LINCOLN, Neb. – Free Fishing and Park Entry Day in Nebraska is May 20. It is the annual opportunity for families to enjoy a Saturday of fishing or state park activities without the need of buying a fishing or park entry permit for the day. Free Fishing and Park Entry Day, held in Nebraska on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day weekend, means anyone can explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park, state recreation area or state historical park. Anglers …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Crawdad Creek, a series of five shallow, interactive ponds that flows picturesquely into Jenny Newman Lake, has opened at Platte River State Park. Crawdad Creek is the first feature completed as part of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Venture Parks Complex, which calls for greatly expanded activities and amenities designed to meet the needs of a new generation of visitors at four parks – Platte River State Park, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, and Schramm Park …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has upgraded electrical campsite offerings, replaced aging water systems and other infrastructure, and upgraded or replaced shower houses and restrooms at dozens of state parks and recreation areas across Nebraska. Additionally, new features at state parks including lodging, an aquatic center, an interactive stream and more will provide park visitors with new experiences. Since 2014, Nebraska Game and Parks has made improvements at parks statewide, including:  Upgrading or replacing restrooms …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The popular Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium at Schramm Park State Recreation Area (SRA) will close temporarily for renovation beginning May 23. Construction is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2018. The remainder of the SRA, including trails, canyon ponds, picnic areas, playground and fossil exhibit, will remain open. A temporary office will be established at the park, within the current visitor center parking lot, to accommodate guests who wish to obtain park information or purchase permits. The renovation, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Eligible landowners may apply for one 2017 Nebraska elk hunting permit during the May 15 – June 2 application period. To download an application form, eligibility rules and hunting unit descriptions, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/huntingseasons. In addition, the 2017 Big Game Guide, a summary of Nebraska’s regulations, orders and statutes pertaining to big game hunting, is available online. The guide includes season dates and information for deer, elk, antelope and bighorn sheep. It also has permit requirements and fees, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Reports of ducks nesting under bushes and in gardens and landscaping near houses are common this time of year. Most reports are of concern about the hen and nest or how the ducklings, once hatched, will make it to the nearest water. “The best thing you can do for a hen and her nest is to leave them alone,” said Mark Vrtiska, waterfowl program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “I’ve seen a lot of …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska families fishing urban ponds and lakes will have additional angling opportunities as the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is stocking hybrid bluegill in 11 bodies of water. In total, 8,500 fish – a bluegill/green sunfish cross – will be stocked in May in the following bodies of water: Fort Kearny State Recreation Area Lake No. 6, Kearney; Weeping Water Park Pond, Weeping Water; Humboldt City Park Lake, Humboldt; Stanton Lake, Falls City; Fairgrounds Lake, Auburn; Steinhart …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A Teddy Roosevelt impersonator appearing May 13 at the Fort Kearny Outdoor Expo is funded by a grant from Humanities Nebraska (HN) and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. This impersonator will be just one component of a heritage encampment area at the Expo. The encampment area is an official event of the Nebraska sesquicentennial celebration. Other encampment activities will include outdoor heritage bingo, sample cast-iron Dutch oven food, and watching blacksmithing and hide tanning. The annual Expo, to …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Join the festivities May 13-14 as Ponca State Park (SP) celebrates Mother’s Day and International Migratory Bird Day. May 13’s activities include an introductory archery course, bird mask craft and face painting, interactive bird game, bluebird box building, and scavenger hunt. Fees apply to some activities. The park’s Mother’s Day buffet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 14 includes roast beef, ham, a salad bar, green beans almondine, cheesy potatoes and Dutch oven cobbler. The …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Residents and visitors of Johnson Lake should be aware of a seining operation this week to remove common carp from the lake. Johnson Lake Development Inc. has hired Jeff Riedemann, a commercial seine operator from Cambridge, Minnesota, to deploy a seine from a boat to capture and remove carp from the south-central Nebraska lake. Any seined game fish must be immediately released unharmed back into the water. The seining operation, which should not last more than a …