Passport to Texas

Prepared camping, is fun camping.

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This is Passport to Texas

Do you avoid overnight camping because you’re afraid you won’t get your beauty rest?

The folks that do avoid camping tend to think that it’s not comfortable. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re concerned you’ll be counting sheep instead of sawing logs on your overnight campout, Robert Owen with the Texas Outdoor Family Program says a blanket and pillow and a few other items will have you sleeping like a baby in Mother Nature’s embrace.

I always like to bring either a foam pad to sleep on or an air mattress – and even cots are getting especially popular now. Sleeping bags often have a temperature rating on them, so you’ll want to make sure that you know what your overnight lows are going to be; maybe even subtract a couple of degrees from that just to be safe, and make sure your sleeping bag is rated for that temperature. We have some tips for folks who are going to spend the night outdoors when the temperature starts to drop: air mattresses –they can actually cool you off over night. They might be very comfortable, but it’s like sleeping on a pillow of cold air. If you can insulate yourself against that pillow of cold air, it’s really going to make you more comfortable overnight. All that means is laying a blanket or sleeping bag below you – between you and the air mattress – and that goes a long way.

Reserve your site at your favorite state park at texasstateparks.org.

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

Family camping trip at Bastrop State Park

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This is Passport to Texas

Fall camping season is here, and Robert Owen—an avid camper who oversees the Texas Outdoor Family program—offers suggestions for choosing a campsite for your overnight adventure.

What I look for in a campsite is a bit of privacy. I enjoy a quiet end of the park; a place where the family can settle down and enjoy peace and quiet of nature. Nearby nature trails – looking for a trail that offers the family something to do right off the back of the campsite is always a real benefit. Also, I always like to reasonably close to water if the park offers water so that all those recreational opportunities are there. I also look for a campsite that has level ground. There’re no safety concerns like low hanging limbs or anything like that, that might interfere with my evening. And proximity to the restroom. You always want to make sure you’re within a comfortable distance of the restroom.

One of the best ways to ensure that close proximity to the restroom is to reserve your campsite in advance.

Tomorrow sawing logs instead of counting sheep when sleeping under the stars. That’s tomorrow.

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

Deer with Chronic Wasting Disease

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This is Passport to Texas

Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, is a neurological illness not known to affect humans…but is eventually fatal to infected deer.

Chronic wasting disease has been a concern in Texas since 2012 since the first discovery in the Trans Pecos.

Alan Cain is whitetail program leader at Texas Parks and Wildlife. Texas has three designated CWD zones:

West Texas, and one in the Panhandle, and one in South Central Texas. In each of those zones, it is mandatory sampling of hunter harvested deer, and also mandatory carcass movement restrictions. So, hunters are encouraged to go on our Parks and Wildlife website, and check out the CWD page, where they can find more information.

Although the agency requires hunters’ cooperation when monitoring CWD in the three zones—that shouldn’t stop anyone from getting into the field.

Sufficient rains and healthy habitat also boosted the mule deer populations in West Texas.

We’ve had some good rainfall out there in West Texas, and we expect hunters to have a good season out there, probably average, just as we’d expect for the whitetail deer hunting.

Whitetail season runs through January 7th in the North Zone and January 21 in the South Zone. Mule Deer season begins November 18 in the Panhandle, and November 24 in the Trans-Pecos.

Find CWD monitoring information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series.

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

White-tailed buck.

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This is Passport to Texas

According to Alan Cain, Whitetail Program Leader at Texas Parks and Wildlife, the 2017 deer season is shaping up to be a good one.

We started off the winter and early spring with good habitat conditions, which sets the stage for good antler growth and good body condition and fawn production.

Late spring and early summer, Mother Nature was stingy with rainfall across the state, which Cain says, may mean only average antler growth.

But the deer population is very healthy. We have a robust deer population in Texas.

A robust deer population is good news for some rural Texas towns.

Deer hunting in Texas is a thriving industry and it really helps the rural towns out there where deer hunting is a big part of their everyday life.

Cain says in counties where deer populations are high, he encourages hunters to take the full bag limit.

And by doing so, it helps improve the habitat. If they don’t want to put that meat in the freezer, they can certainly donate it to Hunters for the Hungry, or different charitable organizations around the state.

Whitetail season began November fourth in the north and south zones. The Texas Outdoor Annual provides hunters with necessary rules, regulations and bag limits. Find it on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Bringing history to life at Fort Richardson.

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This is Passport to Texas

Fort Richardson, established in 1867, was the northernmost frontier fort in what is now Texas; it was established to help protect the western movement of settlers. Tim Swagerty.

The fort system was really integral in being able to settle the state. So without the fort system, we would not have had a state of Texas. We would not have been able to defend it and be able inhabit it as we do now.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series on PBS takes viewers back in time to experience the Fort’s and Texas’ history. Annie Ellison.

We are giving visitors an opportunity to see what life was like back when this fort was operational. They get to see the soldiers in action and to see what activities might be available to the children who lived in the fort back in the day, it makes that connection to their history.

Having that multi-sensory experience helps to connect visitors to the fort’s history, and helps them to understand why it is important to conserve that history.

Fort Richardson is really unique. And to keep it alive just as long as we possibly can, I think it is the best possible way to honor what has gone on out here and all the diverse cultures that have come through here and helped build this place.

The segment on Fort Richardson airs on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series the week of November fifth through eleventh on PBS. Check your local listings.

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