Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

It’s fun to spend time outdoors, but can get dull when exploring solo. This month, the Texas Parks and Wildlife television series puts the spotlight on outdoor clubs. Producer Alan Fisher explains.

Yes, outdoor clubs are kind of popping up around the state and around the country. We follow a group in Austin called Hill Country Outdoors that gets out far beyond the Hill Country. We follow them on a trip to Big Bend and also on some adventure trips in the local area.

It’s really a mix of ages from people in their twenties to people in their seventies. People just want to get outdoors more and it’s often fun to do that in a group.

Thanks, Alan.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

Women in the Wild may sound like an anthropological examination of early human females, but in truth it’s a workshop to help women interact with the outdoors in new ways.

:08—Women in the Wild is a great way for ladies to come out and try things that they otherwise might be intimidated to try, in a third party setting.

Game Warden Brandi Reeder organized the event, set for May 1 & 2 in Rockport.

:13—We have everything from shotguns, BB guns, archery, fishing and fly-fishing, boat operations, Dutch oven cooking, first aide, self-defense. We just have a wide range of activities in which these ladies can come out here and try.

Reeder says Women in the Wild participants will learn from the best.

:12—Including John Martel who does outdoor photography. And then I have Jay Watkins who’s a pro guide as well as pro tournament fisherman. I have Chuck Naiser who’s going to do my fly-fishing this year; I have an exceptional lineup.

The only requirements are that you’re a woman and at least 21 years old; otherwise, no experience necessary.

:12—The more knowledge that you get, the more confident you feel in your own capabilities to do things. Instead of relying on someone else to help you with it, you can do these activities yourself and be confident that even if you don’t know it—you can learn it!

We have details about registration and accommodations for the Women in the Wild workshop, at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show …with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Accommodations for the weekend are not provided, however, there are many great places to stay in Rockport. Find a partial listing at this website: http://www.rockportnet.com/stay.html

Explore the Outdoors with “Women in the Wild” Workshop

ROCKPORT — Women interested in the outdoors are invited to attend the second annual Women in the Wild workshop, a weekend-long event being held by the Rockport chapter of the Texas Outdoors Woman Network (TOWN) on May 1-2. The event is designed to help familiarize women with the various outdoor activities in the Coastal Bend and encourage them to participate in a fun and safe outdoor environment.

The event will be held at The Lodge in Rockport. The entry fee includes participation in four of the scheduled activities, a t-shirt, a Saltwater Fisheries Enhancement Association membership and meals for the weekend.

Courses offered include beginner and intermediate shotgun shooting, BB guns, archery and self defense. There will also be a fly fishing seminar with Chuck Naiser and a fishing seminar with Jay Watkins. Women will have a chance to learn boat equipment and operation, kayaking, outdoor photography, habitat/species identification, first aid and Dutch oven cooking.

“The intent is to help these women become familiar with new activities without pressure to master any one thing,” said Texas Game Warden Brandi Reeder.

TOWN is an offshoot of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program. Its goal is to provide outdoors-oriented women a chance to meet and develop friendships with other women who have similar interests. Chapters across Texas regularly hold various activities that allow women to participate in the outdoors in a stress-free and supporting environment.

Women interested in the program need to register before April 15. Entry costs $125 before March 15 and $150 after that. Registration is limited to the first 75 women above the age of 21.

Registration forms are available at the Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement Offices in Corpus Christi, Rockport, and Victoria and online at http://www.townrockport.org/. For more information visit the TOWN Rockport Web site or contact Brandi Reeder at brandi.reeder@tpwd.state.tx.us or (361) 790-2611.

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This is Passport to Texas Outdoor Families

[:20 Wind ambience under script and sound bite] It was unusually windy as sixteen families checked-in at Lake Casa Blanca International State Park in Laredo to learn camping basics at a Texas Outdoor Family Workshop.

We’re going to talk about setting your camp up. As you probably know being from around here, wind makes everything a challenge, especially setting your tent up.

After a demo, and using loaner gear, families were in high spirits as they found their campsites and tested their new skills. [Little girls screaming] Friends, Jazlyn Salinas and Daejia Rodriguez, had a blast wrestling with their tent.

It’s a super windy day over here, and the tent is literally flying all away. So, have you girls been camping before? No. But I love it because it’s super cool.

[:04 hammering] Daejia’s mother Laurie assisted the girls.

I am trying to bang in one of these silver things (laughs); it holds the tent down. (laughs) And I am using a mallet to get it in this hard ground.

[:03 hammering] Rodriguez, who admitted to not being “outdoorsy,” took the wind and hard ground in stride, saying she was glad to have an opportunity to expose Daejia to camping in state parks through TOF.

So that’s why I decided to go ahead and come out here and, who knows, if she enjoys it, then, probably we’ll start camping every summer.

That’s our show for today, with support from Toyota. To learn about upcoming Texas Outdoor Family workshops visit lifesbetteroutside.org. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

Nightfall offers state park visitors a different perspective.

Make tracks to Inks Lake State Park in the Hill Country on the night of Saturday March 27, for their Moonlight Hike and Owl Prowl. Bring your flashlights and walking shoes and be prepared to listen to some strange sounds on your night out. [Male voice spouting cheesy pick up line] Wrong kind of night out. [Screech owl] That’s more like it.

You’ll meet at the Amphitheater to learn about owls and trail safety. [Sound effect of someone slipping and falling]. Um…watch your step. Later, you’ll explore the sights and sounds on the trail under a near full moon, and later you’ll call the owls to you. Kids 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult; no pets please… [Cat hisses] …deal with it.

On that same night, across the state, at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, you can take part in a guided night hike. What can you see in the canyon at night? Whatever it is…don’t feed it after midnight. [Short snippet from movie Gremlins] Reservations are required for this trek…and the deadline to make them is March 25.

On the evening of March 29, Estero Llano Grande SP, which is part of the world birding center, is hosting a Full Moon Party. Come celebrate the full moon [Wolf howl] and see all that the park has to offer after hours.

Find information on these events in the calendar section of the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

Despite improved public relations, people remain—if not terrified—then at least apprehensive of bats.

A lot of people fear bats because of a lot of myths and superstitions associated with them.

Meg Goodman, former Parks and Wildlife’s bat biologist, says bats will not purposely entangle themselves in your hair, nor will they attempt to suck your blood.

We do a lot of work to get the message across that bats are actually very, very beneficial for us, and they’re very gentle creatures and very interesting to learn about and learn from.

With education, more people are beginning to appreciate bats than fear them. In fact, we’ve even started looking forward to seeing certain bats—such as Mexican free-tails—that winter in Mexico and summer in Texas.

The Mexican free-tailed bat is probably one of our most common bats in the state, and people know it because it lives in such large numbers in places such as bridges and caves and makes nightly emergences that many people can come out and watch.

Tomorrow: the benefits of bats.

The Mexican free-tailed bat, in particular, is really valuable for agricultural purposes.

That’s our show for today… with support from the SFWR Program…working to restore wildlife habitat in Texas…we record our series at the Production Block Studios in Austin…Joel Block engineers our program…

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

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