Be safe and have fun this hunting season

You can tell we are entering the Christmas season the same way you can tell it is hunting season. Just stop by your neighborhood big box store. Just a quick glance at the sporting good section will catch your eye with young and old dressed in camo.

With hunting season upon us, it is important to be SAFE and LEGAL while we are out hunting with our friends this year. Matt Hill, the Game Warden for Region II, District IV, says “the most important thing for hunters is to hunt safely.” In this order, Hill lists a few suggestions to be safe this hunting season” “1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. 2. Never point your firearm at anything you don’t intend to destroy. 3. Know your target and what’s behind it. 4. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. “

Hill, says that “all hunters born after Sept 2, 1971, must have hunters education. Hunters education can be taken online. Go to Texas parks and wildlife dept website and search hunters education in the search bar.” Jeff Rohrer who has been apart of hunter’s safety courses for over 40 years and helped his parents with the course says that even though you can take them online he recommends that you take them in person since much of the course is hands-on. He also recommends the course for anyone even if you aren’t legally obligated to take it. There is a lot to learn that can save your life and the lives around you.

Almost as important as the safety of yourself and those with you is where you hunt since typically there are safety reason’s for the restrictions. Hill says that hunters “can hunt on public land but must follow the rules of us corp of engineers when hunting on or around Lake Wright Patman. hunters hunting on white oak wildlife management area will need a public hunting lands permit also known as type 2 permit.”

Hill goes on to say that “hunters can hunt on corp of engineers property and can get info at the US Corp of engineer office located at their office near Lake Wright Patman Spillway. Hunters can only harvest bucks on Corp property. Does can only be harvested by permit only. Permits can be applied for at the Corp of Engineer office as well.”

Those wishing to hunt on land that is not theirs need to think again. According to realestate.findlaw.com a website that educates people on laws says, “It is against the law to hunt or fish on privately owned lands or waters without the permission of the owner or owner’s agent. No person may pursue a wounded wildlife resource across a property line without the consent of the landowner of the property where the wildlife resource has fled. Under the trespass provisions of the Penal Code, a person on a property without the permission of the landowner is subject to arrest.”

Hill says, that hunters can indeed “get permission to hunt on private land. Hunters need to have written permission when hunting on someone else’s property. Most commonly hunters lease property or hunt on family land.”

The Texas Parks and Wildlife on their website say that “More than 95% of the land in Texas is privately owned or managed. You can hunt on the private land that you own or get permission from the landowner to hunt as a guest or pay the landowner to hunt on that land. Many hunters find leases and book hunts a year or more in advance.”

The site goes on to say that the Landowner Rights include these main rules:

Landowners can grant or deny permission to hunt on their land.

Landowners can require and charge for a hunting lease.

Landowners can require hunters to sign a liability waiver.

Landowners can impose stricter bag limits or harvest requirements, within existing game laws.

For landowners wishing to lease their land, “TPWD has an online hunting lease listing service, the Hunt Texas Online Connection. There are also numerous hunting lease services that operate in Texas: https://tpwd.texas.gov/exptexas/programs/hunt-texas/”

TPWD suggests that “If you purchase a hunting lease, create a written lease agreement, signed by both the landowner and hunters. It should list all the participant’s names and addresses, the type of lease (day, season or year), payment, restrictions, etc.”

This approaching hunting season is as follows: “whitetail deer: rifle season 11/2/19-01/05/20; youth season and muzzleloader 1/6/20-1/19/20; duck season: first split 11/9/19-12/1/19 and second split 12/7/19-01/26/19; squirrel season closes 02/23/20 and reopens 5/1/20-5/31/20,” says Hill. It is worthy to note that you can kill wild hogs any time.

“Every species has bag limits and possession limits. Texas parks and wildlife has an app that hunters can load onto their phone that will provide all the hunting restrictions and bag limits. Hunters are encouraged to go and search their app store “Texas Outdoor Annual.” this app is free. The most important restriction for deer is the 13” rule. The spread from inside the antlers must be 13” wide. if you accidentally shoot an undersized deer contact your local game warden. honesty goes a long way.,” explains Hill.

During this season Hill says “hunters and landowners will hear a lot of gunfire now that rifle season has begun. If someone suspects poaching call your local game warden or contact our operation game thief hotline 1-800-792-game. We pay rewards of up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of flagrant game law violators.”

This hunting season can be a lot of fun, “but make smart decisions,” says Hill. “Poaching deer or hunting whitetail deer without landowner consent is a state jail felony. We want hunters to be safe and have a great hunting season. we hope that hunters will take their children out and pass on the skills that their parents and grandparents passed down onto them. Our mission with Texas Parks and Wildlife is to preserve the natural resources for future generations to enjoy. We wish everyone the best of luck this season. Stay safe and we will see y’all in the field.”