The air is crisp and clean. Nature’s color show is just getting underway. The forest floor is being permeated with the musty scents of early autumn leaf matter as well as something else — nuts! One of the reasons to take a long walk in the woods during autumn is to gather some delicious, nutritious, wild or homegrown nuts, especially, black walnuts, pecans and hickories. I am “nuts” for nuts! Black walnut in husk on forest floor amid grass and leaf matter in southeastern …

Unquestionably, fall in Nebraska is one of the best times of the year to spend outdoors! The days are getting shorter and the summer heat is waning: the air is crisp; the leaves and other foliage are transforming into canopies of deep orange, bright yellow, and brilliant red; and the fall gardens are abundant with brightly colored fruits and vegetables. If you are looking for new and different opportunities to have fun, burn calories, acquire more Vitamin D, remain active, and maintain …

I know, I know. There is nothing like spring wild turkey hunting in Nebraska, and the fall hunting season for wild turkeys, well, it just doesn’t rise to that level. Or, does it? Hmm. I don’t think you can call yourself a true turkey hunter until you have willingly and eagerly accepted the fun challenge and vivid excitement of hunting North America’s largest upland game bird during the fall season in Nebraska. Hunters who have never experienced fall hunting are …

The morning air is crisp and cold. Hardwood trees stand motionless and silent — faint brush strokes against the slowly lightening predawn sky. As light emerges, wild plants still green are bejeweled with dew. Small sounds begin to carve the creek bottom. A raucous calamity of crows can be heard in the distance. An assertive, vociferous blue jay appears on a limb. Two fox squirrels squabble amid the leaves on the woodland floor. The insistent nasal yammering of a white-breasted …

With September just a one more quick flip my on NEBRASKAland magazine calendar, it is time once again to reflect on the age old question of why hunting is so important. Yeah, I know hunting is important. But, why do you think hunting is important? Give it some more thought. Really think about the question: Why is hunting important? Why is hunting important to you, if you hunt? Sure, hunting offers a multitude of benefits. It is quiet dampness on a frosty morning. Hunting is the ease of camaraderie. …

Are you gearing up and getting excited for the historic spectacle on Monday, Aug. 21st, when a total solar eclipse will race over Nebraska from the northwest to the southeast? Good! Thought so. Me, too! Here are some last-minute notes to assist you in safely and enjoyably experiencing The Great American Eclipse in The Cornhusker State. Plan ahead. Buy your state park permit ahead of time. Take additional supplies (water, food, insect repellent, sunblock, etc.). Carry park brochures and a road map. Fill your vehicle …

It is a season that opens at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, August 15th. It is an unusual season, but one that reeks of adventure, challenge and tremendous entertainment value. And, trust me, this is season that will create memories and stories like no other! No, it is not a hunting season. IT is Nebraska’s bullfrog season. Bullfrog season. Really? Yep. I know what you’re thinking at this point. Why would any sane, rational person trudge through backwater areas at night, risk getting bitten on the legs by creatures that you can hardly …

It will undoubtedly be among the most stunning sights you have ever witnessed. It has been labeled as one of the most awe-inspiring events in nature, and it’s coming! For the first time in 26 years, a total solar eclipse will occur in our great country, and we, in Nebraska, will play host to the world’s eclipse-chasers along with eleven other states on August 21st for about a minute or two around the lunch hour depending on local time. To find out exact times of the …

Maybe it’s because I am a lifelong Nebraskan with deep farm roots. Maybe it’s because I am a person with an outgoing, assertive personality who thoroughly enjoys interacting with people. Maybe it’s because of what I do for living and my employer. Maybe it’s because I am a legal hunter, an ethical hunter. I don’t know for sure. But honestly, I have never had difficulty acquiring permission to hunt on private land with good habitat. I feel the quest for private …

Who needs to buy fruit at the store, when nature’s fruit market is open for business, at no charge, right? In Nebraska, from a general standpoint, we are either at or nearing the time when many edible wild, native fruits and berries, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and tasty to the tongue, are ready to be picked! There are so many things you can do with wild fruits and berries. They can be eaten directly in the field, or taken home …