Passport to Texas

Game Wardens and their K9 Partners

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Texas game wardens are a hardworking group, but this fall, five of them went to the dogs. John Thorne.

11— Parks and Wildlife law enforcement division is starting a new canine program. We looked all over the country for the best training, and we came to Utah for the Utah post training academy.

Thorne was among the officers who traveled to Utah earlier this year for an eight-week intensive training program with the dogs. Texas Parks and Wildlife TV producer, Alan Fisher was there to document their progress.

21—These wardens made a real sacrifice. They were away from their families for eight weeks of this training; the training days were long and intense. But you could tell that they really wanted to
have this tool available to them; they really loved dogs and enjoyed working with them. To me that really said a lot right there. These are dedicated people and they’ll have some very dedicated
companions with them.

Wardens learned to work with and guide the golden labs that became their partners.

15—These dogs really do become canine partners with their wardens. They’ll be spending their entire lives with them from working every day in the field, as well as retiring with the wardens as their pets when their careers are finished.

The K-9 Wardens segment airs on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV Series on PBS stations, the week of December 15.

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

Box turtle

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This is Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories

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

12—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.

16—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.

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

We love hearing about your outdoor discoveries and adventures. Share them with us at www.passporttotexas.org.

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

Clemente Guzman working on cover art for Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine

TPW Magazine: A Brush with Nature Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Texas Parks and Wildlife has a diverse workforce that includes who you’d expect, like biologists and game wardens. And then there are the surprises, like Wildlife artist Clemente Guzman.

09— I walk by Clemente’s desk every morning on my way into my job, and I look over and he usually has some incredible painting that he’s working on.

Louie Bond, editor of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine, wrote a poignant story about Clemente for the December issue, on newsstands now.

38— So, I stop in and take a look and see what he’s up to and we inevitably get into some great discussion on wildlife, and preserving wildlife, and planting native habitat. It’s totally spiritual for Clemente. When you talk to Clemente, his eyes light up and you feel his inspiration. He doesn’t just sit and paint. He’s creating. He’s creating something with a purpose in mind. He wants to inspire other people to see nature the way he does. And to respect nature, and then to foster it and nurture it so that future generations can have the same experience.

See a time lapse video of Clemente working on a stunning piece of artwork at passporttotexas.org.

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

Project FeederWatch

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The Christmas Bird count, which takes place from December 14 – January 5 is a project of the National Audubon Society where for three weeks volunteers count birds during a 24-hour period in a 15-mile diameter circle.

05—But there aren’t any on December 25th—you can’t compete with family time and ripping open presents.

Cliff Shackelford is Texas Parks and Wildlife non-game ornithologist. Volunteers submit their observations to the lead person, called a compiler.

05—That compiler then crunches all the numbers and turns in—nationally—a count for the whole circle.

Audubon isn’t the only organization counting birds this winter. The Cornell Lab or Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada offer a feeder watcher program for folks who prefer to count birds from the comfort of home.

23—That’s someone that just merely watches out their back window and looks at the birds coming to the feeder and just counting those things. It’s a really good niche for someone that’s not able to get out if it’s too cold, or you’re just not physically able to get out, or maybe you have a newborn at the house, These are people that might have their eyes open watching the feeder and can contribute.

Find links to more information on the bird count and feeder watch at passporttotexas.org.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program… supports our series as well as conservation programs in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Christmas Bird Count, image Jerry Acton, www.audubon.org

Wildlife/Birding: Christmas Bird Count Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

More than a hundred years ago people participated in a time-honored Christmas tradition.

06— People would go out and do what was called a side hunt, and the winning group would come back with the biggest pile of dead critters.

How festive. The majority of critters in those piles were birds. Cliff Shackelford, a non-game ornithologist with Parks and Wildlife, says conservationists had a better idea.

05—Early conservationists thought that we ought to count birds and not try to collect birds.

Today we have the nationwide Christmas Bird Count. Between December 14 and January 5, volunteers, armed with bird lists, head into the field and count birds over a 24-hour period.

15—What people do is they get into teams, and they have a defined 15 mile radius circle that they’re counting in, and that circle never moves. The hope is that you would count that circle for decades and decades and over time you would see trends.

Different groups pick different days within that three week period to count birds. Researchers use the census information to assess the health of bird populations, and to guide conservation action.

05—They might need a full year’s heads up to chew on it and figure out, hey, I want to do this next year.

Go to audubon.org for more information. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our program. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.