Travel

Do you have dream hunt you like to do someday? You know what I mean … a hunt you’d like to complete before you “kick the bucket?” Perhaps you have compiled a bucket list of hunts. Maybe you can’t afford a grandiose adventure to a far away place for exotic game but would like to stay closer to home to accomplish a memorable hunting experience. If you are looking for some ideas about Do-It-Yourself (DIY), value-driven bucket list hunts that …

The holiday season is upon us and it’s filled with many hunting traditions as family and friends get together, especially in waterfowl hunting blinds. For most of us, hunting is about much more than a successful harvest. It’s about spending time afield bonding with family and friends, watching the sunrise over a river wetland on a crisp morning or watching the sunset from a harvested cornfield on a warm, windy evening, plus having exciting stories to tell when you get …

It’s the season for giving thanks. There are many, many things for which I am thankful, especially in nature and the outdoor activities I enjoy doing here in Nebraska. But, this holiday season, I wanted to offer my heartfelt gratitude to the individuals who allow me to hunt with them. You see, being a Type A, overly talkative, boisterous, assertive person, these folks have put up with my constant chattering, story telling and more in hunting blinds over the years! I sincerely appreciate the qualities exhibited by those …

You have heard of and perhaps been participating in the Upland Slam challenge. Maybe you’re working on successfully completing your Trout Slam. But, have you ever done a woodland double? Woodland double? What’s the “woodland double?” It is harvesting a deer and a turkey in one hunting session, when legally possible. Oh yes, after checking regulations, you will find that it’s very doable in Nebraska. It’s an unofficial competition though, more of a personal test of skill and ability. And, guess what? …

Nebraska’s most popular hunting season – the firearm deer season – is right around the bend. Opening day for it is November 10th. Are you participating in it? Awesome! Many of us are. I am, as well! Hey, let me ask you some questions. Have you purchased your firearm deer hunting permit and habitat stamp? Have you brushed up on your deer hunting regulations and nearest check station locations? Have you firmed up permission with your farmer or rancher friends to hunt their private land? Have you sighted in your centerfire deer hunting …

They are really a lot like us humans. They live their lives on a relatively predictable, routine basis. In other words, they keep a schedule. They are wild ring-necked pheasants. And, when pheasant hunters learn to understand that schedule and interrupt it in the wild ring-neck’s landscape, they will be on the path to having increased opportunities for success and bagging a rooster for Nebraska’s Upland Slam challenge. So, let’s look at the average day for Phasianus colchicus in the fall/winter. What’s it like? The Wake …

Fundraising trail ride in Nebraska National Forest at Halsey celebrates 20th anniversary. Head, Heart, Hands and Health – since 1958, the Nebraska 4-H Foundation has been supporting youth through hands-on projects that encourage them to stay active and engaged in their communities, and prepare them for the future. With programs ranging from animal science to business to the arts to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the foundation’s mission is to help provide the financial backing and manpower needed to …

Tell someone you hunt mushrooms in the fall, and they’ll utter phrases like: “Are you crazy, do you really know what you’re picking?” “Why do you want to do that, aren’t you scared that you might pick and eat a poisonous one?” “You don’t eat those (fall mushrooms) surely, do you?” Statistics related to the frequency of mushroom poisonings are hard to come by, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. While the federal agency says the poisoning …

Wild turkey hunting isn’t just a hobby for some of us, it is a passion. There is so much more to fall wild turkey hunting than just traipsing through the woods hoping to get a shot at a bird. From continually scouting the countryside to busting up flocks and calling them back together there are many action-packed aspects to fall wild turkey hunting. But, new fall turkey hunters often do not know where to find birds or how to hunt them, especially in Nebraska. So, it is time to get …

Water is in our DNA. Water is life. Water is soothing. Water is great outdoor recreation. So, it only makes sense that, as humans, we want to be on, in or near the water as much as possible. Furthermore, it only makes sense that we want to reside by water. Noted Archaeologist Brian Fagan says: “Water is something that humanity has cherished since the beginning of history and it means something different to everyone. We all have our own unique relationship and …