Nebraskaland Magazine
LINCOLN – Nebraska’s fifth annual special youth pheasant hunt was a success this year, with mentors providing youth with a safe, positive and successful hunting experience.
This year, 350 youth age 15 and under and 295 adult mentors participated in the special hunt Oct. 24 – 25 at 10 wildlife management areas (WMA).
“Participating youth were very excited and enthusiastic about the hunt,” said Jeff Lusk, upland game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Mentors and youth were very grateful that the Commission had established the program, so that they can hunt pheasants and know that they’ll get an opportunity to see a pheasant, if not get a shot at one.”
Pheasants were released on the following WMAs: Twin Oaks, Wilkinson, Branched Oak, Peru Bottoms, Cornhusker, Sherman Reservoir, Pressey, Yankee Hill, Hickory Ridge, and Oak Valley. The program was expanded to include Cornhusker, located west of Grand Island in Hall County, because of the past popularity of the program and its success at the other sites.
For many of the youth, this special hunt is their first hunting experience. Many have said they planned to hunt pheasants during the regular season, as well. The youth season is annually held the weekend before the regular season opens.
The regular season is Oct. 31 – Jan. 31, 2016. Before the Thanksgiving weekend, the Commission again will release pheasants on the same WMAs used for the special youth hunt. This is to increase hunter opportunities over the holiday weekend to encourage families to go afield hunting together.
To view the Commission’s 2015 Upland Game Hunting Outlook, visit OutdoorNebraska.org, and then click on Hunting, Upland Game, and Forecast.
