Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, including customer service offices, will be closed on Veterans Day. Offices that will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 11 include Game and Parks’ headquarters in Lincoln, district offices in Norfolk, North Platte, Kearney and Alliance, and service centers in Omaha and Bassett. For hunters looking to purchase deer permits for the November firearm season, the offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Nov. 12. Permits also may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.gov 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The 2025 firearm deer season i...
With the crop harvest ongoing and hunting seasons continuing to open, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters to be courteous. Hunters should expect to encounter farm vehicles and equipment on country roads and make room for them when they do so. Large equipment can need extra room on the road, so hunters, whether hunting on private land or public land, should park in provided lots and not along public roadways. As a reminder, no person may hunt on private land without the explicit permission of the landowner. A hunter of...
Upland bird hunters across the state will go afield Oct. 25 for Nebraska's pheasant season opener. Nebraska's diverse habitats and variety of opportunity continue to make Nebraska's upland hunting seasons attractive to hunters and set it apart from other states. Expectations for the 2025 pheasant and quail season are optimistic as field reports are frequent and surveys show positive pheasant numbers in locations across the state, according to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission surveys. Those...
The Oct. 18-19 statewide youth pheasant, quail and partridge season for hunters ages 15 and younger provides an opportunity to mentor new hunters. "The annual youth season provides a great opportunity for our young hunters to get out and hunt in a low-pressure environment," said Bryan O'Connor, upland game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. "This is an excellent chance for young hunters to gain experience and hone their skills." Resident youth (age 15 or younger) do not...
Fall is the time of year when deer are more active. Crops are being harvested, and deer breeding season is in full swing. Bucks are more actively searching for does. They are bolder, less wary and more susceptible to collisions with vehicles. Deer are more active between dusk and dawn, but their movement peaks near dawn and dusk. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has tips to help drivers avoid deer-vehicle accidents and lessen the risk of injury or vehicle damage. The harvesting of crops...
It's Oct. 1. That means one thing in Nebraska: Fall turkey hunting season is here. Nebraska Game and Parks has reminders for hunters who will take to the field in search of a bird for the season, which runs Oct. 1 to Nov. 30: All harvested turkeys must be reported via Telecheck within 48 hours of harvest. This can be done at OutdoorNebraska.gov/hunt/telecheck/ or by calling the phone number on the permit. Reporting via Telecheck is mandatory. When hunting during the Nov. 15-23 firearm deer...
Paddlefish snagging season on the Missouri River opens Oct. 1, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has several reminders for anglers hoping to fill a tag. During the season, which runs through Oct. 31, anglers may snag paddlefish and nongame fish from Gavins Point Dam downstream to the mouth of the Big Sioux River at mile marker 734. Legal fishing hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. More about the season: Closed Areas – Snagging is not allowed off the north wall and in the area immediately below Gavins Point Dam powerhouse discharge canal. All i...
This past week, the Natural Resources Committee held an interim hearing to review current laws that relate to the approval process, personnel involved, and costs associated with controlled burn permits. Controlled burns are planned fires intentionally set to manage ecosystems or prevent future larger, uncontrolled wildfires. These planned burns help reduce hazardous fuels like dead vegetation, promote the growth of native species, and help control problematic species like the eastern redcedar tr...
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept submissions for the 2025 Nebraskaland Magazine photo contest starting Oct. 1. Submissions should be made at Magazine.OutdoorNebraska.gov. To be eligible for the contest, photos should be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time Oct. 31. Photographers of all ages and skill levels are invited to submit photos in four categories: Wildlife - wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish Scenic - in which landmarks, scenery or inanimate objects are...
The public is invited to share their feedback on the 2026-2030 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan: Guiding Success in Nebraska Outdoor Recreation. The survey opened online Sept. 17 and will be available until Oct. 2. Read the updated plan at OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for "SCORP;" then provide comment via the feedback form or by emailing erin.l.johnson@nebraska.gov. SCORP is a resource for Nebraska communities, recreation professionals and government agencies planning for outdoo...
A combination firearm and bowhunter education course will be offered by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission volunteer instructors in Orchard on Sept. 18, 19, and 20. Class will meet from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the 18th and 19th, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 20. This free course will be held at the Orchard Community Center (formerly Orchard Public School) at 407 E. 4th St., in Orchard. The course will provide instruction in safe firearms use, safe bow use, tree stand safety, shooting and...
Hunting at Nebraska’s state recreation areas began Sept. 2. Several hunting seasons opened in early September, including archery deer, dove, grouse, early teal and other small game and furbearer seasons on Sept. 1. Regulations state that portions of some SRAs are open to hunting from the first Tuesday following Labor Day – this year is Tuesday, Sept. 2 – through the end of the spring turkey hunting season, unless restricted. Standard hunting regulations apply. A park entry permit is required for vehicles entering the SRAs. Parks with managed hu...
The Nebraska chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers presented its inaugural Public Lands Hero Award to Adam Kester, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission access program manager, Aug. 13 in North Platte. The Hero Award, which will be presented annually, recognizes those who make outstanding efforts to improve public access for hunters and anglers in Nebraska. Kester has been with Game and Parks since 2011 and served many roles in its Wildlife Division. Loren Smith of North Platte, Backcountry...
With the annual dove season opener on Sept. 1, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has some reminders for hunters, as well as recommendations for areas to hunt. Doves are abundant statewide and, with generous bag limits, provide excellent wing-shooting opportunities. Mourning doves, Eurasian collared-doves and white-winged doves may be hunted statewide Sept. 1 to Oct. 30, with aggregate daily bag and possession limits of 15 and 45, respectively. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. Sunflowers, millet and wheat, which ge...
Based on preliminary figures, presented to Holt County Supervisors during a July 31 meeting, the road budget will see approximately a $300,000 increase from the previous year's proposal. Holt County Road Superintendent Gary Connot told supervisors the increase includes salary and equipment increases. "We adjusted the capital outlay by about $100,000," Connot said. Chairman Bill Tielke asked if the budget stays within a 3% increase, a number tossed around by state officials, primarily Gov. Jim...
7 Nebraska fall turkey permits at 1 p.m., Central time, on Aug. 11. A fall turkey permit is valid statewide, and each hunter may have no more than one fall permit per calendar year. Also: • The fall bag limit allows the take of one turkey of either sex with a shotgun or archery equipment. • Fall turkey permits are valid only for the year they are purchased. • All turkey harvests must be reported via Telecheck. Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/hunt/telecheck/. • The fall turkey season is Oct. 1 to No...
The public is invited to participate in the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's annual summer turkey brood survey July 1 toAug. 31. The survey provides useful estimates about annual production by wild turkey hens and how many poults, or young turkeys, survive the summer brood-rearing period. These records and observations inform management decisions regarding wild turkeys, their population size and habitat needs. During July and August, survey participants are asked to record all turkeys they...
Celebrate 30 years of the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail with a bike ride, dinner and social on the bridge on Friday, Sept. 5 in Valentine. Register to attend the bike ride and dinner portions at OutdoorNebraska.gov by searching "Cowboy 30." Proceeds from the event will support trail improvements of the Valentine Trailhead area. Registration is not required to attend the social. Hit the trail The Cowboy Trail signature event will kick off with a 9 a.m. bike ride along the trail. Ride either...
Guests at three state recreation areas will be allowed to touch off fireworks on the Fourth of July, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Those visitors should use caution when lighting fireworks. The following SRAs, with designated lighting sites, will permit fireworks from 8 a.m. until midnight on July 4 only: • Branched Oak State Recreation Area – Lieber’s Point • Pawnee SRA – Area 1 beach and the Area 4 Lakeview Campground • Wagon Train SRA – beach. Signs at recreation areas will point the way to designated fireworks sites a...
Nebraska Game and Parks reminds outdoors enthusiasts that dogs are not allowed on state wildlife management areas from May 1 through July 31, except in authorized dog training areas. The seasonal restriction aims to protect wildlife during breeding and nesting season. Authorized dog training areas are marked by signage; other than in these designated areas, it is unlawful to exercise, run, train or hunt with dogs on the property. NGPC manages more than 250 WMAs across Nebraska in partnership...
By: Rich Wehmeyer Old Wolf Oak at Ponca State Park, one of Nebraska’s oldest trees, has died. It was a bur oak living more than 380 years and had become an often-visited woodland destination for park visitors. But it’s not the only oak to die this year from stresses of natural causes. Large areas of dead or declining mature trees at state parks are evident along Nebraska’s eastern edge. While trees are resilient and rarely succumb to a single stressor, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and its partners identified multiple ones leading to m...
Cedar trees are rapidly spreading across Nebraska's grasslands, threatening valuable forage for grazing animals and habitat for wildlife. In some areas, grass production has dropped by as much as 75% over the past three decades due to cedar tree encroachment. The best time to control cedar trees is now. To help landowners and producers tackle this issue, a hands-on workshop will be held on Thursday, June 5, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at the Holt County Courthouse Annex, located at 128 North 6th...
The Legislature passed the budget bills this past week containing its recommendations for the fiscal year 2025-2026 & fiscal year 2026-2027 biennial budget. Now, it will be up to the governor whether he signs the legislation as is or uses his line-item veto authority. When the Legislature convened in January, senators initially faced an estimated $432 million shortfall for the next two years, a number that soon grew. A large part of the increased deficit, but not all, came because the state’s ec...
As a kid, our grade school class was one of many that got to visit John Brown's Cave in Nebraska City. There was a cool log cabin, the Mayhew Cabin, hewn from local cottonwoods before Nebraska became a state. There was this kinda spooky, underground "cave" -- a hand-made tunnel to a nearby ravine that was billed as a hiding spot for slaves escaping bondage in nearby slave states (but was really an effort to increase tourism and the tunnel was never used by escaping slaves). Back then, John Brown...
Participate in the third Nebraska Birding Bowl and learn about birds and contribute data toward bird conservation. This fun, free statewide competition returns this May for Nebraska Bird Month. The Birding Bowl is a great opportunity to try out this hobby, improve skills, and share a love of birding with others. Participants of all experience levels are invited. Birders can compete as individuals or teams, registering online in April or May. They may participate in one of the following...
