Passport to Texas

Battleship Texas Celebration and Uprising

Event: Battleship TEXAS Reunion and Uprising Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On March 12, 1914 the US Navy commissioned Battleship TEXAS. The TEXAS served in both world wars and is the last remaining “dreadnought.” Decommissioned in 1948, today the TEXAS serves as a museum, moored at San Jacinto SP&HS. Andy Smith oversees care of the ship.

14— She spent almost twice as much time as a museum ship as she did as an active warship. And the crew members of the TEXAS decided they would like to have their final, private crew member reunion on March 12th, the centennial of her commissioning.

The reunion of former crew members is private, but the March 15 Texas Uprising – an annual music festival organized by singer-songwriter, Robert Earl Keen — at San Jacinto SP&HS is open to the public.

14—He’s bringing it out to the site – and he’s very excited to help the Battleship Texas by having an event here on site to raise the awareness of the ship and its importance in some of the problems we have, and what the future holds for the ship.

Organized by the Battleship Texas Foundation in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife, it‘s a family-friendly event with activities for everyone. Proceeds from The Texas Uprising will help fund repair work on the historic Battleship TEXAS.

12— Artists that are performing throughout the day: Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison are going to play. Charlie Robison is going to play. Reckless Kelly… and then Robert Earl Keen will close the whole thing down, followed by an awesome fireworks display.

Find details, and ticket information, for the March 15th, Texas Uprising with headliner, Robert Earl Keen at battleshiptexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Urban wildlife at Lake Corpus Christi — Northern Raccoon.

TPW TV: Growing Pains Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Some of Texas’ greatest thinkers, including San Antonio Businessman and Philanthropist, Louis Stutman, and Dr. Roger Tory Peterson, Ornithologist, Writer, Educator, talk about striking a crucial balance about the stewardship between our states’ economy and our natural resources.

You’re in an enormously changing environment – doubling a population in your lifetime. With that happening, you’ve got to be sure that those people have jobs, transportation; you’ve got to be sure they’ve got a place to live. And at the same time, to be sure that the wildlife and the other things aren’t frozen out.

My problem is that I don’t understand this thing of growth, because growth eventually kills itself jut by size.

Hear more from Mr. Stutman and Dr. Peterson on the TPW TV series on your PBS station. Check local listings.

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.

Destruction of habitat caused by snow geese. Image from USFWS.

Hunting: What's Next for Light Geese? Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

An enormous population of light geese is laying waste to its arctic breeding grounds.

06— You take a look along Hudson Bay – you’re seeing transitions from quality habitat to sub quality habitat.

Dave Morrison is Texas Parks and Wildlife Small Game Program Director.

06— In the arctic, it’s a very slow growing season, and it takes years upon years for something to recover.

A 1999 conservation order allows additional harvesting of geese throughout the flyway after the regular season. For reasons biologists are still trying to understand, while fewer birds come to Texas, they remain abundant to our north, and their population continues to grow.

23—Within the Central Flyway, this past year, we had the council vote to increase the daily bag limit during the regular season from 20 to 50. States north of us have the opportunity to shoot 50. Texas was certainly provided that same opportunity, but we felt it was prudent not to take that step. So, the commission maintained the option to maintain the daily bag limit at 20.

Despite best efforts, an overall increasing light goose population has biologists asking: what’s next?

09—Is there something that we need to do? Or do we just simply sit back and say, ‘These are very resilient birds, and try as we may, they’re the ones that are going to control their destiny.’

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series…

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

Operation game Thief

Game Wardens: Operation Game Thief Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Since 1981, Operation Game Thief has been protecting Texas’ natural resources with the help of the public that calls in with tips.

13—When our game wardens respond, and they can catch the individual, and make the arrest by citation—or physically take them to jail—upon their conviction, that individual can be eligible for a reward payment of us to one thousand dollars.

Eric Howard, Operation Game Thief program coordinator, says most people who call the Crime Stoppers-like hotline aren’t interested in a reward.

17—It’s more just pride—love of Texas’ natural resources. When a person calls in, they’re asked, do they want a reward. About 60-65% will say no, they’re just calling ion because they see something that they know isn’t right and they just want it stopped.

Warden Howard tells us about an incident in which a man captured two hawks in Laredo and transported them to North Carolina.

21—Someone contacted the Operation Game Thief hotline number, and a Game Warden responded through a very lengthy investigation—not only through Texas Parks and Wildlife—but the USFWS, and NC Fish and game Service. It was determined that the person did not have a license, was not permitted to have the hawks and was not any kind of falconer.

And that made the trapping and transport illegal. Learn more about Operation Game Thief, and find the hotline number on the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

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

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

Lily Raff McCaulou Photo Marisa Chappell

Hunting: Call of the Mild Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

When Lily Raff McCaulou moved from NYC to Bend, Oregon to pursue a career in journalism, her beat covered a large rural area.

05—I was there hoping to write about stories that mattered to them and their community.

Something that mattered to the community was hunting.

14—I didn’t know any hunters growing up – and this was just so far from what I was used to. And there was a little bit of a danger element. These were people who knew how to use guns. People who owned guns. There was something kind of scary bout that to me.

It didn’t take long for Lily to appreciate how hunting and land stewardship went hand-in-hand, or that her new neighbors were committed conservationists who had great compassion for the lives of the animals they harvested.

23—So, when I was meeting these hunters, I realized a huge part of hunting for them was being out in the environment and interacting with the natural world. And that, as hard as it was to understand, and hard as it is to explain, they actually had a huge amount of love for the animals that they hunted. There was not hate – it was actually the opposite of that – it was love and respect for these animals.

Tomorrow – Lily takes the plunge and pulls the trigger.

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