Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

For the past year, Texas Parks and Wildlife has been reaching out to the public via social media. Social media allows people to connect with one another using Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Blogs, and various apps.

Whitney Bishop is a Texas Parks and Wildlife video and web producer who helps oversee the agency’s social media efforts, and who spoke with me about the value of social media to the agency.

I think the value of social media is, it give s our agency a human face. We’re not just a big anonymous agency. We’re letting people know what we do, and we having conversations with people, interacting with them. So, it helps us talk to people out there, Texans, and people who are interested in the Texas outdoors.

Yes, in fact, we are going to produce some how-to videos about how to Geocache to help people understand what geocaching is all about, and the correct way to do it, so you don’t damage the environment.

So be on the look out for those videos on YouTube. Also we encourage you to join or start a conversation with Parks and Wildlife on our Facebook fan page.

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

Social Media and Texas Parks and Wildlife Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

[Nats aquarium] Pet stores like Rivers and Reefs in Austin sell fish and plant species from all over the world.

11—Most of your Tetris species are from South America. Even your average gold-fish comes from China. Some of your Amazon sword plants obviously come from South America from the Amazon River.

Manager Rachel Pohl says that’s why people should be careful not to dump their aquariums in rivers or lakes or even flush live fish down the toilet.

08—Some of these fish get into our rivers and start eating our fingerlings in our rivers, and it starts unbalancing the native population because they don’t have a predator here.

And it’s not just fish. TPWD aquatic habitat biologist Howard Elder says giant salvinia started out as a decorative plant for aquariums…but it didn’t stay there.

09—Giant salvinia was found in a Houston school yard in 1998. It has since been found in 17 public reservoirs.

And it’s not pretty anymore.

10—The plant can produce dense mats that actually block out sunlight and displace native vegetation and fish species as well as many wildlife species.

So do Texas a favor. Have fun with your aquariums. Just don’t dump them. Many pet stores will take back unwanted fish or at least tell you where you can take them.

That’s our show… we had research and writing help from Gretchen Mahan…the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program supports our series… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Invasives from Aquariums Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

The average age of Texas hunters is mid-forties. As these hunters decrease their time in the field, some increase their time in the classroom.

06—Some become [hunter education] instructors, and really want to give back to something they’ve enjoyed all throughout their lives.

Terry Erwin oversees the hunter education program at Texas Parks and Wildlife, where there’s a growing need for instructors with special skills.

13—Parks and Wildlife has a lot of constituents who are bilingual, and who just speak Spanish. We are looking for bilingual instructors that are able to teach the hunter education program in Spanish and English.

The Hispanic population in Texas is growing, and Parks and Wildlife wants to ensure this group has access to hunter education, and a great outdoor experience.

11—We certainly could use those instructors to help us reach those constituents that we normally wouldn’t be able to reach. And, we do want to offer them [Spanish speaking constituents] an opportunity to get out in the outdoors and enjoy it.

We have information on becoming a volunteer Hunter Education instructor at passporttotexas.org.

We record our series at the Production Block Studios in Austin.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our show…and is funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel.

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

Hunter Education Seeks Spanish Speaking Volunteers Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

If you plan to hunt this fall, and were born on or after September 2, 1971—you are required to take a hunter education training course. Program coordinator Terry Erwin says there is a way around it—at least temporarily.

13—Anyone who has not been certified by the time they turn seventeen, can go and get a deferral. They must buy a hunting license, and ask for deferral type 1-6-6 at the point of sale.

The deferral allows you to try out hunting as long as a certified licensed hunter accompanies you.

06—And if you like it, go get certified; you have by August 31st of the current license year to do that.

It’ll cost you $10 for a deferral. When the program started in 2005, more than 10-thousand people purchased deferrals—and that number continues to climb.

17—It offers an opportunity for someone who has not hunted before to give it a try and it brings in lapsed hunters. If they’ve been out of hunting for awhile, and didn’t get certified, they can come in, take the deferral, and then have an opportunity to get back into the outdoors.

Texas residents required to take hunter education training may obtain a deferral only once, after which time they must complete the certification course.

You’ll find hunter education information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

Our show is made possible in part by the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel.

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

Hunter Education Deferrals Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is passport to Texas

Hunting is a tradition passed on from one generation to the next. Since 1971, teaching the basics is no longer the sole responsibility of family members.

10—Anyone who is born on or after September 2, 1971, and who has attained the age of 9, is eligible to be certified in hunter education.

The course is hunter education. Terry Erwin oversees hunter education at Texas Parks & Wildlife. He says volunteer instructors are the backbone of this popular program.

07—Many of the individuals have gone through the Hunter education course themselves, and found out that they really wanted to give something to the sport.

Volunteers also save taxpayers a nice chunk of change in the process.

07—If you put a dollar value on it, probably in volunteer hours and things like that, way exceeding half a million dollars.

The volunteer aspect goes beyond the classroom; these dedicated instructors also take on mentoring roles.

13—We always encourage every instructor to take at least one or two youth hunting each year that they train. That starts a mentoring process in which that student goes out under the training and guidance of an experienced hunter.

Learn how you can volunteer to teach hunter education classes, visit our website: passporttotexas.org.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program support our series working to increase fishing, hunting, shooting and boating opportunities in Texas.

Hunter Education Play Now | Play in Popup | Download