TPWD News Releases

18th Annual Texas-National Archery Championship to Draw Record Number of Student Competitors to Belton March 26-27

AUSTIN – For the 18th year, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is hosting the state’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®) tournament in Belton. The competition will give more than 4,000 students from 150 Texas schools the opportunity to compete in Bullseye and 3D Archery competitions March 26-27 at the Bell County Expo Center in Belton. Participants have a chance to contend for scholarships, awards and qualify for the NASP® National Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky.

El embalse de La Amistad está ‘infestado’ con mejillones cebra invasores

AUSTIN — El Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre de Texas (TPWD) a designado el Embalse Internacional Amistad en la cuenca del Río Grande (Río Bravo) a lo largo de la frontera entre Texas y México, cerca de Del Río, como "infestado" con mejillones cebra invasores, lo que significa que una población establecida y reproductora está presente en el lago.

Amistad Reservoir ‘Infested’ with Invasive Zebra Mussels

AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has designated the International Amistad Reservoir in the Rio Grande basin along the Texas-Mexico border near Del Rio as “infested” with invasive zebra mussels, signifying that an established, reproducing population is present in the lake.

Texas Game Wardens, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Intercept Lanchas, Seize Illegally-Caught Fish

CORPUS CHRISTI –Texas Game Wardens, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations intercepted four lancha crews and seized about 1,250 pounds of illegally caught red snapper from the Gulf of Mexico on March 5. A lancha is a motorboat not registered with any country that is about 20-30 feet long with a low profile, an outboard motor and capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 30 mph.

Inks Lake, O.H. Ivie Register Legacy Class ShareLunkers

ATHENS – Inks Lake and O.H. Ivie registered Legacy Class ShareLunkers on back-to-back days to start the second week of March. Inks Lake in Central Texas etched its name in the Toyota ShareLunker record books with its first Legacy Class largemouth bass, while O.H. Ivie delivered its sixth Legacy Lunker this season.

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Returns to Austin, Benefits Texas State Parks

AUSTIN – The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour will return to Austin and the historic Paramount Theatre on April 27-28. This is the 17th year that Whole Earth Provision Co. has hosted the tour in Austin and the 13th year that Texas State Parks has been the beneficiary of the event. The Austin audiences are historically among the largest of the festival tour.

Hunting Accidents at a New Record Low in Texas

AUSTIN — Texas recorded a new all-time low number of hunting-related accidents across the state, according to the 2023 Texas Hunting Accident Report.

Official Media Statement: Starr County Helicopter Crash

Statewide Changes to Spotted Seatrout Regulations to go in Effect March 26, Public Comment Portal for Tag System now Open

AUSTIN – Rule changes to bag and size limits for spotted seatrout will go into effect March 26 across the Texas coast. The new statewide changes consist of the following:

11-Year-Old Shatters Junior Waterbody Largemouth Bass Record, Joins Father on Books

ATHENS – Stetson Davis, an 11-year-old angler from Tuttle, Okla., landed 13.31-pound ShareLunker 661 on Wednesday, topping the junior angler waterbody record for largemouth bass by more than five pounds.