No one ever said life was fair, but you would think for a dollar everyone would get the same dollars worth.

Looking at the upcoming hunting dates for 2015-16 one thing continues to jump off the page — and that is deer season. This year it opens Nov. 7 statewide.

Now, since we all pay the same for a deer license it would seem like the statewide closing date would be the same, but that is not the case. Hunting in the North Zone, which includes 212 counties, closes on Jan. 3. Hunting in the 30 South Zone counties, however, continues on for two more weeks.

There actually is some sociology in the start and science in closing dates.

“The general season start date is the same statewide to provide a simpler and consistent deer hunting regulation. The Department strives to reduce confusion where possible with hunting regulations, including consistent season dates where possible,” said Alan Cain, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s white-tailed deer program leader.

Of course there is no room to go backwards with the start of the regular season in the North Zone because of the traditional statewide archery season that starts Oct. 1 and ends the day before the regular season opens.

The archery season is already under attack from the Managed Lands Deer Permit program that allows gun hunting as early as Oct. 1. About 25 percent of the state’s more than 704,000 deer hunters hunt with a bow at sometime during the year, and many of those take advantage of the early season. That is especially the case in eastern Texas where the rut comes earlier in November than other parts of the state.

Archery hunters used to have October to themselves. However, there is now about 24 million acres enrolled in the MLDP program. That makes up almost a third of the state’s more than 80 million acres of deer habitat. There is no doubt that has resulted in more gun hunters in October as landowners attempt to reduce doe numbers as early as possible.

The department could hold up the start of the South Zone season a couple of weeks to equalize dates, but again that would result in a patchwork start.

“It makes sense to have the general season start date the same as well rather than have a two week gap for South Texas. That would create confusion among deer hunters,” Cain said.

As for the closing dates, there is tradition on the side of the date in the North Zone where about 600,000 hunters hunt annually.

There are other issues as well.

It is not uncommon for bucks in some of the North Zone counties to start losing antlers beginning in January. Hunting late could result in hunters taking bucks they thought were doe.

In East Texas, specifically, finding a buck in late December and January can be close to impossible. By then, however, hunters have already had shots at first and secondary ruts.

South Texas’ 105,000 hunters get the benefit of the longer season to take advantage of a rut that doesn’t kick off until about Christmas.

“On the back end the season is extended in South Texas in large part because the rut occurs much later in that eco-region than the remaining portion of the state. The additional two weeks allows hunters to enjoy the rutting period as it begins to drop off in late January,” Cain said.

According to TPWD’s breeding chronology charts: the rut in South Texas peaks around Dec. 16 in the eastern portion of the region and Dec. 24 in the west. In comparison, the rut in the Pineywoods is about a month earlier and about two weeks earlier in the Edwards Plateau.

All of the arguments for not splitting the opening and splitting the closing are good until you look down the list of other seasons in Texas. If you live north of I-10 between Houston and San Antonio, your early dove season will open Sept. 1 and close Oct. 25. If you live south of the interstate, the season opens Sept. 18 and closes Oct. 21. But if you live west of Interstate 37, you have a short season Sept. 5-6 and 12-13, before reopening again on Sept. 18. The late season is even more confusing.

The same thing happens for ducks, mule deer and javelinas, and without incident.

This is not a call to shorten the South Zone. It would be nice if there was a way to lengthen the North Zone. Then again, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts…

 

— Have a comment or opinion on this story? Contact outdoor writer Steve Knight by email at outdoor@tylerpaper.com. Follow Steve Knight on Facebook at TylerPaper Outdoors and on Twitter @tyleroutdoor.