Hunting

LINCOLN, Neb. – The seasons are changing and so are the deer hunting methods. Nebraska’s muzzleloader deer season opens Dec. 1 and those shooting black-powder firearms are gearing up. “Temperatures are dropping and the deer are going to be moving in search of high-energy foods,” Nebraska Hunter Education Coordinator Jackson Ellis said. “This is a great chance to spend some time outside and take the opportunity to put some meat in the freezer.” Follow these tips for a safe muzzleloader …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Students registered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln may rent hunting equipment at the university’s Outdoor Adventure Center. The available gear and rental rates are: pop-up blind: $3/day or $6/weekend; layout blind: $3/day or $6/weekend; jake/hen turkey decoy combination: $3/day or $6/weekend; two dozen duck decoys: $3/day or $6/weekend. Weekend rates are for three days. The equipment is available through a grant partnership between the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. “We had two …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will release rooster pheasants at 13 wildlife management areas in time for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The 13 areas are: Oak Valley (Madison County), Wilkinson (Platte County), Sherman Reservoir (Sherman County), Pressey (Custer County), Branched Oak (Lancaster County), Yankee Hill (Lancaster County), Twin Oaks (Johnson County), Hickory Ridge (Johnson County), Cornhusker (Hall County), Kirkpatrick Basin North (York County), Arrowhead (Gage County), Rakes Creek (Cass County) and George Syas (Platte County). Kirkpatrick …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Cash donations are greatly needed to pay processors taking part in the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) program. Because of critically low cash contributions, several locations no longer can take donated deer and others cannot accept as many as hunters are willing to donate. The following locations can no longer take donated deer: Bayard, JM Pack; Diller, Diller Locker Company; Franklin, Franklin Locker; Johnson, Pelicans; North Bend, Bob’s Custom Meats; Table Rock, Den’s Country Meats; and Wahoo, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Preliminary deer check-in numbers indicate that statewide harvest numbers are down approximately 10 percent compared to the 2017 opening weekend of Nebraska’s firearm season. During this year’s Nov. 10-11 opening weekend, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s northeast district check stations recorded 11 percent fewer deer than last year. The number of checked deer were down 9 percent in the southeast and northwest districts and down 11 percent in the southwest district. “Many factors can be related …

Yes, my blogging is usually about fish and fishing, but I love to hunt too.  I know my bow-hunting buddies have been enjoying the best week of archery deer hunting over the past week and our rifle deer season here in Nebraska opens tomorrow.  I also know in my wanderings over the past couple of weeks that there is more deer movement every day right now! I am sure there have been a few news conferences like this already, will …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters of an ongoing mule deer research project in collaboration with University of Nebraska-Lincoln. There are 61 collared and ear-tagged mule deer does and fawns in the Frenchman and Republican management units of south-central and southwestern Nebraska. The study aims to assess survivability and habitat use of mule deer does and fawns. Hunters should understand that it is legal to harvest a collared deer and that hunter harvest is a …

Its here.  The rut is on.  November Deer Season starts  Saturday. Nebraska is a deer hunting state.  And true to our title of the Mixed Bag Capital the state has 2 species of deer. To experience the most from this year’s deer season here are the five things you gotta 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 …

Cooked with red wine, this is the best chili you will ever taste. I would venture to say this is not only the best venison chili you will find, but the best chili you will ever taste, period. It differs from other chili recipes in its red wine base. Don’t spend a fortune on the wine, but get a robust variety like malbec or cabernet sauvignon that will hold up to the spices. Serve with a dollop of sour cream …

Let’s discuss the constants, myths, and what you can do to advance your white-tailed deer hunting experience during the rut. Look online, or watch outdoor television, and you’re bound to see or hear someone talking about “the rut,” one of nature’s most intriguing rituals as bucks and does appear more and more across the landscape. When exactly the rut takes place and precisely how deer – particularly whitetails – behave then is a source of great debate. Millions of dollars …