Conservation

Like many, I have been working from home for the past several years.  Weeks, it seems like years. If I can connect to the interwebs, I can do pretty much everything I need to do.  Yes, I can work from about anywhere–needs to me more of that from some beautiful fishing spot somewhere in Nebraska!  Until then, I am getting by, but the workspace gets a little crowded at times: Just like being in the office, I have some visitors …

A week or two ago, I referred to my son’s adventures this spring being more notable than mine.  I have shared some of them with you.  With all the coronavirus “stuff” we have stayed close to home for weeks, months, but finally ventured out to celebrate my son’s birthday.  As I always tell you, we spend lots of time with family, and while doing that work in some time on the water and in the field.  This trip we did …

The marsh had a lot more cattails and bulrushes than most Sandhills lakes, concealing the trumpeter swans we were after. The swans themselves were doing their best to hide by swimming in a different direction than the large and loud airboat zigzagging through the marsh. So, when we burst through a wall of vegetation, and there were four swans right in front of us – two adults and two young, known as cygnets – we were not sure who was …

Catastrophic wildfires have ravaged more than half of northwestern Nebraska’s pine forests. Land managers are making strides toward a more sustainable future. On this sunny day, Bryce Gerlach is visiting a timber-thinning project at Gilbert-Baker Wildlife Management Area in the northwest corner of the state. Gerlach, who is a forester funded by the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, likes what he sees. “This is the project that is going to save Gilbert-Baker someday,” he …

I know this is not good news, but again it is something folks need to know.  So, let me spread it around: Community Fishing Nights cancelled, but Game and Parks offers online fishing resources LINCOLN, Neb. – While Community Fishing Nights will not be offered to the public this summer, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has several online resources to help anglers of all experience levels. To keep Nebraskans safe by maintaining social distancing in light of COVID-19, Game …

Returning salt to salt marshes. The state endangered plant saltwort grows in salt marshes in Lancaster County and nowhere else in our state. Unfortunately, decline of the marshes during the past 150 years has left this species hanging on by a thread. I held little hope of saltwort surviving in Nebraska until I recently learned of a creative new restoration method for returning salt to the damaged marshes. A Uniquely Adapted Plant Within salt marshes, saltwort (Salicornia rubra) grows mainly …

Again in an effort to “spread the word”. . . . Some of you will need to know about this:

Among Nebraska’s eight species of native turtles, the happy-looking one gets special attention. The Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is listed as a “tier 1” species in the Natural Legacy Project, Nebraska’s wildlife action plan. That makes it the only turtle species among the state’s animals and plants determined to have the greatest need for conservation efforts. Amanda Filipi, an outdoor education specialist at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Wildcat Hills Nature Center near Gering, said the turtle’s dark shell …

I am fully aware of the calendar and what weekend is upon us.  I am also fully aware of the unusual circumstances and challenges that face us this year.  That said, I know a lot of folks are looking forward to this weekend and are looking forward to spending some time outdoors!  I hope you get a chance to do that.  Sorry, all I am going to do is remind you of the obvious: More specifically, most of you will …

This coming Memorial Day weekend, more walleyes will be caught from Nebraska reservoirs than will be caught most any other week of the year.  In fact, on some waters more walleyes will be caught this coming weekend than any other month.  We have years of angler survey data from several Nebraska reservoirs that demonstrate that is a fact. The walleye spawn is over.  The fish have scattered, and they are feeding.  Oh sure, some cold, bad weather might slow that …