Conservation

LINCOLN – Nebraskans can support wildlife and conservation education in the state by purchasing a special vehicle license plate. Vehicle owners can order the new Mountain Lion Conservation Plate. An extra $5 is charged for the alpha-numeric plates and an additional $40 is charged for custom message plates at time of initial issue and annual renewal. The Mountain Lion Conservation Plate and the Game and Parks Commission Educational Fund were created earlier this year with the passage of LB 474. …

Got home Sunday afternoon from our annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekend.  What a great weekend it was!!!!!  The weather was the best ever this year, but it was so much more than that. . . . For the first time this year, the workshop was held at Ponca State Park.  If you have never been to Ponca, you should be required to go.  It is a beautiful park in a beautiful location.  Here was sunrise over the foggy Missouri River …

There is no doubt the most common question I have been asked the past couple of weeks would be “When are the Trout going to be stocked?”  When are the put & take, catchable-size Rainbow Trout going to be stocked in urban and parks waters across the state this fall?  Well, now I know: Rainbow trout stockings scheduled this fall LINCOLN – Catchable-size rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and lakes across the state by the Nebraska Game and …

The fall bite is on, the best open-water fishing of the year is upon us!  It is also the best time of year to use big baits for big fish.  Don’t believe me? OK, now I must post the disclaimers because I learned a long time ago that some people take things they see on the internet way too seriously, and some people do not have much of a sense of humor. . . . That is a picture one …

I have a confession to make:  I stole an issue of Reader’s Digest from my mother-in-law.  Even worse, I stole it while we were there for Christmas last year.  What in the world would cause me to commit such an offense? Well, I read a story there that really hit home, really made sense.  In Reader’s Digest it was titled “A Case Against The Clock”.  However, if you know anything about Reader’s Digest, you know it is a compilation of …

Pickin’ Up Pawpaws in Nebraska Ever tried a paw paw? It is “delish!” The pawpaw or common pawpaw is an oblong-shaped fruit, yellow-green to brown in color, averaging the size of a standard supermarket potato. It produces the largest edible fruit indigenous to North America and is the hardiest member of the custard-apple family. And, guess what? In Nebraska, the highly aromatic, sweet-smelling fruits ripen right about now in late September or early October. Like bananas, they have a narrow …

This news release has been out for awhile now.  In case you did not see it: Future of Nebraska’s fisheries to be discussed at public meetings LINCOLN – The public is invited to attend informational meetings across the state in October regarding the future of Nebraska’s aquatic resources. Fisheries personnel from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have been developing a road map for the state’s fisheries and aquatic resources. The public’s participation in the planning process is encouraged. Each …

Got to looking at the calendar and was reminded that tomorrow is “National Hunting and Fishing Day“.  I like to point that out each year, if I remember, because I believe Nebraska is the perfect state for combining hunting and fishing opportunities, especially in the fall.  I call it “combodacious” because we have such a diversity of fish and game and with long hunting seasons and perpetual fishing seasons the opportunities can overlap.  In times past Nebraska bragged about being …

I was listening to a podcast by KVD last week.  No, not Karl VonDibble, the other KVD, the real KVD.  Kevin is known for his rapid fire “power fishing”, and he often is throwing crankbaits.  One thing he mentioned in the podcast was confidence; we all tend to fish best with techniques and baits in which we have confidence.  I will always tell you that versatility is key to consistent fishing success, but there is no doubt we all have our strengths …

Every now and then I climb up on a soapbox and “preach” a little boating safety.  With fall and cooling waters approaching, this might be a good time to do that again.  I especially like to remind us “tough guys” who might be on the water hunting, fishing or trapping by ourselves, that you really should be using a life jacket and your motor’s kill switch ALL THE TIME.  I have been on the water by myself at times too, and …