NEBRASKAland Articles

How tuberculosis ended public spitting. By Patricia C. Gaster, History Nebraska During the late 19th century, spittoons became a common feature of saloons, hotels, stores, banks, railway carriages and other places where adult men gathered. Many localities passed laws against public spitting other than into a spittoon, but such laws were seldom enforced. Some people of this era objected to restrictions on where they could spit as an infringement on their individual liberty. Nonetheless, anti-spitting sentiment was growing. The Norfolk Weekly …

Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus It’s easy to become entranced with these gigantic birds, their honks seemingly daring you to take the plunge into the deep water that is Canada goose hunting. But before you do, I’m going to encourage you not to. Find something, anything else, to do with your time. You’ll thank me for it. Just What I Needed First, you don’t have enough decoys. Well, maybe you do. But you probably don’t. In the beginning of …

The bighorn sheep pre-rut provides an incredible show on Nebraska’s wildlife scene. By Justin Haag Nebraska’s Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and their amazing climbing capabilities are enjoyable to watch throughout the year, but there’s arguably no greater show than when they put their heavy headwear to use during fall. It’s the headwear, after all, that gives the species its name. With a spread that can reach almost 3 feet wide, the horns on a mature ram can weigh …

This December, look for the color red in nature. By Alie Mayes, Community Science Specialist This article is part of the Nebraska Nature in Color series. This limited series will run monthly December 2023- June 2024. When contemplating the colors of December in Nebraska, the hues that come to mind are the browns of a sleepy landscape and the blanket of white that, at times, covers this seemingly barren terrain. But soon after, the color red also comes to mind, …

When it’s too cold to play outside, check out these fun, indoor activities at your state parks. By Renae Blum When it’s too cold to be outdoors, you don’t have to stay cooped up at home. Try any of these opportunities for indoor fun, where you can learn more about nature and Nebraska history, get active or be entertained. Educational Opportunities Interested in learning more about a particular place? Then you’ll love the Wildcat Hills Nature Center, which explores the …

When we introduce newcomers to hunting, we must do so with the individual in mind. By Jeff Kurrus We’ve all messed up at one point here: When introducing a newcomer to hunting — whether it’s a kid or adult — we try to make them love exactly what we love. Some do, but many don’t. To effectively pass on hunting skills, what we need are smarter ways to welcome people to the sport. So, the next time you introduce someone …

Quail wing feathers can indicate a bird’s age, thus providing clues to maintaining high-quality habitat. By Kellie Hayden The features that make our favorite game birds so charismatic also provide details into the ages of these birds. When we read the clues that feathers hold, we can make smart decisions on maintaining high-quality habitat. Feathers take time and energy to grow — two things young birds don’t have much of when they need to quickly learn how to forage, fly …

Something of a mystery, Nebraska’s bobcat population remains healthy. By Justin Haag As I moved among patches of shoulder-high weeds at an abandoned farmstead in search of pheasants, I glanced over to see my younger brother, fresh out of hunter-safety training, become excited as he entered a clearing. “Whoa, what was that? It looked like a lion,” he shouted as an unfamiliar creature scurried into cover. Despite any skepticism by those of us in the hunting party that day, we …

A story of survival and luck during World War II in the South China Sea. By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska U.S. Navy Ensign John Doyle’s chances of surviving World War II seemed bleak on Nov. 25, 1944, as he struggled to hold his burning dive bomber on target over the South China Sea,” writes Samuel Van Pelt. “While attacking a Japanese heavy cruiser, anti-aircraft fire damaged his plane, but Doyle still managed to release his bomb and score a …

Situated along the Elkhorn River, Red Wing Wildlife Management Area is a haven for wildlife. Story and photos by  Eric Fowler Dams, diversions and development have changed many rivers in Nebraska. The Elkhorn River is not one of them. It still winds its way through the northeastern Nebraska countryside, its channel slowly shifting course from year to year. During floods, those shifts can be drastic. That is what happened sometime early in the 20th century at what would, in 1977, …