This article is featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Texas LAND magazine. Click here to find out more.
TWA’s 13th Annual Private Lands Summit “Keeping Trouble Outside the Fenceline,” scheduled for July 9 in San Antonio, is designed to help landowners proactively address issues like poaching, agricultural theft, irresponsible lessees and liability before trouble stakes its claim on their property.
“As Texas continues to grow, so does the probability for private landowners to experience trouble of some kind—and sometimes it comes from unexpected places,” said Andrew Earl, TWA Director of Conservation, who leads the organization’s adult education efforts.
The demand for agritourism and outdoor activities has grown alongside the state’s population, which means that liability exposure is on the rise as well. In 2015, the Texas Legislature attempted to enshrine protections for Texas landowners who adhere to signage and other requirements with the passage of the Texas Agritourism Act.
“While the law is a start, it is still largely untested in the courts,” said Earl, noting that cases involving Virginia and Washington’s agritourism laws deemed the laws’ legal posting requirements inadequate and found in favor of the plaintiffs.
According to Earl, the program was designed to not only provide information but to give participants actionable items they can put into practice to help safeguard their property.
“We’re confident that anyone in attendance will take away something they can implement on their operation to better protect themselves and their families.”
The morning program centers on ranch-related crimes. The Boone and Crockett Club will share the results of its “Poach and Pay Report,” which found poaching is responsible for an estimated conservation cost $1.4 billion borne by landowners and taxpayers. The Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Law Enforcement and the Executive Director of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers’ Special Rangers will discuss wildlife crime and agricultural crime respectively, culminating in a panel discussion focusing on prevention.
After lunch, which is included as part of the registration fee, the content shifts from informational to actionable. Attorneys from Braun and Gresham PLLC will host a risk management workshop to help landowners determine their risk exposure and ensure that their insurance coverage is expansive enough to cover everything that is occurring on their property. After risk management, participants will learn what considerations go into writing an airtight lease. Attorney Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, host of the Ag Law in the Field Podcast, will interview Marshall Bowen, who manages more than 30,000 acres of land across the state for the Shield Ranch/Shield Ayres family, and another guest for a podcast episode.
The day ends on an educational, albeit lighter note, with the Three-Minute Theses Competition presented by the East Foundation. Competing graduate students have three minutes to completely explain their research, their findings and the management implications for landowners.
“The Private Lands Summit kicks off our annual convention with an educational bang,” Earl said. “While the subject matter changes year to year, the purpose remains the same—to arm landowners with in-depth information they can use as they manage their land and natural resources to benefit us all.”
Keeping Trouble Outside the Fenceline
13th Annual Private Lands Summit
Thursday, July 9, 2026 • 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
MORNING
- The Motivators, Costs and Detection Rates of Poaching
Tony Schoonen, CEO, Boone and Crockett Club - Operation Game Thief
Col. Ron VanderRoest, Director of Law Enforcement, Texas Game Wardens - Agricultural Laws and Enforcement in Texas
Clay McKinney, Executive Director of Law Enforcement, TSCRA Special Rangers - Theft Prevention Tips Panel Discussion
Moderated by Grahame Jones, Texas Conservation Alliance
AFTERNOON
- Risk Management Planning Workshop
Braun & Gresham PLLC - Building a Lock Tight Lease Panel Discussion
Moderated by Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, Host of Ag Law in the Field Podcast - East Foundation Three Minute Thesis Competition
Jason Sawyer, Chief Science Officer, East Foundation - 3MT Awards and Evening Social
* $150 registration fee includes lunch and evening social.
WildLife 2026
41st Annual Texas Wildlife Convention
July 9-12, 2026
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, San Antonio, Texas
Highlighted Events
Thursday, July 9
- Private Lands Summit “Keeping Trouble Outside the Fenceline”
Friday, July 10
- TWA Foundation Luncheon featuring Chef and Author Jesse Griffiths
- Joint Directors and Membership Meeting
- TWA Family Dinner, Dance & Live Auction
Saturday, July 11
- Concurrent Education Seminars
- Texas Big Game Awards & TWA Awards • Luncheon featuring MeatEater’s Steve Rinella
- TWA Banquet & Grand Auction
Find Out More
To get more information on or to register for WildLife 2026, TWA’s 41st annual convention including the Private Lands Summit, click here
