RANCHING Wildlife
ed the welcome rainfall events across many ar- eas of Texas and the unusually cooler tem- peratures in June and early July, as compared to the last several years where 100-degree tem-
peratures and dry condi- tions seemed to arrive ear- lier than I like. Early in the spring many
parts of the state, especially west of I-35, were very dry. It looked like winter in late March across South Texas, the Hill Country, Trans Pe- cos, and Rolling Plains. Very few spring weeds
Welcome Rains Boost the 2014 Hunting Forecast
By Alan Cain, white-tailed deer program leader, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
E
ACH SPRING NUMEROUS REQUESTS FOR THE DEER HUNTING forecast come across my desk. I often contem- plate how predictions for the upcoming hunting
season are about as accurate as the weather forecast and will most likely change, especially when those forecasts are requested 5 to 6 months prior to the up- coming season. Weather, specifi cally rainfall and the timing of rainfall, is among a number of factors affect- ing how the hunting season will shape up and thus, ultimately, my hunt forecast. Biologists look at rainfall as a major predictor of the
hunting season because there is a direct correlation between rainfall, habitat (the nutrition and cover that deer need) and antler quality and fawn production. All of these impact what hunters see each fall and the quality of deer harvested. This year, my prediction in July was much differ-
ent from the prediction I made earlier in the spring for those early hunting forecast requests. Back in March and early April I couldn’t have predict-
64 The Cattleman September 2014
and wildfl owers were avail- able, grass was still dor- mant and some of the brush species were slow to fully
leaf-out. I was thinking the deer might have a rough time fi nding enough nutritional resources, ultimately affecting antler growth, fawn production and overall body condition. My prediction at the time was that the 2014 season
would be similar to the last 3 years, average to below average regarding quality and overall hunting, with much of that related to the drier conditions Texas had experienced. Conditions started to improve however, in some
cases quite dramatically. In May we had good rains across many areas of Texas. For parts of North Texas in the Cross Timbers region and areas east of I-35, habitat conditions in the early spring were in decent shape and were expected to provide deer the resources they needed to stay in good shape over the summer. Those expectations were solidifi ed for the eastern
third of the state with late spring rains, and hunters should expect an above average year in that region. Fortunately, South Texas, the Hill Country, and lands to the west also received some reasonable rains this spring, giving the habitat and vegetation a much needed boost to stay green as we headed into summer. These favorable conditions should help deer through
the summer. However, because these areas didn’t have much winter moisture or receive the early spring rains,
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