Lone Star Travelers Blog » Texas Wildlife

Possum Kingdom State Park and Davis Mountains State Park are open to visitors

joanie7 — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:00:55 +0000

Texas Parks & Wildlife News Release
Parks Open for Business After Spring Wildfires

Two state parks are again open for visitors: Possum Kingdom State Park and Davis Mountains State Park. Both of these popular state parks re-opened in May after springtime wildfires roared through. Possum Kingdom facilities were saved from the massive fire that burned 90% of the 1500-acre park and also saved from the more recent August fires. Wildfire burned 675 acres within the 2700-acre Davis Mountains State Park, but missed camping facilities and the historic Indian Lodge.

It’s encouraging to know that wildfire generally renews wild lands. Park visitors have a chance to see nature’s amazing recovery process and to learn more about fire’s benefits to wildlife and habitat.

We owe a heartfelt thank you to state and federal firefighters who fought valiantly – and continue to fight – to protect people and property.

Bastrop State Park, Wildfire Update

joanie7 — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:02:57 +0000

Latest news release from Texas Parks & Wildlife re: wildfire in Bastrop State Park:
Bastrop State Park: Looking to Recovery
Only a few weeks ago Bastrop State Park was under siege from what was described as the most disastrous and costly wildfire in Texas history, taking two lives and burning over 1500 homes, along with much of the Lost Pines ecosystem including the acreage in Bastrop State Park.
With the fire now 95% contained and cleanup in beginning stages, the concerns of park supporters along with park staff, staff biologists and conservationists have turned to park restoration. The park will be closed until at least October as the staff begins assessing damage as well as developing a plan to get the park reopened to the public and to restore habitat and wildlife.

Nearby Buescher State Park is open and still offers the Lost Pines experience treasured by park visitors. Read more in this news release.

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, Fort Davis Texas

joanie7 — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:00:36 +0000

The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center right outside of Fort Davis, Texas offers more than 500 acres of rolling grasslands, oak- covered hills and shaded canyons. Visitors have 20 acres of desert botanical gardens to discover as well as a greenhouse with 200 species of cacti and succulents. A Chihuahuan Desert Mining Heritage Exhibit stands near the entrance to the visitor’s center which houses interpretive exhibits and a delightful gift shop. A Wildscape Demonstration Garden attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife. A 1.75 mile hiking trail will take you down into Modesta Canyon, home to cooling springs, small pools of water and the lowest point at the nature center, A 2.25 mile Outside Loop hike will take you to Clayton’s Overlook, the highest point at the nature center, and home to an exhibit featuring geology, geography and history of the area. Both of these trails are rocky and considered moderate to difficult. The Hummingbird & Butterfly Trail, at 1/3 mile is considered easy however it is rocky. The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center is open from 9AM-5PM Monday through Saturday year round. Admission is $5. Children under the age of 12 are free. The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center is located 4 miles south of the town of Fort Davis, Texas on Hwy 118. The story of the Chihuahuan Desert is best told with photos. www.cdri.org

Dallas RV Show, Winter 2012

joanie7 — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:00:21 +0000

The winter Dallas RV show will be held at Dallas Market Hall from Thursday February 23rd through Sunday February 26th, 2012. For those of you who missed the fall Dallas RV show the weekend of September 15th, 2011 here is your next opportunity to attend the Southwest RV Super Show. The show will be open on Thursday February 23rd, 2012 from 10AM-7PM. Friday and Saturday the hours are 10AM-8PM. The final day of the winter Dallas RV show will be Sunday the 26th of February, 2012 opening at 11AM and closing at 6PM. Admission tickets for adults are $10, children ages 3-12 years $5, and under 2 yrs of age free of charge. Seniors will be admitted on Thursday only at a discounted price of $8. Mark your calendars and don’t miss the winter Dallas RV show!
Dallas Market Hall is located at 2200 N. Stemmons Fwy, Dallas Texas.

West Fest and Cabrito Cook-Off, Marathon Texas

joanie7 — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:59:07 +0000

Post Park

For those longing for another goat cook-off, after the big Goat Cook-Off in Brady, Texas over Labor Day Weekend the Cabrito (goat) Cook-Off is coming up in Marathon, Texas.
Mark your calendar, the dates are Saturday, September 17th and Sunday September 18th, 2011. This is the 10th annual West Fest. Cooks will present their goat dishes to the judges as they vie for the top cash prize. Come out and participate in washer pitching, team roping, softball as well as a dance on Saturday night featuring live music. Just turn on Ave D in downtown Marathon, travel 5 miles south and you will arrive at Post Park, site of West Fest 2011. Post Park, for you frontier fort history buffs, was once a cavalry fort called Camp Pena Colorado, a sub-post of the better known Fort Davis. www.marathontexas.com 432-386-4482

Bastrop State Park Wildfire Update

joanie7 — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:27:00 +0000

The following is a news brief dated September 8th, 2011 from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

Texas Parks and Wildlife fire-fighting personnel were continuing with clean up work at Bastrop State Park Thursday, having saved almost all the historic Depression-era structures on the 6,000-acre park just east of fire-ravaged Bastrop. The number of firefighters and equipment involved has been scaled down, but personnel were still working with assorted hotspots on the park and keeping a wary eye on the wind speed as a weak cold front passed through the area.

The fire began Sunday afternoon, and through Tuesday afternoon, TPWD remained very concerned about the Civilian Conservation Corps cabins and other buildings on the park. Some firefighters worked 30 hours straight without rest or sleep in battling the blaze.

The park and nearby Buescher State Park remain closed to the public until further notice.

Bastrop County Texas Wildfires Update

joanie7 — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:47:53 +0000

As of Thursday morning, September 8th 2011, the wildfires in Bastrop County, Texas are 30% contained. 1,400 homes have been lost, approximately double the number authorities had originally estimated. Two deaths have been attributed to the fires. There is no … Continue reading → Related posts:

Texas Wildfires in the Texas State Parks

joanie7 — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:30:28 +0000

The devastating wildfires in Texas burned through Bastrop State Park, just 30 miles southeast of Austin, leaving only 100 of the 6,000 acres in the state park untouched. Bastrop State Park is known for it’s Lost Pines habitat, an isolated forest of Lobolly pines resembling East Texas, and as the habitat of the endangered Houston toad. Damage reports will follow. Nearby Buescher State Park is closed but remains unharmed as of this date. Other Texas State Parks in the area including Palmetto State Park and Monument Hill State Historic Site remain open at this time. Earlier this summer, Possum Kingdom State Park, just 1 hour west of the Dallas/Forth Worth metroplex was devastated by fire. Only 200 of the 1,500 acres in the park were spared.

Birding at the South Llano River State Park

joanie7 — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:14:08 +0000

South Llano River State Park is a bird watcher’s paradise. As you drive along the entrance road into the park you will pass the first of many bird viewing blinds that are scattered throughout the park.

All of the bird blinds are well maintained and equipped with comfortable seating, a log book where you may record the birds you have observed and a bird identification book as well as bird posters on the inside walls. Outside, birds flock to the various feeders and bird baths. The observation glass offers a crystal clear view of our feathered friends comings and goings. 220 species of birds are found in the park.

The Painted Bunting, a native Texan, makes it’s summer home here at the South Llano River State Park. This beautiful, colorful songbird retreats to Mexico in the winter months however returns to the South Llano River State Park each spring. The rare and endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler establishes breeding territories at the South Llano River Park in early spring.Another rare and endangered bird, the Black-capped Vireo is also found at the South Llano River State Park. At present the Black-capped Vireo breeds in only a few isolated areas of Oklahoma, Central Texas, and Coahuilla.

The old-growth Juniper-oak woodlands at the South Llano River State Park also attract hummingbirds. They hunt the many small insects in the riverside (riparian) areas of the spring-fed South Llano River.

The South Llano River State Park is at the eastern edge of the range of the black-chinned hummingbird and at the western edge of the ruby-throated hummingbird’s range. When you come out to camp at the South Llano River State Park hang a hummingbird feeder at your site, fill it with a mixture of sugar water (1 part sugar dissolved in 4 parts water) and you will be viewing the hummers right from your campsite. Dozens of these minuscule birds will congregate just after dawn and right before dark to feed, inserting their long beaks as they slurp the nectar with tiny forked tongues.

An interesting fact about the black-chinned humming bird is that it makes it’s nest with spider webs. The webs stretch as the chicks grow.

The Acorn Bird Blind on the east side of the camping loop is the location for ranger talks at the South Llano River State Park on summer weekend evenings. The bird blind adjacent to the walk-in camping area is named Falcon. Nearby is the Falcon trailhead.

(See related blog post on the Falcon Trail hike.)

The South Llano River State Park is located approximated 6 miles outside the town of Junction, Texas in Texas Hill Country.

Be sure to secure a camping reservation in advance before you head to the South Llano River State Park or any of the Texas Hill Country State Parks for a summer weekends.

www.tpwd.state.us/parks

325-446-3994

Catch number 500 in the Texas ShareLunker Program and make Big Bucks

joanie7 — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 22:20:36 +0000

Texas Parks and Wildlife has announced that the race to catch the 500th Toyota ShareLunker is on, and if you are the lucky angler the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation will pay out $500 per pound to you! ShareLunker number 490 was just caught at Lake Casa Blanca, near Laredo, Texas on March 24th starting the countdown to #500. It was caught in 8-10 feet of water with a seven-inch junebug Power Bait worm, setting a new record for Lake Casa Blanca at 14.79 pounds. You will need a Texas fishing license to try and snag the big one unless you are fishing from the banks of a Texas State Park where the license requirement is waived.

Gather your gear and head out for some fishing and a chance to make the big bucks!

Go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker for all the official rules.

A qualifying “Lunker” is a largemouth bass that is alive, weighs 13 pounds or more and is caught by April 30th, 2010.