Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! Wishing you a safe and restful holiday! Comment below if you are spending this long holiday weekend with the wild things or at a wild place across Texas!

09/04/2026

The world lost an ecologist for the soul this week. May his words live on in the wild we all love.

“My belief is that the world and our life in it are conditional gifts. We have the world to live in and the use of it to live from on the condition that we will take good care of it. And to take good care of it we have to know it, and we have to know how to take care of it. And to know it and to be willing to take care of it, we have to love it.”

-Excerpt from a Wendell Berry interview with Bill Moyers, which originally aired on October 4, 2013. View the full interview here:

In a rare television interview, environmental legend and writer Wendell Berry leaves his Kentucky farm for an inspiring conversation. Also this week the short documentary Dance of the Honey Bees.

09/03/2026

The 6th Annual Gear Up for Game Wardens Auction is almost here! This exciting event offers you a chance to win bucket-list trips, custom fi****ms, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The Gear Up for Game Wardens Auction runs Sept. 29 – Oct. 1!

Proceeds from the auction directly supports TPWF's Gear Up for Game Wardens program, equipping Texas Game Wardens with life-saving specialty gear like thermal drones, UTVs, and K-9 units.

Register today to preview the items and get ready to bid big: https://bit.ly/gu26

09/02/2026

Did you know the fall is prime planting season for native plants? Late September through early November is the sweet spot for establishing a native plant garden, as it allows time for the plants to establish strong roots before spring. A few tips from TPWF’s Iliana Peña:

🌿Plant native species in fall for a strong start in the spring.
🌿Use the free Wild Thumb app to find native plants and local nurseries.
🌿Consider starting a pocket prairie if you have the space.
🌿Leave leaves and other garden materials in place for overwintering pollinators and beneficial insects.
🌿Avoid heavy pruning of native perennials and leave seed heads for resident and migrating birds.
🌿Skip the fertilizer.
🌿If fall stays hot and dry, give your garden one deep watering in October before winter sets in.

Even adding one native plant to a pot or garden helps provide food and habitat for pollinators, birds and beneficial insects.

TPWF’s Wild Thumb app provides plenty of resources to help you get your native planting started this fall: https://bit.ly/wildthumb

Photo: Chase Fountain

09/01/2026

Dove season is here, Texas!

Today marks the opening day of dove season across much of the Lone Star State, a tradition that brings generations of Texans together and signals the start of another exciting fall outdoors.

At TPWF, we’re proud to support the conservation of the lands, waters, wildlife and outdoor traditions that make days like today possible.

Whether you’re heading to the field with family, introducing someone new to hunting or carrying on a tradition that’s been part of your life for years, we wish you a safe and memorable season.

Photo Credit Jonathan Vail Photography

08/31/2026

When natural disaster strikes, Texas Game Wardens Zach Temple doesn’t wait to be called.

For more than a decade, he’s volunteered to be among the first to respond. As a member of the elite Search and Rescue Team, Temple is on the front lines of some of the most harrowing work Texas Game Wardens perform.

From Hurricane Harvey to Camp Mystic and the July 2026 floods across the Texas Hill Country and South Central Texas, Temple has helped evacuate residents, reach stranded communities and search for survivors.

“I think every Texas Game Warden wants to help. It’s a good feeling to be able to help somebody.”

Read more about Texas Game Warden Zach Temple: https://www.gearupforgamewardens.org/meet-texas-game-warden-zach-temple/

08/28/2026

When storm clouds gathered in the Texas Hill Country and South Central Texas in July, Texas Game Wardens were at the ready along with other state and local first responders.

As flooding intensified, 28 members of the Texas Game Warden Search and Rescue Team responded and assisted with 157 rescues and 92 evacuations.

The dramatic rescues captured on the news didn't happen by chance. They were the result of years of planning, specialized training, and strategic investments that have steadily transformed Texas Game Wardens' search and rescue capabilities.

Learn how TPWF’s Gear Up for Game Wardens program has helped to better equip our game wardens so they are ready and prepared to respond when Texans need them most: https://www.gearupforgamewardens.org/texas-game-wardens-to-the-rescue

08/27/2026

Only a few days left to join, renew, or refer a new Stewards of The Wild member for your chance to win a lifetime hunting license! Don't miss your chance! Join today! Details below!

08/26/2026

Thank you, Dolly, for your enduring commitment to protecting our natural world and inspiring others to care for it. Your legacy will continue for generations to come. Sending a Texas-sized hug to the heart of Tennessee.

Photo taken at the 2009 Great Smoky Mountains National Park's 75th anniversary celebration, where Dolly was honored as the Official Ambassador.