Passport to Texas

New Hunter Workshop

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When families began to migrate from rural Texas to urban Texas, they left behind some of their traditions.

There are a lot of younger folks who weren’t introduced to hunting, and they would like to hunt. So, what we’re trying to do is get them started from the very basics.

Bill Balboa, Matagorda County Marine Extension Agent, is collaborating with Texas Parks and Wildlife to offer a New Hunter Workshop on October 15 at the Nannie M. Stringfellow Wildlife Management Area in Brazoria County.

So, what we’re trying to do is get them started from the very basics: where you can hunt in Texas, public lands access, what you need to hunt in Texas to be legal. What kind of firearms you might need to hunt certain types of big game. Then, we’re actually going to do some hands on field dressing and skinning and processing.

No experience required, just a desire to learn this time honored tradition of humane harvest.

There was a need for this, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologists agreed with me. So, that’s why we’re partnering to do this. And it’s going to be focused primarily on feral hogs, because they’re a nuisance. But dual purpose—food and eliminating the nuisance. So, that’s the gist of the whole deal.

The workshop is limited to the first 30 people. The cost is $50, which includes lunch. We have details at passporttotexas.org.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Fishing at Cooper lake State Park

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Midway between Dallas and Texarkana, Cooper Lake State Park is two parks in one.

We’ve got two different units. We’ve got the Doctor’s Creek unit on the north side of the Lake, and then we have the South Sulphur Unit on the south side of the lake.

Together, the units encompass just over 3,000 acres. Kody Waters, Complex Superintendent, says visitors enjoy hiking, biking and horseback riding on the trail systems found on both sides of the lake.

One of them is fairly flat at the Doctor’s Creek Unit, but then the other trail system—you have to have a little more experience on riding that. But, both trails are great during the fall. As we’re coming into this fall, it’s going to be great to be able to go on the trail and see the change in the colors on the trail.

Visitors can reserve camping sites, RV sites with water and electricity, shelters, and fully loaded cabins—some with lake views. Plus, there’s plenty of water recreation and fishing.

At Cooper Lake, a lot of folks will say—in the park system across the state—it’s one of the best kept little secrets. Cooper Lake is truly a great fishery. You’ve got the hybrid striped bass. You’ve got great catfishing, great crappie fishing. And largemouth bass as well. We do struggle with our lake elevation—we have over the years—but we’re at a great level now, and hope to be that way as we continue.

Find more information about Cooper Lake State Park as well as events at the park on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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

Participate in the Texas Pollinator Bioblitz this month and #savethepollinators.

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Calling all citizen scientists. We want you to participate in the Texas Pollinator BioBlitz, October 7th through 16th.

[We have] two goals in mind: to increase awareness about pollinators, and about the habitat that they require.

Johnnie Smith is Texas Parks and Wildlife Conservation Education Manager. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, beetles, moths and other critters that move pollen while foraging.

If you participate in the pollinator bioblitz, you’re going to have an opportunity to observe pollinators at a site that you visit, like your local zoo or aquarium or nature center. And observe the pollinators that are there. Grab a picture of the pollinators you find, and you can post them onto Instagram. We’re asking all of the participants to use the hashtag #savethepollinators.

State parks offer pollinator observation opportunities, too. And, you can also post findings, on iNaturalist.org. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s website, has pages dedicated to the Pollinator Bioblitz.

Where people can learn what pollinators might be in their area. Links to what might be blooming in your area right now—that’s hosted out of the Wildflower center—and then also, to be aware of habitat you have that supports pollinators. And if you don’t have habitat in or near your home, school library… We’re encouraging people to try and get organized in planting pollinator habitat.

The Texas Pollinator BioBlitz is October 7 through 16. Participating is as easy as stepping outside.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Monarch on milkweed.

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Habitat loss along its migration route may be one reason the Monarch butterfly is in decline. While feeding on nectar, Monarchs pollinate wildflowers along their route, which benefits our ecosystem.

There are two primary ways that habitat supports pollinators.

Johnnie Smith is Texas Parks and Wildlife Conservation Education Manager.

And one is, the adult pollinators oftentimes feed on nectar of flowers. So, flowering plants that are a food source for the pollinator is very important. But also, is the food source that the pollinator’s larvae rely on as they’re growing up and becoming an adult. And so, that is just as important as the flowering plants that support the adults.

For Monarchs, native milkweed is an important plant. By cultivating them in our yards, along with other nectar and larval plants, we can all play a part in their survival.

There is no effort that is too small to be counted worthy. And there’s no spot of land that is too small to contain pollinator habitat. So, we really want to empower everybody—that they can make a difference. Right where you stand. Right where you live—you can create pollinator habitat, and help turn around this negative trend with the monarchs.

Tomorrow: the Pollinator Bioblitz, an event to build awareness to help all pollinators.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Steve Knowles with his mule deer.

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For years Steve Knowles of Georgetown, Texas entered Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Big Time Texas Hunts Drawing, without…ever…winning.

I always considered it basically a donation for all the good work that TPWD does. And that’s why I’ll continue to enter, despite not having a lot of success, for as long as I can get out and have the opportunity to hunt.

Then he received a call last October saying he’d won the Ultimate Mule Deer Hunt.

If I could not win the Grand Slam, then the Ultimate Mule Deer hunt was the one that I did want to win, because I had never really been mule deer hunting. I was pleasantly surprised.

In December, Knowles brought down a 19-point Mule Deer with a 37-inch outside spread on the Yoakum Dunes Wildlife Management Area; biologist Brandon Childress was his guide.

He had spotted the deer for the first time the day before. And he said, ‘Okay, we’re going to see if we can go find this deer again.’ And then as soon as we drove in early in the morning, we were able to get a glass on him. And it took us a good two hours to get to the point where we were close enough to the deer that I could actually take a shot. We were our hands and knees sometimes crawling in the sand, Ducking behind sand dunes. That’s what makes the whole hunt fun. And that’s what I’ll remember about the hunt.

Big Time Texas Hunts offers nine premier guided hunt packages on private ranches and wildlife management areas in Texas. Online entries are $9. And$10 by phone and at license retail locations. Deadline to enter is October 15. Find all details on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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