Alan Cain, a highly respected 1994 graduate of Texas Tech’s Department of Natural Resources Management, has been selected as the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Division Director. He began his more than 24-year career with TPWD in 2000 and has progressively held roles of greater complexity and responsibility, including wildlife biologist and district leader in South Texas, white-tailed deer program leader and most recently the big game program director.
Cain earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in range and wildlife management from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He held a research associate position at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute in Kingsville before beginning his career with TPWD.
TPWD is a leader in conversations on evaluating and implementing solutions for pressing issues including wildlife disease management, habitat loss and fragmentation, game and non-game wildlife stewardship, and hunting access and opportunity for rural and urban Texans, added TPWD Chief Operating Officer Craig Bonds in a TPWD news release. “Cain’s professional experiences, institutional knowledge, and relationships have positioned him to take on the role of Wildlife Division director,” he said.
During Cain’s tenure with TPWD’s Wildlife division, he has successfully led or been a critical team member in designing and implementing programmatic and regulatory changes, including enhancements of the managed lands deer program, development of the land management assistance application to administer the MLDP, mandatory harvest reporting and digital tagging applications, expansion of antlerless deer hunting opportunities, and working on chronic wasting disease policy, management and regulations
According to a TPWD news release, Cain is a certified wildlife biologist through the Wildlife Society and has been a member of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society since 1991, serving as its president in 2011. He is a current member and past chairman of the Advisory Board for Wildlife Management Academic Program at Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, previously served on the Texas Big Game Awards Scoring Committee and Measurer, Boone & Crockett official measurer, TPWD Mentor Program, and is a graduate of TPWD’s former Natural Leaders Program.
CONTACT Richard Stevens, Interim Chair, President's Excellence in Research Professor and Professor of Natural Resources Management, Department of Natural Resources Management, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-6843 or richard.stevens@ttu.edu
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