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Tag Archives: grouse

Upland bird opportunities await Nebraska hunters this fall

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska is the mixed-bag capital of the Great Plains, and another fall of diverse upland bird hunting opportunities awaits hunters. According to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s 2021-22 Upland Game Bird Hunting Outlook, nesting conditions were favorable during May and early June but increasingly dry conditions during late summer may have affected brood survival and limited re-nesting opportunities in certain areas. Still, upland hunters willing to adapt to the changing conditions should find success this season. …

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Hunters take to the field on pheasant opener

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Upland hunters were greeted by mild weather for Nebraska’s Oct. 31-Nov. 1 pheasant and quail season opener. Many hunters reported seeing relatively good numbers of pheasants but noted the dry conditions posed challenges. High temperatures were in the 60s Saturday and 50s Sunday. Although parts of Nebraska received snow last week, conditions remain very dry across much of the state. This coupled with high winds on Saturday likely contributed to poor scenting conditions reported by many hunters …

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Upland bird opportunities await Nebraska hunters this fall

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska is the mixed-bag capital of the Great Plains, and another fall of diverse upland bird hunting opportunities awaits hunters. The Southwest and Panhandle regions will provide the best hunting opportunities for pheasants this season, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Upland Game Bird Hunting Outlook. These regions, along with the Northeast, had notable increases in counts during this year’s July Rural Mail Carrier Survey. Statewide, pheasant numbers were 5% higher compared to 2019, and …

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September outdoor calendar

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LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in September. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Sept. 1 – Hunting seasons open for cottontail, jackrabbit, dove, snipe, grouse, rail, raccoon and opossum Sept. 1 – Archery, River Antlerless Private Land Only, Antlerless Only Season Choice, Statewide Whitetail Buck, Landowner, Gifford Point Wildlife Management Area and Youth deer hunting seasons open Sept. 1 – Archery bull elk season opens Sep. 1-7 …

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Second year of Upland Slam set to begin

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters again are challenged to go afield with family and friends and harvest four upland birds this fall to complete the Nebraska Upland Slam. The challenge of the Upland Slam, a partnership between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Pheasants and Quail Forever, is to harvest a ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and northern bobwhite (quail) in Nebraska this season. Successful hunters then go online to upload a photo of each harvested bird and provide …

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My Time on the Lek

lek

The thrill of the dance. When the Pine Ridge Rangers erected a lek viewing blind on the Oglala National Grasslands, I jumped at the chance to experience the dance of the sharp-tailed grouse. For years I had researched private and public blinds. Distance and weather concerns kept me home, but this blind was nearby. I packed blankets, camera, water and snacks and made my way to the blind. Flashlight in hand, I stowed my gear and settled in. Wrapped in …

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Standing crops limit hunter success on pheasant opener

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters from around the country returned to rural Nebraska on Oct. 28-29 to partake in a coveted outdoor tradition – the upland bird hunting season opener. Overall, hunter success on the opening weekend was slightly lower than 2016, but hunter success for pheasants was highest in the southwest and northwest regions. Good quail numbers were reported throughout the southern half of Nebraska but very few hunters were targeting bobwhites. On opening day, most areas experienced cooler morning …

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Northern bobwhite abundance increases statewide

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Northern bobwhite abundance has increased statewide compared to 2016, while pheasant abundance appears similar to last year and prairie grouse numbers have declined, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Upland Game Hunting Outlook. The outlook is based on spring and summer upland game surveys, and conditions reported by biologists. Regional weather events that could impact populations are considered. Northern bobwhite abundance increased in most regions of the state compared to 2016. The Southeast, East Central, …

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Dancing on the prairies

It has been another great year of viewing prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse as they performed their mating rituals on the prairie. The displays usually occur from mid-April through the first week of May. If you have never experienced the mating rituals of these two species of birds I suggest you put this on your to do list for next spring.  I cannot express how exciting the mating displays are as these birds gather on their leks to claim territories …

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Nebraska Upland Bird Abundance Higher Than Five-Year Average

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LINCOLN – Pheasant and quail abundance in Nebraska this year is higher than the five-year average over most of the state, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Upland Game Hunting Outlook. Survey results indicate conditions for upland birds are better than in recent years. The outlook is based on spring and summer upland game surveys, and conditions reported by biologists. Regional weather events that could impact populations are considered. The weather this past winter was generally mild. Most …

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