Birders Hail New Mexico Parks
By The Dallas Morning News
Apr. 29–TEXAS & NEIGHBORS Three state parks in New Mexico have been recognized as “important bird areas” by Audubon New Mexico.
Percha Dam, Caballo Lake and Elephant Butte state parks are among the state’s best birding locations, conservation officials say. The three parks contain nearly 78,000 acres of land and water habitat that is critical for birds and other wildlife.
A recent wetland restoration project at Percha Dam State Park includes work on a pond and the planting of 200 native trees. New Mexico State Parks also is planning a wetland restoration project at Caballo Lake beginning late this year.
Contact: 1-888-667-2757; www .nmparks.com.
WEST TEXAS
Hunter sets state record for desert bighorn sheep
A ram killed this year in the Beach Mountains near Van Horn in West Texas is the new Texas record desert bighorn sheep, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
The hunter, Stephanie Altimus of Arizona, operates a hunting guide service with her husband in 10 western states.
The record was determined by a scoring system used for rating bighorn sheep.
Native Texas bighorn sheep are believed to have been extinct by the early 1960s, but a restoration program involving state and federal wildlife agencies, conservation groups and landowners brought in sheep from other states and eventually created a population large enough to allow limited hunting.
Twelve bighorn sheep hunting permits were issued in Texas this year. The most recent state survey counted about 820 bighorns living in rugged areas such as the Beach Mountains.
To see the record ram: www.texas bighornsociety.org. Additional information about bighorns: www.tpwd .state.tx.us.
OKLAHOMA
Wyandotte Nation
opens new casino
A new casino operated by the Wyandotte Nation has opened in Wyandotte in northeastern Oklahoma.
The 24-hour Wyandotte Nation Casino joins at least nine other casinos operating in Ottawa County, including the tribe’s small Lucky Turtle Casino about 150 yards away in a strip shopping center.
The new gaming floor includes more than 520 electronic games, eight blackjack tables, three-card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em and a poker room. The casino also has a restaurant, a bar and a lounge.
Contact: 918-678-4946; www.wy andottecasinos.com.
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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