“The 2023 hunting season promises to be a good one,” speculated Wood County Game Warden Lee Hall. Rebounding from a year in which the county was overrun with acorn production, last year’s hunt was a tough one. Deer were not necessarily seeking out feeders. 

The season this year appears to be more the norm for the county, advised Hall. In addition to good conditions, there are no indications of biological threats to the deer population – such as chronic wasting disease. 

“Texas Parks and Wildlife staffs a number of biologists who regularly take tissue samples from deer, both hunted deer during season and roadkill out of season, to check for a number of natural threats to the population,” Hall explained. He added that the population appears healthy and thriving.

Deer hunting in Wood County, and throughout Texas, is evolving. The traditional deer camps are dwindling in number. 

The experience, which had been part of several generations’ coming-of-age is just becoming more difficult to sustain.

Hall attributes this to societal changes brought on by technology combined with the increasing cost of everything related to hunting (ammo, fuel, etc.).

The sale of rural acreage into smaller and smaller parcels is also making it more difficult to secure a lease, establish a camp and clear downrange. 

Against that backdrop, however, Hall advised that the number of hunters in Texas continues to grow. This year deer hunters will be in the field: Archery-only Sept. 20-Nov. 3; youth Oct. 28-29 and Jan. 8-21; general deer Nov. 4-Jan 7; and antlerless Nov. 4-19.

An increased number of hunters and the breakup of large holdings in the county necessitates greater attention by hunters and landowners, alike.

Hall’s common sense guidance to hunters is straightforward, “Always be mindful of safety, respect property lines, be aware of your fall of shot, and know exactly what you are shooting at.”

Now in his third year as a warden in Wood County, Hall explained that he is very appreciative of the assistance given him by landowners in the name of conservation. “Building good relations with landowners is a key to success of a game warden,” he offered.

He is also taken by the good intentions of local hunters and the high regard with which they hold state game wardens.

“I would like to thank folks for the great support that they provide us…it feels like home,” Hall remarked. 

While enforcing regulations during deer season may be the most well-known efforts of wardens, it is only one part of the job. 

Hall said that this past year, he was involved in a large duck-baiting case and a gill net case. The duck-baiting case required a significant amount of time and energy, and the gill net case was worked in concert with Smith County wardens. Fishermen were illegally deploying gill nets across the Sabine River. 

Hall said that dove-baiting is another problematic issue faced in the district, as is the recent evidence of alligator snapping turtle poaching on Lake Fork. 

Wood County falls in Region 3 District 4. The district headquarters is just south in Whitehouse and coordinates warden activities in Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Wood counties. The newly-completed district headquarters is the second largest in the state. 

Of course deer season wraps up a busy year for outdoorsmen in the county. The five large lakes in the county keep Hall and his partner Warden Kurt Kelley especially busy during the spring and summer months. 

Hall reported that there were no major incidents on the lakes this past year.

“The demeanor of everyone out enjoying the lakes was especially good this past season, and we had no swift-water rescues called away,” he commented. 

The laws governing outdoor recreation are adjusted regularly. A recent new law has been posted which makes it illegal to discharge firearms below the gradient of a riverbed – except for hunting water fowl with steel shot pellets. In effect this makes it illegal to take weapons down to the river for shooting practice.

Another recent change dealt with the continued training required of all game wardens. In addition to an already healthy amount of required proficiency training, each warden is also now required to complete 16 hours of active shooter response training. 

State game wardens are already among the most highly-trained law enforcement professionals in the state. As Hall described a normal day patrolling the county, it usually starts and ends with observing hunting and fishing, often in remote areas of the county, and approaching those hunters and fishermen to check for lawful compliance.

Such a charter requires that each warden is ably trained and develops keen senses of observation and intuition. Practical training combined with relationship-building with the general population of hunters and fishermen ensure professional and safe interaction in the fields and lakes.

Hall reported no unusual animal sightings over the past year (no black bears wandering through), although he did warn of a significant increase in feral hog activity. 

The warden welcomed folks to approach him when he is out and about. “We want folks to use us as a reference…keeping the wardens informed about goings-on in the county is critical to ensuring we all can enjoy our outdoors for years to come.”