AgriLife Extension feral hog, wildlife associate transfers to Burnet County

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, [email protected]

Contact: Josh Helcel, 512-554-3785, [email protected]  

BURNET – Josh Helcel,  Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service wildlife and fisheries associate at Gatesville, has transferred to Burnet.  

“He’s now headquartered in the AgriLife Extension office in Burnet County, 1701 E. Polk St. Suite 12 in Burnet,” said Marty Gibbs, AgriLife Extension administrator in San Angelo.

“Josh will continue providing educational programs and landowner assistance across the 13-county Cross Timbers region, which includes both Burnet and Gatesville,” Gibbs said. “With the move, Josh will be more centrally located within his region where he’ll be able to provide greater availability and service. His primary charge is dealing with the program’s feral hog component. He conducts watershed-based educational programs focused on feral hogs and provides technical assistance to landowners to help them determine a feral hog population reduction strategy that’s tailored to their needs and that of their property.”

Helcel graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree in wildlife ecology and management from Texas A&M University. He has worked with the program since Aug. 2014. Previously, he was an interpreter and public hunting coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

His territory covers the Geronimo Creek Watershed in Guadalupe and Comal counties; Gilleland Creek Watershed in Travis County, Lake Granbury Watershed in Hood, Parker, Palo Pinto, Ranger, Erath and Jack counties; the Lampasas River Watershed in Bell, Burnet, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas, Mills and Williamson counties; and the Leon River Watershed below Proctor Lake and above Belton Lake in Comanche, Hamilton, Erath, Coryell, Mills and Bell counties.  It also includes the Plum Creek Watershed in Caldwell, Hays and Travis counties.

Helcel’s position is funded through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency.

Helcel can be reached at 512-554-3785, [email protected].

For more information on feral hogs, see: http://feralhogs.tamu.edu, http://feralhogreports.tamu.edu  and www.extension.org/feral_hogs  .