Conservation

LINCOLN – Tax season provides Nebraskans a unique opportunity to contribute to wildlife and habitat conservation. Line 42 on 2015 state income tax Form 1040N allows individuals to donate all or a part of their tax refund to the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund, which focuses on saving Nebraska’s wildlife and wild places. “The check-off is one of the principal sources of state funding used to conserve more than 95 percent of fish and wildlife species that are considered nongame,” said …

At the end of each year I like to look back at the state record fish that were certified; kind of a “state record annual report”.  It is time to do that again. . . . Surface Spearfishing Let me start with the surface spearfishing state record category.  We typically do not see a lot of surface spearfishing record fish in a year and 2015 was no exception.  There was one fish certified as a surface spear-fishing record last year, …

I do not know a lot about this, but I saw a news release just today and there are a bunch of Nebraskans, especially Nebraska anglers, who should be aware of potential dam repairs at Box Butte Reservoir: Bureau seeking comment for possible dam repairs at Box Butte Reservoir The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking comment regarding an environmental assessment document for the dam at Box Butte State Recreation Area north of Hemingford. Engineers have identified problems with sedimentation through …

I am heading out of the office here in the next few minutes, but I have a couple of news items to get out before I leave.  Do you want the good news first or the bad news?  Let’s do the bad news first. Discover Ice Fishing On-Ice Clinic in Kearney Canceled LINCOLN – The Discover Ice Fishing on-ice clinic scheduled for Jan. 16 at Kearney’s Yanney Lake has been canceled because of a lack of safe ice. The Nebraska …

I will admit to you that my desks are not neat.  I subscribe to the theory that a clean desk is evidence of a warped mind.  Come to think of it, I have messy desks, AND a warped mind.  Anywho, I digress. . . . There are a couple of piles of books you will always find on my main desk, sitting to my left.  Forward left is a big pile of In-Fisherman magazines; I read them religiously.  Off to my far left …

LINCOLN – Goose Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located southeast of Chambers in Holt County, is open to public access effective immediately. In September, the WMA was closed to all access because of a heavy infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive aquatic plant at the lake. Eurasian watermilfoil can spread rapidly because a single fragment of stem or leaf can take root and form a new colony, and plants can grow up to 2 inches per day. Once established, the …

Wild turkeys from Nebraska received a one-way trip to Montana last week, courtesy of the states’ wildlife management officials. Montana wildlife officials were in Crawford on Friday to retrieve 125 wild turkeys that were captured in Nebraska’s Pine Ridge. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission employees caught the birds Thursday in netted enclosures on private property near Whiteclay. Unlike the birds’ new home, the turkey population in the area of the capture is especially high and landowners were contented to part …

LINCOLN – Hunters and landowners are invited to discuss big game issues with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at upcoming public informational meetings across the state. Commission biologists will explain issues and take questions on topics such as deer management, deer damage and depredation permits, antlerless harvest, trophy management, and diseases. Antelope and elk issues may be discussed at meetings located in areas where these species occur. All meetings begin at 7 p.m. The meeting schedule is: — Jan. …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider amendments to wildlife regulations when it meets Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. in the third-floor conference room of its Lincoln headquarters, 2200 N. 33rd St. A 1:30 p.m. public hearing will be held to consider the following wildlife amendments: — adopt changes regarding the separation of elk carcasses and the transportation of them to a check station. — adopt changes regarding the trapping of furbearers, including trap checking rules and …

LINCOLN – Ag producers are invited to attend a free informational meeting about what the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) can offer them. The meetings are being held across the state through January. The General CRP Signup runs through Feb. 26. Soil rental rates have increased significantly in some areas. Learn about the new rates, as well as other CRP options. Reserve a spot in a meeting by contacting your local USDA office. Visit NebraskaPF.com or CRPsignup.com for more information. The …