South Zone dove season could begin earlier than usual, the daily limit on pintail could increase and air guns might be permitted in game hunting this season if proposed changes by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are approved. Before those changes happen, however, TPWD wants to hear from you!
Comments can be made on the TPWD website, where the new hunting and fishing regulations are posted. Deadline to comment is March 22, when the TPWD commission will vote on changes.
Proposals to the Statewide Migratory Game Bird Proclamation include the following:
• Add a week to the early segment of the South Zone dove season. If approved, the season could begin as soon as Sept. 14. A week would be removed from the end of the winter segment to allow for the early start date.
• Increase the daily bag limits on northern pintails from one to two per day during the 2018-19 season.
• Remove a week from the end of the fall segment of the North Zone dove season structure.
• Remove a week from the beginning of the winter segment in the Central Zone.
For background information and to comment on these particular changes, visit this page on TPWD’s website.
Proposed changes for hunting white-tailed deer include:
• Standardizing general deer season statewide to open the first Saturday in November and end on the third Sunday in January. Concurrent turkey hunting seasons would be adjusted to match the general deer season in the North Zone. Currently, deer season opens on the first Saturday in November but ends on different days in different zones, giving the South Zone two additional weeks. If approved, all zones will receive the same number of weeks to hunt as the South Zone.
• Air guns would be allowed to take alligators, game animals, non-migratory game birds and furbearers. The proposal specifies the type of air guns for type of game. Currently, air bows and air guns are not defined as legal firearms or archery equipment in TWPD regulations.
These and other changes can be commented on by visiting this page on the TPWD website.
The only saltwater fishing regulation change is to increase the recreational bag limit of king mackerel from two to three fish per person per day. This brings the daily bag limit in state waters into alignment with federal waters changes made in May 2017.
To comment on this proposal visit this page on the TPWD website.
Other changes seeking public comment can be found on this TPWD webpage. Click on the bulletpoints under Proposed Regulations that interest you.