AUSTIN— We’re not fooling around when we tell you April 1 marks the beginning of the second season of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s podcast, Under the Texas Sky. The podcast brings the great outdoors to listeners through the experiences of everyday people, as well as experts inside and outside of the agency.
AUSTIN- The private recreational angler red snapper season opens Monday, June 1, 2020 for a projected 63-days in federal waters. Red snapper fishing is open year around in state waters. The season length is based on historical landing data, last year’s fishing effort data and the state’s allocation from the 2019 stock assessment. Bag and size limits will remain unchanged; 2 fish per person daily with a 16-inch minimum size limit in federal waters, and 4 fish per person daily with a 15-inch minimum in state waters.
AUSTIN – A great 2019 nesting season for wild turkeys means more young toms (or jakes) will be seen by hunters this spring. Jakes are typically more forgiving than older toms and create a prime opportunity for new turkey hunters to bag their first bird.
AUSTIN— After careful evaluation of the ongoing public health situation, Texas State Parks will be limiting park programming and closing public access to park headquarters, visitor centers and park stores starting at 12 p.m. Thursday, March 19.
AUSTIN – Amid growing public health concerns, the March meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commission previously scheduled for March 25-26 has been cancelled. All agenda items have been postponed until the May meeting.
AUSTIN— With the uncertain and evolving health situation in the U.S., the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson are closed temporarily to public visitation in efforts to minimize the potential risks associated with large public gatherings and close-quartered spaces to our visitors, volunteers and staff.
AUSTIN –The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has added O.H. Ivie Lake near San Angelo to the statewide list of lakes designated as positive for invasive zebra mussels after multiple specimens were found in the lake in 2019.
AUSTIN— University students looking for a paid summer internship have the opportunity to gain hands-on job experience assisting Texas Game Wardens with patrols. There are nine slots available in various regions of the state and selected applicants will be able to learn about the various job duties of a game warden during the 10-week internship.
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN – For the first time, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists have confirmed the disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) in a Texas bat. Up until this point, while the fungus that causes the disease was previously detected in Texas in 2017, there were no signs of the disease it can cause. WNS has killed millions of hibernating bats in the eastern parts of the United States, raising national concern.