Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation

Six State Parks on the Horizon for Texans

Collectible magazine issue helps Texans find their perfect park and highlights future sites. Over the next 12–15 years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will open six new state parks from Big Bend to the Hill Country and Texas coast. Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine highlights these future getaways in a special May commemorative issue, on newsstands now. “There is a need to provide more recreational opportunities for the growing population of Texas,” said Texas […]

Celebrating 100 Years of Texas State Parks, Black History Month with Special Events Throughout February

After a January kickoff with record attendance at First Day Hikes across the state, Texas State Parks’ Centennial Celebration continues with a new round of special community events this month. In February, state parks in North Texas, East Texas, Huntsville and San Antonio will host a variety of events, including several that commemorate Black History Month. Everyone is warmly welcomed to join in the fun. At Ray Roberts Lake State Park in North Texas, find out how […]

Toyota ShareLunker Program Enjoys Landmark Year in 2022

The 2022 Toyota ShareLunker season proved to be monumental, thanks to 350 anglers across the nation who entered 512 Lunker largemouth bass into the program throughout the year. The total included 357 in the Lunker Class (weighing between eight to 9.99 pounds or at least 24 inches), 121 Elite Class (weighing 10 to 12.99 pounds), 24 Legacy Class (weighing 13 pounds or more and caught between Jan. 1 and March 31) and 10 Legend Class Lunkers […]

Toyota ShareLunker Program Launches 37th Season This Weekend

Anglers across Texas and the nation have their calendars marked for opening day of a new Toyota ShareLunker season. The 37th season kicks off New Year’s Day as anglers cast their lines in hopes of landing a Legacy Lunker largemouth bass (13-plus pounds) in Texas’ world-class fisheries. The Toyota ShareLunker program has played an integral part in making Texas a destination for hundreds of thousands of anglers in search of this prized sport fish. Grabbing a pole, […]

Sam Rayburn and O.H. Ivie Deliver Two More Lunkers, Season Total Stands at 24

Sam Rayburn Reservoir and O.H. Ivie Lake closed out another incredible Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) 2022 Toyota ShareLunker collection season with two more additions in the final week of March. These latest Legacy Lunkers bring the season total to 24, the most during a January through March timeframe since 1995 (27). Sam Rayburn got on the board for the second time Thursday afternoon when Angler Erik Peveto of Buna, Texas landed 13.82-pound ShareLunker 631. […]

Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center Resumes All Operations

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is pleased to announce a return to full operational status. Due to the public health situation, TFFC, located in Athens, had limited operations and visitor services since March 2020. During the pandemic, in anticipation of reopening, TFFC personnel utilized the partial closure to focus efforts on renovations and upgrades to enhance the visitor experience. “We are excited to again be able to provide the opportunity for Texans to see and […]

Critical Texas waterfowl habitat gets a boost

DU awarded $1.5 million NAWCA grant for wetlands restoration in coastal Texas Ducks Unlimited (DU) was recently awarded a $1.5 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant to support restoration work in the Chenier Plain Initiative Area of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture. The restoration work will take place on McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge and J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area. The NAWCA grant will be combined with $3 million in matching funds from the […]

Toyota ShareLunker Program Enjoys Banner Season

Toyota ShareLunker collection season will go in the books as one of the best in the history of the program. Anglers landed 23 ShareLunkers at 10 different lakes across the state, the most during a January through March timespan since the 1995 season which produced 27. Five new lake records were established, four lakes made their mark on the program with a first ever entry, and milestone ShareLunker 600 was caught in this year’s group. […]

Toyota ShareLunker Program Launches 35th Season this Weekend

The turning of the calendar to January signals the beginning of the 35th season of the Toyota Sharelunker program. The year-round Toyota Sharelunker program offers four levels of participation for catching bass over 8 pounds or 24 inches in Texas. “We are excited to kick off another ShareLunker season,” said Toyota Sharelunker Program Coordinator Kyle Brookshear. “Not only for the selective spawning and stocking of these world-class offspring, but also to help gather vital catch and […]