Hunting adventures can instill a love of the outdoors in children and create memories for a lifetime. Now, more than ever, it's important to be an outdoor mentor to a child. Here are 3 ways you can share the tradition of hunting this holiday season:

1. Introduce a child to hunting through youth hunting opportunities.
2. Kids interested in hunting don't always have a hunting family to introduce them to the sport. Offer your guidance by becoming a hunt mentor. 
3. Gift a hunting license or Hunter Education course to a beginning hunter.

Read the story Deer Hunt on the Dobbs to find out what it's like to take six kids out on their first hunting trip (big fun ensued!). Let it inspire you to share your appreciation of the outdoors with a youngster. 

Everyone wants to make a clean shot that takes down game within sight. But even with a well-placed shot, you may find yourself trailing a wounded animal for recovery. Be prepared by reading Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine's tips to track and recover wounded game.

Tracking and recovery skills are key to every hunter’s success. They are just some of the skills you learn in Hunter Education. Anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971 must complete Hunter Ed. to hunt in Texas. If you misplace your certification, print a copy at no cost. Then keep that proof in your pocket while hunting. 

Pronghorn are at the heart of wild Texas. But the survival of Trans-Pecos pronghorn is not guaranteed. They are one of more than 1,300 species of concern that need our help. Pronghorn will have a better shot at survival if the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) passes.

RAWA is a bipartisan bill that, if passed, will give Texas more than $63 million each year for conservation of at-risk wildlife species. Funding will come out of existing monies received from energy and mineral production. Visit Texas Alliance for America’s Fish and Wildlife to find out more.

Many other game species, including pintail ducks, will benefit if RAWA goes through. But it may not pass unless people who care – people like you – take action. Contact your U.S. Representatives to let them know you expect their support of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.  #SpeakOut4Wildlife

Ready to embrace your inner chef? Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine visited chef Jesse Griffiths' venison prep class and came away with 5 venison recipes that will wow a holiday crowd, whatever the event. 

Having folks over for brunch? Include the Venison Chorizo. At lunchtime, serve Venison Pho, a delicious twist on the Vietnamese noodle soup. If your group plays dominoes or board games, offer Venison Liverwurst Pâte on crackers. And if you've got some time, Stuffed Venison Flank will elevate any holiday dinner.

If you have a favorite venison recipe you'd like to spice up, the story also includes a list of herbs, spices and other flavorings that complement deer meat. Serve your wild game harvest with pride and have a savory holiday! 

It can be hard to identify birds in flight, but it's a necessary skill for a good hunter of waterfowl or any other migratory game bird.

If you can't accurately I.D. ducks, you'll soon face a bag limit problem. Should you take a non-targeted duck, don't dump the carcass – it's both unethical and illegal. Instead, before your hunt, study a duck identifier (PDF) to become a better waterfowl hunter.

Whooping cranes are endangered, highly protected birds. They can be easily confused with sandhill cranes or even geese, so learn to tell the difference by watching our video, Be Sure Before You Shoot and by looking over our tips to I.D. whooping cranes.

If in doubt, do not take the shot. If you accidentally take a whooping crane, immediately contact the county's Texas game warden and explain your mistake.