Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

As the holiday season winds down, it’s time to start thinking about the year ahead. And for most of us, that includes making few resolutions. Terry Erwin has suggestions for hunters.

First off, hunters ought to think ahead and plan for their trips for the upcoming year.

Erwin oversees hunter education at Parks and Wildlife.

Certification is required for a lot of out of states. And you need to get that certification done. So get your hunter ed completed early…get it out of the way…you only have to take it once.

But the resolutions for hunters don’t stop there.

If you talk about a resolution, then we want that instructor who’s going to teach a class to convey to the students, number one – resolve to always point that muzzle in a safe direction. Always treat every firearm as if it’s loaded, and always identify your target before you shoot, what’s in front of it and what’s beyond it. Any other resolutions ought to be: if you’re going to take an animal you ought to consumer it. If you’re not going to consume it then give it to Hunters for the Hungry where it can be consumed by those who really need it.

Our show is made possible by the Wildlife Restoration Program…working to increase hunting and shooting opportunities in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…Cecilia Nasti

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This is Passport to Texas

Parents harness their kids into high chairs to keep them from taking a tumble. Hunters should always use a similar device called a fall restraint system that keeps them safely tethered to elevated stands.

Most of them fit like a fishing vest, but they have straps that go under your legs and secure it to your body.

Hunting education coordinator, Terry Erwin, says not all fall restraint systems are created equal.

When you’re going into an elevated stand of any type, you should always use a tree stand manufactures association approved safety harness. And, if it’s not TMA approved, then you don’t want to use it because it’s not going to be the one that will protect you the most.

For the restraint system to work properly, it must fit snugly around the body, with no slack in the tether.

Tether yourself, or secure yourself, above your head, so that there‘s no slack in the harness itself and the tethering line. So, if you were to accidentally fall asleep and lean forward, it would catch you within about 3 or 4 inches.

Finally, before using a fall restraint system in the field, Erwin says—give it a test run.

Go out and give it a try. Climb with it; secure yourself going up, and also secure yourself coming down.

Find hunter safety information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show…We receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and motorboat fuel…For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

As good as hunting is in Texas—sometimes a person just wants a change of scenery. That’s when hunters set their sites beyond state lines.

The first thing you need to do when you go out of state is find out what’s required—as far as legal requirements for hunter education. And make sure you do that well in advance.

Otherwise, says hunter education coordinator, Terry Erwin, you could be out of luck.

So many times we get called [where people say], ‘Well, I need a class to go to Colorado, and I’m leaving tomorrow.’ And that will not work.

Texas has reciprocal hunter education agreements with every state.

Weather usually isn’t a big concern when hunting at home, but when you go out of state to places like Colorado or Idaho—that changes—and so should you.

When you’re going up there, you’re going into multiple different types of weather. Carry clothing that you can actually dress fort the conditions as they change. Your feet are your most important aspect up there. Always carry a minimum of two pair of boots: one pair of waterproof boots, one pair of good hiking boots, and at least two changes of socks per day.

Find hunting information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

Our show…receives support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and motorboat fuel…For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

Texas hunters are not only conservationists, they are also philanthropists who help feed hungry Texans.

This past season, we had 192,040 pounds of meat donated, which is the most that we have had donated in one season.

That translated to more than 768-thousand quarter-pound servings of ground venison. Anitra Hendricks coordinates the Hunters for the Hungry program, administered by the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies.

The way that the meat processors package it is in two pound servings. Some of the pantries will use the venison in soups, or they will use it in spaghetti, or they may just hand out the individual packages.

Hunters taking part, bring donated deer to participating processors, and pay a small processing fee.

He can request a receipt if he’s not automatically given one; and that receipt will be for what he paid for the processing. That cost may or may not be tax deductible. And that is up to the hunter to contact a tax consultant.

We have links to more information about Hunters for the Hungry at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show, made possible by a grant from the Sport fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…working to increase fishing, boating, shooting and hunting in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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2009-2010 Participating Processors

Panhandle
North Central
Post Oak Savannah
Pineywoods
Trans Pecos
Hill Country
South Texas
Oak Prairie/Coastal

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Five dollars might buy a couple of gallons of gas for your truck—but that won’t get you far. Now, if you were to spend those five dollars on a chance to win a Lifetime Super Combo hunting and fishing license…

That enables folks to hunt and fish for free forever…if you’re a winner.

And forever is a very long time. Glenda Beasley is TPW marketing manager. If you were to buy a Lifetime Super Combo license, you’d spend $1,800.

It’s quite a value for you to be able to buy a five dollar entry to win the chance for an $1,800 prize. And, with the lifetime license, you also receive all of the state required stamps that go with that. So it is an additional value.

Everything except the federal duck stamp is included for your lifetime license. The drawing is open only to Texas residents; enter as many times as you like. Buy entries wherever you buy hunting or fishing licenses. There will be two drawings.

The deadlines for entering are the evening of December 27, 2009, and June 27, 2010. And if you enter before December 27th, you’re also eligible to be in the drawing that is going to occur after June 27th.

That’s as long as you don’t win the December 30th drawing. Fingers crossed, right?

Money spent on these chances goes to support conservation work in Texas. We have a link to the official rules at passporttotexas.org.

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

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