NGPC News

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering $100,000 in marketing grants to promote outdoor recreation. The program is designed to support Game and Parks’ goals of increasing participation in outdoor recreation through collaboration with partners. The grants are for communities, groups, organizations, public-private partnerships, nongovernment agencies or political subdivisions looking for help in promoting outdoor recreation to spur tourism and economic development. While all projects, events and campaigns must promote outdoor recreation, preference is given to marketing …

LINCOLN – Individuals wanting to participate in the Light Goose Conservation Order have several changes they must be aware of when the Conservation Order opens Feb. 10 in Nebraska. A summary of the changes: — There are now only two hunting zones, the Rainwater Basin (formerly Zones 1 and 2) and the Prairie Zone (formerly Zone 3). — The Conservation Order closes April 1. — Hunting will be allowed seven days a week in the Rainwater Basin Zone during the …

LINCOLN – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in February: Feb. 1 – Bird banding workshop, Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium, Gretna, 9 a.m., 402-332-3901 Feb. 1 – Animal Run 5K run and 2-mile fun run/walk, Hickman, 10 a.m., voicenewsnebraska.com Feb. 1-2 – White-fronted goose hunting season Feb. 2 – Super Bowl Sunday Mini-Lodge Package, Ponca State Park (SP), Ponca, 402-755-2284 Feb. 2 – Super Shopping Bowl, Eugene T. Mahoney SP, Ashland, 402-944-2523 Feb. …

LINCOLN – Women are invited to learn self-defense skills at a Beyond Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop Feb. 15 in Lincoln. This beginner-level class is for ages 16 and up and is geared toward protection indoors and outdoors. This workshop will cover verbal, nonverbal and physical techniques for preventing assaults. Participants will gain knowledge through interactive training and situational examples. The workshop fee is $24. Space is limited. The registration deadline is Feb. 10. To download a registration form, visit NebraskaBOW.com, …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners approved a bonus point system for general bull elk permits at their meeting Jan. 17 in Lincoln. The system will give people who have applied for a bull elk permit and been unsuccessful one or more years a better chance of drawing a permit. Beginning in 2014, a person will receive a bonus point each time he or she applies for but does not receive a permit. In subsequent years, applicants will …

LINCOLN – The annual Nebraska State Habitat Meeting, hosted by Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, will be held Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Ramada Inn in Kearney. The meeting, which is open to the public, will include 27 presentations on wildlife, wildlife habitat and education. For more information or to register, visit NebraskaPF.com or call Pam Grossart at 308-850-8395.

LINCOLN – Anglers can start planning fishing vacations or researching their strategies for the year with the 2014 Fishing Forecast, a publication available from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The publication contains fish sampling data, along with a forecast of where anglers may find large quantities and large sizes of certain fish in various waters across the state. Game and Parks biologists annually sample fish populations. Some of the largest bodies of waters are sampled every year, while other …

LINCOLN – Nine hunting-related incidents were reported to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in 2013, one of which resulted in a death. Four of the incidents involved the discharge of a rifle, four the discharge of a shotgun and one involved a fall from an elevated stand. Seven of the incidents, including the fatal one, involved one person shooting another. One incident involved a self-inflicted injury. Four incidents occurred while hunting upland birds, two while hunting big game, two …

LINCOLN – Pheasants Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host prescribed burn training workshops for landowners across the state in the coming weeks. Basic workshops are for beginning to intermediate burners and cover fire behavior, proper equipment and safety techniques, and ways to plan for burns to minimize risk. Advanced workshops will build on the basic trainings and be suitable for experienced burners seeking additional training in pre-planning and implementing a complex burn. Schedules for both basic …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will train apprentice firearm hunter education instructors Jan. 23 in Bassett. The workshop will be from 6-9 p.m. at American Legion Post 123, 201 E. Buchanan St. Register by Jan. 22 by visiting HuntSafeNebraska.org and clicking on the “Become a Volunteer” link about halfway down the page. Or visit the link directly at: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/hunting/programs/education/volunteer.asp Contact Mike Streeter at 402-471-6134 or mike.streeter@nebraska.gov for more information.