Texas Parks and Wildlife

Sea Center Texas hosts the annual Special Olympics fishing contest, where athletes compete to catch the greatest weight of fish. In Caprock Canyons State Park, archeologists uncover ancient bison bones at a rare site where indigenous peoples once hunted. Support nature where you live by planting a pocket prairie for pollinators.

McKinney Falls State Park is an urban oasis near the state capital. Motorheads from across the nation pull up to one of Potter county's greatest attractions, RUTA806--an annual ATV off-roading event near the Canadian River. An orphaned black bear cub is released at Devils River State Natural Area.

A family explores South Padre Island beaches looking for fun above and below the water. Mission Tejas State Park is a natural escape into deep-rooted Texas history, located at the north end of the Davy Crockett National Forest. Once reviled, bats have enjoyed a remarkable image do-over thanks to Bat Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy.

Residents of many small Texas towns look forward to deer hunting season, for the time it brings with friends and family, as well as for the economic boost hunting brings to local businesses. See how one community comes alive when hunters arrive.

Trail runners explore the wilds of Texas and discover a sense of empowerment, community, and adventure. Ancient rock art and outdoor recreation will draw you to Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site. See how some South Texans have come up with a tasty way of tackling the feral pig problem.

Meet a biologist that studies some of the two thousand different types of aquatic invertebrates in our rivers and streams. Brad and Melissa Ribelin transformed 1,940 acres of grassland into a thriving wildlife habitat through dedicated land management and conservation partnerships. Follow a conservationist and hunter as he hits the woods in search of the Eastern Wild Turkey.

Fireflies still inhabit Texas and there are ways to create habitat for them in your own backyard. RC plane pilots at Lake Whitney State Park share the joy and freedom they find in taking to the skies. In a region that is sparsely populated, Tim and Lou Edwards are welcoming hosts and excellent stewards of land that is home to a wide variety of West Texas wildlife.

Members of the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society whip up some tasty dishes at Cleburne State Park. For 100 years, the 5,600-acre Running V Ranch has been passed down from generation to generation. It's more than just land--it's family. The Texas Youth Hunting Program hosts an archery hunt in the Hill Country.

Follow along as a young adventurer tackles her first long-distance hike on the longest trail in Texas and feel her triumphs as well as her aching feet. Visit a Hill Country state park that offers tubing and fishing on the South Llano, and hiking and biking in the hills around it.