This may be my last report from the spring turkey “woods” for 2013.  It has been one of the best seasons ever for me; I have assisted/guided in the taking of several birds and then finally punched a tag for myself.  Once again this year, I traveled to the Ponderosa pine-covered canyons that break into the Niobrara River for my bird.  I have hunted turkeys this spring from the rolling farm land of southeast Nebraska to the rugged cedar tree-studded …

This news is over a month old now, and I suspect many hard-core anglers may not even realize that we recently lost a legend, Doug Hannon.  Here is the release that ran on the Bassmaster website, http://www.bassmaster.com/news/doug-hannon-dead-66 . Doug Hannon dead at 66 “The Bass Professor” passed away at his Florida home Don Wirth Doug Hannon was known to millions as “The Bass Professor.” By Ken Duke APR 1, 2013 Doug Hannon, “The Bass Professor,” died at his home in …

Sunday is Mother’s Day.  I am sitting here trying to think of something related to Mother’s Day that I could blog about without repeating a blog post I have already done on past Mother’s Days.  My wife is helping out in the floral department where she works this week because of the Mother’s Day “rush”, and that got me to thinking that I have taken several pictures of Nebraska wildflowers and have not used most of them in any kind …

Let me tell you about something very rewarding I got to help with a couple weeks ago.  I was asked to assist with a turkey hunting camp at Maranatha Bible Camp, http://www.maranathacamp.org/ .  This was a men’s ministry camp organized by the Fellowship of Christian Sportsmen, Plus, http://fcsplus.org/ (I believe future camps will be organized by SkyQuest Outdoors, http://www.skyquestoutdoors.com/index.htm ).  There were eleven hunters and seven assistants/guides who attended the camp.  Except for a couple of us “locals”, the guys …

Here is an update on the pallid sturgeon broodstock collection efforts this spring. You can find an additional story here, http://netnebraska.org/article/news/pallid-sturgeon-are-safe-extinction-far-recovery .  Make sure to take a few minutes and listen to the audio story as well. Thank you to all involved, especially our volunteers! If you want to see a clearer version of the report, here it is, 2013 NGPC Broodstock Newsletter .  Be sure to check out the Nebraska pallid sturgeon FaceBook page, https://www.facebook.com/NGPCpallid .

I know our weather took another turn for the cold this week, but warmer days are ahead and more folks are going to be hitting the water.  For those of you with boats, I hope you have heard the message of CLEAN, DRAIN and DRY by now, http://neinvasives.com/ .  If you have not, here it is, and if you have, here it is again, a short reminder. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRRsGDfPedE[/youtube] Do it, even if your boat looks like this: Have a great …

If you are interested in catching hybrid striped bass, wipers, from Nebraska waters, then you gotta see the May 2013 issue of NEBRASKAland magazine, http://www.outdoornebraska.ne.gov/nebland/nebland.asp . Here is what the story looks like: That particular story has been published on-line, and you can read a lot clearer version here, http://www.outdoornebraska.ne.gov/nebland/articles/May2013/pdf/Online%20article%20for%20May%202013%20Web.pdf .  Or, better yet subscribe to NEBRASKAland and get your own hard copy, http://shopoutdoornebraska.ne.gov/AspDotNetStoreFront/c-30-nebraskaland.aspx .

Cabela’s is offering a tagged fish promotion again this year.  Some of these fish will be present in Nebraska waters, so you might as well sign up and take advantage of it! Here is some additional information, Cabela’s® Announces the 2013 Fish for Millions Promotion Competition begins May 4; grand prize could reach $2 million SIDNEY, Neb. (April 15, 2013) – Cabela’s Incorporated, the World’s Foremost Outfitter® of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, announced today the 2013 Fish for Millions, …

Today is Arbor Day, in many ways an uniquely Nebraska holiday ( http://www.arborday.org/media/timeline.cfm ).  Earlier this week was “Earth Day”.  You may have read previous blog posts of my expressing my cynicism of the whole “earth day”, “stewards of the land”, message spouted one day or two days a year by many folks.  Personally, I hold that there are many who “talk the talk”, but on an individual basis fall far short from “walking the walk” of Arbor Day and Earth …

I have been blogging for a few years now and one thing I have learned about this internet stuff is that there are new readers linking in all the time.  I do not often repeat or reuse material, but with some of the current “buzz” about the catching of some really big fish from Nebraska waters ( http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/04/big-bass-quest/ , http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/04/nebraskies/ ), I thought I would dust off an old blog post and share some of my thoughts on catching big …