NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may begin donating deer to the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) program Sept. 1, the start of the archery deer season. Eight processors will be available around the state. Three additional processors will accept deer for the program starting Nov. 14. Hunters pay no processing costs for deer accepted by processors for this donation-driven program. The HHH program is funded solely by tax-deductible contributions. Ground venison is distributed by charitable organizations to Nebraskans in need. Hunters …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The public is invited to explore the biodiversity at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park with a bioblitz through the end of this month. A bioblitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Through the end of August, participants can log onto the iNaturalist app and photograph any birds, trees, grasses, flowers, fungi, insects and animals they see at Mahoney. Park naturalists will help identify …

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is hosting a Steel Plate Challenge speed-shooting competition for women from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 22 at the Weeping Water Gun Club, 3590 Scenic Drive, Weeping Water. Prior experience with rifles and handguns is required. Participants must be 18 or older, and should register in advance at www.register-ed.com/events/view/161400. The cost is $10 to participate. Participants should bring their own eye and ear protection, as well as their own handgun or …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A health alert for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae, has been issued for Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County and Rockford Lake in Gage County. A health alert remains in effect at Wagon Train Lake in Lancaster County. Visitors to Willow Creek, Rockford and Wagon Train state recreation areas should avoid full-body contact activities that could lead to swallowing water, such as swimming, wading, skiing, jet skiing, etc. Non-contact activities such as boating, …

By Larry Pape Nebraska Game and Parks Commission How much time do you want to spend untangling your fishing line? Zero, none, never! While I cannot guarantee you a tangle-free life, there are ways to help spend more time fishing, and it starts by using the right gear for the conditions and your skill level. If you are teaching a beginning angler, here is what they need to know about rods, reels and line. Reels There are four types of …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Teal hunting is among featured topics in the August-September issue of Nebraskaland Magazine. With photos from Doug Steinke, contributor Todd Mills relives his experiences hunting teal and provides tips for harvesting the small, speedy birds in his article “In Pursuit of the Blue Dart.” In another story about a small, speedy popular game bird, regional editor Eric Fowler writes about Nebraska’s involvement in the nation’s decades-long efforts in tracking mourning dove populations and provides guidance for hunting …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A health alert for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae, remains in effect at Wagon Train Lake in Lancaster County. The alert has been removed at Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County. Visitors to Wagon Train State Recreation Area should avoid full-body contact activities that could lead to swallowing water, such as swimming, wading, skiing, jet skiing, etc. Non-contact activities such as boating, fishing and camping are OK. Dog owners are urged to keep …

LINCOLN, Neb. — The antlerless elk season opened Aug. 1 on private land in all seven elk management units in Nebraska. “Crop damage from elk can be a serious issue for many landowners, particularly in corn,” said Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Director Jim Douglas. “We understand this and want to help landowners resolve this problem.” Game and Parks believes the best way to manage big game populations is through hunting. To help manage elk, in 2020, Game and Parks …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may begin purchasing 2020 Nebraska fall turkey permits Aug. 10 at 1 p.m. Central Time. A fall turkey permit is valid statewide and allows a hunter to harvest two turkeys of either sex with a shotgun or archery equipment. Each hunter may have up to two permits. There is no minimum age requirement for youth. The fall turkey season is Sept. 15, 2020 – Jan. 31, 2021. Fall turkey permits may be purchased: • Online at …

LINCOLN, Neb. — Several historic buildings at Buffalo Bill Ranch and Fort Hartsuff state historical parks will reopen to the public beginning Aug. 7. The historic buildings operated by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission had remained closed during the current public health crisis so staff could devise plans to protect important historical resources, which cannot be disinfected the same way as other facilities or items. “We have developed methods whereby visitors can still see firsthand some of the historic facilities …