AUSTIN— Point, focus, shoot! In honor of its 100-year birthday celebration, Texas State Parks is hosting a photo contest throughout 2023 with the chance to win park passes, H-E-B gift cards and even a curated state park experience.
AUSTIN— Nearly 8,000 participants shattered the previous attendance record New Year’s Day by ringing in Texas State Parks’ 100th birthday with a First Day Hike. Texans across the state traveled to one of the 83 participating parks and hiked, biked and paddled a combined 17,190 miles.
ATHENS – The 2022 Toyota ShareLunker season proved to be monumental, thanks to 350 anglers across the nation who entered 512 Lunker largemouth bass into the program throughout the year. The total included 357 in the Lunker Class (weighing between eight to 9.99 pounds or at least 24 inches), 121 Elite Class (weighing 10 to 12.99 pounds), 24 Legacy Class (weighing 13 pounds or more and caught between Jan. 1 and March 31) and 10 Legend Class Lunkers that were 13 pounds or more caught outside the spawning season.
AUSTIN – O.H. Ivie Lake claimed the first Legacy Class largemouth bass of the 2023 Toyota ShareLunker collection season Sunday for the second consecutive year. Tom Nilssen of New Braunfels landed ShareLunker 633, which registered at 13.52 pounds on the scale. O.H. Ivie has enjoyed a tremendous run of Lunkers, boasting 12 in each of the last two seasons.
AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) está cerrando TX-1 en Galveston Bay a la recolección comercial y recreativa de ostras a partir de las 12:01 a.m. 17 de enero de 2023. Esta área fue cerrada previamente el 7 de enero por el Departamento de Servicios de Salud del Estado de Texas debido a resultados elevados de laboratorio.
AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is closing TX-1 in Galveston Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest beginning at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 17, 2023. This area was previously closed on Jan. 7 by the Texas Department of State Health Services due to elevated lab results.
ATHENS — The Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame committee is pleased to announce that Wally “Mr. Crappie” Marshall of Anna, Texas, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023. Marshall revolutionized crappie fishing through innovative products, tournaments and promotion of the sport. Marshall generously gives back to the fish community through his philanthropic work, teaching youth to fish and donating time and products to multiple charitable organizations and events.
EL PASO – Franklin Mountains State Park will host a special event from 3-5 p.m. Feb 3 to open its Texas State Parks: A Fresh Take on Classic Views poster exhibit, hosted at the Tom Mays Visitor Center located inside the park.
AUSTIN — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) received test results last month confirming diagnoses of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease virus 2 (RHDV2) in two desert cottontail rabbits and one black-tailed jackrabbit in El Paso County. This marks the first confirmed cases of RHDV2 in wild rabbits in Texas this winter.
AUSTIN— The Centennial Celebration of Texas State Parks kicked off on Jan. 1 with First Day Hikes at every state park in Texas. To commemorate 100 years, every state park will host at least one special event during the 2023 Centennial year. In January, state parks in North Texas and on the coast will host rainbow trout kid fishing events. Everyone is invited to join in the fun.