+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | TPWD News Releases Dated 2006-06-19 | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This page contains only plain text, no HTML formatting codes. | | It is not designed for display in a browser but for copying | | and editing in whatever software you use to lay out pages. | | To copy the text into an editing program: | | --Display this page in your browser. | | --Select all. | | --Copy. | | --Paste in a document in your editing program. | | If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send | | an e-mail to webtech@tpwd.state.tx.us and mention Plain Text Pages. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ [ Note: This item is more than six months old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, (512) 389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us ] [SL] June 19, 2006 Game Wardens Arrest Poachers With 800 Red Snapper AUSTIN, Texas -- Acting on an Operation Game Thief (OGT) hotline tip, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens apprehended seven individuals on June 8 with more than 2,000 pounds of illegally caught snapper. The case, one of the largest seizures in Texas in recent years, resulted in citations for 26 game law violations and could result in fines and restitution of upwards of $20,000. According to TPWD Game Warden Lt. Alan Teague, officials received a call about anglers on a shrimp vessel who were retaining every fish they were landing near an oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico 20 miles south of Corpus Christi. Game wardens intercepted the vessel in state waters, but released it after determining the suspects carried the appropriate federal permit to retain red snapper they claimed were caught in federal waters. "As long as they were in transit, they were okay," said Teague. "But, they got greedy and we later caught them fishing off a rig in state waters, which meant they were in violation of Texas laws. Even if they had a Texas commercial finfish license, the maximum number of red snapper they could have retained would be 28. They had over 800 fish." The haul was confiscated by game wardens and sold dockside for more than $4,200. Teague noted the individuals involved, along with the boat's owner, have a rap sheet with a collective 62 game law violations. One of the suspects has 45 previous illegal red snapper cases pending with TPWD. Operation Game Thief is Texas' Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program, offering rewards of up to $1,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and conviction for a wildlife crime. Begun in 1981 as a result of laws passed by the 67th Legislature to help curtail poaching, the program, a function of the Law Enforcement division of The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is highly successful, having been responsible for the payment of over $195,000.00 in rewards. Privately funded, the program is dependent on financial support from the public through the purchase of OGT merchandise and memberships, donations, sponsorships, and gifts. To report suspected game law violations call the OGT hotline at 1-800-792-GAME. -30- [ Note: This item is more than six months old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: Tom Harvey, (512) 389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us ] [TH] June 19, 2006 Buffalo Soldiers Impart Living History at Summer Events AUSTIN, Texas -- This summer, the Texas Buffalo Soldiers have a full schedule of activities including presentations at youth camps, a Last Frontier Heritage Tourism event in Cochran County and three weekends of celebrations at the HemisFair Plaza in San Antonio. In 1999, the Texas Legislature proclaimed July "Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Month," making this the only state in the Union that recognizes the Buffalo Soldiers with a month-long celebration. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's "Texas Buffalo Soldier" Outdoor Educational Programs utilizes a network of Buffalo Soldiers volunteer groups and community partners to stage and produce living history encampments trail rides and other events. American Indians dubbed the African-American regiments "buffalo soldiers." Some say the Indians thought the soldiers' curly hair resembled the buffalo's sacred mane, while others believe the Indians were referring to the soldiers' fighting spirit. The program's youth outreach focus has expanded to encompass Hispanic Vaqueros, American Indians, Frontier Women and other cultural groups contributing to the rich history of the 1800's. They conduct ongoing cultural research, coordinate dozens of living history events for schools and youth groups across Texas each year and promote the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail, which follows routes taken across Texas in the 1800's by military personnel and civilians. Camp Coca Cola, held at the Parrie Haynes Ranch, will feature a session with the Buffalo Soldiers as one element of the multi-week camp program. The camp is a one-month immersion in leadership training and community service for at-risk youth. The Buffalo Soldier events are scheduled for June 8, June 15, July 8 and July 15. Cochran County's "Texas Last Frontier Heritage Celebration," based at Cochran County Park in Morton west of Lubbock is a free event open to the public the weekend of June 23-25. Here visitors of all ages can listen to Buffalo Soldiers stories and experience what daily life was like in camp and on patrol. Buffalo Soldiers will also be featured in Texas' first intercultural youth camp at Fort McKavett from June 24 to July 1. Youth ages 9 to 12 will participate in a program called Old Stories, New Voices, which spotlights the contributions of African Americans, American Indians, Hispanics, and Anglos to Texas' history and culture. Old Stories, New Voices is a project of the Colorado Historical Society, made possible with grant funding from Texas State Parks and Wildlife, The Texas State Historical Association, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, The Colorado Historical Society, The National Park Service and The National Endowment for the Humanities. At San Antonio's HemisFair Plaza, the Buffalo Soldiers Living History & Heritage Organization will sponsor the annual Texas Buffalo Soldiers Month Celebration. The event takes place July 1, 22 and 29. --- On the Net: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/community_outreach_programs/buffalo_soldiers/ -30- [ Note: This item is more than six months old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: Tom Harvey, (512) 389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us ] [TH] June 19, 2006 Fall Workshop Aims To Help New Hunters Get Started HELOTES, Texas -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has developed a first-of-its-kind workshop called "Hunt Texas: The Basics" designed to provide new hunters with the basic skills needed to successfully pursue a variety of Texas game species. The workshop will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sat., Sep. 16 at the Helotes 4-H Center, 12132 Leslie Rd. in Helotes. The workshop will also cover locating public and private hunting opportunities, firearm selection, hunter education requirements and the Texas Youth Hunting Program. A catered lunch and field demonstrations will take place at nearby Government Canyon State Park and will focus on camouflage, habitat evaluation, blind placement and field care of game. The purpose of the workshop is to develop responsible and successful hunters who recognize the importance of wildlife and habitat conservation. It is designed for new hunters, hunters who have recently moved to Texas from other states, and people who have an interest in hunting but do not know where to start. This includes both youth and adult hunters. Corporate Sponsors at this time include Cabela's, the Texas Wildlife Association and Dury's Gun Shop in San Antonio. Door prizes from the sponsors will be awarded at the workshop. To register, send your name, address, phone number, number of attendees and a check for $20 per adult to TPWD San Antonio Urban Wildlife Office, 12861 Galm Rd., San Antonio, TX 78254. The fee for youth (ages 16 and under) accompanying an adult will be $10 instead of $20. Please make checks payable to Alamo Area Master Naturalists. Lunch and refreshments are included. For more information please contact David Veale, TPWD Private Lands Biologist at (830) 424-3407 or Richard Heilbrun at the San Antonio TPWD Urban Wildlife Office at (210) 688-6444. * * Correction, June 20, 2006: The original version of this news release incorrectly stated the prices for the workshop. The prices above are correct. (Return to corrected item.) -30- [ Note: This item is more than six months old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: Tom Harvey, (512) 389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us ] [TH] June 19, 2006 Meeting Set on Lease of New Outdoor Recreation Land CROWELL, Texas -- The general public is invited to attend and provide comments on the proposed lease to Foard and Hardeman Counties of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lands known as the Crowell Brine Lake property. The 12,000-acre parcel of land is located northwest of the Town of Crowell in Foard County and is currently managed by the Corps as part of the Red River Chloride Control Project. A meeting to collect public comments and explain the proposed lease will start at 6 p.m., Tue., June27 at the Crowell State Bank conference room. The proposal is to lease the 12,000 acres of land to the counties for a variety of public use activities including fishing, hunting, wildlife observation, hiking and other outdoor uses. The counties will form a partnership which will take over day-to-day management of the land with the objective of providing increased public recreational opportunities on this property. Their management proposal includes a request to charge user fees for the various activities that will be permitted on the property. For more information on the proposal and the meeting, call John Tennery with the Corps of Engineers at (918) 669-7406 or Foard County Judge Charlie Bell at (940) 684-1424. -30-