Hunting

By Jeff Kurrus The majority of the turkeys I’ve shot have come between 10 AM and 2 PM. Lunchtime is primetime, that time of the day when more than a few gobblers find themselves alone and insecurity begins to creep in. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to stay in the woods that long. From real-world obligations to simple impatience, it’s easy to leave the woods and re-enter normal life during some of the most productive turkey hunting hours of the day. …

Have a couple of thoughts to share with you for this weekend.  First of all, look at the calendar.  Yes, I know what today is. But, did you know that Yoda was a fisherman?  Obviously he was, he lived in a swamp. Here he can be seen handling a rod! Of course he was an excellent angler.  No, it was not because of some Jedi mind trick.  He simply fished with confidence! For you Star Wars “nerds”, I hear a …

Story by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Photos by Jesse Deuring The year was 1958. “Volare” dominated the Billboard Hot 100. NASA got its start, and the first Intel microchip was created. In Nebraska, the Blackstone Hotel made its own history. Primarily known for its invention of the famous Reuben sandwich, the Omaha landmark also bears a vibrant, storied past. Black and white photographs hanging in the renamed Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel pique interest, especially among hunters. “The photos kind of remind me of …

Will you look at that?!  The calendar already says it is mid-April.  Those of you who know me, know that my constant obsession with all things fish and fishing is about to be replaced with an obsession with big beautiful birds that go “GOBBLE-OBBLE-OBBLE”. Saw this photo on the interwebs and believe this will be my goal for this spring turkey season: Pretty sure that tom actually was tripping over his beard! Oh, I suppose some of you doubters out …

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider staff recommendations for 2023 deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons when it meets April 19 in Fremont. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, 2415 N. Lincoln Ave. A public hearing is scheduled for proposed amendments to Commission orders pertaining to season dates, bag limits, permit quantities and areas open for deer, antelope and elk hunting. The changes will help the agency manage big game populations at …

A bull elk tag will be auctioned off by the Nebraska Big Game Society on May 4 in Lincoln. The 12th annual meeting and auction will be at Hillcrest Country Club, 9401 O St. Residents and nonresidents are eligible for the bull elk tag. The high bidder will receive a bull elk tag valid in any elk management unit during a 2023 open bull elk season; legal weapons for that season must be used. Additional items and outdoor experiences will …

No more 2023 Nebraska spring turkey permits are available to nonresidents. The quota of 10,000 permits has sold out. Permits were available for purchase by nonresidents beginning Jan. 9, 2023. The last permit of the quota was purchased March 24. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in 2022 made several changes to turkey hunting orders at the August 2022 meeting in response to a declining turkey population across the state. Those changes start with the 2023 spring season and include: …

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept applications for one 2023 bighorn sheep lottery permit beginning April 17. A $29 nonrefundable application fee must accompany each application. Only Nebraska residents 12 years and older are eligible for the lottery. It is unlawful to submit more than one application in a calendar year. Residents may receive only one permit in a lifetime. The permit is not transferable. The application period begins at 1 p.m. Central time April 17 and ends …

Spring turkey youth shotgun season opens April 8 and Hunter Nikolai, Nebraska hunter education coordinator with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, reminds hunters to always practice the four basic rules of firearm safety. Nebraska’s spring turkey archery season opened March 25, and the spring shotgun season opens April 15. All spring turkey seasons close at sunset on May 31. “Turkey hunting brings excitement and anticipation for many, but never let your emotions get in the way of a safe …

By Todd Mills It’s impossible to measure the heart of your hunting dog, or in my experience, your retriever. Even more impossible is measuring when you should shut down your dog, or in some cases, manage them into their twilight years. No matter how willing the heart is, the body will grow weak. Long gone might be the days of the perfect water entry, or the sunrise to sunset upland hunt. Managing your own expectations and caring for your elderly …