Coyote and Hog hunting contests begin on November 6, 1999 and end on Jan. 2, 2000.
 The Lavaca County Wildlife Association Post Harvest Meeting will be held on Saturday Jan. 8, 2000 @ 4 p.m. at the K. of C. Hall in Hallettsville.
 All harvest data including deer jaws is due in Gene Rees’ office by Jan. 7, 2000 or you can bring it to the Jan. 8 meeting.
 
 

Hello! Make your plans now to attend the January meeting. You will have a chance to meet folks from all over the county who are also interested in wildlife management.

The officers of the Lavaca County Wildlife Association (LCWA) and Gene Rees met on Sunday evening, October 17, 1999. Representatives from all five Lavaca county co-ops attended (South Central Lavaca County WMA, Honey Creek WMA, West Sandy Creek WMA, Vienna WMA, and Rocky Creek WMA). The group (consisting of at least two representatives from each co-op) will try to meet at least quarterly to discuss issues pertinent to Lavaca County wildlife and the co-op members. The meetings will always be open to anyone who wants to attend. In fact, you are encouraged to attend and share your ideas with us, as the officers represent you.

• At the October 17 meeting, the group discussed the following:

1. Set the date and details of the post-harvest meeting. We will have one spring meeting for all five co-ops in Lavaca County. We thought this would give everyone a chance to get to know each other and discuss what’s happening in the different co-ops. At the meeting we will discuss the harvest, have guest speakers, present prizes to the winners of the contests, have door prizes, a meal, a representative from each co-op to discuss their goals and accomplishments so far, and anything else that might be of interest.

3. Discussed having caps made with a LCWA logo that would represent all Lavaca County co-ops. Caps should be ready for the Jan 8^th meeting and will have a logo like at the top of this newsletter and "Lavaca County Wildlife Association" printed on them.
4. Decided to have at least one educational seminar like the one held last June 19^th each year. We would appreciate any ideas you may have pertaining to topics, locations, dates, door prizes, or anything else to do with the organization of the seminars. It was discussed to try to hold the seminars in February or September to try to minimize conflict with as many other activities as possible.

• HOG AND COYOTE HUNTING CONTEST RULES

1. Contest begins with the opening of the General Deer season (Nov. 6, 1999) and ends with the close of the General Deer season (Jan. 2, 2000).
2. Contests are open to all Lavaca County WMA members.
3. The winner for the hog-hunting contest will be determined by the ranch that brings the most hog tails to the Jan. 8^th meeting.
4. The winner for the coyote-hunting contest will be determined by the ranch that brings the most coyote scalps (attached ears) to the Jan. 8^th meeting.
5. A deer feeder will be awarded to the winner of each contest.

1. The meeting will be held at the K. of C. Hall in Hallettsville. The K. of C. Hall is located on HWY 77 South (Victoria HWY) in Hallettsville.
2. The meeting will begin with a Social Hour from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. Following will be the guest speakers: Kirby Brown from the TPWD Private Lands Enhancement Program will discuss the status of co-ops in Texas; John Calantine, a wildlife damage management specialist with USDA-APHIS, will discuss predator control methods; and finally Kerry Peterson, the TPWD Game Warden for Lavaca County will give an update on the most common violations of the past season. A meal of barbecued wild pork with all the trimmings will be served around 6:30 p.m. All members are asked to bring a dessert for the meal. During the meal Gene Rees will give an update on all the co-ops. After the meal Gene will discuss this years harvest and conclude the meeting.
3. Everyone is encouraged to brush up on their deer jaw aging, as we will have an adult and youth jaw-aging contest.
4. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the meeting.
5. Booths from distributors will be set up for members to look and/or purchase items.
6. All members are encouraged to bring their antlers and contact Mike Jurica so that he can put them up on display. Mike will also have some other antlers there for the display.
7. Everyone should bring their harvest data sheets and jaws from harvested deer to the meeting or get them to Gene Rees before the meeting. All jaws should be clearly labeled identifying it with corresponding data on the harvest data sheet and bagged in plastic bags. There will be registration tables set up at the door to collect your data and there will be coolers for you to put the deer jaws in.
8. There will be a shotgun raffle and tickets will be sold only at the door. The drawing will be held at the end of the meeting.

1. Everyone must turn in harvest data if you would like to receive permits next year. If you do not harvest anything turn in a note saying so. A harvest data form is included in the newsletter for your convenience. Make copies as needed.
2. Please make sure that you have paid your dues for this year
3. Anyone that plans to let the young men and women from the 4-H Shooting Sports Organization hunt for does or bucks on your property needs to contact Gene Rees at 361-798-2625 immediately so that he can contact the club leaders and they can organize this year’s hunts. We try to find young folks that would not have a chance to hunt without your generosity. Please consider this seriously. We all need to do our best to get the younger generation involved in hunting, fishing, and other related activities.
4. Be sure to enter the Hallettsville K. of C.’s Big Buck Contest. You can enter at several locations around Hallettsville or you can print the entry form from their web page and get it post-marked by Friday night (Nov. 5^th). The deadline for entering in person will be 10:00 p.m. Friday Nov. 5^th at Hoffer’s Drive In in Hallettsville. You can access the K. of C. web page at www.kchall.com. Then click on the Big Buck Contest Link to get to the entry form.
5. This newsletter is also on the K. of C. web page. Click on the Big Buck Contest Link.
6. Lavaca County general season begins Nov. 6, 1999 and ends Jan. 2, 2000. The bag limit for all seasons combined is 1 buck and 2 antlerless deer. For example, if you killed a buck and a doe in bow season you can only harvest 1 doe in the general season. MLD permits are required to harvest antlerless deer in the general season.
7. FYI To contact Gene Rees here is his address, phone number, and e-mail address:

1. The recommendation for trophy bucks in all co-ops is a maximum of 1 trophy buck harvested on properties up to 500 acres, then 1 buck per 500 acres on larger properties. A trophy buck is defined as a mature buck (5½ years or older) that you will shoulder mount. If you don’t see a trophy buck you would like to shoulder mount, don’t shoot. We have to let the bucks get some age on them if we want better quality antlers. Last fall we harvested quite a few good 3 ½ year old bucks and we need to be very careful this year not to repeat that. Don’t shoot a buck just because he has 8, 10, or 12 points. You should try to harvest bucks that are 5 ½ years old or older. A good rule of thumb when judging bucks is that if there is any doubt whether you should pull the trigger or not, then don’t.
2. There was no maximum number placed on cull bucks that could be harvested per ranch. If you have someone that you want to shoot a buck, let them harvest a cull instead of a good young buck.
3. The number of does to harvest is determined by the number of MLD permits you were issued. Remember that each person can harvest only two antlerless deer and they must attach the appropriate license tag and the MLD permit to each one.

• Tagging Requirements

• Final Destination is 1.) The permanent residence of the person who killed or received the deer or turkey, or 2.) A cold storage/processing facility.
• Processing

• Evidence of sex

• Also remember

In an effort to address an increasing problem with illegal hunting activity, our Legislators, during the 76th Legislative session, have amended several sections of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code.

Effective September 01, 1999 these amendments will, for certain violations, allow for significantly stiffer penalties, including higher fines, jail time, automatic revocation of hunting/fishing licenses and permits, and seizure and forfeiture of equipment.

Those violations include; Hunt from a motor vehicle on a public road; Hunt wild bird, wild game bird, wild fowl or wild game animal at night (White-tailed deer, Turkey, etc.); Hunt game animal or protected bird with the aid of artificial light, and; Fail to retrieve and keep in an edible condition a Desert Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, or White-tailed Deer. These are, for the first offense, Class A Parks and Wildlife Code Misdemeanors. Class A Parks and Wildlife Misdemeanors are punishable by a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than $4,000.00 and/or confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year. In addition, the court may order any weapon or other personal property, excluding vehicles, destroyed or forfeited to the Parks and Wildlife Department if the weapon or property is used to commit the violation.

If a person is convicted a second time for any of the above offenses then the offense is a Parks and Wildlife Code State Jail Felony. A Parks and Wildlife Code State Jail Felony is punishable by confinement in a State jail for a term of not more than two years or less than

180 days. In addition, a person may be fined not less than $1,500.00 and not more than $10,000.00.

To take a Wildlife Resource without consent of the Landowner is also a Class A Misdemeanor for the first offense unless the person kills a Desert Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, or White-tailed Deer in which case the person commits a Parks and Wildlife Code State Jail Felony.

Upon final conviction of any of the offenses listed above, the amended laws allow for the automatic revocation of any hunting or fishing licenses or permits for not less than one year nor more than five years.

In all cases where a wildlife resource is unlawfully taken or possessed the person unlawfully taking or possessing the wildlife resource can be required to pay restitution for the resource.

To report game violations contact your local State Game Warden or call the Operation Game Thief (O.G.T.) number at 1-800-792-GAME. By calling the O.G.T number you will be eligible to receive a cash reward up to $2,000.00 upon arrest and conviction of the violators. In either case you may remain anonymous.
 
 

Gene Rees, our TPWD Biologist has the following messages:

First, I would like to say that I appreciate all of your interest in improving the quality of wildlife habitat and in improving the quality of our wildlife. I really enjoyed the fall meetings again this year. I look forward to the meetings each year to get a chance to meet new friends and renew old acquaintances. We do not have to wait until meetings to get together. Any time you have a question or would like me to come look at your ranch to make suggestions, feel free to give me a call. Please contact me if you kill a good buck that will make the Texas Big Game Awards (Boone and Crocket net of 125) or if you want me to help you age some deer.

We will update all WMA acreage and membership numbers at the meeting in January; however, currently we have over 110,000 acres under management in Lavaca County.

Make sure to review the harvest recommendations. I hope you all have a very good and safe hunting season. Good Luck, see you in January.

Broadleaf plants (commonly called forbs, weeds, or wildflowers) are the most important food items in the white-tailed deer's diet. However, they are seasonal and not always available. During the spring and early summer, forbs constitute most of a deer's diet. Woody browse species become more important as the range dries through the summer and forbs become less abundant. Browse species are not as high in protein as forbs but they are available on a year round basis. In essence, they fill the gaps between the forb seasons. Therefore, they play an important role in the deer's diet.

Cattle utilize many browse species that deer prefer. When grazing systems or range conditions put cattle and deer in competition for browse, deer are less competitive. Fencing cattle from wooded areas, especially bottomlands, can reduce this competition. Fencing the cattle out year around is preferred, but they should be excluded at least from September through February. This will provide additional forage for deer while reducing cattle forage only slightly. This practice becomes even more important to deer and other wildlife during drought or stress periods.

Another beneficial management practice is to fence out a few acres of native pasture to provide fawn nursery areas since adequate ground cover is essential to reduce fawn mortality from coyote depredation. Coyote predation can play a major role in holding a deer population down in overgrazed areas by preying on a high percentage of the fawn crop. The elimination of grazing will result in a heavy stand of grass, which provides excellent fawning sites. The increased ground cover will aid in reducing fawn losses to predators. The fawning areas do not have to be in conjunction with the fenced out woodlands, but should be relatively close. By fencing fawning areas separate from woodlands, cattle may then graze these areas during late summer and fall.
 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Gene Rees

304 South LaGrange

Hallettsville, TX 77964