Archive for the 'Shows' Category

A Texas Angler Says “Thanks TPW”

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Anglers who reel in and donate ShareLunkers, largemouth bass 13 pounds and heavier, have reason to be proud. Yet, Carl Adkins, who donated ShareLunker number 482 to the program, says these fish are the result of hard work.

I was fortunate enough to put my lure in front of that fish, and that fish bit it. And I was lucky enough to get it in.

But in reality, to me, a lot of the credit goes to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the biologists, inland fisheries division, for having the dream of putting the Florida strains in our lakes and for constantly monitoring them.

I mean that fish was probably 12 years old at least. So, it was 12 years worth of hard work by our local biologists monitoring that lake [Lady Bird lake in Austin, Texas]. And over the years they’ve had to fight to make sure that all the vegetation just wasn’t stripped out of there, because it’s a popular lake with a lot of homes on it and everything.

So, to me, I was fortunate enough to catch it, but that fish would not have been there for me to catch if it wasn’t for the hard work of Texas Parks and Wildlife, as far as I’m concerned.

Sam Callaway of Corpus Christi reeled in ShareLunker number 500 on Friday, April 9 from O.H. Ivie reservoir. Mr. Callaway received $500 per pound for his 13.34 pound bass.

That’s our show…We receive support from the Sport Fish Restoration program…which provides funding for the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

TPW TV–State Parks

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Most kids are out of school for the summer, which means it’s time to visit a Texas State Park—or two. When you tune into the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series this month you can see parks you may want to visit. Series Producer, Don Cash.

One of the really interesting places is Kickapoo Caverns State Park, sort of near Del Rio. In addition to birding, they’ve got the Stewart Bat Cave; of course the main draw is Kickapoo Cavern, and it is just an amazing sight.

You’ve got twin columns. The column on your right is the largest column in the state of Texas—it’s eighty feet high—which is a little over eight stories.

We’re also going to go down to the valley in May, to Estero Llano Grande State Park, which is also known for birds. But one of the really cool things that a lot of people don’t know about is that they’ve got some alligators.

Yes, we do have a few alligators. They’re a major attraction, and we’re hoping that really pulls in some of the locals, because they’re really interested, and the often come just to see the alligators and walk out of the park.

Later in May on the PBS show, we head Northeast of Dallas to Lake Bob Sandlin State Park, and out on the big lake you can do some really good bass fishing.

There’s not a bad looking spot on the lake. A place that doesn’t look like it’ll hold a bass or two.

So, in May, on the PBS television show, we’re going to hit a lot of the state parks, and hopefully our viewers will see them and be ready to go when summer roles around.

Thanks, Don.

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

State Park Getaway–Davis Mountains State Park

Friday, April 30th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

Davis Mountains SP is 27-hundred acres, and represents the largest mountain range that’s fully contained within the state of Texas…and it’s a great place for cool summer SP Getaway. Bryan Frazier is here to tell us more.

It seems like in the middle of summertime, in other parts of Texas, when it’s too hot to even go outside, Davis Mountains SP is figuratively and literally, the coolest place in Texas. It’s some 20 degrees cooler than place like Austin and San Antonio. It’s a respite from the heat.

And so, not only does it have Indian Lodge inside the park, where it has all the amenities of a hotel, with a restaurant, but you’ve got camping. You’ve got primitive camping; you’ve got equestrian camping with overnight accommodations. You’ve got RV sites that have not only water and electric hook-hp sites, but its one of our parks in the system that has water, electric, sewer, and cable TV hookups inside the state park with pull through sites. So, if you’re an RV-er, Davis Mountains SP is definitely one of those places that you definitely want to go to.

Davis Mountains SP is great for wildlife viewing. You can go right outside of Indian Lodge on the hiking trail and see all kinds of wildlife, as well as the native flora there to that region of Texas. And so, Davis Mountains SP is one of those places that people who go there rave about it and they go back again, and again, and again.

Thanks, Bryan. Find reservation information at passporttotexas.org.

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

Texas Outdoor Story–Eveline Evans

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories

Ask Eveline Evans about the value of spending time outdoors and she’s not shy about sharing her views.

:14–It’s just a great stress reliever. It’s wonderful to get out and get away from the urban areas, and enjoy the trees and the streams. I mean, it’s just wonderful to get away.

Eveline gets away with family whenever she can. She says sharing time outdoors with loved ones—even if it’s just taking a walk in nature—is critical to healthy, balanced relationships. It brings families closer…it encourages dialogues.

:32–Well, I think it’s very important. My husband and I, we go walking all the time together in different locations. We love the Texas state parks. We’ve done Big bend and the Davis Mountains, Caprock Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon…all of those are just wonderful places to go out and walk. You can talk about anything it seems like. Every little thing that comes up—you can explain to younger ones your value systems, or whatever. Why when you pass a snake you’re not supposed to kill it—you just leave it alone, that type stuff.

What do you love about spending time in the outdoors? We want to know. Go to passporttotexas.org and share your outdoor story with us.

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

Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Birding issue

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Be on the lookout for the May issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. It’s the much anticipated annual birding issue. Editor Louie Bond.

I noticed just today out on my morning walk how many birds were singing. It just fills you with such delight. In may, not only do we have the spring birding calendar, which tells everybody where you can go to see birds, where there are festivals, where there are classes.

We also like to feature a few special articles about birds. And I think the most promising one this month is an article about water birds, and in particular, water bird babies. Water birds have a very perilous nursery for their babies. They’re only located on these tiny islands off the coast of Texas. And they’re called rookeries.

And they call these colonial water birds, because they’re instinct is to gather together in these great colonies of all these different water birds and have their babies all together. So, it’s this gigantic, squawking, screaming, and unfortunately, stinky nursery where all these babies are born. Without these protected nurseries, our water birds are quite threatened. So, we have an excellent article this month. So, we encourage you to go outside to look up….see what’s up there.

Thanks, Louie

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