GRAYSON COUNTY, Tex. -- If you know anything about the local hunting scene, you probably already know that Grayson County is one of the few in Texas that ban hunting whitetail deer with firearms. That could change if one landowner gets his way though, and some sportsmen aren't happy about that.

Some sportsmen tell us that the proposal to change the hunting rules in Grayson County is the idea of a single landowner from Ft. Worth who has around 2,000 acres in Grayson County.

He made his request with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Many members of the Whitetail Association bonded together to figure out the next step to keep what's known as archery-only deer hunting.

"We're taking a multi facet approach. We are meeting and we think the best thing we can do is to contact the executive directors and commissioners of the Texas Parks and Wildlife. Also different biologists and higher-ups of the department,” said Brock Benson, President of Grayson County Whitetail Association.

Hunters weren't alone at Tuesday night's meeting. One wildlife biologist offered his thoughts.

"The whitetail deer is special in Texas. They are the number one sought out trophy animal in North America,” said Dan VanSchaik, a wildlife biologist.

“I do consulting all over the United States, and Northern Grayson County has a good as natural genetics as I have ever seen. That’s why I have much emotion here and passion."

It's a passion that many hunters share with citizens.

"Rifle season in the short term is going to increase hunter participation in a year or two but in the long term it is going to wipe out the deer heard,” said Benson.

Hunting season starts in the next six weeks. If the proposal of rifle season was passed, it would take into effect for the hunting season next year.