Moving to Texas; Enlighten Me!

[tarosean]

5. I love fishing for catfish so that excites me.

While fishing...
It would be advisable not to attempt to pick up the larger turtles you see. You could conceivably end up missing a finger or two. Snapping Turtles are plentiful in the waters. The closer to Houston and Lousy-ana (yes spelled correctly) you will see Alligators. Again advisable not to try and pick em up. Poisionous snakes are also plentiful.

Now on to the fun part.. take a CPR class if you dont already know how... You will need it to resuscitate your wife once she sees the size of the "wood" roaches here.

 

[Soapy5]

Welcome to TX! If you are willing to make the drive, http://www.topgunshootingclub.com/ has a 500yd range. Plus they allow FMJ at the 100, and have a small pistol area with some metal targets to pass the time while you wait for your barrel to cool off. Definitely my favorite range in the metroplex area.

 

[Nicolai]

Welcome to Texas!! Hope you and your family enjoy it, although the drought and heat lately has sure not been fun.
In case these haven't yet been posted, here are a couple of resources for you: Texas State Rifle Association (www.tsra.com) and the Texas Concealed Carry Forum (www.texaschlforum.com). Other than being a life member of TSRA, I don't have any other connection to the two, but they are both good resources for the shooting sports in Texas.

 

[doubleh]

Take your bug spray. The chiggers and ticks get big enough to drag you off into the bushes and no one will ever see you again.

 

[22-rimfire]

Unless it has changed, hunting the national forest land was always an option, but the problem is that there weren't many deer. I hope that has changed.

Joe T. Garcia's is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever visited. I hit one (another restaurant, there is only one Joe T's) in Winchester TN the other day and to my surprise, it ranks right up there with the better ones. In fact, went back the next night to eat.

If you are out tramping around, ALWAYS pay attention to where you step. There really are a lot of rattlesnakes. Cotton Mouths.... another one near water. Pay attention, because they are aggressive.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

Is there anyone left in Illinois? They seem to have all moved to Austin, along with the Kalifornians.

 

[NoobCannon]

Don't forget about Fire Ants. If you see their mounds popping up in your yard, keep your family away from them and cover those suckers in Amdro. Don't let up on the fight on the Red Menace!

 

[2ndAmFan]

Welcome to Texas! I live in the hill country about 4 or 5 hours from the Dallas area so I can't recommend any shooting ranges there. I haven't even been to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in over ten years. As another poster or two noted, there are landowners here who will let hunters take feral hogs on their property for free or for a very reasonable fee. There are others who want so much money you could probably save a bundle by hitting the meat department at a supermarket and buying a couple hundred pounds of pork instead. As long as you have a valid TX hunting license hogs are open season year-round, but the state likes to make money off hunting and fishing licenses so they all expire at 12:01am Sept.1, even if you just bought one a few days or weeks before. On the plus side they aren't expensive for Texas residents and I don't think it matters how long you've lived here as long as you have a Texas driver's license when you go to buy one. I may be wrong on that but I don't remember anyone asking me how long I've lived here when I've bought them.
Texans are generally among the friendliest people you'll ever meet, so make some friends here and you're bound to meet some folks who can help you get into some hog hunting.
Oh, I want to clarify about carrying a handgun hidden in the glovebox or some other out of sight area in your car in Texas without a CHL: It's only legal if you are driving the car. You can't legally stash your pistol in a friend's glovebox unless you're driving the vehicle. The person operating the vehicle must own the concealed gun.

 

[JustinJ]

"7. Dallas and Austin do not represent Texas and therefore not really considered part of Texas"

Due to Governor Pointy Boots i'll take that one as a compliment.

 

[451 Detonics]

I was about to ask about pizza when were there visiting there this past weekend but I wasn't sure we'd be successful in fulfilling the craving I was looking for. Any other places other than Arlington? I'm a deep dish guy, but my wife is more of a thin/pan lady.

Try Crystal's Pizza Palace in Ft Worth...private dining rooms, movie theater, great jalapeno pizza.

Joe T. Garcia's is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever visited. I hit one in Winchester TN the other day and to my surprise, it ranks right up there with the better ones. In fact, went back the next night to eat.

There is more than one? Last time I ate there you had to walk through the kitchen to get to the dining room, there was no menu...you just ordered dinner, and they always had a great mariachi playing in the evenings. Course that was in 1981...

Is there anyone left in Illinois? They seem to have all moved to Austin, along with the Kalifornians.

Lot's of transplants...damn near out number the real Texans...lol.

 

[JDBoardman]

Our current governor, Pretty Boy Rick, is not representative of Texas either. And we are not only overrun with feral hogs (estimated population: 3 million) and fire ants (the Red Menace mentioned above), Dallas and Austin are also overrun with yet another parasitic species - lawyers. There is a movement afoot to have them dec lared legally a pest species, with no bag limits, no closed season, and the right to shoot them over baited fields (say from the back of an ambulance). Unlike feral hogs, however, they cannot be eaten, they aren't even good fertilizer, and there are too many for them to be considered sport.

When you go to Joe T. Garcia's in the Stockyards, bring cash. They don't take plastic there. But the food is good enough to make up for the slight inconvenience. Texas food is NOT spicy, we just call it flavorful. Mother's milk around here is laced with Tabasco, so you get accustomed to ourom birth. Fort Worth labels itself "where the West begins" and it is the truth. Dallas is an effete Eastern city of liberal snobs, and it is run by crooked Democrats.

And by the way, there are gators up here as well as in East Texas. They have even been spooted in Lake Lewisville. That's why we refer to water skiing here as "trolling".

 

[CapnMac]

the wife and I love Mexican food

Well one thing you will quickly learn in the Denton-Tarrant Co area is thatmost places serbe TexMex, and Mexican is a separate sort of cuisine (and as specialized as Spainsh, or Argentine or the like). Further, TexMex comes in many varieties.

And, everyone has a favorite, and it's not the one you, like, that place is junk.
The same will be true of BBQ. Rarest thing in Texas is two people agreeing on one bbq place.

In case you have not noticed, the second food (after TexMex) in Texas is "Chicken-Fried Steak" (aka CFS). This is from German settlers who wanted wienerschnitzle and only had beef cube steak. The result is still sublime when done right, and ridiculous when wrong. No two people agree on the best CFS in Texas, either.

Some factoids to help you.
Texas is 800 miles wide, Texarkana to El Paso. It is 785 miles from El Paso to LA.
Texas is 600 miles north to south; it's 590 miles from Texarkana to Chicago.
Despite being 600 n/s miles as crow flies, the drive from Brownsville to Texline is 790 miles, almost as far as Orange to El Paso on I-10.

Texas has 254 Counties, and, other than the 5,6 major metropolitan areas, are the polity for one's community. There is no DMV. Driver's Licenses are issued by the Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Registration is handled by the County Tax office. Counties were named first, towns later--this is why the Counties do not often share names with the city which is the County Seat. Originally, the County Seat could not be more than one day's ride in a horse and wagon--this set the size for many of the Counties.

Crockett County is the size of Maryland; it has only one incorporated city, Ozona.

Texas has a State Anthem, "Texas, Our Texas" and a Pledge of allegiance (both are in Vernon's, in case you need to win the bar-bet).

Download a bunch of Gary P Nunn music. Listen to it carefully. Visit anyplace you hear mentioned twice.

Let your self be talked into driving to Austin. Even in the summer. Go watch the bats Emerge from under the Congress St bridge. Definitely stop and take a dip in Barton Springs.

Welcome, settle on in, tell a tale or two; expect to hear four, five in return.

 

[doc.lonestar]

In Ft Worth - Mercado Juarez, Joe T Garcia, and Uncle Julios are hands down the constants for the family and I. Really on the Mercado Juarez trip right now... I am feeling it calling for lunch right now lol.

I personally prefer Texas Roadhouse steakhouse to all others - great prices and I have never had a bad steak there

A secret I like to keep to myself but will share with all you since you're such good friends... All you can eat BBQ - Mainstreet BBQ in Bedford Euless area only open the weekends. The ribs and brisket are great and they never run out... its like magic.

Burgers - Twisted Root burger and Kincaids both are top notch authentic burgers

Babes chicken - be prepared to be amazed at how good fried chicken can be

Dang it now I have to go grab some food...

 

[oneounceload]

I'm moving from Illinois to Texas
welcome to the free part of the country

How's your Spanglish?.....

Used to live in the Tyler area, and then in the greater Houston area (before the 610 loop became the inner loop and FM1960 was WAY out in the country) - has grown considerably and with that come the typical problems endemic to many states and cities.

But overall, not a bad place.......

 

[xfyrfiter]

Personally I think that Texas should annex all of the states that were once Texas and secede. Once again be the country of Texas. LOL but I can wish.

 

[CapnMac]

. . .

 

[CapnMac]

See above, ain't no 'Q that's good less'n it's from an "L" city, Luling, Lincoln, Lockhart <g>

Oh, and Texas is big enough that the accent is regional. For instance, the interrogative verb of location is "wire" in East Texas. In west Texas, that's "wahr." To the north, it's "wehr." Down to the south, it's "¿donde?"

You need to remember these, in order:
¿Como dice? [ko-mow DEE-say] "how say?"
Cervesa frio [sear-VEH-sah free-OH] "cold beer"
Uno mas [OO-know mahs] "one more"
¿Donde es el baño para hombres? [don-DAY ess el bahn-YO pah-rah ohm-Brays] "Where is the men's rest room?"
Leve, por favor; soy nuevo aqui en Texas [leh-vay pour fah-VAH-vor soi new-EH-voh ah-KEY ehn Texas] "mild, please, I am new here in Texas" ("mas picante" wil lbe something you want to work up to).

 

[Cop Bob]

Welcome to the Republic Of Texas...

All previous posts have a wee bit O'Truth to them...

Barbecue is NOT a food, it is a Religion.. Try it with out the sauce, (dry) and then add to taste.. Your untrained Yankee taste buds may need some time to adjust..
True, Chili with beans IS a hanging offense in some parts... at the very lest it will lead to questions like "Y'all not from around hear are ya?"

Don't worry, you won't have to tell people your from "Up North" as soon as we hear ya talk we will know... but don't worry, there are more than enough transplants here, and the way has been cleared. We don't persecute Yankees near as much as we used too.. in fact the first part of the handle (Damned) was dropped a few years back .. We actually are Friendly... In fact, Texas,,, or Tejas (it's original form) was an Indian word for Friend...

The Hunting situation is as explained... but Hogs are open year round, no bag limits and no legal hours...Yes we hunt them at night... I like the Lawyer idea... there are more of them per-capita in Houston than anyplace on earth, I hear that is as high as 1 in 400, something about oil and gas bringing them in... Wonder what a Boone n Crockett Point System would look like for them..

Speaking of night, you ARE coming to Texas at a time of year when it is Hotter-n-Hell, But your lucky, your moving to the norther part of the state,, along the coast, the humidity is higher.. Most folks from your part of the world can't believe that you can actually "Wear Air" it IS that hot... and you WILL get tired of hearing, "It's not the Heat, It's the humidity"... BS... it's BOTH.. In the heat of the summer, at night is about the only time you can really spend any real time outside..

Austin has turned into a liberal cesspool, however, it is beautiful country.. It is worth the Visit... The food, entertainment, and History there is worth the trip.. at Stated, Barton Springs, Lake Travis (it the water lever ever comes back up) The Perdanales River.. all beautiful... There are GREAT places to eat there as well...

Texas has it ALL.... Beaches, Bayous, wonderful Lakes and fishing, fresh and Saltwater..., the hunting isn't bad, There are deserts, mountains, flat prairie, and rolling hills, Swamp Marsh, and dense Piney woods... Sagebrush and Mesquite, Colder n hell in the northern plains in winter, and citrus groves in the the south... Most important... JOBS

Galveston, and South Padre Island, San Antonio ALL need to be on your intrastate travel list... Heck if you live to be a hundred you will never see it all..

As stated, it is a bit like Mexico in places, the Mexican Government has laid down and let the cartels take over, before it was the booming economy that had most of the folks jumping the border for jobs, now it is crime.. ( in Mexico, not Texas)

It is changing, becoming more populated, heck my office today is just a few blocks from where I dove hunted when I was in High School..

Someone stated that you have to be BORN in Texas to be a Texan... I beg to Differ...
Texas is a State of Mind.. Anyone can come to Texas and Become a Texan... I would Defer to a quote by one of the most Famous Texans of All... David Crockett... Upon his resignation from the Tennessee House of Representatives... "You can All go to He77, for I am going to Texas!" there are very darn few that would argue that Davy Crockett was NOT a Texan, he may not have been Born one, but he dang sure Died One..!

My Family came to Texas in 1829, Two of my Uncles were with a group of men that caught up with a Feller named Santa Anna along a river bank just south east of what is now Houston..

As a life long native Texian (yep that's how its spelled) I welcome you to a whole new way of looking at life... and it is as good as you want it to be...

 

[JustinJ]

"Austin has turned into a liberal cesspool,"

Snarky comments in jest are one thing but i think that is far beyond board rules. Its sort of hard to imagine how a LE can treat all people fairly who makes such comments.

 

[oneounceload]

Austin DOES tend to lean more to a liberal bent, like Boulder CO - that's just true - whether it is due to the college or not is debatable

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Texas is 600 miles north to south; it's 590 miles from Texarkana to Chicago.

?

It's more like *800* miles from Brownsville to Dalhart and about the same from Texarkana to Chicago.

And Joe T. Garcia's is highly overrated; you'll find better Mexican food on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. There are plenty of better, cheaper places around. Los Jarros in Arlington, for example.

 

[JoeMal]

Loving all the info in this thread!

 

[animator]

When you go to Joe T. Garcia's in the Stockyards, bring cash. They don't take plastic there. But the food is good enough to make up for the slight inconvenience. Texas food is NOT spicy, we just call it flavorful. Mother's milk around here is laced with Tabasco, so you get accustomed to ourom birth. Fort Worth labels itself "where the West begins" and it is the truth. Dallas is an effete Eastern city of liberal snobs, and it is run by crooked Democrats.

And by the way, there are gators up here as well as in East Texas. They have even been spooted in Lake Lewisville. That's why we refer to water skiing here as "trolling".

Joe T. Garcias now has an ATM if you don't have cash. They have two, because one is usually empty.

It's worth it if you don't mind waiting.



Pappas Bros, Bobs Chophouse, Bone Daddy's, The Butcher Shop, Y.O., St. Martin's, Bolsa, BJ's Brewhouse, TX Land & Cattle, and way too many more to mention are all good places to check out.



A reported 900lb alligator was killed on the Trinity River a few days ago... shot, oddly enough, by a lawyer.

 

[animator]

Welcome to the Republic Of Texas...


Speaking of night, you ARE coming to Texas at a time of year when it is Hotter-n-Hell...

Speaking of Hotter 'N Hell, if you're into road cycling, the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred is coming up in a few months. It's the country's largest Century ride, located in ***, Texas, and brings in over 13,000 riders for a long, hot, windy and generally miserable fun day of endurance riding. I've been doing them since 2006.

100 miles isn't really *that* difficult...

 

[451 Detonics]

Someone stated that you have to be BORN in Texas to be a Texan... I beg to Differ...

Nope...best you can hope for is to become an Honorary Texan and that has a residency requirement of at least 15 years (unless you die in service of the Republic, then it is awarded automatically), being a Native Son (or Daughter) requires being birthed inside the Republic.

My citizenship was awarded to me on my birth in El Paso by Robert P Fox, Skipper of the Rio Grande and Keeper of the Wagon Tongue.