NGPC News

The 1st Annual Snowman Building Contest at Ponca State Park started Saturday, November 29th with extremely challenging conditions. With highs in the 60s snow was scarce. However, Lee Brogie and her granddaughter Hazel took on the challenge. They found 2 patches of snow between the new playground and the East shelter and were able to construct this 8-inch snowman with a twig nose and a leaf hat. Entries for the Snowman Building Contest will be accepted thru March 19 ( …

LINCOLN – A full schedule of programs is available in December at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln. All current military personnel and veterans get a 50-percent discount on lane fees each Monday in December. Seniors ages 60 and up get the same discount on Fridays. The education center is located at 4703 N. 44th St. This family-friendly center is open to all shooters and archers and offers a wide range of workshops and other activities …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission invites hunters and landowners to attend a public informational meeting in December to discuss big game issues. Meetings are scheduled in each Game and Parks district. Game and Parks biologists will explain and take questions on several topics, including deer management, deer damage and depredation permits, antlerless harvest, trophy management and diseases. Antelope and elk issues may be discussed at meetings located in areas where these species occur. All meetings begin at …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host free family archery events Dec. 6 in Lincoln and at Platte River State Park. These Archery on Fire events are designed to introduce a new outdoor skill to the beginner and to let more experienced archers sharpen their skills. The Lincoln event will be held at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, 4703 N. 44th St. In addition to archery, this event will feature Tomahawk throwing, a Hunger …

LINCOLN – On Nov. 14, a single live adult zebra mussel was discovered attached to a boat dock at the Midway boat ramp on the South Dakota side of Lewis and Clark Lake near Yankton, S.D. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) staff inspected 11 additional boat docks and shorelines and found no additional zebra mussels in or near the lake. Several boats stored at a marina also were inspected and no mussels were found, though many boats already …

LINCOLN – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in December: Dec. 1 – Bobcat hunting and trapping season opens Dec. 1-31 – Muzzleloader deer hunting season Dec. 1-31 – Public land cow elk hunting season Dec. 1-31 – Private land cow elk hunting season Dec. 2-22 – Bighorn sheep hunting season Dec. 5, 19 – Women’s Firearm Education Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln, 6-7:30 p.m., 402-471-6141 Dec. …

LINCOLN – State parks throughout Nebraska are planning traditional winter events, including lighted hayrack rides, winter nature walks and wildlife viewing, sledding, ice skating, yule log quests, old-fashioned craft projects, visits from Santa and more this holiday season. Dubbed “Winterfest,” this statewide series of events is intended to help families rekindle old holiday traditions and create new ones, while showcasing the beauty of Nebraska during the winter. Many parks offer discounted lodging in conjunction with Winterfest events, offering families a …

CHADRON — Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officials have temporarily closed access to Blue Lake in Garden County because of deteriorating ice conditions. The trail was closed during the nine days of firearm deer season and Game and Parks officials decided to extend the closure after assessing the lake’s condition Monday. With wind and warmer temperatures, the fishable ice has melted around the edge of the lake at the access point. Joe Rydell, northwestern district fisheries biologist, said the lake …

Celebrate Thanksgiving weekend at Ponca State Park this Saturday, November 29. With Christmas just around the corner, warm up your cookie decorating skills and get a head start on holiday crafts such as homemade ornaments and greeting cards. The day will conclude with free family photos and lighted hayrack rides. All activities will meet at the Resource and Education Center. All ages welcome. Start your Christmas Day countdown by making your own natural chalkboard at 9 a.m. Participants must preregister …

By Justin Haag Nebraska Game and Parks Commission LINCOLN – Conservation officers are seeking information in the investigation of the illegal killing and abandonment of a bull elk in northwestern Nebraska during the opening weekend of firearm deer season. The elk was found dead west of Crawford on the Peterson Wildlife Management Area, a 2,460-acre property managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for public hunting. Firearm deer season began Saturday, Nov. 15. Elk are currently out of season. …