Passport to Texas

 Hunting: Bagging Big Birds: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Eastern wild turkey population thrived from the coastal prairies to the Red River until the early 1900s when commercial hunting and loss of habitat drove the birds to near extinction. Hunting these birds was off limits until…over time…a restocking program fostered a huntable population.

14—We’ve spent a lot of time stocking birds into East Texas. We’ve had some really good success in some areas, and not as much success in others. So, we don’t have the densities that we have of Rio Grandes…and we’re trying to keep a real good record of what’s happening with that population.

Jason Hardin is the Turkey program leader for Parks and Wildlife. Rio Grande turkeys, found in most of the state are plentiful, and hunters have a four bird bag limit this spring. For Eastern turkey, the bag limit is one, and it must be checked in at one of our many official Texas Parks and Wildlife check stations.

13—And those mandatory check stations let us know every bird that was harvested. And from that, we can identify the age of the birds, where it was harvested—public land, private land. And look at how the bird’s expanding its range, or if that range is contracting.

This data collection helps Parks and Wildlife manage the species. And if you’re looking for a place to hunt for the Eastern gobbler, try a wildlife management area.

[NOTE: Pat Mayes WMA, Caddo national Grasslands, and some WMAs—on the Angelina and Sabine National Forests provide good Eastern turkey hunting.]

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series; it’s funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Smoked Hawaiian Wild Turkey Recipe

 Hunting: Spring Turkey Hunting: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thanksgiving may be three months behind us—or nine months ahead of us depending upon how you view things—but won’t stop turkey hunters from bagging big birds this spring.

04—There are going to be a lot of two-year-old gobblers for harvest this year.

Jason Hardin is Turkey Program Leader for Parks and Wildlife. Last year’s heat and drought aside, turkey habitat received rain when it needed it most in 2010, says Hardin, which is why two-year-old gobblers abound.

12—Two thousand ten, we had excellent rainfall—good, timely rainfall. And had really good production across the Rio Grande range, which is the central portion of the state. So, I would expect a really good season.

In addition to hunting Rio Grande Turkeys in Texas brush country, hunters can also find Eastern Turkey in the woodlands of East Texas.

16— The eastern is found in the eastern third of the state. It’s a little bit of a larger, bird compared to the Rio, which is quite numerous. We have more Rios in Texas than anywhere else in the country. The bird’s a little bit smaller and has a little different coloration. But, other than that, they gobble fairly similarly and they’re both pretty tough to hunt.

There is a statewide bag limit of 4 turkeys in Texas, with no more than one Eastern turkey.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series; it’s funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 Hunting and Fishing a Family Tradition for Chef: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

John Besh operates seven restaurants: six in his home state of Louisiana and one in San Antonio called Luke. Chef Besh grew up in a hunting and fishing family; and contrary to what non-hunters and anglers might think, these activities helped him to develop respect for life.

13— You see something running or swimming one moment, and then the next moment it’s in the frying pan. You don’t waste as much of it. You don’t look at it as lightly as you do as meat wrapped in cellophane on the grocery shelf.

More people today want to know where their food comes from; Chef Besh says when you hunt and fish you do.

12— If you’re a carnivore, it’s the purest form—to take it from the field to the plate. It’s something that I do on a personal level quite a bit. I have four sons, and they’re growing up with the tradition as well.

Chef Besh apprenticed in southern Germany, where each fall the restaurant served wild game brought in by local hunters and farmers, and inspected and approved by the health department.

16—I so loved that, and so appreciated that that added just yet another layer of understanding of how to treat game and the importance of this tradition.

I don’t know if it’s cool yet [laughter].

The Hunt Texas e-newsletter provides information on hunting and preparing wild game. Sign up for it on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 Was the First Thanksgiving in Texas?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Spanish Explorer Coronado and his expedition celebrated the first Thanksgiving in Palo Duro Canyon in May 1541—80 years before the Pilgrims. Or so says Jeff Murrah.

:07—And they celebrated by eating the wild game in the area: buffalo, wild fowl, and other things.

Murrah is an author and sixth generation Texan who writes extensively about Texas history.

:21— They [Coronado’s expedition] had been traveling up into New Mexico and across Texas. When they finally made it to Texas, they had been in the Palo Duro Canyon area. And there had been some rough weather they had recently experienced. They had made it through that with the shelter of the canyon, and they wished to express thankfulness.

Murrah says there were 300 in the expedition and their Thanksgiving celebration took place over several days.

:26—I like this Thanksgiving. Not only was it large, but I think it captures more the idea that many cultures contributed to. Because when you stick with the whole idea of the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving, you’re either a Pilgrim or an Indian. But here you’ve got Indians, Spaniards, Portuguese, French, Italians, Scots, and Blacks in the party. You had people from many different backgrounds all coming together to give thanks.

Then why do Pilgrims get all the credit for this feast day?

:02—They did a better marketing campaign?

Happy Thanksgiving…for Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 French Chef Talks Game and Real Food: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If you watch PBS television cooking shows, you’ve probably seen this man:

02— My name is Jacques Pepin.

Seventy-five year old Jacques Pepin is a classically trained French chef, author, and PBS cooking show host. Long before he started cooking with meat from domesticated livestock, natural, additive free wild game comprised the animal protein in his dishes.

08— We follow the season, and the season in the fall in France we have the rabbit and the pheasant and the stuff. You go to market and see the game hanging.

Jacques Pepin has a new series on PBS called Essential Pepin, with a companion book that includes a 3 hour DVD featuring various food preparation techniques; it was going to include how to dress a rabbit after harvest.

12—But the skinning of the rabbit, they have removed it already so you’re not going to see it. And I knew it. They got berserk when they saw it. They said, ‘Oh my God!’ Well, it’s good to get closer to Mother Nature and to realize where your food comes from.

It may seem gruesome, but the alternative, says Chef Pepin, is what we have: nearly two generations of people who only recognize food if it’s in neatly cut pieces and wrapped in plastic.

02—I mean, this is pretty scary when you think of it.

The Hunt Texas e-newsletter provides information on hunting and preparing wild game. Sign up for it on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.