Will Leschper

Texas is waterfowl country, and again this fall and winter, all of the Lone Star State will harbor ducks and geese of all shapes, sizes and colors. The counts again should be favorable, too. Dave Morrison, small game program leader for Texas Parks & Wildlife, said waterfowl counts in recent seasons...

It’s hard to get biologists and land managers to utter words such as “extraordinary,” “outstanding” or “spectacular” when discussing the Texas deer outlook. However, those terms certainly are applicable this fall and winter, and in the minds of some deer experts, the forecast has never been better. Here’s what you...

The Texas deer hunting forecast typically involves little in the way of new developments, but in a state with the largest whitetail population in the country, that’s nothing to fret about. However, the 2016-17 hunting frameworks will feature a number of big changes all aimed at improving access and opportunity,...

Hunters and anglers remain the greatest conservationists of natural resources and game species – a fact rooted in actual numbers and hard data – specifically the billions of dollars that have been poured back into conservation efforts and habitat restoration through sporting goods taxes. Dove hunting and deer hunting in...

Alligator attacks are rare in Texas, but in the wake of another attack in Florida in which a 2-year-old boy was dragged into a lagoon at a Disney hotel near Orlando, it's a good time to urge caution and understanding about the reptiles, especially during breeding season. GATOR HISTORY, NUMBERS: To gauge the alligator...

I’ve seen them while hunting Rio Grande turkeys in the spring, my back pressed squarely up against an oak tree, hoping that they wouldn’t scare off a mature gobbler. I’ve seen them while hunting whitetails in the fall, raiding deer feeders and devouring all the corn aimed primarily at attracting...

The 2016-17 migratory game bird seasons in Texas again will feature liberal frameworks and bag limits, including six ducks per day. https://texasoutdoordigest.com/hunting/goose-hunting-in-texas-faces-large-decline-in-birds-hunter-numbers/ Ducks/Geese Early Season Statewide Teal — Sept. 10-25 with a daily bag limit of six birds. East Zone Canada Geese – Sept. 10-25 with a bag limit of five. General Duck High Plains Mallard...

Texas dove hunting is a $300 million industry, but that figure is set to rise substantially this fall with the recent adoption of a 90-day dove season, the longest in eight decades. https://texasoutdoordigest.com/hunting/texas-hunting-accidents-largely-avoidable-with-common-sense/ Here are dove hunting seasons from Texas Parks & Wildlife, with a breakdown on season dates and limits: Dove North Zone Sept....

Red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico again will feature a shortened season for recreational anglers, at least according to NOAA Fisheries, a move that continues to show the disconnect between science and sense. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council announced Tuesday that recreational sector anglers likely would see...

Bass fishing can be the most exciting form of angling around, but on the toughest of days, it also can be the most aggravating. Finicky fish can be frustrating, and rightly so. Most anglers expect their tried and true methods to boat big loads of bass, but sometimes things just...