Deer Facts
October 30, 2005
Deer facts
Number
of bow hunters:
70,905.
Bow
hunter success rates:
55 percent.
Number
of muzzleloader hunters:
5,767.
Muzzleloader success rates:
27 percent.
Number
of firearm hunters:
506,353.
Firearm
success rates:
62 percent.
Top
public-hunting spots:
The most competitive TPWD lottery type permit-hunt for deer is
on the Chaparral WMA in South Texas. Other top public hunting
areas include Kerr WMA, Gus Engeling WMA and the J. Daugherty
WMA. For non-lottery permit-hunts, the $48 ''Annual Public
Hunting Permit'' opens the doors to more than 200 public
hunting areas consisting of more than 1 million acres. Much of
that is open to whitetail deer hunting, particularly on U.S.
Forest Service lands in the eastern third of the state.
Testing
conducted for chronic wasting disease:
Yes. So far, TPWD biologists have tested about 10,000
whitetail samples.
Units/areas
that tested positive for chronic wasting disease:
None.
State record,
typical:
196 4/8, taken in Maverick County in 1963 (Boone & Crockett
Club). The Texas Big Game Awards program record is a 190 2/8
whitetail taken in 1991 in Shackelford County by Steve
O'Carroll.
State record,
non-typical:
286 0/8, the former Boone & Crockett world record Brady Buck
taken in McCulloch County in 1892 (Boone & Crockett Club). The
Texas Big Game Awards program record a 239 5/8 whitetail taken
in 1998 on the King Ranch in Kleberg County by Adan Alvarez.
State record
archery, typical:
173 7/8, taken by John Wright in Wilbarger County in 1998
(Pope & Young Club).
State record
archery, non-typical:
225 7/8, taken by Jeff Duncan in Grayson County in 2001 (Pope
& Young Club).
More
information:
Log on to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Web site
or call (800) 792-1112. To report a poacher, call Operation
Game Thief at (800) 792-4263.
Source: ESPN Outdoors
