Volume 92, Issue 8, 2014
October 2014
- Identifier:
- nela.2014_092_08
- Title:
- Volume 92, Issue 8, 2014
- Issue Name:
- October 2014
- Date Issued:
- 2014-10-01
- year:
- 2014
- month:
- October
- Season:
- Autumn
- PDF filename:
- NL_92.08_2014_Oct_Spreads_Entire.pdf
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 092
- issue:
- 08
- number:
- 092.08
- Decade:
- 2010s
- edition:
- Liftout
- Type:
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, all rights reserved.
- Extracted Text:
-
IN THIS ISSUE
A Special
Section on
Waterfowl
Hunting
Nebraska
One of the most popular landscape trees in Nebraska is the American sycamore.
“The leaves seem to turn different colors each year,” said photographer Chris
Helzer. “This photo was from the most colorful year I’ve seen – other years, they
tend to me more olive greens, tans or other browns. I’m not sure what made the
colors so brilliant.”
NebraskalandMagazine.com
$4.95
PLUS
Shooting from the Sunroom ● Nebraska’s River Otters
Cooking Crawfish ● ATVs at Lake Mac ● Trout in the Classroom
Elk Hunt in Western Nebraska ● 40 Years a Steward
NEBRASKAland Magazine
Volume 92
●
No. 8
●
October 2014
18
●
F EAT U R ES . . .
18 River Otter Recovery
B E F
26 40 Years a Steward
Y RIC OWLER
BY AMY KUCERA
28 Crawfish – Catch and Cook
S
P
J G
30 Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
TORY AND HOTOS BY ULIE
EISER
BY DR. MARK VRTISKA
48 Hunt of a Lifetime
S
P
J
H
50 Trout in the Classroom
TORY AND HOTOS BY USTIN
AAG
STORY BY LINDSEY CHIZINSKI, PHOTOS BY JEFF KURRUS
56 Getting Sand in Your Tracks at Big Mac
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JULIE GEISER
58 Shooting from the Edge
STORY BY JEFF KURRUS, PHOTOS BY STEVE ZECHMANN
56
●
D EPARTM EN T S . . .
O N TH E W EB . . .
WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL IN THE PAGES OF
N
NEBRASKALAND MAGAZINE, VISIT NEBRASKALANDMAGAZINE.
COM AND VIEW OUR INTERACTIVE DIGITAL EDITION FOR MORE
C
IINFORMATION.
2 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
58
●
50
●
PHOTO COURTESY OF EUGENE SHULER
Comment .........................................................4
Mixed Bag.......................................................6
In the Field ....................................................64
Page 49 ..........................................................65
Outdoor Update.............................................66
Portraits from the Past ..................................68
Junior Journal................................................69
Classifieds .....................................................70
In the Kitchen ...............................................72
Wine & Dine Guide ......................................73
The Last Stop ................................................74
Cover: A redhead drake loafs on a private pond south of Grand Island.
Photo by Rick Rasmussen.
NEBRASKAland (VOL. 92 / NO. 8, 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.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 3
Junior Duck Stamp Winner
The Best of Show for the 2014 Nebraska Junior Duck
Stamp Contest was won by Creighton Scott of Omaha.
Creighton is a 14-year-old student at Debie Plog Art
Studio. Creighton’s entry was selected from over 500
entries from across the state. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Scottsbluff office, hosted this year’s contest
which was judged on March 28 at the Gering Civic
Center. The top 36 entries will be exhibited throughout the
state at Nebraska Game and Parks Commission offices,
Cabela’s retail stores in LaVista, Kearney and Sidney, and
other locations throughout the year.
Photo Special
My two daughters and I just
completed a 17-day camping trip
around Nebraska, starting in Ponca then
on to Valentine, Chadron, Scottsbluff,
Ogallala and ending in Burwell for the
rodeo. My main purpose for this trip
was to show my kids the gorgeous
and varied landscapes in our state.
Highway 20 is a perfect example of this; the heavy oak forests
of northeastern Nebraska, to the rolling endless Sandhills, the
buttes of Chadron and the desolate moonscape of Toadstool.
I picked up the Collector’s Edition issue and smiled as
I read the introduction. Those words further solidified my
decision to tour our state. Many of the photos published
we experienced. I’m sure my endless blathering about the
pioneers fell on deaf ears, but I hope some of it sunk in!
So thank you for possibly introducing naysayers to the
beauty that is Nebraska. Even without mountains or oceans,
this is one picturesque state!
Kristi Blake Farrington
via Facebook
Ron Johns of Kearney has been enjoying a different
side of lakes in Nebraska and elsewhere for nearly 50
years, and teaching others the same for 40 years. He’s
had his “Scuba” plate for about 30 years, as long as
he’s owned Heartland Scuba Center. His wife’s car is
adorned with “Scuba2.”
CONSERVATION OFFICERS
NORTHWEST
Officer
City
Jim Zimmerman (S) Gering
Commissioners
Chairman - Lynn Berggren, Broken Bow
Vice Chairman - Jerrod Burke, Curtis
2nd Vice Chairman - Dr. Kent Forney, Lincoln
Dr. Mark Pinkerton, Wilber
Rex Fisher, Omaha
Mark Spurgin, Paxton
Mick Jensen, Blair
Dick Bell, Omaha
Norris Marshall, Kearney
MAGAZINE STAFF
Correction: Mike Haddock took the
photo of the purple poppy mallow on
page 8 in the June edition.
-Editor
Statement of ownership and monthly circulation of
NEBRASKAland Magazine
Owner and publisher: Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission
Editor: Jeff Kurrus
Headquarters of Publisher and Publication:
2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE 68503
Stockholders, Bondholders, Mortgage and
Security Holders: None
Average number of copies
of each issue during
preceding 12 months
Winner of Reader’s Choice Photo Contest
Erik Johnson’s photograph of silhouetted red-winged
blackbirds taking flight over the setting sun north of Lincoln
took first place in this year’s NEBRASKAland Magazine Photo
Contest Reader’s Choice Division. Congratulations to Erik.
4 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Deb Kucera sent this photo of her son,
Mike, kayak fishing on their farm pond
west of Verdigre after sunset.
COMMISSIONERS
Director Jim Douglas
Single issue
nearest to
filing date
A. Total Copies Printed
(net press run) ........................ 26,541 ........... 36,210
B. Paid Circulation
1. Single-copy sales ................. 2,414 ............. 2,269
2. Mail subscriptions ............... 19,356 ........... 19,450
C. Total Paid Circulation.............. 21,783 ........... 21,731
D. Free Distribution
by Mail ...................................... 2,472 ............. 1,228
D. Free Distribution
Outside the Mail .......................... 476 ................ 476
E. Total Free Distribution .............. 2,948 ............. 1,704
F. Total Distribution...................... 24,731 ........... 23,435
G. Copies Not Distributed ............. 1,810 ........... 12,775
H. Total ........................................ 26,541 ........... 36,210
I. Percent Paid and/or
Requested Circulation ................88% ............... 92%
Send your comments to:
Jeff Kurrus, Editor
NEBRASKAland Magazine
P.O. Box 30370
Lincoln, NE 68503
or e-mail Jeff.Kurrus@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.
Any program that receives federal funding from the National Park
Service, or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service prohibits unlawful
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, marital
status, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation. Any person
who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program,
activity, facility, or service, should contact the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission, Lincoln, NE 402-471-0641, the Equal Opportunity
Commission, Lincoln, NE 402-471-2024, TTY/TDD 402-471-4693;
United States Fish Wildlife Service, Civil Rights Coordinator, 4401
N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203; Director, Equal Opportunity
Program, U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C
Street NW, Mail Code 0008, Washington, D.C. 20240-0001.
Communications Director Christy Rasmussen
Editor Jeff Kurrus
Art Director Tim Reigert
Associate Editor Amy Kucera
Regional Editors Eric Fowler, Julie Geiser,
Justin Haag, Jenny Nguyen
Contributing Editor Michael Forsberg
Regular Contributors Bill Hager, Chris Helzer,
Lisa Knopp, Gerry Steinauer
Circulation Donna Robinson
For address changes and questions about
your subscription, e-mail Donna.Robinson@
Nebraska.gov or call 800-632-5263
Advertising Sales Manager
For advertising information contact
Shane G. Gilster, 402-742-0125
Email: shanegilster@gmail.com
NEBRASKAland Magazine Copyright 2014, all rights reserved.
NEBRASKAland is available in audio 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
C
COM
OM
OMMIS
M SIO
SION O
SI
OFFICES
F CES
FFI
ES
S
Headquarters/Southeast District Office
2200 N. 33rd Street Lincoln, NE 68503
Phone 402-471-0641
Northeast District Office
2201 N. 13th St. Norfolk, NE 68701
Phone 402-370-3374
Southwest District Office
301 E. State Farm Rd. North Platte, NE 69101
Phone 308-535-8025
Northwest District Office
East Hwy. 2, Box 725 Alliance, NE 69301
Phone 308-763-2940
Bassett Office
524 Panzer St., Box 508 Bassett, NE 68714
Phone 402-684-2921
Kearney Office
1617 First Ave. Kearney, NE 68847
Phone 308-865-5310
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium
21502 W. Highway 31 Gretna, NE 68028
Phone 402-332-3901
Omaha Office
8495 Frederick Street, Omaha, NE 68124
Phone 402-595-2144
Greg Hesse
Scott Brandt
Dan Kling
Frank Miller
Sean McKeehan
Terry Brentzel
Phone (308)
(office) 763-2940
(cell) 436-7561
Rushville
760-3647
Gering
631-0663
Harrison
430-0572
Valentine
389-0444
Bridgeport
279-9133
Oshkosh
458-7650
SOUTHWEST
Officer
City
Phone (308)
Roger Thompson (S) N. Platte (office) 535-8025
(cell) 530-3097
Ray Dierking
Brkn. Bow
870-0322
Michael Thome
Cozad
529-8146
Matt Andrews
Elwood
746-2418
Dirk Greene
Imperial
882-0015
Dale Johnson
Kearney
440-3847
Brian Piernicky
McCook
340-6627
Brandon O’Neal
N. Platte
530-3157
Nicholas Fix
Ogallala
289-0427
Bryce Streger
Ogallala
289-1169
Rich Routh
Rep. City
920-0367
Tim Williams
Grand Is
380-7331
Pat George
Kenesaw
402-705-9989
Matt Brandt
Loup City
202-0819
Andrew Heyer
Cozad
402-613-2241
Alex Hasenauer
Wellfleet
660-4671
NORTHEAST
Officer
Tom Zimmer (Sup.)
City
Norfolk
SOUTHEAST
Officer
Levi Krause (Sup.)
William Krause
Mike Luben
Dan Zuehlke
Heath Packett
Darin Gress
Douglas Kramer
Dina Barta
Stacey Lewton
Dudley Sorensen
Robert Finke
Russell Mort
Dan Evasco
Rich Berggren
Travis Shepler
City
Louisville
Auburn
Colon
Cortland
Eagle
Hebron
Lincoln
Lincoln
Lincoln
Waverly
Milford
Nebr. City
Papillion
Waterloo
Lincoln
Phone (402)
949-0593
274-8063
443-6392
806-9084
210-0888
768-8665
890-6465
890-6463
890-7140
937-3422
947-1363
209-1506
616-5961
619-1355
613-2312
ADMINISTRATION
Officer
Craig Stover (Adm.)
Duane Arp (Ass.)
Jeff Clauson (Ass.)
City
Lincoln
Lincoln
Lincoln
Phone (402)
471-5531
471-5531
471-5531
Phone (402)
(office) 370-3374
(cell) 649-8053
Dale Davis
Bassett
760-0712
Steve Oberg
Columbus
910-3366
Daniel Roberts
Fremont
719-1108
Randy Pomplun
Fullerton
308-550-0489
Jeff Jones
Hartington
762-5022
Jon Reeves
Kennard
889-8508
Doug Pollard
Ord
308-730-7050
Alex Frohberg
Ponca
241-7615
Cory Krause
West Point
380-6410
Jonathan Andreasen O’Neill
340-3981
Mitch Johnson
Bloomfield
613-8612
Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers 1-800-742-7627
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 5
Black Walnut Uses
By Jenny Nguyen
Black walnut trees are native to North America and are
widely found in the eastern United States. Black walnuts
were once widely used by American Indians throughout their
range for food and black dye made out of the tree’s roots.
The Dakota, Omaha, Osage, Ponca, Pawnee and Winnebago
ate the raw nutmeats plain, with honey or made them into
soup. The Omaha and Ponca also mention the black walnut
in their “Ishtinike and the Four Creators” legend, indicating
their reverence for the tree.
Early Euro-American settlers used the decomposing hulls
of black walnuts to dye their hair, clothing, traps, and even
turned it into ink. Black walnut wood is also highly prized
among woodworkers for its strong, yet pliant, dark-colored
heartwood, which is now rare and expensive, and subject
to poaching. Historically, black walnut was the wood for
making gunstocks, and also furniture, flooring and other
wood products. Nuts can be harvested in the fall, beginning
late September, October and even into November. Traditional
recipes include them in candies, baked goods and ice cream;
trees can also be tapped for syrup.
Some sources say that black walnut shells were once
pulverized to make activated carbon, a substance used to
make gas mask filters during World War II. There are a few
fishermen who create a “tea” by soaking rotting hulls in
water to drive earthworms to the surface for easy collection.
As black walnuts ripen, the outer husk changes from green to
yellowish green or dark brown.
Gardeners, however, should beware:
the roots of black walnuts produce a
natural herbicide called juglone that
may kill or stunt other plants from
growing nearby, including tomatoes,
potatoes, apples, pears, berries and
some landscaping plants. Black
walnuts can also be toxic to horses.
For black walnut recipes, look to
Wild Seasons by Kay Young. ■
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6 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
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OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 7
Benjam
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Travelogue Sponsors
By Jenny Nguyen
Tekamah
lthough
ltlth
h
a small town of a little over 1,700, Tekamah
offers plenty of activities to entertain the road-tripper
of
or weekend warrior. Whether you’re a hunter, angler,
o
camper,
camp
ca
mpee shooter, history buff or shopper, Tekamah will have
mp
you returning back for more.
Hunters will find respite and excitement at the Pheasant
Bonanza Hunt Club and Kennel. In addition to a top-notch
dog training program, Pheasant Bonanza offers hundreds of
acres of excellent upland game as well as waterfowl hunting. Or come
Tekamah
out to enjoy their 20-station sporting clay course, 5-stand, trap or skeet,
and then have lunch or dinner afterward at Roosters, an on-site
restaurant and bar.
Those looking to camp or fish should look to Summit Lake State
Recreation Area, located just west of Tekamah. Summit offers the
newly built Bob Eckdahl Campground with full RV hookups and tent
camping. Summit Lake is also a popular destination for swimmers,
kayakers and boaters. Anglers will find crappie, bluegill, bass,
catfish and walleye in its waters.
For something completely different, sign up for a training course
at 88 Tactical Group. Designed for law enforcement, military
personnel and civilians, clients can learn skills in reality behaviorbased training, field medicine, bushcraft and receive information
on the latest technology and gear. Self-defense and handgun
training is catered to both men and women at all levels.
For a history lesson, check out the Burt County Museum and
the Historic E.W. Bryant House in town. The county museum
is currently located at the
E.C. Houston House, built
in 1904 and is listed in
the National Register of Historic
Places. Also on the National Register of Historic
Places, the Victorian era E.W. Bryant House is a fine example of
Queen Anne architecture and features state-of-the-art amenities for its
time. It was built in 1890 by Edward W. and Rose Folsom Bryant; Mrs.
Bryant’s grandfather Colonel Benjamin R. Folsom was the founder of
Tekamah in 1854.
Stop by Master’s Hand Candles Company for candles, chocolates,
fudge, flowers, home décor and gifts. Ladies, reserve a
luncheon in their tea room where you and your girlfriends
ds
will be served a three course meal. Or have lunch and
drinks at Right Next Door in town and check out
Slim Profits gift shop, both owned and run by Susan
Hansen. Then hang out with the locals at the end of
the day for some food and drinks at Winner’s Grill and
d
Bar.
For more information, visit Pheasantbonanza.com,
88tactical.com, and Mastershandcandles.com.
Burt County Museum
Summit L
ake SRA
nanza
Bo
Pheasant
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 9
RG849-0-0-10
RG849-2-0-110
Our October Hunting Trip. Shows tent and car.
RG849-0-0-25
1916 - A Thousand Mile Motor Trip - Western Nebraska: “At
Last!” (sign: to Brewster)
RG849-0-0-21
1916 - A Thousand Mile Motor Trip - Western Nebraska: “More trouble.”
1916 - A Thousand Mile Motor Trip - Western Nebraska:
“Pretty bad - but beats staying at home!”
A Brief History
On the Road in 1916
By John E. Carter, Nebraska State Historical Society
10 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
RG849
RG84
RG849-2-0-23
9-2-0
2 0-23
23
In the first decades of the twentieth century two
innovations helped create the American vacation. One
was Henry Ford’s automobile for everyman, the Model T.
Affordable cars meant that average people no longer were
limited either by distance or by railroad routes in their
travels.
The other innovation was George Eastman’s snapshot
camera. Photographic historian Beumont Newhall called
photography the most democratic of the art forms because it
gives everyone a history.
For some people, vacation meant a trip to an amusement
park or a leisurely visit to the beach or a tour of historic
sites. For the more adventurous, it meant a return to
America’s wild places.
Nebraskans Ed and Margaret (Maggie) Gehrke were
among those attracted to the wild. Ed was a successful
builder, known as the “Bungalow Man” in Lincoln. Both had
a passion for the outdoors, and in their travels Ed recorded
their doings with his Kodak while Maggie kept beautifully
written journals.
Beginning in 1914 the Gehrkes would load up their Buick
with camping, hunting and fishing gear, plus at least one
dog, and head off. In 1916 they made an epic journey that
Maggie called their “Thousand Mile Motor Trip through
Western Nebraska.”
This trip took them from Lincoln to Grand Island, on to
Broken Bow, then to Brewster, up to Ainsworth, across to
O’Neill, down to Neligh and ultimately home to Lincoln.
Today that doesn’t seem like much of a challenge. Highways
are paved, graded to minimize hills, and dotted with gas
stations and repair
shops. Travelers have
GPS or a variety of
maps to guide them.
This was not so
for the Gerhkes.
Roads were dirt paths
with routes marked
infrequently, if at all.
Even good roads could
quickly turn into mud
bogs that ensnared the
Buick. As for repairs,
you were on your own.
“Then began the
worse roads I have ever
motored over,” Maggie
writes of the route from
Brewster to Ainsworth.
Julius
Jul
Ju
ulius
us
u
sH
H. h
ho
holding
oldi
dn
ng
g sev
se
several
ev
vera
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all d
dead
ead
e
d
“We were in the sand
birds.
hills. For 40 miles we
wound in and out, and
ploughed thru the sand, or blindly followed wagon trails
that forked off in every direction over miles and miles of
unbroken prairies with never a sign or a guide to direct us;
we were 40 miles from a railroad, no towns and only rarely
a homesteader’s sod shack – and then the only direction we
could get was to ‘kinda-keep-to-the-north.’ We did. But Lord
knows how we ever reached Ainsworth.”
But then there was the camping, hunting, fishing, and
the sheer adventure of living. A few days after arriving in
Ainsworth, Maggie writes: “Oct. 23. The morning dawned
a fine ‘duck day’– cold and a light snow. The Man and
the Dog were away to the lakes early to spend the day,
again. I sent off a bunch of post-cards and had a long walk
before dinner. . . The Man will have such glorious hunt, for
shooting is fine in the sand hills. To bring in forty or fifty
ducks is not unusual. We are to have a fine duck dinner if
Edward gets home in time.”
Every year until Ed’s death in 1939, the Gehrkes visited
National Parks. How many? All of them, all that existed at
the time. Arriving at a park, they sought out the remotest
corners, places that for that day belonged to them,
horizon to horizon. Today we think of the parks in terms
of their accommodations, roads, lodging, tours, and the
like. For Ed and Maggie, the best place was farthest
from that. As with their first Nebraska road trip, they
memorialized their experiences in photographs and words.
When Ed died Maggie mostly quit traveling. She
lived nearly another 40 years, some spent working at
University of Nebraska library surrounded by words.
In her later years she organized the thousands of
photographs into albums, each image mounted on a black
paper page and labeled in white ink.
But for whom was she doing all this work? The photos
and travel journals had been intended for only two
people, Ed and Maggie. As Maggie closed her ninetieth
year, that audience was small indeed.
In 1976, two years before Maggie died, a friend boxed
up the volumes of
material and donated
them to the Nebraska
EXPLORE NEBRASKA’S PAST
State Historical
Society. It was either
there or the trash. We
can forever be grateful
that the materials were
preserved. In the 1990s
NSHS staff member
Jill Koelling began
seriously investigating
and writing about this
collection. In 2009 the
Gehrkes became the
voice of the American
visitor in Ken Burns’s
documentary film,
The National Parks:
America’s Best Idea.
Ed and Maggie
$29/year – Includes 4 issues
were not collecting
of Nebraska History and
these materials for us
4 of Nebraska History News
today. They’d probably
www.nebraskahistory.org/magazine
be surprised that we
402-471-3270
look at it. But theirs
is the voice of every
American who claims
their birthright in our
facebook.com/pages/Nebraska-State-Historical-Society
wild places. ■
Bring your family, bring your friends and
make plans to visit the Nebraska Prairie
Museum in Holdrege. See the 16’ wide
buffalo mural, a life-size buffalo, a two-bearded wild turkey and a sandhill
crane. For more information about visiting the museum and the
interactive museum map of our exhibits, check out our website.
nebraskaprairie.org
308-995-5015
N. Hwy 183 Holdrege
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9 am-5 pm | Sat-Sun: 1-5 pm
)LQGXVRQ
)DFHERRN
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 11
Nebraska Bird Library
y
Sponsored by
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
3101 O Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
402-620-3898
Male red-throated
hummingbirds have
the striking red
throat ...
... while the
female of the
species does
not.
THINKSTOCK
Mon. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Song or calls: Rapid, squeaky, chipping notes in flight.
Wings hum.
Description: Metallic green above. Adult male has
brilliant red throat and black chin; whitish underparts;
dusky-green sides and flanks; and short forked tail. Female
lacks red throat; has grayish-white underparts with a buffy
wash on the sides. Juveniles are similar to females, but
some males have golden cast on upperparts.
Habitat: Migrants can be seen in city gardens or other
areas with nectar-bearing flowers. Breeding done in
woodlands, orchards, and parks with large trees, flowering
herbs and shrubs.
Where in Nebraska: Uncommon to common spring and
fall migrant and summer resident in eastern parts of the
state. Breeding occurs along the forested Missouri River
valley. Vagrants occur in the west.
Fun Facts: The ruby-throated hummingbird flaps its
wings about 53 times a second making it seem like they
hover. Sexes appear to migrate separately with males first to
arrive and depart.
Additional Information: This is the only hummingbird
seen over much of the eastern United States. ■
To learn about more birds visit NebraskaBirdLibrary.org.
Best Filters for the Instagram Rookie
By Cristina Woodworth
Say goodbye to lugging your bulky DSLR camera around
on outdoor excursions: Instagram’s got you covered.
Simply download the popular free photo-editing app onto
your Android or iPhone and start snapping photos of your
camping trips, paddling outings, picnics and other outdoor
adventures. Then, pick from 19 different filters to add a
little excitement to your pictures.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the best Instagram
filters to use on your outdoorsy photos to give them a little
something special:
1) Walden: Increases exposure and adds a soft, yellow
tint to pictures. This filter adds unique, aged color to bright
photos of activities like hiking, kayaking and biking.
2) Lo-Fi: Enriches colors and adds stronger shadows
by upping the saturation in the photo. Use this filter to
emphasize colors in flowers, grasses and trees.
3) Sierra: Adds a soft, faded look. This filter is good for
making photos at dusk or dawn look calm and peaceful.
4) Toaster: Ages the image by adding a bright spot in the
center and a dramatic vignette around the edges. To add a
summery feel to photos of picnics and the like, use this filter.
5) Mayfair: Applies a warm, pink tone to photos, along
with a soft vignette around the edges. This filter puts more
emphasis on the center of photos and adds warmth and
softness to landscape scenes. ■
12 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
This Instagram image of a bike on the MoPac East Trail in
Lincoln applies the lo-fi filter to bring out bold colors.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 13
Hunters Helping the Hungry
By Teresa Lombard, Hunters Helping the Hungry Program Coordinator
Nebraskans through
food pantries and
shelters.
I’m thrilled
that Taylor, and
others like her,
participated in the
program last year.
Deer donations
nearly doubled
from the program’s
first year in 2012. I
hope this year more
people will consider
making a monetary
donation to help cover rising processing costs as the program
grows in popularity. ■
Learn more about this unique donation-funded program at
OutdoorNebraska.com/HHH.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEN’S COUNTRY MEATS
On an early morning last November, 12-year-old Taylor
Beetison readied for her first deer hunt. Together with her
brother Tristen and dad, Nick, they hunted her grandfather’s
land near Humboldt. On their first morning, Tristen
harvested a white-tailed buck. His deer would provide
venison the whole family could enjoy in the coming year.
The next morning, Taylor and her dad set out to try again.
Even before they went, Nick shared information with
his family about the Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH)
program. Hunters could donate a deer to the program, the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission would pay the
processing costs and the venison would be distributed to
Nebraskans in need.
Taylor and her dad were successful in their hunts. Taylor’s
first-ever deer was a regal buck that any hunter would be
thrilled to take. After checking their deer, they offered it for
donation to HHH at Den’s Country Meats in Table Rock.
Their generosity, and that of other hunters in Nebraska,
resulted in more than 19,000 pounds of venison provided to
Sporting Clay Tips
By Dylan Tegtmeier, Nebraska Outdoor U!
N
ow that sporting clays season is in full
swing, you may have figured out which
targets give you trouble on the course, so
I’ve created this article to help you. And if
you’re like Tom Knapp, no targets give you
trouble on any sporting clays course, but you
should keep reading anyway.
All too often, we get in our sporting clays
groove and assume we are following the
fundamentals just as well as we’re breathing. Granted,
people like me sometimes neglect both of those. One of
the biggest score card killers on the clays range is moving
your gun too fast. Your eyes will focus on the fastest
moving object in your field of view, and many times that
may be your gun. So start with your gun ahead of the
clay, and slowly let the two merge into where your trigger
area is.
Ask anyone about their toughest target on the sporting
clays range and most of them will probably tell you the
curling target, the sliding target or the arching target.
These are all generally the same target; they all involve
an arcing rainbow path across your field of view and
usually you need to shoot the target on or after the peak
of the arc. The mistake is leading the target as a dropping
target. Most folks underestimate the horizontal travel of
this target and miss on the inside of the arc. So lead this
target out in front and, if anything, miss on the outside of
the arc. But believe me, if you’re leading to the outside of
14 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
the arc, you won’t miss.
With any true pairs on a clays course, you’ll be tempted
to be distracted by the busyness of two targets crowding
your visual. Rabbit pairs are especially crazy. The key to
conquering the rabbit pair station is to focus with all your
might on the first target. Set your stance halfway between
your break points for the two targets, and have the butt
of your gun just barely touching your pectoral muscle.
When you call for the pull, nothing else in the world
matters except that first rabbit. Move your entire torso
to swing with the target as you bring the gun up to your
cheek then firmly back to your shoulder. After you’ve
broken the first target, firmly adjust your swing to the
same speed and direction of the second target.
Visit OutdoorU.org and start your own pathway to
exciting and memorable experiences in the outdoors. ■
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 15
Bridgeport Hunters Create
Motion Decoy
by Jerry Kane
Contact the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission at 402-471-0641 or visit
OutdoorNebraska.org for more information.
Visit HuntSafeNebraska.org for a list of hunter
education classes and BoatSafeNebraska.org
for a list of boating safety classes.
Crow hunting season opens
statewide
October 1-31
Paddlefish snagging season
October 3
Dad’s Day at the Range
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln, 4 p.m., 402-471-6141
October 3-5
Becoming an OutdoorsWoman Workshop
Halsey, 402-471-5482
October 5
Living History Day
Arbor Lodge SHP, Nebraska
City, 1-5 p.m., 402-873-7222
October 6, 13, 20, 27
Women wearing pink for
Breast Cancer Awareness
Month shoot for $5 per 30
minutes, Nebraska Game and
Parks Outdoor Education
Center, Lincoln, 4 p.m.,
402-471-6141
October 10
October 4-5
Trick or Treat at the Town
Autumn Harvest Art Show Indian Cave SP, Shubert,
Eugene T. Mahoney State
Park (SP), Ashland,
402-944-2523
October 4-5
ATV Jamboree
Lake McConaughy State
Recreation Area (SRA),
Ogallala, 308-284-8800
October 4-5
Living History Weekend
402-883-2575
October 10-12
Scout Jubilee
Eugene T. Mahoney SP,
Ashland, 402-944-2523
October 11
Howl in the Hills Night
Hike Wildcat Hills Nature
Center, Gering, 7 p.m.,
Fort Atkinson State Historical 308-436-3777
Park (SHP), Fort Calhoun,
October 11
10 a.m.-5 p.m., 402-468-5611 Roger G. Sykes Outdoor
Heritage Education Complex
October 4-5
closes for season, Platte
Youth waterfowl hunting
River SP, Louisville,
season in Zone 1
402-471-5547
October 4-December 12,
January 31-February 1
White-fronted goose hunting
season
October 4-December 16
Duck and coot hunting
seasons in Zones 2 and 4
October 4-December 31,
January 24-February 8
Light goose hunting regular
season
October 4-January 16
Dark goose hunting season
in North Central Unit
Muzzleloader antelope
hunting season closes
Firearm antelope hunting
season
October 12
Muzzleloader Sign-In and
Family Rendezvous
Platte River SP, Louisville,
402-234-2217
October 12
Living History Day
Arbor Lodge SHP, Nebraska
City, 1-5 p.m., 402-873-7222
October 23
Nebraska Game and Parks
Board of Commissioners
meeting Scottsbluff, 8 a.m.
October 25
Arbor Lodge SHP, Nebraska
City, 1-5 p.m., 402-873-7222
Pheasant, quail and partridge
hunting seasons open
October 13
Columbus Day Game and
October 26
Halloween’s Enchanted
Garden Arbor Lodge SHP,
Parks offices closed
Nebraska City, 6-8 p.m.,
October 13
402-873-7222
NRA First Steps Pistol
Course Nebraska Game and October 26
Parks Outdoor Education
Center, Lincoln, 10 a.m.,
402-471-6141
Archery bull elk hunting
season closes
October 14
Families on Target
Firearm bull elk hunting
season closes
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln, 11:30 a.m.,
402-471-6141
October 26
Youth waterfowl hunting
season in Zone 3
October 18
Living History Day
October 11, 17, 18, 24, 25
Haunted Hollow Hayrack
Rides Indian Cave SP,
Rock Creek Station SHP,
Fairbury, 402-729-5777
Shubert, 402-883-2575
October 19
Living History Day
October 18-19
Trick or Treat the
Campground Alexandria
October 11, 18
Hallowfest Ponca SP, Ponca, SRA, Alexandria, 6 p.m.,
October 26
Private land cow elk hunting
season closes
October 26 – Public land cow
elk hunting season closes
October 27 – February 8
Dark goose hunting season
in East, Platte River,
Panhandle and Niobrara units
October 30
Dove hunting season closes
402-755-2284
402-729-5777
October 31-August 1, 2015
October 11, 18, 25
October 18-19
Halloween Decorating
Contest, Indian Cave SP,
Shubert, 402-883-2575
Youth pheasant, quail and
partridge hunting season
Eurasian collared-dove
hunting continues
October 11-December 23
Duck and coot hunting
seasons in Zone 1
16 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
October 31
Bullfrog season closes
October 22-January 3
Duck and coot hunting
seasons in Zone 3
October 31
Raccoon and Virginia
opossum hunting seasons
close
Talking Camp Trash
By Eric Fowler
In my campsite, trash has almost always gone in a plastic bag tied to a camper,
tent, cooler, tree, picnic table or whatever surface happened to be handy.
It’s been workable, but good luck literally tossing the trash.
A new product, Trash-Ease, is a
convenient option. The powder- and
rubber-coated metal frame can easily
hang from your picnic table, tailgate or
another flat surface, where it will hold a
13-gallon drawstring kitchen bag wide
open (33-gallon if you choose the larger
version). That makes it easy to pitch
the egg shells when you’re cooking
breakfast. Its lightweight, compact
design makes it easier to pack in the
camper or truck than a trash can, which
would only blow away when the wind
eventually kicked up anyway.
Available online at TrashEase.com
and from retailers including Camping
World and Lowes, Trash Ease runs
about $15. ■
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
October 5
October 18-19
October 11-26
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
October 1
By Eric Fowler
Goose flags, wind socks,
kites and other gadgets
that add motion to a decoy
spread have come a long
way in recent years, and
now Whiffle Wings, a
company from Bridgeport,
Nebraska, has added
another option to the mix.
Only a slight breeze
will cause these decoys
to wave back and forth,
imitating the whiffling,
landing movement made by waterfowl. Greg Wickard and Bill Dean, with nearly
100 years of waterfowling experience in the North Platte River Valley between
them, first developed the decoy for snow geese and after finding success there,
added Canada goose and mallard duck versions. Mounted on a stake fitted with
foot pegs, it can easily be set up in the field or in shallow water. (If the ground is
frozen, you’ll need to be innovative.)
I shot my first goose nearly 30 years ago from a corn-field pit blind near
Sutherland Reservoir. Nearly 5 miles from the South Platte River, we needed to up
our odds of catching the attention of geese flying the river we couldn’t see without
binoculars, so we stapled pieces of black fabric to 1x2s, started waving them and
drawing more birds in for a look.
I’ve been waving flags ever since, but Whiffle Wings adds some motion to the
spread without drawing attention to the blind when the birds are close, helping
finish the flock. For more information or to order, visit WhiffleWings.com. ■
NEBRASKAland
Visitor
The July issue’s winner
of the Visitor drawing
was Ruth Muldoon of Gladstone,
Missouri, who found the
Goldsmith Beetle on page 4.
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 critter
found in Nebraska. We will then
gather the correct entries and draw
one to win a 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 12, 17, 28, 29, 54, 63 or 74.
The Goldsmith Beetle, Cotalpa
lanigera, is a large scarab
beetle, up to one inch in length.
Coloring varies from yellow
to greenish, with a metallic
gold tint, and white, wooly
hairs on its underside. It is
found in the eastern U.S., into
central Nebraska, though is not
commonly seen. The larvae, which
look like large June beetle grubs,
live in the soil for up to two years,
feeding on roots and organic
matter. Adults emerge from the
soil and feed on tree foliage.
Beetles are most active from dusk
to dawn; during the day, they
conceal themselves in foliage,
using their tarsi (feet)
to hold leaves like
a tent over their
bodies. This may
protect them
from both the
sun and predators.
Special thanks to Julie Van Meter,
State Entomologist, Nebraska Department of
Agriculture. Visitor image by Chris Helzer
Bugguide.net is a good site for identification.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 17
River Otter Recovery
S
ometimes efforts
to restore wildlife
populations decimated
by habitat loss or
overharvest by the
pioneers who settled
this country succeed,
and sometimes
they don’t. The
reintroduction of the northern river
otter to Nebraska and other Midwestern
states that were, for the most part,
devoid of this playful mammal for
much of the past century is one of
these success stories, with recovery
in several states rising to the point of
allowing harvest for fur.
Extirpated by 1920 in Nebraska,
recent studies and nearly three decades
of surveys to track the range and
population expansion of river otters
following reintroduction efforts
that began here in 1986 have found
otters swimming in nearly all of our
major rivers. The growth has been so
successful, that the river otter could
soon be removed from the list of
Nebraska’s threatened species.
A rare success story
By Eric Fowler
and indirectly, poisoning them and
decimating fish populations. Until
modern times, the last confirmed
reports of otters in Nebraska were a
dead male found in 1916 in Lincoln
Creek in Seward County and tracks
found in 1918 on a Republican River
tributary in Phelps County. By the
middle of the 20th century, the species
was extirpated or rare in 14 other
Midwestern states and occupied less
than three-fourths of its historic range.
the reintroduction effort. Its work
would have started sooner, but it
wasn’t until the 1984 creation of the
Wildlife Conservation Fund, which
receives contributions from Nebraskans
through their state income tax return,
that funding was available.
The first otter, an individual provided
by Idaho, was released on the South
Loup River in Custer County in
January of 1986. By 1991, 159 otters,
most acquired from Louisiana or
History
PHOTO BY BOB GRIER
18 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Prior to Euro-American settlement,
river otters were common throughout
North America, with the exception of
Mexico and parts of the arid southwest.
They were often mentioned in the log
books of trading companies, caught by
trappers in search of beavers but happy
to add valuable otter pelts to their
take. Trappers took as many as 65,000
otter pelts in 1800, but as the fur trade,
settlers and the associated development
moved west, otter numbers plummeted
and by 1904, fur companies bought
only 4,500.
Unregulated trapping, not just of
otters, but of beavers, which otters
depend on for den sites, was the main
cause of the demise of otters though
much of its range, including Nebraska.
Most were gone before rivers and
streams were dammed or channelized,
further altering their habitat. In other
states, water pollution caused both
by industrial waste and increased
runoff resulting from agricultural
development, affected otters directly
This is one of Audubon’s most dramatic images, and one he duplicated in
oil and sold copies in England and the U.S. The more appropriate name
is river otter, as it is mostly found near rivers.
Efforts to restore river otters began in
1976 and by 1998, 21 states, 10 in the
Midwest, had reintroduced 4,018 otters
to their former range.
Colorado was among the first states
to participate in the program, and
work there may have led to the end
of a 60-year absence of the species in
Nebraska. A female otter trapped in
1977 on Sappa Creek, a Republican
River tributary in Furnas County, may
have come from Colorado, or she
may have been part of a previously
undetected remnant population. Four
other confirmed otter reports came
on the Republican between 1980 and
1985.
In January of 1986, the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission joined
Alaska, had been released there and
at six other sites on the Platte, North
Platte, Calamus, Cedar, Elkhorn and
Niobrara rivers.
Like other predators, young otters
disperse to find new, unoccupied
habitat when they leave their parents.
To track this expansion, Commission
biologists have used reports of
accidentally trapped otters, road kills,
photographs taken by individuals in
the field or trail
cameras – “anything
we could get that
proved otters were
present in an area,”
said Sam Wilson,
furbearer program
SAM WILSON
manager for the
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 19
Otter Facts
The North American river otter
(Lontra Canadensis) is a member
of the Mustelidae family which, in
Nebraska, also includes the mink,
weasel, skunk and badger.
Status: Currently listed as
threatened in Nebraska.
Size: 35 to 53 inches long,
including 12- to 18-inch tail, 11 to
30 pounds, males slightly larger.
River otter range
Description: Dark brown fur on
the upper part of their streamlined
bodies, with a gray to brown
underside; small ears and a long,
tapered, furred tail; short legs with
five webbed toes. Dense, oily fur
has 10,000 hairs per square inch,
which, along with a fat layer under
the skin, helps keep otters warm
in icy water. Eyes atop their head
help them see above water when
partially submerged.
River otter releases
The range of the North American river otter in Nebraska has expanded greatly from the seven locations where otters were reieased.
20 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
recovery elsewhere. The population
that established itself in the Nemaha
River basin in the 1990s likely came
from Missouri, where reintroduction
efforts were wildly successful.
In 2012, biologists used information
obtained from a survey of Nebraska
trappers to guide a search for river
otters in other locations and fill more
gaps on the range map. Trappers
reported seeing otters or otter sign
in 12 counties where there were no
previous records. Armed with that
information, biologists took to the
water and found otters on the Missouri
River near Winnebago, Decatur and
Tekamah. While plenty of otters
had been found in tributaries like
the Nemaha and Niobrara, it was
the first time the species had been
documented on Nebraska’s stretch of
the Missouri. Biologists also used the
survey information to find otters on
the Elkhorn River near West Point, the
first confirmation on that river below
Norfolk.
“We had big gaps where we had
what we assumed was good habitat
but we didn’t have otter records,”
Wilson said. “Part of that is we weren’t
actively searching in all of those
areas.”
And part may be because there
aren’t people trapping beavers in those
stretches of the rivers. Wilson said
the Commission appreciates the work
beaver trappers do, especially when it
comes to controlling populations that
are causing problems. For that reason,
it has always accepted the fact that
some otters would be caught in beaver
traps even when trappers were trying to
avoid them.
Those reports have been key in
tracking expansion of a mammal that
isn’t often seen due to its nature: it
dens underground during the day
and when it is out at night, it is often
underwater. “So they’re very hard
to detect unless you have someone
trapping beavers,” Wilson said.
That fact alone leads Wilson to
believe that there are plenty of miles
of Nebraska rivers to be added to the
otter range map. The recent report
from Lodgepole Creek is an example,
pointing to the possibility that there
could also be otters on the South Platte
River, a major waterway with no
recent records. Sandhill lakes could be
holding more otters than the handful
that have already been found there,
including a few far removed from the
nearest river or stream.
Research
Following the last release of river
otters in 1991, little work was done to
study the animal apart from tracking
their expansion. But recently, biologists
wanted to know more about their home
Reproduction: Reach sexual
maturity at age 2. Females breed
in third year. Breeding occurs in
March or April but through delayed
implantation, fertilized eggs float
in uterus for 9 months before
implanting on wall, followed by a 60
day gestation. Litters of one to six
young, but most often two to three,
are born helpless, open their eyes
at 3 weeks, emerge from den for
first time at 60 days, and can care
for themselves at 5 to 6 months.
Often stay with family longer,
dispersing at 12 to 13 months.
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Commission. This work documented
the expansion of the otters’ range
both up and downstream from the
release sites and eventually into other
rivers, including the Middle and North
Loups, Big and Little Nemaha and,
since 2010, the Little Blue River in
Jefferson County, Plum Creek, a Big
Blue River Tributary in Gage County,
Pumpkin Creek in Duel County, and
the Republican River in Harlan County.
There have now been four confirmed
reports of river otters in the Republican
River near Harlan County Lake since
2010, possibly signaling the start of a
recovery biologists thought had begun
years ago. To conserve resources
and preserve the genetic integrity of
the population biologists hoped was
growing on its own following sightings
in the 1980s, no otters were released
there.
“As it turned out, it took about
30 years to get another otter
confirmation,” Wilson said. “In
hindsight we probably could have
released them there, but we didn’t. It
was logical at the time.”
Wilson won’t be surprised by other
reports that come on the Republican
River between Harlan County Lake
and Kansas, which is a possible source
of the otters found at Harlan, as well
as those found on the Big and Little
Blue rivers. It is just one example of
Nebraska benefitting from the species
Veterinarian Mark Falloon sutures the incision on a river otter after implanting a radio
transmitter. Falloon and fellow Lincoln vet Micah Kohles volunteered to help with the
surgeries, as did other vets from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
range, survival, dispersal and habitat
needs of otters here in the Northern
Prairie region of the Great Plains,
where little such research into the
species had been conducted.
Learning about the habitat needs of
the species was especially important
in the Central Platte River region,
where numerous conservation efforts
by the Commission, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, conservation
groups and individuals were restoring
riverine habitat and could affect
otter populations either positively or
negatively.
“We didn’t know exactly what
types of habitats were most important
to otters or where we should focus
our efforts for conserving or creating
habitat,” Wilson said.
So in 2006, a telemetry study was
launched on a 20-mile stretch of
the Platte River in central Nebraska
between Shelton and Grand Island.
Individual landowners, The Nature
Conservancy and The Crane Trust
Diet: Mostly fish and crayfish, but
these opportunistic feeders also
eat amphibians, insects, mammals
and birds. Excellent swimmers,
otters capture fish by sight and
pursuit in clear water, and can use
their whiskers to locate prey in
murky water. Can stay underwater
for up to four minutes and dive
to depths of 60 feet at speeds of
nearly seven miles per hour.
Habitat: Live in underground
dens, often those built by beavers,
on the banks of rivers, streams,
lakes, ponds, sandpits, marshes
and sloughs.
Communication: Vocalize
through a variety of sounds,
including chirps, grunts and snarls.
Life span: Average of 8 to 9
years and up to 14 years in the
wild, 25 years in captivity.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 21
PHOTO BY BOB GRIER
A river otter eats a crawfish in a slough near Lewellen.
Wood River trapper Joe Jack and
other members of the Nebraska Fur
Harvesters Association was also
critical for the study, just as it had
been in the recovery of the species.
Initial reintroductions were done
in sparsely populated areas with
little trapping pressure, but at the
request of the Commission, trappers
voluntarily avoided certain types of
Otter Sign
Otters run and slide on snow,
leaving a Morse-code-like track.
Otter tracks are 2 to 3 inches wide
and 2 to 4 inches long.
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Otter scat is full of fish scales.
PHOTO BY BOB GRIER
22 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
up in more than one summer prior to
the study, it didn’t run dry again until
after the field work was complete. But
considering the study found that, within
their home range, otters used sandpits,
stock ponds and warmwater sloughs
more than any other type of habitat
available, it’s not hard to imagine
where they would go when the river
did dry up.
In other places where otters have
been studied, primarily in the east,
the rivers run much deeper than the
Platte, Loup and other Nebraska rivers
where otters are found. Even when
those larger rivers are ice-covered in
winter, otters can still access dens on
the riverbank.
With highly-variable water levels,
the Platte is different. When flows are
low in the summer and the depth no
more than a few feet, otters can and do
get around and find frogs, minnows,
crayfish and carp to eat, Wilson said.
But in the winter, when so much of the
Platte is shallow or frozen, there are
few places for otters to forage. “There
is some running channel, but it may not
be accessible because an otter is not
going to chew through 6 inches of ice
to get down to a little bit of water,” he
said. “During those times of the year,
otters really need the open water of
sandpit lakes and sloughs.”
Carp or stocked game fish found
in many pits and ponds are another
draw for the otter, providing a very
dependable food source that is easier
to hunt in winter or summer thanks
to clear water. Beavers create dens in
the banks of pits and ponds that are
accessible year-round to otters, which
typically do not build their own dens.
That is just one aspect of a relationship
between the two mammals that benefits
otters more than beavers. The other is
the dams beavers build, which create
slack-water habitat in which otters can
live and fish.
Otters have no natural predators
when they’re in the water. Above it,
studies in other states have found they
may fall prey to coyotes, bobcats,
foxes, domestic dogs, wolves,
mountain lions, bears and bald eagles.
So sandpits, with den sites, abundant
food and cover, especially when iced
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Kent Fricke sets a trap in the outlet of a slough south of Wood River. Fricke trapped and tracked otters for the Commission as part
of a research project to determine home range, dispersal, survival and habitat needs of otters on the Central Platte River.
abdomen. Within 24 hours, otters were
released in the same location where
they were trapped.
The 18 otters that received
transmitter implants were located two
to four times a week between 2006
and 2009. Additionally, researchers
followed the overnight movements of
the nocturnal mammals on foot or by
vehicle several times during both the
winter and breeding season, noting
their location every 30 minutes from
the time they left their den in the
evening until they denned up again the
next day.
Locating the animals was not always
easy. The range of transmitters in any
telemetry study is limited, but the size
of the transmitters in this study limited
their range under the best conditions.
The terrain of the Platte River Valley,
which may include several streams
separated by sandbars or permanent
islands, sloughs on the edge of the
river and all bounded by riparian forest
further limited the range to much less
than could be detected from the nearest
road. Using a boat or even canoe to
track the animals from the water was
often impossible due to low flows.
The most limiting factor affecting
transmitter range, however, was the
fact that otters spend most of their time
underwater or underground in dens.
All things considered, the range was
sometimes as little as 100 meters, and
as a result, otters sometimes could not
be located for days or even weeks.
But they were located nearly 1,000
times in all, with half of those locations
pinpointing exact den or resting sites.
It was enough for Wilson to determine
the home range – the area in which
they spend the majority of their time
– to be 2,000 to 5,000 acres, numbers
similar to previous research in other
states. “It basically consists, in our
study, of 5 to 10 miles of the Platte
River,” he said. “And then they would
pop over to any associated habitat,
open water areas like old sandpits,
oxbow sloughs or wetlands.” Because
they are not territorial, there was plenty
of overlap in individual home ranges.
Wilson had hoped to see what the
otters did when the Platte dried out in
the summer. Ironically, after drying
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
allowed Wilson and his crew access
to some of the best otter habitat in the
region for the study, and foot-hold
traps were set in areas rich with sign,
including latrines and trails. The traps
were modified to reduce injury to the
otters, and no bait was used on the
traps to reduce the chance of capturing
raccoons or other common mammals.
Wilson said the assistance of
trap sets within 20 miles of the release
sites, including body-gripping traps,
trapping near beaver dens or lodges
and where otter sign was found. As
otter numbers rose in the Central Platte
region, trappers learned to avoid other
locations, especially short crossover
trails between rivers or streams and
sandpits or sloughs, and shared that
insight with Wilson. “They pointed
to the exact spots that they’d been
avoiding for the last 10 years,” Wilson
said. “They’d tell me, ‘I would catch
an otter if I’d set my trap here, but I
don’t. So if you want to catch an otter,
put it right there.’ And we did and we
caught otters.”
Trapped otters were transported to
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Animal Research Facility, where they
were anesthetized so veterinarians from
UN-L and the Lincoln Children’s Zoo
could surgically implant a shotgunshell-sized radio transmitter in their
Otters may consume a fish on top
of the ice, leaving the head behind.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 23
and then slide on their bellies, often
up to 15 feet, and repeat the process to
get where they need to go, leaving a
Morse-code like trail of dots and dashes
in their wake that is easy to spot.
Wilson said research in northern
states had found otters don’t move as
often in the winter, especially when it’s
cold. As he suspected, the same held
true for Nebraska otters. Some never
Kent Fricke releases a river otter into a slough south of Wood River. Fricke had
trapped it in the same location a day before and transported it to Lincoln where
a radio transmitter was surgically implanted.
24 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
left the sandpit, or even came above the
ice, for weeks.
“It is interesting when you go there
in person, day after day for a month,
and you can detect an otter under the
ice with your telemetry equipment and
you know it’s right there, and there’s
fresh snow and there’s no tracks. No
evidence of it whatsoever. Nothing,”
Wilson said.
With a smorgasbord of fish at their
doorstep, otters have no reason to leave
lakes or sloughs. An efficient predator
that some have called “water wolves,”
otters have little trouble catching fish
slowed by cold. This was plainly
illustrated by a female that didn’t move
more than 100 yards from her den site
in an ice-covered sandpit during an
overnight tracking session. A month
later, she moved 6 miles during an
overnight tracking session, the most
recorded by any of the animals studied.
Apart from winter, the study found
otters do indeed put on some miles in
search of food, a mate, a natal den, or,
in the case of dispersing otters, a new
home range.
How mobile the animals are was
illustrated early in the reintroduction
program. A male otter trapped in
Idaho and released on the Calamus
River in November 1987 was caught
in a trap set for beaver on the Platte
River in Douglas County 33 days later,
201 river miles away. Another male
released on the South Loup River in
Custer County in March of 1987 was
trapped a little more than a year later
in the Missouri River near Herman,
Missouri, 700 miles downstream.
Sometimes an otter’s trip up or down
river took them back to the same den
site. But otters are opportunistic and
will den up wherever one can be found.
A study in Idaho documented a single
otter’s use of 88 different den sites.
The 18 otters tracked in Wilson’s study
were found in 127 unique dens, and
undoubtedly used more.
Two male otters researchers
were tracking left the study area.
Researchers weren’t able to locate one
until they flew the river in an airplane
and found it briefly near Columbus,
92 miles from where it was captured,
before it disappeared again. Another set
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
over, are “perfect habitat for otters
along the Platte River,” Wilson said.
In fact, the otters’ affinity for
sandpits may prove the primary survey
method the Commission has used
to track river otters to be unreliable,
Wilson said. For decades, biologists
have looked near bridges for the
distinctive tracks otters leave in snow.
The playful critters run for a few steps
A river otter pauses after emerging from a beaver den on the Platte River on the Crane Trust property south of Alda. Three otters,
including one that was carrying a surgically implanted radio transmitter, and two beavers emerged from the den.
up a new home range 53 miles to the
northeast near Central City, where the
presence of otters had previously been
documented just once. That male was
caught in a beaver trap within that new
home range in 2010, four years after its
transmitter was implanted. That turned
out be the only documented death of an
otter in the study.
Annual survival of otters is high
when compared to many small
mammals, ranging from 70 percent or
greater in states with a legal trapping
season to 80 percent or more in areas
with no harvest, according to research.
Wilson was pleased and yet still
somewhat surprised that no otters died
during his study, a first for a study
sample of this size and duration.
He was also pleased at the results
of a companion study that collected
otter scat and used DNA analysis to
estimate the population density of river
otters in the study area at about one
every two-thirds of a mile, a number he
categorized as “very high.”
Researchers floated the river
searching the banks and sandbars for
communal latrines, spots where otters
leave the water to not only deposit scat
but also leave scent markings, a form
of communication, that are conspicuous
in nature due to their size. Sites were
visited twice, two weeks apart, and the
DNA testing was used to determine
the number of otters using each latrine
and then estimate the number of otters
living in the study area.
The resulting data places the otter
population in the study area among the
highest ever recorded in the country.
Wilson said, however, that few studies
have used DNA samples to estimate
population, so that could factor into the
high density. So could the topography
of the Platte compared to other rivers.
“A lot of previous studies have taken
place in rivers in the East, where you
have one deep channel,” Wilson said.
“The Platte is really, in some places,
six or seven rivers in one. It’s more
of a habitat complex than a river, and
that’s a qualifier that could account for
the high density.”
Future
Wilson isn’t certain what Nebraska’s
otter population is, but believes a new
study, paired with his research, will
allow biologists to soon develop an
estimate. Students in the Nebraska
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife
Research Unit at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln are now scouring
the state’s rivers for more evidence
of otters, using scat surveys and trail
cameras to document the presence
of otters in a study that will continue
through fall 2015.
When biologists have a better idea
how many miles of those rivers are
occupied by otters, they will use known
population densities formulated here
and elsewhere to develop the estimate.
Wilson isn’t certain that the otter
population is high enough in Nebraska
to allow trapping, as Iowa, Missouri,
Kansas and other states now do. But he
does believe it may be time to consider
removing river otters from the state’s
list of threatened and endangered
species. “With high survival rates and
continued expansion, it may be time to
focus recovery efforts on other species
in more critical need,” he said.
To make those changes is part of “a
giant success story,” Wilson said. “If
you look at maps from 1970, much of
the Midwest was basically devoid of
otters. This is a rare type of success,
that you can have an animal that’s done
so well after being completely gone for
so long.
“At least in my mind, it’s a success
when an animal comes off the
threatened and endangered list. Then
your resources are reallocated to the
species of plants, animals and insects
that really need it the most right now.
Otters were there in the past, but now
they’re doing really well.”
Through these continued efforts, the
river otter will once again be a staple
along the waterways of Nebraska. ■
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 25
40 Years a Steward
An Interview with Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission Director Jim Douglas
By Amy Kucera
I had a lot of curiosity about the natural world
as a kid
id I llived in a small town in central Illinois that was
kid.
essentially rural in nature. I spent a lot of time in the woods
and the creeks.
But there was a rule, that until I was a certain age, I could
only go to the first creek. There were three parallel creeks
that were about a quarter mile apart, so I could go down
into the first creek when I was 6 years old. But I had to be
8 or 9 before I could go to the second creek – older, wiser. I
couldn’t go to the third creek until I was about 12. And after
I made the third creek and saw all of its wonders, one of my
older brothers said, “Well, that’s nothing, if you keep going,
there’s a river.”
so I could be a wildlife biologist, he didn’t seem thrilled.
After some time passed, he did two things that I’ll never
forget. He said, “If you can work and save $1,000 per year,
I’ll pay the rest.” This was a big commitment for a factory
worker with four kids. He also handed me a book titled,
How to Make a Living at Conservation. I don’t think he’d
been in a library since high school. And there wasn’t exactly
a bookstore on every corner. I still have that book to this day.
At UM, I was in an atmosphere where wildlife and
conservation issues of the day were front and center. There
were many nationally prominent university professors
there. It was an era on the heels of the Wilderness Act and
other environmental legislation. The Cooperative Wildlife
Research Units were becoming more prominent in wildlife
research. The plight of grizzly bears was on the forefront
at that point in time, and the Cooperative Research Unit at
UM had Frank and John Craighead, who were the leading
researchers for grizzly bears at Yellowstone National Park.
I cherish my time there. It motivated me to want to continue
to be involved in conservation.
Q:
Q:
Q:
What are your earliest memories of being
outdoors?
What inspired you to go down the
conservation career path?
My dad was quite
a ho
hhorse
rsse per
r
person.
He was born
in Kentucky and later lived in
d
southern Illinois and exercised
racehorses. When I was 10, hee
lassoed my neighbor’s wild
pony and brought it home
as part of a trade and I had
Tony the Pony. I kept him
out at my uncle’s farm a half
mile away. By then, I was
old enough to help with my
Jim, cousin Kevin, and
Tony
uncle’s farm chores. I was
the Pony in 1961.
always interested in taking care of animals.
My dad was a hunter also, so I was exposed early on to
hunting and fishing with my brothers and cousin. We hunted
rabbits with beagle hounds. When I was about eight, my
beagle brought back a young rabbit during the summer. He
hadn’t killed it, but its skin was damaged so I glued the skin
back on using a bottle of LePage’s glue. It wasn’t the best
thing to do, but it was the thought that counted. It was a start.
I had wanted to be a veterinarian. I initially studied prevet medicine in Illinois for a couple years but decided to
transfer to the University of Montana-Missoula (UM). I had
a full-ride scholarship to go to any state school in Illinois, so
when I told my dad I wanted him to pay out-of-state tuition
26 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Describe how your career aspirations have
changed throughout the course of time.
didn’t
exactly what I wanted to do; I just wanted
I di
didn
dn’t
’t know
k
tto do something to make a difference in conservation. I
hhad first worked part-time for Montana Fish and Game on
aan elk telemetry project while I was going to school and
was pleased when I had the chance to go to work for the
w
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in 1974. I was in
N
tthe fisheries division at the North Platte Fish Hatchery and
llearned more about
N
Nebraska, traveling
aaround the state stocking
ffish.
I can’t remember
aactually charting a course,
bbut I did want to move
in
n different elements of
into
tthe agency as time moved
th
oon.
on
n I went into habitat
m
management, then later on
into
in
n wildlife management,
and moved east toward
aan
thee headquarters between
tth
119
1977-78. Once I got
tth
there
he and became more
familiar
ffa
am
with all the
operations
ope
oop
e
of the agency
Jim an
Ji
and
nd c
cousin
ousin
iin K
Kevin
Kev
eviin h
hold
hol
ld
ld
and
d accomplishments that
matching pellet guns on
Christmas in 1961.
occur because of so many
great people, I became even more aware of how dedicated
the Commission employees are. There was something about
that – it made me want to do my best. It seems as if you do
your best, you end up with opportunities to take on other
responsibilities and I’ve been fortunate in that regard.
Later on, I was asked by Director Rex Amack to combine
the two divisions of wildlife and resource services and create
a plan for the efficient implementation of that combination,
and essentially manage both of those as one. It became the
new wildlife division in 1995.
I decided for sure that I needed some additional training
and education to be the most effective administrator that
I could be, and I went back to school every Saturday for
two years at Bellevue University to receive my Master’s
degree in management. And that was, from my viewpoint,
extremely valuable when I was named Deputy Director in
2010 and became Director in 2012.
Q:
Obviously, you’ve seen a lot of changes.
What is one of the most notable that
you’ve witnessed?
think
that most of the changes in the agency reflect
I thin
nk th
our response to changes in society. Of course, one of the
big challenges we have is making sure people are still
thinking about getting outdoors and what effect they can
have on conservation, the landscape, fish and wildlife. All
of the other activities available to people with electronic
technology have caused us to change our programing and
emphasize some things more than we did at one point in
time. Now we think about messaging more in different
venues and fashions, offering more hands-on training,
outdoor experiences and opportunities, and think more about
availability and access to the outdoors, especially for young
people.
Q:
Kevin, Jim and Uncle Leroy after a rabbit hunt in 1966.
What are some of the most memorable
experiences or moments in those last 40
years?
Well,
Well
We
ll there
thhe is so much. When we reorganized and
combined the wildlife and resource services divisions, we
greatly enhanced our capabilities to interact with private
landowners on the landscape and to improve wildlife habitat.
We put a lot of boots on the ground, to go out and be part
of the agricultural community, to work with landowners and
organizations to try to influence peoples’ decisions to engage
in wildlife-friendly practices on the landscape. Having a
major part in that initiative is very gratifying to me. I am
also pleased to have been a part of the success of our big
game program for sheep, elk and deer.
And I’m feeling good about things that are happening
right now. We’re putting more emphasis on professional
and efficient communications, we’ve changed the way
that we identify, hire and train conservation officers, and
we’ve created an integrated workforce mentality where
there is a lot more cross-functional training and activity
between divisions. We’ve done a major assessment of the
needs of our park system and sought additional resources.
We have a plan to reorganize our parks division to bring
consistency in regards to management and budgeting. We
are also developing more employee-friendly practices and
opportunities for engagement, including a new employee
orientation program that involves getting some new
employees out to meet people and see the great assets of our
state.
Q:
You’ve maintained a strong commitment
to conservation in your life. How do you
inspire others to care for the natural
resources?
I think most people actually have the right motivations.
Sometimes, they just don’t know exactly what to do, or they
don’t realize that they need to do something. Ask yourself
what kind of world you want to live in and leave for your
kids. Is it a world that still has areas of natural beauty? Of
course you’d say yes to clean air, fresh water, to preserving
some of the natural landscape and rivers. How about
opportunities to enjoy our outdoors?
If you really want to help, we’ll certainly help you find
a way. Become a
volunteer for us.
Kids have just as
much fun fishing
today as they did 40
years ago and many
go for the first
time through our
volunteer program.
You don’t have
to be the leader of
the state fish, game
and park agency to
do something about
conservation, just
be cognizant, do
what you can and
also support those
whose job and
mission it is to do Jim’s father Newt came to Nebraska for
something about it fishing and hunting trips every year for
nearly 40 years.
every day. ■
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 27
Crawfish
What You’ll Need
Tools needed for a crawfish boil:
●
Large stock
pot (if cooking
for a few people)
● Large
aluminum pot
with lid and
basket (for a
large group)
● Aluminum or
wood paddle/
spoon for
stirring
● Propane
burner
● Large
cooler
Catch and Cook
Story and photos by Julie Geiser
Nebraskans can enjoy a southern favorite - an
authentic crawfish boil.
N
ebraskans may not live in one
of the southern states where
crawfish boils are a beloved
tradition, but during fall in Nebraska
there is a good supply of crawfish for
the taking.
Crawfish – also commonly known as
crayfish, crawdads or mudbugs – are
smaller versions of lobsters and taste
just as good. Collecting crawfish, as I
have done since childhood, is an easy
process if you know when and where
to find them.
The Nebraska Public Power District
Sutherland Supply Canal that runs
between Sutherland and North Platte is
a great place to start, as it is typically
de-watered once a year, usually after
the irrigation season has ended, for
inspections and repairs of the canal
walls.
Look for water holes from the road,
then with a pair of hip boots or muck
boots, a small dip net, a couple fivegallon buckets and steady feet, traverse
down the steep, rocky sides of the
canal and inspect these water holes
more closely.
Though some holes house only a few
crawfish, others can be honey holes.
Hitting several holes is sometimes
needed to gather enough of the
mudbugs to make one meal or feed a
backyard full of hungry friends.
From there, it is home to clean and
Netting crawfish during times of low water in the canal is easy with a simple dip net;
make sure your net is of legal size and material.
28 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
prepare them for the cooking pot.
Dump the crawfish into a cooler or
other large container and wash them
off with clean water to remove mud or
debris. Some people purge crawfish by
giving them a salt bath.
Salt baths are done by placing the
crawfish in a cooler then sprinkling
about one third to one half of a onepound can of salt over them. Cover
them with water and soak them, then
rinse again in water before placing
in the pot. Personally, I don’t purge
crawfish; from all my research it is not
necessary.
For cooking, fill a pot half full of
water – make sure the water will cover
the crawfish during the cooking process.
Start heating the water and add spices.
There are several spice packets available
or make your own spice mixture. I use
Zatarain’s Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab
Boil Bags (one bag per four pounds of
crawfish) or my own combination of
spices (see page 29 sidebar). Squeeze
two lemons in the water as well for four
pounds of crawfish.
While boiling the water and spice
mixture – about 20 minutes with the
lid on the pot – prepare the side fixings
that are a must for a crawfish boil:
Potatoes, sliced in half if larger than
two inches, carrots, frozen corn-on-thecob, sausage cut in two-to-three inch
pieces, garlic cloves and onions cut in
halves or quarters. Any favorite sides
that can be put into the boiling pot can
be used – the sky is the limit here, be
creative.
Potatoes and carrots will need to
be placed in the pot first as they take
From catching crawfish to the crawfish boil with all the fixings, the process is simple
and provides a unique meal for Nebraskans. Melt some butter, get your favorite
beverage and enjoy.
longer to cook. The items that do not
need as much cooking time,
such as corn-on-the-cob,
will be last. Cover and
boil. Once the potatoes
are starting to soften, it’s
time to add the crawfish.
The key is to not allow
the sides to get mushy.
Add the crawfish on top
of the sides and make sure
they will be covered
with the spicy water.
Stir with a large
paddle or spoon,
cover and bring
them to a rolling
boil as quickly as
possible; once they
are boiling cook for four
or five minutes then shut off the heat.
After the heat is off, put the frozen
corn in and stir; this cooks the corn
and starts cooling the concoction. Pour
a small bag of ice over the crawfish;
this helps the shocking process, which
stops the cooking.
Stir the mixture and taste a crawfish
to test. Overcooking the crawfish
will make the shells hard to crack
open and the meat over-done. If the
texture is rubbery, the tail meat is not
done enough. If it’s falling apart, it’s
overcooked.
This is the time when the sides and
the crawfish can soak up all the great
spice flavors in the water. Pouring
spices over the top of the crawfish does
not give the mudbugs their great flavor,
soaking does.
I soak them for about 15 to 20
minutes then sample a crawfish for the
desired flavor. Those wishing to have
a spicier flavor may want to soak them
for 30 to 40 minutes.
When the soaking is finished, drain
and dump the sides and crawfish into
a clean serving platter, trough or do as
some in the South and
place the meal on a table
covered with newspaper
for
f all to pick through
and
a enjoy.
For extreme eaters that
want
w the entire crawfish
experience,
break the
e
crawfish at the natural
spot in the middle, then put your lips
on the opening to the body and draw in
the juices.
For those of you who only want the
tail meat, peel off the first segment of
the shell around the tail, then pinch the
end to make the rest of the tail meat
pop out.
Start the cooking process over again
from the beginning if cooking for a
large group of people. The spicy water
can be re-used, just add more water or
remove water to the proper level and
add more spices if needed.
The cooking process does take a
about an hour, but the meal is well
worth the wait. ■
●
Seasonings
Crawfish
● Lemons
● Ice
● Paper towels
and trash bags
● Sides for the
meal
●
Spices for a large cooking pot
mixture:
● 1 tablespoon ground black
peppercorns
● 1 tablespoon ground coriander
seeds
● 2 tablespoons ground cloves
● 11⁄2 tablespoons ground allspice
● 1⁄2 pound kosher salt
● 4 tablespoons cayenne pepper
● 2 tablespoons garlic powder
● 2 tablespoons paprika
● 1 tablespoon onion powder
● 1 tablespoon dried thyme
● 1 tablespoon dried oregano
● 6 bay leaves, crumbled
What’s Legal
● T
There
Th
he
ere
re
e is
is no
no p
po
possession
osse
ssessi
ss
se
s
ess
ssion
on llim
li
limit
im
mi on
crawfish.
● The possession or use of
electrical gear capable of stunning
fish is prohibited.
● Anyone over the age of 16 must
have a bait dealer’s license in order
to sell crawfish.
● Crawfish may be captured by hook
and line, by hand or by legal fish nets
and traps as described below:
● Baitfish seines of 1⁄4-inch,
nonmetallic square mesh only and
not more than 20 feet long and four
feet deep.
● Baitfish dip nets of 1⁄4-inch,
nonmetallic square mesh. Neither
length nor width may exceed 36
inches.
● Baitfish and bait traps of 1⁄4-inch
square mesh material with a length
of 24 inches or less, a diameter of
16 inches or less and a throat two
inches or less in diameter.
● Raised minnow traps, with the
baitfish removed every 24 hours.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 29
NEBRASKAland Magazine’s
PHOTO LEFT AND OPPOSTE PAGE BY DOUG STEINKE
Waterfowl
Hunting Nebraska
T
o those whose hearts are stirred by the
ssound of whistling wings and quacking
m
mallards, wildlife is something even more
than this. It is not merely an acquired taste; the
instinct that finds delight in the sight and pursuit
of game is bred into the very fiber of the race.
Golf is sophisticated exercise, but the love of
hunting is almost a physiological characteristic.
A man may not care for golf and still be human,
but the man who does not like to see, hunt,
photograph, or otherwise outwit birds or animals
is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for
one do not know how to deal with him.
– Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
30 NEBRASKAland • October 2014
A Guide to Where and When to Hunt
Waterfowl in Nebraska
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine 31
N
EBRASKA IS BLESSED WITH A VARIETY OF WETLAND HABITATS
E
EB
th
h waterfowl use both during fall and spring migration, habitats that also
that
pprovide for different hunting opportunities throughout the season and
pr
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the state. With teal season beginning in September, the light
ggoose conservation order in February, and the regular duck and goose
go
seasons in
i between,
b
Nebraska hunters have much to look forward to.
Prior Planning
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
Rynn Hollrah of Whitney waits for ducks to approach his blind, which was constructed from tree limbs that
had fallen after an early blizzard.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
PHOTO BY RICK RASMUSSEN
If new to Nebraska, coming from outside Nebraska, or wanting to
explore new or different areas of the state, waterfowl hunters first
need to consider when and what they plan to hunt. If individuals
want a combination waterfowl/grouse hunt, that will dictate a lot of
when and where they need to go. If hunters can only visit during
Thanksgiving break, or near Christmas, these times will also
dictate hunting location.
Hunters should also consider what equipment they have.
While a good johnboat is mandatory on a place like the
Missouri River, waders or even hip boots can be used in
many areas of the state throughout the waterfowl seasons.
Additionally, waterfowl hunting in Nebraska requires
a lot of flexibility in both timing and location, for
both in the fall regular seasons and the light goose
conservation order. Being a mid-latitude state,
Nebraska is more subject to the whims of weather
than its neighbors to the north and south. A
timely cold front can bring in migrating
ducks and make for excellent hunting, but a
prolonged warm spell wouldn’t be good.
Also, finding water on the landscape
can be as important as hitting the next
cold front. Those hunters who can
be flexible are likely to have more
success.
A drake wood duck stands on top of a log on a private pond in Hall County.
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine
Successful hunters also have to invest time into scouting areas for waterfowl.
While the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission provides some information
regarding water conditions for certain areas of the state, hunters need to
investigate other areas and gather information on local waterfowl abundance
and conditions. The variable weather conditions in Nebraska could also mean
that an area that was full of ducks last year may be dry this year, making
planning one of waterfowl hunting’s most valuable steps.
Waterfowl Harvest in Nebraska
PHOTO BY LUKE KATHOL
Although a variety of waterfowl migrate through Nebraska, the primary
species of waterfowl that hunters encounter are dabbling ducks and Canada
geese. In fact, since 1999, 96 percent of the duck harvest in Nebraska has been
comprised of dabbling ducks, such as the mallard, gadwall, blue- and greenwinged teal, pintail, American wigeon, shoveler and wood duck, and
93 percent of the goose harvest was Canada geese.
Hunters can encounter diving ducks and other geese during regular fall
hunting seasons, but if a white-front goose hunt of a lifetime is what you’re
after, Nebraska is probably not the place to start. However, during the light
goose conservation order, millions of snow and Ross’s geese will stop in
Nebraska before heading north, and Nebraska is one of the leading states in the
Central Flyway in light goose harvest during that period.
Breaking down duck harvest in Nebraska requires one more step, and
that’s separating mallards from the rest of the dabbling ducks. As with other
Central Flyway states, Nebraska’s duck harvest is comprised of 50-60 percent
mallards, with the majority of these being harvested in November. Conversely,
dabbling duck harvest other than mallards is late September and throughout
October, ending about mid-November. On average, the period in late October
and early November appears to be the best for total duck harvest.
Canada goose harvest is primarily large Canada geese, from resident flocks
in Canada, the Dakotas and Nebraska. About 20 percent of the Canada goose
Ethan Teter of Sargent and Mark Peterson of Taylor hunt ducks and geese in a warmwater slough off the North Loup River near Taylor.
Average Daily Harvest of Mallard and Other Ducks in Nebraska 2002-2010
MALLARDS
Approximate migration chronology of light geese during the
Light Goose Conservation Order in Nebraska, 2000-2013
OTHER DUCKS
Year
Light Goose
Arrival
Light Goose
Departure
Peak
Migration
2000
February 7
March 20
February 24
2001
March 7
March 22
March 14
2002
February 14
March 22
March 15
2003
March 7
March 21
March 14
2004
February 22
March 8
March 1
2005
February 4
March 8
February 27
2006
February 1
March 8
March 1
2007
February 21
March 11
March 7
2008
February 24
March 16
March 7
2009
February 7
March 21
March 6
2010
March 1
March 14
March 7
2011
February 16
March 18
March 10
2012
February 17
March 5
February 25
2013
February 5
March 19
March 1
12,000
10,000
8,000
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
6,000
4,000
2,000
A pair of Canada geese cup their wings toward a decoy spread
in Lancaster County.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
3
8
01
/1
3
01
/0
9
01
/0
4
12
/2
9
12
/2
4
12
/1
9
12
/1
4
12
/0
9
12
/0
4
11
/2
11
/2
14
11
/
09
04
11
/
30
11
/
10
/
25
20
10
/
15
10
/
10
/
10
05
10
/
10
/
9/
30
0
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine
PHOTO BY RICK RASMUSSEN
harvest in Nebraska is comprised of smaller, Arctic-nesting geese. These
geese tend to migrate earlier in the fall than their larger counterparts. In
Nebraska, December and January are the key months to pursue Canada geese.
For white-fronts and snow geese in the fall, a good generalization would be
that white-fronts would tend to follow the timing of dabbling ducks and snow
geese. However, the peak for snow geese would typically be an abrupt halt
when conditions cause lakes, ponds and most reservoirs to freeze. During the
light goose conservation order, the typical peak of migration is the few days
prior to or just after March 1.
American wigeon drakes cross a private pond in Hall County.
Pintail drakes fly in
formation above Funk
Waterfowl Production
Area in Phelps County.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
PHOTO BY RICK RASMUSSEN
PHOTO BY RICK RASMUSSEN
PHOTO BY DOUG STEINKE
Waterfowl hunters should attempt to blend into their environment as much as
possible, using ghillie suits and other camouflage to hide effectively.
A white-fronted goose stands on the ice
on a private pond in Hall County.
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine
Western Alkaline
Sandhills
Niobrara
Sandhills Boarders
Elkhorn
Todd Valley
Lower Platte
Southwest Playas
Lower North Platte
Missouri
River
Playa
Riverine
Saline/Alkaline
Sandhills
Wetland Habitats in Nebraska
The different wetland complexes in Nebraska provide a
variety of experiences for waterfowl hunters during both
early and late season hunting. In general, wetland complexes
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
Central Table Playas
in the Sandhills, Rainwater Basin, Southwest and Central
Table playas and elsewhere are relatively shallow and
typically freeze up in November.
The rivers and reservoirs provide late season hunting
Central Platte
Rainwater
Basin
Loup/Platte River
Sandhills
Eastern Saline
opportunities and some portions may have open water
throughout most of the fall and winter. A hunter’s equipment
and the timing of a hunt will determine the type of wetland
where they’re most likely to find hunting success.
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PHOTO BY LUKE KATHOL
A drake northern shoveler feeds on a lake near Elm Creek.
Sandhills
Habitat: Shallow lakes and marshes. Deeper portions
of lakes can be greater than eight foot in depth, likely with
emergent vegetation on edges. Bottoms of some lakes/marshes
may be solid, others are very soft and mucky.
When to hunt: October and early November.
Primary species encountered: Dabbling and diving ducks,
Canada geese.
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
PHOTO BY DOUG STEINKE
Eric Fowler of Lincoln and Ryan Hawley of Gretna hunt ducks on Rice Lake,
one of three lakes on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge open to waterfowl hunting.
Mallard drakes and hens return to the Platte River near Lexington
after feeding.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
Equipment needed: Small boat or canoe
recommended.
Public hunting areas: Few. Valentine and Crescent
Lake National Wildlife refuges, several wildlife
management areas.
Comments: The Sandhills of north-central Nebraska
offers a unique hunting experience. A combination
waterfowl/prairie grouse hunt is possible. The landscape
is relatively undeveloped with few roads and offers a
more laid-back hunt with low hunting pressure. However,
low hunting pressure can actually be a disadvantage as
waterfowl will fly to the next lake and not be disturbed.
The vast majority of lakes are privately owned and access
may make it difficult to scout for waterfowl. The large
ranches may make locating landowners difficult.
A Hunter’s Guide
Region
Sandhills
Numbers of
Ducks
Numbers of
Geese
Hunting
Pressurre
Public Areas
Available
Specialized
Equipment
Fair
Fair
Low
Few
Boat
Rainwater Basin
Very Good
Very Good
High
Abundant
None
SW/Central Table Playas
Inconsistent
Inconsistent
Low
Very Few
None
Platte Rivers
Very Good
Very Good
High
Few
Some
Other Rivers
Very Good
Very Good
High in Some
Few
Some
Good
Good
Fair
Good
Boat
Fair
Good
Mod to high
Fair
Boat
Reservoirs
Other Lakes and Ponds
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine
Timely rains fill playa wetlands like these
in Perkins County, creating valuable
waterfowl habitat.
PHOTO BY DOUG STEINKE
Habitat: Emergent marshes, typically less than 24 inches in depth.
When to hunt: October and early November, teal during September season.
Primary species encountered: Dabbling ducks, Canada and white-fronted
geese in fall, snow and Ross’s geese during Conservation Order.
Equipment needed: Concealment often difficult, given shallow water and
lack of tall emergent vegetation. Material for temporary blind or concealment
recommended. Blinds on public areas must be removed daily.
Public hunting areas: Abundant. Over 90 waterfowl production areas and
wildlife management areas in region.
Comments: The Rainwater Basin area is popular, given the amount of
public land available and the shallow marshes that allow most hunters to
access them with no need for specialized equipment. Hunting pressure can
be intense on weekends, but weekdays see fewer hunters. Concealment from
waterfowl is probably one of the more challenging issues facing hunters in the
Rainwater Basin. Water conditions vary annually, so hunters need to put some
time into scouting for water as well as ducks and geese.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
Rainwater Basin
A drake blue-winged teal feeds in the
shallows of Cottonwood Lake State
Recreation Area near Merriman.
Southwest/Central Table Playas
Dave McDermott and wife Angela
teal hunt at Ducks Unlimited’s Verona
Complex in Clay County.
PHOTO BY LUKE KATHOL
A drake green-winged teal swims across a pond near Overton.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
Habitat: Emergent marshes, typically less than 24 inches in
depth.
When to hunt: October and early November, teal in
September season for southwest playas.
Primary species encountered: Dabbling ducks.
Equipment needed: Concealment often difficult, given
shallow water and lack of tall emergent vegetation. Material for
temporary blind or concealment recommended. Blinds on public
areas must be removed daily.
Public hunting areas: Very few.
Comments: The Southwest and Central Table playas probably
receive the least amount of hunting pressure of all Nebraska
wetland types. One reason is that they are dry more than they
are wet, but when rains fill up the wetlands, they can provide
excellent hunting. The vast majority are in private ownership,
so tracking down landowners may take extra time. Like the
Rainwater Basin wetlands, concealment from waterfowl can be
a challenge. When there is water in these playas, hunters need to
take advantage of them as they may be dry for several years.
Platte Rivers
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Habitat: Flowing water, some backwater areas, sandbars.
When to hunt: November-January.
Primary species encountered: Mallards, other dabbling
ducks, Canada geese.
Equipment needed: Decoys may need heavier anchors to
deal with flowing water. Extra consideration of the retrieval
of shot waterfowl is needed given flowing waters.
Public hunting areas: Few.
Comments: There actually are three Platte Rivers – the
North, South and the main Platte – all of which can provide
some excellent waterfowl hunting. Most areas along
the Platte have been leased and public access is limited.
Water flows can vary both annually, as well as daily, and
may be somewhat treacherous during icy conditions. The
rivers probably have the highest densities of hunters, and
waterfowl see a lot of other decoy spreads. Making your
spread different from others and proper concealment may
help in decoying birds.
Hunters watch for the first flight of Canada geese as the sun rises over the Platte River on a late season hunt near Wood River.
PHOTO BY RICK RASMUSSEN
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Left: Wes Gilbert fixes breakfast in the duck boat blind at
Sutherland Reservoir. Above: A drake ring-necked
duck swims across a private pond in Hall County.
Clint Sejkora of Burchard and Grant Brueggemann of Peru hunt a pumped wetland at
Langdon Bend Wildlife Management Area near Nemaha.
Reservoirs
Habitat: Flowing water, some backwater areas, sandbars.
When to hunt: Variable, depending on river, typically October-January.
Primary species encountered: Mallards, other dabbling ducks, Canada geese.
Equipment needed: Decoys may need heavier anchors to deal with flowing
water. For the Missouri River, including Lewis and Clark Lake, at least a 16 foot
john or other boat is necessary.
Public hunting areas: Few, mostly on Loups and Missouri rivers.
Comments: Other river systems primarily include the Missouri, Loups,
Republican, Niobrara, Cedar and the Calamus. Others may be the Elkhorn, Little
and Big Blues, Nemahas and Dismal. The vast majority of land along river
systems is privately owned – including that under the water, so permission is
required. Hunting variable and typically more late season, although hunting wood
ducks and other dabbling ducks is possible. River systems in Nebraska can offer
excellent waterfowl hunting when conditions are right and offer lower pressure on
most compared to the Platte rivers.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
PHOTO BY JULIE GEISER
River Systems (e.g., Missouri, Loup)
Habitat: Open water, shallow fringes.
When to hunt: October-January.
Primary species encountered: Dabbling and diving
ducks, Canada geese.
Equipment needed: Boat to hunt from, access areas and
retrieve downed waterfowl is recommended. Longer decoy
cord may be necessary given deeper water.
Public hunting areas: All reservoirs are open to hunting,
but some may have a portion of them in refuge. Consult
regulations before hunting.
Comments: Reservoirs typically provide better waterfowl
hunting after more shallow habitats have frozen, but can
offer early season opportunity in the upper ends. Having a
boat with blind is probably the best way to hunt reservoirs
and provides more flexibility to areas where waterfowl may
be. With wind and icy conditions, hunting reservoirs may be
more hazardous than other habitats.
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Steve O’Hare of Raymond picks up goose decoys after an afternoon hunt on a farm pond near Lincoln.
Watershed Lakes and Ponds
Other Opportunities
Habitat: Open water, shallow fringes.
When to hunt: October-December.
Primary species encountered: Dabbling and diving
ducks, Canada geese, snow and Ross’s geese during light
geese conservation order.
Equipment needed: Boat to hunt from, access areas and
retrieve downed waterfowl is recommended. Longer decoy
cord may be necessary given deeper water.
Public hunting areas: Fairly abundant, most are located
as part of Salt Valley lakes and through local Natural
Resource Districts in eastern Nebraska.
Comments: Most lakes and ponds are privately-owned.
Waterfowl abundance can vary seasonally and annually
depending on food resources and other factors (e.g.,
disturbance). Boat blind may be best option to use for
hunting the bigger lakes. If not public land, pressure usually
light and a small boat or canoe may be necessary to retrieve
downed waterfowl.
Habitat: Shallow marshes, agricultural fields.
When to hunt: October-April (light goose conservation
order)
Primary species encountered: Mallards, Canada geese,
snow and Ross’s geese.
Equipment needed: Layout blinds, field decoys.
Public hunting areas: Very few.
Comments: Other opportunities exist on other wetland
complexes in Nebraska, such as the Todd Valley wetlands
in eastern Nebraska or the various creeks. In addition to
wetlands, field hunting for mallards and Canada geese
during fall and winter can be found. Scouting is the
key to find fields. Pursuing snow geese during the light
goose conservation order will likely be done from fields.
Fields will be privately-owned, so landowner permission
is necessary. Field hunting is probably underutilized
in Nebraska, and can provide some excellent hunting
opportunity. ■
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska was printed in the
October 2014 issue of
NEBRASKAland Magazine, published by the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission.
Additional copies of this publication can be requested by
contacting the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200
North 33rd Street, Lincoln, NE 68503
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska is
written by Dr. Mark Vrtiska, the
waterfowl program manager for
the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission. Originally from
Beatrice, Vrtiska has worked for
the Commission since 1999.
Any program that receives federal funding from the National Park Service, or the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, marital
status, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, facility, or service, should contact the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, Lincoln, NE 402-471-0641, the Equal Opportunity Commission, Lincoln, NE 402-471-2024,
TTY/TDD 402-471-4693; United States Fish Wildlife Service, Civil Rights Coordinator, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,
Arlington, VA 22203; Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service,
1849 C Street NW, Mail Code 0008, Washington, D.C. 20240-0001.
NEBRASKAland Magazine • Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska
Waterfowl Hunting Nebraska • NEBRASKAland Magazine 47
Hunt of a Lifetime
One Nebraska hunter began dreaming of elk hunting when he was a boy.
Little did he know that dream would be fulfilled in his home state.
Hennecke, a Nebraska hunter education
instructor, displays the bull elk he shot in
Sioux County, fulfilling a dream he’s had
since he was a boy.
Story and photos by Justin Haag
48 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
and his name was eventually drawn.
Then came his next challenge:
Finding a guide and access to private
land. While it is possible to kill an
elk on public land in Nebraska, most
Hennecke tries to get a bull’s attention by
using a cow elk call.
hunters seek the help of local guides.
After all, drawing a bull tag in this
state is considered to be a once-in-alifetime opportunity and hunters figure
it’s best to improve their odds any way
possible.
Hennecke and his guide arrived at
a promising hunting area northeast
of Harrison well before sunrise that
Saturday. The hunters exited their truck
to take a listen. Not many minutes went
by before they heard the sound – the
majestic bugle of an elk. It was enough
to get the blood pumping.
After a morning of hiking through
the rugged canyons of Sioux County,
Hennecke and his guide, while
returning to the truck, discovered a
wallow in the dirt. The guide told
Hennecke that the big indention in the
soil was a sure indicator an elk was
there that morning when they arrived,
just out of sight.
Although it was Henneke’s first time
hunting elk in Nebraska, it wasn’t
his first attempt at elk. He’d been
unsuccessful in attempts to bag an
elk in Colorado and Wyoming. He
was beginning to wonder if this
hunt would have the same fate.
The hunter continued to scout the
entire weekend without having a
bull to show for it.
On Monday morning
Hennecke and his guide began
pursuing the tracks of 15-20
elk that had crossed a road the
previous night. After an hour
and a half of tracking, through
four canyons, they caught sight
of the herd, with two bulls, and set
up within 200 yards. Then they crept
within 90 yards.
As one of the two bulls finally
opened itself up to a possible shot,
Hennecke raised his rifle. But the
would-be shot was soon interrupted by
the sound of movement on the rocks to
his right.
When Hennecke turned, there was a
sight to behold. What was obviously
the dominant bull of the group, known
commonly as the herd bull, was
moving in to get a look at the cows.
The hunter’s attention, and his firearm,
turned from the smaller satellite bulls
to this giant.
“I raised my rifle and waited for him
to appear in an opening in the timber
between us and him,” Hennecke said.
“About 10 seconds later he was clear
and I shot him from a standing position
in the left side. He hunched and turned
180 degrees and 5 to 10 seconds later I
shot him again in the right side, which
dropped him.”
Hennecke and his guide walked the
80 yards to the bull, took photos and
admired him.
“They truly are a big, beautiful
animal,” Hennecke said.
The bull’s six-point rack scored
326 inches with its longest tines 19
½ inches and an inside spread of 36
inches. Most hunters consider any bull
scoring above 300 to be a nice trophy.
“I feel so blessed to have drawn a
once in a lifetime Nebraska bull elk tag
PHOTO BY KEVIN HENNECKE
evin Hennecke traveled more
than 470 miles from his home
near Panama, Nebraska, to the
far northwestern corner of the state
for a special opportunity in Harrison.
It was opening day of elk season and
Hennecke was one of the 33 hunters
carrying a 2013 bull tag in Nebraska’s
Hat Creek Unit – an area known for
its pine-studded buttes and sweeping
grasslands. There was a time when
Hennecke would have considered
this Nebraska hunt merely a
dream.
“I remember reading about an
elk hunt in Boys’ Life magazine
when I was a kid, and thinking,
‘Man, wouldn’t it be great to
travel to another state someday
and have an experience like
that?’” he said. “I didn’t
imagine that I’d be pursuing big
elk in Nebraska someday.”
As European settlers took
residence across the nation
without hunting regulations in the
1800s, elk were extirpated from
90 percent of their historic range,
including Nebraska. Those that didn’t
get shot took refuge in the mountains
to the west.
But thanks to a new spirit of
conservation throughout the nation in
the 20th century, elk began moving
back into the state. Evidence of elk
began appearing in the state in the
late 1960s. Now, Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission wildlife officials
estimate a healthy population of more
than 2,000 elk in Nebraska, where a
hunting season has been in place since
1986.
Hennecke’s mind started turning to
elk hunting in his home state when
one of his former high school students
studied elk as a conservation technician
for the Commission in the 1990s.
Hennecke began applying for permits
and feel just as blessed to get to kill
a big herd bull right here in my home
state of Nebraska.”
It’s the stuff of which many a
boyhood dream is made, and is
undoubtedly the same sentiment of
other hunters each year who have the
opportunity to pursue this majestic
animal in Nebraska. ■
Fulfill the
Dream
T
he journey to bag Nebraska’s
biggest game animal may be born
with childhood dreams, but it begins in
earnest during the elk permit application
periods of late May to late June.
The application for a permit can be
made online or by a form downloaded
at Outdoornebraska.org. The form also
may be obtained by visiting a Game
and Parks Commission district office
or contacting the agency by phone.
Elk hunting is available to Nebraska
residents and non-resident landowners,
and residents get preference.
The overall odds, which vary by
unit, are about 25-to-one for drawing
a tag for a bull, and seven-to-one
for antlerless. A bonus point system
improves the odds for hunters
who have applied but have been
unsuccessful at getting a permit in the
past. For each year a person has been
unsuccessful in the drawing, he or she
receives an extra entry.
Once permits are drawn for the state’s
seven elk units, hunters can begin
planning their adventure and getting
permission from landowners.
Details can be found at
Outdoornebraska.org, or in the
Commission’s Big Game Guide available
from permit vendors across the state.
2014 Season Dates
Hennecke hunts the rugged buttes and canyons of the Hat Creek Unit in
Sioux County.
Bull
• Firearm
Sept. 27-Oct. 26
Bull
• Archery
Sept. 15-Oct. 26
Land Antlerless
• Private
Aug. 15-Oct. 26, Dec. 1-31
Land Antlerless
• Public
Sept. 27-Oct. 26, Dec. 1-31.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 49
By Lindsey Chizinski, Fisheries Biologist
exposed against the backdrop of leaf
litter on the pond’s floor.
“Don’t get eaten, Red Stripe!”
“Stay safe, Captain Sparkles!”
“Look, ‘Ham’ and ‘Cheese’ are
swimming together!”
The students were wrapping up their
school year with the release of juvenile
trout they had carefully raised from
eggs during the previous three months.
They were participants in an aquatic
education program, new to Nebraska,
called Trout in the Classroom. The
program is a unique way to bring
lessons about aquatic ecosystems,
water quality, life cycles, food webs,
fish biology and fishing recreation into
the classroom.
PHOTOS BY JEFF KURRUS
oodbye, Flapezoid!”
“Hang in there, Tiny Tyler!”
“Smell you later, Triton!”
Hikers on the nature trails at
Schramm Park State Recreation Area
in Gretna were probably startled to hear
these lighthearted farewells echoing
from the canyon last May. A peek into
the canyon would reveal a group of
students seated along the rock ledge
that borders ponds built into the hills.
Each student held a green and yellow
Runza cup and, one by one, slowly
poured its contents into the water
below their dangling feet. After each
cup emptied, students leaned forward
and peered into the pond for a glimpse
of a tiny rainbow trout, its light colors
This rainbow trout fingerling, hatched and raised in a classroom aquarium, was
released by a student into the cool-water canyon ponds at Schramm Park State
Recreation Area in Gretna.
50 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Trout are
an ideal
subject to
introduce
these topics.
The timeline
of a trout’s
development
syncs well
with the
school year
calendar.
Eggs hatch
and fish
grow while
school is
in session,
providing
students the
opportunity
to experience life cycles as part of their
lessons. As an indicator species, trout
abundance directly reflects the quality
of the water in which they live.
Although trout are not thought to
be native to Nebraska’s waters (there
is evidence of cutthroat trout in the
Nebraska Territory, a region that
included land north and west of the
state’s current boundaries, predating
statehood in 1867) and the coldwater
habitat that trout require is limited,
they are a highly sought species for
many Nebraska anglers. Naturally
reproducing populations of cutthroat,
brook, brown and rainbow trout can be
found where there is suitable habitat,
primarily in northern and western
Nebraska streams. Additionally,
rainbow trout are extensively stocked
statewide in waters that can support
Fourth- and fifth-grade students from Walt Disney Elementary School in Millard toss fish food to rainbow trout during a field trip to
Schramm Park State Recreation Area in Gretna.
seasonal put-and-take trout fisheries
during cooler months.
Partnerships
The lineage of Trout in the
Classroom can be traced back to
the early 1980s with a partnership
between Canada’s Department of
Fisheries and Oceans and the British
Columbia school system. Government
biologists trapped salmon from a local
river to supply schools with eggs and,
after some trial-and-error, students
successfully hatched coho salmon in
their classrooms.
The hatchery-in-the-classroom
concept expanded quickly to the
United States when the University of
California Cooperative Extension and
the U.S. Department of Education
partnered to grant funds to supply
California classrooms with coldwater
aquariums. Trout Unlimited, a
national non-profit organization whose
mission is to conserve, protect and
restore North America’s coldwater
fisheries and their watersheds, joined
that partnership to equip even more
classrooms with mini-hatcheries.
Partnerships such as these drove the
expansion of the program throughout
the United States over the next
decades. Trout in the Classroom
programs are active in 35 states. Most
function as a cooperation of schools,
state conservation agencies such as
the Game and Parks Commission and
local Trout Unlimited chapters or other
private conservation organizations.
Trout in the Classroom came to
Nebraska via an aquatic educator’s
conference in 2012, when Commission
staff attended a panel discussion led
by educators
from Michigan,
New York, South
Dakota, Idaho
and Pennsylvania.
Each shared
experience with
programs in
various stages of
m
development, from
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 51
The Life Cycle
of a Rainbow Trout
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Fisheries
Division receives rainbow trout eggs from neighboring western states and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. Trout are hatched at the Rock Creek and Calamus fish hatcheries and raised
to a catchable size of about 10 inches at the Rock Creek and Grove Lake fish hatcheries. Last
year nearly 270,000 rainbow trout were stocked into Nebraska waters.
after eggs are fertilized.
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
at this stage
• Eggs
are called eyed eggs
•
Students prepare to release rainbow trout fingerlings, raised in a classroom aquarium, into the canyon ponds of Schramm Park
State Recreation Area in Gretna.
•
•
an attached yolk sac that
contains all the nutrients
they need as they finish
developing.
As their fins develop, they
absorb the yolk sacs.
In nature, the alevin remain hidden in gravel so they
are protected from predators. In Trout in the Classroom
aquariums, they rest on the bottom of the hatching
basket.
In addition to supplementing sustained populations in the cool-water
streams of western and central Nebraska, rainbow trout are stocked
seasonally into warmwater fisheries statewide to provide cool season
fishing opportunities. Trout stocked in these waters cannot survive the
summer months and are intended to be caught and harvested before the
water gets too warm.
5) Adult
rainbow trout
• Adult
eat insects, plankton,
•
3) Alevin
hatched trout are
• Newly
called alevins. They have
•
•
•
crustaceans, fish eggs
and sometimes small
fishes.
As trout grow bigger, the
parr marks fade and are
replaced with the small black spots and a pink band
that identify them as rainbow trout.
When adult trout become reproductive and are ready to
spawn, their coloration becomes more intense.
6) Spawn
a stream with plenty of
• Inclean
gravel and flowing,
•
•
•
oxygen-rich water, the
female trout uses her tail
to create a nesting area
called a redd.
She releases her eggs
into the redd. Then, a
male joins her and releases milt to fertilize the eggs.
Once the spawning is complete, the parents abandon
the redd.
A completed redd will have many layers of eggs and
gravel, and as many as 4,000 eggs. ■
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 53
PHOTO BY GRAHAM OWEN
Participating classrooms in the
2014 pilot year were connected to the
program through existing partnerships
with the Commission. Shon Mosser,
fourth-grade teacher at Millard Public
School’s Upchurch Elementary, Lynne
Lyons and Jade Hughes, fourth- and
ffifth-grade teachers at Millard’s Disney
E
Elementary, Julie McKeone, secondggrade teacher at Papillion-LaVista
P
Public Schools Patriot Elementary and
S
Steve Schmit, high school agriculture
tteacher at Osceola Schools, all signed
oon to be guinea pigs for the program’s
•
•
is gone, and the alevin
swim from the gravel
or out of the hatching
basket.
At this stage, trout feed
on plankton and freefloating organic matter in the water.
As they grow, they develop markings on their sides
called parr marks. These marks help camouflage the
young trout in vegetation.
Most small trout never become adults. Instead, they
become prey to larger fish and other aquatic animals.
Trout in the Classroom fish are released into a natural
habitat during this life stage.
PHOTO BY EUGENE SHULER
In the Classroom
first year. Teachers attended a training
workshop at Ak-sar-ben Aquarium
to learn how to assemble and operate
their aquariums. They also learned
how to maintain water quality and
troubleshoot potential complications
in trout rearing. Everyone participated
in classroom activities and received
certification to teach Nebraska’s Trout
in the Classroom and Project WILD
curriculums.
Each classroom set up its aquariums
in early winter, and on February 4 the
teachers returned to the Aquarium to
pick up their fertilized rainbow trout
eggs, just delivered from the Calamus
Fish Hatchery. Upon arrival, the
fertilized eggs had already developed
to the “eyed egg” stage and continued
to develop under the students’ close
scrutiny.
Prior to hatch, the eggs were
protected from light exposure with an
insulating cover over the tank. This
mimics their natural incubation habitat,
the redd, where eggs are buried in the
gravel of a streambed. The cover could
be removed for viewing and students
•
CALIFORNIA FISH & WILDLIFE
52 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
$1,000, a prohibitive cost for most
classrooms. In 2014, the Nebraska
Environmental Trust funded Trout in
the Classroom to provide equipment to
50 schools over three years. The Trust
awards funds annually with proceeds
from the Nebraska Lottery to projects
that conserve, enhance and restore the
natural environments of Nebraska, and
helped to expand the program across the
state.
2) Hatch
The time of hatching
depends on the water
temperature. In Trout in
the Classroom aquariums,
the water is 52° and
eggs hatch between
20-24 days after they are
fertilized.
When the eggs are ready to hatch, an enzyme softens
the eggshell so that the trout can break through.
days after
• 10-15
hatching, the yolk sac
•
NJ DEPT FISH & WILDLIFE
New York’s well established program
of nearly 20 years to South Dakota’s
brand new program in its first season.
Their ideas and advice informed the
development of a curriculum package
tailored to Nebraska’s needs.
Nebraska’s Trout Unlimited (TU)
chapter, TU 710, cooperates with the
Commission on numerous stream
rehabilitation projects and also
puts an emphasis on conservation
education. Several members are active
as volunteer instructors with the
Commission’s Youth Fishing Program
and promoted Trout in the Classroom
to the board. The chapter agreed to
use its education funds to sponsor
two classrooms annually and provide
volunteers for classroom field trips.
A coldwater aquarium system
capable of supporting trout approaches
because the eyes of the
developing trout can be
seen as two black dots.
Some eggs turn white during development. These eggs
are not fertile and will not hatch.
PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN
ALASKA DISPATCH NEWS
embryo develops
• An
inside the egg 10-14 days
4) Fingerling
CALIFORNIA FISH & WILDLIFE
1) Egg
PHOTOS BY JEFF KURRUS
Rainbow trout fingerlings, averaging about one inch, swim in an aquarium at Patriot
Elementary School in Papillion.
could easily track development of
the fragile eggs as they were kept
suspended off the gravel substrate in a
mesh hatching basket.
Mason Barron, a fourth-grader at
Disney, thought that the coolest part
of having a trout tank was “when they
were hatching and wiggling around in
their eggs trying to get out.”
Disney student Chloe Jewell agreed
that her favorite part of the experience
was “seeing them get out of their shells
and swimming with their egg sacs on
them.”
Schmit said, “I cannot believe the
interest everyone in the building has in
these little critters. People stop in all
the time to look at our trout!”
Student responsibilities included
checking trout daily for any mortalities,
testing and keeping records of water
quality and maintaining a healthy
habitat for their growing fish. Dead
eggs or alevin were promptly removed
from the aquarium, waste was
vacuumed from the gravel bed of the
tank and regular water changes were a
priority.
Jewell’s favorite responsibility was
using a water siphon to vacuum muck
from the gravel, although Barron
claimed that was the hardest part
because “the water was so cold and I
didn’t like putting my hands in it.”
During monitoring, students learned
that trout are active fish and require
high levels of dissolved oxygen. They
also learned that cold water contains
more oxygen than warm, making
the water chiller a necessary piece
of equipment. They learned that in
54 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
nature, water becomes oxygenated as it
churns over rocks and as aquatic plants
photosynthesize. In the classroom, an
air stone in the tank and the flow of
water through the chilling and filtration
systems provided sufficient dissolved
oxygen.
Students also learned about the
importance of pH, a measure of water
acidity or alkalinity. Values of pH
A student identifies an aquatic sow bug
in a water sample collected from the
canyon ponds at Schramm Park State
Recreation Area in Gretna.
range from 1 to 14, and a neutral pH
(7) is ideal for most aquatic animals.
pH can drop too low (less than 6)
when fish respire, taking up oxygen
through their gills and releasing carbon
dioxide into the water, a process that
produces carbonic acid in a chemical
reaction. Too much carbonic acid can
lower the pH of the water. Too many
trout in a confined space can cause
this pH imbalance. Among other
complications, acidic water (low pH)
damages gills and reduces their ability
to extract oxygen from water.
High pH can cause problems,
too. Alkaline water can strip a fish
of its protective slime coat and can
also increase the toxicity of other
substances. For example, the toxicity
of ammonia at a pH of 8 is ten times
its toxicity at a pH of 7. Ammonia is
continually released into aquarium
water as trout process food and create
waste. Uneaten food also releases
ammonia as it decomposes. McKeone’s
classroom learned this lesson as they
struggled to lower the pH of alkaline
tap water used to fill their tank. Even
with the addition of pH balancing
chemicals, they lost fish as ammonia
built up in their system. “Keeping
the pH low enough was a challenge,
but it also provided a great learning
experience for my students. We learned
a lot about asking questions, trying
out possible solutions and evaluating
outcomes,” said McKeone.
In the aquariums, beneficial bacteria
in the filtration system transformed
ammonia into nitrite and finally nitrate,
an end product that won’t harm fish.
When too much waste accumulated in
the water, students learned that bacteria
could be overwhelmed and fall behind
in processing the nitrites into nitrates.
High nitrite levels can cause a lethal
“brown blood disease” in fish, making
their blood unable to transport oxygen.
Some classrooms learned the nitrite
lesson the hard way after losing fish
due to overfeeding.
In addition to learning a lot about
chemistry, sharpening observational
skills and keeping meticulous
records, students also made important
connections between classroom trout
habitats and natural habitats. They
took interest in the things that affect
the water quality of those habitats.
Activities such as “What’s in the
Water,” adapted from Aquatic WILD,
and “Sum of the Parts,” adapted from
Project WET, helped students identify
sources of aquatic pollution and
how pollutants get into a watershed,
affecting the water and ultimately the
organisms living in those ecosystems.
Guided by the Trout in the
Classroom curriculum, students also
studied rainbow trout life cycles in
nature and in hatcheries, aquatic food
webs, fish anatomy and Nebraska
fish species. They made fish art and
kept journals of the fishes’ activities.
They calculated the rate of survival for
trout eggs spawned in natural habitat,
conducted experiments to investigate
the effects of adding excess nutrients
to water and graphed the effects
of temperature on oxygen levels.
McKeone’s class even took their
investigations outside the classroom
and did comparative studies of water
quality using samples from area
waterways and city tap water. Schmit
developed a unit about the Game and
Parks Commission that included a visit
from a conservation officer.
Release Day
Classes traveled to Schramm Park
State Recreation Area at the end of
the school year to visit the cool-water,
spring-fed canyon ponds. These
ponds remain as a relic from the
area’s past life as the Romaine and
Decker hatchery. In the late-1800s, the
hatchery was purchased by the Fish
Commission (now known as the Game
and Parks Commission) and, prior
to becoming a state recreation area,
operated as the first state fish hatchery.
In a nod to that history, students
released their own “hatchery” fish into
those ponds, an ideal permanent home
for the fish they’d grown attached to.
Even though the trout had a grand new
home compared to their tiny tanks,
Disney student Zach Mitera, when
asked about the most difficult part of
Trout in the Classroom, looked down
and said, “Releasing them was sad.
I’m sad!” He was quickly distracted,
though, by other activities.
Alongside the canyon ponds,
students picked through water samples
and discovered wriggling critters like
tadpoles, aquatic sow bugs, scuds
and blood worms, a taste of what the
trout would be eating in their new
homes. They observed adult rainbow
trout voraciously swallowing fish feed
pellets tossed into the ponds and were
amazed at their size and coloration.
They noted that the new arrivals would
need to be wary to avoid predation by
the adult trout.
Everyone fished for sunfish in the
old hatchery ponds. Students also had
the opportunity to practice casting flyrods in the tradition of A River Runs
Walt Disney Elementary School student Mackenzie Sonier shows off her catch, a
bluegill/green sunfish hybrid, made while fishing at Schramm Park’s hatchery ponds.
Through It, the classic trout-fishing
novel by Norman Maclean. Each
class toured the Ak-sar-ben Aquarium
and viewed many of Nebraska’s
native aquatic species. Schmit’s highschoolers got a behind-the-scenes tour.
Disney rounded out a full day with
some hiking on the nature trails. Lyons
said, “The field trip to release the trout,
fish, hike, etc. was such a wonderful
experience for our students who may
not experience [those activities] again.
This is a wonderful program.”
After a successful first year, Trout in
the Classroom is set to expand in 2015
to another 14 classrooms. Participating
classrooms are located in Brady,
Crawford, Halsey, Hastings, North
Platte, Ogallala, Utica, York and the
Lincoln and Omaha metros. McKeone
notes that “the most positive aspect the
program is that it takes science out of
the text book and makes it come alive
for students. Children often struggle
to connect classroom science lessons
with real world application. Trout
in the Classroom gives students an
opportunity to apply what they have
learned in a real world setting. That
doesn’t happen enough.”
The Game and Parks Commission
agrees and is so grateful for the
partnerships with our teachers,
Trout Unlimited, and the Nebraska
Environmental Trust for making this
program a reality in
Nebraska. ■
Lindsey Chizinski
has been a fisheries
biologist with the
Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission
since 2006.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 55
GETTING SAND IN
YOUR TRACKS AT
BIG MAC
Lake McConaughy
Located 8 miles northeast of
Ogallala, Lake McConaughy is
Nebraska’s largest reservoir
providing some of the finest water
sports recreation in the state.
The area offers camping, several
boat ramps, modern restrooms,
dump stations, camp pads with
electricity, water, vault toilets, picnic
tables, fish cleaning stations and
concessions with rental boats. The
lake also has a spectacular visitor
and water interpretive center onehalf mile south of Kingsley Dam on
Nebraska Highway 61.
Story and photos by Julie Geiser
Brady White of Kearney rides frequently near Genoa but took advantage
of Lake McConaughy’s sand dunes when he had the chance.
56 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
A
ll-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
have never been legal on the
beaches of Nebraska’s state
parks. That is, until two years ago
when an exception was made at
Lake McConaughy after Travis
Haggard, executive director of Keith
County Area Development, and several
ATV enthusiasts had the idea to hold a
weekend-long open ride. Approved
by the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission and the Central Nebraska
Public Power and Irrigation District,
the event is now known as the ATV
Jamboree, and its motto is “Get sand
in your tracks at Lake Mac!”
The event attracts riders of all
ages to the beach, including those
from across Nebraska and other states.
Due to its popularity, the Jamboree
has expanded from one event in 2013
to two events this year – the first was
April 4-6. Riders can still register for
the upcoming October 3-5 Jamboree.
Open riding of ATVs and UTVs
(utility terrain vehicles) is allowed
during the Jamboree from the event
headquarters at Little Thunder
UTV riders Zach Douglas, Gabbie Bergan, Lee North and Sidney Kelker from Colorado normally ride in the mountains, but come
to Lake McConaughy for new terrain. “This is a different world to be on when riding,” said North. “The things we ride on are close
to trees and are tight areas. It’s nice to come ride on the sand for a change.” The sandy beaches and areas with dips, ravines and
water make for a unique riding experience for those attending the ATV Jamboree.
Campground to Sandy Beach, offering
attendees more than 1,000 acres of
white sand to ride. Food vendors,
dealer displays, a poker run, live
entertainment, sand drag races, kids
barrel races and a climbing wall
provided by New Life Outdoor
Adventures will also be part of the
weekend.
The Jamboree was made possible by
a two-year planning effort from many
organizations, including the Ogallala/
Keith County Chamber of Commerce
and the Nebraska Off-Highway Vehicle
Association, which has similar events
in Genoa.
Now in the event’s second year,
Jamboree organizers continually
look to expand. “We always need to
be looking at ways to improve the
experience, which includes new terrain,
new events and new participants,” said
Haggard, who would like to see more
organized events and possibly a larger
riding area in the future. “I believe
that we will see 500 registered
machines attending the Big Mac
ATV Jamboree if we continue to grow
the event.”
The Jamboree also fills up campsites
at Lake McConaughy State Recreation
Area during quieter times of the
year, said Colby Johnson, the area’s
superintendent. Both events provide
a great opportunity to enjoy the area
during the off-season, when the large
crowds and bugs are gone, and the
weather is still enjoyable.
“We are really optimistic about
the future of this event,” said Brenda
Ketchum, president of the Ogallala/
Keith County Chamber of Commerce.
“So many of the ATV participants
stay at the lake and create a village
of friends – the atmosphere is
infectious.”
Only event-registered ATVs are
allowed at the Jamboree; ATVs are
not allowed at Lake McConaughy
during any other time of the year.
For details and registration, visit
Explorekeithcounty.com.
View the Nebraska Off-Highway
V
Vehicle Trails Guide.
V
OTHER PLACES TO RIDE
●
Nebraska National Forest, Bessey
Ranger District near Halsey
Open to ATVs, dirt bikes, dune buggies,
jeeps, sand rails, snowmobiles and
trucks on designated trails.
●
Nebraska National Forest, Pine
Ridge Ranger District, Oglala
National Grassland near Chadron
Open to ATVs, dirt bikes, dune buggies,
jeeps, sand rails, snowmobiles and
trucks on designated trails.
●
McKelvie National Forest near
Valentine
Open to ATVs, dirt bikes, dune buggies,
jeeps, sand rails, snowmobiles and
trucks.
●
Flat Rock Riders OHV Park near
Sutherland
Open to ATVs and dirt bikes.
●
Harlan County Reservoir in Alma
Open to ATVs, dirt bikes, jeeps, sand
rails and trucks.
●
Headworks OHV Park near Genoa
Open to ATVs, dirt bikes and
snowmobiles.
●
Arcadia Riverview Recreation
Open by private landowners to ATVs
to use the 13-mile scenic trail between
Arcadia and Loup City.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 57
Shooting from the Edge
Story by Jeff Kurrus
Photographs by
Steve Zechmann
Sometimes good nature
photographs are as close as
your own backyard.
Each month, the Schramm Park
Photography Club meets at Ak-sarben Aquarium outside of Gretna
where members share photography
techniques and their pictures. Some of
these members are fortunate enough
to find their images displayed at the
aquarium, and it was here where I first
had the opportunity to see Lincoln
photographer Steve Zechmann’s work.
58 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Zechmann’s images, usually of local
species, jumped off the wall to me
during repeated trips to the aquarium
with my family – to the point where I
began recognizing his pictures before
ever reading his name. It was then that
I wanted to know more about this
Nebraska photographer.
Now in his 60s with a wiry stature
and deep, scratchy voice, Zechmann
Above: White-tailed deer play in
the snow in front of Zechmann’s
sunroom window.
Right: Canada geese fly above
Zechmann’s deck as the moon
shines in the background.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 59
A white-tailed buck pauses while rubbing his antlers on nearby trees.
was raised on a farm in Pierce County.
Always a lover of the outdoors, birds
became a special interest growing up –
an interest that still remains today.
“I was unable to play sports as a
youth because of back problems,” he
said during a recent conversation.
Because of this his parents bought
him a guitar, then a drum set. When
he was around 20 years old he had
a friend who had a SLR camera.
While intrigued, its complexities
60 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
overwhelmed him at the time. “Then,
years later, I met a man who owned
a SLR but was looking for a drum
set. We made the swap and the rest is
history.”
Nowadays, Zechmann is rarely
without his camera, a Nikon D600,
and has dedicated his life to being
closer to wildlife. He moved to the
northern edge of Lincoln a few years
ago because of the wildlife diversity
there, placing an osage orange branch
A view from Zechmann’s deck gives this photographer unlimited opportunities for subject matter.
A blue jay feeds on peanuts in Zechmann’s backyard.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 61
A painted lady butterfly rests on a flower in Zechmann’s garden.
images of the Nebraska
outdoors.
“This has been said by many
photographers,” Zechmann
noted, “but the ingredients of
a successful photo are always
the same – focus, composition,
perspective, light, the rule
of thirds and a subject that
stands out.”
It is because of these simple
rules that his work stands
out to the casual onlooker,
or repeat observer, when he
shares his
latest entry
from the
backyard or
beyond. ■
House finches greet each other on a backyard tree branch.
in his berm and attracting various
species of birds throughout the year –
many of which he photographs from
his sunroom on the back of his house.
“I slide open my window and am able
to capture many wildlife photos from
where I sit.”
62 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Always paying attention has made
Steve’s work stand out among his peers
and to NEBRASKAland Magazine,
and we commend him for always
striving through his work at the
Schramm Park Photography Club and
in his sunroom to capture memorable
View
V
more of
m
Zechmann’s
Z
photos.
p
A white-tailed deer leaps away from Zechmann’s yard.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 63
Special Youth Challenge Hunts
There are Pioneers, and There are Pioneers
Volunteers make outdoor dreams a reality for deserved youth.
The mysterious appearance of a white ash tree still puzzles.
By Julie Geiser
By Roger Welsch
I
I
64 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
PHOTO BY JULIE GEISER
t was a crisp morning when Special Youth Challenge
(SYC) hunter Cody Peterson, his dad Dewey, mentors
Jack McCullough and Trevor Gotschall settled into their
turkey blind, tucked away among the hardwoods on the
edge of a hay field in Brown County. At the first sign
of daybreak, the sounds of gobblers could be heard as the
hunters waited in high hopes of calling one in.
The excitement grew as McCullough and Gotschall
answered the two toms still roosting in the treetops, calling
back and forth until the pair came running to the hen decoys,
ready to spar for the affection of the plastic females.
As the toms tried to gain leverage over one another, a shot
came from Peterson. After some whooping, high fives and
a short prayer of thanks for a great hunt, they ventured out
of the blind to see the morning’s quarry. Cody was excited
to see his bird and quickly crossed the hay field – as the rest
tried to keep up with the speed of his wheel chair.
The smile on Peterson’s face said many unspoken words
that day; a rewarding part of the SYC program which
provides training and specialized equipment necessary to
help get youth hunters in the field to achieve their dreams
of hunting, as well as the opportunity to make friends and
memories that last a lifetime.
Keith Cline, an archer from Long Pine, became involved
with SYC after learning about a chapter in Iowa. With many
non-profit chapters around the United States, Cline set out to
make this program a reality in Nebraska after witnessing the
remarkable way it touches peoples’ lives. Now, the Christianbased SYC of Northern Nebraska is in its second year of
taking youth into the field.
But guns and equipment are expensive and specialized
equipment is needed. Currently, .870 shotguns, donated by
the Iowa chapter and mounted on a frame called a turret, are
used in the blinds. Each shotgun is mounted with a scope
that has a small screen and is sighted in with the gun. The
screen shows a picture of what the gun is pointed at along
with crosshairs to make sure the youth are on target when
hunting – it’s almost like a video game.
For Peterson's hunt, Cline recruited volunteers and
landowners willing to provide places to hunt. Cline then
wanted a place to call base camp during the hunt, and
approached Camp Witness in Long Pine. “The camp came
on board and gave us the facility for free,” Cline said.
“After that, everything just fell into place and we all worked
together to get the chapter started.”
Several individuals and churches built and donated 12
blinds; each blind fit two guides, the hunter and a parent or
guardian. The blinds are portable, easy to store and move
from place to place.
The blinds are so portable that the chapter took them
on the ice in January and got some lucky youth anglers
out ice fishing. Blinds, however, are only part of the
Mentor Trevor Gotschall and hunter Cody Peterson admire
Cody's turkey taken during a SYC hunt in 2013.
equipment needed to accomplish a SYC hunt. Cline said a
local machine shop fabricated and donated 12 turrets to the
chapter – a major part of the equipment needed.
The safety on the gun is used as well as another stick that
the mentor holds. The buttons must be pushed by the mentor
and youth hunter for the gun to be able to fire, which gives
another aspect of safety for all involved.
Some of the youth using the guns don’t have the hand
strength to pull a trigger – no problem; these guns shoot
with a trigger mechanism that resembles a video game
stick with a thumb button on top that, when pushed down,
fires the gun.
The screens and sticks are attached to a car battery that
powers the system, lighting the screen and making the sticks
functional to fire the gun.
Cody Peterson has always liked to be outdoors,
accompanying his dad Dewey on many outdoor excursions.
Even though Cody has been on several trips, he has never
been able to fire a gun and shoot anything until the SYC
organized and provided the equipment necessary for him to
be the shooter.
“SYC has given Cody the opportunity to get into the
field,” Dewey said. “Cody has made many new friends in
the SYC and he looks forward to each hunt – once one
hunt is over he is excited and looking forward to the next
one.” ■
If you have or know a youth that would like to get out
in the field or if you would like to donate to the SYC
of Northern Nebraska chapter, visit the SYC website at
Sycnebraska.com and go to the contacts page.
have long dealt with charges from a colleague that I
am guilty of pre-emptive plagiarism, stealing his ideas
before he has a chance to have them – sometimes by
decades and when he was still in grade school. Now
it’s my turn: I was right in the middle of writing a
column about trees, and particularly the bur oak, for this
page (I do have witnesses) when my December 2013 copy
of NEBRASKAland arrived and I found Gerry Steinauer’s
article about … bur oaks. Well, there’s more than one tree in
the forest, and for that matter in Nebraska, including some
trees that have strayed far from customary landscapes.
I’ve been fascinated for years about the constant flux of
wildlife, things appearing where they haven’t been before,
other things that seemed a part of the usual suddenly no
longer seen. Some of that, of course, is a matter of changes
in my own perceptions: I spent a lot of time in all seasons
pounding Highway 30 between Lincoln and North Platte
in my youth, not once noting fields full of geese and/
or cranes, but once I saw and heard them in the skies of
central Nebraska it seemed I couldn’t see anything but
geese and cranes. On the other hand, when I moved to the
sandy ground on the Middle Loup near Dannebrog, one of
the delights I found here were tiny lizards that danced and
raced across the naked sand every time I walked the uplands.
Now? Nothing. Not a lizard to be found.
I never saw a groundhog out here until three years ago and
now they have become pests. Eagles, wild turkeys, buzzards,
whippoorwills … Never saw them, now I do. There is
talk about elk now along the river and mountain lions. A
porcupine died on the highway just across the river not long
ago and while they once may have been common, now they
are rarities. Animals wander, sometimes surprisingly long
distances.
Okay, I understand how animals expand or contract the
areas they populate as conditions change – climate, human
population changes, food and water availability, that kind of
thing. But trees? How can we explain the appearance of trees
well outside their customary distribution range? Aside from
Tolkien’s ents, trees tend to be relatively immobile, right?
Brule Lakota Sioux elder Richard Fool Bull explained things
such as the unusual enclave of bur oaks around Dannebrog,
a historical population since they were here (on Oak Creek,
for Pete’s sake!) when the Danes crossed the river in 1871,
as resources deliberately planted and maintained by Native
populations long before the white man’s arrival. They were
food sources, after all, so as tribal people traveled and
camped, they quite logically carried seeds (in this case,
acorns) and put them where they would be available for later
arrivals. Indians didn’t just leave everything to chance; they
did what they could to assure a continuing source of plant
products where they knew they would eventually be camping
again. Mr. Fool Bull scoffed at the notion that unusual
expansions of plants like oak trees could
be attributed to generations of squirrels
carrying generations of acorns hop by hop
westward a hundred miles or so from the
Ur-tree somewhere along the Missouri River.
But what of more modern mysteries? It may be
a small surprise, I realize, but a couple years ago I noticed a
small tree crowded under a juniper along our river road that
somehow seemed a bit peculiar. The leaves are bigger than
I generally see and differently shaped. I leafed (!) through
our tree books but the closest I came was a pawpaw tree.
Having never seen a pawpaw however I couldn’t be sure
so I wrote to Justin Evertson, whose title – no kidding – is
Green Infrastructure Coordinator for the Nebraska Forest
Service and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (his business
card is three pages long!) and sent some photos. He too was
uncertain about what this mystery tree might be and since
he was headed out this way, thought he could stop by and
take a closer look. He came, he saw, he left still uncertain.
But then he, compatriot Bob Henrickson, and old friend
Karma Larsen did further research and determined it is a
white ash (Fraxinus Americana L., for the scientifically
inclined), unusual for the area. Well, that’s nice. I intend to
cut away the overhanging juniper branches to give it some
room and to keep track that it has enough water in this
tough environment. I can’t help but think it will need all the
advantages I can give it.
I have found white oak leaves and wondered about how
they got here. I did some scouting and found exactly two
white young white oaks on this property, a good mile from
the closest possible parent trees in town or along Oak Creek.
Still, I can imagine how a stray acorn or two could jump
that mile. Along the river I have found escaped irises, hops,
and day lilies and while they are something of a surprise,
it’s easy enough to imagine how a spring flood might wash
out a planting and populate a new river bank downstream.
But what can I make of this white ash? Justin Evertson says
there may be a parent tree somewhere around here and I am
looking. But even at that, how do I explain its journey here?
It sure wasn’t the river. Perhaps someone visiting us drove
down to the cabin, hit a bump or brushed that juniper and
jarred loose an ash seed that had lodged under a fender or in
a bit of mud behind the bumper? And there it was, ready to
give a try at pioneering some new ground.
Not unlike the Danes or my own German-Russian people
who came far from the Russian Steppes to plant new roots
far from their customary soils. I can imagine other people
not even noticing that lonely white ash tucked away under
the evergreen along the road to our river cabin, but every
time I go by it I give it a nod in appreciation of its bravery in
defying the elements and going where no white ash has ever
gone before. ■
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 65
Trail Cam Photo Gallery
As the use of trail cameras has increased, so has the amount of images we receive. To view more of
our favorites, visit our new trail camera gallery at NEBRASKAlandMagazine.com and continue
to send us your best shots at nebtrailcam@gmail.com.
Steve Clabaugh sent in this image from his farm near Oak.
This turkey was photographed on the land of Leon C. Bud
Gillespie eight miles south of Broadwater.
"This bobcat walked right up to the camera in western Keya
Paha county," wrote John Crawford.
Ariel McNare sent in this photo of a white-tailed deer from
northwestern Cherry County.
)TSÏTHEÏSECRETÏSPOTÏONÏTHEÏRIVERÏWHENÏTHEÏSKIESÏAREÏlÏLLEDÏDURINGÏMIGRATIONÏ)NÏYOURÏ
favorite blind, beside your favorite dog and best friends – where it seems like
your calls echo into the stillness for miles. If you’re looking to buy the perfect
waterfowl property or cash in by selling a piece of wetland habitat, we can help.
Contact a Ranch & Farm Properties agent to discuss selling
or buying hunting, ranch and farm land in Nebraska.
"This is a photo of a buffalo that my late dad, Bert Pokorny,
got on his trail camera in October of 2008 west of Columbus,"
shared Chris Pokorny.
66 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Marian Langan submitted this badger photograph from Spring
Creek Prairie Audubon Center south of Denton.
ranchandfarmproperties. com
JASON SCHENDT | AGENT
LUKE WALLACE | AGENT
jschendt@whitetailproperties.tv
lwallace@whitetailproperties.tv
402.707.4885
402.340.6187
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 67
Whitetail Properties Real Estate, LLC. DBA Whitetail Properties | In the State of Nebraska DBA Whitetail Trophy Properties Real Estate LLC. and Ranch & Farm Properties | Dan
Perez, Broker - Licensed in IL, IA, KS, KY, MO, NE & OK | Jeff Evans, Broker - Licensed in AR, GA, IL, MN & TN | Wes McConnell, Broker - Licensed in AL, IL, OH, SD & WI | John
Boyken, Broker - Licensed in IN | Sybil Stewart, Broker - Licensed in MI & LA | Chris Wakefield, Broker - Licensed in TN | Joey Bellington, Broker - Licensed in TX
from NEBRASKAland‛s Trail Tales magazine for kids
▲
Duck hunting near Gordon in 1938 was (from
left to right) Otto Pribnow, Sr., Floyd Kling, LeRoy
Poppe and my father Carl Poppe.
Otto Pribnow and Carl Poppe would take their
families to visit the Arnold Kling and Ernest
Poppe families near Gordon, Nebraska. The men
would also go hunting. Otto and Arnold were
brothers-in-law of Carl and Ernest.
– Leroy Poppe,
Scribner, Nebraska
▲
This is a picture of my father, J. Virtus Sehi,
with a huge white-tailed deer he took in Northern
Antelope County in 1958. I think he told me that
he tracked it for almost 4 miles before taking it.
He is standing in front of the Wanek Drug Store
(which was right next to our bar, The White Spot)
on main street of Neligh with deer draped over
the hood of his 1948 Ford hunting car. He would
have been 34 years old at the time and he was
very proud of that deer.
– John Sehi,
Norfolk, Nebraska
▲
E.E. Quigley killed this prairie rattlesnake when
he stopped to open a cattle gate on June 23,
1969 about 4 miles South of Indianola. The snake
measured 49 inches in length.
– Stan Quigley,
Indianola, Nebraska
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.
68 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 69
BOATS/BOATING
ATTENTION: BORN IN 1986 or after: you are required
to complete a Boating Safety Course in order to operate a
boat or jet ski. Go to: Outdoornebraska.ne.gov/boating/
guides/boating/bgeducate.asp and click on Outdoor
Calendar for a list of classes in your area.
DOGS
DUCKDAWG RETRIEVERS - Raising exceptional
yellow and black Labradors. 30 month written health
guarantee. Duckdawg.com North Platte, NE (308) 5343659.
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,
Premiergundogs.com.
FLATLANDER KENNELS INC, Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
This region’s premier full-time retriever training facility
for the serious hunter or AKC and HRC hunt tester. Trainer
of NE, CO, KS and SD’s first and only GRHRCH’s!
Training, puppies and stud dogs available for all levels of
hunt tests and gun dogs. Chris Jobman (308) 249-0707,
Flatlanderkennels.com.
FISH/FISHING
FISH FOR SALE. Catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth
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.
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 Nelakes.net.
GET YOUR FISHING PERMIT online today! Don’t
wait until tomorrow to enjoy Nebraska’s great outdoors
by going fishing with the family. To purchase a permit
from the comfort of your own home, go online to
OutdoorNebraska.org and click on Purchase a Permit
under Licenses and Fees.
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. 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. Drylandaquatics.com, info@
drylandaquatics.com.
WANTED – VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS. Interested
in making a difference? Get involved in teaching the
next generation of hunters. Call Heather Weihe at
(402) 471-5662, or e-mail heather.weihe@nebraska.gov.
getaways. Visit Bluecreeklodging.com or call (308) 7729912.
TAKE AN IN-STATE VACATION this fall! With
affordable rates and locations with a view, visit a Nebraska
state park or recreation area. Go to OutdoorNebraska.org
and click on State Parks to look at the multiple options
available to you and make reservations at state park
facilities located across Nebraska.
WANTED
WANT TO BUY a choke cherry pitter. Also looking
for recipes for choke cherry pie and sand cherry jelly.
970-231-6230 bovine_vet24@yahoo.com
I-80 -Exit 59
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.ads@nebraska.gov.
VACATIONS/RESORTS
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.
Chadron.com/oldemain.
BIG BLUE RANCH & LODGE - Enjoy fishing,
horseback riding, hunting and prairie chicken viewing on
working cattle ranch in Southeastern Nebraska. Beautiful
log lodge with fireplaces, kitchens & big covered
porches, overlooks 20 acre lake. www.bigblueranch.com
(402) 865-4335.
BLUE CREEK LODGE - Oshkosh, NE. 13,000-acre
farm and ranch resort. Located by Crescent Lake National
Refuge and State WMA. First-class lodging, fishing and
hunting, boat rentals, waterfowl, upland bird, coyote
and mule deer hunting, family reunions, meetings and
Take in the fresh air of
Western Nebraska and
enjoy the many events
and attractions in Sidney
and Cheyenne County such
as the “original” Cabelas
and the National Pony
Express Monument. Great
shopping awaits you in
Historic Downtown Sidney.
For a list of events &
attractions call or visit our
web site.
Science with a Purpose
Fisheries and Wildlife
Explore, through the School of Natural Resources, how to
protect and manage our world’s fish and wildlife resources by
studying how to conserve threatened and endangered species,
preserve habitats, set and enforce game regulations and
restore impaired ecosystems.
Cheyenne County Visitors Center
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
103 Agricultural HallLincoln, NE 68583-0702
1-800-742-8800 ext. 2541
casnr.unl.edu casnr@unl.edu
sidneycheyennecountytourism.com
866-545-4030 * 308-254-4030
70 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 71
Hungarian Goulash with Venison
Home of Amazing Food at Great Prices
American cowboys love chili, but Hungarian cattlemen love goulash.
By Jenny Nguyen
G
oulash dates as far back as the medieval
ages in Hungary’s history. It is a thick
soup made of beef, veal or lamb,
created and eaten by the cattle herders
of Hungary during long cattle drives
to European cattle markets. These cowboys
butchered extra or weaker cattle on their
journey, which provided them meat for their
gulyás, which today refers to both the cattlemen
and the soup; “gulyás” means “herdsman” in the
Hungarian language.
Goulash is often seasoned with Hungarian
paprika, caraway and tomatoes. To make the
soup thicker, potatoes and vegetables are also
thrown in. Our recipe is a simple one that
incorporates both traditional ingredients and
American influences. It’s less of a soup and
more of a sauce, perfect over egg noodles and
a great way to utilize tougher cuts of venison,
especially parts of the hindquarters and
shoulders with lots of silver skin and ligament.
Serve venison goulash this fall and winter. It
will become a family favorite.
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Find us on Facebook!
416 Grand Avenue · Burwell · 308-346-4582
308.754.4416
Serve venison goulash over egg noodles or with your favorite starches, such
as dumplings, potatoes, bread or spaghetti.
1. Over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in
a large Dutch oven or pot and cook onions until they soften,
stirring frequently. Remove onions and set aside.
2. In a medium-size bowl, combine Hungarian paprika,
black pepper and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Then coat
venison cubes in the spice mixture.
3. In the same Dutch oven, add the last tablespoon of
72 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Mon-Thurs 10:30am-9pm
Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm
Brunch First Sunday of each month 10am-2pm
The slow simmering cooking process tenderizes tougher cuts of venison to
make silver skin unnoticeable.
PHOTOS
PHOT
OS BY
BY JENNY
JENNY NGUY
NGUYEN
EN
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil,
divided
2 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons of Hungarian sweet
paprika (not regular paprika)
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1
⁄2 teaspoon of ground black
pepper
3 pounds venison stew meat, cut
into small cubes
1 can (6 ounces) of tomato paste
11⁄2 cups water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
egg noodles (follow package
directions)
Make your trip to Burwell complete with lunch and
dinner at the Sandstone Grill. Featuring fresh
Salads and Homemade Soups, Specialty Burgers
and Locally Raised Bison Burgers. We serve
Nebraska raised CAB Steaks and source local
producers for many of our specialty items.
Homemade dessert.
Full wine, liquor and beer selection.
vegetable oil. Cook venison until it’s brown on all sides.
4. Then add tomato paste, water, garlic and remaining
teaspoon of kosher salt. Reduce heat to low. Cover and
simmer for 11⁄2 to 2 hours, or until the venison is tender,
stirring occasionally. If you want the stew
to be thicker, remove the lid and continue to
cook over low heat to reduce the sauce.
6. Serve sauce over egg noodles.
R
Read
Jenny's NEBRASKAland blog
""Midland Musings" to see other
sstories from this NEBRASKAland
rregional editor.
Cedar Hills
4 miles North of
St. Paul, Nebraska
Open Year-Round Wed. thru Sun.
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Walking
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48970 375th Road / Ravenna, NE 68869
308.452.3181
cedarhillsvineyard.com
◊ Maker of Workhorse, Cougarliscious, Edelweiss,
Brianna, Serenade, Prairie Rose and other
favorites!
◊ Available in retail outlets throughout central and
eastern Nebraska. Makes a great gift or have a
glass before dinner.
milettavistawinery.com
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 73
Be
g
n
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n
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a
entert
PorkBeInspired.com
Get a
$1 pork coupon
at NEpork.org
.00
Squirrel and Cicadas
L
ast summer I was traveling around Lake Maloney State Recreation Area near North
Platte when I ventured by a massive cottonwood tree covered with cicada shells.
Intrigued, I took a closer look at the newly abandoned exoskeletons that lined
the tree on every branch. Along with the shells there were several cicadas in the
molting process, and the ground was scattered with holes where the insects had dug
themselves up from their underground homes emerging only for their final nymphal stage –
struggling to make their way to the tree to shed their skins.
While curiously inspecting the cicada a squirrel caught my eye from the crotch of the
cottonwood; the squirrel stayed motionless as I pulled my camera around
to capture some photos. Then in a blink of an eye it scooped up a freshly
emerged cicada, ran to a hefty branch and started to consume the cicada.
“What a smorgasbord for this crafty little squirrel,” I thought. For a
month or so the squirrel will have a fine cuisine of cicada. They must be
tasty because that squirrel kept coming back for more.
Julie Geiser
July 1, 2014
Simply Saucy Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin
4 lb. boneless center-cut pork loin roast,
(untied), fat and silver skin trimmed
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbs. vegetable oil
8 to 9 slices bacon
1 cup barbecue sauce, purchased
*PREFERRED INGREDIENT:
• Savory: Whisk 2 tbs. Dijon mustard into the sauce.
• Spicy: Stir in 2 tbs. pickled jalapenos chilies (nacho slices), drained and
finely chopped, into the sauce.
• Fruity: Stir one 8.25-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained, into the sauce.
• Smoky: Stir in 1 or 2 minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo into the sauce.
©2013 National Pork Board, Des Moines, IA USA.
This message funded by America’s Pork Producers and the Pork Checkoff.
74 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2014
Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate and cool for 10
minutes.
Wrap bacon slices vertically around pork roast; do not overlap bacon. Tie lengthwise and
crosswise with kitchen string to hold bacon in place; tuck loose ends of bacon under string.
Place on a rack in a roasting pan, tucked-bacon side down.
Roast on rack for 15 minutes. Turn pork over and reduce temperature to 350° F and roast for 15
minutes. Remove rack and return pork to pan, tucked-end side up. Roast, turning occasionally
until bacon is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast
reads 145° F, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Skim fat from pan juices, leaving browned juices in pan. Add barbecue sauce and preferred
ingredient (*see left) and bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring to loosen browned bits
in pan; simmer 2 minutes. Remove strings, carve pork, and serve with sauce. Serves 10 6-oz.
portions.
OCTOBER 2014 • NEBRASKAland 75
Position: 853 (10 views)