HILL COUNTRY Hunting Guide 2022

Hill Country

Hunting Guide 2022

Free-range Trophy Axis are abundant for year-round hunting at Joshua Creek Ranch.

A publication of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

Articles 6 It’s Huntin’ Time 10 Youth-Only Huting Season 12 Chronic Wasting Disease 13 Operation Orphans, Inc. Hunting and Fishing Programs 18 Wild Game Dinner 20 Wildlife Management Associations 23 Photo policy for deer photos

25 Phone applications by Texas Parks & Wildlife 26 Looking back at Whitetail Deer in Texas 27 Looking back at Wild Boar in Texas 28 Things to do after the hunt in Gillespie County 30 Sunrise, sunsets for the 2022-23 season

Hill Country Hunting Guide A product of Fredericksburg Publishing Company.

712 W. Main St. | P.O. Box 1639 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Phone 830-997-2155 www.fredericksburgstandard.com Publisher/Editor - Ken Esten Cooke

About the cover: This trophy axis was spotted at Joshua Creek Ranch in Boerne on Nov. 15, 2018. Bucks like these can be found all throughout the Texas Hill Country. — Photo courtesy Brian Grossenbacher

© 2022 Fredericksburg Publishing Company. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without permission of the publisher.

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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It’s Huntin’ Time Despite drought, fruitful season still predicted

H

unters are starting to make preparations for the 2022-2023 hunting season in the Texas Hill Country.

The big game season for white-tailed deer and other wild game such as turkey, quail and dove draw in hunters from around the United States for its notably successful harvests.

“Overall, the 2022 year is expected to be good in terms of harvest numbers and opportunities, so don’t let the chance to spend time afield with family, friends and fellow hunters pass you by,” said Alan Cain, White-Tailed Deer Program Leader for TPWD. “Texas has one of the longest deer seasons in the nation, so take some time this fall and winter and enjoy the best herds in the country right here in your home state.”

Cain noted that while harvest numbers may look good, drought impacts on deer habitats mean hunters should generally expect average-to-below average antler quality and body weight this fall.

Additionally, archery hunters have reported seeing fewer deer at feeders, as recent rains have improved habitat conditions, providing an abundance of native forage that means deer won’t have to travel far to find something to browse. Archery hunters are having to alter their hunting strategies to find harvest success, Cain said.

Drought conditions Temperatures in the early summer months frequently soared above 100 degrees across most of the state, and lack of significant rainfall limited the spring production of important food sources like forbs (weeds) and woody shrubs for deer.

“Woody plants are critical in times like these because these deep-rooted plants are often the only abundant supply of green groceries for deer, but even these browse plants are showing some signs of stress,” said Cain. “Mesquites appear to be on track to produce an abundance of beans this year and were critical sources of natural forage for deer in late summer in the A big industry in Gillespie County, hunting season brings in sportsmen from across the state, as the area is full of big bucks and other wild game. — central, south and western portions of the state.”

Wildfires have plagued large areas of the state as well, caus- Standard-Radio Post file photo ing significant habitat loss and damage, but Cain said nature finds a way to rejuvenate the landscape.

Cain said. “Although habitat conditions have improved immensely “Where fires have occurred, there’s been new grass and weed with recent rains, the timing was a bit late to have any meaningful growth providing some much-needed nutrition and cover for deer,” influence on antler quality.”

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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HUNTING SEASON Hunting dates The archery-only season in the designated North Zone (to which Gillespie County belongs) for turkey and deer runs from Oct. 1-Nov. 4.

General rifle season for turkey and deer starts Saturday, Nov. 5, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

Youth-only hunting weekends, for those licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger, are planned on Oct. 29-30, 2022, and Jan. 2-15, 2023.

A special late season during which harvests are restricted to antlerless deer and spikes, runs simultaneously to the late youth-only season, from Jan. 2-15, 2023.

Archery hunters are required to purchase an Archery Endorsement in addition to their hunting license.

Hunters taking advantage of Texas Public Hunting Lands must have the Annual Public Hunting Permit.

Public land hunters should also consult the Public Hunting Lands Map Booklet to review regulations that may apply to specific areas. The My Texas Hunt Harvest app can be used to complete on-site registration electronically at a public hunting area.

Those interested in learning more about archery and bowhunting, or anyone who is looking to brush up on their skills ahead of the season, are encouraged to explore Bowhunter by Fall, a newsletter series presented by TPWD’s Community Archery Program.

Aside from whitetails, Gillespie County is also considered to be in the Central Zone for dove hunt-

Cont. from 6

ing.

Dove season runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 30, and then again from Dec. 17 through Jan. 15, 2023.

The quail season across Texas will run Oct. 30 to Feb. 26, 2023.

Information on bag limits, license requirements and other general information is available from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Outdoor Annual or at tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/.

The Texas Hill Country also has an abundant amount of nongame wildlife such as armadillos, raccoons, hawks, opossums, coyotes and numerous other birds, not to mention an occasional porcupine and skunk.

Among the factors accounting for the large populations of deer and other forms of wildlife in the Fredericksburg area is the rugged, hilly terrain, which affords plenty of cover, vegetation and water to sustain the animals year-round.

In other parts of Texas, the terrain is flatter and less wooded, perhaps even converted to farmland. Also, the increasing development of housing and expanding city limits in other places has forced wildlife out of its natural habitat.

Gillespie County values wildlife.

Farmers, ranchers and residents hold animals in high regard not only because of their presence, but also because of their contributions to the area’s economy.

General rifle season for the North Zone, which includes Gillespie County, will begin Nov. 5 and end on Jan. 1, 2023. — Standard-Radio Post file photo

animal health officials are collecting and testing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) samples from hunter-harvested deer to get a clearer picture of the prevalence and distribution of the disease across Texas.

Proactive monitoring improves the state’s response time to a CWD detection and can greatly reduce the risk of the disease further spreading to neighboring captive and free-ranging populations.

Hunters in surveillance and CWD Testing TPWD reminds hunters that containment zones must meet TPWD wildlife biologists and submission requirements of har-

vested CWD susceptible species.

Additionally, hunters outside of established surveillance and containment zones are encouraged to voluntarily submit their harvest for testing at a check station, for free, before heading home from the field.

A map of TPWD check stations for all CWD zones can be found on the TPWD website.

For more information about CWD, visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/ or https://www.tahc. texas.gov/animal_health/elkdeer/#cwd

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

Letting the kids play Youth-only hunting season dates set

Y

oung hunters will get their opportunity to bag big game during special hunting seasons in fall and winter.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has established statewide youth-only open seasons for deer, turkey, squirrel and waterfowl for hunters ages 16 and under in counties across the state, including Gillespie County.

The purpose of youth-only open seasons is to provide young people with opportunities to learn about wildlife conservation through an enjoyable and memorable outdoor experience. It also gives parents and mentors an opportunity to introduce them to safe and responsible hunting, according to a spokesman for the TPWD. The youth-only open season hunts are scheduled to occur at times when young outdoorsmen and women are out of school.

A Youth Hunting License (Type 169) is required to hunt during this season, and costs $7. The license can be purchased at any one of TPWD’s field offices, more than 50 state parks or at over 1,700 retailers across the state.

Licenses may be purchased online through the TPWD website at www.tpwd.texas.gov/buy. A $5 administrative fee is charged for each phone or online transaction.

chery endorsement.

For much of the state, including Gillespie County, the bag and permit requirements are the same as for the general season in the county.

Hunters may take no more than five white-tailed deer and no more than three bucks (all seasons combined) in one license year.

Hunters under the age of 17 can get a chance to bag a buck of their own during the youth-only hunting season, which is slated for Oct. 29-30, and again from Jan. 2-15, 2023. — Submitted photo

White-tailed deer The first youth-only season runs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29-30, and another session runs from Jan. 2-15, 2023.

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ties where there is a general open season for white-tailed deer.

All legal hunting means and methods are allowed.

Collin, Dallas, Grayson and Rockwall counties require an ar-

Turkey Youth hunters also have a chance to bag turkeys during special youth-only seasons on Oct. 29-30, and Jan. 2-15, 2023.

A youth-only spring season on March 25-26, 2023 and May 2021, 2023 will give young marksmen and archers another chance to hunt turkeys.

Only licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger may hunt turkey during this season with the bag limit as specified by the general fall turkey season.

The annual bag limit for turkey, in the aggregate for all counties, is four, no more than one of which may be an Eastern turkey.

For more information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s youth-only hunting seasons, as well as other general hunting information, log onto the website: www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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CWD found here recently Check stations for deer disease to be set up here

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ith the opening of deer season on the horizon, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists are asking hunters and landowners throughout the state to be mindful of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) as new cases of the disease have been discovered in multiple counties throughout Texas.

In September, CWD was confirmed in deer breeding facilities in Gillespie and Limestone counties.

Following confirmation in Gillespie County, immediate action was taken to secure all deer at the facilities 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.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in certain cervids, including deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family.

The disease is highly contagious, never goes dormant and can remain infectious on the landscape for several years. If left unmanaged, CWD can have long-term impacts on the native deer herd and local economies.

Symptoms may not become evident until long after animals have become infected, so testing is the best tool available for detecting CWD at the earliest stage of infection possible and containing it with appropriate management strategies.

Clinical signs may include progressive weight loss, stumbling or tremors with a lack of coordina-

After Chronic Wasting Disease was recently discovered at a breeding facility in Doss, check stations for the deer illness are being set up in the northwest side of Gillespie County. — Map courtesy TPWD

tion, excessive thirst, salivation or urination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture and/or drooping ears.

To date there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or non-cervids. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend against consuming meat from infected animals.

Testing for CWD allows wildlife biologists and animal health officials to get a clearer picture of the prevalence and distribution of the disease across Texas. Proactive monitoring improves the state’s response time to a CWD detection and can greatly reduce

the risk of the disease further spreading to neighboring captive and free-ranging populations.

With each discovery of a new CWD positive area in the state, CWD zones are established as a strategy to manage and contain the disease. TPWD officials will be working toward delineating and establishing a new zone in Gillespie County to be implemented later this fall.

Proposed check stations and drop boxes (24/7 self-service access) are in Harper (Harper Community Park, 211 Harper Pioneer Park St.) and Doss (locations to be determined).

A surveillance zone covering almost 200,000 acres in Duval,

Jim Wells, Live Oak and McMullen counties will be implemented for two years after feedback was received in the August meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commission. This zone will take effect prior to the 20222023 hunting season and TPW commissioners will consider the resulting data presented by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff to assess the need for continued surveillance in the established zone.

This zone will include land between U.S. Highway 281 to the east, Farm to Market Road 624 to the north and U.S. Highway 59 to the west. The southern border follows a series of roads including County Road 101, Highway 44, County Roads 145, 172, 170, and 120.

This zone also includes the cities of Alice and Freer, as well as highways 59, 44, and 281 between the cities and the main body of the surveillance zone. This will provide a legal means for hunters to transport whole carcasses to deer-processing facilities and/ or CWD check stations located in those cities rather than having to quarter the carcasses first.

Hunters outside of established surveillance and containment zones are encouraged to voluntarily submit their harvest for testing at a check station for free before heading home from the field. A map of TPWD check stations can be found on the TPWD website.

For more information about CWD, visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/ or https://www.tahc. texas.gov/animal_health/elkdeer/#cwd

Find more useful information on chronic wasting disease on the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department website by scanning the attached QR code.

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Inspring young hunters Operation Orphans sets youth programs

O

ver 19,000 boys and girls who live in child residential and foster homes have not only participated in hunting and fishing but have helped address the overpopulation of deer in the Hill Country by taking part in the “Take a Child Hunting Program” hosted

by Operation Orphans.

“Operation Orphans is a non-profit organization that provides children with unique and wonderful outdoor experiences by sponsoring hunting and fishing trips in the Texas Hill Country since 1960,” according to the event website. “In many cases, this is the first such real experience these children have been able to do.”

Dates selected for the 2022-23 season are Oct. 29, Girls’ Hunt No. 1; Nov. 19, Boys’ Hunt No. 1; Dec. 3, Boys’ Hunt No. 2; Jan. 14, 2023, Boys’ Hunt No. 3; and Feb. 4, 2023, Boys’ Hunt No. 4.

Operation Orphans, Inc., based at Camp Gene Ashby, in Mason County, along the Llano River, has taken kids who are wards of the state hunting since 1960.

Gene Ashby was the brainchild behind the free hunts. The Texas game warden worked with local ranchers to allow orphans to hunt on their lands.

How it works The groups come to Camp Gene Ashby on designated dates and hunt on area ranches.

The ranches use this program as a way to harvest excess animals, usually whitetail does.

They also assist in educating these youngsters on the joys and responsibilities of hunting.

Each child will have at least one guide who will spend the day with them.

During the girls’ hunt, each girl

Texas Game Warden Gene Ashby, founder of Camp Gene Ashby.

will have a woman or a man and woman team to serve as guides.

Individuals who volunteer as guides will have successfully completed the Hunter Safety Course and will have been subject to a background check.

How this helps This all began when a local Texas game warden, Ashby, saw the need to do something to address the overpopulation of deer in the area.

Left unchecked, many of the animals would starve and suffer.

It was also known at the time that many orphan homes and child residential facilities were struggling financially.

By offering those youngsters an opportunity to hunt and harvest OPERATION ORPHANS ▶ 14

“You can’t forget memories.”

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312 W. Main 997-1633 www.HondosOnMain.com

Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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OPERATION ORPHANS

Cont. from 13

deer, the facilities would benefit from the meat obtained, thus lowerAll the programs ing their food costs. It would also offer these kids who often felt unWhen Operation Orphans started in 1960, only boys participated. wanted or who had suffered so much, a chance to enjoy the outdoors.

In 1980, a girls’ hunt was added. In 2004, boys’ and girls’ fishing Local individuals joined the cause and ranches opened their places days started. Just as with the hunting, the youngsters fish on area for the kids to come and harvest antlerless deer. ranches in ponds, tanks and rivers. The fishing is catch and release unless the landowner states otherwise.

Where it happens To date, over 1,100 boys and girls have enjoyed the “Take a Child Camp Gene Ashby became the headquarters for Operation Or- Fishing” activities. phans. Today Camp Gene Ashby can house and feed over 250 people.

To further assist children who have participated with Operation In 1994, an orientation/recreation building, the Milton and Janie Orphans, Inc., the Eddie Argo Scholarship was established.

Jordan Building, was constructed.

Argo had attended the “Take a Child Hunting” program as a youngIt includes a clothing room which allows the kids to obtain new and ster in a home and later became a volunteer and director of Operation gently used items they may need for the hunt or for school.

Orphans, Inc. Operation Orphans, Inc. can provide the children, guides, and food He died in 2008, but his memory lives on. Kids who have particifor the activity. pated in the hunting or fishing program are able to apply to receive financial assistance with their education.

Who is sponsoring Some landowners offer their ranches to hunt, while others guide or How to help prepare lunch for the attending groups.

Operation Orphans, Inc. is a non-profit organization made up of Most ranches allow doe hunting only, while others may allow the a board of directors whose sole purpose is to serve less fortunate harvest of spikes or management bucks. Feral hogs may be also har- youngsters by offering them a positive outdoor experience. vested.

Additional information, videos and signup forms may be found on Each landowner specifies what animals are allowed to be harvest- the Operation Orphans, Inc. website: www.operationorphans.org. ed.

More information is available by contacting camp supervisors, Lyla While hunting may be the planned activity, it is not the main ob- or Jerry Crouch, by phone at 325-347-6745 or by email at operajective. tionorphans@yahoo.com

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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Memorial hunt honors late Harper native

I

n 2013, and a few weeks shy of graduation at Harper High School and enlistment into the United States Navy, Jacob Krebs was swimming and training at the Hill Country Memorial Wellness Center in Fredericksburg.

One afternoon while he was there, he knew he would be practicing underwater drills and told several other swimmers what he was doing.

He would swim several laps and stop, try to hold his breath and look at his watch to time himself. He set a benchmark and then would try to surpass it.

Unfortunately, Krebs experienced a shallow water black out and was found unresponsive at the bottom at the pool.

Krebs was airlifted to San Antonio where he remained unconscious for six days and put on a respirator. His family prayed for a miracle and miracles were performed that day, but not the one

his parents were looking for.

Krebs lost his life that day but he saved the lives of five others through organ donation. His lungs were healed, even after he drowned. His lungs were successfully transplanted into a Vietnam War veteran who flew in medical helicopters and rescued wounded soldiers. Since that day, Jacob has also enhanced the lives of more than 97 more people through bone, tissue and allografts.

Krebs was also an Eagle Scout and strongly believed a person should “do a good turn daily”.

Especially if the recipient was a veteran. He also loved the outdoors and hunting. He loved to volunteer with the Texas Youth Hunt Program and became an assistant hunter education instructor, helping other youth learn about conservation and the great outdoors.

After Krebs died, his parents wanted to honor him and

Jacob Krebs of Harper was training for enlistment in the U.S. Navy when he drowned. The memorial hunt honors the memory of this exceptional young man who loved the outdoors.

the military, and especially the youth of the country’s military.

Nine years ago, the Krebs

family began hosting youth hunt weekends specifically for wounded soldiers and their children. This will be the 10th year to host the hunt held in Harper, Jan. 13-15, 2023.

The Harper Wildlife Management Association and Fredericksburg Salutes our Wounded Warriors have co-sponsored the hunt in years past along with the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) and the Texas Youth Hunt Program (TYHP). The Harper community and landowners volunteer their time and ranches one weekend a year, and welcome the youth and their families.

The hunt is not designed to “just harvest a deer,” but provide an educational awareness of hunter safety, land management, conservation and stewardship.

“TYHP gives young Texans the opportunity to participate in JACOB KREBS HUNT ▶ 17

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JACOB KREBS HUNT

Cont. from 16

youth hunting activities safely, legally and ethically, while learning about the valuable role landowners and hunters play in wildlife conservation,” said a spokesperson for the hunt.

The hunt hosts roughly 25 youth of military, children ages 9-17, to give them the opportunity to participate in youth and hunting activities.

The hunt is not only designed to harvest a deer but also provides educational awareness of hunter safety, conservation, land management and stewardship.

TYHP gives young Texans the opportunity to youth hunting activities safely, legally and ethically, while learning about the valuable role landowners and hunters play.

For more information about the upcoming hunt Jan. 13-15, contact William Krebs at krebslaser@yahoo.com or 830-889-2860 or follow Harper WMA Youth Hunt in memory of Jacob Krebs on Facebook.

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

18

Wild Game Dinner turns 16

T

he Gillespie County Wild Game Dinner (WGD) is back for its 16th year at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds on Saturday, Nov. 19.

The evening includes wild game appetizers, a barbecue meal, beverages, games, prize drawings, live auction and a prize drawing supporting youth agricultural education projects in the Texas Hill Country.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with food served until it runs out. The event will conclude around 10 p.m.

Advance tickets are available for $25 at Arrowhead Bank, Stroeher & Olfers, Lochte Feed, Allied Ag Services or online at https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=597.

Magnificent Seven is the featured prize drawing.

A limited amount of 500 tickets will be available for the chance to win an $8,200 grand prize of seven premier firearms paired with a 26-gun Winchester safe. Second prize is a $1,000 gift certificate to Los Cazadores and third prize is an $800 gift card to H-E-B Fredericksburg. Tickets for the Magnificent Seven drawing are $100 each or 7 for $500. The winner need not be present to win.

Familiar fare of shish kebabs, chili, sausage, Now in its 16th year, the Gillespie County Wild Game Dinner is returning to the Gillespie County stew, and gumbo featuring exotic game such as Fair Grounds, featuring games, prize drawings, a live auction and more. — Standard-Radio Post file WILD GAME DINNER ▶ 19

photo

gillespie county wild game dinner

magnificent 7 >Only 500 chances will be sOld<

$100 per ticket 7 tickets for $500

Scan COde tO enter

Buy a ticket fOr a chance tO win Seven guns and a 26-gun Winchester Gun Safe (Value $8,200) or >2nd prize< $1,000 LOs CazadOres Gift Card >3rd prize< $800 heb Fredericksburg gift card

bergara premier highlander 6.5 prc bOLt actiOn rifle ruger max 9mm talO sa 12 rd. pistOl w/red dOt tristar lt 410 gauge O/u 28” shOtgun engraved palmettO lem PSA-15 m4 5.56 rifle w/m-lOk rail eurOpean arms akkar s 20 gauge camO shOTgun-red dOt henry GOlden BOy engraved 22 lever actiOn rifle sig sauer p365 9mm luger sa 10+1 pistOl

buy.ticketstOthecity.cOm/venue.php?org_id=597

winner will be drawn at the gillespie county wild game dinner, 11.19.22. Need nOt be present tO win.

SuppOrting yOuth agricultural educatiOn in Gillespie COunty mOre infO, email: GCWildGameDinner@gmail.cOm

19

WILD GAME DINNER axis, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, wild hog, mountain sheep, elk, alligator, quail and seafood will be served at 18 different stations by Gillespie County’s finest 4-H and FFA students.

Barbecue plates with all the trimmings will also be offered.

A large seating area, food court and tents for games and dining will be available for all ticket holders.

Traditional prize drawing tickets are also available for $5 each or six for $25 with prizes covering all interests from outdoor activities and travel to dining and gift items. Winners need not be present to win.

“Gillespie County Wild Game Dinner is an exciting evening, raising funds to enhance youth leadership and agricultural education in Gillespie County,” said Lester Meier, WGD board member. “We have something for everyone — jewelry, artwork, hunting supplies, archery items and gift certificates, just to name

Cont. from 18

a few with values up to $2,300.

More than 200 volunteers, hundreds of sponsors, donors, business owners, out-of-town hunters and patrons who support the event are key in helping raise money for the youth of Gillespie County.

WGD has raised $1.4 million since 2007, which supports youth agricultural education in Gillespie County by funding equipment and projects for area schools, green house and horticulture programs, youth livestock shows, agriculture student leadership trips to Washington, D.C., 4-H adult education and youth experiences, Gillespie County AgriLife Extension Service, Gillespie County CORE Academy, YALL Tour, NRCS Range Management Schools, Fredericksburg FFA, Harper FFA and Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association.

For more information, visit the Gillespie County Wild Game Dinner Facebook page or email

Wild game of all types will be served at the event, which usually draws in over 200 volunteers. — Standard-Radio Post file photo

GCWildGameDinner@gmail. 567-4682 or Charlie Wilson at com or call Shawn Lehne at 512- 210-288-8434.

The Wild Game Dinner has raised $1.4 million since 2007.

Proceeds benefit youth agriculture education here.

GILLeSPIe CoUNTY WILD GAMe DINNeR 11.19.2022

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

20

Throughout the year, Gillespie County’s four wildlife management associations work to manage deer population and sponsor youth hunts. — Photo courtesy TPWD

Managing deer populations P

romoting good stewardship of the land and natural resources while improving the quality of whitetailed deer is the mission of four wildlife management associations in Gillespie County.

The four wildlife management associations include Cave Creek,

Cherry Spring, Doss and Harper.

The associations are under the umbrella of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Gillespie County.

Along with their efforts to help manage the deer population, all four groups have sponsored youth hunts to expose children to

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hunting and the outdoors.

The Cave Creek WMA was the first in the state to offer such a program.

Following is information on the four groups: Cave Creek WMA With approximately 61 mem-

bers, the Cave Creek Wildlife Management Association covers 29,905 acres of the eastern part of Gillespie County.

Officers include Keven Eckhardt, president; Troy Spies, vice president; Carol Birmingham, secretary, and Larry Ahrens,

WMAs ▶ 21

21

WMAs treasurer.

The organization meets three to four times a year.

All meetings are open to the public and individuals wanting more information or to join are encouraged to contact any of the officers.

Members conduct three spotlight census surveys and collect data for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“By counting the number of females, males and fawns, we are able to get an idea of the buckto-doe ratio and fawn crop,” a spokesperson said.

Due to the abundance of acorns last year, hunting was hard and deer were not forced to move from the bedding grounds.

“We could possibly see a slight increase in population this year,” the spokesperson said.

The Cave Creek WMA will be hosting a meal, prize drawing and social on the Friday night before the opening weekend of hunting season.

During opening weekend, the Cave Creek WMA will have a big buck contest, cull buck contest, and a doe pot for members and hunters.

All entries will be weighed and aged. The winners will be determined on Sunday night at 8 p.m.

Cherry Spring WMA Covering about 19,203 acres in the north-central part of Gillespie County is the Cherry Spring WMA. The group has a membership of

Cont. from 20

53 people.

Wilfred Crenwelge is the president of the organization. Other officers include Dale Dittmar, vice president, and Alice Klein, secretary/treasurer.

Meetings, which are open to the public, are held in February, August and October.

Anyone in the north-central part of Gillespie County can join the Cherry Spring WMA by paying the yearly dues. Currently, dues are $25.

Most meetings include a potluck dinner and presentations by speakers, including representatives from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Members conduct three deer counts in August, September and the first two days of the whitetail hunting season.

The association also hosts a youth hunt in January with voluntary participation by landowners.

Members also participate in Kerr and Mason wildlife areas.

One of the goals of the group, according to Crenwelge, is to provide guidance in wildlife management and related resources.

Another goal is to help landowners produce high quality and healthy wildlife.

A reason to join the group, Crenwelge said, is to help landowners develop best management practices for improving wildlife and to help landowners achieve the same goals and management practices as their neighbors.

Doss WMA The Doss Wildlife Management Association (WMA) was started in the early 1980s by a group of local ranchers, wildlife biologists and extension agents, and includes northwest Gillespie County/South Central Mason County.

Currently, there are 86 members encompassing 81,984 acres.

Officers are Cory Brandon, president; Preston Studer, vice president, and Jill Pilcher, secretary-treasurer.

The association holds an annual meeting in late October and a membership sign-up in late June or July. Meetings are open to the public.

Individuals interested in joining are invited to attend the membership sign-up meeting, the annual meeting in October or by contacting any of the officers.

Annual membership dues are $25, which includes a lease permit.

The Doss WMA includes seven census lines that perform three separate spotlight counts in September.

The census line counts provide data which is used by wildlife biologists to determine harvest recommendations for the fall white-tailed hunting season.

Doss Wildlife Management Association strives to bring landowners together to ensure a healthy and stable deer population.

The organization’s goal is to share ideas, techniques, and ex-

periences that will enable all members to have a successful hunting season for both themselves as well as their hunters; while maintaining a balanced doe to buck ratio.

“Hunting is both a great pastime as well as an economic boost for our community,” Brandon said.

The youth hunt is a possibility with some modifications.

Harper WMA The Harper Wildlife Management Association (HWMA) is one of four wildlife management associations in Gillespie County committed to successful game management practices, including habitat management, providing population data through various census techniques, recommending harvest levels based on deer censuses, maintaining accurate harvest records and recommending supplemental or enhanced food supplies.

It includes 73 members and covers 56,662 acres.

Membership is open to any landowner, land manager, hunter or any other interested individuals owning property, operating property, living in or hunting in the area defined by the boundaries of the Harper Independent School District.

Cooperation of members is on a voluntary basis in an area-wide effort to achieve the goals of balancing whitetail deer populations with the carrying capacity WMAs ▶ 22

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

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WMAs

Cont. from 21

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of the habitat, increasing body weight of white-tailed deer in the area, improving the overall antler characteristics, increasing fawn survival, promoting ongoing education among members and promoting community interest in wildlife management in general, explained Michelle Brangenberg, president of the Harper WMA. The Harper WMA holds three meetings annually which are open to members and visitors. Meetings are held in July, October and January or February.

The Harper WMA will sponsor its Annual Youth Hunt in cooperation with the Texas Youth Hunting Program this season. The youth hunt is being held in memory of the late Jacob Krebs and is primarily for children or grandchildren of wounded warriors.

For more information or to apply for the youth hunt, visit www. tyhp.org.

In addition to Brangenberg, other officers of the Harper WMA include Will Krebs, vice president, and Pam Ransleben, secretary/ treasurer.

Directors are Richard Cowie, Brian Haschke and Steve Holekamp.

Joyce Moore of TPWD serves in the capacity of Technical Guidance Biologist in the Western Edwards Plateau Region.

Contact Brangenberg by email at mlbrangenberg@aol.com with any questions or comments related to the Harper WMA.

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23

Photo policy for deer shots

T

he Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post has set guidelines for 2022-2023 hunting season photo submissions for print.

To qualify for free publication, photos must meet the following criteria: • All animals pictured must be legally-harvested following all Texas regulations; • Either the animal or the hunter must be from Gillespie County; • Only the hunter who shot the deer may appear in the photo with the animal — no exceptions; • Each hunter may submit no more than one photo per season — no exceptions; • The animal’s entire carcass must be present and attached to the head.

(No caped out or head-only/antler-only photos will be accepted.); • Pictures of does or spikes will not be accepted; During regular business hours — Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — available staff photographers will take photos of those stopping in at the newspaper office, 712 West Main Street. (Such images are in digital format and reprints will be made available for purchase through the newspaper’s online site, found at: www.fredericksburgstandard.smugmug.com.)

PHOTO POLICY ▶ 24

John Speck was one of the many hunters in 2022 who submitted a deer photo to the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.

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PHOTO POLICY

Cont. from 23

Submit a photo Hunters may submit color photographs by emailing original, unedited images as separate .jpg attachments to: fbgnews@fredericksburgstandard.com.

Digital submissions should be 300 pixels per inch or higher in resolution. Pictures of low resolution or otherwise poor quality in regard to lighting, framing and sharpness, will not be accepted. Photos printed on home printers and taken with older cell phones are generally not acceptable.

Complete and include the following information: 1. Name of the hunter and the city in which they live.

2. If the hunter is a youth, include his/her age, parents’ names and their cities of residence, if this was the hunter’s first buck and who was accompanying the youth while hunting.

3. Daytime contact phone number.

4. Specific location the deer was harvested (i.e. property or ranch name and general location in the county).

5. Time and date of the kill.

6. Number of points on the buck. (Newspaper staff will not be responsible for counting points, so that number must be provided before publication will take place.)

7. Measurements of the antlers, including width and height, and, if applicable, a Boone & Crockett score.

8. Field-dressed weight of the deer, if available.

All photos from the 2022-2023 season will be published no later than the Feb. 1, 2023 issue. Any hunters wishing to see their photos in print should submit them in a timely manner so the photo may be processed properly in time prior to the cut-off date.

Hudson Cunningham harvested this black buck antelope in the Texas Hill Country in the fall of 2021. He submitted the shot to the Fredericksburg Standard in December.

2022

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25

TPWD offers smartphone apps

T

he hunting world is going digital, as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers a pair of mobile apps that afford hunters more choices in how they access information when hunting.

The My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile app offers: • Mandatory hunt harvest reporting; • Resident game species harvest log; • Harvest history; • Photo library and sharing; • GPS details in harvest history.

The app is available for download at tpwd.texas.gov/myhunt or by searching MY Texas Hunt Harvest in a cell-phone app store.

Texas Outdoor Annual The Texas Outdoor Annual mobile app offers: • Updated hunting, fishing and boating regulations for each season; • Access to TPWD hunting guide; • Offline access to regulations; • Location-based information on hunting and freshwater fishing seasons and locations.

The app is available for download at outdoorannual.com or by searching Texas Outdoor Annual in a cell-phone app store.

Texas Parks & Wildlife offers two smartphone apps to help hunters in the field or sitting behind their computer.

The My Texas Hunt Harvest allows for electronic tagging of animals, while the Texas Outdoor Annual contains the most up-to-date hunting rules and regulations.

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

26

Looking back on Whitetail Deer in Texas

By Gayne C. Young

“During the remainder of the day we passed through a flat country and found a great many deer. We saw around us, almost at the same time, as many as three or four hundred of these animals.” — Juan Antonio de la Pena, 1722 “The deer are so numerous, that they are often found in herds of several thousands.” — Francis Moore Jr., 1840 “Deer of about the size of our largest fallow deer, and in herds of from ten to a thousand, are common in every part of the country.” — Arthur Ikin, 1841

OUTDOORS ON END

By Gayne C. Young

A

lthough the sight of whitetail deer (correctly identified as white-tailed deer) in herds of upwards to a thousand in number may seem difficult to believe, many early settlers and explorers in Texas — even as far back as the 1700s — made reference to such tremendous herds in diaries, journals and letters home. In some portions of the (future) state, whitetail herds were larger than buffalo, an animal that few people have trouble in accepting as gathering in herds that large.

To these early Anglo settlers, and the indigenous people that came and lived before them, the deer was easily accessible food. So accessible, in fact, that by as early as 1840, settlers began to notice a severe drop in whitetail numbers.

Only a minute portion of this tremendous decline can be attributed to subsistence hunting. The larger impact came from land encroachment, competition from newly introduced livestock, and, just as with the buffalo, senseless and unjustified slaughter.

The extent of this slaughter is well described by John C. Reid who in 1857 wrote: “Various modes are adopted, by the citizens here, for killing the wild animal. Game is ever in season. Thousands of deer are slain by the light of the fire pan; by snares and pitfalls, by laying concealed near holes of water or “licks”; stooping in the tall grass and attracting those in sight by occasionally tossing in the air an unfurled red hand-

An unidentified hunter in Gillespie County shows off his recent deer harvest 50-60 years ago. — Standard-Radio Post archives

kerchief; or shooting those gentle enough to allow you to approach.

They are often beguiled by the docility of others already domesticated; by driving them towards standers in waiting; by chasing upon fleet horses and lassoing them.”

While these methods are almost unconceivable to sportsmen today, the numbers by which deer were slaughtered is almost incomprehensible. Although there was no official census taken in the years during Anglo settlement, it is estimated that there could have been between 30 million and 125 million deer roaming the land that would become Texas. By 1900, it was estimated that there were only 500,000 deer in the entire United States.

Like the buffalo, deer were slaughtered almost to the point of no return.

With government intervention and the establishment of strict game laws, deer rebounded quite quickly. By 1990, the number of deer in Texas had reached between three and four million.

Just how well deer rebounded is made apparent when considering DEER HISTORY ▶ 27

27

Looking back at Wild Boar

By Gayne C. Young

“Today we camped at Tejocote Creek, having traveled 14 miles; the pigs found at this place were as big as a five- or six-months calf.” — Jose Enrique de la Pena, 1836 “The wild hog also is frequently met with, and, although it has never been known to make a voluntary attack upon a man, yet, when provoked, it is a very furious and formidable animal. These hogs are descended from the domestic swine, and have become wild by running at large in the woods.” — Mary Austin Holley, 1836 Feral hogs have been in Texas so long and are so prolific that most people forget that they’re

DEER HISTORY that the average number of deer legally taken in the state is close to what the population of the entire country was in 1900. In fact, in some areas of the state, deer are actually dangerously overpopulated.

What whitetails eat is partially determined by where they live.

In the Hill Country for example, deer graze twice as much as they browse. Over 67% of their feeding time is spent eating grasses and forbs. In South Texas, the numbers are almost reversed.

Deer browse twice as much as they graze. Percentages and diet are altered considerably when supplemental feeding and land management are entered into the equation.

Just as with their diet, whitetail

not indigenous to the state.

There are an estimated two million feral hogs in Texas, and even Texas Parks and Wildlife Department admits this number is probably on the low end.

Hogs are second only to whitetails in terms of game hunted in the state.

In Texas, feral hogs are of a mixed — if not completely complicated — lineage. They are descendants of escaped European domesticated hogs, as well as European wild hogs released for sport hunting by early settlers.

With erect dorsal hair that resembles a Mohawk, sharp, protruding tusks, and an almost indestructible hide, many argue that Russian boars must be included in the mix somewhere, as well. While this matter is highly contested, in Texas the term “Russian” has become a synonym for hogs with these char-

Cont. from 26

weight is heavily determined by where deer live. Deer in the Eastern portion of the state and in the Hill Country tend to be smaller in body than those in South Texas or on the upper plains.

In general, though, whitetail average from between 70 to 150 pounds.

In terms of color, whitetails are grayish brown or grayish blue in winter with their coat taking on a reddish-brown tinge in winter.

Under parts are lighter in color, if not white.

True to their name, whitetails have a white tail that stands erect when fleeing danger. Antlers grow outward from the back of the head before curling slightly forward. Each tine grows off a main beam.

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acteristics.

Feral hogs roam throughout the state, inhabiting almost every type of topography, but seem to be most prolific in the eastern and southern portions of the state. Regardless of where they live, evidence of their existence is easy to find due to the destruction they leave in their path.

Hogs are a combination of bulldozer and garbage disposal.

They will eat almost anything, including crops, browse, forbs, roots, fruit, small animals and carrion.

They can destroy fields by rooting for food or by creating shallow depressions called wallows. They can eliminate such ground-nesting species as quail and turkeys from an area by destroying nests and nesting sites and can destroy fences traveling to their next destination.

Hogs in Texas vary in weight and height due to the numerous bloodlines and breeds in the mix but most stand at or around less than 40 inches and weigh between 100 to 300 pounds. Hogs of between 400 to 700 pounds are not unheard of although the latter is fairly rare.

With such large size, razor type tusks, and an unstoppable tenacity, hog hunting in Texas can be an extremely exciting — or nerve-racking — undertaking. Some hunters compound the rush by hunting with dogs and either handgun or knife (yes, knife).

For those not looking for quite as much excitement, hunting from stands, over water holes, or by spot and stalk are the most common methods.

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Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

28

After the Hunt

Fun things to do after a day’s hunting in Gillespie County

A

fter a long day in the field, hunters can wind down, stretch their legs and enjoy all that Fredericksburg and Gillespie County has to offer.

Live entertainment Live music of all styles and eras fills the Fredericksburg air every weekend as musicians entertain visitors and locals, alike, with styles ranging from soothing to up-beat, classical to rock and roll and everything in between.

On weeknights and weekends, dozens of clubs, restaurants and dance halls feature live entertainment. There are also special theater productions, festivals and concerts that happen throughout the year.

The Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post features a weekly listing of live music in the “Stages” section of SCENE in the newspaper. The list is compiled by the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau.

Fredericksburg Theater Company Fredericksburg Theater Company will host the third annual Texas Hill Country Cowboy Gathering on Nov. 4 and 5.

The two-day festival of song, story, poetry and art features internationally acclaimed, regional and local talent. Songwriters, poets, balladeers and artists will celebrate the legend and cowboy spirit in everyone.

Tickets are available at https:// w w w.eventbr it e.c om/e/t exas-hill-country-cowboy-gathering-tickets-406249783037 For more information, go to https://www.texashillcountrycowboygathering.com Rockbox Theater Located “99 steps off Main Street,” the Rockbox Theater is a 392-seat indoor venue at 109 N. Llano St. that offers a wide assortment of live music, bands and

tribute shows.

Set on stage during hunting season are various events.

The venue will be hosting several shows throughout the hunting season. One show, “Howl at the Moon – Dueling Piano Experience,” will occur at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, and will feature a high-energy, live Dueling Piano show.

The vocalists take song requests from the crowd and offer Tif Lamson and Kelli Jones perform duets together to open 2021’s Big Band Bash at Hill Top some laugh-out- Cafe. This annual event is one of the many activities hunters can go to while also benefitting loud comedic im- the county’s youth. — Standard-Radio Post file photo provisation.

Tickets averhalf of all tuition for students. full bar at Hondo’s on Main, loage between $28 and $36, and Reservations are required for cated at 312 W. Main St. can be purchased at https:// the Texas All-Star Big Band Bash Call 830-997-1633 to see who is rockboxtheater.thundertix.com/ by calling Hill Top Café at 830- playing. events/200538?_ • Buy propane supplies at Vapo 997-8922 or by visiting www.

991.1752550828.1665685675Propane, 1201 E. Main Street. hilltopcafe.com.

Reservations 307710143.1665685675 • Stock up on deer corn and can be made at 830-997-8922.

More information and tickother hunting supplies at Allied ets are available at www.rockAg, 255 Loring Street, Stonewall.

Hunters can also … boxtheater.com.

• Get hunting licenses, guns, • Enjoy live music and a cold ammo and camping supplies at beer in historic Luckenbach TexBig Band Bash Biedermann’s Ace Hardware, On Nov. 28, Hill Top Café will as, located eight miles southeast 1102 E. Main St., Ste. B or 830of Fredericksburg. host the 25th annual Big Band Call 830-997-3224 for more in- 997-7611.

Bash at its location at 10661 U.S. • Enjoy fresh meats, cheeses formation.

87 North. and sandwiches or pick up sau• Experience a gun show by The bash is from Thursday sage-making supplies at Dutchthrough Sunday, Nov. 10-13. The Texas Gun and Knife Shows man’s Market, Inc. at 1609 E. cost is $100 per person. Cav- at the Gillespie County Fair Main St. ern room is $75 and the Sunday Grounds from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29, and 10 a.m. to brunch is $20.

There will be three bands per 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. Events Check out night. Each night, at the end of are subject to change. local entertainment Call Janice Hill at 830-285the final set, a special surprise each week in the guest will perform with a band 0575 for up-to-date information.

SCENE section of the • Take a ghost tour with Fredbacking them. Artists are to be Fredericksburg Standard ericksburg Ghost Tours, www. announced.

Rdaio Post.

The past several years, the pro- fredericksburgghosts.com.

• Take friends and family to engram has underwritten a summer theater arts camp by paying joy a large menu, live music and a

29

VISITORS GUIDE • FALL/WINTER 2022

Preserving Our Past

A publication of Fredericksburg Publishing Company

1

Fredericksburg looks ahead with an eye to what came before

Fall&Winter2022 |

60,000 copies printed.

245,000+ readers.

Available now!

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830-997-2155 | www.fredericksburgstandard.com

Hill Country Hunting Guide 2022

30

Make sure to be aware of area sunrise and sunset times to best prepare for the hunt. Above, a deer stand is silhouetted by the sunrise. — TPWD photo/Russell Graves

Sunrise, sunset times for 2022-2023 season

T

he times given below are the general times of sunrise and sunset for Gillespie County, Texas, for the general hunting season (in the northern zone) — Nov. 5 through Jan. 1, 2023.

Texas is in the Central Standard Time Zone.

Nov. 5, 2022-Jan. 1, 2023

Day

A.M. Rise

P.M. Set

NOVEMBER 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

7:51 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:55 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:58 6:59

6:46 5:45 5:44 5:44 5:43 5:42 5:42 5:41 5:41 5:40

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

7:00 7:00 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:05 7:06 7:07 7:08 7:09 7:09 7:10 7:11 7:12

5:40 5:40 5:39 5:38 5:38 5:38 5:37 5:37 5:37 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36

DECEMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

7:13 7:13 7:14 7:15 7:16 7:17 7:17 7:18

5:36 5:35 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36 5:36

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

7:19 7:19 7:20 7:21 7:21 7:22 7:23 7:23 7:24 7:24 7:25 7:26 7:26 7:27 7:27 7:27 7:28 7:28 7:29 7:29 7:29 7:30 7:30

5:36 5:36 5:37 5:37 5:37 5:37 5:38 5:38 5:39 5:39 5:39 5:40 5:40 5:41 5:41 5:42 5:42 5:43 5:44 5:44 5:45 5:46 5:46

JANUARY 1

7:30

5:47

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