Growing up in Texas, my family spent a lot of time outdoors — camping, hiking, fishing, kayaking, biking, you name it. This helped to build my passion for the outdoors. My father would take me fishing, and I quickly learned that our trips were not just about the fish we caught, but the places we visited and experiences we had together.
Sometimes, what made the trip would be an incredible view over still water when the sun rose and the birds began waking up. Sometimes it was an osprey swooping down to snatch one of the fish we were trying to catch. I have grown to love this bond with the natural world, and it has pushed me to not only spend my free time in the outdoors but to find a career that allows me to help protect and love these inspiring places.
It was not until I joined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department that I realized how our conservation model is funded and what those funds do. I figured it was property or sales taxes that paid for the bulk of our state's conservation efforts, and I doubt I was alone.
Those taxes do pay for some, but a big chunk of money also comes from hunters, anglers and boaters in the form of hunting and fishing licenses as well as an excise tax on related gear. This user-pay, user-play system, which supports the North American Model of Conservation, generates billions of dollars that state wildlife agencies use for habitat improvement, game conservation and enhancement, range development and hunter education programs.
But is it enough? With our population booming and another 20 million Texans expected by 2050, the model is strained like never before. Further complicating the issue, rapid urbanization and rural fragmentation have limited the number of young hunters entering the sport, while many longtime participants are beginning to age out of it.
If these trends continue, our conservation model could face a crisis. Without these funds from hunters, anglers and boaters, our wildlife departments would face far greater challenges to manage and care for the natural resources we all love.
Licenses On Sale
Texas hunting and fishing licenses for the 2024-25 season go on sale Aug. 15. They are available online at tpwd.texas.gov/license and at retailers across the state.
