Now this small state park provides a grand wildlife viewing opportunity on summer evenings. Air dates March 25-31, 2018 & September 23-29, 2018Įast Texas Turkeys, Old Tunnel Bats & Returning BassĬonservationist and hunter Terrance Jackson will be the first to tell you, “If Wild Turkeys could smell, they'd be nearly impossible to hunt.” Follow Terrance as he travels across East Texas working to restore and harvest the Eastern Wild Turkey.Ībandoned by train traffic long ago, a century-old tunnel near Fredericksburg has become a seasonal home for millions of bats. PBS Show East Texas Turkeys, Old Tunnel Bats & Returning Bass, #2624 Most bats exit through the south end of the tunnel, spiraling in a counter-clockwise direction in order to gain altitude over nearby trees. On summer nights, the Old Tunnel bats usually emerge within an hour before or after sunset. During this migration, they can fly at altitudes of 10,000 feet and speeds of 60 mph.
Old Tunnel bats usually leave the tunnel in late October, and fly to Mexico. The title Mexican is added to their name because they migrate to Mexico in the winter months. The Mexican Free-tailed bat is a medium-sized bat, weighing about 12-15 grams (12 paperclips). In July and August there are over three million Mexican Free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) and 1,000-3,000 Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer) in Old Tunnel. mexicana) and 3,000 Cave myotis (Myotis velifer) from April to October, more mammals than any other WMA.įrom May to October, visitors come to watch the bats emerge from the tunnel each night, and nightly educational programs provide guests with a better understanding of the life history and ecology of bats. The abandoned railroad tunnel is home to up to three million Brazilian free-tailed bats (T. The Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area is the smallest Wildlife Management Area in Texas, containing only 16.1 acres of land. Take the short, scenic drive out to the Old Tunnel State Park and enjoy our nightly bat emergence. They are there to try to catch an evening meal for themselves.įor more information on the Old Tunnel State Park and the many other great things to do in and around Fredericksburg, go to. One of the things I think is kind of neat is that you often will see hawks perched in the trees south of the tunnel. They then stream towards the river to get water before they leave on their nightly hunt. Many of the bats emerge from the south end of the tunnel and have to circle counter-clockwise to gain enough altitude to get above the trees that have grown up at the end of the cave. Seating is first come, first served and is limited to 70 visitors. The lower viewing area is open on Thursday through Sunday evenings for special educational presentations and the fee for the lower viewing area is $5 per person regardless of age. The upper viewing deck is open nightly at no charge. There is a parking area and both upper and lower viewing decks. The bat tunnel is located about 10 miles south of Fredericksburg on the Old San Antonio Road. It is always best to call ahead for the current emergence time.
They usually emerge about an hour or so before sunset, but that can vary by an hour or more each evening. The bats return to the Texas Hill Country in late spring, typically around May and make their home in the tunnel until around October. But unlike other bat caves in the Texas Hill Country, the tunnel is open on both ends. Some people refer to it as the Fredericksburg bat cave. It was abandoned in 1941 and the bats began to make it their summer home soon after that. The tunnel was originally constructed in 1913 as part of a railroad spur from San Antonio to Fredericksburg, Texas. This old abandoned railroad tunnel is home to millions of Mexican free-tailed bats during the summer months. Hi, Daryl Whitworth here at the Bat Tunnel State Park just south of Fredericksburg, Texas. Bats at Old Tunnel State Park: Visit Fredericksburg TX
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