PHOTO: The City of Victoria Parks & Recreation, the Port of Victoria, the Texas Youth Hunting Program, the Texas Wildlife Association and the National Wild Turkey Federation hosted a youth hunt for five local youth Nov. 3-5 at the Port of Victoria.
Five local youth were able to enjoy an outdoor hunting experience close to home during the Texas Youth Hunting Program hunt Nov. 3-5 at the Port of Victoria.
The third annual hunt was hosted by the City of Victoria Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Port of Victoria, the Texas Youth Hunting Program, the Texas Wildlife Association and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
A change of hunting ground
The annual hunt was hosted at Riverside Park during its first two years to address deer overpopulation within the park. After two years of the program, the deer population is now within a more acceptable range, and Parks & Recreation sought to host the program at a different location to avoid overhunting.
Parks & Recreation partnered with the Port of Victoria for the hunt due to deer overpopulation on the port’s property.
The Port of Victoria was also a more spacious location for the hunt, offering 500 acres of fenced private property surrounded by undeveloped land owned by the port.
Hunting and conservation
In addition to the hunting experience, the youth received lessons on outdoor safety and conservation from Invista Wetlands, the Victoria Police Department and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department game wardens and park rangers.
Based on TPWD recommendations, each participant was allowed to harvest one doe and one buck during the hunt. All five of the participants reached this limit.
After carving and dressing their deer, the participants were allowed to take home as much meat as they wanted, with the option to donate unwanted meat to Trinity Oaks Outdoors, a San Antonio nonprofit that coordinates hunting experiences and charitable donations of game.
Stay connected
Applications for next year’s hunt will open in the fall.
To sign up for Parks & Recreation events and programs, visit www.victoriatx.gov/registration.