Hill Country News 3160
Sand Eels For Specks
Spring marks the start of something special on the Texas Gulf Coast: reefs come alive, baitfish like sand eels swarm the shallows, and hungry speckled trout move in. Matching the hatch with soft plastic baits is key—and while traditional swimbaits work well, you might be surprised at what else gets bit. Here’s a breakdown of
Feds Boost Timber Harvest On National Forest Land
U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $23 million in grants to support transporting hazardous fuels – such as dead or downed trees – from national forests to processing facilities for timber harvest. Through the USDA Forest Service’s Hazardous Fuels Transportation Program, these grants will reduce the hazardous fuels that pose wildfire threats to communities, critical infrastructure
Prohibition on Local Taxpayer-Funded Gun ‘Buybacks’ Passes Texas House
Legislation banning counties or cities from funding or conducting gun “buyback” programs passed the Texas House on Tuesday afternoon, on the basis that it wastes taxpayer dollars and has proven ineffective in reducing crime. House Bill (HB) 3053 by Rep. Wesley Virdell (R-Brady) successfully made its way through the the lower chamber with 85 votes
Texas House Approves Bill Expanding State Medical Cannabis Program
This week, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at expanding and reforming the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) by broadening access to medical cannabis for Texans suffering from a wide range of qualifying conditions. Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) laid out House Bill (HB) 46 on the floor, arguing the legislation is necessary
Chemical Abortion Pill Crackdown Passes Texas Senate, Companion Pending in House
Legislation expanding Texas residents’ ability to crack down on chemical abortion products and distributors through civil lawsuits passed the Texas Senate, while its House companion remains pending in committee. Senate Bill (SB) 2880 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and its companion Rep. Jeff Leach’s (R-Plano) House Bill (HB) 5510, also known as the Women and
Constitutional Amendment Banning Carbon Tax Fails in Texas House
A resolution that would have amended the Texas Constitution to prevent the Legislature from imposing a tax on carbon emissions sparked fiery discussion between the state House of Representatives’ front and back mics on Monday, prior to its unsuccessful passage through the lower chamber. With 93 ayes and 47 nays, House Joint Resolution (HJR) 138
LDWF Accepting Bids For Alligator Hunts
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is accepting bids now through May 20 for alligator hunting on certain Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), Wetland Conservation Areas (WCAs), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Properties and state wildlife refuges for the 2025-2027 alligator harvest seasons. Eligible alligator hunters are chosen through a bid system on
Feds Announce Expansion of Public Hunting Lands
In a major step to expand recreational access to America’s public lands, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced 42 new proposed hunting opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System. This proposal would more than triple the number of opportunities and quintuple the number
New Land Near Big Bend Protected
The Nature Conservancy in Texas (TNC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) are pleased to announce the purchase of Heath Canyon Ranch, a 671-acre property located just outside Big Bend National Park. TNC purchased the property, which will be managed by TPWD as part of the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area (WMA), for nearly
Deadly Screwworms Heading Toward Texas
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through U.S. ports of entry along the southern border due to the continued and rapid northward spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico, effective immediately. NWS has been recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle
State Rep. John McQueeney Censured by Tarrant County GOP
The Tarrant County Republican (TCGOP) executive committee voted on May 8 to censure freshman Rep. John McQueeney (R-Fort Worth) for some of the actions he has taken since joining the Texas House of Representatives, seeking a penalty of keeping him off the Republican Party primary ballot for 24 months. The censure resolution starts by listing
‘Detransition’ Insurance Coverage, Biological Sex Definitions Pass Texas House
Two bills broaching contentious social issues took the stage in the Texas House of Representatives on Saturday night — one requiring insurance companies to cover adverse results from gender modification procedures and detransitions, and the other codifying male and female as the sole biological sexes in state law. House Bill (HB) 229, which both
