May 15, 2020

Game Warden Field Notes, May 15, 2020

The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife law enforcement reports.

May 12, 2020

Boaters, Anglers Encouraged to Stay Clear of Coastal Waterbird Rookeries

May 12, 2020 (AUSTIN) — With peak boating season around the corner, Texans recreating on the coast are likely to spot iconic coastal birds like brown pelicans, roseate spoonbills, black skimmers and reddish egrets nesting in dense colonies, called rookeries, which can consist of thousands of birds and a multitude of other species on barrier islands and smaller islands in Texas bays. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is encouraging Texas boaters and anglers to watch out for these nesting birds while on the coast, so they aren’t disturbed during this sensitive time.

Gulf Shrimp Season Closing on Friday, May 15, 2020

AUSTIN- The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both Texas and federal waters will close 30 minutes after sunset on Friday, May 15, 2020 until a still-to-be determined date in July.

May 11, 2020

May Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting to be Held Online

May 11, 2020 (AUSTIN) — Amid ongoing public health concerns, the May meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commission scheduled for May 20-21 will be streamed virtually on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s website. Planned agenda items remain unaltered and public comment will still be accepted until May 20.

May 8, 2020

Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Moved to November

AUSTIN – The Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been rescheduled for Nov. 5-8 at Lake Fork in Quitman. The tournament was originally scheduled for June 5-9 but was moved back amid the ongoing public health situation that forced the postponement of the spring competition.

May 7, 2020

Parque Estatal Lake Casa Blanca Abrirá Para Hasta 250 Visitantes por día los Fines de Semana a Partir del 8 de Mayo

LAREDO—El Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre, en colaboración con oficiales estatales y locales, abrirá Lake Casa Blanca International State Park para uso limitado durante los fines de semana comenzando el 8 de mayo. El parque estará abierto los viernes, sábados y domingos de 8a a 5p para 250 visitantes, con pases diarios que se deben comprar antes de visitar.

Lake Casa Blanca to be Accessible to 250 Visitors a Day on Weekends Starting May 8

LAREDO— The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in close coordination with state and local officials, will be reopening Lake Casa Blanca International State Park for limited weekend use starting May 8. The park will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m-5 p.m. for 250 visitors with pre-purchased day passes. No walk-ins will be admitted to the park at this time.

May 6, 2020

Texas State Parks to Allow Limited Overnight Camping Starting May 18

AUSTIN— As part of a broader effort to reopen Texas, Texas State Parks will resume limited overnight camping beginning May 18. This gradual reopening of overnight reservations will be limited at all Texas State Parks to varying degrees depending on individual park occupancy in order to align with safe business practices currently followed in Texas. Some existing reservations will be honored, but to prevent overcrowding, manage continued social distancing and safeguard public health, no new reservations can be made for now. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will notify the public once new reservations can be booked.

April 29, 2020

Texas CWD Testing Shows Scale of Effort to Contain Deadly Deer Disease

The latest numbers on Chronic Wasting Disease testing in Texas give some hope that efforts to contain the disease are working, according to state wildlife experts. The CWD testing year that ended in February produced just shy of 13,000 CWD samples statewide by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the help of participating landowners and hunters. This number includes all samples collected in Texas CWD Zones and far exceeds the target of 7,039 samples.

April 22, 2020

City Nature Challenge Launches Friday; Public Encouraged to Record Nature Near Their Homes

AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) through the Texas Nature Trackers program is inviting Texans to participate in the fifth annual City Nature Challenge, Friday, April 24 through Monday, April 27. This global community-based scientific effort, co-organized by San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, invites current and aspiring citizen scientists of all ages and backgrounds to observe and submit pictures of wild plants, animals and fungi using the free mobile app iNaturalist.