Commission reviews migratory gamebird and statewide hunting proclamation proposals, including teal, pintail and quail season adjustments

Staff presented a set of proposed changes to the Migratory Gamebird Proclamation and the Statewide Hunting Proclamation at the March 26 work session and asked the commission to place both items on the formal agenda for adoption consideration.

Migratory gamebirds: Sean Oldenberger summarized proposed migratory gamebird changes that staff prepared to align with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal frameworks. Key items included: - Northern pintail: Federal harvest-strategy updates allow a three-bird daily duck bag limit where population status permits; staff proposed adopting a three‑bird pintail allowance in applicable duck zones for the 2025-26 season. - Early teal season: New breeding-population survey results for blue-winged teal fell below the threshold for a 16-day early teal season and require that Texas limit the early teal season to 9 days under federal frameworks. - Calendar and exposure-day adjustments: The reduction from 16 to 9 early teal days frees exposure days that staff proposed to allocate to other season extensions in certain management units and to adjust rail and gallinule season dates accordingly.

Oldenberger said public comment had been substantial on these items; for example, 272 comments on the pintail proposal were 89% supportive as of the morning of the work session, and teal-season comments were mixed. He emphasized that federal frameworks constrain state seasons — Texas may be more restrictive but not more liberal.

Statewide hunting proclamation and upland game: Staff proposed changes including opening Lubbock County to turkey season, clarifying Hill County turkey zone boundaries, and amendments to align digital-tagging rules for deer and turkey with the digital-license proposal presented earlier. Quail season options were discussed at length: staff offered a range of calendars (including an opening the Saturday closest to Oct. 28 and closing the last Sunday in February), the Upland Gamebird Advisory Committee recommended a November 1 opening through the last day in February, and staff said there is no biological reason the season-extension options would harm quail populations. Public comment on quail dates was strongly favorable to the proposed closing date change.

Mule deer and MLDP: Sean Gray presented proposals to extend mule-deer archery seasons in the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos, and to consolidate managed lands deer program (MLDP) seasons to allow any lawful means across a combined archery/any‑weapons season window. Staff reported advisory-group support and survey results indicating a majority favor.

Why it matters: Season dates, bag limits and proclamation language shape hunting opportunity, enforcement, and biological management. Several proposals were explicitly tied to federal framework requirements and to last year's breeding-population surveys.

Next steps: Staff recommended placing both the Migratory Gamebird Proclamation and Statewide Hunting Proclamation on the Thursday commission meeting agenda for public comment and possible action.