NEBRASKAland Articles

All the roots have been planted for a northwestern Nebraska reforestation program. Now, the project has been turned over to Mother Nature. About 1,400 members of the Boy Scouts of the Longs Peak Council and other volunteers planted 10,500 trees at Fort Robinson State Park on Saturday, the final chapter of an annual effort to reforest areas burned in a massive 1989 wildfire. The planting marked the 25th and final year for the event. The planters were greeted with seasonably …

For nearly a decade, a Peregrine Falcon pair have nested on the 18th floor of the Nebraska State Capitol in downtown Lincoln. Also during that time, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, in partnership with the Office of the Capitol Commission, has provided an intimate view of the nestbox via the internet. During the early years, the image quality would be considered poor by today’s standards. A distant camera provided fuzzy still shots every five seconds. Three years ago, equipment …

On the calendar, Spring arrived about two weeks ago. In the real world, can be difficult to believe at times. The weather has been up and down, and quite frequently. This, of course, can really make spring fishing a challenge. As many of you know, St. Patty’s Day greeted most of the state with glorious weather. My friend Clayton and I took full advantage of this and headed for the Tri-County Canal in central Nebraska. While it was a nice day …

If you are really trying to catch fish, it’s definitely going to happen. So don’t even worry about it. But what should you do once you are snagged? Wait, let me back up. First, if you never want to get hung up, stay at the house. If you rarely want to get hung up, however, use only weedless lures. Scum frogs, grass mice, floating plastics, weedless jigs – all are good for throwing wherever and whenever you want. The next …

Readers have long been sending us photos of their outdoors-themed personalized license plates for publication. As people have a fondness of their vehicles, they also take pride in the government-issued items that identify their chosen rides. If you’re like me, your hoarder instincts kick in when it comes time to get a new set of license plates and find a place for the old ones. Thankfully, I’ve found a way to save those plates and help wildlife while I’m at …

As the Audubon’s Nebraska Crane Festival celebrates 44 years in the Platte River valley this weekend, the Sandhill cranes will have commemorated a few more – at least 2.5 million more, that is. Fossil evidence suggests the Sandhill crane may be the oldest living bird species on the planet. On their ancient migratory pathway from wintering in southern U.S. and Mexico to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska, they converge along a small swath of braided channels on the Platte River each spring. This …

For me, March has always been an in-between month. It’s still nearly a month away from turkey season and since God hasn’t yet made ice thick enough for me to venture onto, my fishing hasn’t quite kicked in. I’m not opposed to ice anglers and their ways per se, it’s just that I’m originally from an area of the world where ice on waterholes was something to definitely stay away from, not flock toward. So now I’m left with weekday …

RODS: Check your rod eyelets for rough edges that could abuse your line. To preserve cork handles sand out any bumps or dirt, then apply a cork sealing agent or varnish of some sort. It’s always a good idea to store rods in tubes while traveling or not fishing. REELS: To clean and maintain a healthy reel, first take the reel apart, keeping track of the order in which each part is assembled. Thoroughly clean each component and apply a …

There is plenty to see for bird watchers as the great spring migration travels through Nebraska. Every year, thousands of American white pelicans return to Nebraska lakes and reservoirs as they migrate through the state from their wintering grounds along the U.S. Gulf Coast. While here the birds gather in large groups to feed – watching the birds work together herding schools of fish to gather them in their large bills is a sight to see. As North America’s largest …

In the March 2014 issue of NEBRASKAland Magazine, the incorrect date was listed for the Free Fishing and Park Entry Day. Always held the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend, this year the Free Fishing and Park Entry Day is May 17. On this day, park and fishing entry permits are not required when visiting state parks, historical parks and recreation areas in Nebraska but all other fee requirements, laws and regulations remain in effect. For more information on Free Park …