Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Now, whenever Texas hunters and anglers buy a new license, they have an opportunity to voluntarily make a charitable donation to two different non-profits.

You can make the voluntary contribution of either one dollar, five dollars, ten dollars or twenty dollars to either the Fund for Veteran’s Assistance, or to help feed Texas families with a donation to Hunters for the Hungry.

Justin Halvorsen is revenue director at Texas Parks and Wildlife. This new giving opportunity came about through passage of SB 1978 and HB 1584 by the Texas Legislature.

It’s through any one of our sales channels. Either online, over the phone, at a retail agent, or any one of our parks and wildlife locations.

Halvorsen says if you make a donation, your bill at checkout will naturally go up by that amount.

And then, at the end of every month, it’ll go into a separate pot, and we’ll send it along to those respective entities [nonprofits].

If you’re feeling generous, you can donate to both. Of course you may wonder if your donation is tax deductible.

That is a great question. And there will be a receipt that gets printed as part of this that specifically says that this is a donation to the Veteran’s Fund or Hunters for the Hungry. And then, really, it’s up to the individual and their tax preparer to make that ultimate decision.

You may need to ask for an itemized receipt from retailers. Find additional details on the TPW website.

That’s our show… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

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

This is Passport to Texas

Summer temperatures are still taunting us—but fall hunting season starts this month, and with it opportunities to cook wild game.

For five years Texas Parks and Wildlife’s worked with Central Market Cooking Schools to offer statewide, hands-on public cooking classes featuring preparation of wild game and fish at home.

A Texas Parks and Wildlife representative is always on hand to provide attendees with background on the agency, conservation, and information about the species on their plates.

Everyone loves bacon wrapped dove breasts on the grill, fish tacos, or venison in a slow cooker in Italian dressing. But it’s nice to have new recipes to put the “wow” in your next wild game and fish dinner.

In past classes attendees learned how to make Venison Medallions with Juniper-Black Pepper Brandy Sauce, Pot Roasted Pheasant with Cider and Bacon; Vietnamese style baked Snapper; and Braised Rabbit with Wild Mushrooms, to name a few.

Folks who register for the Tuesday, September 13, Texas Parks and Wildlife & Central Market Wild Game Cooking Class will prepare and eat Wild Boar Sausage Patties; Quail with Wild Rice Pilaf; and Duck Gumbo. Perfect fall foods-even if it still feels like summer.

Find registration information at passporttotexas.org.

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

Register for a class near you:

• Austin
• Dallas
• Fort Worth
• Houston
• Plano
• San Antonio
• Southlake