Nebraskaland Magazine

By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska Kearney was booming in 1889 when city boosters commissioned a promotional book The City of Kearney, Nebraska. A copy of this boastful, lavishly illustrated book is in History Nebraska’s collections. Divided into brief sections, the book covers topics such as “Why Kearney Must Become a Railroad Center,” “Why Kearney Will Be a Large Manufacturing Center,” “Why Kearney Will Become a Second Minneapolis,” and others. Most pages also feature beautiful engravings of local scenes. Kearney …

Updated Jan. 26, 2023 The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved grant awards for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Stateside Assistance Program and the Recreational Trails Program at its meeting Jan. 20 in Lincoln. Commissioners approved the following grant awards totaling nearly $1.2 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Stateside Assistance Program: Wisner, $299,825 for the Central Park Splash Pad/Restroom Renovation Project; Lincoln, $399,725 for the Mahoney Park Outdoor Inclusive Playground; Minden, $64,313.25 for the Chautauqua Park …

We just had the classroom ice fishing clinic in Kearney last Saturday.  At that clinic every year we spend at least some time talking about staying warm.  You will never enjoy ice-fishing if you are cold.  Of course layering is the key and there is a lot of excellent clothing on the market these days made just for layering, just for ice fishing! Another critical part of staying warm is good boots!  Good boots are especially important because, well, while …

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators have scheduled interesting and engaging events for the curious in February. Here are some opportunities: Nature Inquiry Workshop Series set for early childhood educators The Nature Inquiry Workshop Series, a weekly virtual event for early childhood educators, continues Feb. 7. The free, virtual workshop, which begins at 6 p.m., will explore wildlife sign and tracks. Educators will learn how to facilitate inquiry-based learning, which prioritizes a learner’s questions and ideas by engaging their sense …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist One of my favorite activities to do with students is to dissect owl pellets. Now, before you freak out about children looking through poop or puke, take a step back and know that it is neither. A pellet is a pellet, but what exactly is it? Owls are raptors, or birds of prey. Simply put, they hunt and eat the animals that they catch. These birds will eat a variety of prey, such as …

A fully equipped, turn-key operation and additional incentives are some of the benefits offered to a new restaurant partner at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The agency is seeking proposals for a food service provider at the park conveniently located just off Interstate 80 between Lincoln and Omaha. A family-friendly bar and grill would be an excellent fit for this opportunity at the Peter Kiewit Lodge, which offers a fully equipped restaurant that …

Improvements to the Nebraska Game and Parks online permitting system require landowners to submit their parcel identification number as part of their user account profile. Landowners are encouraged to visit the site at GoOutdoorsNE.com, look up their accounts and update their profile with current information, including their parcel ID. Parcel IDs can be found on the landowner’s real estate tax statement or via the county assessor. In the new, user-friendly permitting system, customers can purchase a permit, apply for a …

By Justin Haag A weekly radio segment featuring outdoor topics relevant to the Nebraska Panhandle. This week the discussion is about skunks. Justin Haag · Panhandle Afield: Skunks Air Dates: Jan. 13-20 Length: 3:00 Episode 252

If you are a muskie angler or even if you just have a curiosity about Nebraska muskies, then I know where you should be next Thursday evening! I am NOT telling you this because I am going to be there.  I AM telling you because the HUSKERland Muskie Hunters is the Nebraska Chapter of Muskies Inc. and you should check ’em out.  They have been a great partner in fisheries conservation, and Nebraska’s muskie fisheries, and they need your support! …

Surveying and Monitoring Nebraska Species By Leslie Reed, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Elusive creatures of the night, bats fly silently and erratically in the dark. They hide in nooks and crannies and caves. Because of these ghostly qualities, humans often don’t realize when bats are nearby. A University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientist is working with the U.S. Geological Survey, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and other federal and state agencies to use acoustic detectors to survey bat species and populations in …