BOERNE — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will host a public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 13 regarding the kinds of facilities and recreational uses being considered for the Albert and Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area. The meeting will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Boerne Public Library.
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
The State of Texas has unveiled restorethetexascoast.org, a dedicated online resource for Deepwater Horizon oil spill recovery efforts.
AUSTIN – About 250,000 mourning dove hunters harvest 5 million mourning doves on an annual basis in Texas – making the Lone Star State the nation’s leader in both the number of hunters and harvest. The findings of a National Dove Hunter Survey will help managers better understand the opinions of this important hunting community at a national level.
HOUSTON – More than 1,500 members of a national Buffalo Soldiers organization will convene this week to celebrate 15 years of service and to commemorate Texas legislative action in 1999 that pays homes to the African-American soldiers who helped settle the West. The National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club will meet July 23-27 at the Westin Galleria Hotel.
AUSTIN —Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens are hosting a nationwide Train the Trainer Officer Water Survival (OWS) course for water safety enforcement officer trainers. Officers from Texas, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Alaska, New Mexico and Arizona will be attending the course taking place July 21-25 at the School for the Deaf pool facility.
STRAWN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will hold a public meeting on Thursday, Aug. 7 regarding the kinds of facilities and recreational uses being considered for Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. The meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Opel Guest Chapel in Strawn.
QUITAQUE — Caprock Canyons State Park has a new tourism shuttle, the Doodlebug. Named for the passenger train that in the 1930s transported its riders to various destinations along the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railroad, the Caprock Canyons Doodlebug will shuttle visitors on scheduled tours following the same route along the 64-mile Caprock Canyons Trailway and on state park roads as well.
AUSTIN – Dove hunters will have more opportunity later in the season with dates and bag limits finalized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department this last week.
AUSTIN — The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both state and federal waters will open 30 minutes after sunset Tuesday, July 15. The opening date is based on an evaluation of the biological, social and economic information to maximize the benefits to the industry and the public.