NGPC News

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering its mandatory boating safety course at several locations in the Panhandle in June. Nebraska law requires any motorboat operator, including drivers of personal watercraft such as Jet Skis, born after Dec. 31, 1985, to complete one of the two types of boating safety courses and be in possession of a course certificate. Operators must be 14 years old to drive motorboats and personal watercraft in Nebraska. Home-study format, in which participants download …

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officials are advising that about half of the campsites at Bridgeport State Recreation are closed because of flooding within the park. Gary Shoemaker, the park superintendent who manages Bridgeport SRA, said Tuesday that many of the campsites and roads in the northwest corner of the park are underwater because of the rising North Platte River. Sites on the east side remain open. Park employees will continue to monitor the situation and open the campsites as …

LINCOLN – Goose Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located southeast of Chambers in Holt County, will reopen to public access beginning May 28. The area had been closed earlier this spring while the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission treated the lake to suppress the growth and spread of Eurasian watermilfoil, an aquatic invasive plant. The Commission will monitor the plant growth at the lake throughout the spring and summer, treating the immediate boat ramp area as needed to keep it …

LINCOLN – Join in a celebration of Native American music and dance at Indian Cave State Park’s inaugural Dance of the Summer Moon event on June 18. Traditional dancers and musicians will perform throughout the day. Dance exhibitions and Native American heritage presentations will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Dance exhibitions will continue from 6 to 8 p.m., with spectators encouraged to take part. A buffalo cookout will be held all day. Host drums – a drum group …

LINCOLN – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in June: June 1 – Underwater spearfishing season begins at Box Butte Reservoir and on private waters June 1 – Pollinators workshop, Public Library, Norfolk, 6:30 p.m., 402-370-3374 June 1 – Lake McConaughy/Lake Ogallala Master Plan public informational meeting, Quality Inn, Ogallala, 7 p.m., 402-471-5424 June 1-3 – Eligible landowners may apply for one elk permit June 1, 8, 15, 22 – Beyond …

LINCOLN – Spend a morning with the birds at Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park’s (SHP) Birds at the Fort event on June 4. Beginning at 9 a.m., participants will receive hands-on instruction on how to identify local bird species and how to choose and use binoculars. Participants will then use their newfound skills while hiking around the fort. The morning will wrap up with a presentation by Nebraska’s Raptor Recovery group. The event is one of dozens across the state …

LINCOLN – Nebraskans will enjoy this summer boating on waters across the state. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges boaters to keep safety the top priority. Boaters should not take safety for granted. The Boating Safety Section of Nebraska Game and Parks suggests ways boaters may reduce the risk of incidents and help ensure a safe and enjoyable day on the water. Wear a Life Jacket – Children under age 13 and anybody on a personal watercraft are required …

LINCOLN – New Missouri River boat ramps at Mulberry Bend and Elk Point Bend wildlife management areas (WMA) in Dixon County are now open for public use. The boat launch facility at Mulberry Bend has been rebuilt following damage from 2011 flooding. The concrete boat ramp has been replaced, bank stabilization added and a new restroom installed. All improvements are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible. The new boat launch facility at Elk Point Bend will provide access for river …

LINCOLN – Enjoy the outdoors at more than a dozen events in Nebraska state parks over the Memorial Day weekend, May 28 – 30. The events are as diverse as the parks themselves. They include: May 28 – Migratory Bird Day, Indian Cave State Park (SP): Participate in a guided bird hike, a fish fry, outdoor movie and a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt. May 28 – Trout Presentation and Clinic, Two River State Recreation Area (SRA): Watch a presentation on trout, …

LINCOLN – Many of Nebraska’s habitat programs will get a boost from recent Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-ups. More than 76,000 acres in Nebraska were enrolled or re-enrolled in CRP during the sign-up period earlier this year. This will be the first year overall CRP enrollment in Nebraska will increase since 2007. These sign-ups, combined with land already enrolled in CRP, bring the state’s total acres enrolled in CRP to 773,203. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced enrollment figures …