NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – Private pond owners across Nebraska should check for fish that may have succumbed to winterkill now that those ponds should be devoid of ice. Winterkills typically occur in small, shallow ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation. “Snow and ice covering a pond prevent the water from exchanging oxygen with the air,” said Jeff Blaser, private waters specialist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Excessive snow and thick ice allows little sunlight penetration, so plants are not able …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Learn more about how Nebraska Game and Parks conservation officers protect the state’s natural resources and serve Nebraskans at Conversations with Your Conservation Officer, March 14-15 and April 18-19. Hosted at the Schramm Education Center in Gretna, the presentations will offer the public the chance to ask questions, hear stories, and learn more about the role of a conservation officer. An educational trailer will also be available that sheds light on the issue of wildlife poaching in …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Learn all aspects of turkey hunting at a Beginning Turkey Hunting Field Day on April 4 at the Oak Valley Wildlife Management Area maintenance shop in Madison County. This free instructional event will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon. It will include a hike, with discussion about gear, strategy, habitat and public access. There will be presentations on the Northeast Nebraska Beards and Spurs chapter, shotgun patterns and processing turkey in the field. To register, call 402-370-3374 …

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The works of three Nebraska photographers and artists are on display through April 11 at Ash Hollow State Historical Park in Garden County. Renowned nature photographer Michael Forsberg of Lincoln, artist Jean Jensen of Lewellen and photographer Kylee Warren of Lewellen will exhibit their work. The displays are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday, or by appointment. Michael Forsberg’s imagery of wildlife and landscapes has long been revered for …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The trout lake at Two Rivers State Recreation Area (SRA) in Douglas County will open for family fishing beginning March 14. Nearly 13,000 11-inch rainbow trout have been stocked in preparation for the opener. “Nebraskans eagerly await the annual opening of the Two Rivers trout lake and spring trout fishing in general,” said Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors with your family and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Portions of Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area (SRA) in Chase County will be closed temporarily to public access March 14 for a prescribed fire exercise. This is a joint exercise by the volunteer fire departments of Imperial and Wauneta, Nebraska State Fire Marshall’s Training Division, Nebraska State Forest Service, and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Other area fire departments also will be assisting and training. The objectives are to reduce the wildland fire potential on the SRA, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Catchable-size rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and lakes across the state by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. These stockings will enhance fishing opportunities this spring, especially in urban areas. Trout fishing also is a great way to introduce children to fishing because simple and inexpensive equipment may be used. The stocked trout are approximately 10 inches in length. The following is a tentative stocking schedule, including quantities: March 9 – Northwest Lake, Bridgeport …

LINCOLN Neb. – Twenty schools and more than 160 archers competed in the Western Nebraska NASP Regional Tournament on Feb. 29 at the D & N Event Center in North Platte. It is a growing event with plenty of room for expansion. The objective of the tournament, in its second year, is to expand archery in the North Platte area and western Nebraska for archers participating in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) curriculum as part of their …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Prescribed burns are planned this spring on some Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wildlife management areas (WMA), state parks (SP), state recreation areas (SRA) and state historical parks (SHP) where weather conditions allow. Historically, wildlife habitats were shaped by wildfires that occurred throughout the year. Burns can help set back undesirable plants that invade native woodlands and prairies, as well as other grass and wooded areas. Eastern red cedar trees, honey locust, buckbrush, sumac, dogwood, and other …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Ducks Unlimited of Nebraska launched the state’s first Duck Slam in 2019. This challenged hunters to spend more time afield by harvesting four birds — an American wigeon, mallard, northern pintail and a teal – in Nebraska during the 2019-2020 season. In its first year, the Duck Slam drew 370 hunters from Nebraska and eight other states, including 11 youth and 11 women. Of the 139 hunters who completed the …