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ssor · 04-12-2002, 10:07 PM

TPW Adopts Unique Buck Harvest Rules AUSTIN, Texas --A unique set of experimental regulations governing the harvest of buck deer was approved April 4 by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and means hunters in a six-county area of the Post Oak Savannah ecological region will have to be more selective this fall. In Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Lavaca, Lee and Washington counties, hunters may harvest a buck only if it is one of the following: A deer having a hardened antler protruding through the skin and at least one unbranched antler or: A deer having one antler with six or more points or: A deer having an inside spread measurement between the main beams of 13 inches or greater. The regulation is designed to address intense hunting pressure on buck deer in the affected counties. In the relevant six counties, the average spread of a 3.5-year-old buck is 13 inches and the approximate distance between the tips of a buck deer's ears is 13 inches. The new regulation is expected to protect about 65 percent of the buck population the first year, allowing more deer to mature and thereby create a more balanced herd and higher quality hunting opportunity in future years. The experimental regulation will remain in effect for three years. In addition to the experimental buck harvest regulation, the Commission also adopted the following changes to the 2002-03 Statewide Hunting and Fishing Proclamation. All changes take effect Sept. 1. Possum Kingdom Reservoir -- A change in the bag limit for striped bass from five to two fish daily and an increase in the minimum size limit for largemouth bass from 14 to 16 inches. Purtis Creek State Park Lake -- Eliminate a 7-inch minimum size limit and 25 fish per day bag limit on sunfish. Gibbons Creek Reservoir -- Change the harvest regulations for largemouth bass from catch-and-release-only to a 14-24-inch slot length limit and a five fish daily bag, of which only one 24 inches or greater could be harvested daily. Brushy Creek Lake -- Establish an 18-inch minimum length limit and five fish daily bag limit on this new impoundment north of Austin. Coleto Creek Reservoir -- Change the red drum harvest regulations to the 20-inch minimum used on all other freshwater reservoirs with red drum populations. Lake Alan Henry -- Change the limit for largemouth bass from an 18-inch minimum to no minimum and five fish daily bag, of which only two fish can be less than 18 inches. Lake Proctor -- Change the limit for largemouth bass from a 14-inch minimum to a 16-inch minimum. Border Waters -- Texas bag and size limits apply to all species of fish landed in Texas or possessed in Texas waters. Proof of Sex -- Eliminate the requirement that the unskinned head of a harvested whitetail accompany the buck or doe for purposes of proof of sex. This change allows hunters to "cape out" a deer in the field to preserve the quality of the deer hide for taxidermy purposes. The head would still have to accompany the carcass until it reaches its final destination. Use of Dogs -- Rescind a prohibition of the use of dogs to trail wounded deer in 11 counties in Northeast Texas. Youth Season Rules -- Modify the late youth-only season in counties where no other seasons are open to require a permit for harvesting antlerless deer if such a permit is required during the general season. Spike Buck Harvest -- Make Level II Managed Lands Deer buck permits valid for spike-antlered bucks from the Saturday closest to Sept. 30 through the first day of the general season. Archery Harvest -- Allow harvest of bucks by means of archery during the archery-only open season on Level II Managed Lands Deer properties. Doe Days -- Increase the number of doe days in 16 Panhandle counties from 16 days. This will create doe days from opening day of the general season through the first Sunday following Thanksgiving. Rio Grande Turkey -- Provide a fall hunting season in Hill County. Eastern Turkey -- Provide a spring hunting season in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Matagorda and Wharton counties. License Log -- Create a deer harvest log on the hunting license to be completed at the time of harvest. Texas Gulf Coast Fisher <*(())))))))))>{ <A HREF="http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/ROSS6959/" target="_new">http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/ROSS6959/</A>

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