In The Wild

Nebraska is chocked full of wonderful state park lands. From the home of the state’s tallest waterfall to the Ozark-like bluffs along the Missouri River, the state’s 77 state park lands encompassing some 72,165 acres are diverse and have much to offer the park goer.  These public areas serve to show us that natural beauty, spectacular scenery and fun outdoor recreation is not far from any point in the state. Compiling a list of the 10 best state park lands in …

EEEEK! TICK! The ticks are out! In Nebraska, ticks become active early in the spring and are one of the first biting pests we experience as the weather warms. Ticks are part of Nebraska’s environment, and they shouldn’t stop any of us from pursuing our favorite outdoor activities this time of year — wild turkey hunting, morel mushroom picking, bird watching, tent camping, hiking, fishing, etc. We just need to take the necessary precautions to dissuade these little buggers from crawling on us, embedding …

Our traditions are a major part of us. They help to shape who we are. Indeed, when it comes to the hunting lifestyle, they are at the very core of what we are. The wild places, the game animals and birds we seek, how we do that, when we do that, and with whom we do that, all sculpt our outdoor lives. Whenever I think about creating a new hunting tradition I always find myself in kind of a quandary. The word tradition really isn’t about the new, it’s about the old, isn’t it? Or, …

Truth be told, I’m finding it difficult to cope as I wait anxiously for Nebraska’s spring wild turkey hunting seasons to arrive. The days are getting longer, we’ve had some of those abnormally warm winter days, and hints of green are emerging on my lawn! Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m really looking forward to experiencing the spring migration of waterfowl and sandhill cranes, in addition to hunting snow geese, but it’s hard not to not think about wild turkeys in the springtime when there is …

As I was rooting through my camouflaged clothing the other day in the Wagner basement/outdoor cave looking for a particular garment, some questions came to mind. Does all of this camouflaged clothing really matter? I am using each of these? What purposes does camouflaged clothing really serve? Why do I end up wearing it much of the time yet I’m not entirely outside? Whether for function or fashion, whether heading to the ground blind or golf course, I do not truly believe that camouflage is ever off-trend or out …

Someone I knew once said: “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you a snow day, you make snow ice cream!” I couldn’t agree more! With an ever-expanding blanket of snow cover over much of Nebraska, I thought it would be a perfect time to share with you my recipe for making snow ice cream. Creating this scrumptious “snow cream,” as I call it, is a fun activity to do with the kids on a cold winter day here on the Great Plains. They’ll …

Looking for some ideas on what to do outdoors in 2016? Here are sixteen fun and interesting things I think you should consider doing in Nebraska’s outdoor scene in the New Year. Best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2016! 1. Enjoy a winter activity in one of our state park lands. 2. Mentor youth in your favorite outdoor activity. 3. Visit a place you’ve never been. 4. Experience living history at a state historical park. 5. Take a back road. 6. Do something you’ve never done, learn a new outdoor skill. 7. Float …

I wanted to take this time to extend to you and your family a very Merry Christmas greeting and offer my best wishes during this holiday season! To put you in a festive, outdoor mood, here are a couple of pics of my brother-in-law Dean’s Christmas tree. We call it the “nature tree!” It will be a special holiday period for us to celebrate in the Wagner family with our new grandson Jackson Edward Wagner. Like me, I also hope …

I have a movie that I can’t wait to see. No, it’s not Star Wars. I’m  not a sci-fi guy. I’m a realist. I’m an outdoor guy into the history and lore of the American west and that, of course, includes Nebraska. The movie that I am so anxious to see is The Revenant, Rated R,  starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the 19th century frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass. The Revenant, which opens in theaters on January 8, 2016, is mainly fictional, but was inspired by actual, …

When me and my friends are hunting Canada geese in southeastern Nebraska this time of year, we find ourselves continually staring at the sky. Sure, we are watching the sky intently for flocks of Canada geese flying, but it goes far beyond that. Oh yes, far beyond that. We find ourselves mesmerized by the ever-changing sky here on the Great Plains. And, our Nebraska sky invites you to stare. Some say the sky is our mountains. By staring at the sky, you discover that there are no boundaries or limitations. You can see that …