Outdoor Annual 2019-2020 Includes Regulations for Recreational JARRET BARKER Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing and Hunting in Texas
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OA19-20_Cover_PRINT.indd 1 6/12/19 10:07 AM Become a FRIEND OF TEXAS Gear Up for Game Wardens is a program of Texas Parks GAME WARDENS and receive a and Wildlife Foundation that raises critical funds to provide specialty equipment for Texas Game Wardens. decal with your $100 donation today! Each year, game wardens travel over 10 million miles by vehicle and 160,000 hours by boat to provide safety and service to the people and wildlife of Texas. DONATE TODAY AT To learn more about the Gear Up for Game Wardens GearUpForGameWardens.org program, visit GearUpForGameWardens.org or contact Austin Taylor, [email protected] or 214-720-1478. 19-GameWardenAds_final.inddUntitled-6 1 1 6/24/19 4:15 PM 6/24/19 4:14 PM Become a FRIEND OF TEXAS Gear Up for Game Wardens is a program of Texas Parks GAME WARDENS and receive a and Wildlife Foundation that raises critical funds to provide specialty equipment for Texas Game Wardens. decal with your $100 donation today! Each year, game wardens travel over 10 million miles by vehicle and 160,000 hours by boat to provide safety and service to the people and wildlife of Texas. DONATE TODAY AT To learn more about the Gear Up for Game Wardens GearUpForGameWardens.com program, visit GearUpForGameWardens.org or contact Austin Taylor, [email protected] or 214-720-1478. VX-5HD RELENTLESS VERSATILITY Win Leupold Gear! Text HuntTX to 64600 to Enter NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Messaging and data rates may apply to text. You may opt out at anytime. Messaging only valid in the USA. #LEUPOLDCORE LEUPOLD.COM Untitled-1 1 6/14/19 11:30 AM 2019–2020 FRESHWATER P. 104 FISHING CLOSE TO HOME BY AUBRY BUZEK HUNTING TIPS FOR SAFE HUNTING P. 106 BY STEVE HALL SQUIRREL HUNTING: SMALL GAME, P. 108 BIG OPPORTUNITY BY STEVE LIGHTFOOT SALTWATER P. 111 TEXAS COASTAL PADDLING TRAILS Table of Contents OFFER GREAT ANGLING ALTERNATIVES BY HOLLY GRAND STAFF PROJECT MANAGER 6 2019–2020 Hunting Seasons Dates ERIN KUBATZKY PRODUCTION DIRECTOR AARON CHAMBERLAIN 8 New for 2019-2020 Fishing PRODUCTION COORDINATOR and Hunting VANESSA RAMIREZ VP, SALES JULIE LEE 16 Licenses, Tags and Endorsements 25 Boating and Water Safety HUNTING AND FISHING REGULATIONS COMPILED BY CONTENT COORDINATORS 42 Freshwater Fishing Regulations VX-5HD JEANNIE MUÑOZ POOR RELENTLESS VERSATILITY ROBERT CATER 49 Saltwater Fishing Regulations INLAND FISHERIES REGULATIONS COORDINATOR KEN KURZAWSKI 55 Hunting Regulations COASTAL FISHERIES SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR JULIE HAGEN 79 County Listings CHIEF OF WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT STORMY KING CHIEF OF FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT The Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual 2019-2020 includes regulations for recreational JARRET BARKER freshwater and saltwater fishing and hunting in Texas. While the Texas Parks and Wildlife WILDLIFE REGULATIONS Department (TPWD) strives to provide accurate information in the Outdoor Annual, hunting and fishing regulations may change due to legislative or Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission COORDINATOR actions. The Outdoor Annual mobile app may automatically update to reflect published changes Win Leupold Gear! SHAUN OLDENBERGER upon establishment of a data connection, but users should independently check the associated Text HuntTX to 64600 to Enter statutes and regulations to verify their accuracy. For commercial fishing regulations, see the LEGAL Commercial Fishing Guide. For more detailed information on game and fish regulations, contact ROBERT MACDONALD the Texas Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement offices at 512-389-4828, or the Texas Parks and NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Messaging and data rates may apply Wildlife Department at 800-792-1112 or 512-389-4800 (Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m.). to text. You may opt out at anytime. Messaging only valid in the USA. REGULATIONS PAGES & COVER DESIGN Copyright © 2019 Texas Monthly Studio, a division of Texas Monthly. All rights reserved. TPWD CREATIVE & Printed in the USA. Cover illustration by Orville O. Rice. INTERACTIVE SERVICES For advertising information, contact Julie Lee at [email protected]. #LEUPOLDCORE LEUPOLD.COM Untitled-1 1 6/14/19 11:30 AM Paying Forward WHAT YOUR SUPPORT MEANS IN TEXAS here are many reasons to be hopeful about hunting and fish- ing in Texas. One big reason T is you. We cannot say THANK YOU enough to hunters, anglers and boaters for their many decades of sup- port. We’re seeing a strong return on that investment, even with today’s conserva- tion challenges. For example, eastern wild turkeys have come back from a low of just 100 birds statewide in the 1940s to a healthy pop- ulation that supports turkey hunting in 13 counties. We’re continuing with a “super stocking” approach to restore turkey in many more counties—efforts funded by licensed hunters. On the coast, once abundant south- ern flounder are down by half since the 1980s. State fish hatcheries are now stocking more than 378,000 juvenile flounder in our bays every year, and two new facilities are being built to produce flounder year around. The Perfect Boat for: In the Hill Country, biologists have worked for decades to save the Guada- lupe bass from near extinction and, in the process, created a new river watershed approach to habitat management. These breakthroughs are among many -- made possible with dollars from licensed anglers and registered boaters. Once again, thank you again for caring about our wild things and wild places. They need your support now more than ever! CARTER SMITH Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4 | TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE OUTDOOR ANNUAL 2019–2020 Untitled-1 1 6/14/19 11:31 AM FOUNDER FAMILY PHOTO c. 1976 Untitled-1 1 6/14/19 11:31 AM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE 2019-2020 Hunting Season Dates | OUTDOOR ANNUAL GAME ANIMALS Spring Youth-Only North Zone: Mar 28-29 & May 23-24 Alligator South Zone: Mar 14-15 & May 9-10 22 Counties & Special Properties: Sep 10–30 Eastern Turkey All Other Counties: Apr 1 – June 30 Spring-Only Season East Texas: Apr 22 - May 14 Mule Deer General Season Panhandle: Nov 23 – Dec 8 MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS SW Panhandle: Nov 23 – Dec 1 Dove (Report leg bands to www.reportband.gov) Trans-Pecos: Nov 29 – Dec 15 Archery Season Sep 28 – Nov 1 North Zone: Sep 1 - Nov 12 & Dec 20 - Jan 5 Central Zone: Sep 1 - Nov 3 & Dec 20 - Jan 14 White-tailed Deer South Zone General Season Regular Season: Sep 14 – Nov 3 & Dec 20 - Jan 23 North Zone: Nov 2 – Jan 5 Additional days for Special South Zone: Nov 2 – Jan 19 White-winged Dove Season: Sep 1, 2, 7, 8 (special regs apply) Special Late Season North Zone: Jan 6-19 Duck South Zone: Jan 20 - Feb 2 North Zone Youth-Only Seasons Regular Season: Nov 9 - Dec 1 & Dec 7 - Jan 26 Early Season: Oct 26-27 Dusky Duck: Nov 14 - Dec 1 & Dec 7 - Jan 26 Late Season: Jan 6-19 Youth-Only: Nov 2-3 Archery Season Sep 28 - Nov 1 South Zone Muzzleloader-Only Jan. 6-19 Regular Season: Nov 2 - Dec 1 & Dec 14 - Jan 26 Javelina Dusky Duck: Nov 7 - Dec 1 & Dec 14 - Jan 26 North Zone: Oct 1 – Feb 23 Youth-Only: Oct 26-27 South Zone: Sep 1 – Aug 31 High Plains Mallard Management Unit Regular Season: Oct 26-27 & Nov 1 - Jan 26 Pronghorn Antelope Sep 28 - Oct 6 Dusky Duck: Nov 4 - Jan 26 Youth-Only: Oct 19-20 Squirrel East Texas: Oct 1 – Feb 23 & May 1–31 Gallinule, Rail, Moorhen Sep 14-29 & Nov 2 - Dec 25 Other Open Counties: Sep 1 – Aug 31 Special Youth Season: Sep 28-29 Goose East Zone Early Canada Goose: Sep 14-29 UPLAND GAME BIRDS Light & Dark Geese: Nov 2 - Jan 26 Light Goose Conservation Order: Jan 27 - Mar 15 Chachalaca West Zone Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr Light & Dark Geese: Nov 2 - Feb 2 & Willacy Counties: Nov 2 - Feb 23 Light Goose Conservation Order: Feb 3 - Mar 15 Pheasant Panhandle: Dec 7 - Jan 5 Sandhill Crane Quail Statewide: Oct 26 – Feb 23 Zone A: Oct 26 - Jan 26 Zone B: Nov 22 - Jan 26 Rio Grande Turkey Zone C: Dec 14 - Jan 19 Fall Season Snipe Oct 26 - Feb 9 North Zone: Nov 2 - Jan 5 South Zone: Nov 2 - Jan 19 Teal Sep 14-29 Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg & Willacy Counties: Nov 2 - Feb 23 Woodcock Dec 18 - Jan 31 Archery-Only: Sept 28 - Nov 1 Fall Youth-Only OTHER ANIMALS North Zone: Oct 26-27 & Jan 6-19 South Zone: Oct 26-27 & Jan 20 - Feb 2 Rabbits and Hares No closed season Spring Season In addition to a hunting license, a migratory game bird stamp endorsement North Zone: April 4 - May 17 ($7) is required to hunt any migratory game bird, including mourning dove South Zone: Mar 21 - May 3 (a Federal Sandhill Crane Permit is required to hunt sandhill crane). An One-Turkey Counties: Apr 1-30 upland game bird stamp endorsement ($7) is required to hunt turkey, quail, pheasant, or chachalacas. 6 | TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE OUTDOOR ANNUAL 2019–2020 so ready. so padre It just might be the best year-round bay (nearshore), offshore and surfcasting you’ll ever find and it’s all yours. Start fishing at sopadre.com/fishing. sopadre.com Untitled-1 1 6/14/19 11:32 AM NEW FOR 2019-2020 FISHING AND HUNTING Freshwater • Except on Falcon Reservoir, anglers now need to report all alligator gar harvest within 24 hours using the My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile app available at tpwd.texas.gov/myhunt. • New rules for harvesting alligator gar on the Trinity River include a 4-foot maximum length limit, a nighttime prohibition on bow fishing, and a drawing to allow a limited number of anglers to harvest one per year over 48 inches.