Lone Star Outdoor News – By on in Texas Hunting
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its public hearing last week approved expanded mule deer hunting in several counties and extended squirrel season across parts of East Texas.
An archery-only open season and 16-day general season for mule deer in Knox County, and a nine-day general season for mule deer in Castro, Hale and Lubbock counties will be in effect for the 2014-15 hunting seasons. The mule deer season had previously been closed in these counties. The Commission also clarified that use of antlerless mule deer permits would not count against a hunter’s county bag limit, nor require an antlerless mule deer tag from a hunting license. In addition, the use of the permit was extended to be used in archery season with archery equipment only.
The Commission also approved extending squirrel hunting season in 51 East Texas counties to the end of February and permit the use of air rifles meeting minimum standards of 600 fps (feet per second) muzzle velocity, fired from the shoulder (no handguns) and having projectiles of at least .177 caliber. The Commission also eliminated bag and possession limits on squirrel in 12 counties in north-central Texas.