Research

An extraordinary aspect to wildlife management these days is the extent to which technology is being used to learn more about animals. It seems telemetry, the process of using tracking devices attached to the animals to collect data, is increasingly being used to monitor a variety of species. In my time with the Game and Parks Commission, I’ve photographed researchers putting collars on animals as big as elk and as small as burrowing owls. I even read an article not …

Last two Buffalo Cookouts of the summer will be held July 19 and August 30 at Niobrara State Park. Cookout meals of buffalo burgers, beans, salads and ice cream will be served at 6 p.m., followed by a special program. Attendees must register and purchase meal tickets at the park office before noon on the day of the cookout; tickets for adults (13 and older) is $12 and children is $8. Program is free to attend. The cookout on July …

When all else fails, cook it slow. Turkey and goose legs, venison shoulders and even fish fillets. Get it safe to eat and then dress your dinner up from there. You’ll need a few ingredients: – aluminum foil pan – aluminum foil – water – meat of choice For a general rule of thumb, heat the oven to 250 degrees and place your meat of choice in the pan with just enough water to cover half of your dinner, and …

There’s something special about cooking over an open flame. Which is why I don’t understand the ads that start in the spring telling me it’s grilling season. I’ll fire mine up and melt snow off the top if I have to in the winter. But being cheap/frugal, I guess it does make more sense to grill in the summer, when you don’t want to heat up the house with the stove. There is also something special about grilled food wrapped …

Those of you who read the magazine have probably realized that I am the “foodie” out of the bunch. I love to cook with wild game, and I have most fun creating new recipes or incorporating it into everyday dishes that people eat around the world. I’d even say that I enjoy cooking with wild game more than I do shooting it. I don’t care to sit in a blind for too long– forget it if it’s cold. But how I do …

When it comes to eating at the campsite, our two kids are surely starting to learn: The way we dine is a lot different when their mom comes along. Their dad’s extent of camp cuisine usually involves some bread, packages of lunch meat, brats, and, of course, chips. There are fish to catch and sights to see, after all. When their mom comes along, we’re thankful it’s a different story. When Cricket’s camping, we often eat just as well or …

If I’m shooting a fishing trip, I’ll also come home with flower photos. A pheasant hunt shoot may end with a windmill image. This is how I shoot, and how I instruct others to shoot. Go with your original plan until something else catches your eye. Because if this new subject interests you, it’s likely to catch a viewer’s eye too.

Photo Caption: Sporting clays is a shooting event that has multiple stations and like mini-golf, each station along the course presents a different challenge. Pheasant Bonanza has a 20-station course offering a wide variety of clay targets, including bouncing rabbits, decoying ducks, and flushing quail coveys. Join the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) Missouri River Shootout on Sunday, July 27 at the Pheasant Bonanza Hunt Club and Kennel in Tekamah, Neb. The main sporting clay event is open to all …

Ponca State Park’s first Bowfishing Mentor Program will run from July 9 through August 6 on Wednesday nights, 6 p.m. until dark. The program is open to ages 10 and above; program is free with gear provided. Enrollees are encouraged to attend all sessions, which will cover basic archery, fish identification, water safety and more. Sessions will be conducted by local Bow Hunter Education Instructors. The program is sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Cajun Archery, Muzzy Bowfishing, …

  Recently I was out taking photos when I came across a strange looking bird – from a distance I couldn’t tell what the bird was. Walking closer to the bird, snapping photos as I gained ground on it, I realized it was a robin that had partial leucism. Out of curiosity I asked TJ Walker, NGPC District Manager, Wildlife Division and avid birder how common this was, his response was “I have seen leucistic birds in many species – …