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TPWD proposes open season on public hunting lands and hunts on 52 park units for 2025–26
Summary
TPWD staff asked the commission to establish an open season on public hunting lands for Sept. 1, 2025–Aug. 31, 2026 and approve public hunting activities on 52 state park units; staff reported a small number of public comments largely in favor.
Kevin Mote, TPWD’s Public Lands and Public Hunting Program director, asked the commission on May 21 to establish an open season on public hunting lands for Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026, and to approve specific hunting activities on selected state park units.
Mote told commissioners staff proposes hunts on 52 state park units for the 2025–26 season and that 32 hunt groups (each comprised of one to four hunters) would be drawn for specified units. The transcript’s numeric detail for the number of individual hunt positions was not clear in the recorded brief; staff separated drawn-group hunts and individual-position hunts in their exhibit. Mote said as of 5:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting the department had received six public comments, five of which supported the proposals; one comment was unrelated to the proposal.
Mote described operational practice for drawn hunts: staff conduct draws and the agency runs standby drawings on-site for no‑shows so that opportunities are filled where possible. He said the department encourages prospective hunters to call the area before the hunt to confirm details and that Post Oak Ridge, a new park in the development pipeline, is among the parks that may be offered for public hunting.
Staff requested placement of the items on the Thursday commission meeting agenda for formal public comment and action.
