LINCOLN, Neb. – The PATH program mentored youth hunting sites at Lake Wanahoo now may be reserved. Lake Wanahoo, in Saunders County, has seven separate units totaling 1,067 acres available for mentored youth hunting. 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 youth hunt. Mentors may enroll for PATH up to five times annually. PATH (Passing Along the …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The state has issued new health alerts for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae, at Rockford Lake in Gage County and Wagon Train Lake in Lancaster County. An alert continues at Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County. The alert has ended at Harlan County Reservoir in Harlan County. Samples taken earlier this week at the three lakes were above the state’s health alert threshold of 20 parts per billion (ppb) of total microcystin (a …

LINCOLN, Neb. – There is still time to apply to become a Nebraska conservation officer. The application deadline is Aug. 26. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is seeking to add new conservation officers. Conservation officers have the important job of protecting our natural resources and helping keep the people who use our state parks and other public lands safe through the enforcement of fish, wildlife, boating, and park laws. As state peace officers, conservation officers also enforce other criminal …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may enter a lottery to gain deer hunting access to Platte River Recreation Access (PRRA) lands in the central Platte River Valley, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Forty-seven hunters will be chosen from a random drawing in early September and allowed to hunt deer on designated PRRA lands Nov. 16-24, 2019. Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted by mail or in person at the Game and Parks service center in …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Mid-to-late-summer provides some of the best opportunities to catch white bass and wipers in Nebraska. During that time, white bass and wipers chase baitfish towards the surface, usually early and late in the day. Anglers can look for boils on the surface, baitfish jumping out of the water, and frenzied gull activity above the surface. Anglers will want to ease carefully into casting range without running over the fish and scaring them away. A variety of artificial …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may purchase 2019 big game permits at any Nebraska Game and Parks Commission office or online beginning at 1 p.m. Central Time on Aug. 5. Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may purchase remaining deer and antelope permits. Residents and eligible landowners may purchase remaining elk permits. These permits will be available through the end of big game seasons. To view a list of big game permits available to purchase, go to OutdoorNebraska.org, then click on Buy …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Jaron Cooper and Keegan Oettinger of the Platte Valley Bassmasters team caught a five-fish limit weighing 15.88 pounds to capture the The Bass Federation – Nebraska High School Fishing Championship on July 12 at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area. Cooper caught the tournament’s biggest fish at 4.55 pounds. Hunter Cooper and Kaden Oettinger of Platte Valley Bassmasters, a team comprised of students from Sutherland and Hershey, took second place with three fish weighing 6.31 pounds. They are …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Access at many state recreation and wildlife management areas may be limited or restricted because of high water after recent heavy rains in south-central Nebraska. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds people not to drive through flood water. High water can sweep vehicles away and hide underwater hazards. Game and Parks also reminds boaters of the potential hazard from floating debris that may become dislodged during high water level events at reservoirs. The only usable boat …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is seeking to add new conservation officers. Conservation officers have the important job of protecting our natural resources and helping keep the people who use our state parks and other public lands safe through the enforcement of fish, wildlife, boating, and park laws. As state peace officers, conservation officers also enforce other criminal and traffic laws on lands owned by the Game and Parks and elsewhere throughout the state. Conservation officers …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) introduced the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in the U.S. House of Representatives at a press conference in Washington D.C. on Friday, July 12. This bipartisan legislation, if passed, would amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to allow for the dedication of $1.3 billion in existing revenue annually, without any new taxes, from the U.S. Treasury to state fish and wildlife agencies to implement their State Wildlife Action Plans and …