Barbs and Backlashes

I love wild turkeys.  I cannot think of anything I dislike about wild turkeys.  Oh sure I experience many frustrations while hunting them each spring, but that is hunting!  That is all part of the experience, and the more frustrations, the more I get to experience!  You cannot convince me that there is a prettier bird anywhere than a big ole gobbler, and I love to watch the antics and behavior of all turkeys during the spring.  I love listening …

I have a few state record applications laying on my desk; time for the first state record update of 2016! So far all of the applications have been for fish caught by rod & reel.  Let me tell you about them in the order in which they came in: Tiger Trout If you have not heard about the Tiger Trout being stocked in Nebraska waters by now, take a minute and review, Tigers.  We started recognizing state record Tiger Trout back …

There is no doubt that Coach Tom Osborne is one of the most revered and recognizable people in Nebraska, doctor, national champion football coach, athletic director, mentor, TeamMates founder, U.S. Congressman, and much more.  He is one of our most well-known native sons. He is also an outdoorsman, conservationist, and loves to fish!  Omaha’s WOW TV is doing a series “Fishing with Coach Osborne”, and I am betting many of you will be interested in seeing it.  Here is Part …

Hey, Sunday is Mother’s Day!  I was sitting here wondering what to blog about and it finally dawned on me, Duh! I found this video on the internet, yes, it has C-U-T-E dripping all over it.  I believe there will be a bunch of mothers, and others, who will like it. It is never too early to share your outdoor passions, hunting, fishing, trapping, with your kids.  Start ’em early, pass it on! You never know what they will grow …

Gonna blog about my spring obsession here again today–spring turkey hunting.  This time I have a report about the bird my son got.  I was not able to hunt with him, but he filled me in on every detail when he got home. Daniel had some business “out west” last weekend, so he planned to spend a little extra time with family out there and slip in some turkey hunting while he was at it.  You all know how lousy the …

The heart of Nebraska is the sandhills.  There is nothing quite like them, they are uniquely Nebraska. Surprisingly, in some parts of those hills, nestled between the rolling, grass-covered dunes of sand, are lakes and wetlands, natural lakes and wetlands.  Some of those lakes, especially in the western sandhills, are too alkaline, “salty”, to support fish.  One of those alkaline lakes could be found on the land owned by my Grandpa, and even though it was alkaline and had no fish, …

Judging by some of the new shows on cable TV, folks have an interest in where they came from, their ancestry, what makes them, themselves.  For the weekend, let me give you a little glimpse into some of my blood, and have some fun with it. . . . I have mentioned before that there is some musical talent in my blood.  Let me prove that by sharing a photo one of my cousins shared with me:  Here is my …

Time to post my first report from Nebraska’s spring turkey “woods”.  My kids and I have been spending time with the birds for several weeks now, we started scouting before shotgun season opened.  We have been relatively casual about our hunting so far, going when we have time and hunting at a leisurely pace.  Nebraska’s spring turkey season lasts for several weeks and we are in no hurry right now.  There will be trips and days when we get a little …

Just got the newsletter on this spring’s efforts to collect adult endangered pallid sturgeon and I want to share it with you! If you wish, here is the .pdf file, 2016 Pallid Sturgeon Broodstock Newsletter Collecting eggs from sexually mature Pallid Sturgeon in Nebraska’s stretch of the Missouri River and then producing young fish from the eggs and milt of those brood fish for stocking back into the river is an important part of recovery efforts for Pallid Sturgeon.  This effort is …

This ole “inter-webby” thing is a great tool for information and communication.  Where would we be without it? Unfortunately, it is also a great source of misinformation and rumors.  You know what they say, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet”! Recently, I have become aware of a particularly nasty rumor that has been making the rounds: I categorically deny that this is a picture of me at my senior prom! Everyone knows I would have much preferred a …