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Conservation

Saving Saltwort

Returning salt to salt marshes. The state endangered plant saltwort grows in salt marshes in Lancaster County and nowhere else in our state. Unfortunately, decline of the marshes during the past 150 years has left this species hanging on by a thread. I held little hope of saltwort surviving in Nebraska until I recently learned of a creative new restoration method for returning salt to the damaged marshes. A Uniquely Adapted Plant Within salt marshes, saltwort (Salicornia rubra) grows mainly …

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Despite conservation woes, Blanding’s turtle keeps smiling

Among Nebraska’s eight species of native turtles, the happy-looking one gets special attention. The Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is listed as a “tier 1” species in the Natural Legacy Project, Nebraska’s wildlife action plan. That makes it the only turtle species among the state’s animals and plants determined to have the greatest need for conservation efforts. Amanda Filipi, an outdoor education specialist at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Wildcat Hills Nature Center near Gering, said the turtle’s dark shell …

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Big Weekend

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I am fully aware of the calendar and what weekend is upon us.  I am also fully aware of the unusual circumstances and challenges that face us this year.  That said, I know a lot of folks are looking forward to this weekend and are looking forward to spending some time outdoors!  I hope you get a chance to do that.  Sorry, all I am going to do is remind you of the obvious: More specifically, most of you will …

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Weighty Matters

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This coming Memorial Day weekend, more walleyes will be caught from Nebraska reservoirs than will be caught most any other week of the year.  In fact, on some waters more walleyes will be caught this coming weekend than any other month.  We have years of angler survey data from several Nebraska reservoirs that demonstrate that is a fact. The walleye spawn is over.  The fish have scattered, and they are feeding.  Oh sure, some cold, bad weather might slow that …

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A Hunter Walked Here

SpearPointDanielMay20

Let me share with you another one of my son’s adventures.  So far this spring, his adventures have been more notable than mine. . . . I once sat down in a lawn chair on a lake shore, looked down between my feet, and there laid a perfect arrowhead!  All the arrowheads I have found have been found “accidentally”, usually while fishing.  Oh sure, I have intentionally looked for arrowheads, but, never found any doing that.  “Skunked”. I proclaim no …

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Variety

PumpkinseedDanielMay20

I have long touted Nebraska as a land of diversity.  We truly are the place where “north” meets “south” and “east” meets “west”.  Our state has a diversity of geography, climate and habitats.  As a result, we also have a diversity of fish and wildlife. You know that big fish turn my crank, big fish of any species, but who doesn’t get fired up by fish that weigh double-digits?  Yes, I spend a lot of time pursuing those fish every …

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New Lake Map

ConestogaMap2020

Again I know some of you have seen this already, but I am going to spread it around, again.  If there is one thing I have learned in the past couple of months, it is that you cannot repeat “stuff” enough! We have a new lake map available, this one for Conestoga Reservoir. Look here for a bigger version:  Conestoga Map. You will recall that we did a complete Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation project at Conestoga.  That project took time, a …

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Don’t Forget

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I am always brain-storming blog ideas.  Sometimes I even write a few down before I forget them.  I was wondering what light-hearted thing to blog about today. . . but wait, Sunday is Mother’s Day! I am betting in the past few weeks you like me have spent some time reflecting on family and good times past.  You are anxious for more good times ahead too, more time with family, but remembering helps right now.  I know I have shared …

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Nebraska boasts wild turkey variety

Tom wild turkeys

One reason Nebraska claims to have the nation’s best turkey hunting is its variety of subspecies of the big bird. Bryce Gerlach, a forester for the National Wild Turkey Federation and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission who is an avid hunter, said the Cornhusker State is special because three of the four subspecies of the federation’s popular Grand Slam reside within Nebraska’s borders. Once extirpated from Nebraska, the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a conservation success story here and throughout …

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