Hunting

MORRILL, Neb. – Nebraska’s bighorn sheep hunting season wrapped up Wednesday afternoon as the second of the state’s two permit holders found success at Montz Point Wildlife Management Area in Scotts Bluff County. Trevor Premer of McCook, who won his permit by a lottery open to Nebraska residents, harvested a 7 1/2-year-old ram to conclude a hunt that began Monday in the Pine Ridge but concluded in the Wildcat Hills. The other hunter, Frank Tritz of LeMars, Iowa, won his …

I have received an early Christmas gift from lovely wife of many years – Polly Wagner. What is it? Well, it is a brand-new, in-line .50 caliber muzzleloading rifle that is fully scoped for deer hunting. Thank you so much, Polly! I am thrilled, to say the least! For the record, by and large, the federal government doesn’t classify muzzleloaders as firearms and an ATFE Form 4473 (background check) isn’t required. So, a person can purchase a muzzleloading rifle for …

Nothing beats hunting a frozen-over, snow-covered marsh for wily rooster pheasants in the dead of winter. At this time, pheasants are concentrated in the marshes’ thick cover, and tracking birds in fresh snow is almost a guarantee for success. Wetlands occupy about 1.9 million acres in Nebraska, or about 4 percent of the state’s area. Major complexes include the Rainwater Basin wetlands in south-central Nebraska, the expansive wet meadows and marshes of the Sandhills, the salt marshes around Lincoln and …

Nebraska’s most popular hunt is the 9-day firearm deer season (Nov. 14 through Nov. 22). This is one of the absolute best times of year to be outside and participate in it with the deer rut happening. My lovely wife of more than 33 years, Polly Wagner, says that everything comes to a grinding halt in the Wagner family with the opening of “rifle deer season.” It’s a wonderful event, though. For many of us in the hunting lifestyle, the …

“Big, big weekend up at the lodge this weekend!”  Yep, it’s opening weekend of the Nebraska firearm deer season.  No, I am not going to blog about fishing today.  I am betting many of you are getting ready to hunt tomorrow. I love to hunt too, but admittedly do more fishing than hunting.  A lot of that is because there is so much to do and so little time.  I have done a little big game hunting, but not a …

“I wish more deer hunters would forget about all the stuff they have read or heard over the years and focus their deer hunting on the does in order to be more successful in the field,” says Jeff Rawlinson, longtime deer hunter and outdoor educator at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. And he’s right! Far too many of us who hunt bucks get wrapped in a rub and scrape lines, grunt calls, rattling antlers, decoys and a multitude of …

To experience the most from this year’s firearm deer season, here are the five things you have to do. 1) Find the does. The bucks are doing just that and so should you. Being 100 yards or so downwind of several travel routes to/from bedding areas can mean success in seeing the deer you have been thinking about. Just be cautious not to hunt in or too near the bedding area, which could send all deer out of the area. …

Let’s face it. We are living in an era where people do not fully understand where their food originates. We are living in an era where urbanization is spreading like wildfire. We are living in an era where there is a decline in rural populations. Yes, we are living in an era where for the first time in history most of the world’s population lives in a city. Enter agriculture (ag). Enter youth. Enter my nearly 4-year old grandson – …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Youth ages 15 and younger are encouraged to participate in the statewide youth pheasant, quail and partridge season on Oct. 19-20. The Take ’Em Hunting Challenge encourages hunters to take a pledge to introduce someone new to hunting, and this season provides an excellent opportunity to mentor new hunters. Rooster pheasants will be released on 14 wildlife management areas (WMA) before the 2019 youth season. Special youth hunts will be held only on these WMAs. These special …

Tomorrow, September 29, is National Hunting and Fishing Day.  Governor Ricketts signed a proclamation this week recognizing that here in Nebraska. I have always thought that a national hunting and fishing day is especially appropriate for Nebraska because we have some great opportunities for a variety of fish and game.  We are the mixed bag capital!  Fall is a great time to “combo up” and do both, hunt and fish. Need an example?  One of my co-workers here in our …