Tomorrow -- Wednesday, September 1, will be the first day that hunting permits are issued for the Big Thicket for the 2021-22 season. The visitor center will open at 9 a.m. and is expected to get really busy! If you want to go hunting, here are some things you should know.
- Hunting permits are free! However, you must have a Texas state hunting license.
- Not all units are hunting units. While some units like Big Sandy Creek and Neches Bottom & Jack Gore Baygall allow hunting, the river corridor units like Menard Creek Corridor and Village Creek Corridor prohibit hunting.
- Hunters can only hunt in one unit, so have a unit in mind before you go and have a few backups in mind because...
- A limited number of hunters can sign up for the unit. Some units are popular and fill up quickly. Others will have open spots throughout the season.
- Remember to turn in harvest cards at the end of the season. These cards are due on April 1 in the next year. This helps the preserve keep track of what animals were harvested. Hunters who don't turn in their cards may not be able to hunt the next year.
Note: This is a super simple overview written for non-hunters. To learn more about hunting and trapping in the Big Thicket, visit this page on the National Parks website.