NEBRASKAland Articles

Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (SHP) was the site of a ceremony Jan. 16, presenting the Friends of Buffalo Bill $8,284 in unclaimed property. State Treasurer Don Stenberg returned the unclaimed property to group president Judy Herbst Brown. “We are happy to present this check today to the Friends of Buffalo Bill so that the group can use the money to support its mission,” Stenberg said. Herbst Brown was active in the Friends of Buffalo Bill from 1978 to 1996. …

After a pheasant hunt last winter, I mentioned to my friend, Mace Hack, that we should go to my place and clean the birds. “Oh no, I now hang my birds for a few days before I clean them,” said Mace. “My English brother-in-law turned me on to it. Aged birds are so much better eating.” Though I knew that the choicest beef and venison steaks result from aging, the thought of hanging pheasants with feathers and entrails intact and …

When Prince Maximilian contracted the services of artist Karl Bodmer to join him on a 2,500 mile expedition through North America in 1832, a masterful narrative of the existence of the Plains Indian was created.  Their two year travels would culminate in a journey up the Missouri River via steam ship, then keel boat, where stops at camps and trading posts gave Bodmer the opportunity to recreate village scenes, landscapes and portraits of the Plains Indians in remarkable watercolor detail. …

Ingredients: Skinless, boneless duck or goose, bacon, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. You know, kabob stuff. Marinate: 1 can beer (the cheap stuff is fine), ½ cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon ginger Directions: Cut duck or goose breasts and thighs into 1-inch cubes and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Drain meat, wrap in bacon and thread onto bamboo or metal skewers with cubed vegetables between each chunk. Grill until medium or medium-rare (don’t overcook), turning often and dousing fire started …

Whitetails Most white-tailed deer live in heavy cover offered by woodlands, and hence, are most abundant along rivers and in forested areas of eastern Nebraska. The easiest way to harvest a whitetail is to spend an evening waiting for one to arrive at its dining room: a crop field adjacent to heavy cover. Chances are you found one of these feeding areas while you were looking for a place to hunt. All you need to do now is find a …

Since fish have fluid constantly cleaning debris from their eyes, their use of eyelids for this purpose is not needed. However, as animals have moved through evolutionary history from water to land, the eye has slowly evolved to include the eyelid and tear ducts, whose purposes were to help keep the eye clear and clean. Yet for an animal such as a bird that is often in constant motion, creating the potential for additional dryness and debris to interrupt the …

You don’t have to spend much time around a raccoon hunter to figure out the sport has its own vocabulary. Some of the colloquialisms are self-explanatory, but those who don’t know the difference between a bluetick and a deer tick should read on: Strike – When a hound finds the first raccoon scent trail after being sent into the woods at the start of a hunt. Open – The howl a dog lets out when it strikes a track. On …

Two different deer, two different situations. The following “tale of two deer” tells the absurdities and calamities of my pursuit of this most coveted Nebraska hunting species: On a backroads drive through southeastern Nebraska a couple winters back, I spotted what had to be a 400-class buck standing at the edge of a field. Stopping the truck, I greedily stared at the behemoth before he calmly sauntered into the woods. I went home but couldn’t seem to get the deer …

Purchasing a hunting dog can do nothing but add to the pleasure of the sport – if done correctly. I have seen more than one dog point a covey a quail, wait for the flush, then point the first of many singles before the shooter has vested the first bird. On the other hand, I’ve also been on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, Kansas, chasing a dog that refused to hunt or return to the …

Many people will take their entire deer, hide and all, to a commercial processor, turning their $28 deer tag into more than $100 of meat their family may not eat. Not to say that most processors aren’t good at what they do, but they are also working with what you give them. Which is, quite often, an ill-prepared collection of meat that can’t help but taste “wild” or “gamey.” Before you make this mistake again, try these steps to make …