Passport to Texas

Photo courtesy of Meetup.com

Hunt/Fish: Texas Outdoor Women's Network Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After whetting their appetite for the outdoors during a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Workshop, many women seek outdoors opportunities closer to home. The Texas Outdoors-Woman Network, or T.O.W.N., provides an outlet for nature loving women to connect.

04—It has increased my knowledge, my confidence and my friends.

Susan LaMere, a member of the Fort Worth Chapter of T.O.W.N, says women benefit when they find friends who share interest in the outdoors.

24—I’m a personal trainer, so in my opinion, being active period is a benefit and I think that lot of people don’t want to exercise by themselves. They may not go out and ride their bikes but they may go out with other people. One in particular, she’s 60 years old and she did not know how to ride a bike two years ago. One of the other women in the group taught her how to ride the bike and now, you know, she just loves it.

LaMere believes T.O.W.N. allows women to try new things while making close connections.

10—It’s a readymade group of people who are going to accept you for who you are, you know, whatever you want to do. I say over the past few years, some of these people have become very close friends of mine.

LaMere adds the group is open to any woman interested in learning.

03—We just want to expose people to the outdoors.

Find a Texas Outdoor Women’s Network Chapter near you on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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

Texas tick

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Summer means we’ll be spending more time outdoors—with the ticks. Ticks are blood sucking critters, and some may carry disease-causing bacteria which they transfer to their host when they bite.

Here are a few more things to know about ticks:

Ticks don’t jump, fly, or drop from trees onto your head. They crawl. So, if you find one attached to your cabesa that means it hitched a ride on your foot and traveled your entire body to get to your noggin. Feel violated yet?

Whenever you come in from the outdoors, a quick daily tick check at bath or shower time can be helpful in finding and removing attached ticks before they can transmit an infection. You may need to have a friend or family member help check your person…as those little biters can be crafty, disguising themselves as moles.

Deer tick nymphs look like a poppy seed on your skin. They’re easy to miss, their bites are generally painless, and they have a habit of climbing under clothing and biting in hard-to-see places. You know what I mean.

The easiest and safest way to remove a tick is with pointy tweezers—the kind women use for plucking their eyebrows. Do not twist–pull upward with a firm, steady pressure. Once removed, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water…and you’re ready for your next outdoor excursion.

We record our series in Austin at the Block House.

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

Women Getting Wild In Rockport Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Game Warden Brandi Reeder developed the Women in the Wild Workshop, an annual event where a diverse group of women gather to learn the wild arts.

15—A lot of professional women; we’ve had some homemakers who’ve come out. It’s just really a diverse group. I think my oldest participant was 70. My youngest was 21, which is the start age to actually participate in this. It’s all sorts of ladies that are interested in the outdoors, so it’s been great.

The workshop, scheduled April 13-15 in Rockport, connects attendees with experts in shooting, fishing, boating, Dutch oven cooking, and more.

15—This is just the beginning. And then, all across the state, we have our Texas Outdoor Women Network clubs (T.O.W.N.). And so it’s a springboard for them to start out at this event, and then to continue through their local T.O.W.N. chapters—to continue their knowledge. And most of these ladies teach those skills to their families as well.

The cost is $125 for the weekend; early registration ends March 5, at which time the cost goes up to $150.

18—This is a day camp situation, so they’ll be responsible for their own lodging. We’ll have an opportunity to check in on Friday. Then on Saturday the event begins at Fort Bay Hunting Club. They get to pick four courses that they want to participate in over the course of the weekend. And then we accommodate that on a first come first serve basis.

Find more information on the event’s Facebook Page.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series.

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

This is Passport to Texas

Fishing just got a lot easier thanks to a series of “how-to” videos you can find on YouTube from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Producer Whitney Bishop.

We teach family fishing events where we teach kids how to fish. And what we found was that a lot of parents had gotten a little rusty on fishing. You know, maybe it had been years since they’d been, and they’d forgotten the basics. So, we developed a series of short Fishing 101 videos to give people the basic skills they need to go out fishing.

…our Fishing 101 series takes a step back and gives you the basics: everything you need to know about fishing but were afraid to ask.

Thanks, Whitney.

Go to YouTube.com to see the videos.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and works to increase fishing and boating opportunities in Texas.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

Longtime caver, Rae Nadler-Olenick, stopped by our office recently to offer advice to beginning cavers.

08—The first step is to find some other cavers, because cavers are very helpful and generous in getting new cavers started.

Always go caving with a buddy, wear a hardhat, and bring three sources of light. Don’t forget water and snacks. Oh, and dress appropriately.

23—I would recommend the layered approach. There are various kinds of silks and different kinds of underwear, and just all different things. I dress in layers. If I expect to be cold, I might use a thermal undershirt, and then stack some t-shirts, a flannel shirt, a sweatshirt. As far as the layers are concerned, I like to wear things that can be easily tied around the waste.

Caving is a physically and mentally demanding sport; you have to think on your feet even when you’re crawling on your belly.

18—A lot of people in the Austin area get introduced to caving through Airman’s cave, which is an uncomfortable stoop walk much of the distance. And you’re always hearing of people getting stuck in that cave for awhile, but you don’t hear of anyone getting hurt of killed in it.

Find caving information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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

Caving in Texas Play Now | Play in Popup | Download