Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Educator Although “urban wildlife” might sound contradictory, there is in fact a great amount of wildlife that you can view from your backyard, a city park or even downtown Omaha – you might see peregrine falcon roosting on our state capitol, or a garter snake in a sump pump, or a mallard duck that has taken up residence in your tulips. Urban wildlife has come a long way since the time of our ancestors. These animals have …

She Goes Outdoors Podcast · Small Game Diversity Toolkit What type of imagery draws your attention to try something new? Do you find yourself more interested in reading a marketing message if the person in the ad or social media post looks like you? Tanyia Bethke with the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports tells us about a multi-state project to develop a small game diversity and inclusion toolkit to reach women and people of color in small …

Appreciating the Small Things Photos and story by Joshua Redwine Landscape photography often means finding that perfect moment by trusting your instincts and the direction of the wind, following wherever it takes you. I began my career as a civil engineer, and my desire was to protect the environment by focusing my education in environmental engineering. In 2007, I was offered the opportunity to travel to Haiti, a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Armed with a few amenities from home and a sleek, …

By Amber Schiltz, Wildlife Educator What does nature mean to you? As a wildlife educator, I get to hear a variety of answers when I ask this question of both students and adults. For many, it means playing outside, climbing trees, looking for bugs and birds, or watching clouds float by. For others, nature is found when engaging with its bountiful resources through fishing or hunting, or getting our hands in the soil and planting our gardens. I find meaning …

By Allison Barg, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research Graduate Assistant “I put pheasant habitat on my property. Why don’t I have any pheasants?” University of Nebraska-Lincoln biologists are trying to answer this question. Many Nebraska landowners and wildlife managers have noticed that in parts of the state where there are swaths of land covered in what looks to be ideal pheasant habitat, there are no pheasants. It turns out that the “if you build it, they will come” approach doesn’t always …

She Goes Outdoors Podcast · Grab Binoculars For This One! American robin, arctic tern, bar-tailed godwit, sandhill crane, colorful waterfowl and hundreds of other bird species are with us celebrating spring! Anna Buckardt Thomas, avian ecologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resource, talks spring birding with us. Have your binoculars handy — you never know what will be in your area. Birding Organizations & Resources: Iowa Young Birders Group NE Young Birders Group www.birds.cornell.edu/home/ ebird.org/home App: Audubon Bird Guide …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist I recently saw the most incredible meme: It compared hiking with a naturalist versus hiking with someone who was there for physical activity. The naturalist finished the 1-mile hike in about 3 hours, while the person motivated by exercise finished in about 11 minutes. You may be wondering why the naturalist took so long to finish the hike. Well, if you have ever hiked with a naturalist, or someone who appreciates nature, you know …

By Cassidy Wessel, Wildlife Biologist I can remember the first rooster pheasant I ever held as a kid, standing over the trash can in our garage helping my dad clean birds and thinking that this brown, purple, blue, red and green iridescent thing might just be too pretty to pluck. And I’m sure I did think “pluck” — skinning a bird at that time would have been completely foreign to me. Pheasants were rare table fare. Being the fifth generation …

She Goes Outdoors Podcast · Park Manager Lori Eberhard Lori Eberhard, park manager at George Wyth State Park in Iowa, is extremely passionate. Hear all about her dedication to the landscape, and how she is making a difference for other females seeking outdoor knowledge through the Outdoor Journey for Girls program. www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/Stat…/Iowa-State-Parks www.iwinr.com/outdoor-journey-for-girls About She Goes Outdoors: Join a team of all-female hosts from Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa to learn a little, laugh a lot and get inspired to get …

How to Tell a Story Calling Dick Turpin a hunter education coordinator, turkey call maker, conservation officer, entertainer, songwriter or any of his other titles fails to describe who he was — a person who made you feel good when he was around. Regardless of what hat Turpin was wearing when you met, you would forever remember one of his greatest gifts was that of a storyteller. Long-time staffers at Nebraskaland agree that while PG-rated Dick Turpin stories were good, …