In 1979, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) initiated a program permitting landowners with department-approved management plans to harvest antlerless deer (Odocoileus virginianus and O. hemionus) in numbers exceeding those recommended for general areas by the department. Preparation of management plans and problems encountered with the program are discussed.
Texas initiated antlerless white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunting in 1953. The harvest of antlerless deer is regulated by permits issued to landowners, who distribute the permits to hunters utilizing their property. Since the inception of this program, approximately 1.4 million antlerless deer have been harvested in Texas. In 1979, 290,120 antlerless deer permits where issued to 25,201 landowners, resulting in a harvest of 89,225 antlerless deer. The harvest comprised 5% of the adult female segment of the population. The approximate cost of administering the permit system was $...
The Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies presents papers that cover all aspects of the management and conservation of inland, estuarine, and marine fisheries and wildlife. It aims to provide a forum where fisheries and wildlife managers can find innovative solutions to the problems facing our natural resources in the 21st century.