AUSTIN, Texas — What if you led a horse to water and it didn’t know how to drink? That odd challenge faces state parks trying to help an increasingly urban public understand nature and history. The good news is, this fall a rich array of new interpretive exhibits and facilities is available for families seeking holiday excursions close to home, thanks to increased funding from the Texas Legislature.
PRESIDIO, Texas — On Nov. 20-22, Big Bend Ranch State Park invites guests to participate in the park’s fall digital photo workshop. Noted photographer Earl Nottingham and Bob Malish from Canon cameras will lead the digital photo workshop.
LAPORTE, Texas — The recently reopened San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site celebrated the beginning of its post-Hurricane Ike-era recently by hosting a reunion of the USS TEXAS Veterans Association this past Saturday. A memorial honoring fallen shipmates was part of the ceremony.
AUSTIN, Texas — Expanded conservation efforts are in the offing for the desert bighorn sheep, an iconic symbol of wilderness in West Texas, with plans to extend bighorn restocking efforts into Big Bend Ranch State Park and elsewhere in the region as part of a comprehensive Desert Bighorn Sheep Restoration Plan.
AUSTIN, Texas — A month after Hurricane Ike roared ashore in Galveston, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is working to reopen a handful of still-closed east and southeast Texas state parks, assessing the future of two coastal parks that suffered catastrophic damage and assisting displaced park employees.
Mention great Texas comeback stories and some people will think of Staubach and Pearson and the Hail Mary pass that gave the Cowboys a victory over Minnesota in the 1975 play-offs. Texas Tech fans will cite the Red Raiders’ record-breaking comeback win over the University of Minnesota in the 2006 Insight Bowl.
FALCON HEIGHTS, Texas-A species of tiger moth never before recorded in the United States was discovered last Friday, Oct. 3, at Falcon State Park in South Texas. Volunteer Park Naturalist Frances Bartle discovered the moth during a routine check at the park’s recreation hall.
ATHENS, Texas-Most anglers probably know that many fish caught from deep water can suffer from an over-inflated swim bladder, a condition called hyperbuoyancy. The air bladder inside the fish that inflates and deflates to give the fish neutral buoyancy can expand suddenly when a fish is brought to the surface after being caught. This puts pressure on other internal organs and may even lead to the stomach protruding from the fish’s body.
ATHENS, Texas-Texas students in grades 4 through 12 are invited to enter the eleventh annual Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest. Deadline for entries is March 31, 2009.
ATHENS, Texas-John True of Dallas kicked off the 2008-2009 Budweiser ShareLunker season October 3 with a 13.38-pound largemouth bass from a private lake in Rusk County.