Many of you have probably heard about Nebraska’s impending mountain lion season. The winner of the first mountain lion permit has been drawn, and a second permit will be auctioned next week. If you want to find more information on the Big Game Society banquet where that auction will occur, you can find it here.
But that is nothing. In addition to the mountain lion permit/hunt that will be auctioned, this is another auction item that will be offered:
Nebraska Walleye Capture and Spawning
You will be bidding on the opportunity to experience one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring aspects of fisheries management. In early spring each year, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission fisheries biologists collect and manually spawn adult walleyes. Fertilized eggs are transported to the Calamus and North Platte fish hatcheries, where they are hatched and the young walleyes are reared and later stocked into lakes and reservoirs where natural reproduction is insufficient to sustain quality populations.
The winning bidder will see boatloads of monster walleyes as you assist Game and Parks Commission fisheries biologists capture walleyes, strip eggs from the females, and fertilize them with milt from eager males using a wild turkey feather (the big game connection). You can bring your own turkey feather, but it has to be the third primary from the right wing.
You will dip net walleyes from our electrofishing boat until your wrists go limp at Merritt Reservoir or Sherman Reservoir (your choice). Lake McConaughy may also be a possibility. The operation will take place during the first two weeks of April. You will be transported to the site and provided rain gear, gloves, lots of coffee, and overnight lodging so you can enjoy both late night and early morning experiences. You just need to bring plenty of warm clothing and several handkerchiefs to wipe the dripping snot from your nose. Contact Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach Program Manager at 402-471-5005 or daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov for more details. Donated by NGPC.
That makes a mountain lion hunt seem like a game of tiddlywinks!
Now I know that suddenly a lot more of you will be interested in this auction. Phone bids will be accepted during the auction. Those interested in making bids by phone must preregister for this service by emailing nbgs11@gmail.com for a bidder number and to obtain the auction event phone number.
In spite of the fuzzy photo that follows, I can neither confirm nor deny that I know anything about mountain loins in Nebraska.
But years ago I learned a thing or two about squeezing big walleyes!