Passport to Texas

Orville Rice’s iconic artwork graced covers of Texas Game and Fish for a decade (1945-1955). Scanned from Family Archives, Dinah Chancellor

Celebrating 75 Years with TPW Magazine Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

All year long Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine plans to make room in its issues to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

The biggest celebrations will be in January and December [2017]. The issue we’re just putting to bed for January/February will contain a history of the magazine and a feature on Orville Rice. And both of those are written by longtime staffers who have now retired.

I spoke with Magazine Editor Louie Bond in November of last year about this year’s issues.

Throughout the year, we’re going to do some scrapbooks of different decades and some of the funny things. We’ve picked out our special favorites, and we’re going to be sharing those with readers every month.

But you’ll have to keep tabs on the magazine to find out just what those funny things might be.

And then December is kind of a secret. We’re going to do something we’ve never done in 75 years. And, we’re going to really save it as a surprise. But we’ll be doing the entire issue in a different way that we’ve never done before. So, I’m just going to hang that out there, and you y’all need to hang around ‘til December to see what kind of special fun we have for the actual month of the anniversary.

With as fast as these years are going, December will be here before you know it. The January/February issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine is on newsstands now.

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

Palo Duro Canyon Glow

TPW Magazine's Year of State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Of Texas’ more than 90 State Parks, some stand out as iconic. And others not so much.

I think like Ray Roberts might not be one of those iconic parks like Enchanted Rock or Garner State Park—even though it’s huge and a lot of people use it.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine Editor, Louie Bond says, Lake Ray Roberts State Park still made it into the publication’s yearlong celebration of state parks. While iconic sites got top billing, Bond says most parks got some love.

We tried to include everyone; we almost got them all. But, we included them in groups, like parks with great swimming holes, parks where you might want to take a hike, parks where you could ride a bike. And then grouped some parks by interest, like parks where you could take a photo of a great view—and just let people have a broader scope of what’s available in a state park system.

To close out 2016: one of the most iconic parks of all.

It’s Palo Duro. And, interestingly enough, as we went to press, the Washington Post ran an article on Palo Duro, and they said: you know, that canyon in Arizona may be larger, but Palo Duro ranks right up there with it.

You can read all the articles on state parks from this year online or when you download the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine APP from iTunes or the Apple Store.

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

Sunset at Big Bend Ranch State Park

TPW Magazine - A Year of State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine spent the past year taking us to some of the most iconic parks in the system. Editor, Louie Bond shares her inspiration for the year of state parks.

I think it started when I had the rare pleasure of meeting Jonathon Jarvis, who is the director of the national Park System. And it was right before they kicked off their big 100th anniversary of national parks. And he talked to me about some of the programs they were doing. And I thought, well, you know, that’s just fantastic. And gosh, I love our state parks so much, too, that we should feature them as well. So that was really the inspiration for the year of state parks.

But the inspiration did not stop there.

My other inspiration came from the fact that during my ten years at Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine—I’m always under the impression that the really popular parks don’t really need a lot of coverage. They’re full and people are waiting in line. And maybe they don’t get quite as excited about having a feature story in the magazine. I thought—you know what? Just for one year, I’m going to totally indulge myself, and write about everyone’s favorite parks. And they may be a little more crowded than usual, and I’m sorry about that. But I’m really glad to feature them.

Tomorrow find out which park closes out the year.

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

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

Solana Ranch near Salado, TX. Photos for TPW Magazine story “Hunting with Chef Marcus”

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Marcus Paslay, chef and owner of Clay Pigeon Food and Drink in Fort Worth, says he started hunting in Texas when he was around eight years old.

You know, I’d go with my Dad and my Granddad. We’d go hunt and fish. And then, you know, as I got older, and a little more responsible, I was allowed to hunt on my own. [laughs]

The restaurant offers a changing seasonal menu of made from scratch dishes that often include game.

Being a hunter, and using game, it just gives you a deeper appreciation for the ingredients in its raw state. You become a little bit more sensitive to throwing stuff away when you’ve seen it alive. And that’s what we do at Clay Pigeon. You know we’re a from scratch kitchen, so we’re buying everything in its whole, raw state. So, it’s just one of those deals that allows us, you know, a little bit more responsibility with our food.

Reid Wittliff wrote an article for the October issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine where he invited Chef Paslay to bow hunt on the Solana Ranch in Central Texas.

Any time that I can go out and hunt, and we can make a deal of it, where it’s eating what we hunted the next day, I mean, that’s pretty cool. And to be able to put that in an article for people to hear about it pretty awesome.

The October issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine is on newsstands now, and includes Chef Marcus Paslay’s recipes from the hunt.

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

Cool clear waters at Garner State Park.

TPW Mag - Garner State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

The cold, crystal waters of the Frio River that flow through Garner State Park in Uvalde County, have attracted people since prehistoric times.

 That is some of the best water in the state, I would say.

The water attracts them, but the bounty, beauty and relaxed vibe keeps them coming back. Melissa Gaskill is a freelance writer living in Austin; she wrote about this 75-year-old park for the July issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. Garner has special meaning to many Texans, including Gaskill.

 I love it. I think, to me, it’s just kind of a heritage. A piece of Texas that’s been special to me since I was little. Special to my parents. Now it’s special to my children. And I hope one of these days—not in the too distant future—my grandchildren.

Vintage structures built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps dot the landscape, and in summer the pavilion—with its jukebox filled with diverse musical offerings—swarms with activity.

Yeah. That’s the first place I ever got asked to dance—the Garner Pavilion. I danced with my kids there when they were little. I see other people dancing with their children and grandchildren there. The Pavilion is a very special place.

Read Melissa Gaskill’s story about Garner State Park in the July issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine.

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