Hunting

  There’s no place like deer camp. It’s hallowed ground, whether the accommodations include meager trappings and tent stakes or a full-service kitchen and prime cuts of steak. I’ve been in my share of them, each holding a sentimental quality for a variety of reasons, and not simply because of the proximity...

  The dusty breeze tickled the tops of spindly mesquites and thick bunch grass as I descended the steps of the tower stand. At the bottom, the icy chill of the late November morning hit me square in the face as binoculars were raised for what seemed like the 100th time. The...

  The iron sights glow faintly on a frosty afternoon sit. Rays from the setting run dance along the barrel as the old whitetail doe feeds closer. The shot lines up perfectly. The West Texas breeze rises slightly as the deer steps broadside at 60 yards. An instant later the trigger eases the...

  The misidentification occurred years ago by a teenage deer hunter, but the mistake still rings true many more seasons well into adulthood. Every time I think about the scenario I still get a sinking feeling, and while I broke no law and did nothing illegal, I perpetrated a cardinal sin...

Texas archery deer season officially kicks off Oct. 3, 2026, and the whitetail outlook is about as good as it's ever been, especially in hunting hot beds including the Hill Country and South Texas. Bowhunting has never been more popular, with the pursuit taking the mainstream outdoors world by storm...

  I remember where I was when I heard the mind-boggling news: after a searing September day in Comanche County, one of those that makes you wonder how much hotter it can actually get, I found myself among a group of happy dove hunters shooting the breeze as the sun...

Texas hunters and anglers make a pilgrimage this time of year to their local sporting goods stores, hoping to beat the rush before September dove hunts and picking up plenty of gear along the way. And as always, Texas habitat conservation organizations greatly thank you and urge you to again...

  The most dangerous game in Texas doesn’t have menacing claws, sweeping tusks or broad headgear. It isn’t a predator, it isn’t a carnivore, and in fact, it doesn’t even have teeth. It’s a 5-ounce bird (give or take, based on what species you're hunting -- mourning doves, whitewings or Eurasian collared...

  White-winged dove hunting was a “Valley thing.” Years ago, it was a specialized pursuit that had Texans in metro areas driving 300 or 400 miles one-way to make it down to prized whitewing havens not far from the Mexican border in the Rio Grande Valley to blast at the high-flying...

  It’s a safe assumption the majority of Texans are fully aware of the regulations associated with dove hunting, but there remain common violations that game wardens continue to see each September. Most of them are easily avoidable, and in all reality, these issues rest at the heart of conservation: It’s...