Latest Features

An Acreage Transformed Story and photos by Renae Blum When Sue Kirkpatrick bought her acreage in 2013, which is 3 miles east of Lincoln, she didn’t intend to become a native prairie hobbyist. After 30 years of living in neighborhoods with city ordinances, neighborhood covenants and manicured lawns, Kirkpatrick simply desired the freedom to do what she wanted in a more relaxed environment. But things changed after she signed up for the Nebraska Master Naturalist Program in 2014. The program …

While horns and antlers share some similarities, they are distinct forms of animal headgear. By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist How many times have you heard someone say, “Wow, look at the horns on that deer”? Horns and antlers are not interchangeable. While they share some similarities, horns and antlers are distinct forms of animal headgear. Antlers Males in the Cervidae family, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose and elk, are the only class of mammals to grow antlers. Exceptions: …

Starting in 1900, Carrie Nation became a household name for her fanatical opposition to alcohol. By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska Imagine that you are in a bar in the early 1900s — a glass of cold beer in your hand, a spittoon within easy spitting distance on the hardwood floor, and a racy painting of some unclothed beauty hanging on the wall. You turn at the sound of a woman’s voice singing hymns, and in walks a mature woman …

If you love Nebraska’s natural and recreational resources, the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation is a perfect way to show your appreciation By Jeff Kurrus Core values. The Nebraska Game and Parks has many. Access. Opportunity. Stewardship. Providing opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, camping and outdoor education and recreation. They have an economic value of $3.8 billion in our state. These activities are the backbone of introducing Nebraskans, and visitors alike, to the outdoors and keeping them outdoors, and …

Winter offers favorable conditions for viewing stars. By Alie Mayes, Community Science Specialist As winter envelopes Nebraska, it is a welcome escape to dream of the color orange. A brightly streaked sunset. Sunburst lichen on full display. Bright American bittersweet pods. Campfires burning into the night. The color orange is a beacon of warmth and light — a promise of warm days ahead. But instead of focusing on the future, let’s appreciate the present. Three years ago, at a cold …

An interview with Helen Brazee, campground host at Windmill State Recreation Area By Eric Fowler How long have you been a campground host? I started as a camp host in the year 2000, when I retired, but we used to come out here and camp, from the mid-70s all the way until now. It was in the early ’70s when they made this a park because of the interstate and the sandpits. We’ve got six fishing lakes. People love it …

When the weather grows cold, animals have special adaptations and behaviors to battle the elements. Story and photos by Justin Haag When the mercury dips down around zero, most of us are fortunate to have heated spaces to take refuge. Wildlife aren’t so fortunate, but do have special adaptations and behaviors to battle the elements. Some escape the cold by migrating south. While such travel is certainly effective, and attractive to us humans, it comes at the expense of a …

Corvids are some of the most adaptable and clever birds on the planet. By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist They’re everywhere: In the streets, in the skies, in the parking lots and even on baseball fields — corvids. You’ll know them as crows, ravens, blue jays and black-billed magpies. Worldwide, over 130 species of birds belong in the Corvidae family. Widely distributed, these birds thrive in diverse ecosystems, from dense forests to urban environments. They are typically medium to large …

One young woman’s journey to becoming a hunter By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Harleigh Lisius wasn’t born into a hunting family, but she always knew she wanted to do it. The daughter of a fourth-generation farmer, the 23-year-old grew up among cattle, corn and beans near Juniata and spent countless hours playing in the shelterbelt on the farm, fishing her grandparents’ pond or camping. Every Thanksgiving, highly-anticipated visits from her aunt and uncle brought exciting tales of the couple’s lives as wildlife …

Warm toes while ice-fishing is worth every penny. By Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Biologist and Outreach Program Manager I teach ice-fishing clinics each year, and we spend at least some time talking about staying warm. You will never enjoy ice-fishing if you are cold, and of course, layering is the key. There is excellent clothing available these days made just for ice-fishing. But don’t forget — the same goes for a pair of good boots, because, well, while ice-fishing, you are …