The State Fair of Texas® had a new guest on the grounds in 2013, Texas Parks and Wildlife.
From Friday, Sept, 27 through Sunday, Sept. 29 Texas Parks and Wildlife set up in the Poultry Science building where it featured a variety of exhibits.
Trey Hamlett, outreach and recruitment manager for Texas Parks and Wildlife, said the State Fair is an event they have wanted to come to for years.
“What we are after are people who don’t know they want to go outside and go hunting, fishing or camping at a state park,” Hamlett said, “and the crowds at the State Fair provide that for us.”
“We come to the State Fair and have the opportunity to show them what is available and that is what we want.”
The exhibits presented a variety of outdoor activities for participants including a live fishing tank, archery and touch tanks with snakes and alligators.
“We try to make it a mix of everything we do,” Hamlett said. “Whether it is hunting, fishing or non-consumptive activities like paddling and rock climbing.”
The exhibit’s activities provided not only information, but an experience for participants. All the activities were hands-on and had participants actively engaged.
“Everything we do is a hands-on activity,” Hamlett said. “We don’t want to just tell people things, we want people to do things and engage them.”
Even at the exhibit featuring shark jaws and fossils, participants are able to touch them to learn more about them.
“The exhibit has something for everybody,” Hamlett said. “The range of activities provides something for all ages, from puzzles and simulated fishing for younger ages to air rifle shooting and live-fishing for older ages.”
Hamlett said the Texas Parks and Wildlife would love to come back to the State Fair again.
“We will probably change a few things so the people who came last year will see something a little bit different.”