Passport to Texas

Outdoor Story: Philipp Hubner Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Philipp Hübner, from Austin, spent his formative years in Tennessee. His outdoor story is about the value of befriending landowners.

One of the things that strikes me about the great outdoors is there are so many beautiful places that are on private lands.

And, from there, we just really grew to appreciate the relationships that people can build with other people that might have beautiful scenery and other attractions on their own private land. So, I’d encourage anybody that has the opportunity to do that, by all means do it. And, enjoy what’s out there.

Thanks, Philipp. Visit passportotexas.org and tell us your outdoor story.

That’s our show for today… Remember: Life’s Better Outside…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Archery and the Hunger Games Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Hunger Games is a high octane movie that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats; but that’s not all. Archery plays a significant role in the film, which may have contributed to an uptick in the public’s interest in the sport.

09—Every few years it seems like a big movie comes out and archery is in the movie. And, usually the hero is doing the archery—so that’s good. Great for business, I guess.

Burnie Kessner oversees the archery in schools program for Parks and Wildlife. He cautions young people who’ve been inspired by the motion picture, to seek guidance before doing any shooting.

12—Go to your local archery shop; find one that’s nearby. Talk to them, and they’ll really make sure you’re getting fitted with the equipment correctly, and you can probably try different equipment. They’re the experts who can really get you started right.

In addition to safety considerations, Bernie Kessner says know the laws where you live before shooting an arrow into the air—or anywhere.

18—If you live in town, it may be against a city ordinance or something to just walk out in your yard and shoot a bow and arrow. So, you really ought to check local laws and codes and things like that. And there are safe dedicated places to do archery. So, figure out where those are—or that local archery shop will tell you.

For more information on archery visit the TPW website.

The Wildlife and Sport fish Restoration program supports our series and works top increase shooting sports in Texas.

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

Outdoor Stories: Snakes Alive! Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

When David Guthrie was a boy growing up in Round Rock, he and his buddies regularly camped out in the woods and fields around his parent’s home.

David told his Texas Outdoor Story of a particularly memorable camp out.

51—In the middle of the night it started to rain. So we packed up our things, and just took off and went back to my parent’s house and then we crashed on the living room floor. And the next morning I remember feeling something on me – it was moving across my leg – and I woke up and I looked down and there’s this enormous bulge around my leg.

It was a three foot one inch long black racer; it was a rather memorable experience. I had a lot of sleepless nights as a kid after that (laughter).

Have your own Texas outdoor adventure to share? Just go to passporttotexas.org and click on the outdoor stories link.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish restoration program supports our series…and is funded by your purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and motor boat fuel. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Outdoor Story: Matagorda Island Message in a Bottle Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Terri McDonald of Rockport, responded to our request for listeners’ stories about their favorite Texas State Parks, historic sites or wildlife management areas. Her favorite is Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area.

09—Absolutely love it. There’s no cars…very few people…it’s just like going back in time to a beach a hundred years ago.

The slow pace leaves a lot of time for one of Terri’s favorite pastimes — beach combing.

09—We’ve found tons of seashells, beautiful driftwood, four messages in bottles…. You just never know what you’re going to find out there.

Terri says she’s contacted three of the people whose message she found in the bottles.

28—The oldest one was from 1969. A soldier in the Vietnam War had dropped it off of Cape Canaveral. And we found it at the bottom of a dune that had been sheared off by a storm. So it had been buried under sixteen feet of sand for years and years. So we got in touch with him through the help of the Corpus Christi Caller Times Military Reporter. And it was a long time ago – he had almost forgotten doing it.

Thank you Terri. Now it’s your turn. Go to passporttotexas.org and click on the outdoor stories tab and share your tale of the great outdoors…because Life’s Better Outside.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

This is Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories

We all come from somewhere, and Chris Holmes, who oversees the Texas Outdoor Family in State parks program, comes from England. From the time he was a boy, Chris had a passion for the outdoors. It made sense that when he became an adult, he would seek a career that kept him close to nature. He has followed that career to several continents and two hemispheres. He shares a favorite memory.

I was a park ranger once in Australia. And we had some monitor lizards that were fairly aggressive—similar to the raccoons here in Texas—they would go after food. And it was always very funny to watch these monitor lizards slinking up towards tents, and smelling the food. These lizards were about five to six feet long. So, having a monitor lizard stick their head through the tent—a lot of people are not used to seeing that. So that was a lot of fun. And sometimes, maybe we had some mischievous young adults that have kept us awake at nighttime, so we may have encouraged the lizards to go see them in the morning.

Monitor lizards are like raccoons. I don’t think so. Thanks, Chris.

Do you have a fond memory of time you’ve spent in the Texas outdoors…a mischievous moment…a tale of terror…tell us. Go to passportotexas.org and click the Outdoor Stories link and tell us all about it. We may use it in the show.

That’s our show…for today. Remember: Life’s Better Outside… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

A Mischievous Past of International Proportion Play Now | Play in Popup | Download