Hunting

Nebraskans have become accustomed to seeing wild turkeys from border to border but it has not always been that way. When I was growing up in southwestern Nebraska in the 1970s and ‘80s, it was much more of a rarity to see them. Similar to many wildlife species, wild turkeys are native to Nebraska but factors related to Euro-American settlement wiped them out of the state in the early 1900s. Along with a lot of other wildlife, though, turkeys have …

We’ve been dreaming about this weekend for sometime.  But none of our visions contained weather like what’s being forecasted for Nebraska’s opening weekend of shotgun spring turkey season.  Being a hardy lot we Nebraskans still have intentions of heading out to fill a tag or two.  Here’s how… Snow Unless it comes in blizzard proportions, or is mixed with the conditions listed below, a little snow barely registers for turkeys who are focused on love right now.  Strategies need to …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider recommendations for 2018 deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons when it meets April 19 at Fort Robinson State Park. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at Buffalo Barracks within the park, which is located 3 miles west of Crawford in northwestern Nebraska. Staff also will recommend the creation of regulations for a passage peregrine falcon trapping season. If approved, licensed falconers would have the opportunity to capture a …

One of the joys of harvesting a mature gobbler, besides the thrill of the hunt and the delicious meal that follows, is the opportunity to obtain a trophy tail fan and beard mount. Follow these simple steps to create your own mount that will be a treasured memento for many years. First, cut off the tail fan slightly below the tail bone and the beard from the breast. It’s better to have too many feathers initially than not enough, as …

With Saturday being the opening of Nebraska’s spring turkey season – shotgun edition –  I ask this one simple question.  “What happens when you are just too good at calling turkeys?” This video answers that very question.  It shows the struggle of some turkey hunting greats who are at the top of their game. Have a great, safe turkey hunting weekend. hershy

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska’s 2017 fall turkey hunters are encouraged to share their experiences with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission via a survey. Hunters who provided an email address at the time they purchased a permit will soon receive an email invitation to participate in the survey. Those who did not provide an email address can take the survey at Game and Parks’ website. The survey will ask hunters about their turkey harvest, as well as about their hunting …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a proclamation on April 2 declaring Nebraska the Best Turkey Hunting Destination in the United States. The governor signed the proclamation in a ceremony at the Nebraska Capitol and presented it to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Deputy Director Tim McCoy, who was joined by Jared McJunkin and Micaela Rahe of the National Wild Turkey Federation. “Hunting brings family and friends together in a way that encourages appreciation for our natural world,” Ricketts …

We still call them ‘slate-calls’ though the surface of many of these turkey calls nowadays are glass, aluminum or some other material.  And again this spring, thousands of gobblers in Nebraska will give testament to their effectiveness – when in the right hands. The beauty of the slate-call is first and foremost that they produce some of the truest turkey talk a hunter can make. Sometimes sounding even better than the real deal. Secondly, they are the model of versatility.  …

Nebraska’s popular archery spring wild turkey hunting season is in full swing, and seemingly a growing number of hunters have added another piece of legal archery equipment to their repertoire  — the modern crossbow. The word — crossbow — can stir up a very heated debate in conventional bow hunting circles. Consider that a similar debate also took place when the compound bow was first introduced into the hunting scene many years ago. Some folks will be quick to let you know that a crossbow or arbalest is …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept applications for a 2018 bighorn sheep lottery permit beginning April 16. Only Nebraska residents are eligible. The application period ends Aug. 3, and the permit will be drawn Aug. 16. A $29 nonrefundable application fee must accompany each application. Apply at a Nebraska Game and Parks office or at OutdoorNebraska.org. The 2018 bighorn sheep season is Nov. 27-Dec. 22.