Hey Kids! Become a Junior Ranger at Hagerman NWR




Junior Wildlife Ranger Program Begins at HNWR
By Jean Flick


Hagerman NWR has joined forces with the Junior Wildlife Ranger program, a project of the Earth Island Institute. The goal of the program is to encourage kids to get outside and get involved with nature. To receive a Junior Wildlife Ranger badge, children complete the HNWR Nature Journal, which involves participation in activities such as identifying animal tracks, completing a nature scavenger hunt, and finding birds. After the completed Nature Journal is reviewed by staff or volunteers at the Visitor Center, the badge is awarded.


Started in 2013 as Junior Refuge Rangers, the program is expanding, with refuges in four states currently participating and others starting soon. The online platform  (juniorwildliferanger.org) allows kids and families to learn about the National Wildlife Refuge system and check out locations where they can earn badges, and, more importantly, learn about wildlife and conservation. An interactive map takes kids to refuge spotlights, including a spotlight of Hagerman NWR (http://www.juniorwildliferanger.org/hagerman-profile.html)


Last year, more than 2000 children participated in guided hikes at HNWR through school field trips and other scheduled events. Many more visit the refuge with family. Courtney Anderson, a refuge biologist, often leads these guided hikes along Harris Creek Trail. She states that a favorite activity of kids is finding and identifying animal tracks.


Earning a Junior Wildlife Ranger badge provides a means of recognition for kids who engage in hands-on learning about wildlife and offers children a sense of connection with other kids across the country who are exploring the natural world and gaining an understanding of environmental stewardship.




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Fishing Report from TPWD (Apr. 24)

GOOD. Water normal stain; 63 degrees; 1.32 feet below pool. Striped bass fishing is great on live shad in 30-40 feet of water on main lake points and ledges. Top waters working early around rocky banks, be on the lookout for white birds on the banks early. It will only get better as the striper finish their spawn and the shad start theirs. Crappie fishing is good on brush piles using jigs in 14-18 feet of water. Electronics help locate active fish roaming and sticking the brush. Monkeys milk and mo glo colors working the best. Bass fishing is good on top waters early and swim baits off the banks late morning. Live shad producing numbers and big spawned out fish along the bluffs. Catfish are fair on cut shad and prepared baits anchored in 40-50 feet of water in creek channels and near ledges. Look along the rocks for blues and channels spawning and looking for shad. Report by Jacob Orr, Guaranteed Guide Service Lake Texoma. Hybrid stripers are good on topwater along the bank early in the morning. Watch for egrets and seagulls. Then switch to sassy shad 4 inch glo on flats and points in 10-20 feet of water. Shad continue to spawn. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.

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