Passport to Texas

This could be you, if you enter Big Time Texas Hunts.

The Hunt of a Lifetime Awaits Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Big Time Texas Hunts is a yearly drawing offered by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Big Time Texas Hunts is a conservation fundraiser, basically. We try to raise money that we can put directly back into wildlife conservation work on our wildlife management areas and all of our public hunting lands across the state.

Justin Dreibelbis is Texas Parks and Wildlife’s program director for private lands and public hunting. Big Time Texas Hunts provides a chance for you to win a once-in-a-lifetime hunting experience.

So, we have 10 very high quality all-inclusive hunting packages, ranging everywhere from big horn sheep and pronghorn antelope to white-tailed deer and alligators.

New this year: a nilgai antelope safari in south Texas.

They’re originally from India. They were brought in by the King Ranch in the late 1920s. And their populations have really kind of exploded in south Texas along the coast. It’s a really neat animal. A really big, hardy antelope species that is really challenging and fun to hunt. And it is delicious table fare, too.

We’ll have more on Big Time Texas Hunts tomorrow.

Enter online through October 15 at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website; $9 per entry. You’ll pay a $5 online administrative fee, but it allows unlimited entries in a single transaction.

All entries support the work of wildlife conservation in Texas.

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

Enjoying the nightly fight of bats at Kickapoo Caverns State Park.

Bat Flights at Kickapoo Caverns State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

One of the least understood, but most fascinating, mammals in Texas is the Mexican free tail bat.

Most of us know of this small, brown flying animal because of the bat bridge in downtown Austin, which boasts the largest urban bat colony in North America.

The bats arrive in March, and through late summer, as the sun goes down, up to 1.5 million of them spiral into the darkening sky, heading east to farmers fields for their fill of insect pests. Their nightly emergence draws hundreds of spectators.

No less impressive—but in a more picturesque setting—is a colony of up to a million Mexican free tail bats that come to roost each spring at Stuart Bat Cave at Kickapoo Cavern State Park near Bracketville.
The bats migrate to the cave in mid-March, and usually stay through the end of October. Bat flights are stunning, and with an entrance permit, visitors can experience the majesty of their nightly emergence.

From time-to-time, visitors have remarked that a bat flew into them, bounced off and kept flying…on their way to dinner…with no harm done.

Find more information about Kickapoo Caverns State Park and Stuart Bat cave at Texasstateparks.org.

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

Race route. Image: Tri-Now Endurance, http://tri-now.com

TPW Magazine: Aquathlon Open Water Swim Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Elite and casual athletes come together July 29th at Cedar Hill State Park for the Open Water Swim Challenge and Aquathlon. It’s a multisport competition of swimming, running and biking.

As part of their Year of Epic Texas Challenges—Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine’s July issue features an article about the event by Lisa Wyatt Roe. She penned a compelling piece about open water swimming, which is the feral cousin of lane swimming, as it doesn’t provide the ropes and walls that keep swimmers on course.

Roe introduces readers to competitors and experts who offer their rationale for taking on this unpredictable challenge, and how—for some—panic is their worst enemy.

She also offers readers Open Water Racing tips, including:

To keep yourself swimming in a straight line, use a landmark as a spot — a building or a buoy, for example.

Strive for a fluid, smooth rhythm. Do five to 10 strokes, then pop your head out of the water like a prairie dog to see where you are.

Know that you’ll get kicked. Roll with it.

Read additional open water racing tips and the fascinating story about the Open Water Swim Challenge and Aquathlon by Lisa Wyatt Roe in the July issue of Texas parks and Wildlife Magazine. On Newsstands now.

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

Leave fireworks to the pros.

Does and Don'ts for Fourth of July Fun in Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

When it comes to celebrating our nation’s birthday at Texas state parks, go on and bring the barbeque, the watermelon and the outdoor games…but not the fireworks.

It is illegal in Texas state parks…it is a Class C misdemeanor to possess fireworks in a state park.

We’re not trying to put a damper on your Independence Day fun, but Wes Masur, state park law enforcement coordinator at Texas Parks and Wildlife, says parks are no place for fireworks. Even sparklers get two thumbs down.

Within the state park system we have different types of wildlife and different types of grasses and we don’t want to get any type of forest fire started…people are there to enjoy the state parks.

Devastating wildfires have started for much less. While some state parks do offer organized fireworks displays, not everyone appreciates these holiday pyrotechnics even when allowed.

Some people don’t like fireworks…the noises that go along with that stuff—we just don’t allow it in the state parks.

Find out which state parks offer public fireworks displays, at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

Our series receives support in part by RAM Trucks: built to serve.

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

Bison Music Fest 2018–tickets on sale now.

Tickets Available for 2018 Bison Music Fest Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Tickets went on sale in last month for this year’s Texas State Bison Music Fest.

This year’s Bison Fest will be held September 22—that’s a Saturday. And it will be held in Quitaque, Texas, which is the gateway to Caprock Canyon State Park.

Donald Beard, Caprock Canyon State park superintendent, says the event—which he calls a street dance—helps to raise awareness of the Texas state bison herd.

This bison herd was started by Charles Goodnight in 1878. It’s one of the only remnants of Southern plains bison that are left, and it’s one of the five foundation herds that all bison today are related to. They’re important culturally and historically.

The Texas State Bison Music Fest in downtown Quitaque offers a full day and night of activities and music for the entire family.

Starting at about nine o’clock in the morning, we’ll have vendors lined up all up and down main street with all kinds of neat arts and crafts and food and other things to do. But it will be a lot of fun all day long. Music kicks off about three o’clock and will go to about eleven or twelve at night.

Find the full music lineup and ticket information for the September 22 Texas State Bison Music Fest at bisonfest.com.

Support for our show is provided in part by Ram Trucks. Built to Serve.

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