NEBRASKAland Articles

Since fish have fluid constantly cleaning debris from their eyes, their use of eyelids for this purpose is not needed. However, as animals have moved through evolutionary history from water to land, the eye has slowly evolved to include the eyelid and tear ducts, whose purposes were to help keep the eye clear and clean. Yet for an animal such as a bird that is often in constant motion, creating the potential for additional dryness and debris to interrupt the …

You don’t have to spend much time around a raccoon hunter to figure out the sport has its own vocabulary. Some of the colloquialisms are self-explanatory, but those who don’t know the difference between a bluetick and a deer tick should read on: Strike – When a hound finds the first raccoon scent trail after being sent into the woods at the start of a hunt. Open – The howl a dog lets out when it strikes a track. On …

Two different deer, two different situations. The following “tale of two deer” tells the absurdities and calamities of my pursuit of this most coveted Nebraska hunting species: On a backroads drive through southeastern Nebraska a couple winters back, I spotted what had to be a 400-class buck standing at the edge of a field. Stopping the truck, I greedily stared at the behemoth before he calmly sauntered into the woods. I went home but couldn’t seem to get the deer …

Purchasing a hunting dog can do nothing but add to the pleasure of the sport – if done correctly. I have seen more than one dog point a covey a quail, wait for the flush, then point the first of many singles before the shooter has vested the first bird. On the other hand, I’ve also been on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, Kansas, chasing a dog that refused to hunt or return to the …

Many people will take their entire deer, hide and all, to a commercial processor, turning their $28 deer tag into more than $100 of meat their family may not eat. Not to say that most processors aren’t good at what they do, but they are also working with what you give them. Which is, quite often, an ill-prepared collection of meat that can’t help but taste “wild” or “gamey.” Before you make this mistake again, try these steps to make …

Think you have the best man cave in the state? NEBRASKAland Magazine is looking for the most decked out, unique and jaw -dropping man caves in all 93 counties. Send us photos of your sanctuary and it can be featured in the magazine or online. Ladies, you’re welcome to send submissions, too! Show us where you hang out with the boys (or girls), where you contemplate your next hunt and where you proudly display all your accomplishments in the field. …

Waking to a landscape covered in hoarfrost is a photographer’s dream. Hoarfrost’s creation is a simple combination of water vapor in the air and cold temperatures. The vapor source, however, can range from atmospheric fog to steam fog rising from water that is warmer than the air above it. You can’t always look at the forecast and plan for it, but it doesn’t take a degree in meteorology to know that when overnight lows dip to -16 degrees, you can …

Whether it’s running down a tree head first or standing on hind legs to inspect an attractive aroma, raccoon behaviors can be fascinating to observe. Though easily identified by their distinctive black mask and ringed tail, witnessing a raccoon in the wild can pose a challenge due to their nocturnal nature. In the city, however, the odds of catching a glimpse of these mammals are considerably greater. With a population density and life expectancy higher than that of their country …

While it seems logical that it would become warmer as soon as the sun rises on a winter morning, many hunters will tell you that the coldest part of their morning in a deer stand or waterfowl blind is when the sun rises. There’s good reason for this. Between sunset and sunrise, the Earth’s surface gathers no solar energy but continues to radiate away its stored heat and the temperature lowers. When the sun comes up at dawn, the incoming …