Volume 89, Issue 2, 2011
March 2011
- Identifier:
- nela.2011_089_02
- Title:
- Volume 89, Issue 2, 2011
- Issue Name:
- March 2011
- Date Issued:
- 2011-03-01
- year:
- 2011
- month:
- March
- Season:
- Winter
- PDF filename:
- NL_89.02_2011_Mar_Spreads_Entire.pdf
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 089
- issue:
- 02
- number:
- 089.02
- Decade:
- 2010s
- Type:
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, all rights reserved.
- Extracted Text:
-
Captain Roy, a Labrador retriever and excellent photographer’s assistant, sits in a blind watching
sharp-tailed grouse on a booming ground in Cherry County. Photo by Bill Hager.
Volume 89, Number 2, March 2011
14 The Hinterland – Eastern Nebraska’s Wehrspann Wetland
This natural area on the edge of Omaha is a welcome site
close to town for birders and nature enthusiasts.
PHOTOS AND TEXT BY JEFF KURRUS
20 Ghillie Suit
Often advertised as new and innovative in the outdoor
accessory world, ghillie suits have been around for more
than 100 years.
BY JON FARRAR
24 “Sky Carp” – Persecuted for Being Too Successful
For 30 years biologists have known lesser snow geese had
become too abundant and were destroying not only their
Arctic nesting habitat but that of other birds. Their numbers
need to be reduced, but the birds still deserve respect.
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JON FARRAR
32 A Photographer’s Journal
A morning on the Platte River proves memorable for this
Nebraska photographer. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL FORSBERG
34 One More Month
While many Nebraskans pray for the first day or spring,
these hardwater diehards want a few more days on the ice.
BY JEFF KURRUS
14
●
40 Survey Says
Anchored in science, fish surveys are an invaluable part of
fisheries management. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JEFF KURRUS
Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Mixed Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Parks & Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Nature Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Outdoor Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Portraits from the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
34
●
20
●
40
●
Cover: Photographer Doug Steinke captured this mass of snow geese
less than 15 feet from his photo blind on a Platte River sandpit in Hall
County. To see Jon Farrar’s essay on snow geese, see page 24.
Opposite: Crane watching is a favorite pastime each spring as more than
500,000 sandhill cranes migrate through Nebraska. Photo by Eric Fowler.
NEBRASKAland (VOL. 89 / NO. 2, ISSN 0028-1964) is published monthly, except for the
combined Jan./Feb. and Aug./Sept. issues, by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,
2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE. Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Nebraska, and additional
mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NEBRASKAland, P.O. Box 30370,
Lincoln, NE 68503-0370.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 3
Sophia and Chloe’s First Deer
I get NEBRASKAland Magazine for
the reception area of my pediatric dental
practice and noted the 38-point buck
photo on the cover. I thought your
readers might enjoy a photo of my
daughter and her best friend. They
recently became interested in hunting
with their dads this year. They are
12 years old and both in the 7th grade
at Hastings Middle School. On opening
day of deer season, they each shot their
first deer.
I’ve never been a big fan of hunting
and had some concerns even about its
safety, particularly with children, being
in the health care field. You could say
that I basically tolerated my husband
hunting but never really appreciated it.
However, it was my daughter that has
this new found love, and she has now
learned a great deal about wildlife,
conservation and the virtues of patience
and safety through this sport. I can’t
tell which she enjoys more, the hunt
itself or spending special quality time
with her dad. I think it is also a great
activity that she and her father can do
together.
Sophia and Chloe waited all day to
take their shot. They hit their prey
about 30 minutes apart from each other
just before sunset after patiently waiting
quietly all day long. According to one
dad, they heard a young girl squeal,
“YES!” just after the shot.
When they went to the checkpoint,
there were 170 or more deer checked
and only three were taken by youth.
Several men and their hunting groups
didn’t get one that day. Furthermore,
let’s just say the boys in her class were
jealous on Monday!
Jessica Meeske, D.D.S.
Hastings, Nebraska
4 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Ditto from Missouri
I practically could
have written Marvin
Konopik’s letter
myself in the
comments section of
the December 2010
issue.
I lived with my
parents and three
siblings on a farm
35 miles from Omaha
that had a small
stream running for miles through our
land. We too had frequent visits by a
group of four to five black hunters who
had good equipment, great manners
and were all big, good-looking guys in
excellent shape. I don't recall any
names but vividly recall them bringing
pop and candy for us kids and gifts of a
more serious nature for Dad and Mom.
The folks didn't drink and from the
hunters’ first trip, after learning they
didn't drink, until their last trip to visit
and hunt, they always brought the family
something we could enjoy.
These guys always wanted to share
some of the game they harvested, but
we ate very well from the farms
livestock and wild game that was
available to us. They treated our land
and the game with great care. My
father was a biology teacher besides
being a farmer, and became very
comfortable with how they conducted
their hunts and cared for the game.
Like Marvin, I don't recall any
conversation about what they did for a
living but they were welcome guests
for several years from about 1946-1953.
Keep up the good work, I really
enjoy the magazine and recently got a
subscription of my own.
Gary Wiles
Sunrise Beach, Missouri
Careful With Them
Boots
My husband and
I enjoy your
magazine, but, I was
very unhappy to see
Mr. Turpin's “little tip” for
drying his hunting boots. Shame on
you for even printing it. What about the
poor person who comes into the laundry
mat to do their clothes after he has
been there putting his muddy, filthy
boots in the same dryer that they are
putting their freshly washed towels?
The dryers in “small towns” are meant
for their residents and guests to use for
CLEAN clothes. I am appalled that
anyone would show such disregard for
others. There are several specialty
catalogs that sell boot dryers. Maybe he
should purchase one.
Ellen Bonsall
Fremont, Nebraska
You bring up a very valid point –
perhaps the hunters need to make sure
that boots are as clean as possible
before putting them in the dryer, and
should take care to clean the dryer
after they are done using it. Another
option might be to bring along an old
hair dryer that they could use on the
boots during lunch. – Editor
Recycled Calendars
As a thrifty Dutch woman, my wife
could not throw away our issue of the
2010 NEBRASKAland Calendar.
From the beautiful pictures she made
picture postcards. At the backside she
glued recycling labels normally used to
recycle big envelopes.
Our friends, Tom and Barbara
Kennedy of Sutherland, send us your
calendar every year as a Christmas
present together with a subscription to
your beautiful magazine.
Rie and Jan Minderhout
Vlissengen, The Netherlands
NEBRASKAland Visitor Letters
We want to thank all 105 readers
that sent e-mails and letters for last
issue’s visitor, a millipede that was on
page 49 (see page 13 for the winner,
rules and this issue’s hint). Here is one
of the many wonderful responses we
received:
I found the visiting millipede on page
49 my first time through this month's
issue. Also, great article about Nebraska's
potash history – I was not even aware
of this information until last year when
my participation in BRAN (Bicycle
Ride Across Nebraska) took me
through Antioch, where I could read
the roadside historical marker. Thanks
for all the additional information and
another great issue of NEBRASKAland!
Ralph Martin
Ceresco, Nebraska
The long, round, worm-like creature is
a millipede. Like centipedes and rolypolies, the millipede is in the arthropod
family, but in the class Diplopoda. You
can tell it isn’t an insect, because
insects have only six legs. Millipedes
obviously have more than six legs – lots
more. They are generally born with
three pairs of legs and add additional
pairs each time they molt. Millipedes
prefer a moist habitat, and can often
be found in rotting logs and leaf litter,
and under rocks. They feed on
decaying vegetation and other organic
matter. Frequently millipedes will find
their way into homes, especially moist
basements and garages. They are not
harmful to the house or humans, but
can be a nuisance. Vacuuming or
sweeping them up is an easy, safe
way to
dispose of
them.
– Julie Van Meter,
State Entomologist,
Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
Send your comments to:
Doug Carroll, Editor
NEBRASKAland Magazine
P.O. Box 30370
Lincoln, NE 68503
or e-mail Doug.Carroll@Nebraska.gov
Please include your postal address and
telephone number.
Letters may be condensed and edited
for clarity. Photographs are
welcome and will be returned.
COMMISSION
CONSERV
CONSERVATION OFFICERS
Director Rex Amack
Deputy Director Jim Douglas
Commissioners
Chairman - Mick Jensen, Blair
Vice Chairman - Ron Stave, Waterloo
2nd Vice Chairman - Norris Marshall, Kearney
Jerrod Burke, Curtis
Dr. Mark Pinkerton, Wilber
Dr. Kent Forney, Lincoln
Lynn Berggren, Broken Bow
Rex Fisher, Omaha
Mark Spurgin, Paxton
PANHANDLE
Officer
City
Jim Zimmerman (S) Gering
MAGAZINE
MAGAZINE STAFF
STAFF
Editor Doug Carroll
Associate Editor Jeff Kurrus
Art Director Tim Reigert
Senior Editor Jon Farrar
Regional Editor Eric Fowler
Contributing Editor Michael Forsberg
Regular Contributors Bill Hager, Chris Helzer,
Lisa Knopp
Photo Librarian Sarah Johnson
Circulation Donna Robinson
For address changes and questions about
your subscription, e-mail
Donna.Robinson@Nebraska.gov
or call (800) 632-5263
Marketing/Advertising
For advertising information contact
Larson Enterprises
e-mail dave@larsonent.com
or call (515) 440-2810
NEBRASKAland Magazine Copyright 2011, all rights reserved.
NEBRASKAland is available on audio cassette from the Nebraska
Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service, Suite 120, 1200 N
St., Lincoln, NE 68508. (800) 742-7691. NEBRASKAland Magazine and
the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reserve the right to reject any
advertising not in keeping with the agency mission.
Rates: $18 for one year; $33 for two years; $44 for three years. Nebraska
recipients must add appropriate sales tax. To subscribe call
1-800-NEBLAND (632-5263), or go online to:
NebraskalandMagazine.com.
COMMISSION OFFICES
Headquarters
2200 N. 33rd Street Lincoln, NE 68503
Phone (402) 471-0641
District Office I
East Hwy. 2, Box 725 Alliance, NE 69301
Phone (308) 763-2940
District Office II
524 Panzer St., Box 508 Bassett, NE 68714
Phone (402) 684-2921
District Office III
2201 N. 13th St. Norfolk, NE 68701
Phone (402) 370-3374
District Office IV
301 E. State Farm Rd. North Platte, NE 69101
Phone (308) 535-8025
District Office VI
1617 First Ave. Kearney, NE 68847
Phone (308) 865-5310
Omaha Office
1212 Bob Gibson Blvd. Omaha, NE 68108
Phone (402) 595-2144
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium
21502 W. Highway 31 Gretna, NE 68028
Phone (402) 332-3901
Scott Brandt
Heath Packett
Dennis Thompson
Frank Miller
Dan Kling
Phone (308)
(office) 763-2940
(cell) 641-6138
Gering
631-0663
Gordon
360-0682
Ogallala
289-0755
Valentine (402) 389-0444
Harrison
430-0572
SOUTHWEST
Officer
City
Phone (308)
Roger Thompson (S) N. Platte (office) 535-8025
(cell) 530-3097
Ray Dierking
Brkn. Bow
870-0322
George Sund
Cambridge
655-0028
Michael Thome
Cozad
529-8146
Matt Andrews
Elwood
746-2418
Dirk Greene
Imperial
882-0015
Virgil Gosch
McCook
340-2440
Dudley Sorensen
N. Platte
530-0016
Rich Routh
Rep. City
920-0367
SOUTH-CENTRAL
Officer
Jerry Pecha (Sup.)
Terry Brentzel
Randy Pomplun
Darin Gress
Dale Johnson
Robert Finke
Doug Pollard
City
Phone (308)
Kearney (office) 865-5327
(cell) 293-3551
Doniphan (402) 469-5795
Fullerton
550-0489
Hebron
(402) 768-8665
Kearney
440-3847
Milford
(402) 947-1363
Ord
778-7101
NORTHEAST
Officer
Tom Zimmer (Sup.)
City
Norfolk
Dale Davis
Steve Oberg
Daniel Roberts
Jeff Jones
Jon Reeves
Pat George
Tim Williams
Cory Krause
Phone (402)
(office) 370-3374
(cell) 649-8053
Bassett
760-0712
Columbus
910-3366
Fremont
719-1108
Hartington
762-5022
Kennard
889-8508
O’Neill
340-0787
Neligh
929-0051
West Point
380-6410
SOUTHEAST
Officer
Duane Arp (Sup.)
City
Gretna
Sean McKeehan
William Krause
Mike Luben
Dan Zuehlke
Douglas Kramer
Dina Barta
Stacey Lewton
Levi Krause
Russell Mort
Dan Evasco
Jeff Clauson
Phone (402)
(office) 332-2965
(cell) 521-0194
Ashland
521-0159
Auburn
274-8063
Colon
443-6392
Cortland (308) 289-3399
Lincoln
890-6465
Lincoln
890-6463
Lincoln
890-7140
Louisville
949-0593
Nebr. City
209-1506
Papillion
616-5961
Waterloo
658-7057
ADMINISTRATION
Officer
Ted Blume (Adm.)
Craig Stover (Asst.)
Wes Loos (Asst.)
Rod Loos (Asst.)
City
Lincoln
Lincoln
Lincoln
Ogallala
Phone (402)
471-5531
471-5532
471-5591
(308) 284-8056
Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers 1-800-742-7627
Under federal and/or state law, discrimination is prohibited on the basis
of race, color, religion, age, gender, marital status, national origin,
disability or political affiliation. If you think you have been discriminated
against in any program, activity or facility by the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission or want more information, contact the Commission in
Lincoln, NE, at (402) 471-0641 or the Equal Opportunity Commission,
Lincoln, NE, (402) 471-2024, TTY/TDD (402) 471-4693).
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 5
Freezing Fruit
Nebland Flashbacks
The caption to this April 1967 photo
reads... “NEBRASKAland deputies
are dressed for action, armed with
tourism know-how about ‘where the
West begins’ state.”
This was a new state program
adding assistants (deputies) to help
out Nebraska’s 128 boosters.
Also called “NEBRASKAlanders,”
these volunteer/ambassadors could
buy jackets and other items. To
qualify, they had to pass an openbook test on facts about scenic,
historic Nebraska and her many
attractions.
6 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Here is a list of
upcoming outdoor
events across
Nebraska.
For more
information
about
these and
other events, click on
the calendar at
www.OutdoorNebraska.org.
February 27
PHOTO BY PASQUALE MINGARELLI
Jeff Kurrus
Anyone who has spent any significant
time hunting with me has seen the
small containers of frozen fruit that
often accompany me into the field. The
concept of these snacks was born in a
home where fruit was often purchased
but rarely consumed before spoiling.
In an attempt to preserve some of our
purchases, my wife and I started freezing
fruit. Grapes, orange slices, pineapple,
blueberries, blackberries and cherries
have been my favorites to eat while
going to or from the hunting blind or
fishing boat.
Pulling your selection from the freezer
when departing the house is the best
method, and on these cool,
late-winter and spring mornings,
these healthy options are a
welcome snack after a long
walk back to my vehicle. If the
weather is just right, my grapes are
just starting to thaw, and I start eating
them like candy.
What to Plant First
Pasquale Mingarelli
Spring is here. Well, maybe it is
almost here. Depending on where you
live in the state, you may have had
some springlike days already this year
– the type of days that make you and
many other Nebraskans itch to get a
vegetable garden going. The good news
is that you don’t have to wait until May
to get some seeds or plants in the ground.
The cole vegetables (Brussels sprout,
cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale,
broccoli, etc) as well as lettuce, peas,
Swiss chard and spinach can all be
planted a month or more sooner than
the date of the last average frost.
According to John Fech of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Extension Office for Sarpy and Douglas
counties, these plants are frost tolerant.
The key is the temperature of the soil,
which should be at least in the lower
40s. Fech recommends keeping the soil
uncovered and exposed to the sun to
get the ground to warm quicker and
added that the best way to prep the soil
is to put a layer of compost down and
work it into the ground when the soil is
dry, preferably in the fall.
When the soil temperatures reach the
50s, sweet corn, peas, onions, asparagus
and carrots can all be planted.
• Cowboy Poetry and Music Jam –
Bowring Ranch SHP, Merriman
2:00 pm-5:00 pm
Come out to Bowring Ranch and
enjoy a day of poets and musicians as
they portray cowboy life. Then stay
and enjoy a potluck supper; bring a
covered dish to share with everyone at
the meal. There is no admission
charge for the event, but a park entry
permit is required on each
vehicle.
Contact: Bowring Ranch SHP
(308) 684-3428
diane.burress@nebraska.gov
March 9-12
• International Ornithological
Conference
All day, Saturday, March 12th
The annual conference of the
Association of Field Ornithologists,
Cooper Ornithological Society and
Wilson Ornithological Society will be
held in Kearney on these dates.
Anyone with an interest in
ornithology is welcome to attend. For
more information or to register, visit
snr.unl.edu/kearney2011.
The conference will be at the Younes
Conference Center, 416 Talmadge
Street, Kearney NE 68848
Additional questions can be directed
to Mary Bomberger Brown by calling
(402) 472- 8878 or e-mailing
ternsandplovers@unl.edu.
March 18
• Board of Commissioners Meeting
8 am-12:00 pm
3rd Floor Conference Room,
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
2200 N. 33rd St.
Lincoln NE 68503
Contact: Lynn Hartog
(402) 471-5539
lynn.hartog@nebraska.gov
April 1
• Ashfall Fossil Beds SHP, Royal
Ashfall SHP will conduct school and
tour groups by special arrangement
from April 1-October 20 with advance
reservations. For details and to make
reservations, call the park at (402) 8932000. Open to the public May 1, 2011.
Cowboy Trail Flood Damage
Jeff Kurrus
After a flood, the number of ants in this prairie was revealed as they all started
rebuilding their tunnels at the same time.
The Density of Ants in Prairies
(Editor’s Note: The following was one of Chris Helzer’s “The Prairie
Ecologist” blogs that can be found on NebraskalandMagazine.com along with
“Afield and Afloat” – a blog written by our magazine staff and contributors)
About five years ago there was a major rainstorm in early May that dropped
12 inches on our Platte River prairies within 24 hours, flooding most of them for
several days. I wasn’t too worried about most of the prairies (after all, they’re
floodplain prairies and should be used to flooding), but I was concerned about the
possible influx of purple loosestrife from the out-of-bank river and about the fate
of a few young prairie restoration seedings. At the same time, I was hoping the big
rain would help end the drought we’d been in for more than five years (it didn’t).
As the prairies dried out, I started checking to see how things looked. I was
walking through a 5-year–old prairie seeding looking at the plants (which were
looking very good) when I suddenly noticed the ant hills. Everywhere I looked,
there were ant hills. I couldn’t take a step without trampling one. I had a quick,
illogical thought that we’d been invaded by fire ants, but once my brain kicked
back into gear, I realized that I was probably seeing the simultaneous rebuilding
and repair of all the ant tunnels that had been in place prior to the big rain.
Ants are extremely important to prairies as predators and earth movers (and fill
other roles as well), and I knew that they were really abundant, but until I saw the
density of hills after that flood I didn’t really have a good idea HOW abundant
they could be. After all, the hills are the tip of the iceberg and only indicate the
presence of numerous and extensive tunnels beneath the surface. Before writing
this post, I contacted James Trager at the Missouri Botanical Garden to see what
he could tell me about the phenomenon I’d observed.
James thought most the hills were probably made by Lasius neoniger, the
“cornfield ant,” an abundant species common to prairies with sandy soil. He also
said ants can survive floods by finding refuge in air pockets within their underground
nests. That’s something I hadn’t thought about either – all the invertebrates living
below ground have to be able to survive saturated soils in floodplain prairies.
I thought about using these photos and story as the basis for a larger post on
prairie ants, but decided that it would be redundant – James has already written
an excellent and succinct synthesis of the fascinating world of prairie ants.
Rather than trying to steal his ideas and re-write them, I suggest you go to
www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/insects/ants/index.htm and look at his piece. If you
haven’t read his introduction to prairie ants, it’s well worth the few minutes it’ll
take you to read it.
See You Out There ...
But Where?
Do you know where this
Nebraska photograph
was taken?
See answer at the bottom
of page 13.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 9
PHOTO BY JON FARRAR
8 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
PHOTO BY CHRIS HELZER
Sometimes the best laid plans
don’t work out, but occasionally
they do, as was the case this
month when I wanted a mid-1960s
“A Look Back” and found one well
worth the billing.
It must have been an exciting
month for readers when they
received their March 1966
NEBRASKAland. A predator
hunting piece entitled “Calling All
Cats” was followed by “The Flying
Fisherman,” a story about Lincoln
dentist Charles Carothers and his
weekend fishing trips by plane
throughout Nebraska.
Dick Schaffer, then editor of
NEBRASKAland, next featured
author Warren Spencer’s historical
“Return of Standing Bear” and a
historical piece entitled “Branding.”
“Monograms for cattle help solve
ranchers’ quarrels,” read the
subhead. “History of the idea
goes from the Nile to Nebraska.”
This issue also featured two
destination stories – one on eagle
watching at Jeffrey Reservoir and
a second on Ponca State Park
entitled “Picture Book Park.” In
addition, Scottsbluff artist Charles
S. Simmons’ paintings were
shown, as was a safety reminder
for the use of life preservers in
“The Defenders.” Lastly, fauna
notes on the badger and a tutorial
on dog training, “My Gal Sal,”
rounded out an excellent month of
content. To read “Branding” go to
NebraskalandMagazine.com and
click on “A Look Back.”
The cost of cleanup and repair of
flooding and storm-related damage to
Commission parks, recreation and
wildlife management areas last year
totaled more than $5 million, including
an estimated $4.5 million in damage to
the Cowboy Recreation and Nature
Trail. The Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) will
cover 75 percent of the cost of the
damages, which included washed out
bridges, roads and trails and removal of
silt, sand and debris from roads, boat
ramps and bridge pilings.
A 72-mile section of the trail remains
closed from Norfolk to O’Neill. Large
sections of the trail and bridges were
washed out near Norfolk and Clearwater.
Replacing the aptly named Broken
Bridge and rebuilding a 100-foot
section of trail three miles west of
Norfolk on the most heavily used
segment is a priority. Contractors
removed the iron bridge from the river
this winter and a consultant is working
on designing its replacement, which will
cost an estimated $2.2 million. The
agency is currently lining up its
25 percent share of that cost, the
remainder of which FEMA will cover.
A mile of trail east of Clearwater was
heavily damaged, including the loss of
a 1,000-foot section of the trail to the
Elkhorn and two bridges. Duane
Westerholt, trails coordinator with the
Commission, said no timetable has
been set for repair of that section. Crews
have repaired the trail bed in other
parts of the trail that were not as heavily
damaged and will begin resurfacing it
with crushed limestone this spring.
The final segment of the 195 miles of
trail between Norfolk and Valentine had
been completed only months before the
flooding. Work to convert the abandoned
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad to
a recreational trail began in 1994. The
26-mile section from Norfolk to
Oakdale was completed in 1998. The
123-mile stretch of trail from O’Neill
to Valentine remains open.
Twenty Commission areas were
damaged by flooding along the
Elkhorn, Platte and Missouri rivers.
Jeff Kurrus
In the December 2010 edition of NEBRASKAland, I
queried our readers to send us some of their most creative
hunting spot names. And they did not disappoint.
It was quite evident through the pile of letters that hunting
and fishing spot locations are named for a variety of reasons.
Some are best known for results, as seen at Jeff Ward’s Bird
Salad, a patch of CRP MAP land on the edge of the
Sandhills that produces just above everything, including
pheasants, quail, grouse, and dove. John Morrow’s Turkey
Road and Muley Station also speak to locales known for
what they produce, as does John Flor’s Stumpy and John
Jacobsen’s Three Pheasant Road.
Yet Jacobsen also included a separate category of how
hunting spot are named – those that do not produce, as seen
at No Pheasant Road, or cannot produce, as seen at The
Mean Farmer’s Land, also sent in by Jeff Ward. “There is a
giant field of red grass just adjacent to a piece of property
that we have permission to hunt. I'm convinced that every
pheasant in Valley County lives in this field; and we have
been told to leave it alone as the person that owns it has
been known to get quite grumpy with hunters close to his
property.”
Another category commonly named are those that naturally
fit the spot they were hunting. Leon Gillespie’s Wolf Den,
that was historically known as such, Damon Ott’s The
Meadow, Tim Iburg’s Horseshow Draw, Mark Matulka’s
Buffalo Pond, and Chris Polenz’s Mossy Oak, which is a
treestand in a mossy oak tree that Polenz claims “was named
before Mossy Oak became Mossy Oak.” As well as those
whose names were created out of actions by the hunters,
Grouse Season Expanded
Stay Safe This Spring
Disturbed while sunning itself near the
prairie dog hole where it had spent the
winter, a prairie rattlesnake takes a
defensive posture against potential
danger.
When Do Snakes Emerge?
While a turkey’s eyesight is impeccable, a hunter’s is not. It’s
never a bad idea when walking to and from your spring turkey
hunting spot to wear hunter orange. Multiple manufacturers make
vests that are reversible or incorporate strips of orange fabric.
Use one of these while transporting your bird and stay safe.
Dan Fogell
What makes you wake up in the
morning? An alarm clock? The smell of
fresh brewed coffee? Or are you one of
those people who can just pop out of
bed at the same time every day?
Whatever the motivation may be,
eventually you have to get up. Here in
Nebraska, harsh, cold winter months
force snakes and other reptiles to “go to
bed” for months in the fall. But every
spring, without fail, they wake up. And
just like us, some snakes are early
risers and some snakes just like to sleep
in. Snakes are ectotherms, so they
depend on a heat source outside their
bodies to warm them up. From spring
through fall that heat source is the sun
and the seasonally warm air
temperatures. But in winter, air
temperatures get bitterly cold, so
during fall snakes seek refuge from the
upcoming winter. Sub-freezing
temperatures will kill a snake by
freezing its blood and other tissues, so
getting underground below the frost
line is crucial. Burrows, rotted tree
roots, rock crevices, and even
basements and attics are all potential
hibernation sites for Nebraska’s snakes.
When winter passes, snakes emerge
from their hibernation sites to once
again slither through the grass and over
the rocks to find water, food, and
mates. Warmer temperatures, longer
days, and melting snow are all cues
that signal it’s time to emerge. MidMarch is when the first wave begins.
Small snakes like brown snakes and
ringneck snakes warm up quickly due
to their small body size. By late-March,
garter snakes and racers begin to crawl
out of holes and bask in the early
spring sun. Once the first week of April
arrives, prairie rattlesnakes, bullsnakes,
and nearly all of Nebraska’s other
snake species have emerged from their
winter dens. The last snakes to yawn,
stretch and roll out of their winter
slumber are the largest snakes: timber
rattlesnakes and black rat snakes.
Babies and younger snakes usually
come out before adults, but by the first
of May, all snakes are out and on the
move.
Dan Fogell’s recent book, “A Field
Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles
of Nebraska,” is available at
nebraskamaps.unl.edu or amazon.com.
evelers
enjoying
New Year’s Eve in Beebe,
Arkansas woke up on the new year
to a grim surprise. Approximately
5,000 Red-winged Blackbirds died
in mid-flight and littered the area.
Early speculations ranged from
electromagnetic waves to UFOs but
the cause of death has since been
determined. The flock of birds,
likely physically weakened by
migration, were spooked by the
holiday fireworks and quickly
emerged from their roost. Redwinged Blackbirds can reach flying
speeds from 17 to 28 miles per
hour and the blunt force trauma
that killed the birds is likely the
result of the birds crashing into
each other, surrounding buildings
and trees.
Dan Schieman, Ph.D,
conservation director of Audubon
Arkansas in Little Rock said that
Red-winged Blackbird ‘roosts can
reach up to 10,000 in areas of the
country.’ The birds are known for
their sharp hearing and the booms
and crackles of the fireworks
startled the birds to their ultimate
demise.
R
Sandhills Duck Production
Duck nesting success is typically
highest in grassland-dominated
landscapes, but a recent study found
reproduction of mallards in the
Sandhills to be surprisingly low.
Biologists suspect the variety of nest
predators found there, including bull
snakes, which were not present in other
areas where nesting success has been
studied, to be the prime factor. They
also found the population to be
dominated by young females that put
little effort into nesting.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 11
PHOTO BY BILL HAGER
10 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
For more than 20 years, the trucks
Dave Folda has driven from his home in
Schuyler to the cabin on the Platte River
where his family has hunted and fished
since 1969 have carried this message plate.
If you have a unique outdoor message plate you would like to share, or
know someone who does, e-mail a photo (high-resolution, JPEG format
only, please) of it to Eric.Fowler@Nebraska.gov, along with your name,
hometown, and a brief description of the interests expressed on your license
plate.
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
At their January meeting, the Nebraska Game and
Parks Board of Commissioners voted to expand the
grouse-hunting season starting in 2011.
This year’s grouse season will be Sept. 1 through
Jan. 31, 2012. Regulations previously called for the
season to open on the Saturday nearest Sept. 15.
By making the change, the Commission is providing
more hunting opportunity for a lightly hunted species
and is aligning the dove and grouse season openers on
a common date.
In other action the board also approved a revised
Focus on Pheasants plan. The new plan seeks to
create new focus areas and incentive programs to
promote habitat improvements and to work with
game biologists to maximize effectiveness of habitat
program delivery within those areas.
The plan also intends to continue researching the
amount of wildlife habitat needed to establish and
maintain a huntable pheasant population across
Nebraska, and it will try to secure more pheasant
habitat through U.S. Department of Agriculture
conservation programs.
including Monte
Deatrich’s The Chair,
named for an old
metal chair located at
the ambush site.
There are also
places named after
friends and family,
including Iburg’s
Mom’s Bottom and
Monsterbuck Manor
Flor’s Jimmy, named
after “a notorious brother-in-law.” And other spots named
after the stands themselves, including more than one Deck,
multiple Tripods, and a multitude of Hotels, tree houses
where morning coffee and an afternoon football game could
be partaken of with rifle in hand.
There are also common names, or at least common to
many of these hunters, including The Honeyhole. And those
not so common, including Iburg’s Turd Hill, and John
Morrow’s Spud Webb and Buster Douglas.
Lastly, there are those hunting locales who speak as much
warning as they do place name, including John Flor’s The
Suicide, an aptly named tree stand that begs its user to wear
a safety harness for “it’s so high that if you fall from it,
you’re dead.” And Deatrich’s Cardiac, named for one’s
inability to get to the locale without feeling as if you’re
going to die.
Hunting names are a great part of the hunting experience.
Do something tremendous, or tremendously ignorant, and
you have a chance to be remembered forever. For while I’ve
seen many people change hunting locales, I’ve never heard
of people changing their hunting locale names once they are
firmly established.
PHOTO BY DOUG CARROLL
Hunting Spot Names
In 2009, Nebraska’s resident annual fishing permit cost $26.00.
Some sportsmen are not sure that they need a yearlong
permit. So, the NGPC offers them a one-day permit for $7.50 or a
three-day permit for $20.00. In the routine of my patrol I do see them
from time to time.
In August 2009 I checked two adult fishermen at Walnut Creek Lake
in Sarpy County. One fisherman had an annual permit, while the
other had a one-day permit and stated that he’d never fished before
that day and his friend had encouraged him to try it out. Two weeks
later, I checked the same two fishermen at Zorinsky Lake in Douglas
County. Again, the neophyte had another one-day fishing permit. He
stated that he’d had so much fun fishing the first time that he decided
to give it another try.
What were the odds of that person being checked by a
conservation officer for compliance? He’d fished twice in his life, in
two different locations and at both was checked by the same
conservation officer.
Then there is the other side of checking fisherman. During the
same month I was checking fishing permits at Wehrspan Lake in
Sarpy County when I met a 49-year-old fisherman who stated that
he’d never been checked by a conservation officer in his entire
outdoor life. He’d purchased fishing permits for 33 years.
What are the odds? Yet, I see it all the time. There are a large
number of fishermen who will tell you that they get checked several
times a year and that we’re on a first name basis, yet, I still run into
those who believe conservation officers are a myth. Once again,
just recently at Wehrspan, I observed five adult males fishing on a
stretch of shoreline. They turned out to be family of uncles, brothers
and cousins. I checked the first three and they had no fish yet, but
were enjoying the day, just the fella’s hanging out fishing. I went on
to the next two. The other three fishermen pulled in their lines and
followed me. All of them were grinning.
The next fisherman was 68 years old. He shook his head at me as I
approached and handed me his veteran fishing license and stated,
“I’ve had fishing permits since age 16 and have fished in 14 states.
This is the first time that I’ve ever been checked by a fish cop.” We all
laughed and I told him that I was sorry and was glad that I’d finally
got around to checking him.
Nearby, his 40-year-old son was sitting in a chair with a fishing pole
in his hands. He was shaking his head too and grinning. He handed
me his one-day fishing permit and stated, “I hate fishing, and I
haven’t went fishing since I was a child. I just went along today
because it’s a family outing. I wasn’t going to buy a permit. Dad says
game wardens are ghosts, a myth. You hear stories sometimes, but
you never see one. Dad said that I’d never get
checked. But my cousin told me that he’d once been
checked up at Desoto Bend. They told me that one
never knows. So, I went ahead and bought a one-day
fishing license. That was one hour ago!” Everyone
was laughing. His dad had fished for 52 years and his
son had fished for one hour and both were checked
together for the first time. They now have a good
family story to remember and share.
– Dan Evasco, Conservation Officer, Papillion
12 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Bone Broth
Kelsea Nore
There are few things as satisfying as
a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter’s
day. Making and freezing some ‘bone
broth’ is simple way to start any kind of
soup. If you’re as determined as I am to
avoid getting a cold or coming down
with the flu, go to the freezer and dig
out that turkey you nabbed in October.
First you’ll want to dress it, roast it and
eat the meat clean to the bones.
However you do that is up to you, but
save the bones and whatever is left over
and toss all of it into a large stock pot.
Fill the pot with enough water to
cover the bones. Next, add some
chopped celery, carrots, one diced
onion, garlic and some pepper. A bay
leaf and some sage add nice flavor as
well. Place it on the stove top and bring
to a boil. You’ll want to skim the
surface for fats or other small bits.
Reduce your stock to a low temperature
for six to seven hours at the least but
ideally, cooking it overnight will
produce a more flavorful broth. Using a
sieve or cheesecloth, strain the broth to
use or freeze.
Aside from being economically
smart, bone broth (of any kind) is a
healthy decision. Homemade broth
contains a myriad of minerals from the
cartilage, bone and marrow and the
natural gelatin aids digestion. For those
watching their sodium intake, using
homemade bone broth ensures a
healthy, delicious bowl of soup.
Record Deer Harvest
Turpin Time
Jeff Kurrus
NEBRASKAland
would like to thank the
following freelance
writers and photographers
who made such valuable
contributions to this
publication in 2010, and
hope for their continued
involvement in 2011:
Julie Anderson, Ken
Bouc, Don Brockmeier,
Zane Dickinson,
Caroline Gaia, Michael
Forsberg, Kristen
Friesen, Cory Gregory,
Bill Hager, David
Hemmings, Chris
Helzer, Luke Kathol,
Jody Keisner, Lisa
Knopp, Elizabeth Mack,
Patrick Mainelli,
Matthew Marx, Pasquale
Mingarelli, Kathy
Nelson, Kelsea Nore,
Steve and Bobbi Olson,
Rick Rasmussen, Frank
Reid, Joel Sartore, Tom
and Hope Scheimo,
Doug Steinke, Kimberly
Stuhr and Dick Turpin.
NEBRASKAland
would also like to
acknowledge the many
conservation officers,
biologists and other
Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission
employees and
Commissioners, and all
the nature professionals
who provided such
invaluable knowledge
and support during this
magazine’s 85th consecutive year of publication.
Lastly we would like
to thank all of the
nature enthusiasts who
allowed our writers and
photographers a few
minutes of their time in
our attempt to reveal all
the great offerings the
Nebraska outdoors has
for those who step
outside.
According to the Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission, Nebraska deer
hunters had a big year in 2010, setting
records for both overall harvest and
antlerless whitetail harvest.
These records will go a long way in
helping the Commission reach its deer
management goals throughout the state,
including reducing the burgeoning
whitetail population in eastern
Nebraska.
The total deer harvest during the
2010 season was 88,034 (77,028
whitetails and 10,709 mule deer).
While a record 37,967 whitetail bucks
were killed, a record 39,198 antlerless
whitetails were also – marking the first
time the antlerless whitetail harvest
surpassed whitetail buck harvest.
The antlerless whitetail harvest
increased by nearly 9,000 from 2009.
Bonus tags, antlerless-first mandates
in some units, additional hunting
opportunities and $6 youth permits
all contributed to the antlerless
whitetail harvest.
Here are other highlights to the
2010 big game hunting seasons:
• A record 141,573 deer permits
were sold. The number of firearm
permits sold increased while the
number of archery and muzzleloader
permits sold decreased from 2009.
• Deer hunter success rates were
68 percent for firearm, 40 for archery
and 37 for muzzleloader.
• Electronic checking helped wildlife
managers obtain harvest
information faster. There were 25,000
deer checked via telephone or online.
• The first year of the $6 youth
deer permit was popular, with
11,255 permits sold.
• Age structure of whitetails and
mule deer bucks continues to improve.
A record 75 percent of whitetail bucks
and 83 percent of mule deer bucks
taken were age 2 or older.
• Record numbers of youth (11,255)
and nonresident (15,300) permits were
sold.
• A record 166 elk were harvested –
77 bulls and 89 cows.
• There were 793 antelope harvested,
including 509 in the firearm season,
185 in the archery season and 99 in the
muzzleloader season.
Dick Turpin
Coke, ginger ale,
milk... there are lots
of ideas out there for
what to marinade
your meat in. Any citrus juice can work
for freezing some game. This should be
the breast of a mallard duck but all I
have for demonstration purposes is a
rubber chicken. This tip involves a
marinade – you can put this in one of
those zip lock bags, the breast of your
mallard duck – in this case a rubber
chicken. You dump in orange juice to
cover it, throw that in your freezer, eat
that a month or two later and that is
going to be delicious duck. Even those
folks that don’t like wild duck might
change their mind. You know what I
think I’ll do? Think I’ll throw this
rubber chicken in the deep freeze
because I know when the Mrs. finds it
she’s going to scream... she’ll have
some comments for me I’m sure. ■
Hager
Friesen
Kathol
Mack
Knopp
Mainelli
Marx
Nore
Steinke
NEBRASKAland Visitor
Winner and Hint
Last issue’s winner of
the NEBRASKAland
Visitor drawing was
G. E. Dave Fuller of
Lincoln, Nebraska, who found the
millipede on page 49.
Readers are encouraged to contact
NEBRASKAland within 10 days
after this issue’s publication with the
correct page number and name of
this issue’s “Visitor” – a bug found
in Nebraska that just happened to
find its way onto one of the pages of
our publication.
We will then gather the correct
entries and draw one to win a new
NEBRASKAland Magazine mug.
To enter each month, write:
NEBRASKAland Visitor
2200 North 33rd Street,
Lincoln, NE 68503.
Or e-mail:
Tim.Reigert@Nebraska.gov
with “Visitor” in the subject line of
the message.
HINT: This issue’s visitor is not on
page 5, 15, 18 or 38.
Red Cloud Agency marker at Fort Robinson State Park.
What Are the Odds?
Thank You
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 13
The Hinterland
Eastern Nebraska’s Wehrspann Wetland
Photos and text by Jeff Kurrus
Ask most people in eastern Nebraska where Wehrspann Wetland is and
odds are they’ll point you to Wehrspann Lake Recreation Area, a 245-acre
lake in southwestern Omaha that has a boat ramp, great shoreline access,
concrete hiking trails and roadside wildlife-viewing opportunities. Things
are a bit different at the wetland across street. Sure, it also offers fishing, but
anglers are limited to a float tube or small boat. It also has a hiking trail,
even though rain makes it muddy and it lacks the concrete that many
21st century walkers demand. What it does have is tremendous wildlife
viewing opportunities. You’ll have to venture out from behind the steering
wheel to see most of them, but if you’re looking for an escape from the hustle
and bustle of city life, this short trip from the blacktop may be well worth it.
Opposite: With Omaha’s lights in the background, a lone angler fishes at Wehrspann Wetland.
Above: Wildlife viewing, and photographing, opportunities abound at this public wetland.
14 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 15
Wehrspann wetland, located just north of where
Interstate 80 crosses over Nebraska Highway 370,
is the last piece of sediment retention measures
above the lake. Functionally the area, a cooperative
project between the Papio-Missouri River Natural
Resources District and the Army Corps of
Engineers, was constructed to slow runoff from
heavy rains, providing an area for sediment to
collect instead of entering Wehrspann Lake, thus
providing additional life to this popular Omaha
fishery. Visually, the wetland offers an escape into
nature rarely found in metropolitan areas. When a
visitor slips on rubber boots and takes the short
hike surrounding the water it’s almost, I say
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
almost, like being 100 miles
from the nearest roadside. It’s
the perfect place to carry your
Starbucks vinti chai in one hand
and a pair of binoculars in the
other. It’s also the perfect
location to take your little girl
or boy for a walk in the woods
and still meet your tee time
or soccer practice at 11 a.m.
Mentally you just have to get
16 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Above: Wehrspann wetland (right side
of photo) helps protects Wehrspann
Lake (left) from storm runoff.
Right: A white-tailed deer plays peeka-boo during a recent hike on the trail
surrounding the wetland.
Opposite: Milkweed and other native
plants can be seen during hiking trips
at the wetland.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 17
Left: A garden spider approaches a
captured grasshopper.
Opposite: An overcast morning view of
the wetland looking back toward
Nebraska Highway 370.
Opposite bottom: Waterfowl, including
mallards, teal and Canada geese
(pictured) can be seen throughout the
year at the wetland.
past the nearby Wal-mart, interstate, highway and constant
line of cars buzzing past the wetland. Instead, listen to the
white-tailed deer’s warning blow or the rustling leaves of
nearby trees. Most of all, listen to the sound of boots on
fallen limbs, grass and water. After just a few moments of
these sweet sounds, concrete will be the last thing you want
to see in a place that seems so far from civilization. ■
18 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 19
Ghillie Suit
By Jon Farrar
Knowles declares he has a cinch on the
he gist of the old saying “there is poachers or predators. In Scotland
ducks, as he has purchased one of
today, the word ghillie means a
nothing new under the sun” is
Lawrence’s grass suits. He simply
professional fishing or hunting guide.
that someone oftentimes comes
scatters a lot of corn around on the
Ghillie-clad soldiers were used even
up what they think is a new idea only
ground, squats down amidst this, and
more extensively by the British during
to have reinvented the wheel. That
seems to be much the case with today’s World War I, and they are credited with when the ducks come he just reaches
out from his grass clothes, grabs them
having the world’s first specifically
ghillie suits used by hunters, if one is
by the neck, wrings it, and chucks them
designated military snipers. The U.S.
willing to call essentially the same
in a convenient hole.”
military apparently was slow to adopt
thing by a different name.
Lawrence grass suits were often
ghillie suits. They were not employed
An Internet search for the origin
mentioned in
of the ghillie
national sporting
suit produces a
publications and
handful of slightly
widely advertised
different versions
in catalogs in the
of the same story.
late-1890s and two
When the British
decades into the
were engaged in
1900s.
the Second Boer
“Frank
War (1899-1902)
Lawrence, the
in South Africa, a
Chicago sporting
Scottish Army
goods dealer, 88
Commander
and 90 La Salle
named Lord Lovat
street, has made a
commanded
big cut in the
Northern Scottish
prices of sporting
Highlands troops.
supplies this spring
He formed some
and his fame
his men into two
Although thought of as a relatively recent invention, body camouflage such as ghillie
among the men
groups; one
suits have been commercially marketed for over 100 years. Shown here is advertising
who shoot and
specialized as
art from The Complete Hunters & Sportsmens Manual and Trappers Guide, 1903.
fish is bound to
snipers and the
become much more extended,”
to camouflage snipers and advance
other for surveillance. The troops were
Griswold wrote in the Omaha Daily
reconnaissance men until the Vietnam
said to be largely composed of former
Bee, March 3, 1895. “He handles
War. Ghillie suits captured the
gamekeepers; and during that war the
everything from the best made guns
gamekeepers used the same sort of body American imagination after the release
and fishing paraphernalia down to the
of the 1993 movie “Sniper” starring
camouflage they had used to “wait for
most insignificant article used in the
Tom Berenger as a U.S. Marine sniper
an unsuspecting deer to amble by and
then leap out and grab it with their bare in a covert operation in the Panamanian field or on the stream. Lawrence’s
hand-loaded shells are lauded from one
hands.” These gamekeepers were known jungle. That is about the time ghillie
end of the land to the other, thousands
suits started showing up in hunting
as ghillies, hence their camouflaged
of the most prominent sporting men
catalogs.
suits came to be called ghillie suits.
using nothing else. His grass suits and
At least as early as the mid-1890s,
The word ghillie is derived from Gaelic
grass blinds for wild fowl shooting
similar body camouflage was used
for “servant.” After reaching out,
have given him an enviable reputation,
by American hunters, especially
grabbing a passing deer, and wrestling
and his prices on decoys, hunting
wildfowlers, and particularly the
it into submission (believe what you
apparel, whistles, calls and everything
“Lawrence grass suit.”
will of what can be found on the
pertaining to sport cannot be beat.”
“Jack Knowles, the veteran duck
Internet) they would “haul their prize
A decade later, Lawrence, in addition
killer, and John J. Hardin, put in last
back to keep so the Lord could shoot it
to his sporting goods business, was a
Sunday in the bottoms near Hamburg
in the castle courtyard in a ‘mock
representative for the Winchester
[Iowa],” Sandy Griswold, then a sports
hunt.’” There is a parallel explanation
Repeating Arms Company.
writer for the Omaha Daily Bee, wrote
that Lovat’s troops also included
“Mr. Frank Lawrence lived when a
in March 11, 1894. “They made a big
shepherds who employed body
boy in the West in a locality where
kill of pintails—fifty-five they claim,
coverings made of native vegetation to
field shooting was of the best – a
but there is a copper on the claim….
conceal them while lying in wait for
PHOTO BY JON FARRAR
T
20 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 21
SHUTTERSTOCK
Ghillie suits were apparently first employed by the British military during the Second Boer War (1899-1902) in Africa, both for
snipers and for surveillance. The suits were used by the British in both World Wars, but apparently not by U.S. troops until Vietnam.
section of the country that has turned
out some of the best shots in the
world,” were the words in the
September 26, 1908 edition of Sporting
Life. “He has been interested in trap
shooting from the days of Bogardus
and live wild pigeons, up to the present
time, and is probably as well posted on
trap shooting affairs as any man in his
business. For a number of years he
loaded shells for the market, and was
widely known as a leader in hand
loaded shells. He engaged with the
Winchester Repeating Arms Company
some years ago and for some time
looked after their interest in the State
of Pennsylvania, where he is well
known to both the trap shooters and the
merchants who sell ammunition and
guns.… Mr. Lawrence is also well
known to the sportsmen of the United
States as the man that invented the
grass suit and the portable shore and
boat blinds for wild fowl shooting
which he is still placing on the market,
and which have met with much favor
with the field shooters who enjoy that
22 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
kind of sport.”
Francis H. Buzzacott, in his 1903
book, The Complete Hunter’s and
Sportsman’s Manual and Trapper’s
Guide, wrote that “Grass Hunting
Suits” were then “extremely popular
for wild Goose, Duck, or all kinds of
water fowl shooting. These are made
ready for immediate use, of dry, long,
tough marsh grass, into suits (cape,
coat and hood) convenient to wear and
shoot from; weighing about 4 lbs. and
really making good snow and rain proof
garments as well. Hunters appreciate
these, as it really does away with the
thankless, difficult work of building
blinds or bough houses, so necessary
before these were introduced. They fit
practically any person, really converting
them into a semi-natural growth of
rushes, hay or wheat stack.”
In addition to grass hunting suits,
Lawrence was perhaps the first to
market woven grass panels for use as
portable blind on boats or shorelines,
the early-day equivalent of today’s
“Fast-Grass” type blind panels.
“In these days it is unnecessary to
go into details as to the methods of
constructing blinds, stands, etc., for the
reason that the Sportsman or duck
hunter can obtain them at slight cost,
put up in portable form for either wear,
boat or shore, as occasion requires,”
Buzzacott wrote in the same publication.
He continued: “If shore blinds are
desired, they are made in standard
lengths and rolls 6x3 feet, by which a
shore blind can be made of any length,
size or shape desired, giving ample
room or a seat, and supplied even with
‘stocks’ or supports, to be fastened and
set up anywhere. Usually two of these
lengths construct an admirable, roomy
sized “shore blind.” On the other hand
if a ‘Grass boat blind’ is desired they
are made in lengths of 5 ft. 10 in. by
27 inches, made to resemble wild rice,
rushes, marsh grass, etc.; rolling
compactly in a small roll, each piece
being supplied with sticks which fit
into screw eyes screwed in rail (or
gunwale) of boat, making them easily
adjusted. Usually four pieces are
sufficient to go around an ordinary
boat, while if desired one side of the
boat only need be used for a blind.”
Griswold occasionally mentioned he
and his hunting associates used
Lawrence’s grass suits with resounding
success, in exchange for which he no
doubt was kept supplied with them. A
humorous account of using a grass suit
appeared in the April 8, 1894 issue of the
Omaha Daily Bee. In those times, many
Omaha sportsmen regularly hunted the
Iowa side of the Missouri River. This
obvious fictitious account is from the
floodplain near the small town of
McPaul, situated on the east side of the
river roughly half way between
Plattsmouth and Nebraska City.
“A friend has sent me an account of a
recent thrilling experience of that
genial and versatile sportsman, Arthur
J. Webb, former police court clerk but
now accountant in the office of the
Grant Paving company. ‘Webby’ has an
old college friend, a smart fellow, too,
for his name is Mustard, living about
five miles from McPaul on the
Waubuncey [Waubonsie] flats. A few
days ago Major Mustard sent A.J. an
invitation to join him in a duck shoot
near his place, adding that the birds
were a foot thick all over the marsh and
that they were sure of a royal shoot. Of
course, Arthur quickly developed the
fever in its most malignant form, and
supplying himself with one of
Lawrence’s celebrated grass suits and a
small vial of Goodley Brucker’s choicest
distillation of maize, he took the first
train bound for McPaul. Before arriving
at the station Webby thought he would
have a little fun with the natives by
donning his grass suit before leaving
the Pullman, and he put it on. Major
Mustard was not at the depot to meet
him, and A.J. started across the fields
to his place. He got along swimmingly
until about a mile from Mustard’s
ranch, when he had to cross a large
pasture in which were quietly feeding
two or three hundred innocent looking
Texas steers. Suddenly the cattle caught
sight of our guileless friend and in his
grass suit evidently mistook him for a
moving haystack. They started for him,
and suspecting their designs, he cut a
beeline for the nearest barb wire fence.
The wild bovines snorted and reared in
the enthusiasm of the chase, and noting
that they were rapidly overhauling him,
Frank Lawrence, a Chicago sporting goods dealer, not only marketed “grass suits”
but also grass panels for use as portable blinds as early as the mid-1890s;
an early-day equivalent of today’s “Fast-Grass” type blind panels.
Webber dropped his $150 Lefever and
let out a few more links. Major Mustard
saw him coming and started to the
rescue with a pitchfork. A.J. beat the
steers to the fence by a small margin, but
alas, got tangled up in the wire. Major
Mustard, however, was on hand, and the
ex-police clerk was landed in a graceful
heap on the safe side sans his gun,
grass suit, duck call, hat and Brucker’s
bottle. He also lost his handsome solid
brass Waterbury gold watch, and for a
time Webby was mad enough to bite a
rail in two with his teeth. He says he’ll
never go hunting any more, anyway not
until after the Texas steers have all
winged their way north.”
Why the idea of three-dimensional,
personal camouflage vanished with
the Lawrence grass suits and did not
reappear until decades later is anyone’s
guess. Today, ghillie suits can be
purchased in a variety of materials,
designs, colors and patterns matching
about any setting except a cocktail
lounge; and a hunter can again go
afield dressed as the “Grass Man from
Borneo,” as Griswold once described
one of his hunting companions wearing
a grass suit. ■
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 23
started writing this article
several times and each time
knew I wasn’t writing what
I wanted to write. I had spent
too much time reading
everything in two, too-fat file
folders I had built on snow
geese over the years. I
assembled 23 pages of notes
lumping like material from
many sources – not transcribing the
actual information, just where I could
find it. I photocopied all the articles
that have been in NEBRASKAland
about how snow geese are destroying
their Arctic nesting grounds because
there are too many of them, the first
one published 20 years ago. All the
same information has been published in
countless other publications, both
technical and popular. I finally realized
there really isn’t anything new to write
about the “lesser snow goose problem”
unless something dramatic happens – a
massive die-off due to a disease such as
avian cholera that reduces the population
by half and solves the problem; or the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
deciding to hire thousands of people
every year to step on snow goose eggs,
with animal rights groups sacking the
Department of the Interior building in
Washington D.C. in protest. A crisis
persisting for 30 years seems to be less
of a crisis.
What I really wanted to write is that
snow geese are incredibly beautiful and
mysterious creatures. It breaks my heart
to see them so devalued, classified as
vermin to be eradicated, and sport
hunting should not be about killing
as many as possible to save the
environment. We all know why sport
hunting was the tool chosen to attempt
to bring the population back in balance
– it was the most palatable solution.
I am not suggesting we should stand
idly by and let nature take its course;
that we do not bear a responsibility in
regulating the size of some wildlife
populations. That was forced upon us
because we have so intensely modified
where these wild animals have always
lived to the detriment of some, driving
them to extinction or nearly so; in other
cases benefiting a species by providing
for them in abundance, as we have
snow geese. We have provided food
in our grain fields, corn and rice in
particular, and we have provided
sanctuary in wildlife refuges. Snow
geese are adaptable because they so
readily modify their habits to capitalize
on changes in their environment. In
that way they are much like us. There
are too many pairs of snow geese on
traditional Arctic nesting grounds, they
are destroying a part of the natural
environment they, and many other
species, require and so the size of their
population must be reduced. Should we
apply the same logic to New York City
or Los Angeles – too many breeding
pairs of humans per square mile? This
comes from thousands of real birds; or
as corpses tossed in a pile to stand
behind and have a photograph taken
with while holding your unplugged,
semi-automatic shotgun. I know
snow geese are not such reprehensible
creatures that it is morally acceptable
to cut away the breast meat from those
already killed and grind their naked
breast bones down into the loose soil of
a cornfield to use what is left of the
corpses to lure more of their kind when
a hunter already has more birds than he
can eat or give away. Yes, I have killed
A gregarious species, most people only see snow geese as swarms over
wetlands or grain fields. Up close, they are marvelous creatures.
sort of thinking, frankly, is too big and
complex on too many levels to even
contemplate. There are no simple
answers.
What I can comprehend, albeit
sketchily, are my own times with snow
geese. It mostly has been me pitted
against the snow geese, but in a different
way than were I carrying a shotgun. It
has been a photographer trying again
and again to be smarter than snow
geese, to fool them just long enough to
make photographic portraits. In the
course of all those attempts over all
those years, I came to see them as more
than masses of white specks in the sky
too smart to come down to massive
decoy spreads and electronic callers
simulating the incredible babble that
snow geese with a shotgun, and yes, I
enjoyed the hunts because I was hunting
with others who also admired snow
geese as more than targets, hunters who
did not gauge the day’s success on the
body count. And I enjoyed eating them,
including the legs.
I cannot really say when I saw my
first snow goose, either passing skyhigh during migration or dead in the
hand. In Platte County, where I grew
up, I have no memory of snow geese,
although they surely passed overhead
unnoticed. I do not recall any hunter
there ever shooting a snow goose, but
likely it happened now and then. My
point is that in those days, the 1950s
and 1960s, snow geese in Nebraska
were essentially birds of the Missouri
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 25
River Valley. That was probably not
always the case, as there are pre-1900
hunting accounts of snow geese being
exceedingly plentiful on the Platte River
as far west as North Platte. Probably
even then, though, the Missouri River
Valley was their major migration
corridor both spring and autumn.
Relatively few snow geese were shot
by Nebraska hunters during the first
half of the 1900s, even along the
Missouri. All that changed beginning in
the 1960s, as refuges along snow goose
migration routes provided sanctuaries.
By the 1970s, snow goose hunting
along the Missouri was good enough
that private and commercial shooting
setups sprouted up like asparagus
shoots in the spring. It was along the
Missouri in the early-1970s that I came
to know snow geese.
I first attempted to photograph snow
geese in 1975. I wanted photographs
more personal than the massive flocks
rising up or landing that can be made
from a car window. It was a humbling
experience. They are not easily had, in
part because they seem to do almost
everything in masses, so there is not
just one pair of eyes searching for
danger behind every clump of grass,
but thousands.
Long before autumn migration
reached Nebraska, I dug a small,
shallow pit on the west bank of the
neck-shaped, manmade lake on the
Plattsmouth Wildlife Management
Area (WMA) just below the mouth
of the Platte River. The refuge was
subsequently renamed Schilling WMA
in memory of Randy Schilling, a game
commission biologist who later managed
the refuge and died in an airplane crash
while surveying deer. On the advice of
the refuge manager, I dug my pit near
the north end and built a two-foot-high
dome of arched willows covered with
chicken wire, burlap, little bluestem
and fireweed. I first sat in the blind for
about eight hours on November 17.
The bird’s normal daily pattern was to
move off the lake (which was at the
center of the area where hunting was
not allowed) at first light and move into
grain fields on or off the refuge to feed.
By mid-morning they began returning
to the lake to loaf away the midday
before moving out late in the afternoon
to feed again.
On my first day in the blind, the
geese gathered in mid-lake. I made no
photographs, but was impressed. The
refuge manager estimated there were
about 162,000 snow geese on the
refuge, and if he was right it was a
record number. I had never seen so
many waterfowl in one place. I was
young and my field notes gushed and
strained trying to describe the spectacle:
“A thousand geese are absorbed into
the resting birds without noticeably
swelling it. The exhilaration of the
sight distorts one’s judgment.” My
hastily scrawled field notes were laced
with words like “awestruck” and
“incomprehensible.” I wrote: “There is
a swelling roar of thousands of wings
from the north, a flock rising up from
the cornfields. The geese barely cleared
the dike and fill the northern sky, their
shadows running down the dike and
disappearing at the water’s edge, like
lemmings marching to the sea.” Never
mind that I had never seen lemmings
marching to the sea – I had fallen
under the snow goose spell.
I sat in that pit blind for five days
without exposing one frame of film. I
was too stubborn to move to the snow
The Lesser Snow Goose is probably the most abundant of all the geese of this continent.
– The Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America by Francis H. Kortright, 1941
geese. I stayed in the pit even after a
cold front passed and the northern end
of the lake froze over. I tried baiting,
spreading ears of corn on the ice in
front of my pit, hoping to lure a few
birds within camera range. But why
would they come? Their bellies were
full of corn when they returned to the
lake. They wanted water, and the open
water was at mid-lake.
Still, I could watch them through the
500mm lens, and write more notes:
November 18, 1975 – “New arrivals
generally dip for two or three drinks,
ladling up water, and after are occupied
with preening. They rise up on the
water to flutter and vigorously shake
their tails. The splashing of the water
sounds as if as many frisky children
were just liberated in a swimming pool.
There are chases as one goose trespasses
within the personal territory of another,
especially if the transgressor is an
immature drifting too close to an adult.
Some geese are so vigorous in their
splashing that they completely
submerge, only to pop up four or five
feet from their starting point. Some do
quite respectable somersaults, pivoting
end over end at the water’s surface.”
The estimated number of snow geese
on the refuge grew to record high of
172,000 birds. By November 28, after
three days with high temperatures
never rising above freezing, the
number of snow geese on the area
dwindled. I continued to make no
photographs and write more notes:
“Even though a scant 35,000 geese
remain, it is an impressive spectacle as
new birds tumble from the sky into the
grain fields just ahead of the already
feeding geese. From this distance the
feeding birds lose individual integrity.
The flock of slaty-blue and white is
like a rush of water sweeping across
the field. An additional 100,000 birds
could hardly heighten the scene.”
That day I hastily constructed a
cornstalk blind on the edge of unpicked
corn bordering picked corn, hunkered
down and watched the geese feed.
Even though there was more corn in
the unpicked portion of the field, the
birds were reluctant to enter it.
“Several immature snows walked
nervously along the rows. One spied a
dangling ear of corn inches higher than
it could reach with its neck fully
stretched. Several times it fluttered up
and grasped the ear with hopes of
dislodging it or some of its kernels.
One low-hanging ear was immediately
seized by an immature snow goose. For
several minutes the prize belonged to it
alone. It raked the ear with its open bill
more efficiently than I would have
imagined possible with a bill designed
for digging succulent roots from the
earth. Within minutes the cob was half
bare and only half-a-dozen kernels had
fallen to the ground. These kernels and
During their time in Nebraska, snow geese gather on wetlands overnight, not moving to grain fields to feed until first light.
26 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 27
At one time the blue-phase snow goose, above, and the white-phase, below, were
believed to be separate species. They are, however, only color phases of the same bird.
the bobbing cob drew a crowd of five
other immature geese that challenged
the first goose for the corn. Squabbles
erupted and feathers were pecked. A
mature blue approached, extended its
neck and pulled at the back feathers of
the immature that had temporarily
managed to dominate the ear of corn.
The young goose relinquished its claim
without challenge and the adult bird
feasted without interruption.”
I stubbornly sat in my pit blind for two
days in early-December and neither day
were geese close enough for photos. At
the end of the afternoon of the second
day, while the geese were in the fields
feeding, I dug a new pit at mid-lake
and moved the dome cover. The next
day, the snow geese let me have my
way with them, but ever so briefly.
December 4, 1975 – “Arrived 8:30
a.m. Mid-lake open but with slush ice.
Clear with light south breeze, expected
to reach low 50s. 1:45 p.m. – 1015,000 geese returned to lake, put in
100 yards north of me. Within five
minutes the water in front of my blind
was filled with geese. Behaviorists be
damned! These geese are ‘happy’ to
return to the water now their bellies are
full of corn. They side-slipped and
careened more than seemed necessary
to fall from the sky to the water. Each
bird followed nearly the same ritual
once on the water. First dipping their
generous necks to drink, raising their
heads slowly to allow the water
passage to the gullet. The skin and
short feathers below their mandibles
throbbed as the water passed. They
dunked their heads repeatedly and
then vigorously shook the water from
their feathers. Some birds flipped
completely over, their head and neck
underwater with only plump bellies
and kicking feet above the water line.
All this cavorting was followed by
long preening sessions. Not a feather
escaped their attention. Some birds, it
seemed to be predominantly adults,
There have always been intermediate plumages between white-phase and blue-phase snow geese, as seen in this “blue goose” with
a white breast, but they have become increasingly common as the population swelled and breeding colonies became less distinct.
climbed onto the three-foot ice shelf in
front of my blind, only a broom handle
away, to finish preening their belly
feathers. Shot film as fast as I could
reload, and 15 minutes after the birds
came, they lifted off in a massive
eruption.”
Snow geese may pair for life or until one of them dies, so probable pairs are seen together during autumn and spring migration.
28 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Since those days I have recorded, in
a simple and unscientific way, my times
with snow geese, scrawled pencil notes
in my field diary from here and there.
The spring after my days with the
geese at Schilling, my affairs with
snow geese moved to the Rainwater
Basin of south-central Nebraska. Most
springs I spent some days on wetlands
there, and some springs many days. I
continued to track the course of the
mid-continent snow goose population,
stuffing ever more reports and surveys
into my snow goose file folders.
In 1974, the USFWS estimated only
15,000 snows were in the basins at the
peak of spring migration. The snow
geese liked what they found – state and
federal wetlands managed for migrating
waterfowl, including pumping of water
as needed in the spring, surrounded by
grain fields as far as the eye could see.
The increasing use of the basins by
snow geese during spring migration in
the 1970s was incremental, so gradual
as to nearly escape attention, but in a
crude way my sporadic and piecemeal
notes traced it.
In the spring of 1976 I spent most of
my time photographing on wetlands in
Clay County, on Harvard Marsh
Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) in
particular. Almost all of my notes
mentioning geese are of Canada and
white-fronted geese. By 1980, my notes
suggest a preponderance of dark geese,
but snow geese were on Massie WPA
in significant numbers. During the
early-1980s, snows were largely
restricted to the eastern half of the
Rainwater Basin, the western half having
almost entirely Canadas or whitefronts.
My field notes from Massie WPA in
early-March 1981 paint an uncertainty
in my estimation of the abundance of
different species of geese – from
“Impressive numbers of snow and blue
geese” to “My impression thus far is
that whitefronts are the most abundant
of geese, a tossup between Canada and
snow geese.” And I noted that whitephase snow geese far outnumbered
blue-phase snow geese. Because of the
location of their Arctic breeding
grounds, the blue-phase snow goose
had traditionally migrated in greater
numbers through the Mississippi
Flyway. I shot aerial photographs of
some of the larger wetlands on March
6, starting with Harvard Marsh WPA
just before sunrise. Later that morning
I wrote: “Large number of snow geese
on both Harvard and Massie. Roughly
estimate that 25-40 percent is snow
geese.”
In March 1981 I had another
milestone experience with waterfowl,
snow geese among them. I spent the
late afternoon and early evening on
Massie WPA in Clay County building a
pole blind. I hoped to photograph
ducks and geese, frame-filling portraits
as at Schilling WMA in 1975. It was
dark by 6:20 p.m. when I finished
covering the blind with three-corner
rush and cattail, but I stayed for over an
hour, sitting in a 10-foot johnboat in
the dark in the middle of the marsh. It
was as close as I have come to having a
mystical experience, as if I had been
accepted into the natural world, but my
rational mind told me it was only
because it was too dark for the birds to
see me. Excerpts from my field notes:
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 29
“Once dark, there was an
uninterrupted movement of ducks and
geese returning to the marsh. Canada
geese landing only 15 yards from me.
Pintails and baldpate whistling overhead,
searching for their place in the marsh
for the night. And the sound, ah the
sound, beyond description, of so many
ducks and geese so close, overhead and
sorting out their affairs in the darkness.
The scene is beyond what can be
expressed in our inadequate language.
To be in a marsh. The rich, stagnant
fragrance of the marsh. The gray sky.
Drizzle on the neck. Squads of snow
geese and courtship flights of pintails.
The scene cries out for description yet
defies it. A glimpse back to our origins,
a closeness to life other than our own,
as if we belong somewhere, finally
belong somewhere. A scraping away of
the veneer, a fleeting sight of the core.
“Snow geese hover overhead, forced
earthward by heavy gray clouds,
alive with talk. Ghosts of the marsh,
portending the passing of their kind in
this place? Their passing indistinct
against the soft rain. Could they tell of
days when wings filled the skies over
marshes now gone? Days when only
wild sounds could be heard?
“7:10 p.m. – Ducks and geese
continue to return to the marsh, mudladen feet from feeding in fields hanging
heavily under them rather than stringing
gracefully behind. All around me are
small splashes of water as mud falls
from their feet.”
The second week of November 1985,
I was returning to Lincoln from
Crawford. On the night of November 7,
a cold front had pushed south out of
Canada, leaving 10 to 12 inches of
snow on Nebraska’s northern border.
Ahead of it had been what in olden
times was called the Grand Passage – a
day or two when waterfowl push south
en masse. Many ducks and geese went
only as far south as necessary to find
open water, and that was most of
Nebraska. Snow geese were reported
statewide in places where it was rare to
see flocks even pass over. That was
what I saw driving diagonally across
the state – snow geese feeding in fields
where I had never seen them before.
Former Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission waterfowl biologist Joe
Gabig estimated, based on reports from
30 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
across the state, there were about
542,000 snow geese in Nebraska in the
days after the storm, in addition to an
estimated 300,000 at DeSoto National
Wildlife Refuge on the Missouri River.
The estimated fall flight of mid-continent
snow geese at that time was three
million. Some biologists speculated the
snow geese had been pushed westward
from their usual migration corridor by
the storm.
Snow geese had discovered the
Rainwater Basin prior to 1985, but that
aberrant fall migration may have
accelerated their use of central Nebraska,
particularly Rainwater Basin wetlands,
and contributed to a westward shift of
their spring migration route. Whatever
the reason, there were dramatic
changes in the mid-continent snow
goose population during the 1980s. In
the spring it became more likely to see
snow geese migrating from east to west
across southeastern Nebraska, from the
Missouri River to the Rainwater basins
in south-central Nebraska, than north
through the Missouri River Valley. Fall
snow goose hunting along the Missouri
River began to dwindle.
In the 1980s a red flag was raised
about the burgeoning mid-continent
snow goose population. A USFWS
survey in the late-1960s estimated a
North American wintering population
of about 1.2 million “snow geese.” By
1982, the population was estimated at
1.7 million. A report issued in 1982
suggested the mid-continent snow
goose population was exceeding the
carrying capacity of some breeding
colonies and causing permanent damage
to tundra vegetation. Snow geese were
also pioneering inland and establishing
nesting colonies where they had never
been known to nest before. The winter
count crossed the two million mark
in 1991, and the 1995 estimate was
2.7 million. More and more snow geese
that had traditionally migrated through
the Mississippi Flyway began using the
Central Flyway.
The Central Flyway Management
Plan for Mid-continent Snow Geese
set a target of reducing the breeding
population to between 800,000 and
1.2 million birds. Biologists decided
the most socially acceptable tool to
do so was to increase the legal kill
by hunters. So beginning in 1986,
Blue-phased snow geese use to be more common in the Mississippi Flyway. Today they are equally common in the Central Flyway.
snow goose hunting opportunities have
been incrementally liberalized – longer
seasons and shooting later in the spring,
unplugged shotguns, electronic callers
and unlimited daily and possession
limits.
Waterfowl biologists believe that in
2001, the bulk of the mid-continent
snow goose population, an estimated
seven million snow geese, was in
Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin at one
time. Today the mid-continent snow
goose population is estimated to be
between three and five million birds
and growing at about six percent a
year. The number of Ross’s geese, a
similar but smaller species of goose,
has increased as well. At best,
liberalized hunting has only slowed the
increase in the size of the mid-continent
snow goose population.
The last time I was close to snow
geese was in 1995 on a Rainwater
Basin marsh. Again I watched them
through a small glass rectangle on
the back of a camera; a single bird
sometimes filling the viewfinder. They
were not a swarm, not a flock, certainly
not a mid-continent population. They
were individuals – preening, drinking
rising up in the water to shake cornfield
dust from their pinions. Some seemed
to be paired for the nesting season. And
just as happened in 1975 along the
Missouri River, several snow geese
crawled onto an ice ledge so close to
my blind that I could not focus on them,
preened, and then thrust their grinning
bills into feathers between their folded
wings, their eyelids blinking and then
closing. They were not “sky carp.”
I understand the necessity of
reducing the size of the North
American snow goose population, that
their overabundance is not only
destroying their nesting habitat in the
Arctic, but those of numerous other
species. I have no argument with game
management officials pulling out stops
to try and accomplish that as humanely
as possible, in ways acceptable to as
many people as possible. All I wanted
to write, to turn an old cliché on its
head, is that it would a shame if we can
not see a snow goose for its flock.
While the nearly incomprehensibly
large masses of snow geese are what
most of us see most of the time, seeing
snow geese only as a mass of winged
organisms steals away knowing them
as individuals. Snow geese deserve
greater admiration than that. ■
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 31
Text and photos by Michael Forsberg
NYONE WHO HAS SPENT
considerable time in a blind
no doubt has a spectacular
wildlife story to tell. Maybe it
was the October teal hunt in
the Nebraska Sandhills when a small
flock of “white pelicans” circling high
above turned into a family of whooping
cranes that landed on a sandbar 50 yards
away. Perhaps it was hearing a
distinctive “rubble rubble rubble”
while laying out a goose set in the
half-light of a foggy dawn on the North
Platte River before a family of otters
materialized out of the mist and swam
through the decoys just feet away from
the hunters placing them.
These true stories, retold by people I
have met, are just two of thousands of
intimate wildlife encounters that we who
cherish the outdoors have experienced.
They underscore why wildlife and being
in the outdoors matter – not because
they are nice stories, but because they
represent an indelible part of who we
are and our natural heritage here on the
wide prairies we call the Great Plains.
For me, such an experience happened on
the banks of a prairie slough connected
to the Platte River.
It was early-February on the cusp of
spring, the time when huge numbers of
waterfowl begin pushing through
Nebraska on their way north up the
Central Flyway. I had fashioned a small
32 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
blind out of prairie grass and garden
fence that sat on a high bank just feet
away from the slough that led to the
main river channel. Fed by powerful
springs and protected from the north
winds by surrounding prairie, this
patch of water had been a magnet for
wintering mallards most of the winter.
Whenever I had a chance, I would slip
off to the blind late in the afternoon
while the ducks were feeding elsewhere,
lay out a small sleeping bag and pad,
get organized with my camera gear,
food and water, and wait.
When the ducks would come back,
as they always did right before dusk,
I would have about a half hour to
photograph (if I was lucky) before I
could no longer see. Then I would
quietly settle in for the evening, slide
into the sleeping bag, and under a red
headlamp eat a sandwich, read a book
and sleep to the night murmurings of
greenheads and the cracks and groans
of ice giving way on the main channel.
In the morning the ducks would wake
me well before dawn. I would quietly
sit up and look out of the coffee can
lid-sized opening in the blind, set my
camera in place and wait till it was
light enough to photograph the huge
rafts of ducks that had settled in
overnight, huddled together for safety
and warmth just feet away.
Usually the ducks would mingle and
preen without incident, then leave in
waves about an hour after sunrise to
feed. Sometimes, however, an eagle
would fly high overhead and the
whole roost would blow out quickly, or
a harrier in its low, loping flight would
trace the winding slough and scatter
small groups of ducks at right angles.
This particular morning there was a
ruckus on the water just around the
bend from my blind. Blocked by prairie
grass, all I could see were ducks rising
up in flight. They weren’t blasting off
the water in terror, though, like when an
eagle flies through – they were leaving
almost agitated, their voices scolding
like they were being shooed away.
Then the scattering of ducks stopped.
A moment later I heard movement in
the grass and footsteps coming that
halted just outside the blind. There
stood a white-tailed deer, steam rolling
off its coat. It looked up and down the
slough, then went down to the water
to drink. Another deer followed. Then
two more arrived, then another and
another. Six total, each in succession,
came to drink.
The mallards that had roosted right
in front of my blind had swam away
but were still in clear view. The deer,
now all standing ankle deep in the water,
turned their attention to the ducks and
slowly began to walk toward them. As
they got closer their speed picked up
A band of white-tailed deer approach a flock of mallards before giving chase in a wetland slough along the Platte River.
and they began chasing the ducks
out of the slough like my dogs chase
squirrels out of our yard and up the trees.
Once all the ducks had been chased
out near the point, the deer kept going
and disappeared around the bend. For
the next few minutes all I heard was
splashing and quacking, with ducks
continuously taking off from the slough
until the deer either ran out of birds to
chase or stopped where the slough met
the deeper river. I couldn’t believe what
I just saw.
Just when I thought it was over, I
heard splashing again coming toward
me. The deer had turned around and
started chasing each other. Racing back
around the bend, they retraced their
steps until they were right in front of
me again. They hopped and jabbed and
kicked their feet and chased each other
in circles, playing in the water. They
would take off in a full sprint and race
down the slough, out of sight, and back
again. Finally, played out and tired,
they stopped, took a final drink, walked
up on shore and disappeared into the
prairie from whence they came.
There are times as a still photographer
where you really wish you had a video
camera. This was definitely one of those
times, because the pictures really don’t
do justice to what I witnessed.
But I do have a bundle of photos to
show that the story is true. And more
importantly I have the experience, which
I will never forget and in my mind’s
eye, like all of us who revel in the
outdoors, will only get
better with age. ■
To see a slideshow of
additional images from
this day, visit the March
issue at Nebraskaland
Magazine.com.
To see more of Mike’s
work, visit www.MichaelForsberg.com.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 33
By Jeff Kurrus
That’s what many ice anglers are thinking right now. While they
will not necessarily pray for snow and ice, they will kneel down
asking for a few more days below freezing. This is their “go” time,
their favorite season of the year, and they hope to take advantage of
it while many of their outdoor counterparts huddle in their homes.
A lone ice angler cuts his first hole at Summit Lake SRA near Tekamah. Photo by Jeff Kurrus
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
To watch a true ice angler is
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
special – one can never appreciate
the preparation that it takes to
catch fish through the ice until
they see a hardwater expert at
work. Seasoned ice anglers cut
multiple holes along depth changes
and underwater structure, carry
as many lure choices as most
fly-fishermen, and have more rods
than most bass anglers.
Above: An ice angler at Merritt Reservoir watches a series of bobbers.
Opposite, top: Black crappies glow orange in an angler’s bucket at Harlan County Lake.
Opposite, bottom: The serious ice angler’s best friend is his Vexilar, which reveals fish much like an open-water depth finder.
One also can learn how to concentrate from an ice angler, who is able to recognize
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
seemingly insignificant taps as bites while jigging and watching multiple bobbers in a
series of holes around him. The ice angler, much like the open water angler, is always
questioning if he is in the right location, fishing the right depth, the right structure,
with the right lure. He is not merely staring into a hole in the ice, hoping something
bites his offering. He expects a bite if he has cut this hole, and will readily move to a
new spot on a pair of crampons or a 4-wheeler if he thinks fish can be had elsewhere.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 37
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Above: While sometimes a lonely pursuit, ice fishing can also warrant social gatherings, as seen
by a group of anglers at Pelican Lake on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.
Opposite: Beautiful panfish are prevalent when ice fishing, as seen by what will be a very tasty bluegill.
Most of the time, ice-fishing is a lonely venture. Even friends who fish
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
together are often housed in different “shacks,” words crossing their
barriers only when a fresh cup of coffee is needed or a fish has been caught.
However, during those last few weeks when most of Nebraska is still under a
foot of ice, daytime temperatures begin to warm and melt the last good times
of winter away for this group of anglers. But these are also some of the
season’s best times, as anglers finally emerge from their shelters, engaging in
conversations with old and new friends alike as parties erupt on the ice and
discussions about augers, vertical jigging techniques and the beautiful
colors of fish through the ice abound. ■
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 39
Survey Says...
Text and photos by Jeff Kurrus
...a lot, as far as a fishery is concerned. Anchored in science, fish surveys are an
invaluable part of fisheries management and provide both short- and long-term
estimates regarding the health of a water body.
ow’s the fishing?” and “Catching any?” are two of
the most asked questions heard on any of
Nebraska’s approximately 500 public fishing
waters. A better question, however, would be
“How healthy is this fishery?” Each spring,
summer and fall, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
fisheries biologists attempt to answer this important question
“H
as well as they can, but it’s not always easy.
Numerous factors can affect the dynamics of a fishery –
summer and winterkill; overharvest; drought and floods; and
too much or not enough aquatic vegetation. Needless to say,
maintaining a quality fishery is a difficult process and
without constant attention many fisheries would be
negatively affected.
In Nebraska, much of this attention begins in the form of fish surveys.
Commission fisheries biologists essentially conduct two types of surveys.
The first, and simpler, method is an angler survey that is used periodically
to try and determine how many anglers are accessing a given body of water,
how many hours they are fishing, and how many fish are they catching.
This information is then compared to data from past years to help biologists
determine whether any changes need to be made to management practices in
place for that particular body of water.
Complementing that type of data are the annual netting surveys
conducted on many of Nebraska’s lakes and reservoirs. These surveys,
based in scientific theory and empirical data, provide consistent methods for
analyzing a fishery’s health.
Because not all fish use the same type of habitat, however, no single
netting technique can be used to capture and analyze all fish species.
Therefore, this article will define the three different fish surveying
techniques commonly used in Nebraska – electrofishing, trap netting and
gill netting – and how they are used by fishery biologists to help provide
better angling across the state.
When surveying, scales are taken below the
lateral line and at the tip of the pectoral fin
from a subsample of fish.
Electrofishing
40 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
These scales are then placed in a labeled
envelope for later analysis.
PHOTO BY DOUG CARROLL
At Prairie View Lake near Bennington, Commission fisheries biologist Larry Pape and conservation technician Lindsey Richters
prepare to electrofish just before nightfall. Electrofishing is a survey technique primarily used to analyze black bass populations.
Electrofishing is a fish surveying
method that uses electricity,
specifically DC current, to induce
temporary paralysis in fish within the
current’s field. “Physiologically,
shocking is hyper-stimulating
muscles,” said Daryl Bauer,
Commission Fisheries Outreach
Program Manager. “The electric
current will attract fish to a certain
extent, and once the fish are within
the current’s field, they get tetanus,
meaning muscle contraction, forcing
them to float to the surface.” The fish
are then netted into a livewell on the
“shocking” boat, where data is taken
by the boat’s crew, usually a twoperson assignment.
Despite being in an aluminum
boat, the crew is protected from the
electrical current by their rubber
boots and gloves, as well as the size
of the electrical field. The size of this
field depends on water chemistry and
the gear’s settings, but generally
would extend as much as 10 to
30 feet around the front of the boat
and as deep as 6 to 10 feet.
This particular survey strategy is
primarily used for black bass species,
including large- and smallmouth
bass, because of this species’
propensity for shallow water. “This
gear is effective in shallow water,
usually 6 foot or less,” said
Commission fisheries biologist
The scales are placed on a clear plastic slide
and examined using a microfiche reader,
microscope or similar device.
Biologists analyze each scale to determine
the age and growth rate of the scale’s donor.
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 41
COURTESY OF MICHIGAN SEA GRANT
Anchored perpendicular to the shore by surface buoys and lead lines, a gill net hangs
like a curtain beneath the water. Made of monofilament line very similar to fishing line,
the netting has holes of various sizes that ensnare fish when they attempt to swim
through it. Fish usually become trapped when their gillcovers go through the hole in
the net and the fish are unable to move forward or backward.
for example, that we want an
electrofishing catch rate of 200 bass
per hour on this particular body of
water,” said Bauer. “If we’re not
getting that number, then maybe we
need more protection of that fishery
because anglers are harvesting too
many fish.”
In addition to measuring abundance
and size, biologists also take some
scale samples to measure growth rates
of the fish. Once this data is taken, fish
are released back into the water
unharmed.
various year-classes of the fish surveyed to determine their
growth rates.
“If growth rates are declining at a water body,” said Bauer,
“then water quality could be deteriorating, habitat isn’t
strong or there is a potential competitor, such as gizzard
shad, causing problems. These measurements don’t tell us
exactly what is going on in a water body, but they do provide
a few puzzle pieces and give us ideas of how to adapt.”
Just like electrofishing, fish are released back into the
water unharmed, providing fisheries biologists with another
technique for gathering reliable fish data while also keeping
fish alive.
Trap Nets
These hanging, deepwater nets, are suspended in the water
column through the use of weights on the bottom of the net
and floating buoys on top (see graphic on page 42). Gill nets
are used to gather data on fish prone to using deeper, more
open water, such as walleyes, wipers, channel catfish and
white bass.
Measuring eight-feet-tall, these curtainlike mesh nets
entrap fish that try to swim through them. “Our mortality
rate is significant,” said Bauer, “but for these species there
are no other ways to collect population data. We may kill
100 walleyes during a survey from all the gill nets set, but
there are a lot more walleyes going to the cleaning station on
Memorial Day weekend at a number of lakes – these fish are
a very small amount of the population and give us invaluable
data.”
Gill net stations, much like trap net locations, are marked
by GPS coordinates to increase consistency from year to
year, and nets are set for a consistent amount of time in an
attempt to standardize effort.
Like electrofishing, trap nets are
used in shallow water and similar
information is gathered from fish
that are caught. Outside of these
Larry Pape. “We run our stations right down the shoreline
similarities, trap netting constitutes an entirely different
in bass habitat.” Stations are determined by either the length
method of fish surveying.
of an area surveyed or the time spent surveying. By
Trap nets are used primarily for bluegill, crappie and
standardizing the lengths and times, biologists are able to
perch. Bluegills are targeted from late spring through early
compare data from year to year in an effort to make
summer, crappie during the fall, and northern pike and
appropriate management decisions regarding a body of
yellow perch in the early spring. Trap nets are also
water.
occasionally used to capture walleye, such as when
Those decisions start, as with all of the techniques
biologists use them during the spring walleye spawn at
mentioned here, with the number and sizes of the fish
Merritt Reservoir in order to collect eggs for stocking
surveyed. “We’ll set management objectives that may state,
efforts in other lakes across the state.
A trap net works by allowing fish to
catch themselves: “Any fish that swims
down the shoreline will hit a barrier
net, eventually funneling them into the
frame net where they can’t escape,”
said fisheries biologist Jeff
Schuckman. To keep variables as
consistent as possible, trap nets are set
during the evening and pulled the
following morning. “At times, I’ve
seen an entire net completely filled
up,” said Bauer. “I’ve seen so many
fish that two men couldn’t pull the net
into the boat.”
Once in the boat, length
measurements are taken and, just like
electrofishing, scale samples are taken
and weights are measured on a
subsample of fish. “When taking
scales and weights, we want to take a
few fish from each length sampled,
from the smallest to the largest,” said
Bauer. “We will take, say, five fish per
centimeter group.” By taking scales
from fish of various sizes, Commission
Commission fisheries biologists Jeff Schuckman (left) and Phil Chvala pull a trap net
from the water last spring at Overton Lake southwest of O’Neill.
biologists are able to analyze the
42 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Gill Nets
When these surveys are analyzed collectively, Commission
biologists are able to better determine the health of a
particular fishery by analyzing
each species’ recruitment, growth
rate and individual year-classes.
If you walk into Bauer’s office
any time of the year and ask, he’s
quick to hand you a copy of all
the years of data that he and the
rest of the fisheries biologists
have processed. Even if you
don’t ask, he’ll probably still tell
you some places throughout the
state where fish can be found
Fish surveying methods are
guided by a science decades in
the making, as seen in these fish
surveying “manuals” known
throughout the fisheries
community.
Richters drops a group of largemouth bass into an
electrofishing boat’s livewell. Biologists often survey fish
at night because many species are more vulnerable to
capture at that time.
and he may even point you to the Commission’s latest
“Fishing Forecast” where anglers can look at color bar
graphs to see which lakes have the most crappie and which
ones have the biggest bass. Bar graphs that are remembered
during those late afternoons and early mornings where the
most common question asked of survey crews is “What are
you doing?” Quickly followed by, of course –
“Catching any?” ■
Crane Viewing Rules of Thumb
Here’s a few tips to enjoying one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles.
By Kristen Friesen
s the first of a half million
cranes arrive here each spring,
we Nebraskans respond to
their familiar calls by flocking
to our favorite viewing
grounds. Some of us prefer to get up
close and personal in blinds a mere
50 yards away from the birds, while
others are content to carry binoculars
and chase gravel roads that hug the
Big Bend Reach of the Platte River.
Either way, observance of the following
rules of etiquette is sure to enhance
crane season for all.
A
• Dress appropriately. Since the
cranes’ annual spring migration comes
on the heels of winter, experts suggest
you wear warm boots, wool socks,
mittens or gloves, an insulated hat, a
warm coat, and yes, your long johns, if
you plan on sitting in an outdoor blind.
Avoid bright or light-colored clothing –
dark clothing blends into the scenery
and is less obvious to “flighty” cranes
while going to and from blinds.
• Pack the right gear. Binoculars,
spotting scopes, cameras (without the
flash) and video equipment are all
good to have on hand, but leave your
flashlights, handheld games and cell
phones at home. If you’re well
intentioned but forgetful, put a piece
of dark tape over your camera’s flash
so it doesn’t automatically go off as the
sun begins to set.
• Come prepared. Those satisfying
their hankering for crane-viewing
seldom make it home in time for
supper. Pack plenty of quiet snacks
and a thermos of hot cocoa.
• Be courteous. Most of the fields
cranes use for feeding are private
property, and while most Nebraska’s
farmers and ranchers are happy to have
these winged friends as dinner guests,
don’t assume you’re invited as well.
Please refrain from trespassing and
using or blocking private access roads
as well.
• Be safe. When cruising I-80 or
KeyAreas for Watching
Sandhill Cranes in
Central Nebraska
Kearney
Shelton
various county roads known for
spectacular crane-filled landscapes,
it’s not enough to sport an “I brake
for cranes” bumper sticker. Try not
to brake suddenly, slow down
significantly or stop anywhere along
bridges. Obey the rules of the road,
pull off to the shoulder and turn on
your hazards for the sake of other
drivers and yourself.
• Be quiet. If your seat-warmer has
finally kicked in, you may prefer to sit
in the coziness of your own car while
viewing cranes. Many veteran
craniacs insist that once the birds get
accustomed to a vehicle’s presence,
they’ll often approach. Imagine turning
your family sedan into a wildlife blind
on wheels! Whatever you do, don’t
honk, wave your arms or slam your car
door. Remember – harassing the cranes
is illegal.
• Keep a friendly distance. Cranes
are wild creatures that are actually
hunted in other states, so they’re
understandably wary of humans.
Never try to approach a crane –
trying to sneak up on one will not
only incite a mass exodus, but will
also make you very unpopular among
the rest of the nearby crane-viewing
community.
• If necessary, find a babysitter.
As a courtesy to your fellow crane
enthusiasts, consider whether the
pint-sized members of your party have
the interest, ability and stamina to
remain quiet without making a lot of
movement while visiting a viewing
blind or bridge. If not, find someone to
look after them or stick to watching the
cranes from your own vehicle. The
good news is, the cranes will be back
again next year! ■
For more information about
viewing sandhill cranes, visit
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/
migration/moreinfo.asp.
Alda
Monitor Rd.
Alda Rd.
Exit 305
Exit 272
Exit 291
Exit 285
L 50A
●
Fort Kearny
State Historical Park
●
●
Rowe Sanctuary
Visitors Center
Denman
●
24 Rd.
24th &
Denman
Road
Platte River
Road
Pla
er
v
i
R
tte
Platte River Road
●
●
CPNRD Plautz
Viewing Site
CPNRD
Roadside
Viewing Site
●
Nebraska Nature and
Visitors Center
Exit 312
●
CPNRD
Alda Roadside
Viewing Site
CPNRD
Hall County Roadside
Viewing Sites
17 Rd.
Elm Island Rd.
Sodtown
Road
Lowell Road
Sioux Road
Denman
Road
Prosser
Road
Alda/Juniata
Road
Osborne
Expressway
CRANE PHOTO WWW.MICHAELFORSBERG.COM. MAP ARTWORK BY TIM REIGERT
Exit 300
Exit 279
Wood River Rd.
Wood
River
Gibbon
The Great Platte River
Road Archway
Monument
Grand Island
The Prairie Fawn Lily
What Else
Do We Do?
A look at one of spring’s first splashes of color.
By Gerry Steinauer, Botanist, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
By Eric Fowler
oak forests in far eastern
he harbinger of spring in
Nebraska and is distinguished
my backyard wildflower
from the prairie fawn lily by its
garden is the prairie fawn
up to two inch wide, flat, more
lily (Erythronium
ovate, mottled brown leaves. Also,
mesochoreum). In lateits petals and sepals are strongly
March or early April the lily’s pair
reflexed at flowering and the stalk
of lanceolate leaves and developed
remains ascending when bearing
flower thrust through the soil,
fruit. The white fawn lily spreads
followed by rapid elongation of
vegetatively by stolons (abovethe flower stalk and blossoming.
ground creeping stems like those
The single, nodding, inch-long
of strawberries) and often forms
white flower blooms attractively
dense, matlike colonies on the
for about a week, opening each
forest floor.
morning and closing in the
The corms and young leaves
coolness of evening.
of assorted Erythroniums are
As its name implies, the prairie
purportedly edible, either raw or
fawn lily is native to moist tallgrass
cooked. In his 1912 book,
prairies. Its range includes
Uses of Plants by the Indians of
southeastern Nebraska and
the Missouri River Region,
extends eastward to Illinois and
ethnobotanist Melvin R. Gilmore
southward to Texas, but due to the
wrote that Winnebago children ate
loss and degradation of native
prairie fawn lily corms raw “with
grasslands, the prairie fawn lily
avidity when freshly dug in
is now rare in this state and
springtime.” The bulbs are said to
elsewhere.
be crunchy with a mild flavor, but
Other common names of this
a slightly bitter aftertaste. Contact
flower include midland fawn lily,
with the bulb apparently can
white trout lily, dog’s-tooth-violet,
Native to moist tallgrass prairies of southeastern
cause a skin rash in some
star-strikers and midland adder’s
Nebraska, the prairie fawn lily is a harbinger of spring.
individuals. The prairie fawn lily
tongue. The names fawn lily and
has no known medicinal value.
folded and have pointed tips. Young
trout lily are derived from the mottled
Various fawn lilies are cultivated as
first- and second-year plants consist of
leaves of some Erythroniums, which
ornamentals and both Nebraska species
a single leaf and don’t flower.
resemble the spotted flanks of these
are easily grown from seed. My prairie
The flowers are bell-shaped to
namesakes. The name dog’s-toothfawn lilies originated from the seed of
spreading when open. Characteristic of
violet is a reference to a European
wild plants collected for a prairie
the lily family, the flower parts are in
Erythronium, whose root is said to
restoration. I scattered the seed,
threes – three white petals that become
resemble a dog’s tooth. I’m clueless as
covered them lightly with soil and
tinged with pink, purple or blue with
to why it is referred to as a violet,
hoped for the best. From this original
age, three virtually identical sepals, six
which it is not, and to the origin of the
large yellow stamens and three stigmas. seeding several plants germinated and
name star-strikers or midland adder’s
over the years have spread, rewarding
The fruit is a three-angled capsule up
tongue.
my efforts. Digging and transplanting
to an inch long. Under the weight of
The prairie fawn lily is a perennial
the developing capsule, the flower stalk wild plants is discouraged due to the
with a deep-seated corm (an
species’ rarity, and few native plant
arches to the ground and the ripe seed
underground, bulblike portion of the
nurseries sell prairie fawn lily seed or
is deposited directly onto the soil.
stem). The corms on young plants can
plants, although white fawn lily plants
Fawn lily seeds have a white, oily
produce downward-growing structures
are more readily available.
appendage known as an elaiosome
known as “droppers” that form new
For many prairie enthusiasts the
corms at the tip, which may explain the designed to attract and be eaten by
flowering of the prairie fawn lily is a
ants. While foraging the ants disperse
deep-seated corms of mature plants.
portent of spring, a sign that winter is
and possibly plant the seed.
The fleshy leaves emerge directly from
at last over and more blooms will soon
Our state’s second Erythronium, the
the corm, grow to about six inches long
arrive. ■
white fawn lily (E. albidum), grows in
and up to an inch wide, are partially
iving up to the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission’s
mission – stewardship of the
state’s fish, wildlife, park and
outdoor recreation resources in
the best longterm interests of the people
and those resources – keeps the
agency’s staff busy with a multitude of
projects each year. Here are some
highlights of a few that are complete,
underway or will soon begin.
T
Parks
• A four-year project to remodel and
update all 34 standard floor plan cabins
at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP)
began last winter. The biggest change
will convert an outdoor screened porch
to interior living space, creating a
great room. Work will also include
installation of new carpet, heating and
air-conditioning units, satellite television
and a Murphy bed in each cabin.
Depending on the amount of funding
available, the Commission hopes to
complete work on eight or nine cabins
each year until the project is complete.
• A new equestrian campground will
open this summer in Area 2 at Branched
Oak State Recreation Area (SRA). The
facility will include 15 camper pads
with electrical hookups, horse stalls
and a ramp that will allow disabled
riders to easily mount a horse.
• The final seven of 15 new minilodges will open at Ponca SP this spring.
When finished, these ultra-modern
cabins and two green cabins will
complement the 14 rustic housekeeping
cabins that have been welcoming park
visitors since the 1950s.
Wildlife
PHOTO BY GERRY STEINAUER
46 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
L
• A two-year study will look at how
spring snow goose hunting regulations,
participation and intensity affect the
behavior and distribution of snow geese
and other migratory bird species in the
Rainwater Basin. The results, combined
with hunter surveys, will help managers
determine if changes to regulations are
warranted.
Don Cook of Bellevue and his daughters, Amanda (right) and Eliana, fish at Lake
Ogallala last summer. Growth rates of the lake’s rainbow trout following a Fall 2009
renovation have been good, with a few reaching 19 inches and 15- to 18-inch fish
common. The renovation was conducted in conjunction with a project that lowered the
lake level for planned repair and maintenance work by NPPD and CNPPID.
• Surveys of bats in Kimball County,
the Wildcat Hills and the Pine Ridge
began last summer and will continue
this year. Biologists know little about
the state’s bat population, much of
which is migratory. The study is using
nets and new ultrasonic recorders to
capture and/or identify bats in order to
better understand the species found in
Nebraska, how many of them breed
here in the summer, their migration
corridors and the timing of their
migration. This information will be
used to help guide the siting of wind
farms, which have had major impacts
on bat populations in some locations in
the country. If the recorders work well,
they will be used to learn more about
bat populations in other parts of the
state.
Fishing
• Aquatic Habitat Program lake
restoration projects are set to begin at
several lakes this year. Arnold and
Victoria Springs lakes will be drained
and deepened, have their outlet structures
repaired and be restocked with game fish.
At Willow Lake in Brown Country, a
barrier will be built to keep rough fish
out. When complete, chemicals will be
used to kill the existing population,
which is currently dominated by rough
fish, and the lake will be restocked. The
Commission is also working with the
Corps of Engineers to remove sediment
from Gremlin Cove and Patterson Harbor
at Harlan County Lake to improve
fishing there.
• Boat ramps have been built on the
west and middle lakes at Mormon
Island SRA. None of the three lakes on
this SRA at the Grand Island Interstate
80 interchange offered boat access
before now. An access road and
parking lot south of the swim beach
will service both ramps. While the west
lake was renovated in 2010 and won’t
produce keeper-sized fish until 2013,
the middle lake was renovated in 2005
and is providing excellent fishing for
bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie and
channel catfish. Boats will be limited
to 5 mph.
• Plans are taking shape and work
might begin this year on a 6- to 8-acre
backwater on the Missouri River at
Indian Cave SP. While the park has
more than four miles of riverfront, the
waters of the channelized Missouri are
swift and not conducive to fishing. The
proposed backwater project, which
will be built by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers under its Missouri River
Recovery Program and completed
below the park’s boat ramp, will
provide slack water more inviting to
both anglers and fish. ■
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 47
ATTRACTIONS/EVENTS
bass, perch, crappie, bluegill, walleye, rainbow trout,
grass carp, minnows. Pleasant Valley Fish Farm, 72645
U.S. Highway 83, McCook, NE 69001. (308) 345-6599.
VACATIONS/RESORTS
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL CLASS - Start a fire with
the bow-drill method, build a survival shelter,
be introduced to primitive traps, cordage, flint
knapping, edible and medicinal plants, water
location and purification, and much more! Go to
www.greatplainstracker.com.
NEBRASKA LAKE MANAGEMENT. Biological lake
surveys, fish stocking, rough fish control, lake aeration,
algae control, aquatic weed control. Rob Hofpar, Aquatic
Biologist, licensed, insured and qualified. (402) 784-6005
Valparaiso - (888) 850-2460 www.nelakes.net.
THE OLDE MAIN STREET INN. A historic bed and
breakfast listed in the National Register of Historic
Places. Beautiful dining room with fireplace.
Headquarters for General Nelson Miles, Wounded Knee
Incident, 1890-91. 115 Main Street, Chadron NE 69337
(308) 432-3380. www.chadron.com/oldemain.
BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS/VIDEOS
EXPLORE NEBRASKA art, history, culture and the
great outdoors with a subscription to Nebraska Life
Magazine. One year (six issues) for $21 or two years
(12 issues) just $38. Phone (800) 777-6159, write us at
206 W Norfolk Ave, Norfolk NE 68702-0819 or visit
www.NebraskaLife.com. Makes a great gift.
DISCOVER NEBRASKA HISTORY and its culture with
a membership to the Nebraska State Historical Society.
Membership includes Nebraska History and Nebraska
History News, quarterly for $40/annually or save $10 and
get two years for $70/annually. Call 1-800-833-6747 or
(402) 471-3270 and mention Code N2, or visit
www.nebraskahistory.org. A membership makes a great
gift!
DOGS
PLUM CREEK KENNEL. German shorthairs, stud
service, puppies and started dogs. Training for all pointing breeds. Specialize in training the handler as well as
the dog. Wayne Clark, Percival, Iowa (near Omaha) (712)
529-4238, clarks1@iowatelecom.net.
DUCKDAWG RETRIEVERS - Raising exceptional
hunting yellow and black Labradors. Puppies raised in
our home. 30-month, written health guarantee. Stud
service: GRHRCH UN DuckDawg’s Eba Roll the Dice
and GRHRCH UH McMac Magic Eyes A’Smilin MH.
The first Grand Hunting Retriever Champions in
Nebraska. www.duckdawg.com Ron Green, DVM and
Libby Milroy, North Platte, NE (308) 534-3659.
PREMIER GUNDOGS TRAINING KENNEL, Inc:
Nebraska state licensed gundog training kennel specializing
in training programs for waterfowl and upland hunting
retrievers, spaniels, pointing Labradors and all gundog
pointing breeds. Dale-Kris Taylor (402) 787-2048
www.premiergundogs.com.
GET YOUR FISHING, HUNTING or Nebraska state
park permit online today! Don’t wait until tomorrow to
enjoy Nebraska’s great outdoors by hunting, fishing or
camping and hiking with the family. To purchase a permit
from the comfort of your own home, go online to
www.OutdoorNebraska.org and click on Purchase a
Permit under Licenses and Fees. Permits can also be
purchased from permit vendors and Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission offices across the state.
FOOD/GIFTS/HOME
HOMEBREWING/BEER AND WINEMAKING.
Fermenter’s Supply, 8410 K Plaza, Suite #10, Omaha, NE
68127. Phone orders only, (888) 655-2739. Advice line
(402) 593-9171. www.fermenterssupply.com.
GUIDES/OUTFITTERS
CANOE - KAYAK - TUBE RENTALS on the
beautiful Niobrara River with Dryland Aquatics at
Sparks, Nebraska. Your Niobrara River Specialist.
(800) 337-3119. www.drylandaquatics.com, info@
drylandaquatics.com.
OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT
IS PERFORMANCE IMPORTANT? For the finest
canoes and accessories look to Great Plains Canoe Co.,
205 Main, Springfield, NE 68059. Phone (402) 253-2000.
GET YOUR HUNTING/FISHING PERMIT online today!
Don’t wait until tomorrow to go outside with the family.
Log on to www.OutdoorNebraska.org and click on
Purchase a Permit under Licenses and Fees.
DIAMOND B TROUT RESORT, Orchard, Nebraska.
Lodge, cabins, spring-fed lakes, playground equipment,
paddleboats. Great for families, groups, hunters. Book
your cabin now! Call for brochure (800) 974-3002.
www.diamondbtroutresort.com.
BIG BLUE RANCH & LODGE - Enjoy fishing, hunting,
hiking, birdwatching and ranch adventures on 2000+ acre
cattle ranch in southeastern Nebraska. Beautiful log
cabin, with fireplaces, kitchens & big covered porches,
overlooks 20-acre lake. www.bigblueranch.com (402)
730-3643.
PLANNING A VACATION? Why not spend it at a
Nebraska state park? With more than 80 state park and
recreation areas across Nebraska to choose from, you can
enjoy a campground or cabin and enjoy activities such as
fishing, swimming, camping and hiking. Call
(402) 471-1414 for reservations or go online at
www.OutdoorNebraska.org and follow the Parks link.
WANTED
WANTED – VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS. Interested
in making a difference? Get involved in teaching the next
generation of hunters. Contact Mike Streeter at
mike. streeter@nebraska.gov or call (402) 471-6134.
Classified Rates: 85¢ per word, minimum $15.
Closing: First business day six weeks before issue
date. Classified ads are accepted on a first-come,
first-served, space-available basis. Classified Ads,
NEBRASKAland Magazine, P.O. Box 30370,
Lincoln, NE 68503-0370. Telephone (402) 471-5473.
Fax: (402) 471-1984. E-mail: ngpc.classifieds
@nebraska.gov. Ads are posted online at
NebraskalandMagazine.com at no additional charge.
FLATLANDER KENNELS INC. Bayard, NE
Full-time retriever training facility for the serious hunter
or AKC and HRC hunt tester. Trainer of Nebraska's first
and only GRHRCH's! Super Retriever Series competitor
and a member of Avery's Team Waterdog. Training
available for all levels of hunt tests and gundogs. Chris
Jobman: (308) 249-0707, www.flatlanderkennels.com.
FOR SALE: 21/2-year-old registered female Treeing
Walker coonhound. Contact: Ron (605) 269-2693,
Whitewood, South Dakota.
SCOTT MILLER KENNELS has moved to Nebraska.
Gundog and field trial training. Specializing in obedience,
wing and shot, force breaking to retrieve. Dogs will be
worked on wild and liberated birds. Pups and started dogs
for sale. 24 years experience. Scott Miller, Holdrege, NE,
(308) 325-4267 or scottjmillerkennels@hotmail.com.
FISH/FISHING
FISH FOR SALE. Catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth
48 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
MARCH 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 49
▲
This picture was taken in July 1955 on Clyde Golder’s ranch near Crookston.
My mother, Kathleen Popken Edwards of Fremont, is feeding a bottle to a fawn
whose mother was hit by a train. She and my grandmother, Loretta Golder
Popken, cared for the fawn for a few days, only to hear that it ended up with the
same fate as its mother.
My grandmother, grandfather and mother often visited the Golder ranch in the
summertime, as Clyde was my grandmother’s cousin.
– Alex Edwards, Elkhorn, Nebraska
▲ This picture was taken in Alliance on opening day of
pheasant season 1967. Pictured are Gary Bussinger (Bassett)
and his dog, Rosie; Kenny Bussinger (Bassett) and his dog,
Lady; John Klatt (Ainsworth); and my father-in-law, Gerald
Bussinger (Alliance) and his dog, Jiggs.
All four got their limit of roosters hunting north of Alliance.
The area remains rich in roosters.
– Steve Merrill, Piedmont, South Dakota
▲
My dad, Owen
Waechter, with a buck
taken during the 1966
Nebraska deer season
near Denman along the
Platte River. Notice the
absence of hunter
orange! My father has
hunted in every
modern-day deer
season in Nebraska,
except for the first year
and a year in the early
1980s when he didn’t draw a tag. He is now 76 and anticipating next
year’s season just as he has the last 50! We still get together and
pheasant hunt each year. My son, nephew and many of the friends I
grew up with feel fortunate that Dad was there to take and teach us
about the outdoors. This has given us countless hours of enjoyment
and fulfillment. Thanks Dad!
– Jay Waechter, Topeka, Kansas
Your contribution at tax time
will make a difference for
Nebraska’s threatened and
endangered species that need
your help.
Swift Fox
Salt Creek Tiger Beetle
Piping Plover
Sturgeon Chub
River Otter
Interior Least Tern
Small White Lady’s-Slipper
As habitat is continually lost each year, so are
the diverse and unique wildlife species that
are Nebraska’s natural legacy.
In order to ensure their survival, we must work
with both public agencies and private
landowners to conserve the habitat these
species so desperately need.
Your donation, however big or small, is vital to
the conservation efforts we Nebraskans need to
support to protect these native
species. With your help they can
be saved for future generations.
▲
I am a native of Ponca (six generations of my family are buried in the
Ponca Cemetery). This photo was taken by my father, Oscar Peterson, in
November 1936 on the Missouri River near Ionid Bend, northwest of
Ponca and northeast of Newcastle. Pictured is Max Auge, from Ponca, a
friend of the family and hunting companion to my father, and my uncle,
Harry L. Peterson.
– Jim Peterson, Vermillion, South Dakota
Don’t Let
These Species
Slip Away!
Send contributions to: Portraits from the Past, NEBRASKAland Magazine, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370. Or e-mail to
tim.reigert@nebraska.gov. Photos should show people enjoying Nebraska outdoor activities, such as camping, boating, hunting or fishing,
and must have been taken before 1980. We will give priority to unusual photos or activities. When possible, please include a story about
the photograph and identify the people, places and approximate date it was taken. Photos will be returned.
50 NEBRASKALAND • MARCH 2011
Check the box on your Nebraska State Tax form to designate
a part of your state tax refund for the Nebraska Nongame and
Endangered Species Conservation Fund.
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/programs/nongame/checkprojects.asp
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