LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley honored the state’s hunters and anglers on Monday during a ceremony in which he proclaimed Sept. 22 National Hunting and Fishing Day in Nebraska. For more than four decades, National Hunting and Fishing Day has recognized America’s hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September, remains an effective grassroots effort to promote the outdoor sports and conservation. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County and Rockford Lake in Gage County remain on health alert. During water testing earlier this week, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality detected elevated toxin levels produced by blue-green algal blooms in both lakes. Visitors to Willow Creek and Rockford Lake state recreation areas (SRA) should avoid full body contact activities such as swimming, wading, skiing, jet skiing, etc. Non-contact activities such as boating, fishing and camping are OK. Dog owners …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may begin donating deer to the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) program Sept. 1 at 16 processor locations around the state. Four additional processors will accept deer for the program starting in November. Hunters pay no processing costs for deer accepted by processors for this donation-driven program. The HHH program, which is funded solely by tax-deductible contributions, allows ground venison to be distributed by charitable organizations to Nebraskans in need. Hunters should first talk with processors, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – As summer begins to wrap up and fall hunting seasons approach, hunters should recommit themselves to staying safe in the field. Nebraska Hunter Education Coordinator Jackson Ellis says hunter safety involves the use of hunter orange, firearm rules and proper preparation. Hunter Orange Ellis said that since the beginning of Hunter Education and hunter (blaze) orange requirements in the mid-1970s, accidental shootings have decreased dramatically. He said a 2010 report by the Oregon Department of Fish and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – There are plenty of reasons to get excited for the start of Nebraska’s hunting seasons in September. None is bigger than the mixed bag opportunities across the state. Nebraska is where east meets west and north meets south, and our diverse habitats and wildlife offer mixed bag hunting opportunities not found anywhere else in the world. Sept. 1 opens up possibilities for hunting big game, small game and waterfowl. It is the start of the seasons for …

LINCOLN, Neb. – It should be a great weekend for fishing at the trout lake at Two Rivers State Recreation Area. Over the past few days, Grove Trout Rearing Station staff have stocked the lake with 4,750 trout. Of those, 740 were 11-inch tiger trout, 350 were 15-inch rainbow trout, and the remaining trout stocked were 11- to 12-inch rainbow trout. Spring fishing got off to a slow start at the lake. A cold, late spring slowed fishing in March …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Private landowners have until June 15 to enroll their land in the Open Fields and Waters (OFW) Program. Through OFW, landowners can earn additional income for allowing walk-in hunting, trapping and/or fishing access on their properties. John Laux, Upland Habitat and Access Coordinator for Nebraska Game and Parks, said OFW is a win-win for both private landowners and hunters. “Participating landowners benefit from the extra income and our hunters and anglers (who help fund the program) have …

LINCOLN, Neb — Go Ape, the nation’s leading treetop adventure company, is opening its first location in Nebraska on Saturday, April 28 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park near Ashland. The course, which was developed through a partnership with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, is centrally located between Lincoln and Omaha. The media is invited to attend a special preview on Arbor Day, Friday, April 27 at 11 a.m. “Eugene T. Mahoney State Park is a premier recreational destination …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Two Nebraska conservation officers received special recognition for their heroic efforts from the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association during the Jan. 19 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission meeting at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. Officer Bryce Streger helped families escape a western Nebraska wildfire and evacuated an elderly couple in the nick of time. Streger lost all of his personal belongings in the fire. Officer Brian Piernicky responded to an accident near Swanson Reservoir and located …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A bull elk tag will be auctioned off by the Nebraska Big Game Society (NBGS) on Thursday, April 12 in Lincoln. The event will be held at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club, 1800 Wilderness Woods Place. Those who wish to bid but cannot attend may call in their bids for free. Call-in bidders must first notify the NBGS by 5 p.m. on April 5 at 402-430-9191 or via email at NBGS11@gmail.com. Only residents are eligible for the tag, …