NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – Prescribed burns are planned on some Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wildlife management areas (WMA) and state parks, where weather conditions allow. Burns during the summer growing season can help set back undesirable plants that invade native prairies and other grasslands. Eastern redcedar trees and undesirable deciduous shrubs can be more susceptible to summer burns because of higher temperatures. These trees often expend much energy in flowering and fruiting and have higher rates of mortality because of …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Learn all aspects of bow fishing at a clinic Sept. 2-3 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. Participants will learn basic bow fishing skills, including knowledge of archery equipment and fish identification. The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CenturyLink Lake. Equipment will be provided. A park entry permit is required.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Grab a friend, your mother, daughter, sister, or colleague and go outdoors for a life-changing fall adventure. The annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop, sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, gives women the opportunity to learn outdoor skills in a comfortable environment. Registration is still open for this workshop, which is a weekend getaway for women 18 years and older scheduled for Oct. 6-8 at Nebraska State 4-H Camp at Halsey. Outdoor novices get preference, but …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Northern bobwhite abundance increased compared to 2016, indicating that populations in Nebraska continue to rebound from the severe winters of 2009-2010 and the severe drought of 2012-2013, according to a whistle count and July rural mail carrier surveys. Results of the whistle count survey show statewide, within the quail’s range, the mean number of males heard calling in 2017 was higher than in 2016. In addition, the 2017 July Rural Mail Carrier Survey shows that relative abundance …

ALLIANCE, Neb. – As the solar eclipse nears the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has closed access to Blue Lake, a public fishing site on private property 22 miles north of Oshkosh in Garden County. Commission officials are taking the action with concerns that inexperienced drivers may encounter difficulties navigating the two-track trail leading to the Sandhills lake. The lake will reopen Wednesday, Aug. 23. Because the trail and lake are on private property, the Commission takes special measures to …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska is a prime state for viewing the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. People planning to view the event from a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission property should make safety and planning their top priorities. Game and Parks has 34 state park areas and 186 wildlife management areas within the approximately 70-mile-wide path of totality, and visitation at those areas is expected to be busier than normal. All campsites within those park areas that may be reserved have …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters may begin donating deer to the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) program Sept. 1 at 18 processor locations around the state. Three additional processors will accept deer for the program starting Nov. 11. Hunters pay no processing costs for deer accepted by processors for this donation-driven program. The HHH program is funded solely by tax-deductible contributions. Ground venison is distributed by charitable organizations to Nebraskans in need. Hunters should first talk with processors but may keep …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Microscopic young zebra mussels – or veligers – recently were detected in a water sample collected at Carter Lake by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Since no adult zebra mussels were found, the lake will be listed as a suspect water body. If no adults or additional larvae are found after three years of sampling, the lake will be delisted. The lake will be listed as an infested water body if an adult zebra mussel is …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Dove hunting season begins soon and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has some reminders for those hunters, as well as recommendations for areas to hunt. Doves may be hunted statewide. The season is Sept. 1 – Oct. 30, with daily bag and possession limits of 15 and 45, respectively. Bag limits are for mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves in aggregate. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. Nebraska residents 16 years and older …

CHADRON, Neb. — The public is invited to learn about bats during a program at Chadron State Park this week. Participants will meet at the park’s lagoon shelter Friday, Aug. 11, at 8 p.m. Specialists from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln will present the program about the often-misunderstood flying mammals. Program attendees are expected to get a close look at bats. UNL researchers are in the region this week collecting data, and …