Texas Deer Population: A rough estimate of 5 million deer in 2022, down from a formal estimate of about 5.6 million deer in 2021 with 5.4 million whitetails and about 191,000 mule deer. Down slightly from about 5.65 million in 2020 with 5.44 million whitetails. Drought in 2022, but good rainfall in summer of 2021, 2019, and 2018 supported deer populations. An estimated 5.8 million deer in 2019 with 5.6 million whitetails and about 200,000 mule deer. Down from about 6 million deer in 2017. The year 2000 estimated deer population was 3.9 million. The 2023 Deer Population Forecast.
Texas Deer News
Texas fisherman finds buck swimming in Corpus Christi bay December 5, 2023 Laredo Morning Times
... about a mile from shore doggy-paddling his four little hooves off. He said they followed him and were able to turn him around to get him back to the shoreline...
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected at Kerr Wildlife Management Area Captive Deer Research Facility December 1, 2023 Texas Parks and Wildlife News
... a suspect-positive case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a 14-month-old captive male white-tailed deer at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area (WMA) research facility... Out of an abundance of caution, TPWD staff euthanized all deer in the research facility and collected post-mortem samples, which resulted in no additional detections... “TPWD staff are disappointed to abruptly end nearly 50 years of white-tailed deer research that has significantly influenced deer management in Texas ..,
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Cherokee County Deer Breeding Facility November 17, 2023 Texas Parks and Wildlife News
... confirmation of a case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Cherokee County, marking the first detection in a deer breeding facility in the county. A four-year-old buck tested positive using postmortem testing conducted to meet annual CWD surveillance requirements for the facility...
Texas Parks and Wildlife considering new ways to manage chronic wasting disease November 15, 2023 Beaumont Enterprise
... Cain says the majority of the public commenters (65%), including many of the 50-plus people who signed up to address the commission in person, spoke in opposition to the proposal package..,
Dallas resident charged for illegally selling 'domesticated' deer on Craigslist November 15, 2023 Texas, news4sanantonio
... The Texas Game Wardens saw that the photo within the Craigslist ad had the deer and the contact information of the seller... After officials filed charges against the sellers, the Wardens seized the deer and transported the animal to a licensed rehabilitator...
Lost and found: Hunters rely on dogs to find wounded deer November 6, 2023 Texas, The Beaumont Enterprise
... The practice of using up to two unleashed dogs to track wounded deer has been legal in much of the state for decades, but was only recently made legal in most of eastern Texas. The exceptions are Jasper, Newton, Sabine, and San Augustine counties, where handlers are still required to keep tracking dogs on a leash...
Texas Parks and Wildlife opens more mandatory CWD check stations as deer season begins October 28, 2023, Texas Public Radio
...There are cases of both free ranging deer and captive deer facilities. The majority of them at this time are around captive deer facilities... Ben Olsen, a wildlife health specialist in Texas Parks and Wildlife Big game program..,
Texas Deer Population Forecasted to Rebound from Drought Conditions Oct. 27, 2023 TPWD News
... Much of the state received drought-quenching rain in the spring, which allowed for excellent habitat growth during the initial part of the growing season. Spring forb (weeds and flowering plants) production, which is a critical component of a deer’s diet coming out of winter, was abundant and offered essential nutrients to growing bucks, lactating does and new fawns. Additionally, the improved habitat conditions earlier this year helped keep fawns healthy ...
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Medina County Deer Breeding Facility - TPWD October 24, 2023 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) - Texas.gov
... The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) received confirmation of a case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Medina County, marking the fifth detection since 2015 in a deer-breeding facility in the county. A one-year-old buck tested positive through an antemortem (live-animal) test conducted to meet annual CWD surveillance requirements for the facility...
Good and Bad: Exotics add hunting value, but can disrupt whitetail management October 19, 2023 Texas, tylerpaper.com
... Axis were first imported into Texas for their meat in the 1930s. Originally from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka ... Even though TPWD does not count exotics, it is believed there are some counties where axis numbers might equal white-tailed deer. “The axis population is almost as large as the whitetail population in Kimball County...
Pineywoods study shows deer are homebodies for the most part October 5, 2023 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... In the Pineywoods studymost of the bucks on private property had a home range of about 600 acres... major highways, and in this case U.S. 59, were a major barrier that the deer were hesitant to cross. The same was not true for smaller roads like Farm to Markets and county roads, but that created a different issue. “We had a lot killed on the road. Maybe a quarter of them,” ...
Looking Good: Statewide Outlook Above Average For Upcoming Texas Deer Season September 29, 2023 Tyler Morning Telegraph
... With a statewide herd estimated at 3- to 4-million animals, Texas deer numbers remain steady. Korzekwa said it goes back to the species’ adaptability to weather swings and things like urban sprawl and different looks in landscape caused by agricultural practice changes. [We have contacted the paper to check on this poulation estimate]
Contemporary hybridization between female mule deer and male white-tailed deer in west Texas differs from the hypothesized sex mating patterns recovered from ancient hybridization events September, 2023 Canadian Journal of Zoology
... Eight out of 130 free-ranging individuals from the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos regions of Texas were determined to possess the mitochondrial haplotype of mule deer (O. hemionus Rafinesque, 1817) and the paternal haplotype of white-tailed deer (O. virginianus Rafinesque, 1832). Results indicated that hybridization between deer species in Texas (6.15%) was more broadly distributed than previously reported...
Check out these Texas hunting season predictions before heading out September 23, 2023 Beaumont Enterprise
... Last year ... White-tailed deer had a poor fawning season due to the drought. There were limited supplies of fawning cover, forage and water that decreased the overall number of deer on the landscape... With favorable precipitation and habitat conditions this year, the deer are health ..,
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Kimble County Deer Breeding Facility September 13, 2023 Texas Parks and Wildlife
... a 6-year-old doe at a breeding facility in Kimble County tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease...This is the second time the disease was detected at a deer-breeding facility in the county, TPWD states..,
McLennan County judge blocks TPWD order requiring breeders to kill 29 deer September 7, 2023 Texas, KWTX
... “trace deer” that tested positive for Chronic Waste Disease at another facility were traced to their facility... The breeders contend the 29 traced deer at their facilities are being sequestered from the other deer at their operations...
Chronic wasting disease, regulations impact Texas deer breeders September 7, 2023 Texas Farm Bureau
... Just two years ago, in September 2021, there were 980 deer breeders in Texas. Now, due to a number of factors, including the cost of testing herds for CWD and mandatory depopulation after CWD is found in a facility, there are only 683 breeders left in the state...
Seasons Of Change: Hunting Seasons Have Been A Part of Texas Hunting Since 1861 August 31, 2023 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... Concerns over market hunting led to a seven-month deer season in 1881. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, white-tailed deer numbers were depleted in Texas in the 1800s by commercial meat and hide hunters, along with a lack of knowledge of deer habitat. It was estimated that between 1844 and 1853 more about 75,000 deer hides were shipped from one location..,
Texas Rancher Wages War Against Deer Euthanasia As Disease Spreads August 26, 2023 HuffPost
... The state of Texas wants to kill all of the roughly 500 captive deer at RW Trophy Ranch to contain the spread of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, a contagious brain disorder that wildlife officials widely view as the single greatest threat to the nation’s deer herds. “It breaks my freaking heart,” Williams said, choking back tears as she recalled nursing a struggling fawn named Curly ...
Whitetail outlook August 19, 2023 Texas, The Daily Sentinel
... Texas deer hunters shot about 681,000 deer last year compared to 828,000 the season year before ... The reason for the decrease? ... Plus, deer movements were stifled by an early fall green up and one of the best acorn crops in years... there are plenty of fawns on the ground... In South Texas, land managers have reported production rates as high as 50 percent..,
Reward offered for information on fatal blowdart attack on white-tailed deer in Bandera August 16, 2023 Texas, WOAI
... the 6" razor tip blowgun dart punctured and penetrated the buck's chest piercing the right lung resulting in its death... a reward of up to $1,000 ...
Emergency rules adopted for movement of breeder deer July 25, 2023 Texas, Yahoo
... "Since 2021, we have seen an increase in CWD detections from breeder deer at an unprecedented rate," said John Silovsky, Wildlife Division Director for TPWD... The change requires all breeder deer to be ante-mortem (live-animal) tested for CWD ... before transferring to another deer breeding facility or release site...
Antlers, fawn crops looking good for upcoming deer season July 20, 2023 Texas, Lone Star Outdoor News
... Cain said range conditions were exceptional during the spring and even into the beginning of the summer due to ample
precipitation across much of the state. Bucks were able to recover from the rut, while does were able to take advantage of premium habitat and pack on fat reserves for fawning and lactation, and fawns were treated with cover and shade to protect them from the summertime heat...
Chronic wasting disease detected in deer at Brooks County breeding facility July 21, 2023 Texas Parks and Wildlife News
... The Brooks County breeding facility is the ninth of of its kind in the state to report the disease since March 1 ... there were about 1,000 deer in that facility, and a number of animals who came into contact with the one infected doe did not test positive for the disease..,
Antlers, fawn crops looking good for upcoming deer season Juy 20, 2023 Lone Star Outdoor News
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Additional Breeding Facilities in Frio and Zavala Counties July 13, 2023 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department - Texas.gov
... In Frio County, a 2-year-old white-tailed doe died in a deer-breeding facility and was post-mortem tested following CWD surveillance testing requirements. This is the second deer-breeding facility in Frio County to have a positive CWD detection. In Zavala County, a 3-year-old white-tailed buck died in a deer-breeding facility and was post-mortem tested following CWD surveillance testing requirements. This is the second deer-breeding facility in Zavala County to have a positive CWD detection..,
East Texas farm contributes to conservation by working to breed disease-resistant deer July 7, 2023CBS 19
... At her farm, she breeds for traits that genetically enhance her herd to provide animals that are genetically sound and have CWD-resistant traits...
Density of Axis Deer in Texas: Management Implications for Native White-tailed Deer and Associated Habitats Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management, 2023
...Estimated using distance sampling techniques in 2018 and 2019, average axis deer density was 19.7 (95% CI: 14.1–25.6) axis deer/km2 compared with 23.0 (95% CI: 18.2–27.5) white-tailed deer/km2, and axis deer densities ranged from 16.9 to 171.0/km2 among eight different land cover types in Kimble County, Texas, with a county-wide estimate of 61,078 (95% CI: 30,407–100,369) axis deer..,
South Texas deer study produces surprising results June 23, 2023 Lone Star Outdoor News
... research was conducted through the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute ... “Harvesting deer to increase diet quality in semiarid South Texas is seldom necessary,” ...“There are many cases when harvesting does makes sense; but in the semiarid, highly variable environment of our
study area, doe harvest is either unnecessary or detrimental in the absence of supplemental feed,” ...
New rules for CWD zone creation, elimination June 14, 2023, Texas Farm Bureau
... all properties that are wholly or partially within a surveillance zone will be subject to mandatory CWD testing and carcass movement restrictions.,.. Area sampling must be completed to satisfy a 95% detection probability goal ...
Chronic wasting disease detected in deer in Bexar County, TPWD says May 30, 2023 Texas, TPWD News
... TPWD will implement disease containment measures and provide recommendations on mitigating disease transmission in the city of Hollywood Park, where the positive deer was captured in late January ..,
Texans spend $4.3 billion annually hunting white-tailed deer, Texas A&M study shows May 26, 2023 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... A recent report by Texas A&M’s Natural Resources Institute estimates approximately 555,000 hunters spend nearly $2 billion each year on white-tailed deer hunting in Texas while 200,000 landowners spend closer to $2.5 billion...
Wildlife researchers exploring wildlife interactions in West Texas May 22, 2023 Odessa American
... These projects will provide information about how mule deer and aoudad compete for food and habitat, as well as what role aoudad play in disease transmission to desert bighorn... Aoudad share similar habitat selection and foraging behavior as mule deer ...
Fawns rescued from nearly dead pregnant deer, found hit by a car and shot May 16, 2023 Texas, KRIV
... The deer was found fatally wounded after being hit by a car. A game warden arrived and shot the deer in the head to try and end the animal’s suffering... noticed movement in the deer’s belly... crews performed an emergency C-section and pulled two fawns from her body...
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered in Deer Breeding Facility in Sutton County - TPWD May 8, 2023 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department News
... This case marks the first detection of the disease in the county... four-year-old white-tailed buck ... Initial investigations indicate 10 additional breeding facilities and 18 release sites may have been impacted from previous transfers received from deer that originated in the Sutton County facility. TPWD and TAHC plan to continue working together to conduct additional investigations into the extent of the disease..,
When TX regulators kill deer herds, ranchers are stuck with the bill - That may change April 26, 2023 Texas, YAHOO!News
... new legislation would ease the burden on breeders who are forced to depopulate after detecting Chronic Wasting Disease within their herds. The change would still allow the state to order herd killings, but would also allow the state to waive the costs of the culling...
TPWD proposes changes to CWD zone rules April 25, 2023 Texas Farm Bureau
... The department will not establish a zone if the following criteria are met: the disease was detected early, the transmission mechanism and pathway are known, the facility was promptly depopulated following detection, and there is no evidence that free-ranging deer populations have been compromised...
Granite Shoals reinstates deer harvesting program to control numbers April 14, 2023 Texas, DailyTrib.com
... residents feed the deer, keeping the animals within the city limits. Granite Shoals has an ordinance against feeding deer, but it still allows for “occasional” feeding, which is difficult to enforce ... the city had roughly 2,000 deer ... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regulations require two consecutive seasons of deer population surveys ...
Could axis deer be problem in South Texas? April 13, 2023 mysoutex.com
... Texas Tech University conducted a recent survey regarding axis deer. It estimated nearly 61,000 axis deer are in Kimble County, which is northwest of San Antonio in the Texas Hill Country. There are also estimates of 30,000 more axis deer in adjacent Sutton County in and around Sonora..,
Error in demographic ratios from aerial surveys of white‐tailed deer in semi‐arid rangelands - The Journal of Wildlife Management, 2023
... We quantified error in juvenile:female, male:female, and young:mature male ratios from 177 helicopter surveys of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in 37 wildlife management units encompassing 3,269 km2 of semi-arid grasslands and brush in South Texas, USA ... Acceptable error to reliably detect changes in demographic ratios may require greater survey effort or a different survey design for low-density populations. Furthermore, obtaining sufficient detections for acceptable error of male age structure estimates may not be feasible...
Why Texas TikTok star Biscuit the 'alien deer' has 4 extra noses April 13, 2023 Texas, Chron
... Biscuit, a muntjac deer [native to south and southeast Asia] ... "The glands around the eyes and forehead open up which is unique to this species." In the video, Biscuit's glands do just that as he inspects a cup of food ...
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered in Deer Breeding Facilities in Frio and Hamilton Counties April 11, 2023 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department - Texas.gov
... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received confirmation of two new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in separate deer breeding facilities in Hamilton and Frio counties. These cases mark the first detection of the disease in each county..,
Down, Not Out: Lower deer numbers are obvious in some parts of Texas April 6, 2023 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... it is pretty easy to following the weather dots to see what has caused the herd decline, record freezing in 2021, drought and more cold before and since ... “Populations can rebuild fairly quickly, two to five years, for areas with densities below carrying capacity. Obviously, we’d need some good rainfall years multiple years in a row, which we haven’t had anything consistent the last three to five years,” [Alan Cain, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department deer program leader] ..,
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered in Deer Breeding Facilities in Zavala, Washington and Gonzales Counties March 21, 2023 Texas Animal Health Commission
... seven new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) discovered in three separate deer breeding facilities in Zavala, Washington and Gonzales counties. These cases mark the first detection of the disease in each county... Additional Detection at a High Fence Release Site in Hunt County ..,
White-tail experts say 2022-23 deer harvest was down statewide February 24, 2023 Texas, The Lufkin Daily News
.... people all over who are saying they didn’t see many deer, or the quality of deer they were looking for. We had a dry spring and summer last year, so antler quality was down. Plus, we had a wet fall that greened things up just before the season, along with a big acorn crop. That kept deer away from the feeders; they just didn’t have to move as much. ... [Alan Cain, TPWD whitetail deer program leader] ...
Density of Axis Deer in Texas: Implications for Management of Native White-tailed Deer and Associated Habitats, Texas, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management, 2023
... Estimated using distance sampling techniques in 2018 and 2019, average axis deer density was 19.7 (95% CI: 14.1 – 25.6) axis deer/km2 compared to 23.0 (95% CI: 18.2 – 27.5) white-tailed deer/km2, and axis deer densities ranged from 16.9 – 171.0 /km2 among eight different land cover types in Kimble County, TX, with a county wide estimate of 61,078 (95% CI: 30,407 – 100,369) axis deer ...
Regional Copper Deficiency in White-Tailed Deer, Texas, Open Journal of Ecology, 2023
... measurements from free-ranging white-tailed deer captured during 2011-2019 from coastal and inland rangeland sites in South Texas, USA ... The proportion of deer with deficient levels of serum copper was greater at the coastal site (66% versus 14%). Our results suggest regional mineral deficiencies in deer may limit antler and body development...
Big Thicket National Preserve asking for help in removing exotic, non-native deer species December 30, 2022 Texas, MSN.com
... The Big Thicket National Preserve is asking for the Southeast Texas community's help in removing an exotic deer species. The national preserve is allowing hunters who already have a Big Sandy Creek Unit hunting permit to dispatch any Axis deer they find...
Deer, deer hunting has multi-billion impact on economy, jobs December 27, 2022 Texas Farm Bureau
... A new report from the Southeast Deer Partnership ... in a typical year, deer hunters in the southeast spend about $8.8 billion on deer hunting... a statewide high of $852 million in salaries and wages in Texas...
Biologists stress testing harvests for CWD
December 3, 2022 Texas, Yahoo
... With the recent discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease in Kaufman County, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued a press release that its biologists are stressing the importance of testing harvested deer taken this hunting season to curb the spread of this deadly disease...
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected at a High Fence Release Site in Kaufman County November 28, 2022 Texas Parks and Wildlife - Texas.gov
... This is the first positive detection of CWD in the county... Prior to this detection, the high-fence release site was identified as a “trace herd” property to the Hunt County CWD-positive deer breeding facility reported on March 31, 2021, meaning deer were transferred from the Hunt County facility to this release site prior to discovery of CWD in that facility. Plans to conduct additional CWD investigations are underway...
Late rain helped deer, but did it help their antlers? November 28, 2022 Texas, The Victoria Advocate
... rains occurring in September and October really improved the habitat. Everything has greened up and the deer are finally getting enough to eat... A good acorn drop has helped as far as nourishment is concerned, but the drought during spring antler development period probably did affect the bucks..,
Axis deer most abundant exotic ungulate in Texas November 25, 2022 Brownwood News
... axis deer were introduced to Texas in the early 1930s and are native to South Asia ... They are considered the most abundant exotic ungulate in Texas with an estimated 15,000 free-living individuals...
Drought impacts deer hunting season in Texas November 16, 2022 Times Record News
... good fawn crops the last couple of years so there’s more bucks in those younger age classes relative to bucks in that four- to six-year-old range...
Texas Hunter Takes Deer With Three Eyes November 14, 2022 Field & Stream
... What seemed to be an abscess at first was later revealed to be a fully formed eye under the skin ...
AgriLife Extension adds wildlife specialist focused on white-tailed deer, Texas big game November 10, 2022 Texas, The Marshall News Messenger
... will concentrate on the interconnections of habitat and the animals and how landowners can influence ecology to improve species productivity based on their stewardship goals...
TPWD Establishes Two New Surveillance Zones to Test for Chronic Wasting Disease November 4, 2022, Texas, TPWD News
... two new chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance zones located primarily in Gillespie and Limestone counties... TPWD developed the zones following the detection of CWD earlier this year in a deer breeding facility located in Gillespie County and a deer breeding facility located in Limestone County...
Whitetail preview: Texas deer hunters gearing up for new season November 3, 2022 The Beaumont Enterprise
... Last year, roughly 756,000 Texas hunters shot nearly 830,000 whitetails resulting in an impressive statewide success rate of 62 percent. Among them were about 448,000 bucks and 380,000 does...
Mule deer antler production impacted by drought November 1, 2022 Texas Farm Bureau
... The lack of timely rains, and its impact on forages, has also affected the state’s mule deer population over the past couple of years. “We get lower fawn crops, and so the production of the herd goes down ... hopefully we’re going out of that.” ...
Range conditions may of May not require backing off harvest October 28, 2022 Panola Watchman
... In Texas the annual fawn survival rate generally runs 30 to 35 percent across the state, maybe higher on highly managed properties. This year it is expected to be below 30 percent... because of brutal summer conditions...
Questions Abound: Range Conditions May Of May Not Require Backing Off Harvest October 22, 2022 Texas, Longview News-Journal
... There is little doubt that this year’s fawn crop is going to be down because of brutal summer conditions... In Texas the annual fawn survival rate generally runs 30 to 35% across the state, maybe higher on highly managed properties. This year it is expected to be below 30%..,
Drought resistant October 18, 2022 Texas, mysoutex.com
... “Where fires have occurred, there’s been new grass and weed growth providing some much-needed nutrition and cover for deer,” said Alan Cain, White-Tailed Deer Program Leader for TPWD. “Although habitat conditions have improved immensely with recent rains, the timing was a bit late to have any meaningful influence on antler quality. ” ...
Chronic Wasting Disease Confirmed at a Limestone County Deer Breeding Facility September 23, 2022 Texas,TPWD News
... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) discovered Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a deer breeding facility in Limestone County. This marks the first positive detection of the disease in the county..,
Raccoon and Fawn Who Both Lost Their Moms Form a Sweet Friendship September 22, 2022 Texas, My Modern Met
... Jasper and Hope are just two of the animals who have been helped by Long and her work at nonprofit Texas Fawn and Friends... She’s expecting to have over 100 fawns to care for this year—orphans that would likely not survive without her...
Biologists Predict Moderate Hunting Conditions Ahead of White-Tailed Deer Archery-Only Season Opener Sept. 15, 2022 Texas, TPWD News
... “Where fires have occurred, there’s been new grass and weed growth providing some much-needed nutrition and cover for deer,” Cain said. “Although habitat conditions have improved immensely with recent rains, the timing was a bit late to have any meaningful influence on antler quality. ” ..,
CWD detected in Gillespie County deer breeding facility September 12, 2022 Texas Farm Bureau
... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) are collaboratively working to determine the source and extent of the first positive detection of the disease in this county..,
Chronic Wasting Disease, Texas Officials Are Taking A Big Risk To Fight A Devastating Deer Disease September 13, 2022 HuffPost
... One of the bucks that Ox Ranch Genetics bought from Gonzalez tested positive for CWD on June 23, 2021 ...Texas wildlife officials are letting a CWD-positive facility keep breeding deer. Starting next year, Ox Ranch will continue to release the deer onto portions of its 18,000-acre game ranch for hunters to shoot and eat while the research progresses ..,
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered at a Deer Breeding Facility in Gillespie County
Sept. 2, 2022 Texas Parks and Wildlife
... Immediate action has been taken to secure all deer located at the facility and plans to conduct additional CWD investigations are underway. Additionally, other breeding facilities that received deer or shipped deer to this facility, during the last five years, have been identified and placed under movement restrictions..,
Extreme drought lessens quality and quantity of white-tailed deer population August 15, 2022 Texas, YAHOO!News
... While Texas has the largest deer population in the nation -- totaling around 5.4 million last year -- Cain believes the state may be on the verge of a decline this year with the lingering drought and could possibly see increased fawn mortality if the drought continues into the upcoming growing season...,
New Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance, Containment Zones Proposed in Five Counties
Aug. 5, 2022 Texas, 2022
... As of July 2022, 371 captive or free-ranging cervids — including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk — in 14 Texas counties have tested positive for CWD. ... The proposal for commissioners includes creating a containment zone and extending the existing surveillance zone in Kimble County, extending an existing containment zone in Bandera, Medina and Uvalde counties and creating a surveillance zone in portions of Duval County, Jim Wells, Live Oak and McMullen counties...
Drought impacting deer antler quality, body weight July 25, 2022 Texas, Texas Farm Bureau
... The latest deer population survey, from 2021, estimates the deer population at 5.4 million [white-tail], which is essentially unchanged from 2020.The statewide population this fall is likely to be lower than estimates due to the expectation of below-average fawn recruitment this year...
Texas rancher’s fight to save 500-deer herd from slaughter may go to state Supreme Court July 22, 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram
... The state contends that the illness — chronic wasting disease ... is so threatening that even a few positive cases can necessitate the killing of an entire herd to prevent the spread to other captive herds or to wild deer. Williams ... says that stance is nothing but fear-mongering. He’s fighting to save the herd, which he raises for trophy hunting...
CWD, Texas Rancher Refuses To Kill Captive Deer Despite Contagious Brain Disease July 13, 2022 Yahoo
... Chronic wasting disease ... Three-quarters of the cases are in captive deer, which are usually being bred for hunting... the outbreak there started after captive deer started testing positive at five other breeding sites across the state ...
State program offers $1,000 reward in killing of Texarkana doe July 7, 2022, Texas, Texarkana Gazette
... The suspect shot the deer from a vehicle ... then turned the vehicle around and headed back towards Richmond Road ...
Texas drought impacting Whitetail outlook June 29, 2022 Beaumont Enterprise
... While current conditions are not yet as bad as 2011, Cain believes it is moving that way in a hurry. About 70 percent of the state is currently in extreme to severe drought and another 20 percent in drought or abnormally dry...
Deer in Texas Are Struggling to Grow Antlers as Drought Grips State June 28, 2022 Newsweek
... Forty-three percent of the state is currently facing extreme drought conditions, with 17 percent under "exceptional drought." ... There is an estimated population of around 5.4 million deer in Texas, but Cain expects a decline in the next year due to the drought resulting in reduced birth rates..,
Why the Texas Hill Country Will Remain a Whitetail Mecca June 28, 2022 North American Whitetail
... The Hill Country had nearly 50 deer per square mile. And that frankly was conservative... a deep and lengthy regional drought in the 1950s took a huge toll on all wildlife ... people just kept flooding into the Hill Country ... “Not all of the Hill Country has as many deer as it did back years ago,” ...
Texas Drought Is a Problem for Deer Herds and Antler Growth June 21, 2022 Outdoor Life
... Texas has a huge deer population, estimated last year at 5.4 million. But Cain believes a decline could be coming due to poor habitat from drought resulting in below average fawn numbers. “The statewide five-year average fawn recruitment is approximately 38 percent,” Cain says. “It would not be a surprise to see the 2022 estimate dip below 30 percent.” ..,
Whitetail outlook: Biologist says Texas deer are in for tough times without rain June 18, 2022 Athens Daily Review
... “As of early summer, the Texas deer population is facing some tough conditions throughout much of the state, and hunter expectations may be tempered a little for the 2022-23 hunting season,” [Alan] Cain said. “Unbearable drought has gripped two-thirds of the state with no immediate relief in sight..,
Pregnant deer gives birth on impact from car; twin fawns survive June 6, 2022 Texas, KHON2
... He shot out of her and slid across the pavement and landed in the ditch... has been named Cannon ... [the other fawn] is expected to have surgery in the coming week for his broken femur...
Ranch owners needed for axis deer survey in Texas
May 27, 2022 Farm Bureau
... Axis are socially dominant to white-tail and will displace them from high value sets, such as optimal habitat... “Axis have a really high reproductive ability,” ... In comparison, white-tailed fawn survival is heavily dependent on precipitation. ... “Axis were introduced in 1932 into a high fence property in Kerr County,” ...
Accuracy of tooth wear for aging deer May 3, 2022 Texas, Lone Star Outdoor News
... The results of tooth wear examination were correct between 43 and 51 percent of the time, but 87 percent of the estimates were within one year of the actual age... results from the labs were correct 60 to 62 percent of the time, and 93 percent were within one year...
Changes to white-tailed, mule deer hunting regulations April 20, 2022 Texas Farm Bureau
... To curb excessive mule deer buck harvest, the commission approved a proposal extending mule deer antler restrictions in an additional 21 counties in the Panhandle. Shawn Gray, TPWD mule deer and pronghorn program leader, told the commission the move follows a successful experiment that begin in 2018 and 2019 in seven southwest Panhandle counties...
Soto receives $13 million NIH grant to further research on chronic wasting disease April 13, 2022
Texas, EurekAlert!
... “The problem is that, even though the number of CWD cases is rising in the U.S., we don’t know if this disease can be transmitted to humans, like what happened with mad cow disease,” Soto said...
A Texas rancher fights the state over its plan to kill his 500 deer April 8, 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram
... The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has slated the farm east of Dallas for depopulation after several deer in the herd tested positive for a deer-specific illness called chronic wasting disease ...
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approves hunting regulations changes April 3, 2022 Texas, Athens Daily Review
... Modify the definitions of “buck deer” and “antlerless deer.” ... Extend the general mule deer season in 15 southwestern Panhandle counties from nine to 16 days and add a special archery season...
'Don't you worry, it's only money': Two days at a Texas whitetail deer auction April 3, 2022 Texas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
... straw of semen from a buck named Perfect Dream, sold for $2,500. A doe fawn ... sold for $6,500. A bred doe for $19,000 ... one doe fawn ... sold, $42,500 ...
Making big bucks: Inside Texas’ million-dollar whitetail deer breeding industry April 3, 2022 Texas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
...In the whitetail deer breeding world, the end-of-the-line customer is a hunter, who pays to shoot whitetail bucks whose antlers and build have been perfected through generations of selective breeding... the political and monetary stakes have been heightened by ... chronic wasting disease ...
'It's wrong' | Overpopulation of hundreds of deer in North Texas neighborhood causing issues March 29, 2022 Texas, WFAA8
... a Granbury association to install drop nets throughout the community, but many residents don't agree this is the right approach... she has heard the deer being caught crying and thrashing in the nets... [video below]
Biologists spot rare, black mule deer in Texas, video show March 29, 2022 Charlotte Observer
... “The rarest of rare,” the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife said in a March 29 Facebook post, sharing the video... This special deer appears all black except for quick flashes of white fur as it dashes ...
Oh dear! Poor deer gets stuck in Fort Bend County fence March 10, 2022 Texas, khou.com
... Booty sticking out one side, head on the other... You can watch the deer rescue ...
Medicated corn feeders to disinfest cattle fever ticks, Boophilus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae), from a suburban population of white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Cervidae) March, 2022. Experimental and Applied Acarology.
... As detailed in the present study an intensive effort was successful in eradicating a local outbreak of fever ticks ...Whole kernel corn was mixed with Ivomec® pour-on for cattle acquired from Merial Limited (Duluth, GA, USA). For dosing, 200 ml of the formulation containing 5 mg ivermectin/ml was mixed with 45 kg of clean corn to produce 10 mg of ivermectin active ingredient per 0.45 kg of corn (Pound et al. 1966). The treated corn was placed in gravity flow feeders which are commercially available, top-lid, plastic bins with four feed tubes, one at each corner (Texas Hunter Products, Meridian, MS, USA)...
Forest Service reduces wildfire risk, improves forest health March 8, 2022 Texas, The Lufkin Daily New
... Prescribed burns benefit wildlife habitat by removing dead and dying vegetation from the understory, which improves the availability of forage and the quality of browse for wildlife. Reducing the underbrush also improves brood and nesting habitat for turkey, quail, deer, and other wildlife species...
Lynn Burkhead TPWD seeks public input on Grayson County rifle season February 24, 2022 Herald Democrat, Herald Democrat
... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as the Austin-based agency brings a rifle deer season proposal to Grayson County once again. In the previous attempts over the past quarter century, packed public meetings were held locally as residents generally spoke against the proposals and made it clear that a rifle season is not what they want in their backyard...
TikTok's 'Deer Whisperer' has a San Antonio connection January 31, 2022 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... Smith, who is originally from San Antonio, is known as the TikTok "Deer Whisperer" with more than 2 million followers waiting to watch his daily feed...
Are Deer in COVID’s Crosshairs? January 31, 2022 Texas, Drovers Cattle Network
... There are more than 10,000 captive cervid facilities throughout the U.S. where deer are bred, according to The Wildlife Society, and more than 500 of these facilities are in Texas... “The level of infection we detected, which was more than 90% of the tested captive deer at one facility, cannot be explained by human contact alone,” ...
Someone with a crossbow is killing deer in northwest Austin, TPWD investigating January 26, 2022 Texas, KXAN
... at least six deer identified who were shot by someone. Four were found dead and two are still unaccounted for ... “Typically people around here love the deer.” ...
... As SARS-CoV-2 vaccine coverge of the human population increases and variants of concern continue to emerge, identification of the epidemiologic importance of animal virus reservoirs is critical. We found that nearly all (94.4%) of the captive white-tailed deer at a cervid facility in central Texas had neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2...
'It's disgusting' | Neighbors react to deer shot with arrows in the Great Hill Greenbelt December 28, 2021 Texas, KVUE
... Texas game wardens are looking for more information after four deer have been seen with arrows sticking out of them in the Great Hills area... "You can see where it is in his thigh." ...
Researchers find evidence of COVID-19 in Texas deer December 24, 2021 Spectrum News
... Evidence of neutralizing antibodies was found in more than a third of the samples. COVID-19 additionally appears to be more common among male deer...
SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies in White-Tailed Deer from Texas 2021 Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2021
... SARS-CoV-2 antibody was not detected in 40 deer sera samples collected during 2018, but 37% (20/54) samples collected in 2021 were positive for antibody. The seroprevalence rate between males and females differed significantly (p < 0.05) and the highest rate (82%) was detected in the 1.5-year-old animals. These findings extended the geographical range of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection among white-tailed deer in the United States and further confirm that infection was common among this species...
Passers-by rescue deer stuck upside-down in fence along Whitehouse road December 8, 2021 Texas, KLTV
... deer had his hind leg wedged between the fence post and the hog wire, and it was bleeding... cut through the thick fencing to set the deer free...
Deer movement rules change November 19, 2021 Texas, Lone Star Outdoor News
... Mitch Lockwood, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Big Game Program Director, said the epidemiology suggests previous rules weren’t effective in preventing the disease, given recent discoveries at breeding facilities... “We’ve lost 112 deer breeders because of the costs associated with these rules,” said Texas Deer Association President John True. “We’ve dropped from 980 to 868 breeders ...
Expect extra patrol for mule deer hunting season November 19, 2021 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... mule deer season ... generally brings hunters from across the country to the south plains for the opportunity to hunt a buck... Wardens will be enforcing a minimum antler restriction in Floyd, Briscoe, Childress, Cottle, Hall, Motley and Lynn counties. A legal buck deer are ones having antler spread of 20 inches or greater...
Deer season gets started with a bang November 13, 2021 Texas, wacotrib.com
... With traditional hunting grounds turning into housing developments, people selling off their land ... an increased demand on a dwindling supply, another issue for hunters is that prices on available leases are rising ...
Chronic Wasting Disease: TPWD ramping up containment efforts as deadly deer disease lands in East Texas November 8, 2021 Texas, The Beaumont Enterprise
... 168 of those positives are linked to captive deer breeding facilities, 25 from release sites associated with those positive captive breeding facilities, and 68 in free-ranging deer populations.... 57 of the free-range positives are in the Trans Pecos and Panhandle, with the remaining 11 in Medina and Val Verde counties..,
Feral Hog contraceptive introduced to help curb population growth October 24, 2021 Utah, KLTV
... Texas A and M AgriLife extension service is testing out a new feral hog contraceptive ... The issue is we need to target it just to feral hogs. We don’t want the deer population for example for them to eat this bait and then for them to not reproduce. That would be awful...
A Hard Life: Deer Face A Number Of Hurdles Before Reaching Maturity October 22, 2021 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... fawn survival statewide this year is expected to be 45 to 50 %, a high number considering it is typically below 40 %. mild spring and summer that provided plenty of food and water ... predators can account for from 10 to 90 % of fawn loss in a year..,
Biologists Predict an Exceptional 2021-22 General White-Tailed Deer Season Oct. 20, 2021 Texas, TPWD News
The statewide white-tailed deer population is estimated to be around 5.4 million deer and while it is down slightly from previous years, fawn recruitment (fawn survival rates) predictions indicate an overall robust population increase headed into the season.... Estimated deer densities in the Post Oak Savannah ecoregion range from 32 to 89 deer per 1,000 acres...
Chronic Wasting Disease: TPWD ramping up containment efforts in East Texas October 16, 2021, Jacksonville Daily Progress
... the disease has been documented in 261 Texas deer in 14 different counties. According to TPWD reports, 168 of those positives are linked to captive deer breeding facilities, 25 from release sites associated with those positive captive breeding facilities, and 68 in free-ranging deer populations...
Biologists Remind Landowners and Hunters to Be Mindful of CWD Ahead of Deer Season October 1, 2021 TPWD News
... recent discoveries of new cases bring the total number of CWD positive deer to 261 in 14 counties. To date, 168 of those positives are associated with captive breeding facilities, 25 from release sites associated with those positive captive breeding facilities, and 68 in free-ranging deer populations. Fifty-seven of the free-range positives are in the Trans Pecos and Texas panhandle, with the remaining 11 in Medina and Val Verde counties...
Biologists Say White-Tailed Deer Population Looks Strong Ahead of Archery-Only Season Opener Sept. 17, 2021 Texas, TPWD News Release
AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists say that 2021-22 is expected to be a white-tailed deer season for the books. Last year, the overall white-tailed deer population was estimated to be 5.4 million deer. While that estimate is down from the previous two years, TPWD biologists say that if fawn recruitment predictions hold true this season, coupled with good carryover of deer from last hunting season, hunters and landowners can expect to see an increase in the overall statewide white-tailed deer population...
Cottonwood Shores restricts deer feeding September 17, 2021 Texas, Marble Falls
... Feeding deer within 50 feet of a road in the city of Cottonwood Shores is now prohibited. The City Council approved an ordinance ... also bans electronic feeders. Those who want to feed deer must do so by hand and be at least 50 feet from a road...
Deer Outlook Positive Across Texas For Bow Season September 9, 2021 Tyler Morning Telegraph
.... After going through an early winter drought, followed by a record freeze, a wet spring and relatively mild summer have resulted in a boon to Texas’ white-tailed deer statewide...
The Other White Meat September 8, 2021 Texas, BlueBonnetNews.com
... The Texas Game Warden Criminal Investigation Division (CID) provided Bexar County Game Wardens with information regarding an individual selling deer meat on Craigslist... the suspect admitted to attempting to sell the deer meat and gave information where the white-tailed deer had been killed. The individual was cited for selling white-tailed deer meat...
Deer season looms, but what will it look like? September 3, 2021 California, The Beaumont Enterprise
... “Landowners and hunters should expect to see an increase in the overall statewide population if fawn recruitment predictions hold true coupled with a good carryover of deer from the 2020 hunting season,” Cain said...
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered at a Deer Breeding Facility in Duval County August 27, 2021 Texas, TPWD News
... Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered in a deer breeding facility in Duval County, marking the first positive detection of the disease in the county. The tissue samples were submitted by the deer breeding facility as part of required CWD surveillance programs..,
2021 Deer Preview August 26, 2021 Texas, Athens Daily Review
... Cain says antler quality is expected to be above average for most regions. Likewise, fawn recruitment is forecast to be well above average for much of the state, possibly as high as 45-50 percent... The Edwards Plateau maintains the state’s highest deer density with a population estimated at more than 2.05 million ... April and May. Big rains fell across much of the state and the native landscape blossomed ...,
Texas reports anthrax in white-tailed deer July 17, 2021 NewsDesk
...The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) reported the confirmation of anthrax in a captive white-tailed deer herd on a Val Verde County premises on July 11, 2021. ...
Emergency order issued after 6 breeding facilities test positive for 'zombie deer' disease June 26, 2021 Texas, WOAI San Antonio
... The infected deer at these breeding facilities will be securely quarantined and those six sites, as well as deer from 264 other sites in 95 counties directly linked to those facilities... enhanced testing requirements for facilities with close epidemiological ties to the CWD-positive facilities and antemortem testing of deer ...
Caught on Camera: Opossums, bunnies, coyotes and deer using land bridge June 22, 2021, Texas, WOAI San Antonio
...A study of wildlife crossings by the University of Natural Resources Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, recommends crossings be a minimum of 50 meters wide (164 feet) at the base and as little as 8 meters (26 feet) at the center to encourage wildlife to use it. Hardberger Park’s Land Bridge is larger ...
Spring rain mostly beneficial to wildlife June 19, 2021 Texas, The Dallas Morning News
... Cain says spring rains are always a huge benefit to deer, mainly because the moisture fuels the growth of lush habitat to support good body conditions and fawn production and spur antler growth. “The copious amounts of rain this spring have also helped to replenish soil moisture,” ... “We haven’t seen spring rains like this in years,”..,
Zombies, Semen, and Big Racks: Inside The Texas Deer Breeding Industry June 20, 2021 The Daily Beast
... Throughout the state there are approximately 950 deer ranches ... “Without movement like this, the disease would take maybe 10 years to spread across the state ... But because they’re being shipped all over, the disease has made its way from the western part of Texas to the eastern part in less than four months.” ... Deer breeders, on the other hand, are vehemently opposed to further regulations ..,
Texas Breeder Deer May Have Spread Brain Disease Into The Wild June 1, 2021 HuffPost
... breeders sold potentially infected animals to hundreds of buyers and released them on game ranches across the state... The state’s tracing effort has identified 267 sites that received deer from what have grown to five facilities with positive results — including 101 sites where deer bred in captivity were released...,
Heavy rains could be a benefit for Texas wildlife and fisheries May 26, 2021 Athens Daily Review
... “This sort of precipitation accelerates new growth on the native plants, both forbs and shrubs preferred by deer, resulting in dramatic improvements in habitat conditions in most parts of the state,” [Alan Cain] ... any additional flooding in coming weeks could hamper fawn production ..,
TPWD Institutes Fee For Managed Lands Deer Programs May 15, 2021 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... In 1998 there were 813 tracts of land enrolled in MLDP covering about 3.1 million acres. Last year there were 6,513 properties covering almost 29 million acres, or about 17 percent of Texas ... The goal of the program was simply to give landowners and hunters wanting to intensively manage their deer herd as much leeway as possible ...
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered at Deer Breeding Facilities in Matagorda and Mason Counties May 14, 2021, TPWD News
... both deer breeding facilities had received deer from a Uvalde County premises where CWD was found on March 29... TPWD and TAHC officials have taken immediate action to secure all cervids at the Matagorda County and Mason County deer breeding facilities and plan to conduct additional investigations for CWD..,
Estimating numbers of deer on the ranch May 7, 2021 Texas, Lone Star Outdoor News
... helicopter surveys excel in certain areas. “When it comes to the age structure of the deer and the buck-to-doe ratios, they are really good,” he said. “When it comes to absolute counts of the number of deer on the ranch — that’s what we’re trying to improve.” ...
A Texas Rancher Cloned Deer For Years. Some Lawmakers Want To Legalize It April 21, 2021 HuffPost
... to grow bigger game for the deep-pocketed customers willing to pay well over $10,000 to shoot them. The proposed law, from state Rep. Matt Krause of Fort Worth, would legalize cloning ...Abraham said his is the only business in the country cloning deer ― or rather, it was, until Texas officials shut him down last year...
Fatal deer disease found in Hunt County April 16, 2021 Texas, Yahoo
... the first confirmed CWD case in northeast Texas ... Another case, also in a captive breeding facility, was discovered in Uvalde County where previous cases already have been diagnosed..,
Confirmed cougar sighting in East Texas April 8, 2021 Tyler Morning Telegraph
... “This is the first clean picture I’ve seen in over 30 years of being a veterinarian.” ... The cougar, on the right, walking up behind three deer [photo] ..,
Managed Lands Deer Program enrollment is now open for 2021-22 season April 7, 2021 Texas, North Texas e-News
... Deer harvest is an important aspect of habitat management and conservation. Landowners enrolled in either the MLDP Harvest Option or Conservation Option can take advantage of extended season lengths and property-specific customized harvest opportunities...
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered at Deer Breeding Facilities in Hunt and Uvalde Counties March 31, 2021 Texas, TPWD News
... Officials have taken immediate action to secure all deer at the Uvalde County and Hunt County deer breeding facilities and plan to conduct additional investigations for CWD. In addition, other breeding facilities that received deer from these facilities or shipped deer to these facilities during the last five years are under movement restrictions and cannot move or release deer at this time..,
New hunting regulation allows dogs to track wounded deer in some East Texas counties March 26, 2021 Texas, CBS19.tv KYTX
... Remove the prohibition on trailing wounded deer with dogs in Angelina, Hardin, Nacogdoches, Orange, Shelby, and Tyler counties; In addition, allow the trailing of wounded deer to no more than two dogs on a leash in Jasper, Newton, Sabine, and San Augustine counties ...
Sun City homeowners calling on community to stop trapping deer with nets March 25, 2021 Texas, KXAN.com
... homeowners in Sun City are raising concerns over a deer trapping program that’s been in place in their exclusive retirement community for 17 years. “The primary reason why we relocated here was because of the wildlife and the natural beauty,” ...
He told cops he hit a deer with his car. The gunshot wound proved otherwise March 19, 2021 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... Wardens were able to track down the person who dumped the dead doe, which had its backstrap carved out...
Forest Service reduces wildfire risk, improves forest health with controlled burns March 18, 2021 Texas, North Texas e-News
... Controlled burning dramatically reduces the chances of a wildfire spreading out of control, and burning underbrush promotes new growth of tender vegetation beneficial to wildlife such as deer, turkey, and birds...
Texas Parks and Wildlife ask for public's help to track deadly deer disease March 7, 2021 Texas, KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com
... have asked the public to look out for chronic wasting disease (CWD)... The deer are real skinny, or it looks like they’re foaming out of their mouth, and kind of like they’re wandering around lost ...
Texas wildlife ranch cancels group hunting after losing more than 2,000 Axis deer in deep freeze March 8, 2021 Texas, My San Antonio
... Texas Canyon Ranch lost more than 2,000 of its 4,000 Axis deer population ... is under a Texas Parks and Wildlife Managed Lands Deer Permits program ..,
Winter Freeze 'Crushed' Nonnative Deer March 3, 2021 Texas, Texas Standard
... Axis deer are native to India, but there are at least 125,000 of them now in Texas... live on private game reserves ... “They’re from hot climates that don’t get that cold..,
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered in Lubbock County March 1, 2021 Texas, TWPD News
... Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered in a free-ranging 8 ½-year-old mule deer in Lubbock County, marking the first positive detection of the disease in the county .., TPWD collected more than 13,000 samples across the state and confirmed CWD in 11 free range mule deer and 5 white-tailed deer ..,
Axis Deer Had Overrun the Hill Country. The Winter Storm Devastated Them February 28, 2021 Texas, Texas Monthly
... Introduced to Texas about eighty years ago, axis deer do not handle freezing temperatures well... About 70 percent of the species reproduce in February, so the cold snap hit when they were at their most vulnerable. Most of the axis carcasses belonged to newborn fawns and pregnant does...
Public help sought to report fish and wildlife impacted by winter storm in Texas February 27, 2021 Texas, KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com
... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is asking for the public’s help in reporting any animal mortality events they observe on their property, ranches, or in their neighborhoods through this project on the iNaturalist website...TPWD does not foresee any significant losses of white-tailed or mule deer..,
More than two dozen native deer froze to death outside a ranch in San Antonio February 19, 2021 Texas, KIIITV.com
... The massive ice storm that hit our state has also affected wildlife ... Two dozen native and non-native deer froze to death in the artic storm..,
Did Bonfire Legend Go Too Far by Shooting a Live Deer for Run Hide Fight? January 28, 2021 Texas, Dallas Observer
... "No animals were harmed in the making of this film" reminder at the end of its closing credits because the movie's producers arranged for a professional hunter to kill the animal so they could film it ...
Lakeway revisits controversial deer management program January 22, 2021 Texas, Austin American-Statesman
... According to wildlife biologist Nicholas Kolbe, Lakeway’s deer population is healthy but will probably decrease rather than increase ... the herd composition being 65% female, 17% male and 18% juvenile ... at or close to a maximum carrying capacity for the area; however, he said the risk of the deer population growing beyond current numbers is minimal ...
'It's very rare': Texas Game Wardens bust another facility for unfit deer meat. This time in Poteet January 21, 2021 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... In nearly two months, the Texas Game Wardens have released information about finding spoiled deer carcasses at three processing facilities – two in North Texas and one in Poteet just south of San Antonio in Atascosa County ...
Texas Game Wardens bust local meat processing plant, discover 80 rotten deer carcasses January 13, 2021 mySanAntonio.com
... Wardens discovered the spoiled deer during a routine compliance inspection at Hooves and Horns meat processing facility in Iowa Park, according to a Tuesday news release from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department...
Crossing to safety: How driver attention and innovative design can help protect wildlife January 10, 2021 Texas, Click2Houston
... innovative yet low-tech measure to minimize nighttime deer collisions is a rear-facing light bar mounted on the front of a vehicle. Illuminating the grill area presents a more visible looming object, reducing the “frozen in the headlights” behavior of deer. Researchers report the use of light bars reduces the likelihood of hitting a deer from 35 percent to 10 percent...
Mama hides illegal deer meat under couch while son is questioned by Texas game wardens January 8, 2021 FOX 29
... Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens were checking out a poaching complaint and discovered a suspect who shot a white-tailed doe without the landowner's consent...
Researcher develops tool to prevent chronic wasting disease January 2, 2021 Texas, Jill Lopez
... certain aspects of the white-tailed deer’s response to chronic wasting disease (CWD) are moderately to highly heritable ... This custom tool, a novel array designed by Seabury, can be used to predict a white-tailed deer’s responses to CWD exposure with high accuracy and specificity ...
Why did the wildlife cross the land bridge? December 26, 2020 Texas, The Journal Gazette
... “The 150-foot long land bridge is the first in the world designed for safe passage for both people and wildlife,” ... spans the Wurzbach Parkway in San Antonio...
San Antonio unveils new wildlife land bridge December 16, 2020 Texas, Inhabitat
... We’ve had some accidents between cars and deer especially ... The newly built Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge now connects two sections of a San Antonio park that were previously separated by a highway...
Wildlife officials confirm rare mountain lion sighting in North Texas December 1, 2020 Texas, RADIO.COM
... Texas Parks and Wildlife officials have confirmed a mountain lion sighting in the state from time to time. There was one in Grayson County a couple of years ago, but this one is the first in Dallas County ...
A Different Game: No Stranger To Texas, Elk Population Growing In West Texas November 28, 2020 Tyler Morning Telegraph
... Evidence of elk in western Texas is found in Native American petroglyphs, but there are also historical writings by explorers going back to the 1600s documenting sightings of large herds ... with settlers came unregulated hunting and loss of habitat ... The elks’ range shrunk to the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas ... the last remaining animals were gone by the late 1800s..,
Study shows culling doesn’t always produce intended results November 15, 2020 Texas, Panola Watchman
... The culling of bucks has been a key component in the era of deer management in Texas... Has it made a difference? For removing deer to reduce mouths or improve sex ratios, yes. If the goal was to improve genetics, the answer according to a 13-year study of deer in the wild, the answer is no ...
Texas Supreme Court reaffirms public own state's white-tailed deer November 13, 2020 Brownwood Bulletin
... The Texas Supreme Court rejected an appeal by deer breeders challenging Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) rules and seeking to have breeder deer in the state deemed private property...
Doe harvest recommended this season in high-density areas of Texas November 8, 2020 Houston Chronicle
... Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recommends the Texas Hill Country as an area of the state that could generally use some doe harvest. Home to approximately 2.4 million white-tailed deer, the Edwards Plateau has the highest deer density in the state... More available nutrition can help bucks reach their genetic potential with antlers and body condition...
TPWD experts see big year for South Texas white-tails November 5, 2020 Texas, Valley morning Star
... TPWD officials say the deer population in the region is stable with most recent estimates putting the white-tailed number at an estimated 438,000... The Edwards Plateau in central Texas has the highest deer population in the state with an estimated 2.37 million deer...
Texas deer season preview: Quality over quantity November 4, 2020 Houston Chronicle
... Studies have shown that deer hunting generates $1.2 billion in revenue for the state’s economy each year... much of the state saw timely spring and early summer rains that spurred the growth of nutrition-rich forbs and an explosion of new growth on shrubs... The Edwards Plateau population is down somewhat due to a 2019 anthrax outbreak ..,
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Predicts Above Average Hunting Season Ahead of General Deer Season Opener October 29, 2020NBC DFW
... The Edwards Plateau in central Texas has the highest deer population in the state with an estimated 2.37 million deer ... Mild temperatures and beneficial rains this spring should warrant a good season in South Texas ... most recent estimates numbering close to 438,000 deer..,
Public ownership of Texas’ white-tailed deer re-affirmed October 19, 2020 Houston Chronicle
... The Texas Supreme Court recently denied review of an appeal in the case of Bailey & Peterson v. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, affirming that the state’s white-tailed deer herd, including those held by breeders, are owned by the public...
Out-of-State Hunters Arrested for Multiple Violations October 13, 2020 Texas, County 17
... taking a deer without a license and one count of wasting or abandoning big game ...
Granite Shoals pauses deer program due to lack of volunteers October 5, 2020 Texas, DailyTrib.com
... Due to a lack of volunteers, Granite Shoals is putting on hold its annual deer management program, which includes a fall archery hunt to reduce the white-tailed deer population in the city....
Evaluating the Influence of Federal Prescribed Fire Regimes in East Texas on White-tailed Deer Body Condition and Antler Size, 2020, Proceedings of the 20th Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference, TP Wall, BP Oswald, KR Kidd, RL Darville [PDF]
... Deer antler beam and inside mean spread were significantly greater at 2 years post-burn than at less than 1 year post-burn. These results indicate that frequent prescribed fire is physiologically beneficial to white-tailed deer...
Recent Weather Sets High Expectations for Archery-Only Season Opener September 29, 2020 Texas, tpwd.texas.gov
... “Recent precipitation throughout Texas has resulted in a flush of new growth on preferred native deer forages and should set the stage for good winter weed production, critical for deer late in the season,” ... TPWD biologists estimate that the state’s deer population is around 5.5 million deer, or a density of 49.25 deer per 1,000 acres..,
97A wildlife fence helps reduce vehicle/animal collisions September 23, 2020 Texas, Quad City Herald
... Parts of 97A between Chelan and Wenatchee have been the scene of scores of animal/vehicle accidents over the years and led to a cooperative effort between public/private group to install miles of wildlife fencing along portions of the road’s west side to help keep mule deer and bighorns away from the highway...
Statewide Outlook Good For Early Season Deer Hunting September 13, 2020 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... “The spring rains helped many areas of the state, including South Texas, Edwards Plateau, and areas west, recover from very dry conditions persisting from fall and winter of 2019. Vegetation has responded positively to the spring moisture with an abundance of quality forbs and an explosion of new growth on shrubs both of which are critical for providing good deer nutrition,” ... Texas has an estimated 5.5 million white-tailed deer ..,
Texas A&M Researchers Developing Oral Anthrax Vaccine August 20, 2020 Bovine Veterinarian
... If successful, they will have developed the first effective oral vaccine against anthrax for wildlife. “The preliminary results showed that this concept has potential, so now we are starting up a deer study and we’ll see where it goes from there,” ...
Local deer finally free August 16, 2020 Texas, hccommunityjournal.com
... The deer had been a familiar sight roaming Kerrville near Barbara Ann Street since November, sporting a trash can lid stuck, inexplicably, around her head for the past 9 months... McCoy successfully cornered the deer in a back yard and removed the trash can lid off her head ...
Genetic selection may reduce CWD among farmed deer August 12, 2020 Texas, American Veterinary Medical Association
... Dr. Seabury said his team also plans to study susceptibility in wild deer populations. State wildlife agencies could use that information to relocate white-tailed deer with reduced susceptibility into areas where, for example, anthrax killed substantial numbers of deer...
Texas A&M Researchers Developing First Oral Anthrax Vaccine For Livestock, Wildlife August 11, 2020 Texas A&M University
... recently published the results of a pilot study in Nature ... If successful, they will have developed the first effective oral vaccine against anthrax for wildlife. “The preliminary results showed that this concept has potential, so now we are starting up a deer study ...
South and East Texas deer forecast August 10, 2020 Victoria Advocate
... South Texas Brush Country ... The season ended very dry. Ranches with supplemental feed program fared better... estimates 438,000 deer with densities ranging from 15 deer/1,000 acres to 40/1,000. Sex ratio is about 2.2 does/buck ... East Texas has roughly 286,000 deer and densities range from 7.88 deer/1,000 acres in the southern portion to 25.25/1,000 in the center ..,
Hill Country/West Texas deer forecast August 4, 2020 Wilson County News
... Texas white-tailed deer population has grown to an estimated 5.5 million deer ... Statewide, good rains fell at the right time (April, May, June) to spur vegetation ... The Hill Country has the most whitetails in Texas, nearly 2.37 million... populations in western areas of the region are down due to an anthrax outbreak last year... The Eastern and Western Rolling Plains ... are lower due to sparse rainfall..,
Experimental antler restrictions paying early dividends for Texas mule deer hunters July 23, 2020 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... 20-inch minimum spread since 2018 ... “The age structure looks like it’s getting older in the harvest and the sex ratio is becoming more natural, instead of being skewed from overharvest,” ... TPWD collected data at four check stations in the Panhandle ...
CVM Researcher Develops Tool To Improve Chronic Wasting Disease Resistance In White-Tailed Deer July 17, 2020 Texas, Texas A&M University
... certain aspects of the white-tailed deer’s response to chronic wasting disease (CWD) are moderately to highly heritable, or passed from parent to offspring, and can be predicted using a custom genomic tool designed by Seabury and his team...
Texas white-tailed deer hunters can look forward to a favorable 2020-21 season July 15, 2020 North Texas e-News
... TPWD biologists estimate that the state’s deer population is around 5.5 million deer, or a density of 49.25 deer per 1,000 acres... Spring rains allowed many regions of the state, including South Texas, Edwards Plateau and areas west to recover from last year’s very dry fall and winter, leading to an abundance of quality forbs and shrubs ..,
Life in the 'A-list community' of Hollywood Park July 12, 2020 Texas, mySanAntonio.com
... Hollywood Park takes its commitment to wildlife preservation so seriously that it has a Deer Committee for the continued health and safety of its deer population.) “Hollywood Park is the crown jewel of the A-list communities within the San Antonio area ...
Texas CWD Testing shows scale of effort to contain Deadly Deer Disease April 29, 2020 Texas, El Paso Herald-Post
... The CWD testing year that ended in February produced just shy of 13,000 CWD samples statewide ... Texas recorded 26 new confirmed CWD positives, with six additional “suspect positives” awaiting confirmation. That includes CWD found in a new area, Val Verde County ...
Chronic Waste Disease found at Texas deer breeding facility February 27, 2020 Texas, KENS
... Chronic Waste Disease has been found in a five and a half-year-old white-tailed deer breeding facility, making it the first positive detection of the disease in the county ...
New fees for managed lands deer permit system (MLDP) February 22, 2020 Texas, Austin American-Statesman
... The MLDP system grew out of complains lodged with TPWD at least as far back as the early 1980s, during discussions and plans to pass the Wildlife Conservation Act in Texas. That landmark piece of legislation allowed TPWD to set seasons and bag limits throughout the state and ended the outdated system whereby county commissioners courts could set seasons for the hunters in their county...
CWD, Texas Parks and Wildlife conducting Aerial Mule Deer Surveys in El Paso February 14, 2020 El Paso Herald-Post
... The first case of CWD in Texas was discovered in 2012 in free-ranging mule deer in the Hueco Mountains of far West Texas. The disease has since been detected in free-ranging mule deer, white-tailed deer, and elk in ... in the northwest Panhandle. The first case of CWD in Texas white-tailed deer was found in a Medina County deer-breeding facility in 2015 ..,
Drought-like conditions this winter are a concern for wildlife February 1, 2020 Texas, Tyler Morning Telegraph
... now about 40 percent of the state is in moderate drought conditions and just over 10 percent is already facing severe drought conditions ... a long way from October 2011 when 88 percent of the state was in an exceptional drought, a period of extended drought that almost completely took out a year-class of deer ...
Texas Parks and Wildlife approves fee structure for Managed Lands Deer Program January 23, 2020 Texas, Houston Chronicle
... The harvest option is self-service and provides automated tag issuances that aren’t site-specific. The conservation option, which accounts for 83 percent of enrollment, provides customized one-on-one assistance from TPWD staff and tag issuances that are tailored to each property. Conservation option participants are required to have a wildlife management plan, conduct population surveys and improve habitat...
Granite Shoals bans automatic deer feeders within city limits January 17, 2020 Texas, Marble Falls
... City Manager Jeff Looney emphasized that officials aren’t telling residents they can’t feed the deer. “They want people to still feed the deer by hand in spreading of the feed for them,” he said. “You can do that. They want to discontinue the automatic feeders.” ...
Texas Deer News and Information Archive by Topic: Population and Management, Deer in the News, Disease, Suburban
Texas Deer: A rough deer population estimate of 5 million or slightly above after drought in 2022 moderated deer numbers with the deer hunt down by 17.8% from 2021. Lower deer populations into 2023, but good weather conditions in 2023 supporting deer. The 2023 Population Forecast.
The mule deer population declined from 191,000 in 2021 to 183,257 in 2022. Not included in the count is a growing number of Axis deer and other exotics.
The state estimated the whitetail population to be down slightly in 2021 at 5.4 million. There were also an estimated 191,000 mule deer in 2021 bringing the total deer population to about 5.6 million. Some deer died during the cold snap of February, 2021, many of the around 125,000 Axis deer (not included in the population estimates), but heavy spring rains dramatically improved habitat in parts of the state. Deer hunters had a 62 percent success rate in 2021. There were about 950 deer ranches in 2021, but fell to 868 with the decline attributed to the cost of chronic wasting disease prevention.
The state estimated about 5.44 million whitetail deer in 2020 with about 209,000 mule deer bringing the population to 5.65 million. Texas also has many deer in hunting ranches. About 15,000 wild Axis deer, most Axis deer are in hunting ranches.
The graph below shows the estimated population from 1999 to 2021 using recent data from Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Texas Parks and Wildlife revised its population survey method resulting in an increase in the original estimates for populations in 2017 and 2018. Two years of good rain going into 2017 also increased the population, as reflected in the increased deer kill illustrated in the graph below. The significant 2016 increase in the deer hunt numbers illustrated in the chart below suggests the population indicates there was a population increase in 2016 rather than 2017. Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife
As the chart below shows, the Texas White-tailed deer population had been roughly stable from about 1986 to 2016. Data at the bottom of this column.
A state estimate of 5.5 million deer with 5.3 million whitetails in 2019 as a result of good rainfall and ample forage. A rough estimate of about 200,000 mule deer in 2019, many in the Trans-Pecos, a population generally in decline. Over 700,000 hunters. A 2019 average of about one deer per 6 to 7 acres. The Cross Timbers region had about 600,000 deer or 56 deer per 1,000 acres. Post Oak Savannah has about 400,000, 35 per 1,000 acres. PIneywoods has a much lower estimated deer population, about 260,000 deer. The state average is about 40 deer per 1,000 acres, about 26 per square mile. Texas maintains good deer demographics, with over 60 percent of bucks killed 3.5 years or older. Before antler restrictions, this group was only 30-35 percent of the harvest.
A preliminary estimate of nearly 4.6 million whitetails in 2018 and nearly 300,000 mule deer following good rainfall in September and abundant food, although summer drought in some areas reduced populations. In 2018 TPWD estimated for eastern Texas 220,000 and 284,000 over the last five years, about 2.6 million in Edward's Plateau. Good rainfall for 2018 in south Texas increased fawn survival and provided good forage for deer in much of the state in the fall, with deer less likely to come to corn feeders.
A preliminary estimate of 4.3 million whitetail deer in 2017 with about 230,000 mule deer. A dry summer following two years of widespread consistent rain and good habitat conditions. Wild pigs continue to compete with deer for food, killing fawns, and reducing populations. The deer genome was sequenced at Baylor College and made public in 2017. About 6,000 Axis deer in the wild who have escaped from hunting ranches.
A total deer population estimated at 4.2 million in 2016, up from about 4 million in 2015 and 3.95 million deer in 2014, as result of significant rainfall. The 2016 spring and summer was one of the wettest in decades. Increased hunting recommended for 2016 in the western Panhandle and Post Oak Savannah region. Prices for deer hunts plummeted in 2016, thought to be a result of a downturn in the oil industry who send executives and clients on corporate hunts.
About 160,000 deer raised by 1,300 deer breeders in 2016. About 700,000 deer hunters. About 110,000 deer in 1265 captive breeding farms in 2016, up from 946 farms in 2006. The Hill Country had the highest deer population in 2016, an estimated 2.2 million deer, or 118 deer per 1,000 acres, 76 per square mile.
For 2015 the mule deer population is estimated at 209,732. A population estimate of 3.95 deer in 2015 about the same in 2014 with an estimate of 3.95 million whitetails, the highest whitetail population since 2005. South Texas had good rains and a mild summer in 2014 and 2015 with ample food that has increased fawn production. About 6,000 axis deer roaming the state in 2014, escaped from captivity. Good weather in spring 2014 improved fawn survival and deer health. Generally good fawn recruitment, over 45 percent, in 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2013. A hunting success rate of about 70 percent in 2013. Antler restrictions were in place for 117 counties requiring at least a 13 inch inside spread. An estimated $1.5 billion annually related to Texas deer hunts, $2.2 billion including deer breeding and tourism according to a Texas A&M study.
An estimated 3.8 million white-tail deer in 2013 before deer hunting seasons, 39 deer per 1,000 acres on average. About 3.7 million in 2012, but one estimate of 3.3 million in 2012 with some recovery from the 2011 drought. Little fawn in 2011 as a result of the severe drought, almost as low in 2008-2009. No fawn production in the panhandle in 2011 and 2012. An estimate of 500,000 mule deer in 2011, mostly in the Trans-Pecos
The deer population trended upward from 2004 to 2010 with the white-tail population estimate of 3.46 million, a high point in 2005. Good fawn production in 2007. In 2010, Texas breeders had 152,000 breeder deer housed in 1,200 permitted facilities. An estimate of four million deer in 2004.
History Concerns over market hunting led to a seven-month deer season in 1881. An estimated 232,000 deer in 1938. Over hunting and drought into the 1940s limited the mule deer population to a few counties. Screwworms kept the population down in the 1950's and 60's with the population in 1955 estimated at about 500,000. Screwworms were controlled by release of sterile males. A severe drought in the 1950s killed about 100,000 deer in the Hill Country. About two million deer in 1961 and 2.25 million in 1965. The 1989 estimated population: 3.5 million.
Axis deer were Introduced in 1932 from southern India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. About 15,000 wild Axis deer in 2018. In 2022 a study was planned to evaluate the long-term impacts of Axis deer.
Chronic Wasting Disease ( was first detected in far West Texas, the Trans-Pecos, during the summer of 2012 in the remote far western reaches of El Paso and Hudspeth counties near the border with New Mexico. Years earlier in a effort to increase populations, mule deer were transported into New Mexico from norther Colorado -- ground zero for Chronic Wasting. In 2015, a captive deer tested positive in a captive breeding ranch southwest of San Antonio in Medina county. In 2017 the first wild white-tailed deer and elk tested positive. In 2018 the first wild white-tail in the panhandle, 49 confirmed cases statewide. More in 2019.
For 2020-21, 16 positive cases from the hunting season and more from breeding farms in 2021. Pre-hunt in 2021 the CWD cases to date rosemto 261. Number of deer exposed by county in 2021. One rancher refuses to kill his infected herd in 2022. As of July 2022, 371 captive or free-ranging cervids — including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk — in 14 Texas counties have tested positive for CWD.
New cases at breeding farms in 2023. The cost and risk of CWD has contributed to a decline in the number of deer breeding facilities from 980 in September 2021, to 683 in September, 2023 with most cases around captive breeding facilities.
Elk "Large herds were reported in the 1600s ... but with settlers came unregulated hunting and loss of habitat the elks’ range shrunk to the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas ... The last remaining animals were gone by the late 1800s" to early 1900s, previously found in the Trans-Pecos and western Panhandle. In the late 1920's, 40 elk were transported from South Dakota and released into the Guadalupe Mountains. Managed as livestock by the Texas Animal Health Commission.
Mountain Lions are occasionally sighted in Texas.
Wild Hogs, about 2.6 million in 2021.
Useful links:
- Chonic Wasting Disease Management in Texas - CWD Containment Zone [PDF]
Source of Data Below: Texas Parks and Wildlife
Mule Deer Populations in the Trans Pecos
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife
