Category Archives: NatNews
The Next Generation
The information provided at TexNat may be useful to landowners and land managers right now, but what about the landowners and land managers of the future? Texas Brigades is a conservation leadership camp for youth ages 13-17 who are interested in Texas wildlife and wild places. Each camp features one of several different topics – deer, quail, ranching, bass, and coastal fisheries – held in various locations across the state. Space is limited and applications are open now, so please share with youth you know who might be… Read More →
Welcome AgriLife’s Newest Researcher
As of October 1st, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde welcomed Dr. Tammi Johnson as the new assistant professor of wildlife disease ecology. Dr. Johnson was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Thermopolis, Wyoming, which is located east of Grand Teton National Park. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in biology and minor in chemistry from University of Mary, Dr. Johnson acquired a technician job with Kansas State. The position was to help a master’s student map prairie dog colonies and mark individual… Read More →
Wildlife Fact Check
This summer, there is a wildlife program series being offered online to anyone across Texas who is interested! The Wildlife Fact Check began last summer in south-central Texas, but is being expanded via live broadcasts to counties across the state. If you are interested, please contact your County Extension Agent, who can set up a broadcast for your county. This year’s theme is managing for wildlife along with livestock. Check out the schedule below: June 29 – Exotic Ecology July 20 – Predators & Deer August 10 –… Read More →
Hunting regulation changes for 2018-2019 season
Attention hunters! The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved several regulation changes for the 2018-2019 hunting season. These include: South Zone general dove season opens Sept. 14. Shorter spring Eastern wild turkey season in 13 counties. Closing date will remain the same but opening date will be one week later. Eastern turkey season is now closed in San Augustine and Upshur counties. New 9-day buck-only mule deer season in Lynn County. Antler spread restriction (20-inch minimum) implemented for mule deer in 6 counties. Clarification of a previous… Read More →
Invasive species… and more invasive species
A recent study revealed that globally, about one-fourth of all invasive species are “new” invaders, meaning that they have not previously been invasive in other areas. In other words, although we can predict that certain species will become invasive in new environments, there are other species that may invade even though they haven’t caused problems elsewhere. An example of an animal that we know is invasive is the wild pig (Sus scrofa). Just about anywhere wild pigs are introduced, they become a major invasive problem. On the other… Read More →
New publication: Texas Water Law
If you’ve never visited the Texas Agriculture Law Blog, now is a great time to check it out! In a recent post, Extension Agricultural Law Specialist Tiffany Dowell Lashmet released a new publication called “Basics of Texas Water Law.” Given this year’s water theme on TexNat, this is a timely publication! Both groundwater and surface water are addressed in this concise, easy-to-read paper. These concepts are applicable not just for agriculture producers, but also for those who use ground and surface water for wildlife.
Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society – 2018 Conference
This year’s meeting of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society (TCTWS) will be held at the Sheraton Dallas and will focus on the topic “The relevance of conservation to a diverse society: how to make it a reality.” The excellent list of plenary speakers includes Dr. Steve Williams, President of the Wildlife Management Institute; Ms. Becky Humphries, CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation; Dr. John McDonald, President of The Wildlife Society, and Ms. Tina Yturria Buford, Director of Education for East Foundation. The annual TCTWS conference… Read More →
Hurricanes, floods, and wildlife
As Texans continue to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Harvey, and with hurricane season far from over, many people have questions about how these events affect wildlife. Quail are particularly prone to the effects of rainfall. Find out more in this short video by Texas Wildlife Association: Quail vs. Hurricane
Wildlife and flooding
When a natural disaster strikes, wildlife have limited ways to respond. Floods commonly displace many species from their usual homes and allow other species to access new areas. As the water recedes, people may be surprised to find wildlife in unusual places. Most wildlife displaced by flooding is simply trying to find food and shelter. However, if people are unaware of their surroundings, negative encounters with displaced wildlife can result. One particular concern during post-disaster cleanup is snakes. Debris piles created during a storm attract snakes for several… Read More →
Are you ready…
… for hunting season?! Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has released dates for the 2017-2018 hunting season. Check out the details here, and learn more about the animals you are hunting through the resources in our Game Management section.