Brice Bilbo is a sixth-generation Texan whose ancestral roots in the state run as deep as his love for the outdoors. His family first arrived in Texas in 1860, and by 1915, they had launched what would become the first trucking company in Texas.
“The business started as the Bilbo Jitney Line. At the time, ‘jitney’ was the slang term for a nickel,” said Bilbo. “We would basically take people from the residential areas of Dallas to the factories, and on to community centers. I guess you could say we were kind of like the original Uber.”
“About 10 years later, because of new regulations and rules, they shut down all of the jitney lines, and we decided to create our own trailers. We started hauling building materials and construction equipment,” explained Bilbo. “And, so a lot of the old historical buildings in downtown Dallas, Fort Worth, and the surrounding area—we hauled all of the bricks and material to create those original buildings.”
Today, Bilbo still works in the family business—now Bilbo Transports—carrying forward a legacy inextricably tied to the growth of North Texas. But outside of work, his identity has always been shaped by long days and pursuits outdoors.
“From before I can remember, my family—we’ve been long-time hunters,” Bilbo said. “My dad was my introduction, and all we did was fish, hunt, and camp growing up.” A childhood photo captures him at just two or three years old, proudly holding up a fish with his first rod.
Those early experiences, along with time in Boy Scouts, sparked a conservation mindset that has stayed with him to today. “I truly fell in love with the outdoors and wanted to help conserve the places my kids can now enjoy.” That philosophy eventually led him to Stewards of the Wild in 2021 after a friend returned from the annual All-Stewards Dove Hunt raving about the experience. Bilbo joined soon after and quickly found a community that matched his passion.
“I went to a couple of the local Dallas events, and then my first big event was the All-Stewards Dove Hunt the following year,” said Bilbo. “It is incredible. That’s a lot of what Stewards is—bringing a social aspect to the outdoors.”
“When you think of the outdoors, it can mean getting out into nature and being alone or escaping, but I also think conservation is a community thing,” said Bilbo. “Being able to get out there, hang out with friends, meet new people. Everybody has their own ideas of how we should treat nature and conservation for the future. These events allow us to just get out there and communicate with one another about it while getting to enjoy it all.”
For Bilbo, Stewards offers something especially important in a state where access to land can be a barrier. With more than 95 percent of Texas privately owned, learning to hunt or fish as an adult can feel nearly impossible without connections. “I think it’s really awesome to have a group that’s so connected through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and private landowners who can give people an avenue into that space.”
He recently attended his third Bucksnag Duck Hunt, where he was able to connect with and mentor two new hunters. “They had very little, if any, hunting experience,” recalled Bilbo. “It was really awesome to kind of walk those guys through what the hunt looked like and to see their joy in the newness of it.”
Year after year, that sense of access, mentorship, and shared purpose is what keeps Bilbo coming back. “Whether we are cleaning up trash on the Trinity River or bringing in Game Wardens to share what we can do as hunters to make sure that we’re stewarding the resource properly, Stewards of the Wild offers a great place for people to come together as a community to discuss what conservation means and how can we help.”
