Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

If you plan on hunting migratory game birds in Texas this fall, you need to be HIP – HIP certified, that is. HIP stands for Harvest Information Program.

Its purpose is to gain information on waterfowl and migratory bird hunters nationwide. Basically a name and address and a little bit about their previous year’s hunting activity—as well as what they plan on hunting what they plan on hunting in the upcoming year.

Kevin Kraai is Assistant Waterfowl Program Leader. He says the HIP program helps wildlife professionals improve resource management practices as well as track various waterfowl populations throughout the country.

It’s a very useful tool in setting the future year hunting regulations and management decisions.

Being a HIP certified waterfowl hunter isn’t just a good idea—it’s the law.

Officially, it is a requirement by law that every individual that plans on hunting migratory birds in the state of Texas us HIP certified. If you are not HIP certified and you are hunting migratory game birds, you are subject to game violations.

We have a link to information about becoming HIP certified at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…made possible by a grant from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuel

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

It's Cool to be HIP Certified Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

Biologist Mike Miller dropped his jaw during at the spring meeting of the Simms Creek Wildlife Management Association.

[bones rattling] Sorry. At’s awright. You’re a biologist, not a basketball player. (laughter)

A little ribbing and a lot of “jawing” went on during the annual meeting in Star, Texas. Landowners listened to speakers in one room; hunters with leases on their property were in another with Miller.

We’re actually taking a look at their the deer jawbones from this past season’s harvest. And I end up writing a harvest summary for the association during the summer months. And that’s when we kind of revisit their goals and objectives, and see how close they got with this year’s harvest with the goals that are set for them.

Don Jackson, founding member of the Simms Creek Wildlife Management Association, says one of their goals is managing their land for better deer, which they do through Parks & Wildlife’s Managed Lands Deer Permit Program.

And you have to do a lot of different things to qualify for that. You have to run census lines, you have to put in food plots, you have to count deer when you go out, and you have to improve waterways or improve water systems. And you also have to turn in your jawbones as we’re doing here for aging.

Simms Creek WMA—improving herds and hunters—that’s tomorrow.

That’s our show…with support from the Wildlife Restoration Program…working to improve habitat in Texas.

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

Simms Creek Wildlife Management Association, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories from Texas Parks and Wildlife

[Sound of hogs roaming around.]

Opportunistic eaters that they are, a campsite packed with trail mix and hot dogs would be prize winnings to a pig-except that they’re not always welcome. Hearing a raid on his campsite one night, Shea Prihoda tells us about the scare his grunting visitors gave him.

I was camping once and I was sleeping and I woke up because something fell beside my tent and it caved in. So I started hitting and it started growling like a boar. So I started screaming because I was scared cuz it was right by my head. Then, one of the adults, I heard his tent unzip and he threw something, and then we heard a bunch of boars stampeding through our campsite. Anyone that woke up from my screaming heard it.

That night, the pigs and the food were left unscathed; but another encounter is something Shafer…and the pigs…want to avoid

I would kill a pig if I could these days. Let’s go hunting!

[Sound of hogs]

Frightening or fun: we want to hear your memorable outdoor experience. Share it with us at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Sarah Loden… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
_________________________________________________________

Wild Boar Recipes

Wild Boar Schnitzel
Wild Game Chili
_________________________________________________________

Texas Outdoor Story: Shea Prihoda & the Boars Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories from Texas Parks and Wildlife

[Sound of hogs roaming around.]

Opportunistic eaters that they are, a campsite packed with trail mix and hot dogs would be prize winnings to a pig-except that they’re not always welcome. Hearing a raid on his campsite one night, Shea Prihoda tells us about the scare his grunting visitors gave him.

I was camping once and I was sleeping and I woke up because something fell beside my tent and it caved in. So I started hitting and it started growling like a boar. So I started screaming because I was scared cuz it was right by my head. Then, one of the adults, I heard his tent unzip and he threw something, and then we heard a bunch of boars stampeding through our campsite. Anyone that woke up from my screaming heard it.

That night, the pigs and the food were left unscathed; but another encounter is something Shafer…and the pigs…want to avoid

I would kill a pig if I could these days. Let’s go hunting!

[Sound of hogs]

Frightening or fun: we want to hear your memorable outdoor experience. Share it with us at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Sarah Loden… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
_________________________________________________________

Wild Boar Recipes

Wild Boar Schnitzel
Wild Game Chili
_________________________________________________________

Texas Outdoor Story: Shea Prihoda & the Boars Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

Jake “Bud” Dearing, has worked tirelessly to produce quality white-tailed deer on his ranch through the Parks and Wildlife Managed Lands Deer Program.

We got plenty of good deer here. They need a little push, a little help.

The Dearing Ranch, in Northern Erath County, stretches across 1400 acres, and has a 15-acre bass lake. Walking along one of the property’s many trails, Dearing points to a healthy stand of waist-high vegetation.

Right here we have this skunk bush, and I’m, and I’m proud of it. We have, uh, lots of it, and it’s one of the better foods for deer in this country. It is very important in a deer’s diet.

And deer get their fill at this all-you-can-eat buffet. Steve Whisenant works alongside the 78-year-old rancher.

I’ve worked with him on it since day one. And it’s just part of us. We’ve put a lot of our life into it. A lot of work, and it’s beginning to pay off now. He’s got world class game here; bass, turkey, white-tail deer. It’s just a dream for a sportsman or wildlife person.

Dearing says he’s not ready to slow down, because he’s having too much fun managing his land.

I enjoy it more since y’all have pointed things out to me that…I’d never thought about.

The Dearing Ranch earned the Lone Star Land Steward award for the Cross-Timbers and Prairies Eco-Region.

That’s our show…with support from the Wildlife Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
__________________________________________________________

The Dearing Ranch
http://www.dearingranchtrophywhitetails.com/

Lone Star Land Steward Cross Timbers & Prairies, 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download