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Thanks to generous Texans, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is very close to becoming the next new state park in Texas in decades. Last year, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) launched a $9 million fundraising effort to open the new park, and we’re more than halfway there. Located 75 miles west of Fort Worth and sitting on almost 5,000 acres of rambling hills and stunning vistas, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park will come to life thanks to a partnership between public funding and this dedicated private fundraising campaign, which will have a transformative impact that will touch generations of Texans. Donate today to help ensure that Palo Pinto Mountains State Park becomes a first-class outdoor experience destination for all Texans to enjoy. For 35 years now, Texas anglers have been donating lunker bass to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help make bigger, better bass for us all. The year-round Toyota ShareLunker program offers four levels of participation for catching bass over 8 pounds or 24 inches in Texas. “We are excited to kick off another ShareLunker season,” said Toyota ShareLunker Program Coordinator Kyle Brookshear. “Not only for the selective spawning and stocking of these world-class offspring, but also to help gather vital catch and genetic data to help our fisheries biologists better manage trophy bass populations throughout the great fisheries of Texas." During the first three months of the season (Jan. 1 through March 31), anglers who reel in a 13+ pound bass can loan it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the ShareLunker selective breeding and stocking program. These anglers can call the ShareLunker hotline at 903-681-0550 to report their catch 24/7 until April 1, 2021. The Toyota ShareLunker program is based at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC), a combination fish hatchery, aquarium and education center in Athens, Texas. TFFC was created in 1996 through a public/private partnership, the very first partnership project between Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Today, TPWF is raising funds once again to update the exhibits and enhance the home of the Toyota ShareLunker program.       Professional bass angler Alton Jones Jr. has been visiting the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center since he was a kid. He was thrilled to join this year’s roster of TPWF We Will Not Be Tamed ambassadors to share his love for fishing. We Will Not Be Tamed calls us to appreciate the wildness of Texas, the vastness of our Texas spirit and why we should be inspired to conserve it. Jones will be joined this year by other remarkable Texan outdoorsmen and women who stand together and tell their stories about the place that has given so much. You’ll hear more about all our ambassadors in the weeks and months ahead.  Find out how you can live the wild life.       The precipitous decline of quail populations in the United States has spurred conservation efforts across the country. Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists are partnering with university researchers and other experts to hone-in on the best management strategies to bring back this beloved gamebird. This work is funded through Texas hunting license fees, a portion of the proceeds of the Upland Game Bird Stamp, Farm Bill conservation programs, and contributions from a number of nonprofit organizations dedicated to quail conservation. But there’s still a critical need for additional funding, and that’s why Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) launched a quail conservation license plate a few years ago to enhance quail conservation efforts, including habitat conservation and education. For just $30 you can put one of these conservation license plates on your vehicle, motorcycle or trailer. For every license plate purchased, $22 goes to TPWF to support quail conservation. What better way to drive home your support for quail conservation in Texas?       When it opens in a few years, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park will be the first new state park in North Texas in nearly 25 years. Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is raising $9 million in private funds to amplify public funds provided by the Legislature for the $30 million project. Listen in on a conversation with TPWF’s Anne Brown and Susan Houston, and Rodney Franklin and James Adams with Texas State Parks to learn more.       2914 Swiss Avenue Dallas, TX 75204 | Tel: 214.720.1478 © All rights reserved. Donate | Forward to a friend | Visit our website | Email Preferences | Unsubscribe