NGPC News

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners tabled big game regulation recommendations at its March 8 meeting in Kearney. Agency staff will make minor amendments to the recommendations for the board to consider at its May 24 meeting in Chadron. The recommendations brought to the commissioners March 8 included a significant reduction of antlerless deer bonus tags in an effort to lower harvest in 2013. That reduction in permits reflects a white-tailed deer population that was …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Make Fort Kearny State Historical Park a destination for enjoying the spring migration this year. Millions of geese and ducks are now using the Platte River Valley, and the first of the estimated 500,000 sandhill cranes are beginning to arrive. The visitor center is now open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 7. Camping is available at Fort Kearny State Recreation Area; the shower building will be open the third week in March. The hike/bike trail …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Platte River Art Show is scheduled for April 6-7 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. Many nationally known artists from around the Midwest will be offering their work for display and sale. This event, held at the Peter Kiewit Lodge, runs from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on April 6 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. the following day. The works of art will include wildlife, landscape, cityscape, portrait, still life, Native American, Southwest, Americana and Impressionist paintings in a …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will conduct prescribed burns of brush piles at the following wildlife management areas (WMA) when weather conditions allow: Flatsedge, Polk County; Medicine Creek Reservoir, Frontier County; Pine Glen, Brown County; and Box Elder, Lincoln County. Brush piles are created by the removal of invading trees in grassland or timber stands, or from trees damaged in recent wildfires. Removal of brush piles will open up grasslands and timber for continued management, eliminate …

LINCOLN, Neb. – 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 – Niobrara State Park (SP), 11:30 a.m., 750 trout March 14 – CenturyLink Lake, Eugene T. Mahoney SP, 2,250; Fort Kearny State Recreation Area (SRA), 600; Windmill SRA No. 2, Gibbon, 300; Holdrege City Park, 1,400; …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Enjoy a fun day of activities along the Missouri River at the Outdoor Adventure on April 20 at Indian Cave State Park (SP). Activities include a mushroom hunt, youth horseback rides, hayrack tours and demonstrations of black powder shooting, wood carving, Dutch oven cooking and living history. There also will be exhibits of bats and pelts, an Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium fish display, archery shooting, a Raptor Recovery program and a birding workshop. The Morel Mile and 5K races …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Public access to the Burchard Wildlife Management Area remains closed while an aquatic rehabilitation project on the 150-acre reservoir nears completion, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Work completed on the area includes a new outlet structure, reconfigured boat launch area with wave protection, several new angler access pads, handicap-accessible fishing pier, offshore breakwaters to protect and repair shorelines, and a sediment dike on the north arm. In addition, the aquatic habitat was enhanced by …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will train apprentice firearm and bow hunter education instructors in Lincoln. Bow instructors will be trained March 25 and firearm instructors March 27. Both workshops will be from 6-9 p.m. at the Hunter Education Office, 4817 N. 56th St., Ste. 1. Bow instructors should register by March 22 and firearm instructors by March 26. Contact Mike Streeter at 402-471-6134 or mike.streeter@nebraska.gov or visit huntsafenebraska.org.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship will be held at Branched Oak State Recreation Area from March 16-25. Nearly 200 dogs from around the country representing nine breeds are expected to compete. The event is a joint venture of the American Kennel Club and the Nebraska Field Trial Association, a group of eight dog clubs that promote dog trials in the state and maintains the trial grounds at Branched Oak. Call Tom Maneely at 402-606-9936 for …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Three firearm hunter education courses will be offered by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission volunteer instructors in Lincoln beginning March 11, March 14 and March 26. The free course will be held at the Lincoln Izaak Walton League, 10801 South 134th Street, and at the Hunter Education Office, 4817 N. 56th St., Ste. 1. The course will provide instruction in the areas of safe firearms use, shooting and sighting techniques, hunter ethics, game identification and conservation management. …