Pineywoods Wildlife Management Areas - Texas Parks and Wildlife

Pineywoods Wildlife Management Areas - Texas Parks and Wildlife Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Pineywoods Wildlife Management Areas - Texas Parks and Wildlife, Public & Government Service, 8096 FM 2782, Nacogdoches, TX.

We manage ~260,000 acres of publc land in east Texas to benefit native wildlife and habitat, offer public hunting opportunities, conduct relevant research, and demonstrate management activities to landowners, students, and the general public. Alabama Creek WMA
Alazan Bayou WMA
Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA
Bannister WMA
Moore Plantation WMA
North Toledo Bend WMA
Sam Houston National Forest WMA
Tony Ho

useman/Blue Elbow Swamp WMA

Lake Striker Public Hunting Land Unit
Public Hunting Land Unit 122
Public Hunting Land Unit 630

Last week, we welcomed an official from the Texas A&M Forest Service Big Tree Registry to verify our big tree submission...
06/15/2026

Last week, we welcomed an official from the Texas A&M Forest Service Big Tree Registry to verify our big tree submission!

We’re excited to see where this impressive willow oak ranks among Texas’ champion trees. Stay tuned—we’ll be sure to share the results when they come in. 🌳☝️😉

Can you find him in the picture?

https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/elibrary-item/big-tree-registry/

Our usual tractor work companions!Cattle egrets can often be seen following cattle, tractors, and mowing equipment throu...
06/04/2026

Our usual tractor work companions!

Cattle egrets can often be seen following cattle, tractors, and mowing equipment through East Texas fields.

No, they aren't down-home farming enthusiasts. They've simply discovered a clever way to find an easy meal. As cattle graze or equipment moves through the grass, insects and other small creatures are flushed from cover, creating a buffet for these opportunistic birds. Sometimes they seem to appear out of nowhere the moment we fire up the tractor!

One bird in this group was especially eye-catching today. As breeding season approaches, male cattle egrets develop brighter coloration, including a deeper red bill and legs as part of their spring plumage.

Sometimes the most common birds have the coolest stories.

What a week!Last week we were able to capture and tag 10 alligators with GPS locators on BA Steinhagen Reservoir (Dam B ...
05/27/2026

What a week!

Last week we were able to capture and tag 10 alligators with GPS locators on BA Steinhagen Reservoir (Dam B Lake).

Captures Consisted of 7 Females 3 Males

Data collection over the next few years will be a huge insight on the breeding patterns and overall movement patterns of these incredible animals.

Huge thanks to the Dallas Safari Club for putting conservation dollars to work in East Texas and making this project possible!

Please join us at one of our two upcoming workshop and field day on May 15 and 16 from 8:45am to noon. We'll be learning...
05/06/2026

Please join us at one of our two upcoming workshop and field day on May 15 and 16 from 8:45am to noon. We'll be learning about Pineywoods management in Nacogdoches and San Augustine counties.

Topics are listed on the attached flyers.

The workshop and field day provide similar/overlapping informative, but both are not required to gain more insight into managing for wildlife in the Pineywoods.

To register, please visit these links:
https://shopbritpress.org/products/pineywoods-and-wildlife-landowner-field-day-2026
https://shopbritpress.org/products/pineywoods-landowner-workshop-2026

Congratulations to the two hunters who successfully harvested birds during this year’s drawn turkey hunts at Moore Plant...
04/30/2026

Congratulations to the two hunters who successfully harvested birds during this year’s drawn turkey hunts at Moore Plantation WMA! We appreciate all the hunters who participated and helped make it a safe and successful event!

If you’re interested in more hunting opportunities on Texas public lands, be sure to explore TPWD’s drawn hunt program for turkey, deer, waterfowl, and more:

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/

04/20/2026

Spotted a small armadillo making the rounds at Alazan Bayou WMA.
Slow, steady, and always digging into something.

02/18/2026

In 10 days, a bird the size of your fist will launch itself 300 feet straight up into the darkening sky, spiral in tight circles while making a sound like an alien spacecraft, and then tumble back to Earth like a falling leaf — landing exactly where it started.

Then it will do it again. And again. For two hours. Every night. For six weeks.

This is the American Woodcock sky dance, and it is the single strangest mating ritual on the continent. It starts between February 25 and March 5 in most of the eastern US.

THE PERFORMANCE:

STEP 1 — THE PEENT (Ground phase):
At dusk, the male Woodcock walks to an opening — a field edge, clearing, or even a flat rooftop. He begins calling: "PEENT." A nasal, buzzy, one-note sound repeated every 2-4 seconds. He rotates in place between calls, facing a new direction each time. Broadcasting to all compass points.

STEP 2 — THE LAUNCH:
After 5-15 peents, he launches. Straight up. Wings beating rapidly, producing a twittering sound from three modified outer feathers that vibrate in flight. This mechanical sound — not vocal — spirals upward as he climbs in tight circles.

STEP 3 — THE APEX:
At 200-300 feet — barely visible against the fading sky — he hovers. The twittering stops. Silence.

STEP 4 — THE DESCENT:
He falls. Not in a dive — in a zigzag. Like a leaf. Wings tucked, body tilting side to side, dropping in a chirping series of liquid notes — "chip-chip-chip-chip-chip" — that descend in pitch as he descends in altitude. This is the most beautiful sound he will ever make, and he makes it while plummeting.

STEP 5 — THE LANDING:
He touches down within 3 feet of his launch point. Stands still for 5 seconds. Then: "PEENT."

He does this 15-20 times per evening. Every evening. For 6 weeks.

HOW TO WATCH:

→ WHEN: 20-30 minutes after sunset. Listen for the "PEENT" first.
→ WHERE: Open fields, meadow edges, young forest clearings, even large lawns adjacent to woods
→ FACE WEST — the bird is best visible silhouetted against the last light in the sky
→ BRING A BLANKET — you'll be sitting in cold grass for 30+ minutes
→ FREE. No binoculars needed. No expertise required. Just ears and eyes at dusk.

The Woodcock sky dance is one of the best wildlife experiences available to anyone with a field and 30 free minutes after dinner. It happens in every state east of the Rockies. It's 10 days away.

Mark your calendar.

Many of our current TPWD employees started their careers as interns. An internship isn’t just a summer job — it’s a hand...
02/12/2026

Many of our current TPWD employees started their careers as interns. An internship isn’t just a summer job — it’s a hands-on opportunity to build skills, make connections, and see what it takes to manage and protect Texas’ natural resources.

If you’re passionate about the outdoors and ready to take the first step, apply today and join the next generation of conservation professionals.

APPLY at: https://bit.ly/TPWDInternProgram

REGISTER FOR OUR INTERNSHIP FAIR at: https://forms.office.com/g/iHr6hUba2r

Address

8096 FM 2782
Nacogdoches, TX
75964

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