It is the late period for deer hunting now and things can sure get tougher. But don’t put away your gear and hear me out. I want to use a football analogy that many of you who hunt deer will understand when it comes to the late-season. For a football team, it is often necessary for coaches to make adjustments to their game plan at halftime. If the defensive backs are locked in on the receivers every play, consideration is …
Read More »What the Nebraska Deer Hunting Experience is Like
The morning air is crisp and cold. The stalks of corn stubble and hardwood trees along the river bottom stand as stalwarts; motionless and silent. The scene offers a picturesque postcard setting against the slowly lightening predawn sky. The sounds of wildlife awakening for the day can now be heard along the river bottom. A raucous calamity of crows is off in the distance. Two fox squirrels squabble amid the leaves on the woodland floor along the edge of the cornfield. A dark-eyed junco captures the attention …
Read More »What you need to know for the firearm deer hunting season
As Nebraska’s largest hunt by participation – the firearm deer hunting season – comes into view from Nov. 12-20, visions of antlers and venison tenderloins can make the mind wander a bit. So before you take to your stand or blind, please read over these deer hunting safety tips and regulation reminders to keep yourself focused, safe, ethical and within the rules. With 43 years at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and as a rural land manager and longtime …
Read More »How to Take the Best Photos of You with Your Harvested Deer
One would think in this age of cell phone and digital cameras that it would be pretty easy for hunters to get a good quality photo of them with their harvested deer. But, think again. Whether it is the excitement of the moment or the rush to get the animal field dressed, many hunters just flat out fail to successfully capture the cool hunting images of the day. The opportunity is there though for you to properly document the moment …
Read More »A Deeper Meaning to Deer Hunting
Someone once said: “Deer hunting is a lot about nothing.” “Nothing,” seriously? In my view, that statement is so far from the truth. It is the time of year for archery deer hunters and soon, firearm deer hunters, to be on their stands or in their blinds all day long, up to 12 hours … alone. During part of a day off, Nebraska Conservation Officer Rich Berggren of Waterloo allows a photo to be taken before he enters his firearm …
Read More »A Trophy Deer is Truly in the Eye of the Beholder
The deer harvested by a hunter prompted celebration but other hunters on social media certainly did not think so. You see, it was a smaller, younger white-tailed buck. It was a beautiful animal and a great photo of the proud hunter and his deer. I was one of the initial people to “like” the post on Facebook. However, it did not take long for the naysayers to chastise and ridicule the individual for shooting a basket-racked buck. Seriously? A trophy …
Read More »Tips for Late-Season Deer Hunting in Nebraska
It is the late period for deer hunting now and things can sure get tougher. So, hear me out. I want to use a football analogy that many of you who hunt deer will understand when it comes to the late-season. For a football team, it is often necessary for coaches to make adjustments to their game plan at halftime. If the defensive backs are locked in on the receivers every play, consideration is given to a few quick-hitters into …
Read More »Are you paying attention to nature’s sounds when deer hunting?
Picture yourself harnessed in a tree stand for deer hunting. You are losing light. It’s nearing sunset. The prime time for deer movement. Suddenly, you hear a squirrel bark and chatter. Then even closer to you, from the same direction, you hear curiosity putts from some wild turkeys. Within a few minutes you hear another squirrel bark and chatter by your location. Then, you hear the guttural grunt of a buck. Out of nowhere appears an adult white-tailed deer doe …
Read More »13 Tips For Archery Deer Hunting During the Rut
It’s a magical time of year, really. As daylight wanes, the temperature begins to drop, frost appears on the pumpkin, leaves turn color and start toppling to the ground, and experienced bowhunters know the deer rut or breeding season is beginning. Buck rubs on trees and scrapes on the ground are apparent. A buck rub on an eastern cedar tree in rural Sarpy County, NE. Photo by Greg Wagner/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Deer movement is picking up and the …
Read More »Post-Season Scouting For Deer
If you’re a deer hunter in Nebraska, you have wrapped up your seasons. Now, the fun begins. It is time to post-season scout for deer. Say what? Post-season scout for deer? So, you’re thinking: Why in the world would a deer hunter scout immediately after a season ends through the winter? After all, the next Nebraska deer hunting season doesn’t open until Sept. 1 (archery), right? Plus, deer will completely re-pattern in spring, summer and fall. Hear me out. I …
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