NGPC News

Spend a post-holiday Saturday morning fishing with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on July 9 at Branched Oak State Recreation Area. Game and Parks will hold a Community Fishing Event at Liebers Point from 9 a.m. to noon. Community Fishing Events provide opportunities for people of all ages who have never fished or have not fished in years to learn and enjoy the activity. Rods and reels, as well as bait and fishing instruction, will be available for free. …

Hunters may begin purchasing unlimited quota Nebraska deer and antelope permits July 11. Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may purchase permits through the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission starting at 1 p.m. Central time. Unlimited quota deer permits are resident statewide archery, resident statewide muzzleloader, youth, youth whitetail, nonresident restricted youth, limited landowner and special landowner. Unlimited quota antelope permits are resident statewide archery and youth archery. A regulation change made by Game and Parks in March created additional purchase …

Visitors to five state recreation areas will be allowed to touch off fireworks on July 4. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges them to be careful when lighting fireworks. The areas that will permit fireworks from 8 a.m. until midnight on July 4 are Branched Oak (Liebers Point only), Fort Kearny, Memphis, Pawnee and Wagon Train. Signs at recreation areas will point the way to designated fireworks sites, and boundaries will be clearly marked. Use of fireworks elsewhere in …

Access to land included in the Special Elk Depredation Season area is extremely limited at this time, as landowners in contact with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have indicated they are at capacity for the number of hunters they can safely allow. Because the season is for private land only, permits, while unlimited, are restricted by one’s ability to gain access to the 873-square-mile area included in the season. After last week’s announcement by the Game and Parks about the …

As part of a national effort to reduce the number of accidents and deaths related to boating under the influence, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will participate July 2-4 in Operation Dry Water. While Operation Dry Water is a year-round BUI awareness and enforcement campaign. That effort will be heightened by Game and Parks’ Law Enforcement Division officers July 2-4 at waters across the state. Alcohol use while boating is one of the leading factors in boater deaths. In …

Boaters planning to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday weekend at Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala state recreation areas will find ramps available at select locations. The available boat ramps at McConaughy will be: Lemoyne low water, Martin Bay low water and Burma Road/Diver’s Bay. Two boat ramps will be open at Lake Ogallala. As of June 27, Lake McConaughy’s level was at 3,236.1 feet. That’s nearly a foot lower than a week ago, 7.1 feet lower than a month …

The Tyler Vanderheiden Memorial Run, an annual race aimed at raising awareness and understanding of mental health, raised more than $8,000 for Nebraska Game and Parks state park trails. The donation triggers access to up to $32,000 in matching federal Recreation Trails Program funds. Event organizers, Shannon and Tim Vanderheiden, Tyler’s parents, and Trudy Merritt of Platte River Fitness Series, presented a check to Game and Parks on June 22 at Platte River State Park. “Because of their generous donation, …

Spend some time this summer in Nebraska’s state parks. During July, a variety of events are planned for those interested in history, conservation, nature and just having a good time. Here are several examples: Fort Atkinson to host Living History July 2-3 Travel 200 years back in time and experience living history weekend at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park on July 2-3. On both days, Donald Hickey, a historian of the War of 1812, will present the history of the …

Enjoy music, barbecue and many hands-on activities at Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area on June 25. The free daylong event will be near Area A Campground off Highway 61. All activities, craft and food vendors will be within walking distance of each other. Campground A will be closed to the public June 23-26, but other campgrounds are open for those wishing to camp. The lineup (all times MDT): A 5K run starts at 8 a.m. with registration at 7 a.m. …

A special elk depredation season has been ordered for July in a portion of southwest Nebraska because of excessive crop damage caused by elk. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Director Tim McCoy signed a Special Depredation Order for a season July 1-31 in specific parts of Lincoln, Perkins, Keith, Deuel and Garden counties. The season will be valid on private land only. Game and Parks staff have worked with landowners in this area for several years to lower elk herds …