NGPC News

LINCOLN – A free kids’ fishing clinic will be held May 2 at the Valentine State Fish Hatchery. It will be hosted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Valentine Lions Club. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the clinic starts at 10, rain or shine. Free rod-and-reel combos will be provided by the Nebraska Walleye Association and other area sponsors. In the morning, participants will learn about knot-tying, casting, lures and baits, fish identification, and water and boating …

LINCOLN — Sample any of the more than 120 Nebraska wines while listening to local bands perform May 1-2 at the second annual Toast Nebraska Wine Festival at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. The festival, which will highlight 19 Nebraska wineries, also will include more than 22 artisan and food vendors, in addition to wine and chef demonstration sessions. Area bands performing that weekend include Tony from the Beaten Path, Ro Hemple, Bottle Tops, Belles and Whistles, and Avaricious. Guests …

LINCOLN – Life at an 1820s military post will be depicted at Living History Weekend at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park on May 2-3. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors are encouraged to interact with volunteers demonstrating period trades such as blacksmithing, carpentry, tinsmithing and coopering, as well as crafts such as quilting, spinning and weaving. Visitors also may experience life at a fort’s school and learn about the archaeology of the site. Various military demonstrations take place over …

LINCOLN – Women interested in learning all aspects of handguns are invited to a series of classes sponsored by the Beyond Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. These handgun classes will be held each Wednesday in May from 6-8:30 p.m. at Platte River State Park near Louisville. The cost is $5 per session. The class schedule is: May 6 – Introduction to Handguns, Firearm Safety and Range Rules; May 13 – Women’s Handguns, Conceal Carry Products and Scope Selection and Care; May …

The new lodging facility blends the best of old and new. Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford is gearing up to celebrate its reconstruction of an 1891 Officers Quarters, a duplex-style lodge that combines historical features with modern amenities. The public grand opening and dedication will be Saturday, May 2, at 10:30 a.m. MDT near the new building. The short ceremony will be followed by tours of the building. “We are certainly proud to be adding this beautiful, modern facility …

The Bowfishing Mentor Program at Ponca State Park is currently open for registration. The course will be taught over four nights, June 4, 11, 18 and 19 from 6-8:30 p.m. Limited to 25 registrants, students must be 10 years old as of January 1, 2015. Students will learn basic bowfishing skills, including knowledge on archery equipment; how to find, identify, and shoot fish; and cleaning and cooking fish. The program is sponsored by the Nebraska Big Game Conservation Association and …

LINCOLN – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in May: April 30, May 1-2 – Cornhusker Trap Shoot, Doniphan, cornhusker-trap.com May 1 – Explore Archery, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln, 6-7 p.m., 402-471-6141 May 1-2 – Toast Nebraska, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP), Ashland, 1-10 p.m., 402-944-2523 May 2 – Take Pride in America Day Cleanup at Verdon Lake State Recreation Area (SRA), Verdon, 9 a.m., 402-883-2575 …

LINCOLN – The repaving of roads within Indian Cave State Park has begun. The roads to the boat ramp and cave are temporarily closed for repaving. All other areas of the park, including the campgrounds, are open. All of the roads, parking areas and campgrounds within the park will be repaved this year. Construction will take place in phases so that guests will still be able to visit and enjoy this popular state park. Park management will work closely with …

LINCOLN – Gov. Pete Ricketts will declare May as Nebraska International Migratory Bird Month during a ceremony May 13 at Warner Chamber at the Nebraska Capitol. Family bird walks, breakfast birding outings and other educational, family-friendly events are planned statewide throughout the month of May to celebrate. Since 1993, International Migratory Bird Day has been celebrated nationally on the second Saturday of May. In Nebraska, the celebration has been extended throughout the month of May. It is a chance for …

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission completed a fish renovation at Watts Lake on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge on March 27 to address an unbalanced fish population triggered by drought conditions in 2012. Fisheries biologist Zac Brashears of Valentine said lower water levels that year caused a partial winterkill in Watts and prompted the problems with the fishery. The primary goal of the renovation was to remove unwanted fish species such as …