AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is now taking public comment on the following proposed changes to the 2022-2023 Statewide Hunting and Migratory Game Bird proclamations:

• Allow the take of white-tailed deer by firearm in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties and modify other deer hunting seasons within those counties.
• Modify the definitions of “buck deer” and “antlerless deer.”
• Modify the proof of sex requirements for harvested buck deer.
• Create definitions for two types of commercial cold storage facilities.
• Modify tagging and proof of sex requirements, cold storage log procedures, and destination regulations for those commercial cold storage facilities.
• Expand mule deer antler restrictions to an additional 21 counties in the Panhandle.
• Extend the 9-day general season in 15 southwest Panhandle counties to 16 days and adding the special archery season.
• Establish a mule deer antler restriction to Terrell County in the Trans-Pecos.
• Establish a veterans and active-duty special waterfowl hunting opportunity to occur concurrently during youth-only season in all duck zones.
• Modify the West Zone for goose hunting to open a week earlier than current goose hunting regulations.
• Remove the daily bag limit restriction (2) on hooded mergansers.
• Combine the separate merganser and duck daily bag limits into a single aggregate daily bag limit of 6 per day.
• Reauthorize the requirement to possess a Federal Sandhill Crane Hunting Permit while hunting that species due to an administrative error.
• Close the turkey season east of I35 in Ellis County to support ongoing restocking efforts along the Trinity River

Additional details on the proposed regulation changes can be found on the public comment page and in the Texas Register.

The public is encouraged to provide comment on the proposed regulation changes, and input will be considered before any action is taken by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its March 24 public hearing. Opportunities to provide comments for or against these proposals include:

• Online: Comments on each of the changes can be provided on the TPWD public comment page until March 23.
• Zoom Webinar: TPWD Wildlife Division staff will present proposed hunting regulation changes and answer questions in an online webinar at 7:00pm on Tuesday, March 3. The webinar will also be posted on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.
• Public Hearing: TPWD Wildlife Division staff will be presenting the proposed changes to white-tailed deer hunting regulations in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties on March 9, 2022, at 7pm CST at the Grayson College Center for Workplace Learning (CWL Auditorium, 6101 Grayson Drive, Denison, TX 75020). No other proposals on either the Statewide Hunting or Migratory Game Bird proclamations will be discussed at this public hearing.
• Phone or Email: 
  • For Migratory Game Bird Proclamation comments, or comments regarding wild turkey hunting regulations, please contact Shaun Oldenburger, shaun.oldenburger@tpwd.texas.gov
  • For Statewide Hunting Proclamation comments concerning mule deer antler restrictions and season extension, please contact Shawn Gray, shawn.gray@tpwd.texas.gov
  • For white-tailed deer hunting regulations, cold storage facility requirements, definitions of buck and antlerless deer, and proof of sex for buck deer, please contact Alan Cain, alan.cain@tpwd.texas.gov
• Commission Meeting: The TPW Commission will take public comment on the proposed changes at their meeting on Thursday, March 24 in Austin. Those wishing to provide public testimony are required to pre-register to speak. Public testimony is normally limited to three minutes per person.