NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – A plan to redevelop the flood-prone Dead Timber State Recreation Area is being created, and the public is encouraged to participate by giving feedback. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host a virtual public meeting via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. Central time on March 23 to outline potential design concepts of the plan and take public comments. Register in advance for the meeting at OutdoorNebraska.gov/DeadTimber. A significant portion of Dead Timber, a 200-acre area in Dodge …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider 2021-2022 waterfowl hunting season recommendations at its March 17 meeting in Norfolk. The meeting begins at 8 a.m. in the Lifelong Learning Center, 701 E. Benjamin Ave. Among the recommendations is a proposal for a “two-tier” duck bag limit option a hunter will choose from for the season. Nationally, duck hunter numbers have fallen nearly 44% since 1990, and Nebraska has lost, on average, 464 duck hunters per year …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on March 11 for a virtual webinar entitled Wilderness Warriors: Theodore Roosevelt and the Women of Conservation. This free, hour-long event, held in conjunction with Nebraska Outdoor Women’s Month, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Central time. Roosevelt brought his love and training as a naturalist to the forefront as the 26th president of the United States, saving more than 230 million acres of land for public enjoyment, including nature reserves …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and lakes across the state in March to enhance fishing opportunities this spring, especially in urban areas. Trout fishing is a great way to introduce children to fishing because simple and inexpensive equipment may be used. “Rainbow trout are especially good for beginners because they will bite readily on anything, including corn, wadded up pieces of bread or worms, and are easy and safe to handle,” said Larry Pape, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Private pond owners should be wary of fish possibly succumbing to winterkill. Excessive snow, especially in southeastern Nebraska, and thick ice from recent frigid weather have created conditions for potential winterkill, according to Jeff Blaser, private waters specialist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Winterkills typically occur in small, shallow ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation. Snow and ice covering a pond prevent the water from exchanging oxygen with the air. Excessive snow and thick ice allow …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on Tuesday mornings for a series of virtual pre-K programs entitled Nature Tails starting March 9. Each week at 10 a.m. Central time, outdoor educators will read a nature-themed children’s book in line with that week’s theme. The children then will be given an activity. The schedule of programs and themes: March 9 – Dinosaurs, March 16 – St. Patrick’s Day, March 23 – Weather, March 30 – Worms, April …

LINCOLN, Neb. — Every person and every state park has a story to tell, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wants yours. With the parks system centennial year underway, we want to hear your best and unforgettable experiences. Your epic camping fails. Your firsts: time on a horse, ski attempt, wildlife encounter or living history adventure. We want to hear your sentimental memories and your “never again” moments experienced at one of Nebraska’s 78 state park areas or trails. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – After a recent discovery of invasive zebra mussels within Marimo or “moss” balls used in aquarium tanks, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is urging the public to take precautions to prevent the spread of this highly destructive species. A container of Marimo balls sold as “Betta Buddy” was first found to be contaminated with an adult zebra mussel at a Petco store in Washington state on March 3. Game and Parks subsequently inspected two Petco locations …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A virtual webinar March 18 will honor Mary Bomberger Brown and Marian Langan, Nebraskans who had significant impacts in bird conservation. Women & Birds of Nebraska will be co-hosted at 6:30 p.m. Central time by the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in celebration of Nebraska Outdoor Women. The webinar will focus on the women’s influence on birds in Nebraska, sharing the legacy they left for women in science. Bomberger Brown …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A portion of Branched Oak Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County is closed to target shooting, effective immediately, for safety reasons. That closed area is south of West Raymond Road between NW 112th Street and NW 126th Street. Options for shooters include the 100-yard rifle sight-in range at Killdeer WMA in Lancaster County and the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln. For additional information about target shooting on public hunting lands, see the Public …