NEBRASKAland Articles

By Eric Fowler While on a hunting trip in the Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska in 2010, I photographed a picturesque butte in northwestern Sheridan County. When I got back to the office, I looked, as I often do, at the U.S. Geological Survey topographical maps to see if it was named. I couldn’t believe that, in the 21st century, a feature could still carry a name that was both sexist and racist. It no longer does. In September, the …

Grassland habitat doesn’t always equal an abundance of cover. Some of the most barren places in the Sandhills attract a lot of wildlife, including a broad diversity of small creatures that think bare sand looks pretty dang hospitable. Story and photos by Chris Helzer Blowouts in the Nebraska Sandhills need a better public relations agent. They’re unpopular with ranchers, who tend to focus on the reasonable fact that bare sand contains very little cattle food. Among the other residents of …

By Jeff Kurrus and Gerry Steinauer You can’t hunt every day of the hunting season, although some wives claim some years we try. To keep you occupied on the days you don’t hunt, the following are a few ideas for hunting season habitat management. Maintaining Treeless Grasslands Game birds, such as pheasants, quail and prairie grouse, prefer open, treeless grasslands. One simple, sure-fire fall or winter management practice to improve game bird habitat is cutting eastern red-cedars, from saplings to …

Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus There is a long list of ways to raise money. In the outdoor world, it’s often banquets, auctions or raffles. Others host fishing tournaments, shoots or competitions like one-box hunts. One Johnson County resident, however, came up with an entirely different plan to raise money to support his community. Arlen Beethe, with the support of the Elk Creek Men’s Club, had a thought: Why not introduce a 16th century game made popular in Europe, …

By Renae Blum Hikers seeking a challenge will find what they’re looking for on these five Nebraska trails. Along several, hundreds of feet of elevation changes will test your hiking stamina, but scenic views make it worth the climb to the top. Other trails take time to complete or offer minimal protection from the elements. Whichever trail you choose, you’ll get to enjoy the beauty of scenic Nebraska – along with the satisfaction of tackling a challenge. Trail 10, Indian …

The story of a prescribed burn By Gerry Steinauer, Botanist My introduction to the central Niobrara River Valley came in 1984 when, fresh out of college, I interned on The Nature Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley Preserve located east of Valentine. My job on the recently-acquired preserve was to design and build nature trails, help move cattle between pastures on horseback, and fix windmills and fences, along with other miscellaneous ranch duties. On evenings and weekends, I explored. For a kid from …

Flying above fog gives you a new perspective of these clouds on the ground. Photos and story by Eric Fowler We have all, on occasion, had our heads in the clouds. I’m not referring to our tendency to daydream. I’m referring to those cool mornings when our world is shrouded in mystical fog. On rare occasions, I’ve been lucky to have a photo flight scheduled on one of those mornings. In such cases, fog can be a blessing and a …

Story and photos by Chris Helzer I was on the way out to The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies when the preserve manager, Cody Miller, called. “Hey, have you ever seen a spadefoot toad?” “Just once,” I said, “but never along the Platte. You got one?” “Yep,” he said. “I saw it hopping away from the mower, and so I moved it to safety. It wasn’t the kind of toad I expected! I’m holding it until you get here.” Fifteen …

By Jeff Kurrus Fall stockings of put-and-take rainbow trout draw anglers out of the house for a holiday season meal, but where this autumn ritual gets really interesting are those lakes where top-notch fisheries already exist. There, you’ll have no idea what’s fighting on the other end of the line. Lakes Grove Lake — The trophy northern pike in this northeastern Nebraska lake near Royal are just as excited about fall trout stockings as anglers, and as they put on …

By Ryan Sparks I can vividly recall the two animals I’ve shot and didn’t recover. The memories still give me a gut-wrenching feeling of loss and remorse. The first loss was a Montana mule deer I tracked with a friend for several hours before falling snow made it impossible to continue. The second was a Nebraska white-tailed buck. I searched for him for three days, but never found him. He’s still the biggest buck I’ve ever seen. There are many …