Texas adds optional deer disposal procedures
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“There is an important new regulation for this year’s hunting season,” stated Wood County Game Warden Lee Hall, “It is now legal to debone your kill, with some specific …
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Texas adds optional deer disposal procedures
“There is an important new regulation for this year’s hunting season,” stated Wood County Game Warden Lee Hall, “It is now legal to debone your kill, with some specific guidance.”
Hall described that continued investigation into Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has led to the change allowing deboning. The policy is hoped to limit the spread of infected bone and brain matter.
Hunters may now debone their deer, but must keep the deboned meat segregated into muscle groups and limit the transport of bones and brain material. The new regulation is also not mandatory, so hunters may still quarter their deer just as they always have.
Hunters choosing to debone have three options for the disposal of bones and brain material: a) bury the bones to a depth of three feet or more, b) dispose of them in a public landfill, or c) return to the location of the kill and disperse the bones.
“CWD is actually contained in the soil, so this policy is an effort to limit and contain the areas which may be effected,” Hall stated.
In addition to the new deboning policy, Hall’s plea for the upcoming deer season is simple: slow down.
“Nine out of ten accidents would have been alleviated had those sportsmen involved simply slowed down,” he cautioned.
He explained how slowing down reduces the tendency for mistakes. It is easier to remedy mistakes in advance than mitigate the results afterward, he shared. This also included, he added, the homework required to ensure that a sportsman is 100% legal.
Hall described a successful deer season one year ago, with no major incidents. He offered a recommendation to be careful when purchasing a license on-line, as the hunter must check either ‘electronic license’ or ‘physical license.’
“Some folks thought that because they were on-line, they were automatically purchasing an electronic license; that is not the case, you have to designate,” he said.
Hall also noted that proof-of-purchase is adequate for hunting except when tags are required (hunting deer or turkey).
The veteran warden, now in his fifth year in Wood County, explained that gaining compliance with the rules and regulations remains a warden’s main goal. A warden is given considerable discretion on what he adjudicates as a fine and what he dismisses with a warning.
“Basically, if something violates a safety rule (lifejackets in a boat for instance) it is a ticket. If it is a matter of awareness, then it usually is a warning,” Hall explained. There are, of course, gray areas, and issues such as the recent kill switch law which are transitioning from a warning to a violation.
A quiet deer season in 2023 did not mean the wardens weren’t busy. There was one major incident on the water over the past year when a jet ski ran over two swimmers at Lake Holbrook. The victims were hospitalized with serious injury.
To enhance the afloat presence of law enforcement in the county, several deputies of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office achieved qualification as Marine Safety Enforcement Officers.
“With five major bodies of water in the county, this will greatly assist us in doing compliance checks,” Hall noted.
Hall also sortied as a part of a search and rescue team to the Lake Livingston area after the spring floods. Search and Rescue is one of Hall’s specialties – he deployed with two wardens from Smith County for the mission in Livingston.
He has also deployed in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017. Another area of Hall’s expertise is swimming qualification and water survival. As such, he oversees the training of all warden candidates at the training academy.
Continuing education is a big part of a game warden’s career. Following the Uvalde shootings, all law enforcement officers in Texas were required to complete and maintain their readiness for active shooter response.
Refocusing to Wood County, Hall noted that they had received a large number of alligator calls this past spring.
“Alligators tend to relocate after heavy rains, so many ended up in ponds throughout the county,” Hall explained. The warden also added that game wardens are not typically in the alligator relocation business.
All five county lakes are in good shape with respect to invasive flora, including giant salvinia. There has also been no movement, this far west yet, of iguanas or pythons.
Hall wished to alert young folks who may have a desire to become a game warden that there is no better time than now.
“There will be a considerable number of retirements in the next few years…. Young folks should get involved in activities which build a servant’s heart and are outdoors-oriented,” he said.
Application to the state game warden program requires a four-year college degree, in any specialty.
White-tailed deer season
General Nov. 2 – Jan. 5
Archery Sept. 28 – Nov. 1
Youth Jan. 6-19
Muzzleloader Jan 6. - 19
Antlerless Nov. 2 – Dec. 1