NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will train apprentice firearm hunter education instructors Oct. 17 in Norfolk. The workshop will be from 6-9 p.m. at the Lifelong Learning Center, 601 E. Benjamin Ave. Register by Oct. 16. Contact Mike Streeter at 402-471-6134 or mike.streeter@nebraska.gov or visit huntsafenebraska.org.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The application deadline for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission marketing grants is Oct. 31. Game and Parks is offering $100,000 in marketing grants to promote outdoor recreation. The grants are for communities, groups, organizations, public-private partnerships, nongovernment agencies or political subdivisions looking for help in promoting outdoor recreation. “Outdoor recreation is a major industry in Nebraska with an annual economic impact of more than a $1.7 billion,” Game and Parks Director Jim Douglas said. “The Outdoor Recreation …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska High School Small Bore Rifle Silhouette Championships will be held Sept. 28 at the Pressey Wildlife Management Area (WMA) south of Broken Bow. This free competition is open to all hunter education graduates who are at least 11 years of age and have not graduated from high school. Proof of hunter education certification is required. Team competition is comprised of four-person teams in overall, high school, 4-H, and open categories. Call Matthew Haumont at 308-872-2348 …

LINCOLN, Neb. – An inaugural Kid’s Cook-off is scheduled for the Missouri River Outdoor Expo, which will be held Sept. 21-22 at Ponca State Park. The cook-off, to be held Sept. 21, will feature two divisions. Children ages 5-10 will prepare gourmet s’mores at 10 a.m. and children ages 11-15 will make pie iron Hot Pockets at 2 p.m. All the food, equipment and supplies will be provided. Children will be given a variety of ingredients and then encouraged to …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Despite the coming temporary closures at 29 Nebraska State Park areas, visitors will be allowed walk-in activities such as picnicking, bank fishing, photography, wildlife viewing, hunting and trail use from sunrise to sunset. The park areas will be gated and/or posted a short distance from the entrance. Visitors will be able to park on the outside edges of the park area, but they will not be allowed to drive on the interior roads. Areas will be gated …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Birders of all experience levels are invited to participate in Southwest District Birding Day with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on Sept. 12 at Lake McConaughy. Participants will meet at the lake’s visitor center parking lot at 6 a.m. The group will observe birds around McConaughy and Lake Ogallala until 10 a.m. Persons interested in participating should contact Game and Parks’ T.J. Walker at thomas.walker@nebraska.gov. They should wear appropriate clothing and may bring binoculars.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may begin donating their deer to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program Sept. 15. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has contracted with meat processors that may accept the donated deer. Hunters Helping the Hungry combines cash donations and donated deer to produce ground venison that is distributed to Nebraskans in need. Game and Parks, not hunters, pays processing costs. Processors will accept only the deer that can yield a good volume of pure ground venison. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – An aerial survey of the Rainwater Basin in south-central Nebraska on Sept. 5 revealed generally dry conditions, with the best water conditions located in southern Clay County. “Water conditions are slightly better than last year,” said Mark Vrtiska, waterfowl program manager with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “But there are still some portions that are very dry and will take a lot of rain to put water in them. Southern York and Fillmore counties are really …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A Denton man and his son were injured in a hunting incident Sept. 1 at Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County. Francisco Barbosa Almazan, 27, and his 8-year-old son were hurt while hunting doves. Both took pellets to the face from the shotgun of 23-year-old Arturo Garcia of Omaha, who was hunting in the same area. Garcia swung on a dove, shot, and struck the victims. Almazan was treated and released from Bryan LGH Medical …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The application period for mountain lion hunting permits in the Pine Ridge Unit is Sept. 3-30. The first person drawn from applications for the Pine Ridge Unit will be issued a permit to harvest a mountain lion during Season 1 or Season 2. The next 100 persons drawn will be issued permits for Season 2. Season 1 is Jan. 1-Feb. 14, and Season 2 is Feb. 15-March 31. The application fee is $15. Apply at Nebraska Game …