NGPC News

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will conduct prescribed burns in the oak woodlands at Indian Cave State Park (SP) and Ponca SP between March 17 and March 31. These low intensity burns are designed to reduce brush and small tree densities in the woodlands and will allow for oak tree regeneration, increase native wildflowers and enhance wildlife habitat.

LINCOLN – Learn outdoor skills as a family at the Becoming an Outdoors-Family workshop April 11-12 at Two Rivers State Recreation Area near Waterloo. This workshop teaches basic outdoor skills related to fishing, camping, kayaking, archery, hunting and hiking. The fee is $99 for a family of up to six members. The fee for each additional person is $20. The registration deadline is April 4. Download an application form at: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/Education/Programs/bow/BOF/pdf/April2014%20Two%20Rivers%20SRA%20BOFamily%20for%20web.pdf. For more information, contact Christy Christiansen at 402-471-5547 or …

LINCOLN – Take advantage of the March stocking of rainbow trout in waters across the state and bring the family to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Trout Family Fishing Nights. Game and Parks will provide loaner equipment, bait and volunteer instructors. All participating lakes will be stocked with trout, and each event runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Just look for Game and Parks staff and the fishing trailer. The schedule of events is as follows: March 22 – Holmes Lake, …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify youth fishing instructors April 5 in North Platte. The free workshop will be held at the Mid-Plains Center for Enterprise, Room 202, at 1101 Halligan Drive, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Youth fishing instructors will receive training and tools to conduct fishing clinics. These volunteers will have access to Game and Parks’ loaner fishing equipment and educational materials for events and will receive program incentives. They also are encouraged to volunteer for …

LINCOLN – The cause of a fire at Branched Oak Wildlife Management Area (WMA) over the weekend is under investigation. The fire started around 3:30 p.m. Sunday and burned around 1,000 acres, 325 of which were located on the WMA. The fire melted a plastic drainage tube at the WMA and destroyed approximately 1.25 miles of fence. It also caused damage to property on private land. All damage at Branched Oak WMA was north of the marina. Nineteen volunteer fire …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify youth fishing instructors March 15 at Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium, 21502 W. Nebraska Hwy. 31, Gretna, from 9 a.m. to noon. Youth fishing instructors will receive training and tools to conduct fishing clinics. These volunteers will have access to Game and Parks’ loaner fishing equipment and educational materials for events, as well as receive program incentives. They also are encouraged to volunteer for such Game and Parks programs as Family Fishing Nights …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will stock catchable-size rainbow trout in several city ponds and lakes across the state this month. The schedule, subject to change depending on conditions, includes date, location, approximate time of stocking, and quantity: March 13 – Fremont State Recreation Area (SRA) No. 2, 4,000 trout; CenturyLink Lake, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP), 2,500; Weeping Water Pond, 1,500 March 14 – Humboldt City Park Lake, 350; Auburn Rotary Club Lake, 800; Fort …

LINCOLN – More than 630 archers will take part in the state’s largest archery event March 22 – the Nebraska National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) state tournament in Lincoln. The event takes place at the Lancaster Event Center, 4100 N. 84th St. With the first of five flights of competition beginning at 8 a.m. Trophies and medals will be awarded. NASP is an in-school curriculum covering target archery for students in grades 4-12. During the 2012-2013 school year, …

LINCOLN – Prescribed burns are planned for Pine Glen Wildlife Management Area in Brown County and Smith Falls State Park in Cherry County sometime between March 10 and March 31, weather permitting. Restoration of forests and grasslands began at both areas in 2010 by reducing woodland densities and ladder fuels to manageable levels with many thinning projects. They were funded, in part, by the Nebraska Environmental Trust and the Nebraska Forest Service. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission hopes to …

LINCOLN – The trout lake at Two Rivers State Recreation Area (SRA) will open March 8 for family fishing. The lake should be partially free of ice, and only bank fishing will be allowed. All trout caught in the lake must be harvested and not released. Anglers must first purchase from the park office a daily trout tag for $4. Each tag is good for a daily bag limit of four trout. A person may have up to three tags …