Tag Archives: Waterfowl

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host Learn to Hunt workshops this fall to help individuals prepare for upcoming hunting seasons. These workshops are designed to improve confidence and expand knowledge for those with little or no experience. Presenters will discuss strategies, equipment, biology and techniques. Registration at OutdoorNebraska.gov/workshops is required as space is limited. The workshop schedule is: Aug. 27 – dove hunting, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln Sept. 17 – introduction …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved 2019 waterfowl hunting season recommendations at its March 15 meeting in Nebraska City. The approved recommendations moved the early teal season approximately one week later than in 2018 to accommodate weekend days. All other waterfowl season recommendations included only calendar date adjustments. The 2019 waterfowl seasons are: Early Teal – Low Plains: Sept. 7-22; High Plains: Sept. 7-15; Daily bag limit: six; Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit …

The holiday season is upon us and it’s filled with many hunting traditions as family and friends get together, especially in waterfowl hunting blinds. For most of us, hunting is about much more than a successful harvest. It’s about spending time afield bonding with family and friends, watching the sunrise over a river wetland on a crisp morning or watching the sunset from a harvested cornfield on a warm, windy evening, plus having exciting stories to tell when you get …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Estimated duck breeding populations are strong, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recent 2018 waterfowl population status report. Although the numbers are down from 2017, the report shows abundance of most duck species above their long-term averages (1955-2017). In general, habitat conditions during the 2018 Waterfowl Breeding and Population Habitat Survey were slightly poorer relative to 2017, with a few exceptions. Habitat quality generally declined across the survey area compared to last year, except for …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is seeking information on illegally dumped waterfowl southwest of Melbeta in Scotts Bluff County. It is believed that the carcasses of 52 Canada geese and 33 ducks were thrown into a waterway southwest of Melbeta late last week. The violation was reported to Game and Parks law enforcement over the weekend. There was no attempt to salvage any of the meat on any of the birds. Anyone who intentionally abandons an …

We absolutely treasure them. We collect them. We investigate their origins. We tell stories of the hunt about them. We give them places of honor on our call lanyards. But, official waterfowl leg bands are more than just coveted collectibles, more than just “priceless jewelry” to hunters. The information the bands possess is vital to the management of these web footed birds. There are even monetary reward bands. Getting a duck or goose with a reward, or “money” band on it is extra special because they …

Canada Goose Hunting in Nebraska and “the Leopold tingle” In his classic 1949 book A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife conservation, asked: “What is a wild goose worth? I have a ticket to the symphony. It was not cheap … but I would forego the experience for the sight of the big gander that sailed honking into my decoys at daybreak this morning. I saw him, I heard the wind whistle through his set wings, as …

LINCOLN – Waterfowl hunters are reminded that they must identify their target when hunting this winter. Trumpeter swans recently were shot in southeastern Nebraska after allegedly being mistaken for geese. Trumpeter swans are listed as an At-Risk species in the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project. They are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state game laws, making it illegal for anyone to shoot them. The trumpeter swan is one of North America’s largest birds. All swans should be …

LINCOLN – Nebraska duck hunters will find good news in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recent 2016 waterfowl population status report. The report shows mallard numbers are near record highs and the estimated green-winged teal population is the highest since estimates began in 1955. The estimated mallard population this year is 51 percent above the long-term (1955-2015) average, while the green-wing teal numbers are 104 percent higher than the long-term average. Other dabbling duck species varied in abundances from …

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission adopted a comprehensive pheasant management plan at its meeting April 22 in Chadron. The goal of the Nebraska Mega Plan for Improving Pheasant Hunting is to produce the best pheasant hunting experiences for the most people over the next five years. Since the first reports in Nebraska around 1900, pheasants have become a fixture of the state’s agricultural and cultural heritage. Hunting is not only a management tool but a tie that …