AUSTIN – Hunters looking for a new opportunity or simply a change of scenery this fall are urged to check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s drawn hunt permits program. Applications are being accepted now for a shot at more than 9,000 permits in 51 hunt categories.
The permits are for drawn hunts on both public and private lands throughout Texas. Among the offerings available through the online system are hunts for white-tailed and mule deer, pronghorn, turkey, alligator, exotic gemsbok, and scimitar-horned oryx.
In addition to drawn hunts managed by TPWD, the system includes applications for hunts administered by other entities, including almost 2,500 deer and exotic hunt positions on five U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuges in Texas and 1,300 antlerless deer permits for U.S. Forest Service properties in East Texas.
The program’s highly-popular private lands dove hunt permit category will feature almost 195 hunt slots at six prime locations around the state, including dove rich Uvalde, south of San Antonio near Pleasanton, north of Dallas/Ft. Worth in Young County, and Ellis counties. These permits are for dedicated hunt positions with quality dove hunting outfitters. Application fee is $10 with no additional hunt permit fees for this category.
Among the program changes this year, all drawn hunts associated with the $48 Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit will not be available for application until Aug. 15, when APH Permits go on sale. Applicants for e-Postcard hunts and USFS Antlerless Deer Permits must have a current APH to apply. This change is intended bring the postcard hunts back to the way they functioned before the draw system went on-line.
“Overall, our hunts will pretty much operate the same as last season,” said Kelly Edmiston, TPWD public hunting program coordinator. “Youth
