Latest Features

By Eric Fowler Were it not for happenstance, we might know little about Lt. Gabriel Field. When John “Jack” Rathjen uncovered a portion of his headstone while plowing a crop field in 1954, it led to the exhumation of six graves, including Field’s, north of where Fort Atkinson, the first U.S. military fort in what was to become Nebraska, had once stood. In the years that followed, historians, both professionals and amateurs, searched through military and genealogical records trying to …

By Olivia DaRugna, Watchable Wildlife Biologist Spring choruses are in full swing, and while birds may dominate the daytime soundscape, the night is for the frogs and toads. As temperatures warm, frogs and toads emerge after a long, cold winter and begin their annual serenade. Males call out into the darkness, advertising their fitness to females and to defend their territory from nearby males. In Nebraska, there are 11 species of frogs and toads. Four are listed as at-risk of …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist If you’ve ever seen large, wobbly-looking black birds flying overhead, congratulations! You were witnessing one of Nebraska’s most efficient cleaning companies at work: Not “buzzard,” not “chicken hawk” — but the turkey vulture. Identification When describing the physical appearance of a turkey vulture, you probably wouldn’t call them “beautiful.” These birds are easily recognizable by their large size, black-brown plumage and yellow feet. And you couldn’t forget their naked — some would say creepy-looking …

April Wildlife Viewing: For most of the year, prairie grouse are inconspicuous, but come mid-March through early May, male birds are ready to perform. By Olivia DaRugna, Watchable Wildlife Biologist The iconic greater prairie-chicken dances in Nebraska may only be second to the sandhill crane migration. Photos and art of the dancing chickens can be found on postcards, in shops and museums throughout the state, and it’s no surprise among those who have witnessed this natural phenomenon unfold before their …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist If wild kangaroos are on your bucket list of animals to see, why travel 17 hours on a plane when you could spot one right here in Nebraska? I’m serious. With long tails, pouches and large back feet, watch for these creatures leaping across the road while you’re driving down a two-lane road at night. Though, now might be the time to mention that these Nebraska kangaroos are only about 8 inches long — …

By Ted LaGrange, Wetland Program Manager When my oldest child was in elementary school in the 1990s, I was invited to give a class presentation on wetlands. When I asked the students if Nebraska had any wetlands and whether any cool animals lived in them, I was shocked to hear them say, “No.” They knew more about the Everglades of Florida and the Amazon of South America than they did about wetlands in their own state. I wanted to fix …

By Jeff Kurrus, Nebraskaland Magazine Not all fishing trips are created equal, nor do they need to be. Some are after-work, two-hour jaunts in the middle of the summer and others are all-day ice-fishing affairs where the mind, and body, are exhausted at day’s end. And while each is pleasurable in its own fantastic ways, these aren’t the only types of trips to make. Some require windshield time first. Here are my favorites. The Bite The message boards fill up …

By Delanie Bruce, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies & Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Many of us relate March to the beginning of spring, madness over college basketball and hunts for the infamous pot of gold. But there’s another magic that starts this month – the symphonies of birds calling. For instance, you might recognize the high-pitched “howk-howk!” of snow geese flying overhead or the “kar-r-r-r-o-o-o” of prehistoric sandhill cranes preening on a sandbar. Nebraska is a particularly special place …

By Todd Mills It’s impossible to measure the heart of your hunting dog, or in my experience, your retriever. Even more impossible is measuring when you should shut down your dog, or in some cases, manage them into their twilight years. No matter how willing the heart is, the body will grow weak. Long gone might be the days of the perfect water entry, or the sunrise to sunset upland hunt. Managing your own expectations and caring for your elderly …

In March, we highlight the timber rattlesnake, a Tier I at-risk species in Nebraska.   By Olivia DaRugna, Watchable Wildlife Biologist Like Indian Jones, many people are terrified of snakes, but this fear is not much more than a defense mechanism. When you stop to think about snakes and their role in the ecosystem, these animals have evolved to possess unique traits that are actually quite ingenious. For example, the serpents’ cryptic coloration keeps them well disguised, and with no …