Outdoor notes: Commission approves 2020 bighorn sheep season
Commission approves 2020 bighorn sheep season
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved the authorization of one lottery permit for the 2020 bighorn sheep season when it met Aug. 28 at Fort Robinson State Park.
The Commission also approved a Bighorn Sheep Management Plan that has a goal of establishing a self-sustaining, free-ranging bighorn sheep population in all areas of suitable habitat in Nebraska. There are many challenges facing bighorn sheep, including disease, predation, and habitat loss or fragmentation. In response, the Commission has developed a comprehensive plan to help manage and mitigate these herds and the issues they face.
In other business, the Commission also approved hunting opportunities and special dates in designated areas of specific state parks and state historical parks.
Also:
-- Staff announced the Commission’s new Nebraska Duck Slam. This program challenges hunters to harvest a teal, American wigeon, mallard and northern pintail in Nebraska and upload photos to be eligible for prizes.
-- Staff gave an update on how parks, fisheries and wildlife have been impacted by this year’s snowstorms and floods.
-- A preliminary upland game outlook was given by staff based on spring and summer upland game population surveys.
-- Dr. Dirac Twidwell, an associate professor of rangeland and fire ecology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, gave a report on the spread of eastern red cedar in Nebraska.
-- A presentation by state Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon addressed concerns about the R-Line project.
Nebraska Game and Parks to offer women’s hunter education courses
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will offer several hunter education courses across the state specifically for women this fall.
This classes, which are presented as part of the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program, give women the chance to learn the basics of hunter safety and gain hands-on firearm and archery experience in a fun, safe environment among like-minded women. All courses will be led by women who are experienced hunters and certified volunteer hunter education instructors.
“Women’s participation in hunting and shooting sports is growing rapidly,” said Julia Plugge, who coordinates the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “These classes will offer a fun and educational setting for female students who would like to earn their hunter education certification, grow their knowledge, refine their hunting and shooting skills and gain confidence to move forward as a safe and ethical hunter.”
Upcoming courses are:
-- Hunter Education Course: Sept. 9, 10, 11, 14 (participants must attend all four days), Schramm Education Center, Louisville
-- Hunter Education Course: Sept. 20-21 (participants must attend both days), American Legion Club, Bassett
-- Hunt Safe Session: Oct. 26, Ponca State Park, Ponca
-- Hunt Safe Session: Oct. 26, Maxwell Gun Club, Maxwell
For more information on each class, or to register, visit OutdoorNebraska.org/BOW.
Second year of Upland Slam set to begin
LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters again are challenged to go afield with family and friends and harvest four upland birds this fall to complete the Nebraska Upland Slam.
The challenge of the Upland Slam, a partnership between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Pheasants and Quail Forever, is to harvest a ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and northern bobwhite (quail) in Nebraska this season.
Successful hunters then go online to upload a photo of each harvested bird and provide details about their hunt. Those who complete the Slam will receive an official certificate and pin and be entered into a drawing to win one of several grand prizes including a Browning Silver 12-gauge shotgun.
“The Nebraska Upland Slam generated a lot of excitement last year and we’re hoping even more hunters take part this season,” said John Laux, Game and Parks’ upland game program manager. This year, all participants in the Nebraska Upland Slam will be automatically entered into monthly drawings for ORCA tumblers with the Upland Slam logo, memberships to Pheasants and Quail Forever and more.
The 2018-19 Upland Slam was a great success – hunters from ages 9 to 75 participated and many hunters harvested at least one species they had never pursued before. A total of 140 hunters completed the Upland Slam during its inaugural year, including two women and two youth hunters under age 15.
The Slam helps families create hunting memories and solidifies their hunting traditions. Last year, one family had three generations of hunters finish the Slam, and several parent-child combinations also succeeded in the challenge.
Hunters can begin working on their 2019 Slam on Sept. 1, when the seasons for sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chicken open. The seasons for pheasant and bobwhite begin Oct. 26. The seasons for all of these species close Jan. 31, 2020.
Visit OutdoorNebraska.org/UplandSlam for more information, official rules and entry details.
Wildfire exercise planned at Cedar Canyon WMA
GERING, Neb. – The Gering Fire Department will again lead fire training exercises on public land in the Panhandle for the annual West Nebraska Engine Academy. This year, the training exercises will be at Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management Area in the Wildcat Hills on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14-15.
Chris Becker, a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wildlife biologist, said hunters should be aware that burning will be occurring at various locations on the property and should consider the event if they plan to pursue game there that weekend.
Becker said the event, which was at Buffalo Creek WMA last year, will not only help train firefighters for a live fire, but that the area will see the benefits of prescribed burning as a bonus. Land managers in the Panhandle often use prescribed burning to improve diversity of desirable plants and lessen the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
“It’s hard to do a lot of prescribed burning in the Wildcat Hills because of the risks associated with it,” he said. “This event will have the resources and people available to ensure the burning goes smoothly.”
About 30 fire departments, along with state and federal agencies, are expected to be represented at the event.
More information about the event may be obtained by contacting the Gering Fire Department at firedept@gering.org or 308-436-2441.
Upland bird opportunities await Nebraska hunters this fall
LINCOLN, Neb. – Another fall of diverse upland bird hunting opportunities awaits Nebraska hunters.
The Southwest and Panhandle regions will provide the best hunting opportunities for pheasants, with more publicly accessible lands – primarily Open Fields and Waters – available in the Southwest, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s 2019 Upland Gamebird Hunting Outlook.
Overwinter survival was relatively high for pheasants this year but the cool, wet conditions that persisted into May and June likely had a negative impact on nesting success. However, habitat conditions have remained good to excellent and brood survival should be relatively high for those that successfully hatched. The statewide pheasant index from the 2019 July Rural Mail Carrier Survey was 14% lower compared to 2018.
The Outlook is based on spring and summer upland game surveys and conditions reported by biologists. Regional habitat trends and weather conditions that could impact populations are considered.
The best quail hunting opportunities will be found in the Republican, Southeast and East Central regions, but hunters should expect to find lower densities compared to recent years. Bobwhites experienced declines in most regions and statewide indices from two surveys were 21-37% lower compared to 2018. However, bobwhites are prolific breeders and have the ability to repopulate areas very quickly where suitable habitat exists.
The highest densities of prairie grouse are found in the Sandhills region, which also offers an abundance of publicly accessible lands. Spring lek counts were generally lower compared to recent years, but hunters should still find good grouse numbers and plenty of cover to walk this fall. The Sandhills remain the most popular destination for prairie grouse hunters but other public access opportunities in the Southwest and Panhandle regions should not be overlooked.
The Commission reminds hunters that surveys provide a broad assessment of upland game species abundance, and cannot be used to determine game abundance at any particular hunting area. Pre-hunt scouting is recommended. The full forecast is available online at OutdoorNebraska.gov/Upland.
All publicly accessible lands are displayed in the 2019-20 Public Access Atlas which is available at OutdoorNebraska.org/PublicAccessAtlas. Hard copies of the Atlas are available at all Game and Parks offices and wherever else hunting and fishing permits are sold. Additional properties open to public hunting, including tall wheat and milo stubble fields will be added to the online version of the Atlas in mid-October.
The hunting season for pheasant, quail and partridge is Oct. 26, 2019 – Jan. 31, 2020. The prairie grouse season is Sept. 1, 2019 – Jan. 31, 2020. Hunting permits may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.org.
The Nebraska Upland Slam returns this fall for its second year. It invites hunters to try to take a pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie chicken and northern bobwhite in the state. For more information, visit OutdoorNebraska.org/UplandSlam.
Nonresidents can get a start on preparing for their Nebraska hunts using Trip Planners, located at OutdoorNebraska.gov/upland.
September outdoor calendar
LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in September. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes.
Sept. 1 – Hunting seasons open for cottontail, jackrabbit, dove, snipe, grouse, rail, raccoon and opossum
Sept. 1 – Archery, River Antlerless Private Land Only, Antlerless Only Season Choice, Whitetail Statewide Buck, Youth, and Landowner deer hunting seasons open
Sept. 1 – Archery bull elk season opens
Sept. 1 – Living history, Fort Atkinson State Historical Park (SHP), Fort Calhoun
Sept. 1 – End of Summer Bash, Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area (SRA), Crofton
Sept. 1 – Sidewalk Chalk with Emerald Ash borer/Pollinator Program, Niobrara State Park (SP), Niobrara
Sept. 1 – Critter Corner, Danish Alps SRA, Hubbard
Sept. 1 – Nebraska Reptiles, Lake McConaughy SRA, Ogallala
Sept. 1-2 – Living history, Fort Kearny SHP, Kearney
Sept. 1-2 – Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island
Sept. 7-15 – Early teal hunting in High Plains Zone
Sept. 7-22 – Early teal hunting in Low Plains Zone
Sept. 7 – Hooked for Life, Barnet Park Lake, McCook
Sept. 7 – 7th Annual Night Owl Run/Walk, Niobrara SP, Niobrara
Sept. 7 – The Night Sky, Ash Hollow SHP, Lewellen
Sept. 7-8 – September Songbird Search, Lake Ogallala SRA, Ogallala
Sept. 8 – Monarch Tagging, Lake Wanahoo Recreation Area, Wahoo
Sept. 8 – Community Fishing Night, Zoo Pond, Scottsbluff
Sept. 14 – Moonshell Storytelling Festival, Eugene T. Mahoney SP, Ashland
Sept. 14 – Birds and Bagels, Wildcat Hills SRA, Gering
Sept. 14 – Continental Drift Music Festival, Fremont Lakes SRA, Fremont
Sept. 14 – Monarch Tagging, Lake McConaughy SRA, Ogallala
Sept. 15 – Fall turkey hunting season opens
Sept. 15 – Final day of Take ’em Fishing promotion
Sept. 15 – Monarchs, Milkweed and Migration, Lake McCoanughy SRA, Ogallala
Sept. 16 – Final day of participation in and postmark deadline for the Great Park Pursuit
Sept. 17 – Learn to Hunt workshop, introduction to hunting, Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center, Lincoln
Sept. 21 – Ranch Life 1860s, Rock Creek Station SHP, Fairbury
Sept. 21 – Firearm bull elk season opens
Sept. 21 – Antlerless elk season opens
Sept. 21 – Muzzleloader antelope season opens
Sept. 21-22 – 15th Annual Missouri River Outdoor Expo, Ponca SP, Ponca
Sept. 24 – Linking Literature and Science: Insects, Gretna Public Library, Gretna
Sept. 26 – Learn to Hunt workshop, deer, Lincoln Park Fire Station, Hastings
Sept. 28 – 2019 Nebraska Youth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational, Pressey WMA, Oconto
Sept. 28-29 – Living History – Table Creek Rendezvous, Arbor Lodge SHP, Nebraska City
Sept. 28-29 – Youth waterfowl hunting season in Zones 2 and 4