Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Armed with coordinates, a GPS unit and the spirit of adventure, you and your family can find hidden treasure
in state parks when you go Geocaching. Learn more this month on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series, Producer, Whitney Bishop.

57—In our upcoming show, we follow our outdoor education director, Chris Holmes, and he’s actually out geocaching with his three young children.

What I’d like people to take away is how easy it is to Geocache, and especially now that you can use your smart phones, you really don’t need to invest in any new equipment. And, it’s a great activity for families; a lot of people go to our parks, and maybe they’re mot sure what to do with their kids. So, it’s a great way to get kids outdoors, and they’ll actually learn something. You don’t have to tell them that, but they will.

Find details about how to get started geocaching at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m
Cecilia Nasti.

TPW TV--Geocaching Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Each year the Great Texas Birding Classic donates habitat conservation money to projects on the Texas coast.

14—To date we’ve donated well over 700-thousand dollars to on the ground habitat conservation projects. That’s acquisition projects, restoration projects, and enhancement projects. The Texas coast is a better place for birders as a result of the birding classic.

I’d wager it’s a better place for birds, too. Shelly Plante oversees nature tourism for Texas Parks and Wildlife, and coordinates this event with the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. Teams of birders compete to identify the
most birds during various tournaments.

25—There is a tournament for blind or visually impaired birders called the Out of Sight Song Birder Tournament—we’d love to have more teams for this. These are people who are going to bird by ear. We have a new tournament this year—it’s going to have a trial run—and it is called a human powered tournament.
And this is birding only by foot, canoe or kayak, bicycle—anything human powered. The minute you step into a motorized vehicle, your count it done.

There’s also a tournament called The Big Sit that’s perfect for beginning birders.

08—This is just kind of a tailgate party for birders. It is birding from a single location, a 17-foot diameter circle—for 24 hours.

The event is April 9 through 17, and deadline to register is March 7. Find detailed registration information
www.birdingclassic.org.

We receive support from the Wildlife Restoration program…providing funding for habitat restoration in
Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

2011 Birding Classic, 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

You can help improve bird habitat in Texas by organizing a team to compete in the Great Texas Birding Classic.

06—Winning teams pick what habitat conservation projects receive funding from the birding classic grants.

Shelly Plante oversees nature tourism for Texas Parks and Wildlife, and coordinates the event in tandem with
the Gulf Coat Bird Observatory.

10—The birding classic is a great competition for seeing as many species of birds as you can during a one day or five day tournament with your friends and family on the Texas coast.

Birders of all ages, abilities, and locations participate in this yearly spring event.

11—We had a team one year called the transatlantic vagrants, and they were from Spain, Ireland, Canada and England. So, you know, we’ve had kind of a mixed bag. We’ve had people from all over the world as well as people from all over the nation.

If you think this is something you’d like to do, you need to shake a tail feather, because the deadline is near.

14—You need to start getting your team together because registration deadline is March 7, and the event, itself, takes place April 9-17. It’s best to go to our website at www.birdingclassic.org to get more information.

Hear about a couple of special tournaments at the birding classic tomorrow.

That’s our show… with support from the Wildlife Restoration program…providing funding for habitat restoration in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

2011 Birding Classic, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Winter may not be the time when most folks think about fishing, but it is the only time in Texas to reel in rainbow trout. Our State park Guide, Bryan Frazier, says parks are an ideal place to cast for this stocked species.

56—They’re a nice fish to catch for kids because they’re pretty easy to catch when they stock them. And we have about 15 State Parks where you don’t need the freshwater stamp, you don’t need the freshwater fishing license—so you can just come out to fish at your leisure and have a good fishing experience during a time of year when maybe you’re not doing anything else; it’s a great outdoor activity for the winter.

And I know you’re an angler. What kind of bait would you use to reel in one of these rainbows?

You know, these rainbow trout will fall prey to lots of different things: little spinners, little jigs, little power bait. Corn. Table corn is something they’ll go after, too. I’ve even heard of marshmallows and things like that. I would throw a little spinner, or corn, or a little power bait if I was out there.

And we still have the bag limits, and they’re good table fare as well.

They’re actually delicious to eat, and all the bag limits and length limits will apply, so check those rules and regulations in your outdoor annual, or online on our website to find out more.

Find other trout stocking locations on the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more
than 90 years.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Fishing for Rainbows Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Texas parks and Wildlife TV producer, Ron Kabele, recently completed work on a show set to air this month,
that’s filled with mystery and intrigue.

55—I started off spending a few days with a class at Sea Camp in Galveston, run by Texas A&M University, and it’s a forensics class. There were 12 students in it—all teenage girls.

So, when it comes to solving a real world mystery, what better mystery is there than why aren’t there any males in this population?

To find out if they solved the mystery, you’ll have to tune into the show. Check your local listings.

That’s our show… with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program…providing funding habitat conservation and fisheries management in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TPW TV--I Love a Mystery Play Now | Play in Popup | Download