LINCOLN, Neb. – The Sutherland team of brothers Hunter and Jaron Cooper won the Bass Federation – Student Angler Federation Nebraska High School Bass Tournament Championship at Lewis and Clark Lake’s Weigand Marina on July 21. The team, coached by Kent Priel, caught five fish weighing a total of 12 pounds, 4 ounces. A Star City Anglers team from Wahoo took second place. Colton Kelle of Beatrice and McKael Gollin of Firth caught five fish weighing 9 pounds, 13 ounces. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in August. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. July 31-Aug. 2 – Learn to Hunt Camp, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln Aug. 1 – Squirrel hunting season opens Aug. 1 – Registration begins for Harvest Information Program Aug. 1 – Family Fishing Event, Mormon Island State …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Omaha service center will be closed until further notice. The office, located at 8495 Frederick St., was damaged when the Popcorn Shop, located in the same shopping center, caught fire early Monday morning. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Game and Parks staff were evaluating the extent of the damage to the Omaha office Monday morning. It is unclear how long the office will remain closed. In the meantime, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Participate in a free workshop on brush removal and mulching July 26 near Branched Oak State Recreation Area. Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host this habitat tour from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Branched Oak Maintenance Shop, 13401 W. Branched Oak Road. The tour will include demonstrations of brush removal techniques, chipping and mulch dispersal. Contact Bruce Sprague for more information at 402-335-7531 or bruce.sprague@ne.usda.gov.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Four free workshops on the use of growing season burns are scheduled across Nebraska in August. Each workshop will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include lunch, live burn demonstration, and interactive discussion on summer burns. The workshops will be held Aug. 9 near Odessa, Aug. 14 at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Denton, Aug. 16 near Hartington, and Aug. 28 near Wisner. To register or view more information on each workshop, visit http://nebraskapf.com/product-category/tours. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host several Learn to Hunt workshops this fall to help individuals prepare for upcoming hunting seasons. These workshops are designed to improve confidence and expand knowledge for those with little or no experience. Presenters will discuss strategies, equipment, biology and techniques. Registration at OutdoorNebraska.gov/workshops is required as space is limited. The workshop schedule is: Aug. 28 – dove hunting, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln Aug. 30 – …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A health alert is in effect for Rockford Lake State Recreation Area (SRA) in Gage County. During water testing earlier this week, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality detected elevated toxin levels produced by blue-green algal blooms in Rockford Lake. Visitors to Rockford Lake 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 are urged to keep pets out …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), introduced the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act on Tuesday, July 17. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, if passed, would invest in proactive, voluntary, incentive-based habitat conservation projects with private landowners by implementing Nebraska’s State Wildlife Action Plan, called the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project. Habitat improvements would benefit rare species, as well as common species such as turkeys and deer, by enhancing grasslands, combating invasive …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Compete in a unique triathlon in which kayaking replaces swimming as one of the legs. Crofton’s Dam Race is scheduled for July 28 at Lewis and Clark Lake State Recreation Area. The event includes a 1-mile kayak paddle on Lewis and Clark Lake, 5K run through the park’s Weigand Campground, and a 12-mile bicycle ride into Crofton, where a barbeque and celebration will await competitors. Compete as individuals or teams. Participants must be at least 14 years …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The die-off of white bass May 26 at Lake Maloney was not the result of any infectious diseases, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The cause can be attributed to the fish being concentrated in a localized area of the lake, stress due to spawning and a brief period of poor water quality. Samples were collected and submitted to a fish health laboratory following the die-off. Results from tissue samples indicated several possible causes, but …