AUSTIN- The private recreational angler red snapper season in federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3. Anglers may continue to harvest up to 4 red snapper per day with a 15-inch minimum length limit from Texas state waters.
AUSTIN — Chad Jones has been selected as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s new Law Enforcement Director. Col. Jones became a game warden in 2004 and has held duty stations in Brazos and Trinity Counties, has served as a Team Lead for the Forensic Accident and Reconstruction Team, a Lieutenant at the Game Warden Training Center in Hamilton County, Texas, a Captain in Uvalde and a Major in both Corpus Christi and in the Pineywoods region of East Texas.
ATHENS – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Toyota ShareLunker Program is having another outstanding year in its goal to create, bigger, better bass in Texas. After obtaining two successful spawns from one of the four 13 pound or larger Legacy Class bass loaned to the selective-breeding program in 2020, the department’s hatchery staff produced more than 28,000 fingerlings to benefit Texas public waters.
TERLINGUA— The interior of the Big Bend Ranch State Park Complex will be closed for the safety of park visitors during wildlife surveys Aug. 9 – 16. During the surveys, staff will be counting desert bighorn sheep by helicopter and performing the lethal removal of non-native aoudad (barbary sheep) when encountered.
AUSTIN – With more Texans heading to the water during quarantine to recreate and physical distance naturally, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has seen an uptick in fishing license purchases compared to this time last year. Recognizing this, TPWD has expanded its outdoor education curriculum to include online classes open to new anglers wanting to learn about fishing before heading to Texas waterways.
AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Corpus Christi Inland Fisheries Management Team, with assistance from the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, have built and deployed 92 fish habitat structures this year within Coleto Creek Reservoir.
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN -The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is requesting feedback from the public on a new suite of potential harvest regulation options for blue and channel catfish. The goal is to obtain input from anglers on these options before proposing any changes to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission early next year.
ATHENS — The Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame committee is seeking nominations through Nov. 1, 2020 for individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to freshwater fishing in Texas for next year’s induction into the hall of fame.
AUSTIN – Well distributed and timely precipitation across much of Texas in the spring, along with positive long-term growth among the state’s white-tailed deer population, has set the stage for a favorable 2020-21 hunting season. Spring rains allowed many regions of the state, including South Texas, Edwards Plateau and areas west to recover from last year’s very dry fall and winter, leading to an abundance of quality forbs and shrubs, both of which are critical for deer nutrition. These conditions have lent to a good start to antler growth and positive outlook for fawn recruitment numbers.