By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved changes to the 2020-21 Texas hunting and fishing season.
Hunting
Hunters will see some changes in hunt regulations this fall, including automated pronghorn and antlerless mule deer applications and permits and a decrease in daily bag limits for scaup and light goose.
The daily bag limit for scaup will decrease from three to one, while the light goose daily bag limit for the regular season will decrease from 20 to 10 in both zones.
Another change approved by the commission last week will move snipe hunting season back two weeks to allow more hunting opportunities.
This season, for the first time, antlerless mule deer and pronghorn permits will be automated.
The online land management assistance program is already used to facilitate the Managed Lands Deer Program, according to Sean Gray, TPWD mule deer and pronghorn program leader.
The rules allow multiple landowners to combine multiple tracts of land that are contiguous to create an aggregate acreage for permits.
The deadline to apply for pronghorn permits is July 1, and the deadline to apply for antlerless mule deer permits is Sept. 1.
Fishing
Saltwater fishing regulations did not change much, except for flounder fishing.
Starting Sept. 1, the minimum size limit for flounder will increase to 15 inches. There has been a noticeable decline in southern flounder collected, according to Dakus Geeslin of the Coastal Fisheries Division at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Department (TPWD).
The commission also approved closing flounder fishing from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 starting in 2021.
Most of the flounder harvest occurs during spawning, Geeslin said, so the proposal is expected to increase spawning stock biomass by up to 58 percent over one generation or five years.
The commission approved clarifying language for commercial harvest reporting requirements.
Freshwater fishing regulations were updated for the following lakes: Moss Lake, Brushy Creek Lake and Brushy Creek, Lake Nasworthy, Lake Texoma and the Texas waters of the Red River and Falcon International Reservoir.
Modifications include length limits and harvest regulations at some water bodies for largemouth bass, some species of catfish and black and white crappie. The five-fish alligator gar daily bag limit at Falcon International Reservoir will remain in effect indefinitely.
Other changes
Another change this year will be the release of an all-digital Texas Outdoor Annual.
Due to COVID-19’s economic impact, the Outdoor Annual booklets will not be printed this year, TPWD said.
Instead, the booklets will be available at http://outdoorannual.com and through the free Outdoor Annual mobile app, available for both iOS and Android.
“We are well aware that this change may be disappointing to some of our long-time outdoorsmen and women that have become accustomed to bringing the Outdoor Annual booklets on their hunting and fishing trips. Be assured, it is not going away and will still be accessible via the web and our special Outdoor Annual Mobile app,” Carter Smith, TPWD executive director, said. “We are doing everything we can to ensure hunters, anglers and boaters are aware of this change and utilize the benefits of the digital Outdoor Annual during the upcoming seasons.”
According to TWPD, the Outdoor Annual mobile app provides several interactive features not found in print, including the ability to view regulations offline and in remote locations and to carry a digital license copy. Additional app features include location-based functionality, such as “Seasons and Regulations by Current Location,” “Where to Fish,” “Game and Fish Identification,” “Finding a Nearby License Retailer” and push notifications.
2020–2021 Hunting Season Dates
Alligator
22 Counties and special properties: Sept. 10—30, 2020
All Other Counties: April 1—June 30, 2021
Chachalaca
Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy Counties: Oct. 31—Feb. 28, 2021
Dove
North Zone
Sept. 1—Nov. 12, 2020 and Dec. 18, 2020—Jan. 3, 2021
Central Zone: Sept. 1—Nov. 1, 2020 and Dec. 18, 2020—Jan. 14, 2021
South Zone
Regular season: Sept. 14—Nov. 1, 2020 and Dec. 18, 2020—Jan. 23, 2021
Additional days for Special White-winged Dove season: Sept. 5, 6, 12, 13 (special regulations apply)
Duck
North Zone
Regular season: Nov. 14—29, 2020 and Dec. 5, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Youth-only: Nov. 7—8, 2020
South Zone
Regular season: Nov. 7—29, 2020 and Dec. 12, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Youth-only: Oct. 31—Nov. 1, 2020
High Plains Mallard Management Unit (HPMMU)
Regular season: Oct. 31—Nov. 1, 2020 and Nov. 6, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Youth-only: Oct. 24—25, 2020
Gallinule, Rail, Moorhen
Sept. 12—27 and Nov. 7—Dec. 30, 2020
Goose
East Zone
Early Canada goose: Sept. 12—27, 2020
Light and dark geese: Nov. 7, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Light goose conservation order: Feb. 1—March 14, 2021
West Zone
Light and dark geese: Nov. 14, 2020—Feb. 14, 2021
Light goose conservation order: Feb. 15—March 14, 2021
Javelina
North Zone: Oct. 1, 2020—Feb. 28, 2021
South Zone: Sept. 1, 2020—Aug. 31, 2021
Mule Deer
General Season
Panhandle: Nov. 21—Dec. 6, 2020
SW Panhandle: Nov. 21—29, 2020
Trans-Pecos: Nov. 27—Dec. 13, 2020
Archery Season
Oct. 3—Nov. 6, 2020
Pheasant
Panhandle: Dec. 5, 2020—Jan. 3, 2021
Pronghorn
Oct. 3—11, 2020
Quail
Statewide: Oct. 31, 2020—Feb. 28, 2021
Rabbits and Hares
No closed season.
Sandhill Crane
Zone A: Oct. 31, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Zone B: Nov. 27, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Zone C: Dec. 19, 2020—Jan. 24, 2021
Squirrel
East Texas: Oct. 1, 2020—Feb. 28, 2021 and May 1—31, 2021
Other Open Counties: Sept. 1, 2020—Aug. 31, 2021
Youth-Only Season: Sept. 26—27, 2020
Snipe
Nov. 7, 2020—Feb. 21, 2021
Teal
Sept. 12—27, 2020
Rio Grande Turkey
Fall Season
North Zone: Nov. 7, 2020—Jan. 3, 2021
South Zone: Nov. 7, 2020—Jan. 17, 2021
Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy counties: Nov. 7, 2020—Feb. 28, 2021
Archery-Only: Oct. 3—Nov. 6, 2020
Fall Youth-Only
North Zone: Oct. 31—Nov. 1, 2020 and Jan. 4—17, 2021
South Zone: Oct. 31—Nov. 1, 2020 and Jan. 18—31, 2021
Spring Season
North Zone: April 3—May 16, 2021
South Zone: March 20—May 2, 2021
One-turkey counties: April 1—30, 2021
Spring Youth-Only
North Zone: March 27—28 and May 22—23, 2021
South Zone: March 13—14 and May 8—9, 2021
Eastern Turkey
Spring Season
East Texas: April 22—May 14, 2021
White-tailed Deer
General Season
North Zone: Nov. 7, 2020—Jan. 3, 2021
South Zone: Nov. 7, 2020—Jan. 17, 2021
Special Late Season
North Zone: Jan. 4—17, 2021
South Zone: Jan. 18—31, 2021
Youth-Only Seasons
Early Season: Oct. 31—Nov. 1, 2020
Late Season: Jan. 4—17, 2021
Archery Season
Oct. 3—Nov. 6, 2020
Muzzleloader-Only Season
Jan. 4—17, 2021
Woodcock
Dec. 18, 2020—Jan. 31, 2021
Any permit hunts or drawings ….like for father and son hunts
Where can I find the county listing for hunting dates?
All hunting dates and information can be found in TPWD’s Outdoor Annual: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/
When does the season run for doe? When are Youth Days? What are the County Regulations and special days?
When will we be able to get a copy of the Reg. Book for Hunting and Fishing?
Texas hunting, fishing and boating regulations are all digital this season. You can get that information from TPWD through the Outdoor Annual, which is available online or as a free mobile app at https://OutdoorAnnual.com.
I hope our handbooks will be back available next year,i look at mine like a bible to make sure I’m doing things right,and feel like that’s part of what i pay for every year
print the books I don’t have internet connection in deer blind charge for books if needed
bring the book back please
Please bring back books. I don’t own a computer n cell svc is poor where I hunt. I’ll pay for the book if necessary. Old eyes don’t read little cellular screens very well.
Please bring the books back.
I understand going digital but often you need a hand reference guide while in the field, especially when you have out of state hunters asking questions.
A copy at camp answers a lot questions and keeps hunters aware of dos and donts ! Internet is not always available at camp site. Also online is hard to reference.
Thanks
big mistake going digital. I hope you understand how unfair it will be when you fine someone for not following the rules when you can’t have the rules with you.
You can email TPWD about your concerns with shifting to digital if you’d like. The email is: news@tpwd.texas.gov.