NGPC News

LINCOLN – 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 fall and winter. Trout fishing is a great way to introduce children to fishing because simple and inexpensive equipment may be used. A spinning or spin-cast rod and reel with a hook baited with a worm will work well. Add a split shot a couple of feet above the hook …

CHADRON — Boy Scouts are inviting the public to help plant 3,000 trees at Chadron State Park on Saturday, Oct. 8. Volunteers for the project are encouraged to arrive at the park’s campground at 7:30 a.m. for instructions. The planting is expected to wrap up by 2 p.m. and will conclude with a meal. For more information, contact Jim Schmitt of the Boy Scouts at 308-249-1195 or the Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District at 308-432-6190.

CHADRON — The public is invited to join Chadron State Park’s first Bioblitz, a 24-hour program Friday and Saturday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. The park’s group event facility will serve as headquarters for the more than dozen surveys and activities, which are scheduled to take place at locations throughout the park. The free event will allow participants both young and old to discover and celebrate western Nebraska wildlife. A bioblitz is an event where members of the public become “citizen scientists” …

LINCOLN – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) events and important dates in October. Get more details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. Sept. 30-Oct. 2 – Autumn Harvest Art Show, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP), Ashland Oct. 1 – Advance tickets sales begin for Haunted Hollow, Indian Cave SP, Shubert, 8 a.m. Oct. 1 – Archery Fun Shoot, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor …

LINCOLN – A health alert is in effect for Willow Creek Lake in Pierce County and Rockford Lake in Gage County. The health alert was put in place after high levels of blue-green algae were detected at the lakes during testing by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. It is recommended that visitors to Willow Creek and Rockford lakes avoid full body contact activities such as swimming, wading, skiing and jet skiing. Non-contact activities such as boating, fishing and camping …

LINCOLN – Nebraska is among the nation’s top eight pheasant hunting states, according Pheasants Forever (PF). “The Cornhusker State is a bird hunting cornucopia,” writes PF blogger Ron Spomer. “You’re liable to bump into not just ringnecks, but bobwhites, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens. And you can look for them on 800,000 public access acres on 300 state and federal land areas. That’s only 2 percent of the state’s total land, so if you can talk yourself onto private lands, …

Correction: This corrects a news release of Sept. 20, changing the address of the Oct. 4 meeting in North Platte. LINCOLN – The public is invited to attend informational meetings across the state in October regarding the future of Nebraska’s aquatic resources. Fisheries personnel from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have been developing a road map for the state’s fisheries and aquatic resources. The public’s participation in the planning process is encouraged. Each meeting will include an overview of …

LINCOLN – Make your Halloween truly memorable this year and celebrate at a state park. Throughout October, Nebraska state parks and recreation areas will host more than a dozen Halloween events filled to the brim with fun for the whole family. Events will feature activities such as pumpkin carving, costume contests, trick-or-treating and haunted trails and hayrack rides. At many sites, those staying at a park campground can participate in campground decorating contests. To see a full list of events, …

LINCOLN – Conservation officers with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conducted special enforcement patrols during the summer on state recreation areas in Lancaster County. These efforts were designed to help ensure users have a safe and enjoyable experience on Commission-managed areas. Enforcement efforts aimed to reduce serious and fatal vehicle and boat accidents resulted in seven arrests for driving under the influence and two for boating under the influence. These special patrols allowed conservation officers to contact an additional …

LINCOLN – Make your Halloween truly memorable this year and celebrate at a state park. Throughout October, Nebraska state parks and recreation areas will host more than a dozen Halloween events filled to the brim with fun for the whole family. Events will feature activities such as pumpkin carving, costume contests, trick-or-treating and haunted trails and hayrack rides. At many sites, those staying at a park campground can participate in campground decorating contests. To see a full list of events, …