Hunting

LINCOLN, Neb. – Bird dogs and blaze orange returned to the fields across rural Nebraska on Oct. 30, the state’s season opener for pheasant quail and partridge. According to field reports, hunter success for pheasants was highest in the Northeast (0.62 birds per hunter), with some of the better reports coming from the northernmost counties in the district. Pheasant hunters also had relatively good success on public lands in the Rainwater Basin region in south-central and southeastern Nebraska – with …

After 47 years of service, including nine years serving as director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Jim Douglas is retiring. He has celebrated a lifetime of conservation accomplishments. “Ask yourself what kind of world you want to live in and leave for your kids,” said Director Jim Douglas, a statement that says so much about what he has accomplished during his 47 years in conservation. For the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, he has served in a variety …

The hunting world can be small, and it seems even smaller on the internet. I credit social media for several friendships over the years — connections with like-minded hunters whom I would’ve never met otherwise. Through sharing photos, advice and recipes on Instagram and Facebook, we celebrate and commiserate in each other’s successes and failures every season. And sometimes, these online connections lead to hunting opportunities — real “FaceTime” and new adventures — down the road. A few years ago, …

Over crackers, in a sandwich or scooped over a bed of fresh greens, this is my go-to turkey salad recipe for leftover Thanksgiving dinner or made from scratch with a wild bird. Tarragon — a classic French herb — has an anise, or licorice-like, aroma and used sparingly, can transform any poultry dish. Tart cranberries, lemon zest and juice add balance and brightness to this creamy salad. Skip the brine if you wish, but wild turkey dries out easily. This …

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters and parkgoers of safety tips as limited managed hunting begins Nov. 1 in some state park areas. For more than 15 years, limited managed hunting has been offered at state park and state historical parks as part of wildlife management for healthy and sustainable wildlife populations. Standard hunting regulations apply, and parks with managed hunting have several safety requirements in place, including distancing requirements from campgrounds, parking lots and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraskans who want to donate or receive harvested deer can participate in the Deer Exchange. This program is designed to accommodate the additional harvest of deer. It brings together hunters who have a surplus of deer with recipients willing to accept the deer meat. The Deer Exchange, which is available annually from Sept. 1 through March 1, allows hunters and potential venison recipients to join a database and search for other participating parties in their area. Parties …

It is the end of October, Halloweeney is Sunday.  I guess that means it is time for all things scary.  Earlier this month I speculated about the reasons we like a good scare now and then, Scary Stuff. Since then, I have seen a few discussions of spooky experiences outdoorsfolks have experienced while out in the “wild”.  Might as well throw in my $0.02-worth. . . . I have spent a lot of time on the water after dark, quite …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Deer hunters are reminded that in-person check stations will be used during the nine-day firearm season this year. All deer harvested during the Nov. 13-21 season must be accompanied by the hunter and taken to a check station no later than 1 p.m. on the day following the close of the season. Check stations change from year to year, so hunters are urged to find their locations before they hunt. A list may be found on the …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters from around the country will take to the fields this Saturday for Nebraska’s pheasant, quail and partridge season opener. According to surveys, the Southwest and Panhandle regions should offer the best pheasant hunting opportunities again this fall. Pheasant counts during this year’s July Rural Mail Carrier Survey were down compared to 2020, but field reports suggest dry conditions likely inhibited roadside observations in some areas. “This is always an exciting time of year and we hope …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept lottery applications for mountain lion permits Nov. 1 – Dec. 8, 2021, for the 2022 hunting season. Permits are available only to Nebraska residents, who may have one permit per calendar year. The bag limit for each permit is one mountain lion of either sex. The 2022 Season 1 in the Pine Ridge Unit will be Jan. 2-Feb. 28. Before Feb. 28, the season will close immediately if either …