David Sikes/Caller-Times file GOOD (BIRD) DOG: A retriever carries his master’s bird in his mouth. Options abound for area hunters, whether they care to go the more costly route of obtaining a lease or enter a lottery to hunt on public lands.

Catch justifies cost for hunters
Though leases are costly, there are other ways to bag a trophy

By George Vondracek, Caller-Times

   The volatile action on Wall Street has had little effect on Texas hunters.
   Year in and year out, hunters by the thousands take to the sea of brush in South Texas in search of a trophy buck, a covey of quail, an assortment of waterfowl or limits of white-winged and mourning doves. And they're willing to pay a price for this privilege.
   Since 97 percent of the land in Texas is privately owned, many hunters opt to pay several thousand dollars for a deer lease - on average, the typical hunter forks out between $2,500 and $5,000, with the usual limit of one buck per hunter. The leases can range from several thousand acres to tens of thousands of acres of prime hunting ground.
  

Hunting Guide Hunting Seasons - Mourning Doves » South Zone: Sept. 20-Nov. 3 and Dec. 21-Jan. 14 - White-winged doves » Special South Texas Zone, Sept. 7-8 and 14-15; and Sept.. 20-Nov. 3 and Dec. 21-Jan. 10 - Teal » Sept. 14-22 (statewide) - Alligator » Sept. 10-30 (permit only) - Pronghorn antelope » Sept. 28-Oct. 6 (permit only) - White-tailed deer » Archery: Sept. 28-Oct. 27; special youth session: Oct. 26-27; general: Nov. 2-Jan. 19 (29 South Texas counties - Late antlerless and spike » Jan. 20-Feb. 2 (30 South Texas counties) - Muzzleloader » late antlerless and spike, Jan. 11-19 (19 counties); special youth antlerless only (Jan. 18-19) - Javelina » Oct. 1-Feb. 23 (40 counties) (no closed season in 50 counties) - Squirrel » Sept. 1-Aug. 31 - Coast pheasant » Nov. 2-Feb. 23 (seven coastal counties) - Quail » Oct. 26-Feb. 23 - Rio Grande Turkey » Archery, Sept. 28-Oct. 27; fall season, special Youth Season, Oct. 26-27, Jan. 18-19; South Texas » (25 counties), Nov. 2-Jan. 19; Brooks, Kenedy & Kleberg counties, Nov. 2-Feb. 23; spring season, 32 South Texas counties, March 29-May 4 - Chachalaca » Cameron, Hildago, Starr and Willacy counties: Nov. 2-Feb. 23 On the Net TP&W Fishing and Hunting zone map located at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ licenses/outdoor_annual/ index.html

Quail hunting, too, is no bargain, with leases running $5 and more per acre of land. Package deals that include guides, dogs, lodging and meals can cost several hundred dollars per hunter per day.
   With national renown for producing record-book white-tail bucks, excellent catches of quail and feisty competition for doves, many hunters feel the expense is justified.
   There are ways to offset the cost. Resident hunters can enter lottery drawings to hunt on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's three wildlife management areas in South Texas - the Chaparral near Artesia Wells, the James Daughtrey area near Three Rivers and the Choke Canyon North Shore.
   Public leases have been increased to 158 around the state for dove hunting that costs only $40 per hunter for access to all of them. Within the Coastal Bend, there are 21 public hunting areas within an hour of Corpus Christi, including TPW's largest public hunting area in the state, a 1,482-acre tract on the King Ranch.
   "There is a good mixture of options, No. 1 starting with the lottery," said Herb Kothmann, TPW's public hunting program director. "But the odds are high to get selected. But we do have the ones where you buy the fee and hunt wherever and whenever youwant."
   Lease, license information
   Land lease fees
   * Deer - Anywhere from $5 to $10 per acre (package hunts that provide guides, meals, lodging and equipment for several days can cost between $3,500-$5,000)
   * Quail - From $5 an acre and more (package hunts range from $400-$800 per day)
   * Waterfowl - Best buy. Enthusiasts can hunt areas of the South Texas coast that are public property for no fee. Hunters can build a duck blind and hunt at will for teal, widgeons, pintails, red heads and shovelers
  

PLACES TO LOCATE LEASES
   * Newspaper classified ads.
   * Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Public Hunts Coordinator, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin 78744.
  

LICENSE FEES
   * Super combo with annual public hunting permit, $89
   * Super Combo, includes all seven state hunting and fishing stamps, $49 ($84 value if purchased separately)
   * Combo - $32
   * Hunting license - $19
   * State waterfowl stamp - $7
   * Federal Waterfowl stamp - $15
   * White-winged stamp - $7
   * Turkey stamp - $5
   * Archery stamp - $7
   * Muzzleloader stamp - $10
   * Bonus whitetail tag - $10
   * Saltwater stamp - $10
   * Senior Fishing (required of Texas residents at least 65 or blind) - $6
   * Special hunting (required of all resident and nonresident hunters younger than 17 and 65-older) - $6
   * Senior Combo (65-older) - $10
   * Public hunting permit - $40
   To purchase a license by phone, call (800) 895-4248, menu 1.
   Hunting seasons
   *?Mourning Doves - South Zone: Sept. 20-Nov. 3 and Dec. 21-Jan. 14
   *?White-winged doves - Special South Texas Zone, Sept. 7-8 and 14-15; and Sept.. 20-Nov. 3 and Dec. 21-Jan. 10
   *?Teal - Sept. 14-22 (statewide)
   *?Alligator - Sept. 10-30 (permit only)
   *?Pronghorn antelope - Sept. 28-Oct. 6 (permit only)
   *?White-tailed deer - Archery: Sept. 28-Oct. 27; special youth session: Oct. 26-27; general: Nov. 2-Jan. 19 (29 South Texas counties
   *?Late antlerless and spike - Jan. 20-Feb. 2 (30 South Texas counties)
   *?Muzzleloader - late antlerless and spike, Jan. 11-19 (19 counties); special youth antlerless only (Jan. 18-19)
   *?Javelina - Oct. 1-Feb. 23 (40 counties) (no closed season in 50 counties)
   *?Squirrel - Sept. 1-Aug. 31
   *?Coast pheasant - Nov. 2-Feb. 23 (seven coastal counties)
   *?Quail - Oct. 26-Feb. 23
   *?Rio Grande Turkey - Archery, Sept. 28-Oct. 27; fall season, special Youth Season, Oct. 26-27, Jan. 18-19; South Texas - (25 counties), Nov. 2-Jan. 19; Brooks, Kenedy & Kleberg counties, Nov. 2-Feb. 23; spring season, 32 South Texas counties, March 29-May 4
   *?Chachalaca - Cameron, Hildago, Starr and Willacy counties: Nov. 2-Feb. 23
   On the Net
   TP&W Fishing and Hunting zone map located at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/_licenses/outdoor_annual/_index.html