hi, these are all great comments. It is neat to read so many people care. We didn't notice that people were not getting notified if someone comments to their forum post so I will have to investigate. I have noticed our Facebook.com/TexasHuntFish, Twitter.com/TexasHuntFish and Youtube.com/ExploreTexas seem to be much more active than the forum.

We have actually been talking about adding some new features and would like to know your opinions... would you like:

1. ability to login using facebook?

2. better video player?

3. ability to upload group of photos together?

4. online chat?

5. any other ideas?

At the end of the day this site was created as a free resource for people like US to talk to each other, ask and answer questions, and find quality Texas-based small businesses to buy our hunting and fishing related products and services from.

Most forums would delete references to other "competitive" sites but the reality is I care more that we spread the word and share our knowledge - whether on TexasHuntFish.com, TexasHuntingForums.com, TexasBowHunter.com, or 2coolfishing.com. We even built the official www.TexasYouthHunting.com website for the Texas Wildlife Association and Texas Parks & Wildlife to give them a better youth oriented platform.

I must admit I have also been spending more time with the Boy Scouts, Texas Wildlife Association (www.texas-wildlife.org); Texas Youth Hunting Program, and the politically active Texas Outdoor Partners.

Great fishing report - thanks for sharing. I will give you a call if I come fishing on Lake Fork.

Bob,

I heard there was a move by CCA and Enviros for a Recreational IFQ. Did this happen? A good source told me that he was there and heard the move.

Jim

Parks and Wildlife commissioner dies in his Lufkin home
Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioner John D. Parker died Monday afternoon in his Lufkin home, leaving a legacy of passionate advocacy for the wildlife, woods and waters he loved. The cause of Parker's death has not been determined.

Gov. Rick Perry appointed Parker to the commission in November 2003. The former homebuilder and past director of the National Association of Builders was also a past national trustee and past state chairman of Ducks Unlimited, among many other affiliations.

 
John Parker
 
"John Parker was well known for his passion, eloquence, and the courage of his convictions, and he was tireless and determined in anything he undertook," said Peter Holt of San Antonio, Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission chairman. "His passing is a great loss to those of us who knew him as friends, and to the cause of conservation in our state and nation."
"It was abundantly clear to anyone who heard him that Commissioner Parker deeply loved wildlife and the outdoors, and he especially wanted young people to enjoy the natural heritage he valued so highly," said Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive director. "He will be missed."

Parker was a champion of youth outreach programs, and he consistently pushed efforts to expand youth hunting opportunities and provide settings and incentives for young Texans to experience nature and the outdoors.

Parker loved fishing as well and supported a successful campaign to bring a new freshwater fish hatchery to East Texas, a facility now under construction near Jasper.

He was also a stalwart advocate for state parks and spoke passionately of the need for increased state funding for parks in 2006 at a time when awareness of park system needs was just beginning to build.

"In 1933, Texans struggling during the Great Depression found hope in a vision of parks that could enhance their quality of life and provide jobs and economic vitality," Parker reminded readers in a February 2007 opinion-editorial published in the Lufkin Daily News. "There is reason to hope that our state is poised to again make a wise investment, which will benefit all Texans for many years to come."

Through the efforts of Parker and many others, including fellow members of the commission, the governor and legislative leaders, the legislature passed a significant increase in funding for state and local parks later that year.

John Parker