Mudfish Adventures

Andrew Austin is a conservationist, duck call maker and wildife photographer from East Texas. He hosts the Wildlife Experience Podcast.

Learn more about Andrew Here: https://linktr.ee/thetexasnaturalist

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In 1981 a small group of bighorn supporters formed the Texas Chapter of FNAWS (Foundation for North American Wild Sheep) and the Texas Bighorn Society, and began an intense lobbying effort to obtain support for the re-introduction effort in the Texas Legislature and with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. These two groups later merged under the auspices of the Texas Bighorn Society. Their efforts garnered the support of House Speaker Gib Lewis, TP&W Commissioner Perry Bass, Director Charles Travis, and others for refunding the bighorn sheep program.

In 1982-83 TBS raised over $200,000.00 to construct four 10-acre brood pastures in the Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area to serve as the center of the revitalized bighorn re-introduction efforts. In 1983 this facility was formally donated to the State of Texas to be managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. The donation of desert bighorns from Arizona, Nevada and Utah, and transported to Texas by TBS members, began Texas's wild sheep herd. To date, more than 175 lambs have been raised and released into the mountains of Texas from this facility!

Beginning in 1996, Elephant Mountain WMA has been the site of the Texas Grand Slam Hunt, which has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars for sheep management in Texas. As our sheep numbers increase, so will the number of hunting opportunities both on private land and thru public drawings. These permits will create many once in a lifetime experiences for Texas sportsmen/women.

Today, nearly 1500 bighorns roam seven locations in the mountains of West Texas, but the story is not over… TBS is dedicated to returning bighorns to all their native ranges in the state, which would take those numbers closer to 3000 of these desert monarchs. All money raised from membership dues and our annual Roundup Weekend and Auction is used exclusively to help return desert bighorns to the mountains and people of Texas. Your membership and participation in TBS activities such as our Roundup and annual "hands on" work projects can help make this dream a reality!

www.https://www.texasbighornsociety.org

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Steven obtained his bachelor's degree in Freshwater Biology from Tarleton State University in 2009 and his master's degree in Fisheries Science from Texas A&M in 2013. While at Tarleton Steven worked for Harrell Arms at Arms Fish Farm and Bait Company. In 2011 he founded Texas Pro Lake Management. He strives every day to take a scientific approach to helping his clients maximize the production of their fisheries.

Outside of TPLM Steven has written for Wired2Fish, taught as an adjunct professor for Tarleton State University, and served as an instructor and camp coordinator for Bass Brigade youth leadership camp. In 2021 Steven helped Major League Fishing found their Fisheries Management Division and leads their conservation efforts today.

Steven is a member of Texas Aquatic Plant Management Society, Texas Chapter of American Fisheries Society, Southern Division of American Fisheries Society, Society of Lake Management Professionals, Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Board, Texas Brigades Board, Texas Freshwater Fisheries Advisory Committee, and the Major League Fishing Anglers Association Board.

Kanyan obtained her bachelor's degree in Wildlife Sustainability and Ecosystem Sciences with double minors in Fisheries and Biology from Tarleton State University in 2020. While in undergrad Kanyan completed a summer internship with Texas Pro Lake Management in 2018. Following graduation she worked as a seasonal hatchery fisheries technician for Texas Parks and Wildlife at the TFFC Hatchery. She then returned to Tarleton State University and completed her MBA in 2021.

Kanyan's role at TPLM includes servicing lake management accounts located west of Fort Worth and working directly with Steven on a daily basis. Outside of TPLM Kanyan currently assist in the management of American Fisheries Societies Habitat Section social media and blog accounts, serves as an instructor Bass Brigade summer youth leadership camp, is Texas Parks and Wildlife Angler Education certified, and provides social media management to Professional Angler Gary Klein.

Kanyan is a member of Texas Chapter of American Fisheries Society, Texas Wildlife Association, Bass Brigade secretary treasurer, serves on the Women of Aquatics board of directors, and American Fisheries Society Habitat Section.

www.txprolake.com

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Kat is a late on-set hunter that recently completed the Women Hunt Program, which is a program for women to learn all the knowledge and skills to be a successful hunter and conservationist.

Learn more about the Women Hunt program visit www.wildsheepfoundation.org/womenhunt

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Chester has worked as a wildlife journalist since he was 19 years old. He is Editor-In-Chief of Texas Fish & Game, host of "Moore Outdoors" radio on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI, host of the Higher Calling Wildlife and Dark Outdoors podcasts and author of 15 books on fishing, hunting and wildlife.

He has contributed to Sports Afield, Sport Fishing, Deer & Deer Hunting, Tide, In-Fisherman, Sport Fishing, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, Gulf Coast Fishermen, Hunter's Horn, Game Trails, The ZAA Journal and dozens more.

He is a highly sought after lecturer having given more than 500 speeches on everything from wild sheep conservation to flounder fishing.

At 20 years old Chester was given his first conservation award by the Sportsman's Conservationist of Texas. It was their "Youth Conservationist Of The Year" award.

The next year he became the first person to win back to back awards receiving their "Conservation Communicator Of The Year" honor.

Since then he has earned multiple accolades for his conservation work from the Texas Outdoor Writer's Association, was named Conservationist of the Year by the Texas Soil & Conservation District in 2009, was given the Mossy Oak Outdoors Legacy Award for his work with kids an wildlife in 2017 and named a Hero of Conservation by Field & Stream magazine.

In 2020 he won the Advocatus Magni Award from the National Wild Turkey Federation for his work with wild turkeys as part of his Turkey Revolution project.

https://highercalling.net

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Ranchy Fairy's Motto is "My goal is to help you be more successful when you actually hook something or when arrows hit something! No B.S. NO clickbait, extreme logic, and you'll learn something. Or just be stupid forever."

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A native of Stillwater, Okla, Todd graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1992 with degrees in wildlife / fisheries ecology and communications. He has worked in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a handicapped children's camp nature instructor and in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado as a Ranger for the U.S. Forest Service.

He currently works for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, where for twenty years Todd has been a producer and staff writer and photographer for Outdoor Oklahoma television show and magazine. In 2001, Todd was selected as host and producer of the award-winning weekly show that is seen in more than 250,000 homes each week across the state.

Todd's credentials as a seasoned outdoorsman are numerous, but the greatest accomplishment of his life has been the ability to overcome monumental physical obstacles. Not even multiple birth defects to his arms, hands, legs and feet, or growing up in a wheelchair could slow Todd down from becoming easily the most widely-recognized outdoorsman in Oklahoma.

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