By Justin Haag A weekly radio segment featuring topics of the Nebraska Panhandle’s great outdoors. This week, the topic is jackrabbits. Justin Haag · Panhandle Afield: Jackrabbits Air Dates: Dec. 16-23 Length: 3:00 Episode 250

Nebraska’s bighorn sheep hunting season ended Dec. 6 when a hunter from the eastern end of the state punched his tag, one of the two permits issued for the season. Todd Nordeen, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission big game and disease research manager who supervises the hunting program, said each of the two rams harvested this year was a mature adult with full-curl horns. Both were harvested in the Wildcat Hills of the Panhandle. Jerry Fischer of Denton bagged …

As muzzleloader deer season gets underway, hunters are being reminded that the Pine Ridge was added to Nebraska’s list of Mule Deer Conservation Area units this year. That means hunters must carry a Pine Ridge MDCA Permit to harvest mule deer in the unit; the Statewide Muzzleloader and Restricted Statewide Buck permits are no longer valid for that species there. It also means the Pine Ridge MDCA permit — which is valid for any deer, except antlerless mule deer — …

By Justin Haag A weekly radio segment featuring topics of the Nebraska Panhandle’s great outdoors. This week, the topic is preparations for ice fishing. Justin Haag · Panhandle Afield: Ice Fishing Prep Air Dates: Nov. 25-Dec. 2 Length: 3:00 Episode 247

at Fort Robinson State Park By Justin Haag, Nebraskaland Magazine Some say ghosts haunt the historical grounds of Fort Robinson State Park. Whether it is true, on one night in late October, the spooky side of the park will take center stage — and, judging from the previous year’s success, visitors are anything but scared away. The staff at Fort Robinson is gearing up for the park’s second “Haunted Halloween,” an event that features wagon rides, a chili feed and …

Nebraska wildlife officials say conditions throughout much of the state are suitable for the spread of deadly viral diseases among big game populations. They are asking the public to report unexplained death or illnesses of deer, pronghorn, elk and bighorn sheep. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, often causes high fever, internal bleeding, swelling, lesions, lethargy, increased heart rate, dehydration, salivation, incoordination and loss of fear of humans. The symptoms and spread are similar to bluetongue disease, another disorder that can …

Fort Robinson State Park’s Haunted Halloween is returning for its second year, but will be in a slightly different location from the first. The event is set for Saturday, Oct. 29, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the park’s Parade Ground and Buffalo Soldiers Barracks. Deb Kennedy, assistant park superintendent, said the event was moved from last year’s location, the Soldier Creek Campground, because construction of an electrical upgrade is underway there. She said the change in location is for …

Williams Gap Wildlife Management Area southeast of Gering has reopened to the public after being closed because of a wildfire. Hunter Baillie, a district wildlife manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said visitors to the property should be cautious as special hazards may remain in the burn areas, including falling trees and hot spots. The wildfire, named the Smokey Fire, burned about 4,349 acres on the Wildcat Hills escarpment, including about 400 acres of the 1,829-acre Williams Gap …

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is better able to monitor the health, movements and distribution of bighorn sheep in the Wildcat Hills thanks to a project completed this month. With the help of a helicopter capture crew, Game and Parks placed tracking collars on 27 sheep during two mornings, Sept. 20-21. Similar to past efforts, the helicopter crew used a net gun to ensnare individual sheep, place them in a sling bag and ferry them back to mobile processing …

By Justin Haag A weekly radio segment featuring topics of the Nebraska Panhandle’s great outdoors. This week, the topic is the bird banding stations at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area and Chadron State Park. The program features Delanie Bruce of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. Justin Haag · Panhandle Afield: Bird Banding Stations Air Dates: Sept. 16-23 Length: 3:00 Episode 237