Doe Hunting Delight
It looks like deer hunters will be getting more doe days in Texas. This is good news for hunters looking to put meat in the freezer. It’s also good news for properties where white-tailed deer numbers have been on the rise. These added “doe days” are intended to increase antlerless deer harvest in parts of the state where once-conservative regulations were needed to allow the expansion of deer.
Doe Days Added to Post Oak & Blackland Prairies
White-tailed deer hunters in 41 Texas counties in the Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairies ecoregions will see expanded opportunities to take antlerless deer during the 2019-20 season, following changes adopted recently by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
The decision to liberalize the harvest of antlerless deer comes after several years of whitetail population growth within these regions, combined with a relatively conservative doe harvest. Wildlife biologists with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recommended the expanded opportunity to reduce the deer herd impacts to the habitat, help balance buck-doe sex ratios, and relieve buck harvest pressure.
Doe Days Add Days, Not to Bag Limit
In 21 counties in south central Texas, hunters will be able to harvest antlerless deer from Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, through Sunday, Dec. 1. The counties include: Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Dewitt, Fayette, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Waller, Washington, and Wilson. In addition to these counties, Goliad, Jackson, Victoria, and Wharton counties north of U.S. Highway 59 and Comal, Hays, and Travis east of IH-35.
The bag limit on antlerless deer in these counties is two, and hunters are reminded that all doe harvests during archery, muzzleloader, youth-only seasons, and the four doe days are required to be reported within 24 hours through the TPWD website or the My Hunt Harvest mobile app. The four doe days are not for properties enrolled in the Managed Lands Deer Permit (MLDP) program.
Expansion of Doe Days Continues
TPWD is also expanding doe days in 20 other counties from four to 16 days beginning with the start of the general deer hunting season on November 2. An steady increase in whitetail numbers in these areas shows that additional deer harvest is warranted. But don’t wait to use a tag, the doe days are front-loaded at the beginning of the general season.
The counties with the expanded,16 doe days include: Bell (east of IH 35), Burleson, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Limestone, Milam, Navarro, Rains, Smith, Titus, Van Zandt, Williamson (east of IH 35), and Wood.
We have seen an increase in deer in our area over the past 7-8 years. This will give hunters a chance to take some of those animals. Good news!
This is great news! Will give my kids more time to doe hunt.
Antonio, that’s awesome! We need more young people getting involved in hunting. No better way than getting out in the field with a chance to put some meat in a cooler, memories in their heads, and respect for the outdoors in their hearts! Best of luck this season!
Like the increased number of days but it will be interesting to hear how the mandatory reporting works out.
Kenny, it will be interesting indeed. I’ve read that some states have gone to digital tagging of animals. Will be interesting to see if Texas heads that way. Could this be the start?
So, just to clarify…a doe tag is NOT needed during those days in those certain counties?
Leslie, all harvested deer need to be tagged. The change in regulations allows antlerless deer be harvested using hunting license tags during the general (gun) season on those specific days when it the past there was no antlerless harvest allowed during the general season.
This does not change the bag limit for the counties mentioned (as antlerless deer can be harvested in most all counties during archery season with archery equipment, as well as during the muzzleloader season).
Also, the reg change does not impact properties enrolled in the MLDP Program offered by TPWD. During the special antlerless days those properties will still need to tag harvested deer with MLD Permits.
Here is the text from the TPWD web site:
Antlerless Deer: Antlerless deer may be taken by hunting license tag during archery, muzzleloader, and youth-only seasons, except on properties where antlerless MLDP tags have been issued then take is by MLDP tag only. Antlerless deer may also be taken by hunting license tags during designated periods in the General Season, see General Season section below for specific dates (you would read the section below these two paragraphs for the county where you hunt).
Mandatory Harvest Reporting: Any antlerless deer harvested during archery, youth-only, muzzleloader, or the 4-doe days during the general season is required to be reported within 24-hours of harvest to the department via mobile application or online. Report your antlerless deer harvest with the “My Texas Hunt Harvest” app.