Hunting

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  As I wrote in the blog  My Thanks a couple of years ago it is a chance to spend time with friends and family without the stress of gift buying and giving.  Yet, thanks to the special day falling on a Thursday, many of us receive the gift of time during this week.  Time is  something that will be in short supply once the weekend is over and we find ourselves in the …

This was my second year of being assigned to two days of deer check station duty at Rushville during the firearm season. The 12-hour shifts can seem long at times, but I really enjoy having conversations with the hunters and hearing from them what’s happening in the field. As was the case last year, I saw some nice mule deer and whitetails. The most prominent memories I carry away from the experience, however, have little to do with antler mass …

Thank you and congratulations to all hunters who submitted photos of their successes in the field this season! It’s especially nice to see so many young faces and hunters from out-of-state. If you have a photo you’d like to submit, please send them to jenny.nguyen@nebraska.gov and we’ll get them added to the gallery. Where are all the doe photos?

There is nothing like hunting season; when brisk air bites at bare skin and the challenge of the hunt begins. Every hunt has its challenges, which evens the score for the quarry and keeps the hunter in pursuit. Hunting isn’t about the kill or bag limits, or it shouldn’t be, but is a personal quest, a way to touch nature, view it and be a part of it. While walking fields of bluestem and stubble during the Pheasants Forever Rooster …

In the December issue of NEBRASKAland Magazine, I have a lighthearted article on page 44 about my failed attempt to repair my beloved waders given to me as an anniversary gift by my wife years ago. As stated in the article, patching waders can be a futile effort. If you want to just make it through the season it can often be accomplished with some success, however. As a fisheries biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Joe Rydell …

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” -
Aristotle. I am currently out in the field participating in Nebraska’s firearm deer hunting season which runs through this Sunday, November 23rd. It was great to hunt with my brother Steve and also my cousin Mark this past weekend. I keep telling you that firearm deer hunting for me is all about enjoying family, outdoor experiences and nature. Here are some photos I took that reflect those things. If you are firearm …

Snow and cold didn’t keep these hunters away. Early Sunday morning was slow at the deer check station in Hartington, NE. But by 10:30, hunters started pouring in. Here are some highlights of deer that were brought in late morning yesterday.

Tomorrow is a holiday for many Nebraskans–the opening of rifle deer season!  I love the variety of hunting, fishing, and trapping opportunities that Nebraska offers, including some big game hunting, but not a lot.  However, I have done enough to know why tomorrow is such a big day, and I know there will be a lot of folks who have a hard time sleeping tonight.  We have some cold weather, the rut is in full swing, there will be some …

Don’t miss Nebraska Conservation Officer Rich Berggren of Waterloo, NE on my Great Outdoor Radio Show this Saturday (tomorrow) morning, Nov. 15th, from 9-10 a.m. CST on Omaha’s KOZN Radio/1620 AM “The Zone.” Rich and I pre-recorded the one-hour long show on “The Zone” covering various do’s and don’ts, plus regulation reminders and information for Nebraska’s big 9-day firearm deer hunting season on its opening morning. Here are a couple photos of Rich in the field. You’ll find this program to be quite informative, …

Smoking your own meat, especially when the meat comes from an animal you harvested, is a rewarding and satisfying experience. Here are a few steps to take when smoking a deer roast with a dry rub: Rinse and dry the meat. Always rinse the meat off after it has been thawed and dry it with paper towels. This helps get some excess blood off and out of the meat prior to applying a rub. Adding vegetable oil to the meat is optional …