Published 5:30 am Sunday, August 30, 2026
By News-Journal Staff
A New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is pictured Friday, Jun 06, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)
Hunters can anticipate an average-to-good fall hunting season for various game species, but they should look out for signs of the New World screwworm.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has forecast that hunters could have a good 2026 season but should watch for the invasive pest that can be particularly deadly for fawns and does. The screwworm, which feeds on open flesh wounds and can target young animals, was detected in Texas in June.
“The timing of these positive New World screwworm cases came at a bad time, with fawning season overlapping with the presence of screwworm,” said Marcus Blum, AgriLife Extension statewide wildlife specialist. “This left both fawns and does vulnerable.”
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To date, there have been no confirmed cases of the screwworm in wildlife, but it’s likely that there have been undetected cases, Blum said in a statement. However, the lack of cases indicate that the pest has not established itself in wildlife populations enough to have a widespread effect.
“Containment efforts and the distribution of sterile flies are undoubtedly helping to prevent the spread of New World screwworm, and I know landowners, ranchers and biologists are conducting intense wildlife monitoring for signs of infestation,” Blum said. “It’s just really difficult to get your eyes on every part of each free-ranging animal regularly as you can with livestock.”
Blum said the state’s more than half a million white-tailed deer hunters alone will provide an added layer of valuable wildlife observations this fall.
White-tailed deer
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The spring started off dry, but summer rainfall helped some of the most drought-stricken regions of Texas, Blum said. That’s important for vegetation growth, which supports late gestation and lactation in does, as well as antler development in bucks.
“Overall, I think deer hunters can anticipate a solid season throughout much of the state,” he said.
Doves
This year’s dove season opens statewide Sept. 1 with estimated near-record-high populations of both mourning and white-winged doves, officials said in a statement.
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Spring population surveys by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department indicate the state is home to 36.7 million mourning doves, a 2% increase from last year.
White-winged dove estimates increased 10% to 12.9 million birds.
Quail
Blum said he anticipates an average dove outlook overall based on summer precipitation.
“June was a really good month for rainfall across a lot of areas, and that’s an important time for brood rearing,” he said.
Spring call counts conducted at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation’s 4,800-acre ranch noted a decrease in total bobwhite quail calls per stop — from 92 calls per stop in 2025, to 43 in 2026.
Turkey
Because of a decline in wild turkey populations across the state, annual bag limits were changed earlier this year to allow the harvest of only gobblers and bearded hens in counties where either sex is open for hunting.
Jason Hardin, wild turkey program leader with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said initial observations from summer surveys indicate growing birds and new additions to populations across the state.
“I anticipate numbers to be somewhat down in several regions this year, but with such a low harvest rate in Texas, and three average- to above-average years of recruitment, there are a lot of birds on the landscape,” Hardin said.
Reporting screwworm
Hunters will play an important role in wildlife conservation as they take to the field this year by helping expand monitoring for signs of New World screwworm in wildlife.
“Hunters are already critical to the conservation and management of our state’s wildlife species, but this year, their time scouting and observing wildlife is even more important,” he said. “Reporting any sign of potential infestation is vital to helping biologists and other state and federal officials respond and prevent its spread.”
Any suspected signs of New World screwworm in wildlife should immediately be reported by contacting your local Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist or calling 512-389-4505.