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Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) offers a great public area to hunt – located near Lewellen the WMA is a short travel distance for those in central and southwest Nebraska and a go-to destination for others. The area is owned by Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and encompasses more than 6,200 acres of land and water depending on lake elevation. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) leases this area for wildlife management and public use access. …

Ponca State Park is offering a healthy start to your new year with a “First Day Hike”. Guests are welcome to take part in unguided hikes or in a scavenger hunt-style hike. Scavenger hunt forms can be picked up at the Resource and Education Center. At 1:30 p.m., join park naturalists for a guided hike on Bigley’s Ravine Trail. Participants should dress accordingly and bring a water bottle, camera and/or binoculars. At the conclusion of the hike, stop in at …

It’s time for Winterfest at Ponca State Park! Join us this Saturday, December 27 for a variety of winter activities, including the National Championship Fruitcake Fling and 3K Yule Log Quest.

Big water reservoirs are often hunted by Nebraska Game and Parks commissioner Lynn Berggren along with family and friends. Commissioners Berggren, Jerrod Burke and Norris Marshall along with Burke’s son Logan, and Berggren’s sons Kevin and Pat and grandson Kaleb were all out waterfowl hunting this past month – making lasting memories and enjoying morning sunrises. Part of hunting is spending time with family and friends, chasing sunrises and sunsets and enjoying time spent together in the field or on …

On the weekend of December 6 -7, the Luther family from Omaha and the Netherton family from Fairbury traveled to Knox County to deer hunt for the first time. The muzzleloader doe hunt took place on the Jessen Ranch near Center. Leased by Chris Edwards of Big Red Outdoors, Edwards offered to open up his lease for this two-day hunt. Husband and wife Todd and Stacy Luther brought their 11-year-old son Chase and 10-year-old son Brady, while Troy and Paula …

It usually takes some prodding to get me into the holiday spirit. I’m much more inclined to get excited about the arrival of ice for fishing this time of year than the coming of Santa Claus and his reindeer. Thanks to one event this season, though, I moved the needle a little closer to the “St. Nicked” side of the holiday excitement meter from its position at “Scrooged.” My wife and I attended Fort Robinson State Park’s annual Christmas dinner …

CRAWFORD – In order to find success, one hunter this week made the 430-mile journey from Western, Nebraska, to Western Nebraska. Yes, you read that right. Johnny Barta, a big game hunter from Western, Nebraska (the village near Fairbury, not the region), visited the butte country of western Nebraska (the region, not the village) to fill the state’s lone bighorn sheep tag. His hunt ended successfully at noon Tuesday, Dec. 9, when he bagged a trophy ram at Fort Robinson …

Join Ponca State Park for the Annual Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 14. Experienced and novice birders, nature enthusiasts, and families are invited to participate in this 115-year-old tradition sponsored by the National Audubon Society. Guests are advised to dress accordingly and to bring their binoculars and bird books. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center. A chili feed will be offered at noon amid counting. This event is …

This was my second year of being assigned to two days of deer check station duty at Rushville during the firearm season. The 12-hour shifts can seem long at times, but I really enjoy having conversations with the hunters and hearing from them what’s happening in the field. As was the case last year, I saw some nice mule deer and whitetails. The most prominent memories I carry away from the experience, however, have little to do with antler mass …

Thank you and congratulations to all hunters who submitted photos of their successes in the field this season! It’s especially nice to see so many young faces and hunters from out-of-state. If you have a photo you’d like to submit, please send them to jenny.nguyen@nebraska.gov and we’ll get them added to the gallery. Where are all the doe photos?