ANTLER RESTRICTIONS: Antler restrictions proposed for 
panhandle counties …details ahead on Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

When Mule Deer season opens mid-November hunters 
must abide by antler restrictions on bucks in six counties 
in the SE panhandle. 

03—We’re using the same model as the white-tailed deer.

Restrictions implemented in the early 2000s in 6 east 
Texas counties for white-tailed bucks prevented hunters 
from taking very young animals from the landscape. The 
experiment saw an increase of bucks, and more natural 
buck age structure and sex ratios.

Shawn Gray is the state’s mule deer program leader. For 
white-tail bucks hunters use an inside spread restriction.

17—But, for mule deer—to protect the age classes that we want to 
protect, and to allow hunters harvest of the animals that we would like 
for them to harvest—instead of an inside spread, we’re going to use an 
outside spread of the main beam.

Which is ear tip to ear tip. There’s a 20-inch minimum 
restriction on the outside antler spread of the main 
beams on mule deer bucks.

13—And, we’re going to monitor that through voluntary check stations. 
Also, through our population surveys to see if we can improve our age 
structure of the buck segment of that population over there.  

When hunting is not a factor, natural selection determines 
which bucks reach maturity. Antler restrictions on mule 
deer bucks are in Briscoe, Childress, Cottle, Floyd, Motley, 
and Hall counties

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series and 
funds Mule Deer management in Texas. [W-169-R-1]

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti. 



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