A chili with south-of-the border influence. Lower in fat and every bit as tasty as traditional chili, there are as many versions of venison chili as there are beef.  My take on this classic, cold-season dish is stew-like. This venison chili is slow cooked with both ground and stew meat and also three different kinds of beans for a hearty, satisfying texture. Not-so-secret ingredients include a dash of brown sugar and molasses to create depth and balance out heat. Instead …

Editor’s Note: With summer not-so-far behind us, Jessica Franke Carr’s essay, “The Magician,” is a reminder of the bonds that can be forged anytime a family encounters nature together, regardless of how small the scale. By Jessica Franke Carr Henry always wears lime green Crocs, but he can get away with it because he’s only three years old. A grown man or woman would attract disapproving stares or outright censure if caught frolicking in such fluorescent hues. The shoes’ garishness …

Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners and staff are in the midst of the Rooster Roundup — a quest to hunt pheasants on public land throughout Nebraska. The fourth stop on their journey is described below. Commissioners Lynn Berggren and Bob Allen completed two days of upland hunting this afternoon in Antelope, Knox and Dixon counties. This was their fourth hunt during the Rooster Roundup, after leaving off at Davis Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in late November.  On Monday, Dec. 14, …

Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners and staff are in the midst of the Rooster Roundup — a quest to hunt pheasants on public land throughout Nebraska. The second stop on their journey is described below. Continuing the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Rooster Roundup, which left off at Sherman Reservoir Wildlife Management Area on Monday, Commissioners Lynn Berggren, Bob Allen, Dick Bell and friend Sam Sampson headed out to the rainwater basin wetlands south of Aurora Thursday morning. An Aurora resident …

Pumpkin patch goers and Goldilocks have one thing in common: everything has to be just right. Because of this, choosing the right pumpkin can be quite a task. Story and photos by Sarah Kocher Imagine, then, trying to grow enough perfect pumpkins for hundreds of patch guests. As a strictly October squash, commercial pumpkins are 10 months of work for two months of payoff. As soon as one Halloween is over, the next is already on the radar. According to …

Professors lead squirrel studies with broader applicability.  By Sarah Kocher You could say Wesleyan biology professors Cody Arenz and Gary Gerald have gone a little nuts. Nevertheless, the pair has been radio-tracking campus squirrels since a revamped entry-level biology course debuted in the spring semester of 2015.  The goal: field biology in an urban setting. “Being at Nebraska Wesleyan… it’s a challenge to just dart outside, watch some mountain lions and dart back inside in a three-hour lab period,” Arenz …

Thank you to all who attended the grand opening at Danish Alps State Recreation Area (SRA) at the beginning of August. For those who missed it, there’s plenty of summer left to visit this new SRA. Whether you RV, tent or horse camp, Danish Alps offers many amenities, including full hookups for RV campers, an equestrian camping area with electricity, plenty of tent camping sites, ADA cement pads, picnic tables, fire rings and showers. Kramper Lake has been stocked with …

Story and Photos by Sarah Kocher Simply put, JoLeisa Cramer’s job has one focus: how things spread. Cramer is a technician for the Nebraska Invasive Species Program, and half of her job is about spreading awareness of the destruction invasive species almost always leave in their wake. The other half involves testing lakes for aquatic invasive species to prevent their introduction or growth. She spreads one to stop the other. “Prevention is the best tool we have for invasive species,” …

By Sarah Kocher I don’t know if you could really call it a treasure hunt, but the prize glistens in the sun nonetheless. I’m out with amateur beekeeper Scott Flynn on a search for his queen bee; she’s been MIA for days now, and hives without queens are like zombies: scary, with little direction and less staying power. Needless to say, she’s a queen for a reason. I’m out with my uncle researching beekeeping, and I have conveniently forgotten that …

The Bowfishing Mentor Program at Ponca State Park is currently open for registration. The course will be taught over four nights, June 4, 11, 18 and 19 from 6-8:30 p.m. Limited to 25 registrants, students must be 10 years old as of January 1, 2015. Students will learn basic bowfishing skills, including knowledge on archery equipment; how to find, identify, and shoot fish; and cleaning and cooking fish. The program is sponsored by the Nebraska Big Game Conservation Association and …