LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters again are challenged to go afield with family and friends and harvest four upland bird species this fall to complete the Nebraska Upland Slam. The challenge of the Upland Slam, a partnership among the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, Inc., and Quail Forever, is to harvest a ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and northern bobwhite quail in Nebraska this season. Successful hunters then go online to upload a photo of each harvested bird …

LINCOLN, Neb. — Why do deer sport antlers? Why do badgers live in burrows? How are mushrooms different than plants? Learn the answers to these questions and more through an eight-week virtual webinar series hosted by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators starting Sept. 3. The series, “The Science of …,” will take place via Zoom at 3 p.m. on Thursdays and is designed for anyone curious about the natural world — but especially for trivia hounds. The series will …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, along with AKRS Equipment Solutions, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and the National Wild Turkey Federation, is launching its second annual Take ’em Hunting challenge to hunters starting Sept. 1. Participants are encouraged to introduce someone new to hunting during the 2020-2021 hunting seasons, and then upload a photo of their trip to the Game and Parks website. Those who do will be registered to win prizes, including a …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The public is invited to explore the biodiversity at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park with a bioblitz through the end of this month. A bioblitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Through the end of August, participants can log onto the iNaturalist app and photograph any birds, trees, grasses, flowers, fungi, insects and animals they see at Mahoney. Park naturalists will help identify …

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is hosting a Steel Plate Challenge speed-shooting competition for women from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 22 at the Weeping Water Gun Club, 3590 Scenic Drive, Weeping Water. Prior experience with rifles and handguns is required. Participants must be 18 or older, and should register in advance at www.register-ed.com/events/view/161400. The cost is $10 to participate. Participants should bring their own eye and ear protection, as well as their own handgun or …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Teal hunting is among featured topics in the August-September issue of Nebraskaland Magazine. With photos from Doug Steinke, contributor Todd Mills relives his experiences hunting teal and provides tips for harvesting the small, speedy birds in his article “In Pursuit of the Blue Dart.” In another story about a small, speedy popular game bird, regional editor Eric Fowler writes about Nebraska’s involvement in the nation’s decades-long efforts in tracking mourning dove populations and provides guidance for hunting …

LINCOLN, Neb. — The antlerless elk season opened Aug. 1 on private land in all seven elk management units in Nebraska. “Crop damage from elk can be a serious issue for many landowners, particularly in corn,” said Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Director Jim Douglas. “We understand this and want to help landowners resolve this problem.” Game and Parks believes the best way to manage big game populations is through hunting. To help manage elk, in 2020, Game and Parks …

LINCOLN, Neb. — Several historic buildings at Buffalo Bill Ranch and Fort Hartsuff state historical parks will reopen to the public beginning Aug. 7. The historic buildings operated by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission had remained closed during the current public health crisis so staff could devise plans to protect important historical resources, which cannot be disinfected the same way as other facilities or items. “We have developed methods whereby visitors can still see firsthand some of the historic facilities …

PONCA, Neb. — The 2020 Missouri River Outdoor Expo at Ponca State Park has been cancelled due to the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 health situation and potential public health restrictions for the fall. The expo, originally set for Sept. 19- 20, typically is a field trip destination for schools across the state, as well as a draw for families who love the outdoors. The event features hands-on activities, such as rock climbing, shooting, outdoor cooking and competitions, all of …

LINCOLN, Neb. — Access into Rock Creek Lake State Recreation Area and Rock Creek Hatchery in Dundy County are limited to local traffic only until further notice. A rainfall flood event July 24 damaged Rock Creek Road access to both the hatchery and the recreation area, as well as roads within the park. Though Dundy County Roads Department and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission repaired those damages, water that was being held back by the county road access later …