Below is a rundown of newsworthy briefs from the Texas outdoors.
CRP numbers released
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announced it has accepted 1.78 million acres into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in 2025.
The announcement by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), which includes General, Continuous and Grassland enrollments, will help bolster agriculture, wildlife habitat, hunting opportunities and rural communities throughout the upland range and beyond.
“For four decades, CRP has delivered unmatched benefits for wildlife habitat, soil health and water quality,” said Andrew Schmidt, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s director of government affairs. “Thanks to swift action by the Trump administration on a condensed timeline, the program now effectively stands at full enrollment, reflecting its value and standing among the nation’s farmers and ranchers as a critical component of their business operation and the farm safety net.”
According to FSA, about 25.8 million acres are currently enrolled in CRP, the agency’s flagship conservation program through which landowners, farmers and ranchers voluntarily convert marginal or unproductive cropland into vegetative cover that prevents erosion, restores wildlife habitat and—in the case of Grassland CRP—enables participants to conserve grasslands while also continuing most grazing and haying practices. The announcement today represents the maximum number of acres that could be enrolled this year while staying under the statutory cap of 27 million acres.
- Quail Forever
State Fish Art Contest open
The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) has opened the Texas division of Wildlife Forever’s 2026 Fish Art Contest for entries.
The Fish Art Contest will accept entries until Feb. 28, and is part of an international conservation education program designed to foster youth interest in fish, fisheries and fishing.
“The Fish Art Contest does a tremendous job of exposing students across Texas to the wonders of Texas’ fish and fisheries resources through the nexus of art,” said Tom Lang, TFFC director. “We always look forward to this time of year when we are once again amazed by the outstanding work and artistic interpretations of these young Texans.”
Participants must submit a completed entry form and an original illustration of a wild fish found in Texas. Applicants in grades 4-12 are also required to submit a one-page creative writing piece. Once the entrance form is submitted, applicants must mail their artwork to TFFC, 5550 FM 2495, Athens, TX, 75752. The physical artwork must have a landscape orientation between 8X10 inches and 9X12 inches and be postmarked no later than Feb. 28.
- TPWD
New for 2025/26: Expanded Digital License Options
Starting this season, hunters have new options for digital licenses. For the first time, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will offer fully digital license options for all recreational hunting, fishing and combo license and tag types.
Changes for Non-Resident Hunters
Legislation passed this spring simplified license options for non-resident hunters from five license options to two. Non-resident hunters hoping to harvest any legal bird or game animal, including alligator, wild turkey, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer and white-tailed deer, will need to purchase a Non-resident General Hunting license. Non-resident hunters who plan on targeting exotic animals, small game birds (except wild turkey), non-game animals, fur-bearing animals, squirrel and javelina for five or less days will need to purchase a Non-resident Special 5-Day Small Game/Exotic Hunting license.
Regulation Changes
Some additional changes for this next hunting season include:
- For wild turkeys in Hill County, IH35E now serves as the zone boundary line.
- Lubbock County is now open to wild turkey hunting with North Zone regulations.
- Increase in daily bag limit for northern pintails in all duck zones.
Season Date Changes
Hunters should be aware of several season date changes for the 2025-26 hunting seasons before their first hunt including:
Mule deer season:
- Archery Only Season:
- Panhandle: Sept. 27 – Nov. 21
- Trans-Pecos: Sept. 27 – Nov. 27
- Brewster, Pecos and Terrell counties: Sept. 27 – Nov. 27
- General Season:
- Panhandle: Nov. 22 – Dec. 7
- Tran-Pecos: Nov. 28 – Dec. 14
- Brewster, Pecos and Terrell Counties: Nov. 28 – Dec. 14
Quail season:
- New statewide dates:
Nov. 1, 2025 – Feb. 28, 2026.
- TPWD
