options. Depending on the preferred target, location is key. Before any action is taken, be sure to know what animals are in season and where they can be found.
hunting license costs $7, a resident hunting license costs $25 and a lifetime hunting license costs $1000. Once all the legal aspects are covered, decide what hunting gear will be needed. Make a list of the basics and take it to a local outdoor store. Five basics to include on the list are: A gun of and ammunition. The gun will depend on what kind of animal is being hunted. Many hunters use a rifle, but be sure it’s size is appropriate for the hunt. Something too light or too heavy will affect the catch. A handgun can be used as well. Ward advises to “stay with a caliber that’s a common and a reasonable price.” This will also make finding the right shells easy. He suggests using a smaller caliber gun in the East Texas area. Clothing that is suitable for your hunting day. Choose something that will hold warmth and stay dry. Camouflage is optional, but preferred if the hunt is in a wooded area. Be sure to wear bright colors for safety. Hunting boots are the best choice for footwear. Outer wear should reflect the weather. East Texas fall and winter weather is fairly temperate. For the fall, a light jacket and regular hunting pants will suffice. Later on in November or December, a more insulated coat and hunting pants will do nicely. When hunting whitetail deer in-season in East Texas, wear layers. “A good pair of insulated camo coveralls is always good, an insulated hat and a face mask. Limit the amount of skin that could catch a glare and alarm an animal,” said Ward. For hunters further north towards Oklahoma, the weather will be much colder during Continues on Hunt pg 51
“ We learned what to shoot ”
February 10, 2013
19
Features
Seasoned hunter, Carey Ward says, “For the East Texas area, the prime hunting is whitetail.” Whitetail deer and small animals like rabbits and squirrels are the only game mammals available to hunt in East Texas. Hunters are not limited to game animals though. East Texas offers large populations of predator species. “We have the encroachment of feral hogs that are a real problem,” says Ward. There is also an increasing population of coyotes that harm whitetail fawns, landowners, cattle and domestic animals. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lists the predators available for hunting on their website. The site also contains restriction alerts for hunting allowances, bag limits and whether there is a “no season” restriction for certain animals. Though it changes season to season, the typical allowance is five hunting tags. Hunting on private land sometimes increases tag limits. It is also important to obtain necessary licenses and permits. The TPWD has an online listing that gives the names and locations of stores selling hunting licenses. Prices for these licenses will vary depending on license type. According to the TPWD, a youth