Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment…and thus began the annual celebration of the planet called Earth Day.

2010 marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, and millions of people worldwide are gearing up for it. But a once a year celebration is useless if that’s where it ends. So I want to challenge everyone listening, to do something every day to care for Mother Earth.

What kinds of things can you do? Perhaps plant native plants that use less water and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Or take a ceramic coffee mug to the office instead of using disposable cups. Perhaps you could make sure to properly dispose of monofilament fishing line so it doesn’t harm aquatic life.

In addition, when camping, leave your campsite in better shape than you found it. Or, your stewardship goal might be to spend time with your family outdoors instead of inside with the television—because you’re no good to nature with a remote in your hand.

Mix it up, and add new earth friendly activities to your list every week…or at least every month. As for me, I plan to use less water inside and outside of my home, and install native flowers and shrubs when I redo my landscape. That’s just for starters.

What will you do? Go to passporttotexas.org and let me know. I could put you on the radio.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

You need to be a shooter before you become a hunter.

:12—Shooting sports comes first. Go to a shooting range and get some experience shooting. Nobody wants to cripple an animal. So, being proficient with a firearm becomes very important, and comes before the actual hunt.

Ty Harris is hunter education volunteer with Parks and Wildlife.

:15—The biggest thing to understand about the shooting sports is that it’s a big responsibility builder, and don’t be afraid to get your kids started very young. It’s not unheard of to have seven, eight and nine-year-old shooters come out and perform very well, in sporting clays or any of the shooting sports.

I witnessed a new shooter in the making. By moving the gun and the shooter together Harris helped newbie, Christina Huth, assume a safe and proper shooting stance.

:25—Don’t let go. Hang onto it. Don’t let go. Don’t let go. Don’t let go. Stop. Right there’s your shooting stance. So now, wherever the target goes, you go. Head, arm, gun, everything moves together. Okay? Up, down, right, left. Head never comes off. Keep both eyes open. That’s all there is to it. (That’s so easy). It is. And when you see the orange thing flying, shoot it. (When do I get to shoot?) Right now. (Alright.[gunshot]). That’ll break it every time. (I love it).

By the way, Christina has since become a Texas game warden, stationed in Val Verde County.

That’s our show for today…with support from the Wildlife Restoration program…working to increase shooting and hunting opportunities in Texas …

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

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This is Passport to Texas

I met Ty Harris, a volunteer with Parks and Wildlife’s Hunter Education program, at the five stand sporting clays field at the Parrie Haynes Ranch, near Killeen.

:12—And it’s a type of shooting game. There are numerous games. But in this type of shooting game you basically have five stations. And from the station, you’ll be presented a series of targets. Some right to left, some incoming.

Clays are launched remotely from each location, including from atop a huge wooden structure behind the shooters.

:07—This structure is called a tower shot. So it throws the clay from over your head and behind you; so it’s a very challenging target.

Harris says sporting clays offer real hunting situations.

:10—For a bird hunter, you never know where the birds are going to be coming from. So sporting clays provide that uncertainty, yet, you still have the anticipation that you know a bird is coming.

The shooting sports, says Harris, should come before you ever go into the field, gun in hand, to hunt.

:15—Before we become hunters, we are shooters. We can’t hunt if we don’t know how to shoot. So, a situation like this, where we can provide that shooting experience in a safe environment, just really lends itself to hunting.

That’s our show for today…with support from the Wildlife Restoration program…working to increase shooting and hunting opportunities in Texas.

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

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Invasive Species Campaign
:30 RADIO – Salvinia Monster
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REPORTING FROM THE LAKE

REPORTER: We’re here talking to one of the fastest growing invasive species in Texas.

SAL: Hi, I’m Giant Salvinia, nasty invasive species. I double in size every week.

REPORTER: I understand you destroy Texas lakes and ruin fishing.

SAL: Hah, oh, yeah, that’s my thing.

REPORTER: And that would be why Boaters, fishermen and skiers hate you.

SAL: Yep, but they do give me rides from lake to lake.

REPORTER: Folks, giant salvinia clings to boats, trailers and gear. So remove even the smallest piece and put it in the trash.

SAL: Don’t tell them that! Tantrum

REPORTER: Hello Giant Salvinia. Goodbye Texas Lakes. A message from Texas Parks and Wildlife.

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This is Passport to Texas

The Toyota Texas ShareLunker program anticipates accepting its 500th largemouth bass donation this spring. Carl Adkins of San Marcos, Texas, reeled in number 481 on February 27.

:09—I caught it at 6:45, just barely daylight. Caught it on a soft plastic off the edge of the grass. Pulled it from about seven foot of water into about 10-12 foot of water.

The program accepts largemouth bass, caught between October 1 and April 30, weighing 13 pounds or more into a selective breeding program. Adkins fish was 13.1 pounds.

:08—It really fought real well. I knew it was a nice fish. I knew it was a big fish. But I didn’t realize it was quite as big and I saw the girth on it.

Adkins’ donated bass will enter a selective breeding program with the intent of creating even bigger bass.

:15—I’m a member of a bass club, and we support it. We had one other member donate a ShareLunker. And I have a tag in my billfold that we printed up years ago in our bass club that gives the ShareLunker numbers that we have everybody carry in case we get one. And I was lucky enough o need the number.

The lucky angler who reels in the 500th ShareLunker will receive $500 a pound for every pound the fish weighs.** Find details about the ShareLunker program at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show …with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…providing funding for the Texas freshwater Fisheries Center…

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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**Toyota ShareLunker 500 Angler Collects Big Check
Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation pays $6,670 for big bass from O.H. Ivie Reservoir

…and now for Sharelunker 501!

Lake Austin Produced ShareLunker Number 501!

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