LINCOLN, Neb. – The presence of invasive zebra mussels has been confirmed at Lake Yankton in Cedar County, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. This South Dakota border water, also known as Cottonwood Lake, sits below Lewis and Clark Lake’s Gavins Point dam and just north of the Missouri River. In recent years, zebra mussels became established in Lewis and Clark and the river from the dam to the Kansas border. “With the presence of zebra mussels in …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Summer is in full swing and Nebraskans are enjoying their days on the water. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds boaters to be mindful of the state’s education requirements for boating. Nebraska law requires any motorboat or personal watercraft operator born after Dec. 31, 1985 to complete one of the two types of boating safety courses and be in possession of a course certificate. Operators must be at least 14 years old to drive motorboats and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters of migratory birds are reminded of their requirement to register for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) beginning Aug. 1. HIP registration is required of residents age 16 and older and all nonresidents who plan to hunt migratory game birds in Nebraska between Aug. 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018. These birds are doves, ducks, geese, snipe, rail, coots and woodcock. Among those who must register in Nebraska are hunters registered in another state and holders of …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Mike Mueting and Nick Spencer of Wahoo’s Star City team caught a five-fish limit weighing 15.56 pounds to capture The Bass Federation – Nebraska High School Fishing Championship. The event took place July 22 at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area in Cherry County. Cole Hall and Keegan Oettinger of North Platte’s Lincoln County Bass Bosses took second place with five fish weighing 14.45 pounds. They also caught the tournament’s biggest fish at 4.85 pounds. Colton Kelle and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in August. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. Aug. 1 – Squirrel hunting season opens Aug. 1 – Registration begins for Harvest Information Program Aug. 1 – Family Fishing Event, Prairie Queen Recreation Area, La Vista Aug. 1-3 – Learn to Hunt Camp, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept applications for a 2017 bighorn sheep lottery permit through Aug. 4. Only Nebraska residents are eligible. The permit will be drawn Aug. 17. A $29 nonrefundable application fee must accompany each application. Apply at a Nebraska Game and Parks office at outdoornebraska.org. The 2017 bighorn sheep season is Nov. 28-Dec. 22.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Gain the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to execute your own backcountry adventure at the Backpacking 101 workshop July 30 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. This class, which will be held at 2 p.m. at Riverview Lodge, is designed for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who have limited backpacking experience. The program will cover topics such as water filtration, orienteering, severe weather safety and plant identification. No registration is required, but each vehicle entering the park must …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Test your archery skills and compete for trophies at the 2nd Annual Director’s Cup archery tournament Aug. 19 at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln. This fun event is open to serious archers as well as novices. It is a unique outdoor tournament layout in which archers shoot at varying distances based on age and discipline. There are eight divisions of competition for all ages, including a noncompetitive division. Trophies and prizes will …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Family Fishing Event scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at Lincoln’s Bowling Lake has been canceled due to excessive heat predicted for today. The next Family Fishing Event in Lincoln is scheduled for Aug. 3 at Holmes Lake. More information on the program is available at OutdoorNebraska.gov/familyfishing and facebook.com/familyfishingnebraska/.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is giving young anglers in southeastern Nebraska an opportunity to catch some larger channel catfish. Game and Parks later this week is stocking approximately 25 cats at Platte River State Park’s Jenny Newman Pond near Louisville and 200 fish at Bowling Lake in Lincoln. The fish range from 2 to 9 pounds in weight. “There are very limited numbers of fish this large that can be produced in Nebraska state fish …