The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is considering opening deer hunting in three North Texas counties and another on the upper coast this fall as part of recommended changes to the 2012-13 Statewide Hunting Proclamation.

For hunters who do not have access to privately-owned land, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is providing low cost access  to nearly a million acres of department-managed lands for hunting, including most wildlife management areas, some state parks and many leased properties under the Annual Public Hunting permit program.

Record drought is taking its toll in Texas on everything from wildlife to water bills and that has many people seeking new ways of coping with nature. In an effort to help, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department this week converted its main water resource website to feature an online Drought Survival Kit.

The recent discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a captive deer in Missouri underscores the need for vigilance in monitoring whitetails and taking action when questionable deer are discovered in Texas captive breeding facilities.

With hundreds of thousands of Texans getting ready for opening day of the general gun season for white-tailed deer on Nov. 5, it’s important to keep safety in your crosshairs.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists are asking hunters and landowners to bring their harvested mule deer to one of the six voluntary mule deer check stations in the Trans-Pecos region Dec. 3-4 and Dec. 10-11. Voluntary check stations will be set up during the two weekends in Culberson, Midland, Pecos, Terrell and Brewster counties.

Mired in what will undoubtedly be one of the worst droughts on record, white-tailed deer in Texas are facing tough conditions heading into the fall hunting season.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reminding hunters the deadline to enter this year’s Big Time Texas Hunts is Oct. 15. Winners will be called before the end of October to give them time to make their hunting trip preparations.

Wildlife biologists are advising hunters, ranchers and rural residents that black bears appear to be roaming longer distances and may approach people or houses in search of food and water because of the drought.