We all make mistakes.
Several errors in the 2013-14 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Outdoor Annual could leave some hunters scratching their heads.
The mistakes were uncovered after the booklet, considered the “go-to” summary of hunting and fishing regulations for Texas sportsmen, had already gone to press.
Probably the most glaring miscue that should provide hunters with a chuckle indicates a mule deer season and a pheasant season for Cass County in Northeast Texas. Neither game species have been documented in the wild there, much less in huntable numbers. However, the listing also indicates white-tailed deer and turkey seasons that are incorrect, and omits the squirrel season, which is much more serious.
The correct information can be found on the Outdoor Annual website area at http://tpwd.texas.gov/outdoor-annual where the most updated information is always posted. This site has also been redesigned to improve usability and offer more interactive features. Most notably, the site supports mobile browsing so that the web pages now fit themselves to the size of any screen by automatically shuffling layout, resizing images and adjusting type size. The same content is used for all screen sizes, making it possible for users to read the same information and navigate pages on any device, from smartphone to tablet to desktop computer. The site now offers hunters the ability to search by county and see the regulations for that county or to search by animal and see seasons and regulations for that species. Anglers can also find regulations information more easily on the new site.
The accurate season information for Cass County is:
- Whitetail Deer—Archery Season: Sept. 28-Nov. 1; General Season: Nov. 2-Jan. 5 (Nov. 2-17, no antlerless permit required except on LAMPS or MLD property; Nov. 18-Jan. 5, antlerless by LAMPS or MLD permit only — countywide); Muzzleloader Season: Jan. 6-19 (general season buck limits apply, antlerless permit required only on MLD property). Bag limit: 4 (2 bucks and 2 antlerless, all seasons combined).
- Squirrel—Oct. 1-Feb. 2 and May 1-31. Daily bag limit: 10.
- Turkey—Eastern Spring Season: Apr. 15-May 14. Bag limit: 1 (gobblers only).
Following the discovery of the incorrect information regarding Cass County, a line-by-line review of the County Listings portion of the Outdoor Annual uncovered additional errors, listed below.
Anderson — The dates printed for the squirrel seasons are off by one day for the fall season and do not include the spring season.
- Squirrel –Oct. 1- Feb. 2 and May 1–31.
Bexar –Contains last year’s dates, which are off by one day.
- Whitetail Deer/Rio Grande Turkey Archery: Sept. 28 – Nov. 1.
- Whitetail Deer/Rio Grande Turkey General Season: Nov. 2 – Jan. 5.
- Whitetail Deer Special Late General Season: Jan. 6 – 19.
- Spring Rio Grande Turkey Season: Mar. 15 – Apr. 27.
Carson — Contains last year’s dates, which are off by one day except for mule deer and pheasant (six days).
- Whitetail Deer/Mule Deer/Rio Grande Turkey Archery: Sept. 28 – Nov. 1.
- Whitetail Deer/Rio Grande Turkey General Season: Nov. 2 – Jan. 5.
- Whitetail Deer Special Late General Season: Jan. 6–19.
- Mule Deer General Season: Nov. 23 – Dec. 8.
- Pheasant: Dec. 7 – Jan. 5.
- Spring Rio Grande Turkey: Mar. 29 – May 11.
Milam –Contains last year’s deer seasons, off by one day.
- Whitetail Deer Archery: Sept. 28 – Nov. 1.
- Whitetail Deer General Season: Nov. 2 – Jan. 5.
