This Is The First Time Ever, Big News, White Tail Deer Season Kicks Off November 5th In Lubbock And 14 Southwestern Panhandle Counties

Game Warden Aaron Sims talks to us about Deer Season.

Saturday, November 5th kicks off the general rifle season for White Tail Deer, Sims said. Mule Deer season doesn't start until November 19th.  "This is something big around here. We haven't had a Whitetail Deer season in the Southwestern Panhandle counties, 14 counties to be exact,. We just had that nine day mule deer season, but for the first time ever, tomorrow, (November 5th) if you actually have the access to go hunt some white tail deer, that's going to be afforded to you starting off tomorrow."

He explained the best way to properly identify and tell the difference between a White Tail Deer and a Mule Deer. The Mule Deer have larger ears, a larger body and longer antlers than White Tail Deer, he explained. But also pointed out that all descriptions aren't exact you need a combination of everything to properly identify a deer.

He recapped details of the Youth Hunting license and reminded hunters to be aware of bag limits which can be different from county to county.

If you mistakenly shoot something, you should contact your game warden and report it. Depending on the circumstances, it can be a serious offense, but Sims said "honesty goes a long way." He encourages hunters to report violations that they may see, reports remain anonymous.

Sims advises hunters to be aware of official local sunrise and sunset times.