Texas Parks and Wildlife Season 30, Episode 5: The Real Bears of East Texas, The Spring Trackers

1

On the Right Track, Swimming to Survive, A Day at Pedernales

Follow along as biologists track Whooping Cranes at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge using satellite GPS technology. We go underwater with some Texas game wardens as they learn how they respond to aggressors on the water, rescue people from drowning and stay afloat wearing over 20 pounds of gear. Meet a group of volunteers at Pedernales State Park and find out why they are so incredibly enthusiastic about doing work that can at times be a little mundane.

30 min

2

The Paddlefish Project, Battlefield of Answers

A broad coalition of partners, from non-profits to landowners and government agencies, is working to bring back a breeding population of paddlefish. At the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, archeologists have discovered artifacts from the 1836 Battle for Texas Independence thanks to modern technology (and some old-fashioned muscle).

30 min

3

The Rise of the Forgotten Flounder, Outdoor Clubbing

We take a closer look at what it takes to catch the southern flounder and how the species is holding up. See how outdoor adventure clubs are bringing together all kinds of folks with an active interest in the outdoors.

30 min

4

Lizards on the Move, Young Guns

Lizards on the Move See how research at the Muse Wildlife Management Area is investigating how threatened Texas Horned Lizards fare and where they go when they are relocated to restored habitat. Join us as we follow two boys as part of a special duck hunt just for youngsters.

30 min

5

The Real Bears of East Texas, The Spring Trackers

Join a team of black bear trackers from Stephen F. Austin State University as they study some of the most remote habitat found in the state. Biologists Chad Norris and Janet Nelson trek to remote spring sites gathering a variety of information that will provide a greater understanding of one of our most important sources of freshwater.

30 min

6

Texas Bass, Bat Capitol of the World

Learn about the research and work that have helped make largemouth bass the most important game fish in Texas. Austin is well-known for the millions of Mexican free-tailed bats that live under the city’s bridges and overpasses. Thanks to a group called Bat Conservation International, Texans have become mindful of this species’ vital role in the control of insects.

30 min

7

School of Fish, Island Assault: 1944

The hottest sport to hit the south these days isn’t on the field, it’s in the water. Check out a profile on high school fishing. Working guns, artillery, running tanks and an operational flamethrower make the Second World War come alive at the Admiral Nimitz State Historic Site.

30 min

8

Acquiring Powderhorn, I Love a Mystery, Building the Canyon

A coalition of partners has raised nearly $38 million dollars to purchase the Powderhorn Ranch in Calhoun County, 17,000 acres of one of the largest remaining unspoiled tracts of coastal prairie in the state. Kids at Texas A&M's SeaCamp solve mysteries using biology, chemistry, and physics, similar to the work done in the "real world" by TPWD's Forensics group in San Marcos. Government Canyon State Natural Area has grown out of an unprecedented partnership of groups rallying to preserve a unique Hill Country resource important to nearby San Antonio.

30 min

9

Warden of the County, Cleburne State Park, Chicken Land

We’ll follow Jim Daniels, a young Game Worden who turned a tragedy from his youth into a career helping people, as he patrols the sparsely populated counties north of Abilene. White limestone bluffs and dense trees surround Cedar Lake, the centerpiece of Cleburne State Park, located southwest of Fort Worth. Wildlife biologists are counting on private landowners to help restore the habitat and hopefully save the Lesser Prairie Chicken.

30 min

10

Home Again, Cedar Hill Bike Trails, Fishing Lures

Learn about the success of the TPWD's Desert Bighorn Sheep restoration program in west Texas. For the first time since 1950 anyone willing to make a hike in the desert of Big Bend Ranch State Park has the chance again of spotting one of these majestic animals in its natural environment. Just minutes away from Dallas, Cedar Hill State Park has a set of trails built and maintained by cyclists and fit for all levels of mountain bikers. Meet one man who collects antique fishing lures and another who makes new ones, and discover the evolution of the fishing lure, from bone to plastic and several incarnations in between.

30 min

11

Sinking of the Kinta S, Turkey Work, CCC Memories

The Kinta S is the largest ship to be sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as part of Texas Parks and Wildlife’s artificial reef program, designed to turn oil rigs, retired ships and other hard substances into reef habitat for fish. Scientists are gaining a better understanding of the habitat needs and preferences of Rio Grande turkey populations by fitting turkey with tiny backpacks. Hear the stories of Civilian Conservation Corps veterans as they reunite in a park they helped build.

30 min

12

A Tale of Two Laurens, New Wave Cave

We head to Bay City, Texas for a weekend goose hunt with the ladies… it’s going to be a blast. Thanks to a crew of geologists and photographers, a 3D virtual map of the Devil's Sinkhole in Rocksprings is in the works, one that will give visitors a unique view of this geologic oddity.

30 min

13

Fishing for Cats, Chester's Island

Catfish are the largest freshwater sport fish in Texas and are second only to bass in popularity among anglers. Meet one tireless volunteer, Chester Smith, who has helped to bring the endangered brown pelican back to Sundown Island in Matagorda Bay and see the spectacle of a nesting island in the spring.

30 min

14

Bobcat City, Mustang Island State Park

A study is shedding new light on how bobcats live among us, in the suburbs and edges of our cities, without conflict and almost completely without notice. If you’re looking for the best place to camp right on the beach Mustang Island is the spot. With fishing, birding, and ocean fun just a few steps from your tent Mustang Island State Park is sure to cure that Island fever.

30 min

15

A Fish Called Ethel, Artificial Reefs

Ethel was the very first bass in the ShareLunker Program, becoming a symbol of how good management and forward thinking could drive conservation efforts to wonderful results. Liberty Ships of World War II today serve as artificial reefs off the Texas coast, providing habitat for marine life, research areas for scientists, and new opportunities for anglers.

30 min

16

Save Our Sharks, Biking Big Bend Ranch, Big City Biologists

We take a look at what’s being done along the Texas coast to help save sharks from disappearing at an alarming rate. It’s worth the trouble to hit the trails of Texas’ mountain biking Mecca, Big Bend Ranch State Park. Meet some big city biologists in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and El Paso who strive to help wildlife and urban life coexist in harmony.

30 min

17

Pronghorn CSI, Frog People, A Not-So-Easy Rider

Scientists join forces with hunters and landowners to solve the mystery of the disappearing pronghorn antelope in this Texas-style CSI. At backyard ponds, suburban creeks, and rural wetlands, participants in the Texas Amphibian Watch program monitor the health of frogs and toads, both for science and for fun. Travel through Texas with a young man making his way cross-country on a handcycle. Being a paraplegic hasn’t handicapped his effort to get out and enjoy a trip across America.

30 min

18

The Crappie Guys, The Natural Place

The Crappie Guys Meet Tommy Tidwell, a high school science teacher and part time crappie fishing guide, and Mr. Crappie, Wally Marshall. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin is more than just a place to see wildflowers. It’s also a research and resource center for information on native plants, landscape restoration, and water conservation.

30 min

19

Bking Ray Roberts, Hogs Wild, Charlie and His Cannon

Just north of Dallas and Fort Worth, the trail system at Ray Roberts Lake State Park offers hours of riding for mountain bikers, from a smooth riverside greenbelt to hilly routes along the lake. The threat of feral hogs to Texas agriculture and ecology looms large and research is being conducted that could offer a new kind of protection from this feral pig plague. Each year hundreds of re-enactors gather to relive the Battle of San Jacinto in southeast Texas, the pivotal battle that changed the path of Texas and all of North America.

30 min

20

Texas on Two Wheels, Running of the Bass

From short pedals at local parks, to epic journeys through rugged landscapes, mountain biking is a great way to experience the wild side of Texas. Freshwater anglers all across the state look forward to the annual spring run of White Bass.

30 min

21

Texas Paddling Trails, Austin's Warblers

Grab your canoe and come along as we check out some of the state's new paddling trails on the coast, in Houston, and on the Guadalupe River. Join some biologists as they monitor the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler in the Hill Country's Balcones Canyonlands Preserve during their nesting season.

30 min

22

Garner State Park, The Climate Detective, Birding Basics

See why generations of Texans have been making Garner State Park the place to be year round in the Hill Country. Follow one researcher as he taps the secrets of the trees and learns the warnings they may hold for water planners. So what does it take to get into birding? We’ll take a look at some of the basic gear you’ll need, fill you in on where to go, and highlight a way to bring the birds to you.

30 min

23

A Migrating Muse, Inner City Sanctuary

We’ll visit some of the best spots to see Sandhill Cranes up close to learn more about these migrating wonders. See how some Houston residents are making sure kids don’t miss out on the outdoors.

30 min

24

Watchdogs for Wildlife, Buffalo Soldiers, Good Guzzlers

When it’s time to investigate oil spills, meet the team of biologists who are called in to action. When an aspiring nature photographer joins a group of Buffalo Soldier re-enactors, he discovers history's ultimate outdoorsmen. Once upon a time, in a Wildlife Management Area far, far away, a group of dedicated conservationists put their skills to work, building special rainwater catchment systems, aka “guzzlers," to provide water for bighorn sheep, and any other animal looking for a drink in the desert.

30 min

25

Collegiate Climbers, Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest, Shorebird Survival

Meet some of the students on the national champion University of Texas club climbing team and see what it takes to excel at this demanding sport. The annual West Texas mountain bike festival is a great time for anyone who would like to go fixin’ or freewheelin’ around the old frontier. Follow along with some biologists as they work to save struggling Texas shorebirds, from the endangered piping plover to the threatened snowy plover.

30 min

26

The Dove Hunter, Big Bend Plants, A Spirit Rises

Meet an Austin man who took up hunting and fishing as an adult and is determined to pass along these traditions to his sons. At first glance scrubby, thorny and spindly, Big Bend plants take on new beauty when you learn how to read them. See what it takes to unearth artifacts from a battle that took place over a hundred years ago and learn more about Palo Duro Canyon State Park and the historic battle that took place there.

30 min