Passport to Texas

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

Hunting licenses go on sale next month. And if you’re a new hunter, or new to Texas, taking a hunter education class will prepare you for the seasons ahead.

Hunter education teaches hunting safety, skills and responsibility. And mandatory hunter education, taught over the course of a weekend, became law in 1988.

Steve Hall, Parks and Wildlife’s Director of Education, says hunter education is the first step in a lifelong pledge to safety and sportsmanship.

Hunter education is actually targeting those aged 12 through 16 years of age. And that’s kind of the way the law is designed. It’s to try to get them early enough in their hunting process to make a difference.

So we help them to understand safety first of all, but also their image. And that’s the kind of thing we try to teach.

Hunter education classes are ongoing statewide. Find classes near you by visiting our passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…made possible by the Wildlife Restoration program… helping to increase hunting and shooting opportunities in Texas.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Sometimes tragedy makes us appreciate the people and things around us. During Hurricane Rita and Katrina, Game Wardens worked tirelessly to help restore communities hit by the storms.

Major Rolly Correa, Region 9, explains how these highly trained men and women have finally gained well-deserved recognition across the Lone Star State and beyond.

I think within the past few years we’ve really been able to show the public and people just what we really do. It’s always been a covert thing- it’s working behind the scenes.

When Hurricane Rita and Katrina came into play they saw us working the rescue operations and getting out there into the field. People realize that ‘Wow, they are a viable force to deal with and help in emergency situations and things of that nature.’

Game Wardens protect our state from daily tribulations, and are always there when needed…

It’s opened a lot of eyes and I think that people now realize that Game Wardens are commissioned peace officers that will respond to the calls from the Sheriff, Police Chief who needs assistance. We will be there with the equipment and highly trained officers and professional people that will assist in anything we do.

You can find more information about Game Wardens on the Texas Parks & Wildlife website.

That’s our show for today…with research and writing help from Loren Seeger…. for Texas Parks and Wildlife… I’m Cecilia Nasti

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Hummingbirds are small, colorful and fast. Mark Klym, Hummingbird Roundup coordinator for Texas Parks and Wildlife, offers additional interesting tidbits about this bird.

Most hummingbirds, their wing speed, at about 70 to 72 beats per second. And people just can’t imagine that –moving your arms at 72 times a second [admit it, you flapped your arms]. They can also hover. They can fly backward, which not many birds can do. Once they find a feeder they are very aggressive at keeping other birds out. And mostly during migration season. And the reason for that is if you just walked 25-hundred miles you’d be very protective of your food source, too.

Being a fast flyer does not keep this creature out of harm’s way. Klym says it is interesting to note that the biggest threats to hummingbirds include clean windows and cats…but the threats do not stop there.

Hummingbirds have a lot of other predators. Praying mantis – people don’t think of them as a threat to a hummingbird but they will certainly take a hummingbird. Spiders will take a hummingbird. Snakes, roadrunners, wrens…there’s a number of species that will take a hummingbird. Of course, other than your front window and the cats, most of them, the hummingbirds have evolved around and so they will usually escape.

We have links to more information about hummingbirds on our website. Visit us at: passorttotexas.org.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

While the mockingbird might be the official state bird of Texas, every July it’s the hummingbird that earns a place of distinction in the state.

July is usually the start of our hummingbird migration when we’ve got thousands of ruby throated hummingbirds heading this way from the northern regions.

Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Mark Klym heads up the annual Hummingbird Roundup Survey in Texas, where some 18 different species of hummingbirds have been documented.

The round-up really provides us with information about the hummingbird population here in Texas and gives us an idea of where they’re being found.

While the bird count takes place year-round, the birds are more prevalent in the state from July to October.

This would be a good time to start looking at possibly increasing your number of feeders if you have a yard that is going to be actively used by hummingbirds…the best way to get hummingbirds in your yard is to prepare a good hummingbird garden. Lots of plants that will feed the birds, salvias, Turks cap, trumpet vine.

Take part in the annual Hummingbird Roundup and receive your own survey kit…find out how… when you visit passporttotexas.org.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Whether you seek the cool comfort of a mountain setting, or the peaceful nature of a prairie, the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series has what you want in July. Writer/Producer, Alan Fisher, fills us in.

In the later part of July, we’ll pay a visit to the Davis Mountains. Davis Mountains State Park is home to Indian Lodge, which is a fantastic lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the thirties.

We have hiking trails all over this park. So, if you want to get out and exercise, this is the place to do it. Mountain biking, equestrian trails, hiking, backpacking, or you just kick back and relax.

We’ll also explore the challenges of finding a balance between conservation and urban expansion on the Katy Prairie which is west of Houston. This area has traditionally been agricultural land and wildlife habitat for waterfowl, but it’s becoming more and more a part of Houston. And, as the city grows, displacing the farms and the wildlife habitat can be a problem.

I’m working on my fifty-ninth crop here. And I’d like to see the geese and what ducks there are and the sandhill cranes and what have you, have a place to stay as long as I’m around here, you know.

The story is a good reminder that anywhere we move as human beings, there’s something else that used to be there, and can also be really important to our lives.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Television series airs on PBS stations. Check your local listings.

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

Texas Parks and Wildlife on PBS and Cable
Times and dates are subject to change, especially during PBS membership drives.

• Amarillo, KACV-TV, Channel 2: October–March, Saturday 6 p.m.
• Austin, KLRU-TV, Channel 18: Monday, 12:30 p.m.; Friday 5:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. KLRU2, Cable 20: Tuesday, 11 p.m.
• Bryan-College Station, KAMU-TV, Channel 15: Sunday, 5 p.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Corpus Christi, KEDT-TV, Channel 16: Sunday, 12 p.m.; Friday, 2 p.m.
• Dallas-Fort Worth, KERA-TV, Channel 13: October–March, Saturday, 6 p.m. Also serving Abilene, Denton, Longview, Marshall, San Angelo, Texarkana, Tyler, Wichita Falls and Sherman.
• El Paso, KCOS-TV, Channel 13: Saturday, 3 p.m.
• Harlingen, KMBH-TV, Channel 60: Sunday, 5 p.m. Also serving McAllen, Mission and Brownsville.
• Houston, KUHT-TV, Channel 8: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; Friday 1:30 p.m. Also serving Beaumont, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas City and Victoria.
• Killeen, KNCT-TV, Channel 46: Sunday, 5 p.m. Also serving Temple.
• Lubbock, KTXT-TV, Channel 5: Saturday, 10 a.m.
• Odessa-Midland, KPBT-TV, Channel 36: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
• San Antonio and Laredo, KLRN-TV, Channel 9: Sunday, 1 p.m.
• Waco, KWBU-TV, Channel 34: Saturday, 3 p.m.
• Portales, New Mexico, KENW-TV, Channel 3: Sunday, 2:30 p.m.
• The New York Network, NYN, Thursday 8:30 p.m.; Saturday 2:30 p.m. Serving the Albany area.

CABLE

Texas Parks & Wildlife can also be seen on a variety of government, educational and access cable channels in the following communities: Abilene, Allen, Atlanta, Boerne, Collin County Community College, Coppell, Del Mar College, Denton, Flower Mound, Frisco, Garland, Irving, McKinney, North Richland Hills, Plano, Rogers State University, Texarkana College, The Colony, Tyler, Waco and Wichita Falls. Check your local listings for days and times.

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