AUSTIN— The upcoming hunting seasons may still be months away, but starting today you can enter the Big Time Texas Hunts drawing to win one or more of nine premium guided hunt packages. These exclusive packages include food, lodging, a professional guide, as well as taxidermy in some cases.
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
BALMORHEA— Starting Memorial Day weekend, Balmorhea State Park will be limiting its day-use visitation to 1,300 park goers per day. This change is a new effort at Balmorhea to preserve the delicate resources at the park-including some threatened and endangered species- as well as the quality of experience park visitors expect to have.
AUSTIN – A case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been validated in a captive white-tailed deer at another breeding facility in Medina County. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) are conducting an epidemiological investigation into this new case.
AUSTIN- The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both Texas and federal waters will close 30 minutes after sunset on Monday, May 15 until a still-to-be determined date in July.
ATHENS – Over the 31-year history of the Toyota ShareLunker program, few fish have made as many headlines as the five largemouth bass entered this season. With two landmark genetic connections, two reservoirs producing their first 13-pound or larger ShareLunker bass, and a new water body record set at a lake not often considered to be a largemouth bass fishery, the anglers who caught and donated these fish made their mark on Texas fishing this year.
AUSTIN – Texans can help the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department keep the state’s rivers healthy and flowing through their purchase of the new Texas Rivers conservation license plate, available now at www.ConservationPlate.org/Rivers.
AUSTIN – The inaugural Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest (TBTF) scheduled for May 17-21 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir may be replacing the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC), but the support for youth fishing outreach initiatives in Texas and the fish-friendly catch, weigh and immediate release tournament format lives on.
AUSTIN— With their popularity soaring, visitation at Texas State Parks has increased by more than half a million visits in the past four years, making entrance into the system’s more popular sites difficult. Instead of waiting in line to enter a park, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff are recommending visitors explore some of the area’s lesser known sites that offer park goers less crowds and unique experiences for their family adventures.
AUSTIN – Thirty-nine organizations across the state have been awarded nearly $1.5 million in grants through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Community Outdoor Outreach Program (CO-OP). This support helps connect Texas communities with their natural environment, provide hands-on environmental education and introduce underserved communities to outdoor recreation skills.