Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Mike Quinn is an invertebrate biologist and his interest in bugs developed through an interest in birds.

My parents were birdwatchers, and I had an interest in outdoors as a child. But it wasn’t until I was in my twenties… I was helping ornithologists at UT study painted buntings at McKinney Falls State Park, and walked around the bend, and we saw this large butterfly there sunning itself – absolutely gorgeous in the sun – and Anita Fauquier says, “I think that’s a giant swallowtail.” And it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was an epiphany for me that you could put a name on an insect. Why that was a revelation to me I still don’t quite don’t know, because I could identify birds by sight and sound, and plants and herps and etcetera. But putting a name on an insect was somehow a foreign concept. And I went home and I borrowed my mother’s butterfly field guide (which I haven’t quite returned yet), and just from that point on I started paying much closer attention to insects, and that led me to my degree now that I have in entomology and the job that I have studying them at Parks and Wildlife.

Spend time outdoors—you never know where it will lead. Share your outdoor story at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Texas Outdoor Story: From Birds to Bugs Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Patricio Naredo’s outdoor story begins on a dark and windy night…camping with his Boy Scout troop.

We were supposed to have a fire, but it was windy so we couldn’t. So then one of our camp directors or something he made up this animal called like, I don’t remember what it’s called. He said it’s like half Chihuahua, half badger. So we started putting out marshmallows and started like putting out traps going hunting for him with our flashlight. And then, someone turned it off and they were like “Oh no my batteries dead!” And then, he started making all these sounds then he turned it back on and he’s all like shining at something. It was a log but it kind of looked like an alligator. So I barely screamed and I started running for the tents. Like, everybody got we got freaked out.

One question remains: will Patricio venture out into the woods at nighttime again?

I’m not afraid of the dark!

Thanks, Patricio. Extra flashlights, batteries and, not to mention, your wits are always good things to have when you camp overnight.

If you have an outdoor story, we’d love to hear them. Spooky, funny, or sad…whatever they may be, you can share them 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.

Texas Outdoor Story--Patricio Naredo 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 Outdoor Stories from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Ask Claire Cabler about a memorable time in the outdoors and she’s got plenty.

We were at Guadalupe State Park. I was busy playing in the sand. My dad said, “Look up there’s a water snake!” and I looked and I saw this sticking thing and I thought that was the water snake.

It seems that Claire’s dad, Dru Cabler, is always pointing out wildlife to her. Even at home.

We point ‘em out as soon as we see ‘em if we think she’s never seen one before. We got all kinds of creatures just around our house. Deer that come through our backyard. Lots of rat snakes, grass snakes, a couple of rattlesnakes. Frogs that jump into our swimming pool. Big Texas spiny lizards, and green anoles.

And venturing out to state parks together, they find other creatures that aren’t as close to home.

We like to go to Guadalupe state park, like she said.

How about Port Aransas?

We like Port Aransas. We’re going next weekend. So we’ll spend a lot of time outside there on the beach. She likes to collect dead fish; stack ‘em up with her friends. Remember that?

I don’t really remember catching the dead fish but I remember picking up a bunch of shells. I found a full sand dollar.

We love hearing your outdoor discoveries and adventures. Share them 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.

Texas Outdoor Story: The Cabler Family Play Now | Play in Popup | Download