The hunting world can be small, and it seems even smaller on the internet. I credit social media for several friendships over the years — connections with like-minded hunters whom I would’ve never met otherwise. Through sharing photos, advice and recipes on Instagram and Facebook, we celebrate and commiserate in each other’s successes and failures every season. And sometimes, these online connections lead to hunting opportunities — real “FaceTime” and new adventures — down the road. A few years ago, …

Over crackers, in a sandwich or scooped over a bed of fresh greens, this is my go-to turkey salad recipe for leftover Thanksgiving dinner or made from scratch with a wild bird. Tarragon — a classic French herb — has an anise, or licorice-like, aroma and used sparingly, can transform any poultry dish. Tart cranberries, lemon zest and juice add balance and brightness to this creamy salad. Skip the brine if you wish, but wild turkey dries out easily. This …

Where Skills Are Learned in the Field Women are the fastest growing group of outdoor enthusiasts, and the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is a great contributor to this trend. In Nebraska, this program has taken hundreds of women into the field during its 30-year run, and, personally provided some of my most memorable hunting experiences. Many occurred during BOW’s annual training event the first full weekend in October. This event is packed with three days of learning about outdoor-related topics …

Complicated Past, but a Bright Future Despite its proximity to busy Highway 275 north of Scribner, Dead Timber State Recreation Area is hidden. Even its entrance, which faces a crop field on the other side, is unassuming and plain. The sign indicates that you’re in the right place, but you turn off the county road and wonder, “Is this it?” From your vehicle, you wouldn’t be able to see that to the southwest, just beyond the stretch of mowed grass, …

One of the most enjoyable parts of the camping experience is preparing food around a campfire and learning how to create any number of simple, tasty dishes with ingredients already found around the house. Food always tastes a little better outside, and dinner prepared while camping is no exception — especially when the recipes are this easy. Breakfast: Corned Beef and Potato Hash By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of sliced/diced new potatoes, drained • 3 …

Marking 100 Years When Nebraska became a state in 1867, parks — let alone state parks — weren’t needed. Nebraskans of the day, and for years to come, were building homes, farms, businesses and towns, and with all of that work to be done, there was little time for leisure. But the conservation movement had begun, heightening the nation’s awareness of its pristine natural resources and prompting the launch of efforts to preserve them for future generations. The movement led …

Antler Basics Horns and antlers, decorative headgear sported by some of Nebraska’s best-known species, are not the same. Horns are keratin, a hair-like sheath, that grows over a bony core throughout an animal’s life. They are found on pronghorn, bison, cattle, goats and sheep. Antlers, however, are bones that grow each spring and summer and are shed, or cast, late the following winter as the animal’s testosterone levels decrease. You’ll find them on deer and elk. Antlers grow up to …

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: • 1 pound of boneless perch fillets • 2 to 3 large eggs • ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour • 1½ cup of Panko breadcrumbs • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus extra • Freshly cracked pepper, to taste • 1 cup of mayonnaise • 4 teaspoons of Sriracha sauce • 4 teaspoons of lemon juice • Vegetable oil for frying • Lemon wedges, for serving 1. To make the spicy …

Hunting the late-waterfowl season is not for the faint of heart. Thick ice, biting temperatures and freezing equipment are only a few things that the most die-hard of waterfowl hunters have to contend with in January and February. I talked to four of these hunters, who provided insight on how to best cope with hunting in harsh winter conditions. Julie Geiser is a public information officer and Nebraskaland regional editor for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. She has spent …

Servings: 6 Prep Time: Overnight Cooking Time: 6 hours Ingredients: • 1½ pounds bone-in duck or goose legs • 1 pound of dried cannellini beans • Water • 1 onion, separated • 1 rib of celery, roughly sliced • 2 carrots, roughly sliced • 2 bay leaves • Olive oil • 6 ounces of andouille sausage, sliced • 4 cloves of garlic, minced • 1 bunch of kale, leaves coarsely chopped • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste • 4 sprigs …