Nebraskaland Magazine

When you grow up in Western Nebraska and move east, you never really get used to the heat and humidity, you just learn to live with it. And you learn that when the temperatures turn unseasonably cool in July or August, you get out and enjoy them. I did just that last weekend, taking advantage of gorgeous weather to photograph two stories: one on Wagon Train Lake and one on tanking, with this stop on the Elkhorn River. Not only …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Firearm and bow hunter education courses are scheduled throughout the state for hunters seeking certification in Nebraska. Visit HuntSafeNebraska.org for a listing of courses and to register. The listing is updated frequently. Firearm hunter education certification is required for all hunters age 12 through 29 who hunt with a firearm or crossbow. Bow hunter education certification is required for all hunters age 12 through 29 who hunt deer, antelope, elk, mountain lion or bighorn sheep with a …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Squirrel hunting season began Aug. 1, giving Nebraskans an opportunity to introduce novice hunters to the sport. Taking a new hunter along on a squirrel hunt in the woods can serve as an introduction to an activity that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. It also develops a novice’s sense of stewardship of natural resources and appreciation for conservation. “If you are teaching someone to hunt, do not get caught up in the harvest, let the youth …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Registration for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) began Aug. 1, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. HIP registration is required of Nebraska residents age 16 and older and all nonresidents who plan to hunt migratory game birds between Aug. 1, 2013 and July 31, 2014. These birds are dove, ducks, geese, snipe, rail, coots and woodcock. HIP, which is required by federal regulation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, helps wildlife managers estimate the …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Eugene T. Mahoney State Park near Ashland will host Splash ’n’ Bash, a belly flop contest, Aug. 10 at the Family Aquatic Center. Prizes will be awarded for the top splashes. Participants may register by calling 402-944-2523, extension 7327 or register at 11:30 a.m. the day of the event, which begins at noon. A park entry permit and pool entrance fee of $8 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12 are required. The afternoon will include …

Some of you will probably remember the old Ugly Stik commercials featuring angler’s wives.  I had all of those commercials in a “long play” version and they were even better than the 30-second spots that ran on TV.  Unfortunately, my links to those long play versions have gone bad, except for this one. . . . [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHr_raJmnYA[/youtube] Wow.  I guess there are some wives out there who have some real issues. Maybe they should just go fishing? By the way, …

Veteran outdoorsman, expert wild turkey call maker, and catfisherman extraordinaire – Dick Turpin of Lincoln, NE joins me tomorrow (Saturday) morning on my Great Outdoor Radio Show. When it comes to a wealth of knowledge about Nebraska’s outdoor scene and especially summer catfishing, there’s no better person to turn to for “salty” advice (and hilarious stories, of course) than my friend Dick Turpin. Dick comes to The Great Outdoor Radio Show along with his sidekick and fishing/hunting partner Dudley Moore …

Quick note to let you know that I just booked these two awesome anglers and Gretna High Dragons – Eric Soe and Payne Ahrens who won the recent Nebraska State High School Bass Fishing Tournament for my Saturday, August 17th LIVE Great Outdoor Radio Show on Omaha’s KOZN Radio/1620 AM and online at www.1620thezone.com from 9-10 a.m. CST. Tune in!

Last Saturday was the 2013 Nebraska High School Bass Fishing Championship.  I know there has been a lot of talk about this on the internet and elsewhere already; might as well add my perspective. This was the third year for a formal state high school bass fishing championship.  Tournament water this year was Harlan County Reservoir.  Yes, I said Harlan County Reservoir.  No, Harlan is not known as a hot bass water, but in recent years water level fluctuations have …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Visitors to Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium will no longer be required to pay the $1 admission fee to tour the facility. Game and Parks made the decision to drop the admission fee to expand their conservation education and outreach efforts and to accommodate more visitors. The Aquarium is the only facility of its type in the Great Plains. The grand opening of the aquarium coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Game and Parks Commission in 1979. Its 12,000 …