LINCOLN, Neb. – Due to deer depredation issues, Nebraska’s late antlerless season has been extended in the Frenchman West and Loup East Season Choice Areas. This extension, made through Secretarial Order by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, is for residents only. It allows a hunter with a permit to hunt in the designated Season Choice Area from Jan. 1-15, 2020 to be legally allowed to hunt and harvest antlerless deer from Jan. 1-31, 2020. Permits allowed in the Frenchman …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) events and important dates in March. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. Jan. 1 – First Day Hike, Platte River State Park (SP), Louisville; Chadron SP, Chadron; Fort Kearny State Recreation Area (SRA), Kearney; Johnson Lake SRA, Elwood; Ash Hollow State Historical Park (SHP), Lewellen; Buffalo Bill SHP, North Platte; Smith Falls …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Plenty of Christmas break mentored hunting opportunities exist for youth under age 18 through the Passing Along the Heritage (PATH) Program. Lake Wanahoo, in Saunders County, has seven separate units totaling 1,067 acres available for mentored youth hunting. Many of them are available during the Christmas break. To locate and reserve a site, and obtain a permission slip, visit OutdoorNebraska.org/PATH/ using the Internet Explorer browser. A mentor must possess a permission slip at all times of the …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Ice-fishing can be a great way to beat cabin fever and it can be one of the best times of the year to catch fish. However, to take advantage of ice-fishing opportunities, some gear is essential to make the experience safe, comfortable and productive. Never venture out onto the ice until it is certain that the ice is a safe thickness – that means 4 inches of new, clear ice. Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager for …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Cowboy Trail between the Niobrara River and the Hwy. 20 parking lot outside of Valentine is closed, due to user safety concerns, until further notice. Significant hillside erosion has occurred near the trail and will require repair. The bridge over the Niobrara River is accessible from any trail access point in Valentine but will no longer be accessible by the Hwy. 20 parking lot. Other trail closures caused by damage from 2019 flooding can be viewed …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is inviting the public to ring in the New Year by enjoying a guided hike through one of the state’s scenic state park lands. First Day Hikes are scheduled at 15 Nebraska state park areas on New Year’s Day, part of a larger effort of the America’s State Parks alliance. The hikes have been offered at Nebraska state parks for the past five years, and see robust attendance each year, said …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Wildlife Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are hosting the Nebraska State-Fish Art Contest, an opportunity for students to win state and national honors and great prizes. Young Nebraska artists in grades K-12 are eligible to compete in this free art competition. Winners will be selected by Game and Parks. State winners will advance to the national competition to be judged for top honors such as the Best of Show. State-Fish Art serves as a …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Applications for multispecies Super Tag and Combo lottery permits will be accepted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission beginning Jan. 2. The Super Tag lottery permit will be valid for one elk of either sex, one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex and two turkeys (only toms and bearded hens may be taken in the spring). One permit will be authorized for residents only, and one permit will be authorized for residents/nonresidents. Persons …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Anglers can learn the basics of ice-fishing or pick up a few new tips from experienced anglers at Discover Ice-Fishing events in January, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. — A classroom event specifically for beginners and families will be Jan. 6 from 6-8 p.m. at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, 4703 N. 44th St., Lincoln. The fee for this how-to-ice-fish event is $5 per family. Sign up at apm.activecommunities.com/ngpc/Activity_Search/425. — A …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Rainbow trout will be stocked in Lincoln, Omaha and Eugene T. Mahoney State Park waters this month to provide excellent fishing opportunities this winter. Trout are scheduled to be stocked at Lincoln’s Holmes Lake and Bowling Lake (south pond) and Mahoney’s CenturyLink Lake on Dec. 12 and 13, and then at Omaha’s Standing Bear Lake on Dec. 16 and 17. Trout will be supplied, weather permitting, by the Grove Lake Trout Rearing Station near Royal. Purchase 2020 …