Wheat and milo stubble left tall following harvest provides excellent cover and hunting opportunities for pheasants and other wildlife. The 2022-2023 Stubble Access Guide displays these and other adjacent habitats open to public, walk-in hunting across portions of western Nebraska. Through the Open Fields and Waters program, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission works with landowners to increase public hunting, trapping and/or fishing access on private lands. Tall wheat and milo stubble fields are enrolled in Open Fields and Waters …
Read More »Special deer hunts at Mahoney SP, Platte River SP, Schramm Park SRA
Hunters will have a chance to pursue deer at three state park areas along the lower Platte River this fall and winter. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering special antlerless deer hunting opportunities within Eugene T. Mahoney and Platte River state parks and Schramm Park State Recreation Area. Successful applicants will be issued a special access permit that allows them to hunt antlerless deer in designated areas of a park on certain dates, using specific equipment. Successful applicants …
Read More »A Personal Perspective on National Hunting and Fishing Day
National Hunting and Fishing Day is this Saturday, Sept. 24. This is a significant day. No, this is not just another one of those celebratory days, not by a long shot. I grew up hunting and fishing in rural Nebraska. My hunting heritage began 53 years ago this fall as a “quail dog” for my dad and his friend, Jim on our family farm in southeast Nebraska. I am eternally grateful to my dad for taking me hunting! Photo courtesy …
Read More »Burchard Lake road improvement project to affect access
Access to roads, the campground and boat ramp at Burchard Lake Wildlife Management Area in Pawnee County may be closed temporarily due to a road repair project there this fall. This project consists of improvements to the interior WMA road, WMA campground road and to a portion of 615 Avenue from Highway 4 to the WMA. Burchard Lake is closed annually to all access Oct. 15 through Jan. 14, except walk-in access for bank fishing along the perimeter of the …
Read More »Get outdoors with a fall turkey hunt in Nebraska starting Sept. 15
Nebraska’s fall wild turkey season opens Sept. 15, when hunters will get out to the woods and fields for a chance to bag some birds. The fall season is a great opportunity to get outdoors, either on a solo hunt or with family and friends. Fall 2022 permits may be purchased over the counter, are unlimited in quantity, and are valid statewide. Youth permits for hunters ages 15 and under are $8. Fall hunters can buy up to two turkey …
Read More »Seek quality habitat for upland success this fall
Diverse hunting opportunities await Nebraska’s upland bird hunters again this fall, and those willing to adapt to the changing weather and habitat conditions should find success in many areas of the state. “Surveys conducted earlier this summer looked more promising this year, but variable habitat conditions may pose challenges to hunters this fall due to the increasingly dry conditions that have prevailed throughout much of the state,” said John Laux, upland game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks …
Read More »Commissioners approve changes to wild turkey seasons for 2023
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved recommendations for 2023 wild turkey hunting seasons at its Aug. 31 meeting at Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford. The changes to orders for the 2023 turkey season are: Limit all hunters to two spring permits; during the meeting, commissioners amended the recommendation to allow nonresidents up to two permits. Limit the number of spring permits available to nonresidents to 10,000; Amend the daily bag limit to allow a hunter to harvest no …
Read More »Hunting on state recreation areas begins Sept. 6
Hunters are reminded Nebraska’s state recreation areas are closed to hunting until Sept. 6. Several hunting seasons open in early September, including archery deer, dove, grouse and other small game and furbearer seasons on Sept. 1. Early teal opens Sept. 3 and fall turkey on Sept. 15. Regulations state that portions of some SRAs are open to hunting from the first Tuesday following Labor Day – this year is Tuesday, Sept. 6 – through the end of the spring turkey …
Read More »No pheasants available to be released for youth season, Thanksgiving this year
Because vendors were unable to provide birds, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will not be releasing pen-reared pheasants before the youth pheasant season and Thanksgiving holiday this year. The statewide youth season still will take place Oct. 22-23, but only youth ages 15 and younger will be allowed to hunt. “It’s very unfortunate the Commission was unable to purchase birds to release for the special season this year,” said Alicia Hardin, the agency’s Wildlife Division administrator. “Two separate requests …
Read More »Landowners reminded Free-earned Landowner Elk Permit Program available
Nebraska landowners are reminded of a new program beginning this fall that could provide them a free elk permit. In the Free-earned Landowner Elk Permit Program, a person who owns or leases at least 80 acres of farm- or ranchland for agricultural purposes qualifies for an either-sex elk permit following the verification of 10 general antlerless elk harvests. A landowner’s immediate family members are eligible for the permit. The free-earned landowner elk permit was created during the 2021 Legislative Session. …
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