Hunting

I have just recently arrived back from my first ever pronghorn hunt and I would love to quickly share the story of the adventure before the crispness of the experience is dulled by passed time and the facts become muddled. With enough preference points my wife and I were able to secure a pair of muzzleloader permits in a coveted unit in Nebraska’s panhandle.  We were very excited and talked to many people about pronghorn – some of which were …

LINCOLN – Learn everything there is to know about muzzleloaders at the Muzzleloader Sight-In and Family Rendezvous on Oct. 9 at Platte River State Park. The event will be held at the Roger G. Sykes Outdoor Heritage Education Complex from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Participants will be able to sight in their muzzleloaders for $5. Several free family-friendly activities are scheduled, including youth archery, slingshots, atlatl and tomahawk throwing, pellet gun and muzzleloader shooting, campground games and Dutch oven cooking. Treats …

LINCOLN – Just in time for the fall turkey season, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has finished its analysis of a survey of spring turkey hunters. According to survey results, spring turkey hunters enjoyed a high rate of success in Nebraska in 2016. More turkeys were harvested during the 2016 spring season compared to 2015, despite a slight drop in the number of permits sold. Hunters who provided email addresses at the time they purchased 2016 spring turkey permits …

LINCOLN – A tree stand is a basic tool of many archery deer hunters. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges hunters to use the equipment safely in order to have a memorable and successful hunt. Nebraska Hunter Education Coordinator Wendy Horine suggests hunters follow these tips to hunt safely using a tree stand: — Always use a fall arrest system rated for your personal weight. “Ropes or other homemade devices should never be used as a substitute for a …

LINCOLN – Squirrel hunting is fun, challenging and a great introductory hunt for youth or novices. Taking a new hunter on a squirrel hunt in the woods can serve as a prelude to the pursuit of other game, as the skills and strategies learned can be used on other types of hunts. It also may develop a novice’s sense of stewardship of natural resources and appreciation for conservation. “Another reason squirrel hunting is a great activity for kids is the …

Deer season is open!  Since September 1, archers are have been taking to the field.  So some review on tree stand safety is a good thing. According to the groups Treestand Manufacturers Association and Tree Stand Safety Awareness, falls from tree stands account for 36% of all hunting accidents nationally and are the number one cause of serious injury and death during deer hunting season in the US. ALWAYS use a fall arrest system rated for your personal weight.  Ropes …

LINCOLN – Nebraska’s opening day of dove hunting season on Sept. 1 kicked off with many satisfied hunters afield. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s southeast district had plenty of hunters, especially on public ground. “There were bunches of hunters participating in the dove opener,” said Pat Molini, southeast district wildlife manager. “It used to be that an opener on a weekday had fewer dove hunters, but that has changed.” Molini said hunter success across his district varied from good …

LINCOLN – Hunters may enter a lottery to gain deer hunting access to Platte River Recreation Access (PRRA) lands in the central Platte River Valley, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Fifty-six hunters will be chosen from a random drawing in early October and allowed to hunt deer on designated PRRA lands Nov. 16-20. Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted by mail or in person at the Game and Parks service center in Kearney from …

LINCOLN – The conditions of wetlands across the state is varied, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. On Sept. 1, Game and Parks released a report on the status of Rainwater Basin wetlands, as well as pumping plans. While conditions were good in some areas, they were dry in others. “Conditions are generally good throughout much of the Sandhills and along the Platte River,” said Ted LaGrange, wetland program manager for the Commission. “However, the wetland water conditions …

Each September, I get a subtle first-hand reminder of the influence of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s communications efforts. About 15 or 20 years ago, a how-to story inspired me to construct dove decoys out of plywood, metal hooks and a little paint. I’m not sure who wrote or delivered the narrative, but I’m certain it came from the Commission – NEBRASKAland Magazine or something else. Nobody is going to mistake my work for a Michelangelo or Rembrandt, but …