NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – Learn about the future of fisheries management in Nebraska at a series of public informational meetings with winter. The meetings will begin with an overview of the 2018 fishing forecast, an update on special projects, and a report of potential regulation changes. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission staff then will receive feedback and answer questions. All meetings will be held from 7-9 p.m., unless otherwise indicated. The meeting schedule is: Jan. 29 – Kearney, Public Library, 2020 …

CHADRON, Neb. – Nebraska’s deer seasons wrapped up in mid-January and preliminary numbers show the harvest was up in the Panhandle. Through all seasons, hunters checked in 8,072 deer in the region compared to 7,815 the previous year — a 3.3 percent increase.  The Panhandle’s overall number of harvested deer consists of 4,717 mule deer and 3,355 whitetails. Three of the four westernmost units in the state – Pine Ridge, Plains and Sandhills — reported more deer harvested this fall …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Adults, youth and bird lovers of all ages and experience levels are encouraged to attend Project Feeder Watch on Feb. 3 in Plainview. This hands-on learning experience starts at 10 a.m. at Plainview Public Library, 209 N. Pine St. Project Feeder Watch is a citizen science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Citizen science is a way for the public to contribute to the scientific understanding of the natural world. Participants of this free workshop, which …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Educators of younger students are invited to participate in a citizen science workshop March 3 in Omaha. The 12:30 p.m. workshop will be held at the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, 8901 S. 154th St. Citizen science in the classroom provides opportunities for students to participate in real scientific investigations. Citizen science can inspire students to create meaningful connections to the natural world and help scientists gather data and monitor or interpret results to produce relevant research. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) events and important dates in February. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. Feb. 3 – Birds and Binoculars, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP), Ashland Feb. 3 – Badger Day, Wildcat Hills Nature Center, Gering Feb. 3-11 – White-fronted goose hunting season Feb. 5 – Fisheries public informational meeting, Northeast Community College, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Two Nebraska conservation officers received special recognition for their heroic efforts from the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association during the Jan. 19 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission meeting at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. Officer Bryce Streger helped families escape a western Nebraska wildfire and evacuated an elderly couple in the nick of time. Streger lost all of his personal belongings in the fire. Officer Brian Piernicky responded to an accident near Swanson Reservoir and located …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A bull elk tag will be auctioned off by the Nebraska Big Game Society (NBGS) on Thursday, April 12 in Lincoln. The event will be held at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club, 1800 Wilderness Woods Place. Those who wish to bid but cannot attend may call in their bids for free. Call-in bidders must first notify the NBGS by 5 p.m. on April 5 at 402-430-9191 or via email at NBGS11@gmail.com. Only residents are eligible for the tag, …

GERING, Neb. – The groundhog may or may not see its shadow, but the forecast says there is a highly favorable chance for people to learn about another burrowing animal next month. Badger Day will be Saturday, Feb. 3, at 10 a.m. at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center south of Gering. Amanda Filipi, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission outdoor education specialist, said that Badger Day was inspired by Groundhog Day – which was actually inspired by Badger Day. To Germans, …

VALENTINE, Neb. – The Nebraska National Forest has opened a road in Cherry County to motor vehicles, improving access to an area of Chat Canyon Wildlife Management Areathat lies south of the Niobrara River. The road is an existing two-track trail through the Samuel L. McKelvie Forest south of Chat Canyon WMA that was previously open to the public for only non-motorized use. It is one-half mile long, providing a link from Forest Service Road 603 to a quarter-mile easement over private …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has revised the agenda for its Jan. 19 meeting at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park near Ashland for the addition of an update on mountain lion population research. The hunter orange update and other items have been moved to the Jan. 18 informational meeting. The Jan. 18 meeting begins at 1 p.m. and Jan. 19 meeting starts at 8 a.m. Both meetings are at Riverview Lodge. In addition, the Commission will …