Passport to Texas

Lesser Prairie Chicken

TPW TV: Chicken Land Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Lesser Prairie Chicken has declined in Texas. Wildlife biologist Jeff Bonner says the reason: its historic range
has dwindled to almost nothing.

07-Here in Donley County they’re pretty sparse. And, that’s pretty much relative to the quality of the habitat that they have.

Landowners play a crucial role in the restoration of prairie chicken habitat, and hopefully saving the bird; Amarillo Cattleman and landowner, Jay O’Brien.

18- I don’t think you’ll find a cattleman who’s not very interested in the overall ecology of his ranch. That includes wildlife and improving wildlife habitat on his ranch as long as they see that nobody’s going to be dictating exactly how they should do their business.

Landowners may request and receive technical guidance from biologists like Gene Miller, about managing their property for a variety of wildlife.

12-The Hallmark of what we do is providing free, confidential, nonbinding assistance to private landowners. We go where we’re called, and we offer any level of assistance we’re asked to provide.

The future of the Lesser Prairie Chicken is in the hands of private landowners willing to create habitat to keep this iconic species on the landscape for generations to come.

View a segment called Chicken Land, about prairie chicken conservation, on the PBS Texas Parks and Wildlife TV Series the week of June 14. The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Enjoying the beauty of Texas thanks to funding thoughtful conservation projects.

Funding Conservation in Texas Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The turn of the 20th century saw the US population begin its migration from farms and ranches into cities.

05- We’ve got almost all the people living in cities [now], and very few people living on the land.

Urban Wildlife biologist, Kelly Simon (SEA-mah) says an unintended consequence of the migration was estrangement from the natural world.

Hunters who maintained a close connection with the land witnessed the outcome of unregulated hunting and lack of habitat conservation first hand. At their urging, Congress enacted the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937, creating a funding stream for conservation.

07- Through the purchase of hunting license fees and hunting equipment–these things help to fund conservation in the state of Texas.

It’s a new century, and we’re in need of fresh ideas to fund conservation in the 21st Century and beyond. Kelly Simon invites you to take part in the conversation.

12-You can go online, and find Teaming with Wildlife–True to Texas. Texans can get together, just as we did earlier in the last century; we can decide for ourselves in this century how we want to pay for conservation.

The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series.

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

Bay fishing success.

Sight Casting Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fishing isn’t the passive activity people make it out to be.

09- You know, people picture this guy sitting on a bucket beside a lake or a river, watching a red and white bobber floating in the water. That is so far from the truth. Heh!

David Sikes is the outdoors writer for the Corpus Christi Caller Times, and says he and his coastal compadres prefer sight casting, which is active angling.

03-And we don’t cast until we see a fish, oftentimes.

Due to the skill level required, beginners may not catch fish, but then again, said Sikes, they may.

09-I’ve introduced several of my friends to sight casting. And during the very first trip, they saw–and caught–the fish that they saw. And, it’s pretty cool to watch.

When sight casting from a boat, you need at least two people–one to spot the fish and one to catch them. Anglers never sit when sight casting and they use lightweight flies as lures.

15- And I would really recommend that they at least, for the first time, get indoctrinated by going out with an actual, professional guide. I can recommend several down here who are really good. And, it might seem a little pricey at first, but the lessons are very valuable.

David Sikes wrote an article on Sight Casting for Redfish for the June issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

You have to see ’em to catch ’em.

TPW Magazine: Ready, Aim Catch Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

David Sikes is the longtime outdoors writer for the Corpus Christi Caller Times. You can call him a multimedia journalist, but just don’t call him an expert.

02–I reject this title.

Even so, he’s the go-to guy when people in south Texas have questions about the outdoors- including sight casting-the definition of which, says Sikes, elicits broad interpretation.

12-Even a flipping bait fish, or surface bait fish, or a swirl in the water-any of those things that give you an indication through sight that there might be a predator fish down there-is, to me, sight casting.

David Sikes writes about sight casting for redfish in the June issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine.

12-A redfish looks pretty contrasting against a seagrass bed. It does take some adjustment; you have to have a really good pair
of polarized lenses-you have to have decent eyesight. You have to have a “practiced” eye.

Sikes’ first sight casting attempts were not fruitful.

19- When I first started doing this, I had guides who had been doing it for years who would say: “He’s right there, David. It’s right….” And I’m saying: tell me how many feet away it is. After a while, you learn what to look for. It’s a lot easier to do now
than it was before. I may not get an accurate cast to it, but at least I saw it.

Find David Sikes’ article on Sight Casting for Redfish in the June issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

Turkey gobbler and hen.

Managing Wild Turkeys in the Cross-timbers Eco-region Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Using state of the art satellite technology, Texas Parks and Wildlife wildlife biologists–in conjunction with researchers from the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources at TX A&M–collect data from radio collared Rio Grande wild turkeys to develop accurate maps and recommendations for landowners who wish to manage for the species.

18- And so, we can see areas that [turkeys] avoid; we can see areas that they like to spend a lot of time. And, then we can actually take those maps and go out in the field and take pictures and take vegetation measurements on the exact spots where these birds were.

Biologist, Kevin Mote, says the technology can determine a bird’s position to within a few feet, which is important to know during nesting season.

13- By following that mother hen around while she has those chicks, and collecting information on the habitat that she used during that time frame, helps us better understand what they need to survive.

What they need to survive is healthy habitat, and landowners remain vital to ensuring its vigor. While the data Mote and his team collect helps, he says there is always more to learn.

12-No matter how much we learn, they’re still one of God’s creatures and we’re just not going to know everything there is to know. We know so much, but they’re still a wild animal, and they’re still just a wonder.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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