WMA January 22-25, 2019. Food, lodging, antelope. These are some cool who have hunted with our Endorsed and on-site transportation are provided critters that come from southeast Asia Outfitters have had high success on on this guided hunt. This is an adult-only and would be a good time to hunt. It these hunts. hunt with a minimum age of 17. You will be is a free-range hunt in south Texas, able to harvest one Scimitar-horned oryx and you will be rewarded with around Opportunities to apply for and perhaps of either sex and unlimited feral hogs and 700 pounds of some great wild meat. even draw a Desert bighorn sheep tag coyotes. Only centerfire rifles are allowed Lodging and food are complementary are so rare that we highly encourage with a minimum caliber of .270 with 150 for the hunt. As with most of the Big you to apply for both the Big Time grain projectiles. For 2017-2018, there Time Texas Hunts, you will receive a Texas Grand Slam and the regular were two permits for 4,409 applicants, professional guide for the hunt. Texas Desert bighorn sheep draw with a 100% success rate on the hunt. For permit. If exotics are on your bucket 2016-2017, there were two permits for AOUDAD list, Texas offers a cheap way to get 3,823 applicants, with a 100% success rate Texas is home to some amazing your name in the hat between the on the hunt. For 2015-2016, there were free-range Aoudad hunts. As most public draw and the Big Time raffle. two permits for 3,913 applicants, with a of Texas is private land, we would Take a few minutes and make sure you 100% success rate on the hunt. highly recommend you get in contact get your applications in for 2018. If you with an outfitter. If a 30" ram is on don’t have time to apply, call our EXOTIC SAFARI RAFFLE TAG your bucket list, give us a call and License Application Service at 435-865- Included in the Big Time Texas Hunts we will set you up with one of our 1020 and we’ll apply for you. raffle is their Exotic Safari package that allows the winner and one companion to harvest three exotics. The exotics available for harvest are gemsbok, Scimitar-horned oryx, and axis deer. The winner can harvest two management exotics, and their companion can harvest one. Food and lodging are provided on the Mason Mountain WMA. You will be guided by an experienced TPWD biologist as well as guides from the Mason Mountain WMA. You will receive taxidermy after the hunt in the form of two shoulder mounts. On the hunt, you can use a rifle with a minimum caliber of .270. Hunters have a high success rate of 96% on this hunt.

NILGAI ANTELOPE SAFARI KEVIN BROTHERS, AOUDAD TEXAS WITH DOUBLE DIAMOND OUTFITTERS 38 New for 2018, there will be a raffle