Texas Parks and Wildlife

Paddle a kayak within sight of downtown San Antonio on the Mission Reach Paddling Trail. As the Rio Grande Valley becomes more urbanized, habitat for wildlife is dwindling. To find out how Green Jays are adapting to the changing environment, biologists are tagging and tracking these colorful birds. Step back in time and take a bumpy ride in an old stagecoach at Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site.

Hunting is not only a tradition in small towns across Texas, it's also an important part of the local economy. Travel to Goldthwaite, population 1,687, for the opening weekend of deer season to see how this close knit community comes alive when the hunters arrive.

Huntsville State Park opens a door to 2000 acres of outdoor adventure. Camp, mountain bike, or fish the day away on Lake Raven. Bucking the trends of fragmentation and non-native invasive grasses, the Laborcitas Creek Ranch is adding acreage and diligently restoring native habitat to benefit wildlife. Take it slow on the beach at Galveston.

By acquiring land, resting it from grazing, and reducing deer numbers, one family began to restore their Hill Country ranch. Hunting blinds are not designed for people with disabilities. Inks Lake State Park has tackled that problem by building special hunting blinds that are accessible for people with physical limitations. Enjoy a few moments of natural sights and sounds in the East Texas woods.

From the brush country of South Texas to the mountains of West Texas, meet two women whose outdoor interests are as different as the landscapes. The management goal of one West Texas ranch is to maintain native resources and provide ample habitat for wildlife. The Katy Prairie Conservancy has partnered with a dozen schools to create small urban prairies that are helping nature as well as students.

On a ranch in South Texas, biologists are tapping the latest technology, and fitting turkey with tiny backpacks, to learn where the turkey lurk. Calling turkeys is an art. Get some tips on painting just the right sound. Meet the wild Texas turkey as it gobbles, struts and tantalizes turkey fans. Learn where turkeys live in Texas and how to "talk" turkey.

Austin's new central library is a very green building, but the library's greenest feature may be up the rooftop garden. Texas oysters have endured everything from hurricanes to floods to drought. Now work is underway to help strengthen Texas bays and the oyster industry. Nelson Roach embodies the tenets of land stewardship through a holistic approach to managing his Camp County property.

Biologists on the Colorado River are searching for a rare fish. It's called a Blue Sucker, and not much is known about this Texas native. When an aspiring nature photographer joins a group of Buffalo Soldier re-enactors, he discovers history's ultimate outdoorsmen. Meet the courageous visionary and driving force behind the Lake Wichita Revitalization Project.

The range of a unique hopping rodent has dwindled to just a few areas near the Red River. Researchers are racing to learn more about it before it disappears into the night. Meet Shannon Tompkins, outdoor writer, expert angler, and Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame member. Learn what biologists and conservationists are doing to prevent the deadly White Nose Syndrome from affecting Texas bats.

Goliad State Park & Historic Site is known for its connection to history. It also has a connection to the San Antonio River as part of the Goliad Paddling Trail. Protecting Texas' deer population is Ryan Schoeneberg's job and his passion. Through the vanishing art of lithography, a Fort Worth artist captures a conserved habitat and its wildlife in living color.

History is the highlight at Fort Richardson, but even if today's travelers aren't settling the West, many still come to pitch tents and blaze trails. Richard Heilburn reaches a wide and diverse audience as an urban biologist. The hottest sport to hit the south these days isn't on the field, it's in the water. Check out these high school fishing teams and the kids that cast.

Coastal state parks need durable structures and design students need projects. See what the Gulf Coast Design Lab at the UT Austin is building in parks along the coast. Ride along on a trawl of Texas bays to collect data on the marine species that live there. The Alum Creek WMA works to increase the quantity and quality of habitat for the Houston toad in the Lost Pines area of Texas.

A unique recycling program is underway, returning old oyster shells to Texas bays. As part of a decades long program to restore Desert Bighorn Sheep to West Texas, about 30 bighorns have been released at Big Bend Ranch State Park. A North Texas researcher investigates the health of our most productive native pollinators, and how we might simply help the bee.

Sharks are disappearing from the world's oceans at an alarming rate but efforts are underway along the Texas coast to help save these wolves of the ocean. Recognizing that habitat restoration doesn't happen overnight, one Texas family has taken a step-by-step approach to managing their ranch. Palo Duro Canyon's youngest park host has found a way to save money on housing while attending college.

Meet a tea of biologists tasked with investigating oil spills or other environmental disasters affecting Texas wildlife. Since 1999 the Lake Fork Sportsman's Association has worked to protect and promote Lake Fork's natural resources. Join some folks who are building rainwater catchment systems that are designed to provide water for bighorn sheep and other thirsty animals in the desert.

The black-capped vireo was once on the verge of extinction. But thanks to better conservation practices, vireo numbers have rebounded. At state parks, iconic brown and yellow signs help give you directions, and for decades they have all been made in the same shop at Bastrop State Park. Helping those with disabilities catch their first fish is all in a day's work for this Texas Game Warden.

Follow Dave Roberts in his unfolding adventure as he explores the Texas state park system one step at a time. The required legal process to protect our natural resources isn't glamorous work, but Robert Macdonald makes it as fun as possible. Efforts are underway to save one of the most important rookery islands on the Texas coast, and help the thousands of birds that nest there.

When a hurricane destroyed their homes and work, they just picked up the pieces and kept on going. Texas Rivers and stream are under attack. The invasive Giant Reed threatens pretty much every river system in the state, but biologists are fighting back. Kids at Texas A&M's SeaCamp solve mysteries using biology, chemistry, and physics, much like the work done by TPWD's forensic group.

Enjoy some nature on the edge of Austin with a homemade frog pond. An ongoing study is shedding 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 State Park might by the spot for you.

Meet an Austin man who took up hunting and fishing as an adult and is determined to pass along these traditions to his sons. Take a dog hike at Franklin Mountains State Park and learn how to keep your canine companion comfortable on the trail. Birding hotspots are not always where you might expect them to be. See the sights, hear the sounds, and smell the smells of a "marginal" nature haven.

Armed with a smartphone and a savvy for social media, one Austin urbanite's outdoor experience might be a little different than his grandfather's, but it works. The Texas Water Safari is billed as the World's Toughest Canoe Race. Follow two teams to see if they can compete the 260-mile race from San Marcos to Seadrift. Relax on a rainy day at Caddo Lake.

Biologists are working with landowners along the flood ravaged Blanco River to help re-establish trees and grasses that are more resilient to the effects of flooding. Texas Game Warden helicopter crews helped rescue hundreds of people from the flood waters of Hurricane Harvey. For adults interested in taking up hunting, "mentored hunts" give grownups a taste of the outdoors from field to table.

The Devils River valley is about as wild as you can get in Texas. But there are threats to this natural place, and that's got those passionate admirers worried. Sliding down dunes is just some of the fun in the sun at the unique landscape of Monahans Sandhills State Park. Fisheries science requires a lot of complex knowledge and instruments. Dijar Lutz-Carillo knows how to pull it all together.

Located along the Navasota River, Fort Parker State Park offers a tranquil setting for camping, hiking, biking and fishing. And there is some history there, too. When hunting in a group, each hunter has a safe zone of fire. Find out where that safe zone is, and why it's so important. Watch a bee specialist relocate a hive of honey bees, giving them a safe new home where they can keep on buzzing.

Meet a husband and wife team that's spent half of their lives working to save the Chimney Swift. When paddlefish were stocked in Caddo Lake in 2014, it was truly an experiment. No one could be certain the fish would survive or stay put, but years later it seems they have done both. Learn to prevent the number one cause of hunting injury: falls from tree stands.

Just months after sending the cargo ship Kraken to the floor of the gulf, biologists check out one of the Gulf Coast's largest artificial reefs. There are new paddling trails popping up all over Texas. Grab a canoe and check out some of the state's best river trips. Firearm safety requires you to know where the muzzle is pointed at all times. Follow these basic rules for a safe, fun, hunting trip.