Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area is 80 miles southeast of Dallas.

Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area [WMA] is approximately 14-thousand acres that lies almost totally within the Trinity River Flood plain. It’s a large block of bottomland hardwood habitat.

Jeffery Gunnels is a wildlife biologist for Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Parks and Wildlife Department acquired Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area in 1987. It was deeded to the state from the Tarrant Regional Water District as a mitigation property when the Richland Chambers reservoir was constructed. That was to satisfy their requirements under the US Army Corps of engineers section 404 permit.

It wasn’t long before a wide array of bird species started arriving.

The WMA is a very good place to find species of birds. On our North Unit we have lots of different wading birds such as great egrets, great blue herons, snowy egrets, lots of ibises, roseate spoonbills and a wide variety of other shorebirds that migrate through the spring. It’s also very, very good wintering waterfowl habitat. We regularly over winter lots of waterfowl and have lots of waterfowl hunting in the fall months.

That’s our show….supported by the Wildlife Restoration Program providing funding for the operations and management of more than 50 wildlife management areas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…Cecilia Nasti

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

When mist cloaks Caddo Lake it’s easy to understand how the lore and legend about this east Texas destination came to pass.

Native American legend says a giant flood created Caddo Lake. Others say an earthquake was responsible.

Meanwhile, scientists believe the lake formed when floodwaters, blocked by massive log jams on the Red River, backed up into the Cypress Bayou watershed, forming the lake.

One thing that is true: Caddo Lake’s beauty. And visitors to Caddo Lake State Park/WMA not only experience nature at her most beguiling, they also have a plethora of recreational opportunities — from hiking to hunting – to choose from.

With an annual public hunting permit, hunters may harvest deer, eastern wild turkey, and quail during appropriate seasons. Licensed anglers find largemouth bass, catfish and brim plentiful in the lake.

Find more on Caddo Lake SP/WMA at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show, made possible by the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program providing funding for the operations and management of more than 50 wildlife management areas.

For Texas parks and wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

With your hunting license, a $48 annual public hunting permit, and the two map booklets of public and private hunting lands, a great hunting experience is closer than you think.

Just for dove hunting alone, this program has a hundred and fifty-five areas in the public dove and small game map booklet. And another fifty areas in the annual public hunting lands map booklet. So, over two-hundred areas just for small game.

Dove season opens September first in the North and Central Zones. Kelly Edmiston, public hunting program specialist, says there’s more than dove and small game on these lands.

There’s also deer and feral hogs and spring turkey and a lot of waterfowl. So, for forty-eight dollars and a hunting license, you can hunt a lot of game birds and a lot of game animals.

And the heavy rains this year mean we could see improved hunting statewide.

All of this rain, believe it or not – in spite of what a lot of people think – is happening almost at the right time, because what’s happening is everything is greening up and the habitat is improving. It’s improving to the point that I think, probably come this fall, a lot of people will notice that the hunting is going to be better.

Public hunting permits go on sale August fifteenth wherever licenses are sold. Find more information at passporttotexas.org.

Our show receives support from the Wildlife restoration program…working to increase shooting and hunting opportunities in Texas. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Link to 2007-2008 Hunting Seasons [You will Need Acrobat Reader]
Link to Hunter Education Information

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

With the fall hunting season looming on the horizon, now is the time to apply for drawn public hunts.

A lot of our deadlines have changes from previous years so people who want to apply need to check our website or look at their public hunting lands booklet to make sure that they get their application in by the deadline.

Kelly Edmiston is a public hunting program specialist. Special drawings for controlled hunts — offered through the Public Hunting Program – make affordable, quality hunting experiences a reality for thousands of hunters annually.

This year we’ve added three new categories: an archery mule deer, a gun mule deer, and a private lands pronghorn hunt.

If being drawn for an archery or pronghorn hunt is your dream, register now.

Mid-August, August sixteenth, is going to be the deadline for all of our archery hunts and all of our pronghorn hunts. Basically what we want to do is have people selected and have their attendance confirmed and their permit fees sent in and their permits given back to them in time for the archery season, which is an early season.

Depending on the hunt, expect to pay a non-refundable application fee of either three or ten dollars per hunt. Other fees may apply. Find links to drawn public hunts information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with support from the Wildlife restoration program…working to increase shooting and hunting opportunities in Texas

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Link to Fishing License Information
Link to Hunting License Information
Link to Big Time Texas Hunt Information
Link to Public Hunting Information

 

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

The Hill Country is the crown jewel of Texas, and the Kerr Wildlife Management area teaches landowners how to keep it polished.

We’re a 65-hundred acre wildlife research and demonstration area for the Edward’s plateau ecological area. And it serves as our experiment station for private landowners to come out and find out more about the basic tools of wildlife management.

Area manager, Donnie Frels, says landowners learn how to mimic the natural systems that keep habitat in balance.

Like wildfires and grazing buffalo. We’ve just replaced those types of actions with some manmade actions, with prescribed fire and a rotational grazing system. So, we’re still mimicking some of the natural systems.

While the majority of research at Kerr focuses on white-tailed deer, three endangered species on the site also receive thoughtful attention.

We have probably one of the highest densities of black capped vireos anywhere in the state. Golden-cheeked warblers are found on the management area. The third endangered species is the toe bush fishhook cactus. And we do surveys for all three of these species; and our management program benefits not only white-tailed deer but those endangered species as well.

The Kerr WMA is open to the public for wildlife viewing during daylight hours. Find details at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today… with support from the Wildlife Restoration Program… providing funding for the Private Lands and Public Hunting Program.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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Kerr Wildlife Management Area Contact Information

Phone: (830) 238-4483
Address:
2625 FM 1340
Hunt, TX 78024

Contact: Don Frels Jr.

Dates Open: Open year round, except closed for Special Permit hunts. The office is open 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday.

 

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