Passport to Texas

Cecilia Nasti’s father after a pheasant hunt.

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Higher rainfall averages in the Panhandle bode well for pheasant hunters this season.

This year I had actually seen clutches in July and August. The past several years I hadn’t seen any babies at all.

Todd Montandon, a biologist based in Canyon, says the area’s seen successful hatches three years in a row. Even so, pheasant continue to play a game of catch up after years of drought.

The drought really, really did a number to pheasants. 2011 through probably 2013, there just weren’t good nesting conditions at all. There wasn’t any cover. There wasn’t any water on the landscape. Very little insect production. So, those nests that were successful, the chicks just didn’t make it to adulthood, because they couldn’t find enough food.

Despite the lower numbers of the game bird, Montandon says there are enough adults on the ground for a successful hunt, if you know where to go.

Typically, we’re probably going to see the best numbers around the Dalhart, Perryton, Stratford, Gruver areas. The Herford area also holds quite a few birds, and I’ve seen some hatchlings over there this year. And then as you get down around Tulia and Plainview it starts tapering off.

Pheasant season runs December 3 through January first. Based on current surveys, the recommended bag limit is three per day. Find more information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Ringneck Pheasant

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Pheasant can make a good living in the Panhandle.

If they can find an area where there’s good grain crops—like wheat, sorghum, corn—and playa lakes that will intersect with CRP [conservation reserve program] and the grain crops. That’s really good habitat. The CRP and the playa lakes provide plenty of cover, and the grain crops provide an ample food source for them. And then the irrigated crops, you know, that will provide a good water source for them, too.

Biologist Todd Montandon surveys pheasant in fall to develop harvest recommendations, noting their numbers and distribution.

The change in farming practices has affected where the distribution of the birds has been. Up in the northern panhandle you have more grain, sorghum, corn and wheat. And then as you move further south, it shifts over to cotton and wheat. And it’s not as conducive to pheasant populations as it is up north.

Changes in irrigation also play a role in the species’ survival.

Back in the 70s and 80s, most of the irrigating was done with irrigation ditches into the rows. And now, it’s switched over to the sprinkler system. And there’s not as much water on the ground as there used to be.

Despite these setbacks, Todd Montandon is optimistic about the upcoming hunting season. Details tomorrow.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Ringneck Pheasant

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Pheasant is an introduced game species in Texas.

They were introduced up here starting probably in the 1950s. And then we did more introductions in the 60s and 70sto get the population boosted, because they’re such a good species to hunt.

Todd Montandon is a district biologist based in the Panhandle.

They tend to do really well around farmland. That’s one of the reasons they’ve done so well here in the Panhandle—because we’ve got lots of irrigated crops and grain crops.

Yet, the drought of recent years took a toll on the species.

In 2007, we saw 2002 birds on our routes, and in 2013 we saw 15. So, it was quite a decrease; and then last year we were back up to 210. It’s still not near what it could be or what it was, but we’re getting back.

Montandon is optimistic the Panhandle’s pheasant population will continue its upward trend if weather conditions remain favorable. Yet, drought isn’t the only challenge these birds face.

I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to what we were because of the changing farming practices. There’s just not as much good quality habitat as there used to be.

More on that tomorrow.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

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

Biking in Brazos Bend burns off the pre and post holiday calories.

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We’re standing at the threshold of the holiday season; once we cross over, we’ll encounter sweet and savory goodies with which to indulge our taste buds—both at home and at work. But we can balance out excess calorie consumption by visiting nearby state parks and engaging in outdoor activities before those treats touch our lips.

Yes. It’s really funny you say that. A lot of our parks, that’s a part of their activities and events that they’re putting on. The pre-Thanksgiving hikes and paddles and biking events…just to kind of get you ready for that whole holiday family and fun and food and all that.

Aaron Friar is with Texas State Parks. Except for rare occasions—like fire and flood—parks never close. So even after the biggest feeding frenzy of the season known as Thanksgiving, Texas State Parks stand ready to help all of us digest.

After you’ve had a good time with the family and ate your fill, and you’re wanting to get out there and be a little active afterwards, we have parks that are doing hikes and some really cool events to get you out there—to get you a little active—after those holiday feasts, you could say.

Don’t take Thanksgiving overindulgence lying down. Find a complete list of pre and post-Thanksgiving activities at state parks when you log onto the calendar & events section of 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.

The Kraken is in the Ships-to-Reefs program.

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The artificial reef team at Texas Parks and Wildlife works on several projects at once. Each with staggered timelines.

The whole process [for each] can take several years.

Program leader, Dale Shively says monies for mitigation from the Deep Water Horizon oil spill that came to Texas Parks and Wildlife were earmarked to establish new reefs.

One of those is an offshore, deep water ship project. We have a reef site that’s 70 miles out of Galveston in 140 feet of water that is designed for a ship. Recently, we awarded a contract on a ship that’s currently being cleaned in Brownsville, Texas. One of my staff members thought it would be fun to name it The Kraken. I, for one, didn’t know what a Kraken was. Later I found out it was a sea monster from various movies and Greek Mythology.

Far from being scary, this ship will attract marine life and help to improve recreational and commercial fishing.

So, we’re hoping to have that cleaned and ready to go later this year, if we can get all the approvals in place.

For all the latest information on the artificial reef program, log onto the Texas Parks and Wildlife website and use the key words “artificial reef”.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series.

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