Trout Stocking in Texas – They have Arrived!

If you’ve ever wanted to catch a rainbow trout this is your change. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has already started trout stocking in Texas for 2012. This colorful, hard-fighting and tasty fish can be caught at a pond near you very soon. TPWD reports that ponds and streams at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) received their first stocking of rainbow trout this past Tuesday.

About 1,100 rainbow trout were stocked in total. Most were put into the TFFC casting pond and the pond next to the Conservation Center, but other streams and ponds received fish as well. Trout were also placed in the Hill Country Stream exhibit in the Visitor Center for viewing only. Continue reading Trout Stocking in Texas – They have Arrived!

Black Bear Sightings Reported in Texas

The range of the black bear once blanketed the state of Texas. Though black bear numbers began declining over a century ago, those numbers are now on the rise according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). As the saying goes, “where there is smoke, there is fire.” Increased wildlife management by government officials and landowners as well as protection over the years have created a more hospitable climate for bears. If you judge by recent reported sightings, the black bear is making a significant comeback in Texas. However, public interest in an animal often has a way of fueling additional sightings, especially during poor visibility conditions.

This is true not only with bears, but many other elusive and intriguing animals, such as mountain lions or sharks. In other words, some of the bear reports in Texas could be false. But maintaining these bear sightings with confirmed kills and photos helps piece together the bear population in the Lone Star State. Continue reading Black Bear Sightings Reported in Texas

Wildlife Management on Private Lands: Evaluating Habitat Requirements

Landowners are increasingly interested in wildlife and habitat management for native plants and animals. This is good because private lands and plant communities are becoming more and more fragmented, making it difficult to meet all of the needs of an animal on a single property. There are three essential ingredients of good wildlife habitat, and without them, wildlife can not exist. Food, cover and water are essential for all wild animals.

Food for Wildlife – Landowners interested in habitat management should first examine the plants on their property. Pay particular attention to the amount and distribution of trees, crops, brush and grass. Plant composition and structure largely determines the types of animals that can live on a plot of land. Plants are producers, the bottom of the food pyramid, and are needed by consumers (animals). Plants are not only used for food, but as for cover. They are critically important. Continue reading Wildlife Management on Private Lands: Evaluating Habitat Requirements