Texas Parks and Wildlife Season 36, Episode 14: Plains Playas, Bastrop State Park, Hang Ten

1

Fox Finders, Kraken Diving, Brushland Birds

The swift fox is seldom seen and could be vanishing in Texas. Follow a crew of researchers searching for this fox in the Panhandle Plains. The 2017 sinking of a 371-foot cargo ship called The Kraken created a new underwater oasis for fish and fishermen. Join a group of Harlingen high school students as they discover birding and some amazing birds right in their own backyard.

30 min

2

Texas Hunting Traditions

Meet an Austin man who took up hunting and fishing as an adult and is now passing along these traditions to his sons. Follow a conservationist and hunter as he hits the woods in search of the Eastern Wild Turkey. Every year 98-year-old Mabel Birkner hits the woods and heads for the family's favorite deer blind. This feisty woman of the wilds has a lot of knowledge to pass down to her family.

30 min

3

Wild Game Cooking Texas Style

A couple of accomplished chefs demonstrate some wild game recipes you'll want to try yourself. Restaurant owner and cookbook author Jesse Griffiths gives us his take on feral hog tacos, venison loin on the grill, teal yakitori, and redfish fried three ways. Austin chef Jeff Martinez takes care of cooking dove breasts with a buffalo sriracha sauce and creating a cool red snapper ceviche.

30 min

4

Birds and Birders

The sounds of the waves, a breeze in your face, and the peeps of a scurrying shorebird. You are birding at the beach and you didn't even know it. In the driest region of Texas, meet some ingenious landowners who created their own desert birding oases. The Rio Grande Valley is a haven for birds and birders alike. For Father Tom Pincelli, this area is an earthly paradise.

30 min

5

State Park Biking Trails

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. Texas State Parks offer the full range of off-road opportunities to riders of all ages. Go biking with us at Franklin Mountains, Brazos Bend, Government Canyon, Pedernales Falls, Ray Roberts Lake, and Tyler. It's Texas on two wheels.

30 min

6

Fishing the Texas Coast

Wade fishing on the Texas coast not only puts you right where the action is, but the experts say you can catch more and bigger fish. Sea Center Texas is the largest redfish hatchery in the world. Now biologists hope to replicate that success with spotted seatrout. Heralded for their awe-inspiring jumps and tenacious power, tarpon are the stuff from which fish tales are spun.

30 min

7

The Science of Wildlife

Some owls in El Paso have a fancy new home, complete with a surveillance system, which gives biologists a bird's-eye view of owl life. Pronghorn antelope populations in west Texas have wavered in recent years. Biologists are finding new information and solutions to help the Pronghorns. We follow along with some biologists that are worried about a tiny fish that is on the edge of extinction.

30 min

8

Texas Game Wardens Past & Present

Meet some game wardens of the past as we discover an old film that showcases the agency's history. Kathleen Stuman and Shawn Hervey have both been Texas game wardens for 20 years. See how they are involved in helping folks in their communities. Searching for hidden game, weapons, missing people, or playing with a tennis ball, it's all in a day's work for canine commissioned Texas game wardens.

30 min

9

Texas Paddling Trails

There are new paddling trails popping up all over Texas. Grab a canoe or kayak and come along as we check out some of the state's best river trips. Discover paddling trails in San Antonio, Dallas, the Hill Country, Caddo Lake, Port O'Connor and Goliad. Texas by water is a relaxing way to go.

30 min

10

Explore Texas State Parks & Historic Sites

Texas state parks are becoming more popular than ever. Here's a sampler of places where you can get away from it all. Start at South Llano River State Park where tubing the river or biking the trails go hand in hand. At Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site, you can relive the early days of frontier Texas. Relax beneath the tall pines at Huntsville State Park and end the day by the campfire.

30 min

11

Wildlife in the Lone Star State

Texas is home to a lot of unusual and interesting wildlife. At Houston's Cockrell Butterfly Center, watch as crawling caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies. Discover the real story behind Old RIP, Texas' most famous toad. To find out how green jays are adapting to the changing environment of the Rio Grande Valley, biologists are trapping, tagging, and tracking these colorful birds.

30 min

12

A Diversity of Jobs

When you think of Texas Parks and Wildlife, you might think of game wardens or park rangers or wildlife biologists. We're all that, but we're also a whole bunch of other people doing a wide range of wildlife related work. Take a look at some of the folks who work at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and see how all these conservation careers are tied together.

30 min

13

Freshwater Fishing in Texas

Long the domain of the locals, Lake Fork fishes a little bit differently when you're a professional angler trying to make a living. Threatened by loss of habitat and hybridization, the Guadalupe bass was close to being wiped out. Learn how biologists brought this Texas native back. catfish are the largest freshwater sport fish in Texas and are second only to bass in popularity among angles.

30 min

14

Plains Playas, Bastrop State Park, Hang Ten

Grab your surfboard and hang ten in Corpus Christi. We go surfing at a popular spot that locals call Texas Point Break. Forest fires and floods have ravaged Bastrop State Park in recent years. Now comes rebirth: new trees, new plants, and new life. Learn how playa lakes provide water and wildlife habitat to the Southern Plains.

30 min

15

Outdoor Inspiration, Dutch Oven Cooks, Moving Bees

Meet a man that loves life to the fullest. Cole Johnson may be legally blind, but he doesn't let his disability slow him down. Members of the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society whip up some tasty dishes at Cleburne State Park. Moving your family that numbers in the thousands? Watch a bee specialist relocate a hive of European honey bees, giving them a safe new home where they can keep on buzzing.

30 min

16

Bass Tracking, Lake Corpus Christi, Kemp's Ridley History

Fisheries biologists are tracking largemouth bass to see if increased fishing pressure is changing fish behavior in ways that could make them more difficult for anglers to catch. From lake activities to birding and hiking, Lake Corpus Christi has what you need for a great getaway. For over 40 years biologists and volunteers have been working to save the Kemp's Ridley sea turtles from extinction.

30 min

17

Rookery Island, Fishing's Future Founder, Durable Design

Several species of colonial water birds are on the decline in Texas. In Nueces Bay, biologists are working to save eroding bird nesting islands. Shane Wilson is the founder of the non-profit organization Fishing's Future, which is devoted to strengthening family bonds through fishing. See what the Gulf Coast DesignLab at the University of Texas at Austin is building in parks along the coast.

30 min

18

Bat Noses, Mentored Hunt, Environmental Example

A deadly fungal disease killing millions of hibernating bats is spreading through North America, including Texas. Go on a Texas Parks and Wildlife "mentored hunt" and see how grownups get a taste of the outdoors from field to table. Louis Stumberg was old-school: a hard worker, a businessman, and according to his sons, a great father. He was also a devoted environmentalist and rancher.

30 min

19

Desert Bighorn, Crappie Guys, Cooking Crappie

Wildlife biologists in West Texas are returning desert bighorn sheep to their historic habitat after being extirpated in the mid-1900s. Meet the crappie guys. One is a science teacher and part-time crappie fishing guide. Then there's Mr. Crappie, whose life revolves around his favorite fish. Ok, so now you've got some crappie in the boat. It's time to make 'em into a tasty meal, frying style.

30 min

20

Devils with Dad, State Park Firefighters, Kangaroo Rats

A father and daughter take a paddling trip on the Devils River and make a movie about it. Well, she makes the movie and he does the paddling. See what it takes to be on the frontlines as part of Parks and Wildlife's Wildland Fire Team. The range of a unique hopping rodent has dwindled to just a few areas near the Red River. Researchers are hoping to learn more about it before it disappears.

30 min

21

Natural Connection, Blanco River Restoration, Fish Habitat

From the brush country of South Texas to the mountains of West Texas, two women have outdoor pursuits as different as the landscapes. Biologists and landowners have been working together to reestablish healthy habitat along the Blanco River after recent floods. Fisheries biologists and volunteers put Christmas trees into Abilene's Stamford Reservoir to enhance angling opportunities on the lake.

30 min

22

Bastrop's Back, Gator Hunt, Alligator Chili Relleno

After fires swept through Bastrop State Park in 2011, new CCC like crews came in to help restore the park. Tag along with some lucky hunters as they get a chance of a lifetime to hunt alligators at J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area. Austin chef Jeff Martinez cooks up some Texas alligator with a south of the border twist. Discover his alligator ancho chili relleno recipe.

30 min

23

Birding Passion, Collegiate Climbers, Oyster Shell Return

Sheila Hargis says birding and the birding community transformed her life by channeling her enthusiasm for ornithology onto others. Meet some of the students on the University of Texas rock climbing team and see what it takes to excel at this demanding sport. A unique oyster shell recycling program is underway, and it's helping our bays and reefs rebound.

30 min

24

Becoming a Warden, Bee Searcher, Franklins Flying

Zach Stephenson's mom didn't know the first thing about hunting, until she enrolled her son in a youth hunt. Zach's hunting experiences would lead to a career as a Texas game warden. A North Texas researcher investigates the health of our most productive native pollinators, and how we might simply help them bee. Atlanta State Park is known for its rolling hills, towering pines, and lakeside life.

30 min

25

Lake Mineral Wells Trailway, Field to Fork, Razing Cane

Where trains once traveled, hikers and bikers now reign, on a protected pathway connecting Weatherford and Mineral Wells. Follow Noah Rudino, a health and nutrition enthusiast, as he hunts for the first time for his food. Texas rivers and streams are under attack. The invasive giant reed threatens pretty much every river system in the state, but biologists are fighting back.

30 min

26

Finding Fortlandia, Caprocks Bison, Fort Parker

Remember building a fort as a kid? Join a bunch of first-time fort builders as they get together to build one from recycled materials. Once numbering in the millions, the Southern Plains Bison currently number around 300. They now have a home at Caprock Canyons State Park. Located along the Navasota River, Fort Parker State Park offers a tranquil setting for camping, hiking, biking, and fishing.

30 min