Summer gives full credence to Nebraska’s state slogan “the good life.” Long days of sunshine and an explosion of green are proof that muddling through winter was worth it. Wild plums adorn field edges, summer breezes stir the corn into a swaying dance and sun tea steeps on porches across the state. At no other time do the flavors of Nebraska present themselves more readily, and nowhere are they more abundant than a Nebraska garden. These gardens are magical places …

Are hunting dogs different than other dogs when it comes to noise? Fourth of July Fun for Dogs – Maybe?  “Look out – it’s going to hit her in the face!” my older brother would say.  “No, no, no – she’s a hunting dog, she wants to hear it pop,” my father would reply.  The Brittany spaniel’s name was Tammy, and she was my dad’s dog, his hunting dog. Her favorite time of year was late June and early July when they started …

This recipe is all about the morels and adds nothing to hide their flavor. Make sure you use risotto rice as regular long-grained rice will not work. Anything labeled camaroli rice, vialone nano. Or arboria (the most widely available) will work. Quality stock is very important for risotto. Make your own or buy the best you can find. Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes    Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes Ingredients: Recipe: 1. Pour the stock and 2 cups water into a …

It wasn’t until I finally shot the turkey that I noticed what had happened to my boot. It was twice as large as normal, a clown shoe of sorts, and the first line of my internal dialogue was “I don’t feel injured.” Yet something still wasn’t right. Both of my feet were wet, as they often get when turkeys pitch down from their roost on the wrong side of the creek and I’m forced to quickly head them off. But …

To maintain, restore or enhance the capacity of a waterbody to produce and sustain fish. In the mid-1990s, Nebraska’s reservoirs constructed during the middle part of the 20th century were showing their age: Basins had filled with silt, shorelines had eroded, water quality had degraded, and less-than-desirable fish communities made for poor angling. Anglers wanted change. More than 650 anglers attended 19 meetings across the state beginning in 1993 to discuss problems and possible solutions related to aging reservoirs and …

During the week of February 26 through March 3, 2017, my wife Shauna and I traveled on a grand adventure to central Mexico to view the overwintering population of Monarch butterflies. Shauna has been passionate about butterflies all of her life, gaining knowledge and interest about them while raising and releasing various species as a child in Denver, Colorado. I too have become concerned about the decline of all pollinators the last few years, and alongside other Nebraska Game and …

Find out why you should be using buzzbaits this year. Sometime last spring I had a conversation with longtime friend and fishing diehard Monte Mares of Seward. We were discussing our favorite lures and he told me that he loved to fish small crankbaits in the spring but, from then on, used buzzbaits. “The fish just can’t stand it!” he wrote me. This last line kept me up at night last spring as I fumbled through my tacklebox, my eyes …

You’ll be surprised by how many beautiful places in Nebraska recreational vehicles can visit. Many Game and Parks attractions have sites catering  to recreational vehicle users during their outdoor pursuits. Here is a list of some of the best places for RV recreational opportunities in Nebraska. Alexandria State Recreation Area (Jefferson County) – 40 sites with 30-amp electrical hookup, 5 sites with 50-amp electrical hookup and 8 sites without electricity. The campground offers water, modern restrooms, a playground and dump …

The thrill of the dance. When the Pine Ridge Rangers erected a lek viewing blind on the Oglala National Grasslands, I jumped at the chance to experience the dance of the sharp-tailed grouse. For years I had researched private and public blinds. Distance and weather concerns kept me home, but this blind was nearby. I packed blankets, camera, water and snacks and made my way to the blind. Flashlight in hand, I stowed my gear and settled in. Wrapped in …

If you can see them, this is how you catch them. The old fishing adage I grew up with of “If you can see the fish, you can’t catch the fish” followed me most of my fishing life until I found myself on a lake in Minnesota watching gigantic, black blobs swim back and forth through the water. My fishing partner and I made repeated casts toward these blobs, knowing they were smallmouth bass, only to have them ignore every …