Palo Pinto Mountains State Park Opens March 1 — Texas' Newest State Park, First in 25 Years for North Texas

For the first time in over 25 years, TPWD has opened a new state park to serve the North Texas region. Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, located between Abilene and DFW near Strawn off I-20, encompasses 4,871 acres of former ranch land featuring forested rolling hills that visitors consistently describe as unexpected — a Texas Hill Country landscape nobody expected this far north. The park features 90-acre Tucker Lake with a boat ramp, accessible kayak and canoe launch, fishing pier, and day-use pavilion, plus 60 campsites across equestrian, RV, walk-in, and backcountry configurations. The park was purchased in 2011 and required $10 million in private philanthropy alongside legislative funding to complete. Reservations are booking fast — plan ahead at texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com.

TPWD Removes 973 Derelict Crab Traps from Texas Bays in 2026 Annual Cleanup

TPWD's 2026 Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program wrapped up its annual 10-day crabbing closure window with volunteers and Game Wardens pulling 973 derelict traps from Texas coastal bays. Now in its 24th year, the ACTRP is a critical annual effort to eliminate "ghost traps" that continue catching and killing marine life long after they've been abandoned. During the closure period — each February — any trap remaining in bay waters is legally considered litter and can be removed by anyone. Derelict trap accumulation near major bays including Galveston, Matagorda, and Corpus Christi has been significantly reduced since the program's inception, improving ecosystem health for finfish and bird species that share the bays with commercial and recreational crabbers.

Missouri's CWD Policy Rollback Continues to Ripple Nationally — Other States Watching Closely

Missouri's 2026 decision to eliminate its CWD Management Zone, drop antler point restrictions, and cancel the special CWD firearms season is being tracked as a national bellwether for state deer management. The changes signal growing consensus that intensive hunter-led removal programs have not achieved containment goals while also imposing significant regulatory burden on hunters. CWD remains present in over 30 states and two Canadian provinces, with no proven containment solution. Texas hunters in CWD-positive counties — particularly in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions — should review TPWD's current carcass transport restrictions before moving harvested deer across county lines.

Spring Boat Traffic Peaks Through May — Run Your Full Pre-Season Safety Checklist Before You Launch

Three boating fatalities already recorded nationally in the first weeks of March is a serious trend line as the highest-traffic period of the year gets underway. Key checklist items before every spring launch: verify USCG-approved PFDs for every passenger; test running lights before any pre-dawn or dusk departure; check fire extinguisher pressure and flare expiration dates; inspect bilge pump operation; and confirm your boat registration is current. Texas Game Wardens are active on all major reservoirs this month — especially with Classic crowds and spring break traffic. BWI enforcement is aggressive and the legal exposure is identical to DWI on the road.

Turkey Season Is Here — Camp Chef Gridiron 36 Is the Workhorse for Spring Camp Cooking

Turkey camp cooking season is underway from South Texas to the Arkansas Ozarks, and the Camp Chef Gridiron 36 remains the standard for feeding a crew. At 36 inches across 30,000 BTUs with independent zone control, it handles anything from pre-dawn camp breakfast before the first sit to post-hunt smash burgers and fish tacos when someone keeps a few bass or crappie along the way. The integrated grease management system is the detail that separates it from cheaper flat-tops — cleanup takes five minutes instead of thirty. For spring turkey camp running 4–10 people, this is still the best return on investment in outdoor camp cooking hardware.

Spring Shore Lunch Season Arrives — Cast Iron Is Still the Right Tool for Fresh-Catch Fry-Ups

With white bass and crappie stacking on river mouths and brush piles across Texas and the Midwest, shore lunch season is officially underway. Lodge's 12-inch cast iron skillet remains the unbeatable tool for panfish, bass fillets, and walleye — it holds heat more evenly than aluminum, delivers the right crust at 350–375°F, and doubles for venison backstrap when the turkey hunting is done for the day. One well-seasoned pan handles camp breakfast through dinner with no specialty cleaning required. If you're keeping fish this spring, the cast iron pays for itself the first time you pull a crappie out of it at the river bank.

Stanley Adventure Cook Set: The Go-Anywhere Camp Kitchen for Turkey Camp, Float Trips, and Spring Turkey Scouting

Stanley's Adventure Camp Cook Set — 24-oz stainless pot nesting with a pan, two insulated cups, and utensils — remains the best compact camp kitchen option for solo and two-person operations this spring. Built for direct flame and compatible with any isobutane stove, it handles a full morning camp meal and evening beans-and-rice with minimal weight or pack space. Turkey hunters running mobile setups in the Texas Hill Country, Southeast, or Midwest who want real hot food in the field without the burden of heavier cook systems should have this in the truck. The insulated cups double for coffee at 5:30 a.m. and evening bourbon — important use cases both.

Palo Pinto Mountains State Park: 60 Campsites, Backcountry Trails, and Tucker Lake Just Off I-20 West of DFW

Texas got a significant addition to its public camping inventory with the March 1 opening of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. The park's 60 campsites span four configurations — 10 equestrian, 25 RV, 12 walk-in, and 13 backcountry sites that require a 2-mile hike to reach. Tucker Lake provides bass fishing, paddling, and day-use facilities. The surrounding terrain is a genuine surprise for North Texas campers: forested rolling hills with good wildlife viewing and a historic 1880 rock oven from the Texas and Pacific Railroad era. Located near Strawn off I-20 between Abilene and Fort Worth, this is the closest serious backcountry camping option for most of the DFW metro. Reservations strongly recommended at texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com.

TPWD Spring Break: Inks Lake, Garner, Lake Mineral Wells — Texas State Parks Are Peak Season Now

Texas state parks are at or near capacity for spring break week, but TPWD's March 11 release highlights that last-minute sites do open up from cancellations — check the reservation system frequently if you didn't plan ahead. Inks Lake, Garner State Park, Lost Maples, and Lake Whitney are the marquee Hill Country and Central Texas destinations. Lake Mineral Wells, Dinosaur Valley, and the newly opened Palo Pinto Mountains cover the DFW-proximate options. The $70 Texas State Parks Pass pays for itself on a single weekend family visit and is available online or at any state park entrance. Dogs are welcome at most Texas state park campsites.

BioLite FirePit+, NEMO Roamer, RinseKit PRO Lead Spring 2026 Camp Gear Conversation

Three products generating the most buzz heading into peak spring camping season: the BioLite FirePit+ with Bluetooth app-controlled airflow (cuts smoke dramatically — useful on restricted campgrounds); the NEMO Roamer sleeping pad, which continues to top comfort-to-packability rankings for car campers and fishing camp setups; and the RinseKit PRO HyperHeater 2.0, which has picked up serious adoption among hunters and anglers as a pressurized hot rinse station for washing waders, decontaminating kayak gear, and cleaning fish or game at camp. All three are solid gear investments for the spring season that pay dividends through fall hunting camp.

Skillet-Seared Wild Turkey Breast with Country Gravy

The South Zone just opened and you've got birds to cook. This is the simplest, best way to handle fresh wild turkey breast in camp or at home.

Ingredients (serves 4): 2 lbs wild turkey breast, sliced ¾ inch thick · 1 cup flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder · 3 tbsp butter · 2 tbsp oil · 1½ cups whole milk · 1 cup chicken broth · salt & black pepper · cast iron skillet

1. Pound breast slices to ½ inch even thickness. Dredge in seasoned flour, shake off excess.
2. Heat butter and oil in cast iron over medium-high until shimmering.
3. Sear 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Do not crowd the pan — work in batches. Set aside.
4. Pour off most of the fat, leaving 3 tbsp in the pan. Whisk in 3 tbsp flour, cook 1 minute.
5. Add milk and broth gradually, whisking constantly. Cook until gravy thickens, 4–5 minutes. Season hard with salt and black pepper.
6. Return turkey to pan, nestle into gravy, cover and simmer 5 minutes over low heat.

Serve over biscuits or mashed potatoes. Works the same with dove breasts in September.

Cornmeal-Crusted Crappie with Jalapeño Tartar Sauce

White bass and crappie are running right now across Texas. Keep a few — this is the shore lunch that makes the whole trip worth it.

Ingredients (serves 4): 2 lbs crappie or white bass fillets · 1 cup fine cornmeal · ½ cup flour · 1 tsp cayenne · 1 tsp onion powder · 1 tsp garlic powder · salt & pepper · oil for frying
Tartar: ¾ cup mayo · 2 jalapeños finely minced · 2 tbsp dill relish · juice of 1 lemon · pinch of salt

1. Mix tartar sauce ingredients, refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
2. Combine cornmeal, flour, and spices in a shallow dish.
3. Pat fillets dry. Press each into the cornmeal mixture to coat thoroughly on both sides.
4. Fry in 365°F oil 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden and flaky. Don't overcrowd.
5. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with tartar sauce and sliced white bread or hush puppies.

Fine cornmeal gives a lighter, crispier crust than coarse. Works equally well with catfish or perch.

Cast Iron Breakfast Hash for Turkey Camp

The alarm goes off at 4:30. You've got 30 minutes before you need to be in the dark heading to the roost. This fills everyone up and takes one pan.

Ingredients (serves 4): 1 lb breakfast sausage · 4 medium potatoes, diced small · 1 bell pepper diced · 1 onion diced · 4 eggs · 2 tbsp butter · 1 tsp paprika · salt & pepper · optional: shredded cheddar, hot sauce

1. The night before: dice potatoes, onion, and pepper. Store in a zip bag in the cooler.
2. Brown sausage in cast iron over camp stove or propane. Break it up and cook through. Push to edges.
3. Add butter, then potatoes, onion, and pepper to the center. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. Cook without stirring 5 minutes to build a crust on the bottom. Flip in sections and cook another 5 minutes.
5. Make four wells in the hash, crack an egg into each. Cover with foil and cook 4–5 minutes until eggs set.
6. Top with cheese if you've got it. Eat directly from the pan.

Do all the prep the night before and this takes under 20 minutes start to finish at the crack of dawn. Coffee first.