Education

Friday, May 31.  Final day of the 2013 Nebraska Spring Turkey Season.  And what a season it was.  Each year brings challenges and this year seemed to contain them all.  Snow and cold, wind and dust, rain and flooding – sometimes it seemed as if they all occurred in the same day, too.  But this is Nebraska and there were birds. I was able to get out on the second day of archery season with my brother, the first day …

Time to camp.  For me spring turkey hunting and fishing are the excuses I have given already this year for spending time around the campfire with friends and family at some of our state parks and recreation areas.  During these early season trips the aromas of camp are a simple pleasure that add to the experience.  The smell of a warm campfire at night, the bouquet of hearty meals being cooked and the deep nasal therapy of camp coffee brewing …

Don’t give up as there are still plenty of morels left to find.  With the new bout of rains and the warm temps, there should be a nice batch for the picking!  This year has been spotty with the weird weather but if you hit your old haunts a few weeks ago and did not fine what you were looking for, I highly encourage you to return in the next day or two as you may be surprised at what …

Friday, May 17th, is National Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day.  Show your friends and colleagues your outdoor side and strap on a life jacket with the rest of us.  Let everyone know you are an outdoor nut and that you stand for safety.  Plus….some of these jackets are just plain cool to wear! Boating Safety Tips: * Always wear a life jacket while in a boat on the water * All boater ages 13 younger and anyone using …

Looking for a challenge? How about a 200 yard target match with a .22LR rifle or pistol? May 26, 2013 is the date. Golden Points Ranch is the place. The match will run from 2pm to 5pm. All shooters are welcome. Any firearm chambered in .22LR ammunition is eligible to participate. All firearms must be unloaded and the action open until you are on the firing line! You may shoot from any position. You can bring a chair or portable …

A lot of turkey hunters ask me about this because it can make a hunt tough when that old Tom gobbles but then hangs up just out of range or fails to come in.  I have had that happen many times and there are a few tricks to help. First understand that when a Tom responds to your calls, keeping him gobbling may not be the best thing to do.  I have seen guys call back to a Tom several …

Maybe it was the lack of beef that led me to think I would never make this morning hunt past 9am but this short fat guy was starving.  I had not eaten for 10 hours (a feat rarely attempted by me). In fact, my stomach was making so much noise, groan here, groan there, I could not imagine a turkey getting within 50 yards of my blind.  I had watched turkeys earlier in the morning perform their ritual strut in …

Ok, I will admit that I may be a bit biased and I do realize that each turkey hunt is unique. However, I have not been a part of anything quite like the hunt I had with my son Logan this past Saturday afternoon. As I mentioned last week (http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/04/season-firsts/) Logan is taking in his first spring season as a turkey predator. After an uneventful morning hunt, some yard work and a nap the four of us headed out to …

For many reading this the spring turkey season may not really get underway until early this Saturday morning – the opener of the regular shotgun season.  For me the season kicked off last month when I could begin chasing the birds with my bow and then got really interesting this past weekend.  I have yet to take a gobbler but already I am harvesting memories of this spring’s crop of first’s. In the past few years my brother, Gabriel, has …

I thought this season would never arrive.  Just ask my wife…I am sure she is sick of me talking about turkeys already.  I played with may calls, shot my bow, played with my decoys…heck I’ve even been dreaming about turkeys but alas….we are in the thick of it!  Here are some early season tips that may just help you bag that tom before most of your buddies have even dusted off their decoys.  Don’t forget…the youth shotgun season starts this …