Another proposal favors South Texas

[bronco1]

Another proposal favors South Texas

Plan to revise spring turkey seasons seems mostly about political interests

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/outdoors/4600518.html

By SHANNON TOMPKINS

Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

TOOLS

Email  Get section feed 

Print  Subscribe NOW 

Excuse some Texas hunters for their cynicism when they hear claims the state's hunting regulations always are based strictly and fastidiously upon best-available scientific justification and germinate from well-reasoned, peer-reviewed proposals made by trained biologists dealing with hard data.

They are not.

A few regulations owe their origin to flexing of political or personal influence.

Nowhere is this more in evidence than in hunting regulations focused on South Texas.

South Texas, the 30 or so mostly rural counties inside a rough triangle from Del Rio to San Antonio to Corpus Christi, is certainly the best-known hunting region in this huge state. It is a land of big ranches, big deer and big influence when it comes to hunting regulations.

South Texas is where the ruling elite prefer to hunt, either on land they own or lease or otherwise have connection to access.

And they are not shy about using their considerable influence to forward their or associates' hunting-related agendas, even when such moves fly in the face of logic.

More opportunities

That's why deer hunters in South Texas counties are allowed to take as many as three buck whitetails per season; hunters in the rest of the state, where deer herds often are as healthy and populous as any in Texas, are limited to one or two bucks.

And it's why the general deer season in South Texas runs two weeks longer than in the rest of the state.

It's also why hunters in three South Texas counties — Kleberg, Kenedy and Brooks — have a "fall" Rio Grande turkey season that runs through Feb. 25, seven weeks longer than the fall season in most of the rest of the state.

This ability to manipulate the regulatory system to the advantage of South Texas interests is manifesting itself this year in a proposal that has little to do with scientific management and seemingly everything to do with private whims.

In April, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will vote on a proposal to revamp spring turkey hunting zones and season dates.

The proposal would divide the state's Rio Grande turkey range into two zones, North and South.

The spring hunting season in the South Zone would open on the Saturday nearest March 18, two weeks earlier than the current statewide spring season opening.

The North Zone's spring season would open on the Saturday closest to April 7, a week later than the current opener. Both seasons would run for 44 days.

Questions abound

This proposal comes only one year after the TPW Commission, at the recommendation of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife division staff, combined what had been North and South turkey zones into a statewide Rio Grande turkey zone with a season that opened the Saturday closest to April 1.

Why propose changing spring turkey regulations after one year of the new rules, particularly when the year-old change had been heralded as a way to simplify hunting regulations?

Why move the opening of the South Zone two weeks earlier?

And why delay the opening of the North Zone by a week?

TPWD officials, forced to come up with some seemingly rational justification for the proposal, say it will "increase hunter opportunity by allowing hunters to take advantage of peak gobbling activity which varies annually across Texas depending upon weather conditions."

But "increasing hunter opportunity" is the lipstick put on this pig to make it look presentable.

Genesis of the turkey season proposal came not from TPWD staff but from pressure — call it a "suggestion" — to agency officials from an influential person who has a friend who wanted the South Texas spring season to open earlier.

Moving the opening of the South Texas spring season to the middle of March certainly would be advantageous to turkey hunters there. The turkey breeding season in that region typically begins late in February. And male turkeys can be most vocal when trying to attract willing hens early in the season.

This can work to hunters' advantage as a gobbler "cranked up" by the onset of the breeding season can be easier for a hunter to call into shotgun range than much later in the season, when breeding interest has waned.

Some turkey hunters, in South and North Texas, have over the past few years wished for an earlier opening of the spring season, arguing that the peak gobbling (and their perceived best chance at hunting success) is over before the season opens.

But, in the past, TPWD biologists have shot down suggestions for opening the season much earlier than the final Saturday in March. Their reasoning was based on sound biological justification.

By delaying the opening of the spring season until at least a fair portion of the hens have been bred, the taking of gobblers by hunters has little biological impact on the flock.

Opposite directions

Perhaps opening the South Texas spring turkey season in the middle of March would increase hunter success. Whether that increase has a biological impact on the area's turkey population remains a question.

But you'd have to think that if TPWD really wanted to "increase hunter opportunity" for all spring turkey hunters, they would have proposed an earlier opening of the North Zone season, just as they did for the South Zone. At least, they would have proposed leaving the North Zone opening where it was — the Saturday closest to April 1.

Instead, the proposal is to move the North Texas opener later, further from when many hunters believe the region's gobblers are most vocal and opposite what the state proposes to do in South Texas.

It's easy to understand why many turkey hunters see this proposal as just another case of South Texas getting special treatment because of who hunts there. But this time, not only is South Texas gaining an advantage, the rest of the state is being disadvantaged.

And, rightly or not, such perceptions damage the credibility of all regulations proposals.

[email protected]

[bronco1]

Another example of special interest groups( hunters or not) manipulated the legislation. Before you know it they will be legalizing hunting at night down there.

[gringo]

I disagree.  I have hunted down south for over 15 years and don't even know anyone down there that turkey hunts.  South Texas hunting is about deer and quail.

"More opportunities

That's why deer hunters in South Texas counties are allowed to take as many as three buck whitetails per season; hunters in the rest of the state, where deer herds often are as healthy and populous as any in Texas, are limited to one or two bucks. "  

- now this is funny - if Thompkins knew anything about South Texas he would realize that the three buck tags are used for management purposes and many hunters will wait for years to pull the trigger on a trophy.  If TPWD allowed three tags in East Texas most areas would be completely shot out.

"Before you know it they will be legalizing hunting at night down there."

This is funny too - considering it is so popular in East Texas

TPWD allows more opportunity down south because there is more land and better management!

[bronco1]

You make a good point about East Texas but, this new law is not only short changing E. Texas it is short changing the whole state. There is a lot of turkey hunting going on in South Texas. There is a reason that you don't hunt turkey that early in the year. Bottom line is if the law is passed, wildlife management is being thrown out the window.

[tvc184]

I agree with gringo to a point. I totally agree that the tags are used for management and east Texas is so over hunted know, deer would be extinct. Yes there are just about as many deer in other areas and parts of east Texas are overrun with deer but also in much of it, if a buck makes it past a year, he is the old man of the herd.

I also agree that there is probably more politics in hunting than any other political arena. It is obvious when a local big time lawyer donates large sums of cash to a political campaign and then gets named to the tpwd board that helps make up laws. Then gets a state park named after him............

I think in many political arenas, there is a strong other side/party to most issues. If the democrats are in power, the republicans can still make a fuss that counts. If the republicans are in power, the same goes for the democrats. I don't think you have much opposition on the other side of game management. Sure you can get vocal residents from around the state and they must hold public meetings due to the laws. 

I have seem some pretty vocal responses on some (but not many) issues and the tpwd board votes against it anyway. The deer and ducks don't get a vote and the average Joe buying the hunting license doesn't have very much of an advocacy pulling for him.... but I still agree with gringo about south texas and the deer/turkey issue.

It is like Shannon Tompkins makes a bit of a point about politics but he picked the wrong excuse to show it, IMO.

[bronco1]

I know that most south Texas ranches are well managed and that most hunters use those tags to manage deer herds. I am not against South Texas, I have hunted down there and have many friends who hunt down there.

My point with the turkey hunting law is that it isn't good management of a public resource. Turkey season is started latter in the year so that most hens are bred by the time hunting starts. Early harvesting of mature Toms count result in poor breeding season. Moving turkey season up is like moving Duck season further out.

Ducks start to mate late winter. If you hunt into that breeding season then you could be killing birds that are already paired for mating. It just doesn't make good game management sense, thats all I am saying.

I love to hunt and I just do not want money over-riding good sense.

[gringo]

"It is like Shannon Tompkins makes a bit of a point about politics but he picked the wrong excuse to show it, IMO. "

exactly

"My point with the turkey hunting law is that it isn't good management of a public resource. Turkey season is started latter in the year so that most hens are bred by the time hunting starts. Early harvesting of mature Toms count result in poor breeding season. Moving turkey season up is like moving Duck season further out."

Good point Bronco.

[bronco1]

I think we all basically agree.