Jackson County WMA

07/17/2026

Good afternoon –
I hope this message finds everyone well and that this rain is helpful rather than harmful to everyone’s properties and crops. It’s officially survey season! Below and attached are a few things to help you through this process. Take a second to read through the bullets and please let me know if you have any questions. Deadline for submitting data to me is September 11th. This deadline will ensure that I get harvest recommendations and permits to you by opening day of deer season (Oct 3rd). Any data received afterwards will be handled in order of receiving and permit issuance will occur as time allows. Remember that permits are issued online and you print your own permits and harvest data sheets. Also, you all should have been receiving emails about the MLDP Fee. Those payments will MUST be received by Oct 2 or you will be automatically un-enrolled from MLDP for this year. In LMA you should see a button to pay on the top right-hand side of your screen. Please let me know if you run into any problems, but remember that online payments through LMA are the only way to submit this payment.

*The JCWMA Meeting will be August 29th. Please see the newsletter for meeting information and survey form.

*I will be hosting an afternoon workshop on Deer Management in our are on August 7 in El Campo. Please RSVP if you’d like to attend as space is limited.

*Also attached is our district Wildlifer Newsletter.

Each property in the WMA will be required to turn in survey data. The primary need is herd composition data (bucks/does/fawns). More information and a datasheet is in the attachment.
If you have a small property or don’t see many deer during the daylight hours, you can record deer you see within a ½ mile on the roads leading to and from your place.
Please total the columns when submitting.
If you previously conducted surveys on your property that collected population data (daytime drive counts, spotlight counts, etc) and need the datasheets for those, let me know and I will get them to you. Any additional population data we can get will help to monitor the deer herd(s).
WMA dues and survey datasheets will need to be turned in prior to a permit issuance being made. I will work with Alan and Jim to keep up-to-date with these dues payments and issue permits accordingly.
I will be sending another email about this, but we will need volunteers again to do the WMA-wide spotlight survey for both Lavaca River and Sandy Creek WMAs. If you’re interested, let me know. I’d like to get the route ran at least 3 times. If you’d like more info on what this entails, just shoot me an email or call at the number below.
As always, if there is anything I can do for you all please do not hesitate to reach out. I’m always available for site visits and would enjoy the opportunity to come out to your property and talk management or just see some of the things that are being done.



All the best,

Clinton Faas

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Wharton and (North) Jackson Counties

605 E. Calhoun St.

El Campo, TX 77437

[email protected]

281.202.9212

07/10/2026

12/17/2025

Very successful hunt on properties managed by Lavaca Navidad River Authority in Jackson County. Priority will be given to youth who live or attend school in JACKSON, LAVACA, OR WHARTON COUNTY. Note in the comments area if you live in another county but attend school in one of these counties. Base ca...

12/16/2025

10/31/2025

Opening weekend is upon us, good luck to everyone hitting woods!
A message from our biologist Clint Faas-

We are still trying to test as many deer as we can for Chronic Wasting Disease. Hunter harvest, and your help, is the backbone of our testing efforts.
If you would be willing to submit a deer for sampling, please reach out to me and we can arrange meeting up.
I will again have a cooler at my office location (605 E. Calhoun, El Campo, TX; in the back under the covered awning) that you can drop off a head in if that is easier for anyone. There will be an info sheet and a small paper to fill out so I can identify it, and my phone number to text me that something has been dropped off.
If you have a buck, I can meet up with you and test it so you keep the head. Doe heads can be dropped off or picked up, and I can handle disposal.
If you are traveling and see a fresh roadkill deer, you can call or text with the location and I will pull samples from those as well.
If you harvest a buck that you would like to have measured/scored, I am happy to do so. If it meets the minimum requirements for Texas Big Game Awards, Boone and Crockett, or Pope and Young, I will gladly help you through the process of getting your deer entered as an official measurer for all 3.
More information about Texas Big Game Awards here. We would love to see more entries from our area. In addition to scored entries, there is recognition for Youth Hunters, First Big Game Harvest, and landowner recognition.

Clint Faas-
[email protected]
281.202.9212

A reminder to everyone about the new CWD carcass disposal restrictions linked here-
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_lf_w7000_0859j.pdf

Complete MLD rules/laws-
https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/permits/land/wildlife_management/mldp/

Also

The Managed Lands Deer Program (MLDP) is intended to foster and support sound management and stewardship of native wildlife and wildlife habitats on private lands in Texas.

09/19/2025

A message from our Biologist- Clint Faas

Good morning all –

The first round of MLD Permits have been issued to Lavaca River and Sandy Creek WMA. If you got everything turned in, you should have an email from LMA asking you to accept the issuance. If you did not receive an email from LMA you have not been issued permits yet. This is most likely because we are either missing surveys or your dues have not been paid to the Wildlife Management Association. If you thought you had everything turned in but did not receive an issuance, please reach out to me and I will see where the hangup is.

Reminders:

The online MLDP Fee must be paid by September 26th or you will be un-enrolled and ineligible for permits this year. (this is separate from the Wildlife Management Association dues)
You need to print the Harvest Log when you print permits and fill it out each time you use a permit.
The number of permits you receive is the only number of antlerless deer you are allowed to harvest on the property. It goes against regulations to use your license tag to harvest additional antlerless deer on that property.
Buck harvest follows county regulations, bag limits, and season length. Since we do not issue buck tags through the WMA, the extended season granted through MLDP is for antlerless only.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and I’ll help any way I can.

09/15/2025

MLD Cooperators- don't forget to submit your survey data to your local biologist to receive your allotted deer tags for the upcoming season.

09/05/2025

Although part of our district got to enjoy the September 1 dove opener, the rest will kick it off tomorrow with the Special White-wing Dove Days. Remember, if you are hunting in the South Zone during this special season, legal shooting hours are Noon - Sunset and the 15 bird bag limit may include no more than 2 mourning dove.

09/03/2025

Texas' one million-plus hunters taking to the field this fall are asked to proactively identify and report potential cases of New World screwworm (NWS), which have been confirmed 370 miles south of our border.

▪️Be vigilant for infestation on wildlife, livestock and pets. This includes open sores or wounds with maggots, animals shaking heads or exhibiting irritated demeanor and a foul, rotting flesh odor.
▪️Look for sores or open wounds on animals in game camera photos.
▪️Check harvested game for sign of NWS infestation.
▪️Commonly affected wildlife species include white-tailed deer, rabbits (cottontail and jackrabbits), small mammals and wild turkey. However, all warm-blooded animals can be infested.
▪️Suspected NWS wildlife infestation should be reported to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department at (512) 389-4505. For livestock, call the Texas Animal Health Commission at (800) 550-8242.
▪️Landowners, land managers and outfitters are encouraged to communicate NWS infestation characteristics and reporting information with lease hunters and guests.

Screwworm infestations are possible year-round in South Texas and tend to be seasonal (spring-fall) in the Panhandle and points north. Early detection is key and reporting is crucial to implement management and eradication efforts.

Keep tabs on the latest Texas NWS news at https://screwwormtx.org/.

Texas Parks and Wildlife | Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association | Texas Animal Health Commission | East Foundation | Texas Agricultural Land Trust