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Hunting

  • January 31, 2022, Rockport, Texas, United States: A male or buck White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, near Goose Island State Park in Texas.
    'We didn't have a lot of deer': Screwworm threat revives old fears in South Texas
    Brian Kirkpatrick
    A South Texas veterinarian says older generations remember when screwworm infestations took a toll on local deer populations. Now, wildlife officials are working to keep the parasite from spreading again and threatening Texas' $10 billion hunting industry.
  • June 17th, 2026
    The KTTZ News Team
    State officials are asking Texans to help protect the state's white tail deer population from screwworm. Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick reports the deer drive a nearly $10 billion annual hunting industry. Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer is hosting Coffee with the Mayor series for all districts tomorrow at 10 a.m. on the 2nd floor of Citizens Tower at 1314 Avenue K. Also tomorrow, TxDOT will host a public meeting over plans to replace the south Loop 289 bridge over Slide Road at the TxDOT training center off I-27 and Slaton Road from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
  • October 30th, 2025
    The KTTZ News Team
    Quail hunting season kicks off in Texas on Saturday. Our Bishop Van Buren reports the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says it is encouraged by population numbers, but quail hunting at the Lake Alan Henry Wildlife Mitigation Area has been canceled again this year. Experts say Texas is still experiencing a teacher certification crisis. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports students could pay the price, even after new state legislative efforts begin.
  • September 1st, 2025
    The KTTZ News Team
    The long-anticipated park in downtown Lubbock has raised enough funds to begin construction. Officials expect construction to take 9-10 months, and be completed by the end of next year. Dove hunting season begins in Texas today. Texas Public Radio’s Jerry Clayton has the details. Lubbock's city offices are closed today for Labor Day, affecting residential trash collection, landfill operations, libraries, museums, community and recreation centers, and public health.
  • The Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory truck makes treks through rough terrain to check on quail at demonstration ranches with medicated feed.
    Texas Tech researcher develops first-of-its-kind medicated wildlife feed, boosting quail populations
    Olivia O'Rand
    Quail populations across Texas have been plummeting for decades. But now, a Texas Tech researcher and his team may have turned that trend around with the invention of a medicated wildlife feed that’s been approved by the FDA and is now commercially available.
  • Texas Parks & Wildlife map shows area where hunters must submit samples of harvested deer for CWD testing.
    State biologists predict excellent deer hunting season amid CWD concern
    White tail deer season is underway
  • Blogs
    Texas Standard: Farm-Raised Deer Sparking Ethics Discussion Among Hunters
    Alain Stephens
    Hunters are always in search of the best deer they can find - the bigger the buck, the better. "Captive deer-farming" provides "superior" genetic…
Related Content
  • August 13th, 2026
    The KTTZ News Team
    Cities are growing, and wildlife is moving in right alongside people. From bats and raccoons to coyotes and pigeons, animals are adapting to urban life in new ways. Texas Public Radio’s Tim Gutierrez spoke to one author who says cities may be among the most important ecosystems in the country.
  • A bulldozer bearing the logo of Southwest Valley Constructors was seen near the entrance to Cottonwood Campground along the U.S-Mexico border in Big Bend National Park on Tuesday.
    Border project contractors arrive in Big Bend National Park as Texas lawmakers call for a pause
    Zoe Kurland, Travis Bubenik
    Texas Democrats are urging the Trump administration to delay its plans for building border barriers and roads across the West Texas park. Bulldozers and trucks bearing the logo of the contractor awarded $1.7 billion for the project were seen in the national park on Tuesday as local activists warn construction could start at any moment.
  • August 5th, 2026
    The KTTZ News Team
    August is traditionally a hot, dry month in Texas, which can lead to high fire danger. KTTZ’s Charley Maranville reports the state is finding ways to prepare for the month ahead. You can find wildfire preparedness tips here. A coalition of environmental groups says raising public awareness of prairies could help spur conservation efforts. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on how prairies serve the people who live by them.
  • A dog waits to be adopted at the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Overcrowded shelters in southern states like Texas rely on moving dogs and cats north to be adopted.
    Screwworm restrictions are slowing transports of dogs and cats from crowded shelters
    Hope Kirwan
    Animal rescue leaders say new rules meant to prevent the spread of the livestock parasite make sense. But they are also costly for overcrowded shelters in Texas, which transfer many pets to other states.
  • Visitors gather for photos in front of the Abilene Zoo Sign just inside the entrance of the zoo.  Photo by Allison Diaz. 
    Abilene Zoo celebrates 60 year anniversary with Zippity Zoo Day
    Allison Diaz
    The Abilene Zoo celebrated a major milestone this past weekend. Families packed the zoo for Zippity Zoo Day, a birthday celebration marking 60 years of connecting West Texans with wildlife.
  • July 17th, 2026
    The KTTZ News Team
    Lake Meredith, near Amarillo is a municipal water source for eleven cities, including Lubbock. Last month it was designated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. Our Samantha Larned reports the mussels are known to impact infrastructure, such as pipes used for water treatment.
  • Zebra mussels are an invasive species that were first identified in the United States in the 1908s and first found in Texas on Lake Texoma in 2009.
    Invasive mussels have reached Texas Panhandle, experts say they could impact water infrastructure
    Samantha Larned
    Lake Meredith, near Amarillo, was recently designated as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. The mussels have been spreading across Texas for more than 15 years and Lake Meredith is the north-most body of water in the state to be infected. TPWD says the mussels have the potential to damage treatment equipment in what is a municipal water source for the region, but water officials with the lake say they're prepared.
  • A center pivot sprinkler pumping water on crops in southwest Kansas.
    Groundwater in parts of Kansas is so polluted it can replace some fertilizer
    Calen Moore
    In some parts of Kansas, groundwater is polluted with enough nitrates that it can fulfill some of the fertilizing needs for farmers.
  • Acres of soybeans sprout at the Johnson family farm on Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Rankin, Illinois.
    A potent weedkiller can drift for miles, killing crops and trees. EPA's new rules may not stop it
    Will Bauer
    New federal rules for dicamba aim to help cotton and soybean farmers control weeds. But the herbicide, which can kill other crops and trees, remains controversial.
  • Dogs might enjoy participating in daytime activities for July Fourth — like this dog named Charlie, decked out for a parade in Salisbury, Mass., in 2024. But when fireworks start, veterinarians say, it's time to keep pets inside and away from loud startling noises.
    Tips for taking care of your pets when fireworks are booming
    Bill Chappell
    Communities around the U.S. are putting on epic fireworks shows for America's 250th birthday — but that spells trouble for dogs and cats. Here's a guide to help the animals in your life.