Hunting in Texas is big business

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas

December 20, 2001 -- Hunting in Texas is big business.

Around 913,000 hunters venture out, each year, on hunting trips in Texas on land that is 97 percent privately owned, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW).

Along with the private hunting leases, there are various public hunting programs offered, some, not for the faint of heart.

Deer hunting continues to be the favorite, followed by pigs, ducks and big horn sheep and turkeys.

Mike Blair, archery expert at the Texas Hunting and Mercantile shop in Smithville says there are a number of bow hunters and a big demand for archery equipment in the area.

Blair and his wife, Brenda, won a "Texas Grand Slam" a couple of years ago, hunting with bows. According to him, in order to win this award, the hunters must kill four rams ... a Mouflon, a Corsican, a Hawaiian Black and a Texas Dahl.

The Texas Grand Slam proceeds are used to fund the Texas desert bighorn sheep, restoration, big game research, habitat conservation and public hunting projects in Texas, says the TPW.

Participants pay varying fees, according to the type of hunt, in order to participate, and since the 1930s, hunters have funded the "bulk of wildlife conservation efforts in Texas through the Wildlife Restoration Program," says TPW.

Bill Pfeiffer, general manager of the Texas Hunting and Mercantile said they moved their business from Round Rock, last September, and have many local customers as well as those hunters traveling from Louisiana and South East Texas on their way to the Hill Country.

"Deer hunting is what we primarily focus on, whether it be archery or guns or whatever. If we have people who want to hunt ducks or turkeys ... if they need something, we'll get it," said Pfeiffer.

While the store doesn't have its Federal Firearms License (FFL), yet, they hope to receive it in early 2002. Pfeiffer said that everything that's happened since 9/11 has slowed the government in issuing the license, although they aren't in any hurry to sell firearms.

They have a complete supply of ammunition and line of archery equipment. Also, they are able to sell black powder without having a FFL.

"We have a complete, professional archery shop and can make arrows, tune bows and do anything you need," said Pfeiffer.

Blair has organized a new league for bow hunters and enthusiasts who will meet at the store to compete in the professional, indoor range. The leagues are scheduled to begin in mid-December, and will have teams of 10 archers.

Along with hunting gear and equipment, hunters can purchase feeders and stands of all sizes and shapes, according to how much space, money and time is allowed.

"Some like to build feeders or maintain what they have. We sell a lot of corn, and a lot (of hunters) just come by to swap stories," said Pfeiffer.

"People have discovered you can manage a herd (of deer) real well, if you feed protein. You can get a whole lot bigger horns than you ever thought possible. People are really getting into that."

He said that deer are just like cattle, and many of the hunters are farmers and ranchers.

"It's a part of what they do, if you stop and think about it. They catch a coyote out here or something after one of their calves, they become a hunter real quick, that's just part of it," he added.

One thing hunters are concerned about is talk of changes in buck hunting, next season.

According to Bob Carroll, District Leader of the Oak Prairie Regulatory District, which covers 26 counties in South Central Texas, wildlife management may make new laws necessary.

A proposal will be presented in January which could effect the size of bucks allowed to be hunted, by law, next year. That decision will be made early in 2002.

As far as this season, Carroll said that " ... what we've seen, so far, is a moderate to light kill on bucks." Some counties seem to have a lot of does, too.

Carroll said that duck hunting has been good because of the abundant, fall rainfall in the area, which has contributed to healthier birds and more scattered flocks.

Another feature of the Texas Hunting and Mercantile store is the mounted, Canadian bear which tipped the scales at 726 pounds when it was killed.

Now, that's not hunting for the weak of heart!