Wild game with pasta? You bet. While I was growing up, spaghetti wasn’t a favorite. My brother and I ate a lot of the canned stuff, and we ate numerous pastas from boxes. If we were low on food in the pantry, my mom would sometimes do the unthinkable by using ketchup for sauce, which still traumatizes me to this day. Don’t get me wrong: My mother is a fantastic Vietnamese cook, but when she decided to go “ethnic” – which …

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out Bald Eagle Days at the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center by Gavins Point Dam! Bald eagles have become a common winter resident in Nebraska and now is the perfect time to see them. To find out more about bald eagles in Nebraska, please visit http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/wildlife/wildlife_species_guide/eagles.asp

The Spring Muster event at Fort Hartsuff commemorates the outbreak of the Civil War on April 12, 1861. The fort comes alive as soldiers, women and children occupy the parade grounds, barracks and quarters to carry out day-to-day activities.

Since I was unsuccessful at finding any hunting grounds this weekend, I spent opening day helping out at the deer check station at the Norfolk Game and Parks Office. It was a fantastic learning experience. And I also got to meet some really nice people with some really nice deer. The best ones were the kids and the ladies who came in, especially when it was their first deer. All animals we saw were young, all 3 1/2 years and …

Think you have the best man cave in the state? NEBRASKAland Magazine is looking for the most decked out, unique and jaw -dropping man caves in all 93 counties. Send us photos of your sanctuary and it can be featured in the magazine or online. Ladies, you’re welcome to send submissions, too! Show us where you hang out with the boys (or girls), where you contemplate your next hunt and where you proudly display all your accomplishments in the field. …

The Pheasants Forever Rooster Road Trip held in northeast Nebraska this past Wednesday was a success! 12 pheasants and 8 quail were harvested in just one morning on public land in the Open Fields and Waters Program. I’d like to thank the Pheasants Forever crew, PF National Board Member Dick Bell, NGPC Commissioners Mick Jensen and Lynn Berggren, Scott Wessel, Josh Konouvsky and Mark Davis from the Omaha World-Herald for making this happen and for inviting me along.

I attended my first Missouri River Expo a couple weeks ago, and I had a great time! For those who have never been (which may not be many of you), the Expo runs for 3 days in September — Friday, Saturday and Sunday. While Saturday and Sunday are open to the public and are the busiest days, Friday is only open to elementary schools. Nearly a thousand 5th graders this year received a private sneak peek before the general public …

One of my favorite moments in the past few weeks was going Canada goose banding with the wildlife guys. We’re all used to seeing birds with bands on their legs, but actually seeing it done is an absolute rodeo! It was like herding cattle… except with geese and boats on the water. I couldn’t help but laugh. Goose banding is done during a certain time period of the year, when the geese lose their flight feathers during molting. Even without …

When it comes to Instagram, there are two camps: those who absolutely love it and those who hate it. A lot of hardcore photographers will grumble and gripe, criticizing the application and its users because it’s not “real photography.” And they’re right. Instagram is NOT photography. It requires very little technical know-how that real photographers who use real cameras spend years to perfect. Unless if you actually know how to work a real camera, I would advise Instagram users to …

I went to Fort Atkinson yesterday for a Press Day Event. In addition to meeting great people from the media, I also had the pleasure of bumping into Greg Wagner. Here are some photos of Greg’s brief stint as an 1820s infantryman. Always a pleasure, Greg. 🙂 Here are some more photos from the Press Day event. We had a great turn out. Professionals from the press and the community attended. Here’s Julie Ashton from the Friends of Fort Atkinson …