Hunting

Controlled shooting areas are a mystery to many hunters. Defined as a private location leased or owned by an individual or group to hunt upland birds like ring-necked pheasants, quail, chukars, Hungarian partridge, and even mallards, during an extended season – they are often viewed as hunting spots for the inexperienced. When I started at Nebraskaland in 2006, I didn’t see what a controlled shooting area offered to an experienced, able-bodied hunter like myself. After visiting some – and talking …

21-year-old completes multi-species Super Tag. Zachary Welch of Ainsworth is the latest hunter to complete the Nebraska Game and Park’s resident-only super tag, which allows for one elk, one antelope, one deer and two turkeys. The permit is awarded to one hunter annually by lottery and is valid for two years. Welch, a 21-year-old student at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, successfully hunted all five animals within four months by archery. He harvested a bull elk south of Wellfleet, a white-tailed …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The inaugural Nebraska Upland Slam gave more than 200 hunters a reason to take advantage of Nebraska’s top-notch mixed-bag hunting opportunities. The Nebraska Upland Slam, a partnership between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska chapter of Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, challenged hunters to harvest all four of Nebraska’s primary upland gamebird species, including ring-necked pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chickens and northern bobwhites. In all, 140 hunters – ranging in age from 13 to 75 years …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Prepare for the upcoming hunting season by attending one of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Learn to Hunt Spring Turkey workshops. The events are designed for individuals with limited experience and are ideal for those wanting to expand into turkey hunting. Topics will include strategies, equipment, biology and much more to increase a hunter’s confidence and success. The workshop schedule is: March 2 – Holdrege, YMCA of the Prairie, 1415 Broadway St., 1-3 p.m. March 26 …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will conduct several hunter surveys in the coming weeks to estimate harvest for various game species, determine hunter participation and satisfaction, and obtain hunter opinions. The first survey is the annual Hunter Success Survey, which is sent to all small game hunt permit buyers who provided an email address to Game and Parks at the time of purchase. Hunters who did not receive the invitation to participate in their email inbox …

Our Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Service Center/Office in Omaha at 8495 Frederick Street has reopened for business! Stop by! Valentine’s Day/2019 marked our reopening. We were closed for more than six months due to a fire on July 23, 2018 that occurred in the Frederick Plaza where we are located. Our space suffered extensive smoke and soot damage and had to be renovated from installing a new HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system on the roof to new carpeting …

Do you have dream hunt you like to do someday? You know what I mean … a hunt you’d like to complete before you “kick the bucket?” Perhaps you have compiled a bucket list of hunts. Maybe you can’t afford a grandiose adventure to a far away place for exotic game but would like to stay closer to home to accomplish a memorable hunting experience. If you are looking for some ideas about Do-It-Yourself (DIY), value-driven bucket list hunts that …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Michael Dickerson had come up empty in past hunts, but he finally got his Nebraska trophy this past September. Dickerson of Davison, Michigan, now holds the Nebraska record typical mule deer taken by archery. He stalked and shot the deer, which scored 197 4/8, Sept. 10, 2018, on private land in the badlands of northern Sioux County. “It truly was a privilege to have an opportunity at such a great animal,” said Dickerson, 40. Randy Stutheit, Nebraska …

Rabbit hunting is a cure for cabin fever. With upland bird seasons closing Jan. 31, there’s not much to hunt in February besides rabbits. February is actually my favorite month to hunt rabbits. I typically discourage my dog, Phantom, from pursuing rabbits, often ignoring her rabbit points so she remains focused on birds. But once February rolls around, we have some fun. Look for cottontails near brush piles or thick shelterbelts. With a pointing dog, be prepared to kick some …

Tips from Nebraskaland photographers on how to keep warm. Each year, the contributors to Nebraskaland Magazine spend hundreds of hours outside in frigid temperatures. There is no way to consistently battle this type of climate without a game plan. For me, I eat multiple servings of protein – including peanut butter and yogurt, before and during my trips to increase my metabolism which, in turn, increases body heat. Here are some thoughts from our staff. Jenny Wheatley – “I use Hot …