Volume 94, Issue 2, 2016
March 2016
- Identifier:
- nela.2016_094_02
- Title:
- Volume 94, Issue 2, 2016
- Issue Name:
- March 2016
- Date Issued:
- 2016-03-01
- year:
- 2016
- month:
- March
- Season:
- Winter
- PDF filename:
- NL_94.02_2016_Mar_Spreads_Entire.pdf
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 094
- issue:
- 02
- number:
- 094.02
- Decade:
- 2010s
- Type:
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, all rights reserved.
- Extracted Text:
-
P ublis hed by t he N ebr a s ka Ga me a nd Pa r ks Commis s ion si n c e 1926
NEBRASKAland
March 2016
A squeak of light washes over a northern Thomas County pasture while thunderheads build
over the Sandhills to the south. Photo by Bill Hager.
NebraskalandMagazine.com
$4.95
INSIDE
Images of the Missouri ● From Our Readers
Time Well Spent in March ● In a Crane Blind
Put-and-Take Trout ● Invasive Mussels
NEBRASKAland Magazine
Volume 94
●
No. 2
●
March 2016
FEATU RES. . .
22 The Gateway Fish
S
P
J K
24 Europeans, Cranes and a Daughter
S
J K
30 Time Well Spent – What to do in March
32 The Missouri River – Through Lewis and Clark Lakee
P
S
S S
38 Prairie Restoration
TORY AND HOTOS BY EFF
URRUS
TORY AND PHOTOS BY EFF
URRUS
HOTOS AND TORY BY AM TUKEL
A Strategy for Challenging Times
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GERRY STEINAUER
40 Out-musseled
S
P
S
44 Cold Water Cats
TORY AND HOTOS BY ARAH
KOCHER
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JULIE GEISER
32
●
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
Mixed Bag – American Badgers, Travel to Lewellen,
Sod House School, Upcoming Events and More ............8
Outdoor Update – Migratory Bird Treaty Act.......... 46
Product Reviews – In Time for Spring ...............47
Page 49 – Roger Welsch's "It's a Dog's Life"...........49
Wilderness Workshop – Photo Tip........................ 50
Outdoor Ed – Native Seed ......................................... 52
Nature Notes – Early Risers ..................................... 53
Portraits from the Past ..................................56
In the Kitchen – Tea Smoked Canada Goose..........60
The Last Stop – The Sewer Fox..........................62
ON THE W EB . . .
38
●
30
●
24
●
WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL IN THE PAGES OF
N
NEBRASKALAND MAGAZINE, VISIT
NEBRASKALANDMAGAZINE.COM AND VIEW OUR INTERACTIVE
DIGITAL EDITION FOR MORE INFORMATION.
D
This spring, answer them. Because few places offer the three permits, large
bird population, thousands of acres of public land and high hunter success
rates that make Nebraska one of the top turkey hunting states in the country.
Plan your hunt at OutdoorNebraska.org.
2 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
NEBRASKAland (VOL. 94 / NO. 2, ISSN 0028-1964) is published monthly, except
for the combined Jan./Feb. and Aug./Sept. issues, by the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE. Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln,
Nebraska, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
NEBRASKAland, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370.
Cover: Sandhill cranes prepare to leave their roost on a sandbar in the
Platte River at Martin’s Reach Wildlife Management Area near Alda. Photo
by Eric Fowler.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 3
Jessica Tickle sent in this photograph of frosty leaves
after visiting Arnold Recreation Area in Custer County.
Mike Travis looks on as his daughter, Paighton, raises her gun toward
a flushing pheasant on a Pheasants Forever youth mentor hunt in
October in Washington County.
Pressey Perfect
Thank you for featuring Pressey Park in the Jan/Feb 2016 issue of
NEBRASKAland. I now know who the park is named for and much
of the history of the area. Myself and many friends ride our horses
in the area frequently. The hills, valleys, cliffs and river are a great
place to ride away from the arena and corn fields. We are looking
forward to many more hours in the park.
Anita Hertner
y, Nebraska
Kearney,
Twelve-year-old Emma Frederick of Falls City found
this sycamore leaf, which measured 17 inches across,
southeast of Rulo at the mouth of the Big Nemaha
River.
The Start of Something Special
This photo was taken on the South Platte River near
Brule on the opening day of duck season this fall. I took
my 5-year-old grandson Andrew Salomon to the duck
blind and he helped put out duck decoys and even blew
my call. The two of us had a great morning even if we
didn’t get a duck. The hot chocolate and donuts helped
to pass the time.
When I asked him if he was having a good time he
gave me the two thumbs up sign – just doesn’t get much
better than that!
John Frates
Brule, Nebraska
Leon Gillespie captured this trail camera photograph of a tom
turkey eight miles south of Broadwater.
A Hunter's Farewell
Many times we hunted,
you and I and the dogs,
through the corn fields, marshes, sandhills
and rivers of the plains.
It never mattered, you know,
what if any game we claimed.
It was always the adventure,
the fellowship, the friendship.
MadiLou Kish caught this otter wriggling out of a pond in North
Shore at Lake McConaughy.
Now you will go without me I think,
but I worry not for I will follow
sooner or later on that same path,
and all in good time.
Paul Warner submitted
this photo of a mule
deer buck to the
NEBRASKAland
Magazine Facebook page.
As you go, I wish you this:
your best dog at your side,
the sun at your back and a fresh skiff
of snow under your feet.
I trust the dogs and old friends
will greet you at the end of the corn row,
and expect you will meet me
when I finish the hunt.
By C.R. Sadler, of Lincoln, for friend
Jon Welty, who passed away Thanksgiving
Day, 2015.
Kirk Noller's trail cam photo of a mangy coyote and turkey in the
background was taken about 10 miles northeast of Kearney.
4 NEBRASKAland
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MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 5
NEBRASKAland Magazine
Outdoor Plates
Shawn Meyer fell in love with
hunting while growing up near
Campbell, and roughly 40 years later
his license plate tells everyone he still
likes to hunt. Now living in Beatrice,
he enjoys hunting waterfowl, upland
game, deer and pronghorn, but admits
he spends most of his time guiding for
his sons.
If you have a unique outdoor
message plate you would like to share,
or know someone who does, e-mail a
photo (high-resolution, JPEG format
only, please) of it to Eric.Fowler@
Nebraska.gov, along with your name,
hometown and a brief description of
the interests expressed on your license
plate.
Justin Pence submitted this photograph of a great blue heron at Prairie Queen Recreation Area in Sarpy County.
Correction: The Travelogue on page
8 of the January-February issue
mentions Atkinson State Recreation
Area. The park is now known as Mill
Race Recreation Area. All inquiries
should be directed to the city of
Atkinson and not O’Neill. We regret
the error.
-Editor
Spring Creek Holes
At Spring Creek Prairie Adubon Center south of Denton, we
had some visitors curious about what animal was digging holes in
the hillside near our visitors center, so I decided to put up a trail
camera. We captured this badger photo late one night.
You can see that he or she has made themselves right at home in
the tallgrass prairie. I hope that you find this picture as interesting
as I did.
Edward Hubbs
Denton, Nebraska
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. Photographs are also welcome.
Bob Parks took this sunrise photo from his duck blind
near Fremont.
6 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
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.
COMMISSIONERS
CONSERVATION OFFICERS
Director Jim Douglas
Commissioners
Chairman - Mark Spurgin, Paxton
Vice Chairman - Rex Fisher, Omaha
2nd Vice Chairman - Dick Bell, Omaha
Dr. Kent Forney, Lincoln
Robert Allen, Eustis
Lynn Berggren, Broken Bow
Mick Jensen, Blair
Norris Marshall, Kearney
Dan Kreitman, Wahoo
ADMINISTRATION (Lincoln)
Craig Stover (Administrator)
Duane Arp (Asst. Administrator)
Jeff Clauson (Asst. Administrator)
MAGAZINE STAFF
Communications Director Christy Rasmussen
Editor Jeff Kurrus
Art Director Tim Reigert
Associate Editor Jenny Nguyen
Regional Editors Eric Fowler, Julie Geiser,
Justin Haag
Contributing Editor Michael Forsberg
Regular Contributors Chris Helzer, Gerry
Steinauer
Photo Librarian Jaclyn Cruikshank Vogt
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 2016, 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
CO
COM
OM
O
MMIS
MIS
SSIO
S NO
OFFICES
F CES
FF
FFI
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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
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
NORTHWEST (Includes counties covered)
Jim Zimmerman (District Supt.)
308-641-6138
Sean McKeehan
(Cheyenne, Morrill, Box Butte)
308-279-9133
Scott Brandt
(Kimball, Banner, Scotts Bluff)
308-631-0663
308-760-3647
Greg Hesse (Sheridan, Dawes)
308-430-0572
Dan Kling (Sioux, Dawes)
Terry Brentzel (Deuel, Garden, Grant) 308-458-7650
402-389-0444
Frank Miller (Cherry, Hooker)
NORTHEAST (Includes counties covered)
Tom Zimmer (District Supt.)
402-649-8053
402-760-0712
Dale Davis (Keya Paha, Brown, Rock)
402-340-3981
Jonathan Andreasen (Holt, Boyd)
Mitch Johnson (Knox, Antelope, Pierce) 402-613-8612
402-762-5022
Jeff Jones (Knox, Cedar)
Alex Thomas
(Dixon, Dakota, N 1/2 Thurston)
402-241-7615
Jon Reeves
(S 1/2 Thurston, Burt, Washington)
402-889-8508
402-719-1108
Dan Roberts (Dodge, Colfax)
Cory Krause
(Cuming, Wayne, Stanton, Dodge)
402-380-6410
Steve Oberg
(Colfax, Platte, Madison, Stanton)
402-910-3366
Randy Pomplun
(Nance, Greeley, Wheeler, Boone)
308-550-0489
308-730-7050
Doug Pollard (Loup, Garfield, Valley)
SOUTHWEST (Includes counties covered)
Roger Thompson (District Supt.)
308-530-3097
308-202-0819
Matt Brandt (Sherman, Howard)
308-380-7331
Tim Williams (Hall, Hamilton, Merrick)
Pat George
(Clay, Adams, Nuckolls, Webster)
402-705-9989
308-920-0367
Rich Routh (Franklin, Harlan, Phelps)
Matt Andrews
(Gosper, Furnas, Frontier, Red Willow)
308-746-2418
Andrew Heyer (Dawson, Gosper, Phelps) 402-613-2241
Brian Piernicky
(Red Willow, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock)
308-340-6627
308-289-0427
Nicholas Fix (Keith, Perkins)
308-289-1169
Bryce Streger (Keith, Arthur)
Brandon O’Neal
(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)
308-530-3157
Alex Hasenauer
(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)
308-660-4671
308-440-3847
Dale Johnson (Kearney, Buffalo)
308-529-8146
Mike Thome (Dawson)
Ray Dierking (Custer, Thomas, Blaine) 308-870-0322
SOUTHEAST (Includes counties covered)
Levi Krause (District Supt.)
402-949-0593
402-619-1355
Rich Berggren (Douglas)
402-616-5961
Dan Evasco (Sarpy)
402-210-0888
Heath Packett (Cass)
402-209-1506
Russell Mort (Otoe, Johnson)
William Krause
(Nemaha, Richardson, Pawnee)
402-274-8063
402-806-9084
Dan Zuehlke (Gage, Saline)
402-890-6463
Dina Barta (Lancaster)
402-890-6465
Doug Kramer (Lancaster)
402-937-3422
Dudley Sorensen (Lancaster, York)
402-613-2312
Travis Shepler (Lancaster)
402-890-7140
Stacey Lewton (Lancaster, Seward)
402-443-6392
Mike Luben (Saunders, Butler, Polk)
Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers
1-800-742-7627
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 7
A Mammal Brief
American Badger
By Lindsay Rogers
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Multi-Species Lottery Opportunities
For residents and nonresidents
Resident Super Tag
Multiple Entry Super Tag
Includes tags for elk, deer,
antelope and turkey
Includes tags for elk, deer,
antelope and turkey
$25
$10
Nebraska residents only
Nonresidents are eligible
single entry
PHOT
PH
PHO
PHOT
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BY
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KY HOFFM
OFFM
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Head into vast stretches of
grasslands and, if you are lucky,
you will spot an American badger.
These short animals are easily
identified by their black and white
striped face, stubby legs and
long, gray-brown fur. They have
characteristically long claws, which
allow them to be extremely efficient
diggers – a skill used for both
digging a burrow and hunting. They
are carnivorres, eating mainly ground
squirrels, gophers, mice and other small
burrowing mammals. They spend much
of their life underground in large burrows
which can be up to 10 meters long.
Badgers are solitary animals and mainly
active at night, although they can be seen any
time of day. They do not hibernate, but do spend
much of the winter sleeping underground. They
emerge on warm winter days. ■
Date
1/16/2016
1/30/2016
1/30/2016
1/30/2016
2/5/2016
2/6/2016
2/6/2016
2/13/2016
2/20/2016
2/20/2016
2/20/2016
2/26/2016
2/26/2016
2/27/2016
2/27/2016
2/27/2016
2/27/2016
2/27/2016
2/27/2016
3/4/2016
3/4/2016
3/5/2016
3/5/2016
Chapter
Lewis & Clark PF
Bazile Creek PF
Great Plains PF
Perkins County PF
PlaƩe County PF
Webster County PF
Plains Sportsman PF
Nebraska PF/QF State Banquet
LiƩle Blue River PF
Lower Elkhorn Valley PF
Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic
Cornhusker PF
Franklin County Covey QF
Cedar River Ringnecks PF
Maple Creek PF
Ponca Creek Ringnecks PF
Rainwater Basin PF
Seward County PF
Southwestern Nebraska PF
High Plains PF
Nemaha Valley PF
Heritage PF
Lincoln Creek PF
LocaƟon
Bow Valley
Bloomfield
Holdrege
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Columbus
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Sidney
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Aurora
Date
3/6/2016
3/10/2016
3/11/2016
3/12/2016
3/12/2016
3/12/2016
3/12/2016
3/17/2016
3/18/2016
3/19/2016
3/19/2016
3/19/2016
3/19/2016
3/19/2016
3/19/2016
3/26/2016
4/1/2016
4/2/2016
4/2/2016
4/2/2016
4/9/2016
4/16/2016
Chapter
Boone County PF
Douglas County West PF
Wachtel Fur Immer QF
Corn Country PF
Dixon County PF
Loup River PF
Mile High PF
Elkhorn Valley PF
Logan Creek PF
Golden Prairie PF
Otoe County PF
Republican Valley PF
Saline County PF
Sherman County PF
Washington County PF
Dodge County PF
Lower PlaƩe PF
Cass County PF
Niobrara Sportsman PF
Medicine Creek PF
Antelope Valley PF
Southwest Prairie QF
LocaƟon
Albion
Elkhorn
EusƟs
McCool JuncƟon
Ponca
Ord
Kimball
Norfolk
Wayne
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Cambridge
Wilbur
Loup City
Blair
Fremont
Ashland
South Bend
Gordon
Stockville
Oshkosh
Culbertson
per entry
Application period for all lotteries
Now - July 1, 2016
Combo Multi-Species Lottery also offered
Learn more at OutdoorNebraska.org/SuperTag
8 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
For more Information visit www.NebraskaPF.com
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 9
Background photo: Goose Hunting at Clear Creek
Wildlife Management Area.
Travelogue Sponsors
By Julie Geiser
Lewellen
ra on Highway 26, and at the west end of Lake
ravel
aughy your journey will take you through the
McCon
M
but mighty town of Lewellen in Garden County.
small
s
Rich
Ri h with history, Lewellen lies in the North Platte River
Valley that was once populated by Native Americans, French
traders and weary pioneers headed west with hand carts or
in wagon trains to stake claims on the frontier. Nearby Ash
g
Hollow provided a camping place for these travelers, offerin
fields.
green
shelter, abundant water and lush
The town is named after Frank Lewellen, who built a small
store and post office in 1886. Evolving around an east), a
west wagon route, Lewellen grew with a small schoolhouse (1890
s
Spring
Big
to
cting
conne
River
Platte
bridge built across the North
en
Lewell
and
),
(1899
h
Churc
dist
and Ogallala (1891), the Metho
area.
Merchantile (1901) – all encouraged more settlement in the
a
boasts
that
(SHP)
Park
cal
Histori
State
a
Today, Ash Hollow is
Hill,
ss
Windla
ng
Climbi
ape.
landsc
ful
beauti
a
visitor center sitting in
visiting
and
,
visible
still
are
ruts
l
-whee
where Oregon Trail wagon
Ray Brown’s original sod house are other attractions at the park.
Ash
The Battle of Blue Water Creek, also known as the Battle of
William
al
Gener
by
led
s,
soldier
Army
U.S.
Hollow, was an attack
S. Harney, made on a Brulé Lakota village in September 1855.
n,
The confrontation resulted in the largest loss of women, childre
.
warriors and property that the Brulé Sioux had ever experienced
A historical pageant is performed every June at Ash Hollow
SHP. Accompanied by a live band, actors tell the stories of
pioneers traveling the Oregon, California and Mormon trails
from 1843 to 1864
through their diaries and
songs.
While in Lewellen, also visit the 17
Ranch Winery on Main Street for their light,
fresh Nebraska Table Wines made from
their own vineyard and working ranch.
Lewellen
Stay at the Gander Inn Motel Bed and
Breakfast, which features several rooms
and cottages, outdoor games for the
whole family, picnic tables and grills. For
a taste of country living stay at Nancy B’s Backyard
Bunkhouse.
ly
For home-town meals visitors can indulge at The Most Unlike
Trail
n
Orego
the
Place, the Blind Goose Restaurant & Lounge or
ow
Ray Brown's sodDY at Ash Holl
17 R
Streeatnicnh LWinery on Ma
in
ewellen
Trading Post.
Clear Creek Refuge and Wildlife Management Area, east of
Lewellen, is open to seasonal hunting and fishing, and also hiking,
mushroom hunting and bird watching. ■
al at "
e
m
n
m
w
e-to likely Place
m
o
h
a
t
e
G
Most Un
e
h
T
"
10 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 11
NSHS, RG4290-1505
Lakeland High School, believed to be the only sod high school in the nation, was built in Brown County, Nebraska, in 1934.
A Brief History
Brown County's Sod High School
From the Nebraska State Historical Society
W
12 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
Visit the Nebraska State Historical Society’s website at
Nebraskahistory.org.
NSHS, RG3183-4-4
hat do you do when local students need a high
school but there’s not enough money to build one?
During the Great Depression, some residents of
Brown County did what early settlers had done.
They got together and put up a sod house. The story is
found in a 1935 report of the Nebraska Emergency Relief
Administration (NERA), a copy of which is at the Nebraska
State Historical Society.
About 20 miles southwest of Ainsworth, three rural school
districts decided to build a consolidated school, with sod as
the basic construction material. Earlier generations, making
do without timber, had learned that sod was a good insulator
against heat and cold. And if you didn’t mind a lot of hard,
heavy work, its cost was… well, dirt cheap.
There was still some expense involved, but NERA
provided funding, and work began on July 20, 1934. Sod
was cut from old lake beds in the area and a foreman was
hired from among the local unemployed workers on relief.
A sod roof supported by pole rafters topped a two-room
structure, consisting of a classroom and living quarters
for the teacher. It was completed on Sept. 10. Several
outbuildings, including two toilets and a barn for the
students’ horses, were also built of sod.
More than 50 people attended the school’s dedication,
including the state superintendent of public instruction. The
school opened with 11 students. Ninth, 10th, and 11th grades
of study were offered.
There was nothing fancy about Lakeland High School. The
rooms were heated by “prairie coal” (cow chips) picked up
by teachers, students and parents. And the barn for students’
horses was an important feature, because some students rode
horseback up to 10 miles. Others stayed with nearby families
and helped with chores for their room and board.
Altogether, 33 students attended Lakeland, with 11
receiving diplomas. Eventually the building began to
deteriorate, and the school closed in 1941.
Today a historical marker stands along Highway 20, sevenand-a-half miles west of Ainsworth. Look for it the next
time you’re out that way, and think of those kids riding their
horses to their sod high school. ■
The students of Lakeland High. The building stood straighter
than the photographer did.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 13
Access Granted
By Jeff Kurrus
Gaining permission to hunt and fish private land is possible as long as
you’re willing to put in the work. You probably won’t receive an immediate
“yes” every time, but here are a few tips that will help you gain and
hopefully maintain permission for years to come.
1) Plat maps are helpful in finding out who owns land. These can be
viewed and purchased from county courthouses, and many are now online.
2) When possible, leave your hunting and fishing gear at home when you
ask permission. This becomes a bit more tricky when hunting species like
snow geese, when they’re here today but gone tomorrow. Yet most of the
time, you can always come back. This works especially well when asking to
fish.
3) When you ask to fish, ask the landowner if they want any fish taken out
of a lake. Sometimes all they will want is catch-and-release, and other times
they may want you to take as many of a particular species as you can and is
legal. When possible, take some cleaned, fresh fish back to the landowner to
say thank you.
4) Keep your request simple. Ask permission for yourself or you and
your young outdoor enthusiast, not your entire group of friends. Also, be
cognizant that the biggest reasons some landowners won’t let you hunt or
fish is because they’ve been disappointed before. So I always go with the
motto: “A doe with a bow” when I ask to deer hunt, letting a landowner
know that not only will I only be bowhunting on their land, but I would also
be pleased with the opportunity to only shoot does. It’s a great way to build
trust and show them what type of hunter/angler you’ll be on their place.
5) Lastly, always say thank you. ■
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14 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
kubota.com
© Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 15
Nebraska
History News
By Jeff Kurrus
Nebraska History Magazine’s
flagship publication, published four
times yearly, provides an in-depth look
at some of the most important aspects
and events in this state’s history. To
offer even more Nebraska history,
NEBRASKAland Magazine has been
publishing "A Brief History" feature,
on page 10 of this issue, since July,
2013.
Yet there is even more history to be
had, as current subscribers of Nebraska
Nebraska Bird Library
History Magazine also receive
Nebraska History News with their
yearly subscriptions.
News gives a preview of upcoming
ing
Nebraska History content, news
of upcoming historical events and
quick-hitting history pieces. Recent
nt
articles have focused on Henry
Fonda, the 13th Amendment and
World War II.
Readers can access all of the
issues of Nebraska History News,
dating back to December, 1997, byy
visiting the link below. ■
American White Pelican
S more Nebraska history,
See
iincluding publications dating
b
back to December of 1997.
Dear NEBRASKAland readers,
Monica
After listening to wildlife educator
es, we
turtl
box
about
class
our
teach
Macoubrie
hope
We
g.
estin
found the following facts inter
you do too.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Secora's 1st Grade Class,
Whitetail Creek Elementary
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
16 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
a
Box turtles do not have teeth. They have
beak-like mouth.
to
There are red dots on the boy turtles
impress girl turtles.
es,
All Nebraska turtles, including box turtl
are cold-blooded vertebrates.
in, the
The box turtle's shell is made of kerat
s.
rnail
finge
human
as
ial
mater
same
They
An adult box turtle has few predators.
ons.
racco
and
es
coyot
,
foxes
would include
lay 4
When laying eggs, mommy box turtles can
of
kind
are
eggs
the
And
n.
to 5 eggs in a seaso
hy.
squis
Box turtles
have sharp claws
to dig and defend
themselves.
Boy box turtles
have red eyes.
Girls have brown
or green. ■
By Jeff Kurrus
Anytime one
takes a look back
into the pages of
NEBRASKAland
or its predecessor,
Outdoor Nebraska,
one is sure to see
how much has
changed ... and
stayed the same.
In the March,
1959, issue
of Outdoor
Nebraska, writer Pete Czura chronicled
a bunny hunt that featured two archers,
a rifleman and a pistol hunter during
a time when rabbit hunting was open
year-round.
Also featured was Gene Hornbeck's
story, "Cow Trail Icing," about fishing
at Flowing Well Lake in Cherry County,
a lake that still exists but is private, and
"Trail of the Big Cat," an article about a
bobcat hunt near Harrison.
Not unlike outdoor articles of today,
the "ABCs of Dog Care" was also
shared with readers, as was cooking
tips on smoking fish and meat. Lastly,
a natural history piece on sandhill
cranes taught readers about these
majestic birds: "One of the most
spectacular sights in Nebraka wildlife
occurs each spring ..." the article starts,
a reminder and hope that some things
in nature never change. ■
Song or calls: Adult pelicans are usually
silent, but sometimes utter a piglike “grunt.”
Young have low, whining grunt.
Description: Sexes similar. Flys with
head drawn back. Adults very large, mainly
white with black wing tips, yellow feet;
unfeathered yellow throat pouch and dull,
yellow bill. Immatures duskier, with gray
bills.
Behavior: Scoops up fish while swimming
by submerging head and neck. Does not
plunge dive.
Habitat: Large marshes, lakes and
reservoirs are used by migrating and nonbreeding birds.
Where in Nebraska: Abundant regular
spring and fall migrant statewide, nonbreeding birds will summer in Sandhills and
large reservoirs; locally rare regular winter
visitor in Keith and Lincoln County. Large
Sandhills lakes and reservoirs like Lake McConaughy and Merritt Reservoir may attract pelicans during the summer months.
Less commonly, white pelicans will use sandbars in the Platte River.
Fun Facts: American white pelicans do not dive for fish but rather dip their heads in and fill their bills. Sometimes many
pelicans will fish together, circling in the water to congregate fish, and then dip their heads simultaneously. ■
To learn about more birds visit: NebraskaBirdLibrary.org.
Wingtips by Wild Bird Habitat
%DFN\DUG%LUGLQJ6SHFLDOW\6WRUH
&RQQHFWLQJ)DPLOLHV:LWK1DWXUHIRU\HDUV
White Pelicans have one of the largest
wingspans at 9.5 feet weighing 19.5 lbs.
Knobs develop on the bills of both
sexes when breeding and later shed
:KHUHDV%URZQ3HOLFDQVGLYHIRU¿VK
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bill pouch that can hold up to 5 gallons
of water.
White Pelicans nest in large colonies
called “pods” that become nurseries
after their two eggs hatch.
$GXOWVZLOOÀ\XSWRPLOHVIURPWKH
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In the Alamo Plaza
56th & Hwy 2
Lincoln, NE 68516
(402) 420-2553
4840 Orchard St
In the little white house
Lincoln, NE 68504
(402) 464-4055
2PDKD
2PDKD
Harrison Village Mall
168th & Harrison
Omaha, NE 68136
(402) 504-4450
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 17
PHOTO
PHOT
O BY JON FAR
FARRAR
RAR
A Look Back
1st Graders and
Box Turtles
Presented by
y
Choosing a Turkey Choke
By Jarrod Spilger
Careful consideration should be made when choosing a turkey
choke for spring gobblers. You’ll need something much tighter than
the full choke tube that came with your shotgun to get the dense
patterns needed to place enough killing pellets into the head and
neck vitals of a tom.
On a standard 12-gauge with a .730-inch interior bore diameter,
an Extra-Full .665-inch turkey tube is a good start. On overbored
barrels with larger bores, a slightly more open .675-inch choke
might be a better choice. You don’t want a choke that’s too tight,
though. Over-constriction is almost worse than not enough, as it
can cause pellet deformation and “blown” patterns with large gaps.
There’s a fine line between too little constriction and too much.
The only way to determine if a choke is producing dense, uniform
patterns is to shoot your chosen load at a turkey target.
The conventional benchmark is 100 pellets in a 10-inch circle
at 40 yards. However, you’re not shooting at 10-inch circles, but
rather at a gobbler’s head and neck, which is much smaller. For that
reason, I like to count only head and neck strikes when determining
pattern effectiveness. While it’s true one pellet in the right spot is all
it takes, don’t rely on luck. Twenty pellets in the head/neck vitals is
good, 40 or 50 hits (or more) is even better.
Do your homework this spring and pattern your shotgun before
turkey season begins. That way, when you call a gobbler within
range, you can pull the trigger with confidence. ■
May 1 - Sept. 16, 2016
PHOTO BY JARROD SPILGER
Snow Goose Hunting in March
By Julie Geiser
For hunters new to the light
goose conservation order, keep
the following things in mind as
you venture into the field.
Regulations
•
•
•
•
18 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
PHOTO BY JULIE GEISER
White and blue-phase snow
geese and Ross’s geese may be
hunted statewide, but different
regulations apply in each zone,
including closing some areas to
avoid disturbing other migratory
birds, including ducks, cranes
and other geese.
There are no bag or
possession limits during the
light goose conservation order.
Shooting hours are 30
minutes before sunrise to 30
minutes after sunset.
Unplugged shotguns and
electronic calls may be used.
Hunting Tactics
•
Scout, hunt, and then scout
again. These wary birds will not
stay in one place for long; be
prepared to move often.
•
Many decoy spreads contain
hundreds of decoys to fool snow
geese. Use a combination of
shells, full bodies, silhouette
and rag decoys to afford these
hunts. ■
Learn more at NEGPP.org Team registration begins
April 1, 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 19
Migration Season
by Jerry Kane
March 1, 3, 5
Women’s Combo
Hunter Education
Con
ontactt the
t
Nebras
ska
k Gam
ame
and Park
rks
C mis
Com
ission
n at
402
02-47
-471-0641
1 or
o vi
visit
s
Outdoo
Ou
orNe
r bra
raska.o
.org
g
for more
fo
re infformati
ation.
Visit HuntS
Visit
Vi
tSafeNeb
tSafeNebr
brask
bras
aska.org
ska org
rg
g for
a li
list of hunt
nter education cla
classes
an Boa
and
oatSa
t fe
feNebraska.org
g fo
for a list
of boating safety
ty classes.
Roger G. Sykes Outdoor
Heritage Education Complex, March 6
Platte River State Park (SP), Shootout at Salt Creek
Nebraska Game and Parks
Louisville
Outdoor Education Center,
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Lincoln
Outdoor Skills Discovery
Program Nebraska Game
March 7, 14, 21, 28
and Parks Outdoor Education Centerfire Challenge
Nebraska Game and Parks
Center, Lincoln
Outdoor Education Center,
March 1, 15
Lincoln
Ladies Day at the Range
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln
March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Introduction to Gun
Safety and Technique for
Young Shooters Nebraska
Game and Parks Outdoor
Education Center, Lincoln
March 3
.22 Pistol League
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln
March 3, 10, 31
Turkey Hunting Series
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln
March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Explore Hunting Nebraska
Game and Parks Outdoor
Education Center, Lincoln
March 5
Critter Corner Nebraska
Game and Parks Outdoor
Education Center, Lincoln
March 5
Archery Fun Shoot
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln
March 7
Hunt Safe Session
Roger G. Sykes Outdoor
Heritage Education Complex,
Platte River SP, Louisville
March 10
Explore Archery Day
Camp
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln
March 19
National Archery in the
Schools Program State
Tournament
Speedway Sporting Village,
Lincoln
March 20
Landscaping for Wildlife
Nebraska Game and Parks
Outdoor Education Center,
Lincoln
•
•
NEBRASKAland
and
Visitor
By Brian Robinson
Sometimes I amaze my friends
with the little details I’ll remember
from a fishing trip, like the date of
a specific catch. I’m not sure why
I do, but for all the details I can’t
remember, a fishing log has been
the answer.
I’ve been keeping a log since
February, 2000. It started very
simply, but soon escalated into
recording details about how the fishh reacted
to certain baits, or how fast I was trolling. As my logbook has evolved, there are
certain things I now always record. They include the date, times of day, where
I was, whom I was with, and especially the water temperature and weather
conditons. You can determine how specific you want to make your log, as it can
help increase your fishing success in upcoming years. I have one friend who
swears by moon phases, and another who’s obsessed with atmospheric pressure.
I often look at information in my log before I fish a familiar spot and compare
notes when done. Sixteen years of information takes up little space and has helped
me increase my skill level, thus putting more fish in the boat. Give it a try to see
what it can do for you. ■
Last issue’s winner of
the Visitor drawing was
Larry Sindelar of Columbus,
Nebraska, who found the stag beetle on
page 14-15.
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 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
pages 9, 13, 19, 21, 40, 41, or 42.
Send Us Your Trail Cam Photos!
•
•
March 21
Hunt Safe Session
Roger G. Sykes Outdoor
Heritage Education Complex,
Platte River SP, Louisville
March 25
Archery and youth archery
spring turkey hunting season
opens
Game and Parks Outdoor
Education Center, Lincoln
March 5, 12, 19
Explore Archery Nebraska
March 31
Game and Parks Outdoor
Education Center, Lincoln
Trapping seasons close for
muskrat and beaver
20 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
David Shafer photographed this stand-off between a whitetailed deer and a coyote near Burwell.
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
March 26
Free Pistol, Standard
March 5-6, 12, 19-20, 26-27 Pistol and Rapid Fire
Marsh Madness
Pistol Match Nebraska
Ponca SP, Ponca
By Paula Hoppe
Spring is in the air, literally! Step outside; warm breezes
blow from the south, melting snow and encouraging the
ice on lakes and ponds to break up. This in turn opens the
door for a river of birds coursing north through the sky.
Waterfowl migration has arrived. Birds make this seasonal
movement for two main reasons: food and nesting habitat.
Following resources south in the fall, this month they begin
to return to their northern breeding grounds. Nebraska is
directly in the path of their journey, a perfect stopover to eat
and gather strength before continuing on their destination in
northern territories. As they migrate through Nebraska the
birds follow a predictable pattern.
Snow geese are one of the first to move through the
state, and the sheer number of birds (upwards of a million
in the Rainwater Basin) makes them hard to miss. Look
for them also in the Missouri and Platte river floodplains
as they move between fields where they feed mid-morning
and mid-afternoon to their overnight roosts on lakes. Others
migrating through are Canada, cackling, Ross’ and greater
white-fronted geese.
The distinctive call of sandhill cranes are often the
first clue they are passing through, peaking at almost half
a million birds in the central Platte Valley. During the day
as they feed in farm fields they are easily viewed from cars
along the roadside. But the best experience is to watch from
blinds at Rowe Sanctuary or the Crane Trust or viewing
platforms near Alda, Gibbon and Fort Kearny as they
leave the river at sunrise or when they return at sunset in a
cacophony of sound. It's an unforgettable experience.
Ducks move through the state in waves with certain
species arriving in February in mild years and others
appearing on lakes and ponds later in March. Many are
already actively performing courtship displays.
American white pelicans are also migrating through
the state in large numbers. Harlan County Reservoir is a
great place to view pelicans as the Harlan White Pelican
Watch gets underway Mar. 1- Apr. 15 with free birding
tours available. ■
Fishing
Logbook
Please submit your trail camera photos by e-mail to:
nebtrailcam@gmail.com. Also include any information that will
help explain your photo.
The giant stag beetle (Lucanus
elaphus) is found in deciduous
forests in the U.S., from the northeast, west to Nebraska. The stag
beetle is a very large, dark brown
beetle, with males growing up to
2.5 inches in length. Male stag
beetles are easily distinguished by
their very large mandibles, the
antler-like pinchers at the front
of their head. They use these to
defend themselves, and to fight
other males for females. Females
also have pinchers, but they are
much smaller. Female stag beetles
lay eggs in rotting logs and
stumps. Grub-like larvae hatch
from the eggs and feed on
decaying wood, feeding for more
pating and
than a year before pupating
emerging as adults.
le
The giant stag beetle
causes no harm to
ay
trees, and in fact may
be beneficial as
they assist with
breaking down and
recycling decaying wood.
Special thanks to Julie Van Meter,
ska Department
State Entomologist, Nebraska
of Agriculture.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 21
THE
GATEWAY
FISH
How to Catch Put-and-Take Trout
Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus
S
how up at Two Rivers State Recreation Area near
Yutan on this park’s opening day of trout season
in March each year, and you’re sure to find a
parking lot full of cars and folks of all ages surrounding
the edges of Lake No. 5. You’re also sure to see a number
of kids, out for the first time that year or maybe even the
first time of their lives, partaking in one of Nebraska’s
best gateways to the outdoors – fishing for hatchery raised
rainbow trout.
Armed with any number of baits – from marshmallows
to corn – anglers await what will eventually be pan-fried
delights as they stretch out the last of the winter creaks from
a long time indoors, as they watch anglers to the left and
right trying to see if their bait is “the” bait for the day.
Baits
The bait for the day can be any number of options,
including nightcrawlers and salmon eggs, said Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission Fisheries Biologist Daryl
Bauer. “They’re very curious, so they’ll try to eat anything.
They’ve lived in a hatchery their whole lives until we stock
them, and have swam around looking for pellets for food.
That’s what they know as food. When we stock them, their
behavior is much the same. So something that smells like
a trout pellet works well.” Bauer advocates specifically for
Berkley’s trout baits. “If you sniff their baits, they smell
just like trout pellets from the hatchery, the same pellets
these fish have fed on their whole lives.”
For anglers wanting to fish with artificial baits, use
lures that give off flash. Little spinners, spoons and
husky jerks work well. “You may not catch a lot of
fish on these lures, but they allow you to cover
water quickly and you’ll often see fish chasing
your lure, allowing you to see that fish are
there,” said Bauer.
Tackle
While 10-to-13-inch fish are the typical size of put-and-take
trout, larger fish, like this one at Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 5, are
also caught.
22 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
An ultralight rod and spincast
reel is the most often used rod and
reel combo for trout, with 6- to
8-pound test line, as lighter
lures and baits are usually
used. Anglers may also
fly-fish for them when
Put-and-take rainbow trout can be caught on any number of baits and lures, including jigs, such
as this fish caught at the Ponca State Park pond.
the fish are active on top, with some anglers even tying
deer hair flies to resemble trout pellets floating. “If fishing
near the bottom, people might also use a marshmallow as a
leader,” said Bauer, “and fish with a crawler on the bottom.”
Using between four and six inches of line between the two,
the nightcrawler will stay just above the bottom and increase
the angler’s chances at a strike.
The Best Strategy
Whether you’re at a crowded opening
day or by yourself, fly-fishing or fishing
baits below bobbers, the main objective is to
experiment. While these fish will work dropoffs and weedlines like many other fish species,
they’ll also swim in open water looking for meals.
Besides what the neighboring anglers are doing, the
trout themselves will often tell you where and what they
are eating. Watch for feeding activity on the surface and
you’ll find fish. Just think like a trout: be curious.
Then, if you’re a newcomer to fishing, use this
curiosity to start fishing for other species, for trout are
the beginning of your fishing career, your gateway, not
the destination. ■
Trout Stocking
Each spring and fall, the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission stocks put-and-take trout throughout the
state. In 2016, the Commission plans to stock more than
264,000 catchable fish statewide, including these state
parks and state recreations areas (SRAs).
●
Bridgeport SRA
(Northwest Lake)
●
Chadron State Park
Pond
●
Eugene T. Mahoney
State Park
(CenturyLink Lake)
●
Fort Kearney SRA
(Lake No. 6)
●
Fremont Lakes SRA
(Lake No. 2)
●
Keller Park SRA
(Lake Nos. 4, 5)
●
Lake Ogallala SRA
●
Long Pine Creek SRA
●
Niobrara State Park
(Lake No. 2)
●
Ponca State Park
Pond
●
Rock Creek Lake
SRA
●
Two Rivers SRA
(Lake No. 5)
●
Windmill SRA (Lake
No. 2)
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 23
EUROPEANS, CRANES
AND A DAUGHTER
Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus
An overnight viewing blind turns into a place of magic
for a father and daughter.
S
Madeline Kurrus photographs
sandhill cranes on Crane Trust
property in Hall County.
24 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
ometimes a writer doesn’t
tell the full story. For fear of
embarrassment, backlash, or the
like, they stay away from a good tale.
Well, this time I won’t.
Because I was scheduled for a
speaking engagement at the Crane
Trust Nature & Visitor Center near
Alda last March, I was offered a night
in one of the Center’s overnight blinds
as a trade for my talk that afternoon.
Having never spent an evening in one
of the blinds, I jumped at the chance,
bringing along camera gear, winter
clothes for the 35 degree overnight,
enough food to hold me off until
Kentucky Fried Chicken in York the
next morning and my newly-turned
6-year-old daughter, Madeline.
Madeline has made a few
appearances in the magazine thus far
in her young life, most notably being
on-hand when I was bitten by a snake
for the first time. But this trip would be
different. She’d be with me in her first
overnight blind, without a ride to
take us out until well into the next
morning.
We waited beside our vehicle with
our gear as a young 20-something
employee of the Trust came to take us,
along with another pair of gentlemen,
to adjacent blinds along the south side
of the Platte just a few miles away.
The men in our company had enough
equipment to photograph for a month
– bag after bag was loaded into the
back of the truck as the two men spoke
another language to each other – my
guess was western European. They also
communicated in English with me and
our guide, who loaded us in and drove
us toward our blinds.
“And she’s going?” one of the other
photographers asked me.
“Yeah, she’ll be fine,” I said,
knowing that, when it comes down to
it, my frog-catching, deer-skinning,
Toadstool-hiking daughter is fit for just
about any challenge. All this would be
is a night camping in a photo blind for
her. No worries.
“Okay, so we have three blinds
down here,” said our young guide,
“and I’m not exactly sure who is
assigned to each. I forgot my sheet.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 25
Sandhill cranes return to the Platte River near sunset.
So do you want to just look at each of
them?”
“We want the best one,” said one of
the other men.
This stuck in my craw just a little bit.
Yes, I know they had a large pile of
camera equipment and wanted to use
this opportunity to get the best crane
photos they could, and I also knew they
weren’t locals so this was a big deal for
26 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
them. But when kids are around, we
have to do our best at spending a few
minutes to think about what will make
them nature lovers long-term, whether
they’re our own kids or not.
Knowing the other photographers’
desires, we would have gladly
bypassed the “best” spot so they could
get their photographs. However, after
that comment, I wasn’t so sure.
We looked at the three blind options,
and, way in the distance to the west,
cranes were starting to arrive for their
afternoon roost.
“We’ll take this one,” I jumped
in, pointing to the far western blind,
knowing exactly what was about
to happen. Unbeknownst to the
strangers with us, I knew that cranes
are confidence birds, like a lot of
Six-year-old Madeline and her stuffed animal, Mr. Dog, are all smiles after an overnight in a Crane Trust photo blind.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 27
Sandhill cranes leave the Platte River in front of the Crane Trust blind to feed in nearby crop fields.
animals that journey in large numbers.
All incoming cranes were going to
do was look for the birds already on
the water, then continue to land
beside them, over and over, building
their numbers forever east in our
direction.
If my plan was correct, we’d have
birds right on top of us.
The other men, in turn, chose to
occupy the remaining two blinds,
confident that their two-for-one
strategy would provide the best plan
28 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
for their photos.
We ducked into our straw-bottomed,
four-wall blind that was definitely a
head splitter if you stood up too fast.
Portal holes were in all directions,
easily opened and closed by a 6-yearold, and the action was immediate.
Flock after flock flew by our
blind, filling the sky with their forms
and their sounds. The scene was
mesmerizing. I bounced back and forth
between both of my cameras, unable
to decide at times between long lenses
and wide angles, finally just turning to
Madeline, handing her a camera, and
saying “Do your best.”
We shot the rest of the afternoon and
into the evening as the cranes stairstepped each other in our direction. By
this time, I was shooting with both still
cameras and Madeline was videoing
the birds with our iPad. In the frenzy,
as birds careened across the sky from
all directions, I heard a little voice
beside me: “Daddy, I love you.”
It was unannounced and unprovoked.
It was simply a testament to the power
that these wonders of nature can have
on a person, regardless of age: when
we allow ourselves to be lost in nature,
an entirely new level of existence
occurs.
I have, over and over again, seen
the response that accompanies the
looks of people who have seen the
sandhill cranes for the first time. That
squint-your-eyes, shake-your-head
astonishment that accompanies these
moments that quite often ends with the
statement: “I’ve never seen anything
like it.”
My 6-year-old was having that same
moment, staring up during the last light
at silhouettes in the sky that seemingly
meant more than just silhouettes in the
sky. We were part of something larger
that afternoon, and it didn’t take a
grown-up to realize it.
As the light faded entirely, we ate
crackers and candy, washed it down
with mom-approved water, settled into
our sleeping bags and, by red light
only, read a couple of books before
fading off to sleep as the sounds of
sandhill crane voices outside our blind
did not.
The next morning, I looked out one
of the portals and whispered back to
Madeline. “You got to see this.”
We both peered out a moment
later and were welcomed by cranes
not 30 yards in front of us. They were
everywhere – had covered everything
in front and to the west of us. Minutes
later, I began photographing again,
and did so for the next two hours until
nearly every bird had left the water
to begin their day of feeding and
socializing.
Shortly after, we saw a truck in the
distance and knew our pick-up would
be arriving soon. We gathered our
gear and waited. Then we waited a bit
longer because of all the equipment our
counterparts had brought.
As soon as the truck arrived and
the doors opened, one of the strangers
got out and, without even a hello,
said, “They were right in front of you,
weren’t they?”
“Yep,” I replied, as he shook his
head and thought about an evening lost
as I thought about my evening, with
my little girl, won.
And at this point, one could easily
argue that I should have been the better
man the day before, should have shared
my knowledge of these birds so that
these gentlemen could, in fact, have
had the greatest chance at having birds
right in front of them by morning’s
light.
Yet every time I ponder this option,
I re-play those four little words I
heard from my daughter the night
before, and come to the conclusion
that not one part of me would ever
change a single thing about my decision.
Ever. ■
Sandhill
Crane
Viewing
Etiquette
Crane watching etiquette
follows some very commonsense, yet worth repeating,
guidelines that we should all keep
in mind next time we’re seeing
this spring phenomena.
If viewing at a public blind
destination, such as Rowe
Sanctuary or the Crane Trust
Nature & Visitor Center, pay
attention to your guides, and also
adhere to these rules:
- No flash photography or
flashlights.
- Dress for cool weather.
Because of unpredictable
weather, the Crane Trust suggests
preparing for weather 20 degrees
less than the temperature is
predicted to be.
- Minimize your noise, both
from talking and your cell
phones.
If viewing from other public
locations, the Kearney Visitors
Bureau includes these tips:
- Do not stop on major (paved)
roadways, driveways or any other
private road.
- When viewing birds from a
gravel road, please pull as far off
the road as possible and use your
emergency flashers.
- Do not attempt to approach
the birds. Stay in your car for the
best viewing opportunities.
For more information on
sandhill crane viewing etiquette,
as well as facts about cranes,
videos, and viewing locations, visit
Cranetrust.org, Rowesanctuary.org
and Visitkearney.org.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 29
Time Well Spent
What to do in the month of March
M
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
arch can be an unpredictable time outdoors. Cold and windy one moment and
warm and sunny the next, nature enthusiasts should be prepared for indoor
and outdoor activities, which can be found at a number of venues throughout the
state. The following are five great things happening this month. More information
on these and many other events is available on the outdoor calendar on our website,
OutdoorNebraska.gov. ■
Migration
Stream Fishing
All Month Long
Central Nebraska
As winter’s ice and snow make their descent, March is a great time to wet a line on one of Nebraska’s trout streams. It’s early
enough that summer vegetation isn’t crowding the water and a hike along a creek bank may even remedy your spring fever. You
won’t have to worry about mosquito bites, but you may notice an increase in activity from other small insects – an occurrence
which triggers ample opportunities for the observant angler.
March is Nebraska’s peak month for viewing
migrating birds of all species, most notably
sandhill cranes, numbering more than
500,000 birds, in central Nebraska. Yet other
bird species, including snow geese, come
through the state in large numbers. Viewing
can be done at state recreation areas,
including Windmill and Mormon Island, Rowe
Sanctuary and the Crane Trust Nature &
Visitor Center, or along a number of gravel
roads between Grand Island and Kearney.
PHOTO BY CHRIS MASADA
All Month Long Panhandle/Northeast
Turkey Archery Opener
March 25
Mahoney Playhouse
Beginning March 11
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
Statewide
With the best turkey hunting in the country and plentiful and
affordable permits, start the 2016 hunt season with a bow in your
hand in search of long beards. Turkeys will usually be flocked
up this time of year, which many hunters counter by using more
decoys than later in the spring or staying mobile by glassing birds
throughout their hunts.
Marsh Madness
Live melodrama performances take place at the
Denman and Mary Mallory Kountze Memorial Theater
year-round, with this year’s season beginning with
“The Queen of Bingo,” by Jeanne Michels and Phyllis
Murphy, from March 11 to April 10. Shows begin at
7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on
Sundays.
March 5-6, 12, 19-20, 26-27
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
30 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN
Ponca State Park will once again host
its Marsh Madness event with bird
viewing tours, nature hikes and other
bird-related activities every Saturday in
March. Guided Avian Adventure Tours
begin at sunrise, and observing various
waterfowl, bald eagles and other species
is common. Visitors are encouraged to
dress warmly, have raingear if necessary
and bring along binoculars and camera
equipment. For more information on
lodging and tour reservations, please
contact Ponca State Park at 402-755-2284.
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Ponca State Park
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 31
The Missouri River
through Lewis and Clark Lake
Photos and story by Sam Stukel
One of the first warm days of spring ends with waves
gently lapping at the shore of Lewis and Clark Lake
as the sun lazily sinks into the clouds.
32 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 33
M
aking connections is a specialty of the mighty Missouri. Steamboat
captains once referred to it as a long spiral staircase to the Rockies,
connecting the high country of the west to the growing civilization of
the east. Beyond that readily-apparent linkage the Missouri does much more to
thread things together in the upper Midwest.
It melds together the aquatic and upland ecosystems, often blurring the line
that separates them. Worlds collide when a giant cottonwood falls halfway into
the current and nesting habitat for birds becomes basking habitat for turtles.
The story of a tree’s role as provider does not end when it comes down with a
muddy splash; instead it merely begins a new chapter of providing food, shelter
and a place for lives to begin.
Pulses of spring water reach up onto an overgrown sandbar letting fish
explore a new world for a few days. The same flood allows the river to gather
up organic matter debris from the formerly-dry ground, and bring it back into
the flow. There it becomes fuel used by many organisms making their way
through the cycle of life.
The Missouri also provides a connection from the present to the area’s rich
history. Giant cottonwood stumps still protrude from the water, weathered and
Left: Winter has a firm grip on this cedar driftwood on Lewis and Clark Lake in early December. It was too windy for the reservoir to
freeze but anything splashed by the waves became locked in ice.
Above: From saplings to mature trees to jagged snags, these two cottonwoods in the Green Island chute near Yankton may have
stood together for a century or more.
34 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 35
worn from many decades
battling the current. The
largest of these were passed
under by early explorers
and used as shelter by
Native Americans.
If they could talk they’d
tell you of the last days
when elk roamed the river
bottom and describe the
sounds the first steamboats
made when they chugged
around the bend.
The west was explored,
settled and civilized while
these same trees stood fast,
rooted in the rich river
bottom soil. The Missouri
serves as a living museum
twisting and turning along
our border during all
seasons. It gives us glimpses
into the way life was when
it was both simpler and
harsher, things that should
never be forgotten. ■
This is Sam Stukel’s first photo
essay for NEBRASKAland
Magazine.
Ice heaves are a tell-tale sign of a dramatic
power struggle between the ice sheet
and shorelines at Lewis and Clark Lake.
Something has to give when the ice expands
during a long cold snap.
36 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 37
Prairie Restoration
A Strategy for Challenging Times
By Gerry Steinauer, Botanist, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
I
Prairie Restoration Inc.
The Prairie Restoration Network was co-founded in 2002
by Chris Helzer of the Nebraska Chapter of The Nature
Conservancy (TNC) as “a means to allow Midwestern
restorationists an opportunity to interact, share ideas and
build on others’ success.” The two-day meetings are held in
a different state each year and consist mainly of field trips to
restoration plantings and facilities.
On the first day of last year’s meeting we visited the seed
farm of Prairie Restorations Inc. (PRI), the nation’s largest
private prairie restoration company, located near Moorhead.
Here seed is harvested from single species production plots
and native prairies and wetlands to annually plant nearly
3,000 acres of restorations on conservation, corporation and
private lands.
PRI harvests and plants only local ecotype seed whose
genetics originate from regional prairies, and avoids using
seed of native cultivars – varieties bred for vigorous growth,
seed production or showy flowers. “Restorations work best
using local seed,” said Ron Bowen, who founded PRI in
1977. “Cultivars of big bluestem and other prairie grasses
During the meetings we also visited The
Nature Conservancy’s 6,078-acre Bluestem
Prairie Preserve. This diverse landscape is
home to over 400 native plant species.
38 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
Glacial Ridge
The second day we visited the sprawling Glacial Ridge
National Wildlife Refuge located about 90 miles northeast
of Moorhead. The Refuge had its origins in 2000 when
TNC purchased a 24,000-acre farm and then began
restoring 20,000 acres of its crop fields, gravel quarries and
overgrazed sheep and cattle pastures using local ecotype
seed of over 200 species. For comparison, Nebraska’s largest
high-diversity prairie restorations to date, located at Ponca
State Park and TNC’s Platte River Preserve, are several
hundred acres in size.
Though TNC transferred the Preserve to the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service in 2004, they continued to lead
the $9 million dollar restoration project completed in 2011.
The project included restoring over 3,000 acres of wetlands
by filling 118 miles of ditches, some 30 feet deep, originally
dug to drain the landscape for farming.
“I claim it is the largest prairie restoration in the nation
[which it is], and no one has argued with me yet,” said a
smiling Jason Ekstein, a native of Juniata, Nebraska, who
headed the endeavor for TNC. “A major challenge was
getting our 30 conservation partners [ranging from water
conservation districts, nearby towns, and state and federal
agencies] to share a common vision,” said Ekstein. “Some
wanted to restore deep ponds and forego more natural
shallow marshes, while others argued against plugging the
ditches at all. Several were leery of using local ecotype seed,
preferring the cheaper seed of cultivars. In the end it all
worked out.”
A primary benefit, the restoration connects over 5,000
acres of formerly isolated prairie remnants and 17 existing
conservation lands. The Preserve now supports healthy
populations of prairie chickens and other wildlife species
that require large prairie landscapes with diverse habitats.
Glacial Ridge is among 12 prairie core areas identified in
Minnesota’s recent Prairie Conservation Plan, a 25-year
strategy to accelerate conservation in the state’s western
PHOTOS BY GERRY STEINAUER
n the coming decades, prairie restoration may well become
an increasingly important conservation strategy in the
Midwest. As climate change intensifies, and water for
irrigation becomes even scarcer, drier regions of our state
could become unarable. One option would be to seed these
areas with a diverse mix of well-adapted prairie plants to
provide sustainable grazing lands and wildlife habitat.
In addition, in increasingly farmed and fragmented
regions, such as eastern Nebraska, many plant and animal
species are disappearing from small, isolated remnant
prairies due to overgrazing, predation and other factors.
Their security lies in larger prairie landscapes enhanced
through restoration. Furthermore, as temperatures rise, many
prairie species will be forced northward to more suitable
climates to survive. Establishing corridors of grassland
between the prairie landscapes would aid their migration
across the miles of inhospitable intervening cropland.
Last July, I attended the 13th annual meeting of the
Prairie Restoration Network in Moorhead, Minnesota and
saw firsthand how The North Star State is gearing up its
prairie restoration and conservation efforts to meet similar
challenges.
are so dominant they prevent establishment of wildflowers.
Also the life cycles of many insects and other wildlife
are synchronized with the emergence, flowering and seed
production of local plants, and not synchronized with
cultivars because these often originate in far off regions.”
Though local ecotype prairie seed is rather easily obtained
for restorations in states east of Nebraska, there are no
providers in western Nebraska and only a few in the eastern
part of our state. The largest is the Prairie Plains Resource
Institute located in Aurora. They annually collect seed for
and plant about a thousand acres of restorations.
Minnesota’s Bowen emphasized that prairie restoration
is still in the “horse and buggy stage of development and
its practitioners still have much to learn. We need money
to advance the science of restoration, but first society must
value what we do. As our professionalism increases and the
environment continues to degrade, the money will come.”
Showy milkweed is a native wildflower commonly seeded in
prairie restorations.
prairie region. By far the Midwest’s most ambitious
prairie conservation plan, it calls for permanent protection
of over 850,000 acres of prairies, wetlands and other
habitats through fee title acquisition from willing sellers or
conservation easements within the core areas and six-mile
wide corridors connecting them. The core areas range in
size from 4,500 to 300,000 acres, and must have at least 15
percent of their area remaining in grassland, the majority
being native prairie. The plan calls for extensive restoration
in both core areas and corridors, the latter allowing for
species movement. All conserved lands will remain working
lands with active livestock grazing, haying and other
economic uses.
The Minnesota plan comes with a daunting $3.6 billion
price tag, which may not be as overly ambitious as it seems.
In 2011, the state’s legislature established the progressive
Outdoor Heritage Fund that provides over $100 million
annually in sales tax revenues “to restore, protect, and
enhance wetlands, prairies, forests and other habitat for fish,
game and wildlife.” The Fund is the envy of Midwestern
conservationists.
Minnesota’s prairie restoration and conservation efforts
were an eye opener for me – a worthy model for challenging
times. ■
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 39
Out-musseled
Battle Ongoing with Zebra and Quagga Mussels
Story and photos by Sarah Kocher
I
40 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
Invasive Species Technician JoLeisa Cramer removes a plankton drag sample from Offutt Air Force Base Lake in Aug. 2015.
whack when zebra mussels get into a
reservoir,” Barada said.
But these mussels are more than
filtering fiends: they’re sneaky, too.
Excess filtering reduces the quality
of the habitat for most other aquatic
species in that waterbody. It can make
the water appear clearer, which to
some may appear visually healthier
than a lake that’s slightly cloudy.
Barada said clearer water is often less
productive water. Bluegreen algae
blooms have been attributed to changes
made by these mussels since they
selectively filter green algae instead
of the bluegreens.
“Sampling methods for these
mussels are like looking for a needle
in a haystack,” said Zach. “Most of
the time when we find larvae or
adults an infestation is already
established.”
There are currently three waterbodies
infested by zebra mussels in Nebraska
– Offutt Air Force Base Lake, Lewis
and Clark Lake and the Missouri River
below Gavins Point Dam. There are
no quagga mussel infestations at this
time. “It is a continuing battle to keep
our waterbodies protected because
neighboring states have detected zebra
and quagga mussels, and people are
highly mobile with their watercrafts
which serve as a major vector for these
mussels,” Zach said.
Offutt Base Lake
Offutt Air Force Base Lake is located
in Bellevue and presence of zebra
mussels was confirmed in 2006. The
lake was treated with copper sulfate
in both 2008 and 2009 and initial
PHOTO COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
Invasive Species
Challenge
PHOTO BY SARAH KOCHER
since spread to many surrounding
Game and Parks
t’s the most uncomfortable shoe
states.
Commission Fisheries
you could ever imagine wearing,
Zebra mussels reproduce at an
Biologist Tony
this sneaker. It’s old, dirty and
alarming rate, attach to rocks, docks
Barada. Kansas,
probably wouldn’t even fit
or other mollusks and clog pipes.
Iowa, South Dakota
anymore, but not for the traditional
Their larvae are microscopic and can
and Missouri have
reasons. This sneaker did a stint in
enter pipes, attach and clog them as
zebra mussels in their
Lake Mead and came out covered
TONY BARADA
they grow, affecting municipal water
waters. According
heel to toe in razor-sharp quagga
systems and irrigation pipes. They can
to Zach, Kansas found its 24th infested
mussels. In fact, the word “shoe”
do the same thing to watercraft engines
water body in early June. In addition,
might be stretching it – “shoe-shaped
causing them to overheat and, with
quagga mussels, what Zach calls the
shell collage” is perhaps more fitting.
their razor-sharp shells, cut the feet of
And, like an art display, the shoe now zebra mussel’s “bigger, badder cousin,”
beachgoers as they wash up on shore.
are on the radar as well.
spends its days on Nebraska Invasive
Zebra mussels prefer
Species Program Technician
freshwater lakes and ponds
JoLeisa Cramer’s boater
and slow-moving streams and
education table to demonstrate
rivers. They have a difficult
how these invasive mussels
time thriving in fast-moving
will attach themselves to any
waterbodies due to their need
hard surface. “Outreach and
to attach to hard substrates.
education has been shown to
They begin to reproduce when
be one of the most effective
water temperatures reach 56
ways to prevent the spread
degrees Fahrenheit.
of aquatic invasive species
“Larvae are microscopic
(AIS) and one of the most
and free floating in the water
cost effective options,” said
column for two weeks before
Nebraska Invasive Species
settling to the bottom of the
P
Program
water column and attaching to
Coordinator
A
Allison Zach. Quagga mussels encase a tennis shoe found in an infested lake. substrate,” said Zach. “These
larvae can live out of water
“Chemical
PHOTO BY KARIE DECKER
in damp conditions, making
and
them easily transportable by
m
mechanical
A zebra mussel is a small, freshwater watercrafts to infest other waterbodies.
rremoval of invasive
ALLISON ZACH
Adults can attach to watercrafts and
mussel that can grow up to two inches
species is costly and
survive two weeks out of water, and
in length, has a striped shell with a
sometimes impossible. So our best
can be hard to find on boats due to
zigzagging, yellowish striping pattern
option is to be proactive rather than
their small size and dark color, making
and a flat side that allows the mussel
reactive.”
them very transportable to non-infested
to stand up on its edge. This mussel
Along with education, Nebraska
waterbodies.”
requires a hard surface to attach itself
continues to be proactive with the
“They’re invasive for a reason,”
to using basal threads. By comparison,
creation of an aquatic invasive species
Barada said. “They’ve found a niche
the quagga mussel is larger, paler,
program and corresponding stamp to
and are more successful at doing
sometimes banded or striped, and does
counter this invasive challenge.
something than a lot of native species
not require a hard surface to attach
are, and that’s their filtering rate. They
itself, allowing it to survive in sandy
filter water so fast they can clean out
bottomed waterbodies.
a lot of the plankton in a lake.” This
These two mussel species traveled
is the same plankton on which native
to the U.S. in the ballast water of
mussels and larval and juvenile fish
commercial shipping boats, which
“If you look at Nebraska on a
feed.
carried water from lakes in southern
map, you almost scratch your head,
“The whole schematic, the whole
Russia. They were discovered in the
thinking, ‘how haven’t they spread
food web, is basically thrown out of
Great Lakes in the 1980s and have
across Nebraska yet?’” said Nebraska
While quagga mussels (left) and zebra mussels (right) are small, do not let their size
make you think they can’t become a problem in Nebraska’s waterbodies.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 41
mussel eradication. Thus, if they did
become infested, there is no proven
treatment that is effective but not
cost prohibitive. Extensive research
is underway to find control and
management options for zebra and
quagga mussels in open lake systems.
Education and New
Stamp
indications was that it was a successful
treatment.
In order to contain the infestation,
motorboats have not been allowed on
the lake since 2008 except boats owned
by the lake for rental by the public.
Unfortunately, unless you kill
100 percent of the mussels they will
continue to reproduce, which was the
case in this lake as a new infestation
was confirmed in 2014.
Lewis and Clark Lake
One live adult zebra mussel was
discovered in Lewis and Clark Lake in
northeastern Nebraska in November,
2014 on the South Dakota side of the
lake. In the summer of 2015, adult
mussels were found on docks and
boats in the lake, on floating docks at
the Midway boat dock on the South
Dakota side, the private marina on the
northeast corner of the dam, Lewis and
Clark State Recreation Area’s Weigand
42 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
Marina and in the Missouri River
below Gavins Point Dam.
South Dakota and Nebraska will
continue to monitor the infestation,
and signage will be installed in the
infested areas alerting boaters to take
preventative measures to contain
the infestation. Outreach and media
will also be employed to spread
preventative information to a wide
reaching audience.
The infestation includes areas of
the Missouri River; however it will
take time to determine the extent of
the infestation and how the mussels
will tolerate areas with high flow rates.
Modifications to the Gavins Point
hydropower facility operation will
be required to ensure mussels do not
damage equipment. Water being pulled
from the infested waterbodies
by pipes will require monitoring to
ensure municipal water systems and
irrigation systems are not clogged by
mussels.
Lake Zorinsky
Lake Zorinsky, in Omaha, is one of
the few successful eradications of an
established zebra mussel infestation
in the U.S. When the mussels were
discovered in November, 2010,
Zorinsky was drawn down 20 feet
that winter, exposing the mussels and
freezing out the entire population.
There are no longer zebra mussels
in Lake Zorinsky. It was officially
reclassified in 2016 as a zebra mussel
free waterbody.
Its success came from it being a
flood control reservoir with a gate
structure – one that allowed such
significant water manipulation.
Lakes like Zorinsky have a chance,
unfortunately this reservoir type is
not typical of reservoirs built prior to
the 2000s. Most of Nebraska’s larger
reservoirs were built for irrigation
purposes, making it highly unlikely
they would be drawn down for zebra
Ultimately, it comes down to
preparation. The Commission and the
Nebraska Invasive Species Program
have come to know their opponent and
realize that the best way to fight these
invasives is to keep them out of the
ring altogether.
According to Zach, part of this
means teaming up. Invasive mussels
are easily spread by watercrafts;
therefore, prevention programs working
across state lines to educate the public
and inspect watercrafts to prevent new
infestations is imperative.
Furthermore, when out-of-state boats
from infested waters are destined for
one of Nebraska’s many water bodies,
“I’ll actually get an e-mail telling me
that from some states with established
boat inspection programs,” Zach said.
Instead of isolating themselves, states
are working together to increase public
outreach and boat inspection efforts.
Fortunately for Nebraska, a formal
AIS program is just what the state
legislature ordered. This past March,
Nebraska instituted a triennial fee for
resident motorboat registration and
an annual AIS Program sticker for
non-resident motorboats launching
“To prevent the spread of zebra and
quagga mussels, we must be proactive
rather than reactive.”
– Allison Zach, Nebraska Invasive Species
Program Coordinator
in Nebraska waters. The sticker can
be purchased on the Commission’s
website, Outdoornebraska.gov. The
income raised by these fees fund an
AIS program at the Commission. This
is an important step which provides
a permanent funding source for
waterbody inspections, management,
treatment and prevention efforts to
protect Nebraska’s waterbodies from
all invasive species.
The Nebraska Invasive Species
Program has been conducting public
outreach and boater surveys since
2010. It will continue AIS outreach
and coordinate with the Commission
and their new Aquatic Invasive Species
Program. Public outreach is where
the shoe comes in. Cramer’s biggest
mussel defense is education. She
attends community fishing events,
hands out tattoos and bobbers to kids,
and conducts surveys to ascertain how
to best tailor future outreach efforts.
Cramer and her fellow technicians also
conduct voluntary boat checks, which
serve as another opportunity to spread
preventative information.
Protect our waterbodies by being
proactive and drying watercrafts.
Prior to leaving a boat ramp, drain
all water out of the boat, towel dry
live wells and other areas that contain
water and spray with vinegar, pull
boat plugs and dry the entire boat for
at least 5 days between uses to kill
AIS. Inspect your boat to find attached
mussels or vegetation to prevent
the spread of AIS. The key is to not
move any water or material from one
waterbody to another as it can contain
organisms that no one wants moved.
By preventing new waterbodies
from becoming infested by AIS we
are buying ourselves time to find
effective treatments to eradicate and
manage infestations. Learn more at the
Nebraska Invasive Species Program
website (www.neinvasies.com). ■
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 43
For best tasting catfish, catch them through the ice
or during the thaw of spring.
Story and photos by Julie Geiser
C
atfishing can be done yearround, but I prefer catfish
through the ice. Yes, the days of
set lines and 10-pound plus test
line on a heavy rod can bring
in monster catfish, but for the dinner
table, I prefer a wintery catch. The last
days of ice in March can provide just
that, and the fishing remains just as hot
once the water opens back up.
Catfish meat is more firm in the winter
when the water is cold. Catfish caught in
the summer tend to be mushy, although
I’ve been told by several anglers to simply
put my summer catch on ice to replicate
my icy-water catch.
Almost any of Nebraska’s small
ponds, lakes or interstate lakes
can produce a limit of catfish. For
short trips close to home grab the
44 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
When spring fills the air and the
frozen waters thaw, switching gear is
as simple as changing out the tip-ups
for a medium action rod and reel and
six-pound test line or heavier for cold
water catfishing. Do this from a boat or
the bank on reservoirs or small ponds.
The water will still be cold this time of
year, meaning that catfish meat will be
firm for the dinner table. ■
BACKGROU
BACK
G
GROU
ND PHOTO
PHOTO
O
BY TIM RE
REIGERT
Tom Geiser prepares the tip-ups by placing store-bought smelt on the treble hook
before setting the flag and dropping the line.
essentials: ice auger, auger gas, sled
to carry supplies, ice cleats, bait, tipups or rods and reels, extra hooks
and fishing equipment, needle-nose
pliers for removing hooks, an ice hut
for those bitter cold days, a heater,
life jackets, 20 feet of rope, a throw
cushion for safety, and a couple gallon
buckets for sitting on and for storing
supplies, snacks and fish. I keep all our
equipment on the sleds in the garage so
they are ready to go on a whim, adding
to the supply list if we make longer
trips.
Fishing for panfish is fun with ice
fishing rods and reels, but for bigger
catfish tip-ups with braided line of
20 to 30-pound test and a treble hook
loaded with smelt for bait are a must;
the legal limit is five tip-ups per person.
Tip-ups allow anglers to fish multiple
holes at the same time, at varying
depths if needed, and at different
positions on drop-offs or other
structures. When a fish takes the bait
the flag on the tip-up goes up in the
air, then the race to get the fish is on.
Using sonar systems is a good way to
find fish under the ice; drill a couple
holes, put the sonar down for a look
and either move on or start fishing.
Mark your “honey holes” with GPS to
be able to go back to them each winter.
Catching cold water catfish can be done at many of Nebraska’s reservoirs, ponds or I-80 lakes.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 45
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Many bird populations in jeopardy before 1916 treaty.
By Joel Jorgensen, Nongame Bird Program Manager, NGPC
T
he Migratory Bird Treaty Act
(MBTA) is one of the most
important environmental laws
in our nation’s history, yet it
remains relatively obscure and
most may not know it will be turning
100 years old in 2016. The MBTA
prohibits the unpermitted killing,
capture, possession, selling (and a few
other things) of migratory birds in the
U.S. Prior to its enactment, many bird
populations were in jeopardy because
of unregulated commercial harvest
and trade. Much of the harvest was for
food, but birds were also slaughtered
for the fashion industry as certain
feathers were in demand and used to
adorn women’s hats in the early 20th
Century.
Just as the name indicates, the MBTA
is a treaty, originally between the U.S.
and Canada originally signed in August
of 1916. Later conventions expanded
the MBTA to include agreements with
Mexico (1936), Japan (1972) and the
Soviet Union (1976), now Russia.
Even if you’ve not heard of the MBTA
before, you’ve likely been affected by
it.
In the early 1900s, many women’s hats
were adorned with bird feathers.
46 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
Hawks, like this Swainson’s in Dawes
County, and owls were originally not
protected by the MBTA, but were added
in 1972.
The MBTA provides the legal
framework in which the federal
government and states work together to
provide hunting seasons and bag limits
for migratory birds such as waterfowl,
rails and mourning doves. The MBTA
also protected populations of a
number of birds, such as bald eagles
How Does This
Effect Hunting?
According to the MBTA,
hunting seasons on
migratory birds can only
occur between Sep. 1-Mar. 10
for a maximum of 107 days.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, with the Flyways,
may establish frameworks
inside of those dates and
lengths, but not beyond.
The MBTA determines
that shooting hours are 30
minutes before sunrise to
sunset, and also establishes
means of take and
possession limits.
The MBTA also has
provisions, including laws
for legal shooting hours,
for Conservation Orders
or Seasons, which are
not hunting seasons and
can occur outside those
dates (e.g., Light Goose
Conservation Order).
and whooping cranes, from facing
extinction.
Even though some birds continue
to experience declines due to habitat
loss and other factors, the MBTA is a
foundational law that has made bird
conservation a priority in the United
States for a century. ■
Product Review
A handful of leftover gems from the holiday season.
Reviewed by Robert Gaia, Jeff Kurrus, Terry Mayfield and Dylan McCaugherty
T
hroughout the year
NEBRASKAland Magazine
tests a number of products so
you don't have to. Here are
a few more from the 2015
holiday season that you might want to
try in 2016. ■
Author Michael Huff’s book, Understanding
Coyotes: The Comprehensive Guide for
Hunters, Photographers and Wildlife Observers
accomplishes the goals it sets forth. If you have
any interest in this mysterious predator, this
book’s 120 pages are a great starting point.
Amazon.com. –JK
I’m an over-the-top kind of guy. My barb-que grill is the front end of a 57 Chevy,
and I have a drinking fountain in my living
room, so when I first saw the blue flame from
the Air Lighter fire starter, I immediately fell in love. While many would
see a butane charcoal starter this large as, well, over the top, I saw it as both
an effective way to start a fire and perhaps, more importantly, a conversation. For any extremist on your gift list, look no
further. Thebisoncompany.com. –TM
Kudos to this saw for chainsaw work around the house or deer camp. The saw is
lightweight and boasts plenty of power to cut through 10-inch diameter trees. I found this
saw not only great around the house, but also for clearing old logging road/ATV trails in
the woods. It’s the perfect saw for outdoor enthusiasts. Blackanddecker.com. –RG
When buying a food dehydrator, be sure you know what your plans are. I recently had
the opportunity to try out two models of Excalibur food dehydrators. The first, a 440-watt
five-tray model, was perfect for anything you wanted to try, from venison jerky to fruit.
Available in multiple colors, it would fit perfectly in just about any kitchen. We also tried
the EZ Dry, a stackable unit that worked well for nonconsumptive users, such as
hikers and bikers, looking for a healthy, dried fruit snack. To view
the complete line of dehydrators, visit Excaliburdehydrator.com.
–JK
As someone who works behind a desk all day but enjoys getting outside after rush-hour
traffic, I really appreciated the versatility of Ridgemont’s complete shoe line. I’ve worn the
Outback while a colleague of mine has tried their Monty Lo, and these are attractive
and we could wear them both to the office or downtown with friends. We
also wore both models out hiking and found them to be quite durable
and comfortable on both paved and unpaved trails. I would recommend
these shoes for someone who lives in an urban environment but likes to
get out of the city and explore nature. Ridgemontoutfitters.com. –DM
Whooping Cranes are protected by both the MBTA and Endangered Species Act.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 47
Explore the
Outdoors
Saturday, May 7
10th Anniversary
9 a.m. - 4 P.m.
Free for the whole family
• Chance to win a kayak courtesy
of Cabela’s
• Live Animal Presentations
• Fishing
• Archery
• Kayaking
• Bowfishing
• Shooting
• Camping Skills
• Outdoor Cooking
• Climbing Wall
• Crafts
• S’mores
Park Permit Required
Find out more at FortKearnyExpo.com
It’s a Dog’s Life
Living with dogs for more than 50 years.
By Roger Welsch
I
love dogs. I love dogs so much I wrote a book about
them, A Life With Dogs. My friends have heard me say
“Dog is god spelled backward, and kitty cat is ticky tacky
spelled backward … almost” so often they don’t even
bother to yawn any more. I got my first dog when I was
6 years old and have been without a dog very rarely since,
and have had at least one dog in the house for over 50 years
now. In fact, I have always argued that just to be on the safe
side everyone should make a point of always having two
dogs, preferably big and ideally black: your basic number
one main dog and a back-up
dog just in case. For 25 years
Linda and I have maintained
a crew of two black Labs in
the house, with the occasional
golden retriever spare, every
one of them a noble creature
that we loved as much as we
loved each other. Linda has
always leaned toward naming
dogs the obvious – Blackie,
Goldie, Whitie, Brownie. I
tend toward the evocative –
Slump, Abigail, Thud (the
name he earned with his
head), St. Dunstan, Lucky (he
wasn’t), Black Jack, Pooter
(the name she earned with
her … oh, never mind.)
I couldn’t imagine life
without a dog. Until last
year when in a matter of a
couple months we watched
Dunstan and Abigail decline
into old age far too quickly and then suffered the misery of
watching them die. They did ok, passing out of this life with
a usual canine dignity that has always suggested to me that
they know a lot more than we do about the process. But their
passing was not so easy on us. Over the weeks as they said
their goodbyes, they seemed more sorry for us in our pain
and despair than they did for themselves. Believe me, the
person who comes up with the 100-year dog is going to be
stinking rich, and deservedly so.
We took the loss of Dunstan and Abbie pretty hard …
we still expect to see them when we come into the yard
from a trip to the grocery store … but we decided we just
weren’t ready to adopt a new friend and needed some time
before looking for another dog. Linda was worn out from
taking care of ailing, old dogs (when she says that, she looks
meanfully at me) and I’m not sure there is enough energy for
another bout of mourning in me, at least for a while.
Thank goodness, we have friends with dogs and they are
always welcome here. Mick’s Handsome Joe loves life at
the cabin, or as he prefers to call it “Stick Heaven,” and
Antonia’s Evey just paid her first visit here to her Nebraska
grandparents’ home and seemed to have enjoyed her stay
(aside from that one little accident on the living room floor).
Both Joe and Evey have come to know Linda as “Cookie
Lady” and me as “Grandpa Who Throws Like A Girl.”
Probably the least trouble of all of our canine friends on
the place are the coyotes who regularly come down our
cabin road, picking through gut piles left by hunters and the
scraps I leave for the crow family that lives along the river.
I always enjoy their moonlight serenades and the little gifts
they leave on the river road. They too are “good dogs” but
have never settled down beside my lounge chair for a good
ear rubbing while I read the newspaper.
Will Linda and I ever have another dog? It’s hard to
imagine we won’t, considering the degree to which we miss
them and how gleeful we are when we have canine visitors.
Linda and I both anguish when we see images of dogs up
for adoption at the local Humane Society. Especially the big
black ones. We make a point of never visiting the rescue
center because no resolve is strong enough to resist. At
least not ours. Certainly not mine when it comes to a black
Lab puppy with brown eyes. A man has his limits, after
all. Sooner or later all resolve will disappear, I’m sure, and
some little guy is going to make it clear
that he belongs here and Linda and I
will have no argument to offer to the
contrary. ■
Roger Welsch is an author, humorist
and folklorist. He has appeared in
NEBRASKAland Magazine since 1977.
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 49
My Photo Tip: Speed is Everything
Whether you want to stop action or not, and reduce camera movement, dictates shutter speed selection.
By Eric Fowler
C
hoosing the correct shutter speed can be critical
in obtaining a quality photograph. But just what
that “correct” speed is depends on many factors,
including your subject and the type of photograph
you are trying to capture.
A camera’s shutter speed determines how long its sensor
(or back in the old days, its film) is exposed to light. In most
cases, your shutter speed must be fast enough to stop action
that can come in two forms.
The first is your ability to hold the camera still. A shaky
camera will produce photos that are not sharp. A tried
and true rule photographers counted on before the days of
image stabilization (IS) is the slowest shutter speed you can
use to guarantee a sharp photo is 1 over your focal length.
That means you can hand-hold a wide-angle, 20 mm lens
at 1/20th of a second, and a 300 mm telephoto at 1/300th
of a second. IS and Vibration Reduction (VR)-equipped
lenses allow us to push those numbers two or more stops,
something we could already do if we braced our camera
properly against our body, and our bodies against a solid
object. But in low light situations, when we’ve already
turned up our ISO as high as we’d like, we still have to use
our tripod, especially with long lenses.
The second form of action you need to stop is the
movement of your subject. How fast that subject is
moving, the direction it is moving and the lens you are
using all factor into exactly how fast of a shutter speed is
needed. It will take a faster shutter speed to freeze a bluewinged teal in flight as it buzzes the marsh than it will a
mallard backpedaling to land. Yet while many cameras
have shutter speeds of up to 1/8000th of a second, you can
stop most birds with a shutter speed of 1/500th of a
second to ensure your subject and the background are
sharp.
But one of the main rules of photography is that rules are
meant to be broken. So now you have to decide whether you
want to stop the action, or which action you want to stop.
Motion blur, when done properly, adds a unique, artistic
effect to a photograph. Hold the camera still and let your
subject move through the frame and it becomes a blur.
How big of a blur depends on the shutter speed you
choose.
You can use this trick when you head to the central
Platte River to watch sandhill cranes come to roost. Put
your camera on a tripod and set your shutter speed at
1/30th or slower and the cranes that have already landed
will be sharp and the ones coming in to land or dancing on
a sandbar will blur.
Yet whether you are photographing a deer or your
daughter running down a field, it’s always a good idea to
move your camera to follow the action. Ignore the advice
I gave you in the second paragraph and choose a slow
shutter speed, however, and you can blur the background,
producing another interesting effect. If you do a good job
panning with the action and keeping your subject steady in
the frame, they will remain sharp, or at least parts of them
will.
When you head out to watch the migration this spring,
flip your camera into shutter priority mode and break
some rules. You may like the results. ■
In this photo, captured at Martin’s Reach Wildlife
Management Area, a tripod and cable release eliminated
camera movement and held the 500 mm lens steady at a
shutter speed of 1/13th of a second, which was enough
to freeze the standing cranes but not the one dancing.
In the photo above and at right, captured 15 minutes apart from the same blind on the Platte River panning with a 500 mm lens,
a shutter speed of 1/640th of a second froze the cranes in flight and the background (above), while a shutter speed of 1/60th of a
second left the background a blur and froze the cranes just enough to call the photo artistic (opposite page).
50 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 51
Harvesting Native Seeds
Early Risers
An interview with Jan Jorgensen.
Why do some reptiles and amphibians wake up before others?
By Brenda K. Johnson
By Dan Fogell, Herpetologist, Southeast Community College
C
onservationist Jan Jorgensen of
Creighton, Nebraska, has a second
part-time job made for her. It fits
well with her current part-time
position leading conservation
projects for six counties at Northeast
Nebraska Resource, Conservation, and
Development in Plainview and her 33
years in conservation work.
Jan’s friend Alison Krohn started a seed farm called
Shoestring Acres on Alison’s family farm near Clearwater.
The wildflower and native grass seed farm features local
ecotype species of upland environments. Working with
native plants drew Jan into conservation so seed harvesting is
becoming natural for her. Jan has spent a lot of time outdoors
and has special interest in wildflowers and native grasses,
both of which she spoke about during a recent interview.
Q: How did you start seed collecting?
A: Alison would tell me what seeds she was looking for
and I would go look for them. I didn’t have to have a lot of
training to harvest seed. I have another friend who also has a
farm and he has plants that I’m less familiar with. It’s been a
fun experience that I’ve enjoyed.
Q: How do you find the native plants you want?
A: I get in my pickup and can harvest from roadside
ditches. I also harvest on our farm and on my brotherin-law’s land. I start looking for the wildflowers in early
summer for the plants my friend has on her list, so I’ll know
where the plants are when harvest time comes.
Q: When do you collect seed?
A: Most of the harvesting is done in the late summer,
fall or winter when the seeds are mature. It’s often hard to
identify plants without the bloom, so I take notes on where
the wildflowers are located.
Q: Are the plants you harvest far apart and seeds hard to
handle?
It’s labor intensive because it’s hand harvest and you walk
and carry little buckets on your hips attached to a belt. You
need your hands free and you need lids on your buckets when
harvesting fluffy seeds. Other seeds are heavy enough that
they don’t blow away on windy days. When you find a place
where you can gather two or three kinds of seeds, that’s really
a good site. If they are not quite ready, you have to come back.
Q: What is a typical day harvesting native plants?
A: I pick a nice day to go out. One thing about this job is
that you call your own shots. When seeds are ripe, I hang
buckets on my hips and put on gloves. You don’t need many
tools. I may gather seeds three or four hours at a time.
When I get home, I put seeds into paper sacks if they are
dry. If they still need to dry some, I spread them out in baby
wading pools or boxes to lose moisture. Keeping seed notes
and keeping seeds separate from each other as they dry is
important. When I have a supply, I make a trip to the seed
farm to sell the seed.
Q: Do you harvest rare seed in short supply?
PHOTO COURTESY OF JAN JORGENSEN
A: I do leave seeds for nature, and definitely don’t harvest
them all. There’s some seed spillage anyway as you take
seeds off in your hand. And I never dig up plants. ■
By identifying wildflowers in early summer, Jorgensen knows
the types of seeds to collect in the late summer, fall and winter.
52 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
Jorgensen says it doesn’t take many tools to be a seed
harvester. “You need lids on your buckets for the wind, a
keen eye to tell mature native plants apart, patience and
good notes from earlier harvesting trips.” Knowledge of
wildflower identification and resources for questions are
also valued parts of her skill set.
N
obody likes winter, really. Especially
those animals that rely on the sun
for body heat. As winter approaches,
amphibians and reptiles in Nebraska find
shelter to wait out the harsh cold until
the heat returns. But before the warmth of spring
arrives, even while winter is still toying with us,
there are some that emerge so early from their
winter slumber that snow is often still on the
ground. And so the question we all want to ask is
“Why get up if you don’t have to?”
The hands-down winner of the “first to wake
up every spring” award is the small-mouthed
salamander. All salamanders are cold-tolerant,
and in fact they prefer cooler to warmer
temperatures. Here in Nebraska as winter draws
Small-mouthed salamanders prefer cooler to warmer temperatures.
to a close in late February and early March,
these little gray salamanders make an annual
pilgrimage to shallow pools filled with melted
snow. Many of the pools are still covered with
ice, but the salamanders slide beneath the ice into
near freezing water temperatures.
Not long after the small-mouthed salamanders
slip beneath the ice, the first frogs of the season
begin to chorus … often from the same ponds. In
early to mid-March, in nearly every pool, ditch
or other shallow water habitat formed from snow
melt or early rains, there will be boreal chorus
frogs singing their songs. Snow is often still on
the ground, continuing to melt into the pools.
But when you hear what sounds like fingers
running across the teeth of plastic combs coming
from every puddle of water you see, you can rest
assured that spring is not far off.
Why? For what reason does this seemingly
Boreal chorus frogs breed early in the spring.
irrational behavior sound like a good idea?
boreal chorus frogs will have reduced their competition with
Reproduction, of course. The perpetuation of the species.
their late winter head start. By the time other frogs show up,
Pools formed by melted snow are not permanent. The smallchorus frog tadpoles will already have hatched and started
mouthed salamander must court, mate and lay eggs, and the
developing, thus obtaining resources before the competition
eggs must hatch and develop before the pools dry out. If
begins. In fact, when some species are just starting to breed,
they don’t, there will be no recruitment for the year. So to
improve success, salamanders get into the breeding ponds as chorus frogs have already metamorphosed and left the water.
Getting out of bed early for the sake of improved
early as possible.
reproductive success is a good strategy, but there are some
Similarly, the boreal chorus frogs must breed and
risks and trade-offs. Late season cold spells can refreeze
tadpoles must metamorphose before pools dry. But these
breeding pools, killing breeding adults, eggs and tadpoles.
little frogs have an extra element incentivizing them to
Dry winters can result in no breeding pools at all, and
get an early start: competition. In March they are the only
without a backup strategy a full year of reproduction could
frogs using the pools. But as spring approaches, more frogs
be lost. These animals have developed these adaptations
and toads will encroach upon their breeding ponds, where
as a result of harsh conditions on the Great Plains. But as
competition ensues at multiple levels. Chorusing time,
climates change, the future of these species may depend on
space to lay eggs and food for tadpoles all become scarce
their ability to adjust their strategies. ■
resources as more frogs start to breed in the pools. But the
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 53
Wildlife, Habitat,
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MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 55
NOVEMBER 2015 • NEBRASKAland 55
▲
Attached is a photo of me when I was
10½. I had received my Winchester 16 gauge
shotgun for my 10th birthday that July. We
visited my aunt and uncle on the homestead
a mile north of Shickley for Christmas, 1955. I
went hunting with my dad, Frank Johnson, and
uncle, Cliff Bahr. This is me proudly holding
my first pheasant. The farm cat had to get it’s
tail in the photo too. I still have the shotgun 60
years later and still do some target shooting,
but walking the corn fields is getting difficult.
My wife and I have lived on the Gulf coast of
Florida for 40 years, but still enjoy frequent
visits back to Nebraska to visit family and
enjoy the beautiful scenery. I love the photos in
NEBRASKAland.
– LeMoyne Johnson, president
Johnson PhotoImaging, Inc
Bradenton, Florida
▲
Hunts like this occurred at the Ray Pierson goose pits at Lewellen through the 1970s. Most of the time our
limit was met by 10 a.m. daily then to his garage to clean them. Every man had a job and we were done in a few
hours. Same guys for several years. Great fun. I am pictured in the red vest.
– Roger Boerkircher, Cozad, Nebraska
Experience Nebraska’s State Parks
See for yourself why time outdoors is time well spent
Visit our new website at OutdoorNebraska.org
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.
56 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 57
58 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 59
Tea-smoked Canada Goose
A post-season hunting season delight for the dinner table.
By Jenny Nguyen
T
his is by far one of the
more interesting recipes
I’ve attempted. It’s a
simplified version of
zhangcha duck, which
is a classic Chinese Sichuan
dish usually reserved for
special occasions. Though
the traditional preparation
is difficult, this recipe is
simple and quite fun. I had
never thought of using tea to
smoke meat, and the Sichuan
peppercorn rub added a unique
flavor to the goose that I’ve
never had before. As far as
cooking, dinner was ready
within 30 minutes.
Sichuan peppercorn can be
found at Asian grocery stores or
you can purchase it on Amazon
– and with free shipping if
you have Prime membership.
You can also use duck for this
Tea-smoked Canada goose adds a unique flavor to the meat with little preparation time.
recipe, but adjust the cooking
allow the breast to stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
time accordingly. This recipe is
2. In a food processor or coffee grinder, grind 2 pieces of
also best with waterfowl breasts that still have the fat or skin
star anise, 1⁄3 cup of tea leaves, ¼ cup of uncooked rice and
on them. The fat is the best part; it will take in the smoke
1 tablespoon of brown sugar and set aside. Heat a cast iron
flavor well.
pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
When hot, sear goose breast skin-side down for 2-3 minutes,
Servings: 2
or until browned. Then flip the breast over and sear the other
Prep Time: 1 hour
side for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Cook Time: about 30 minutes
3. Line a wok (or in our case, a tamale/seafood steamer)
Ingredients:
1 Canada goose breast, skin on
with aluminum foil. Scatter the tea mixture on the foil.
Oil
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over the mixture. Lay the
2 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns (dried prickly ash),
rack into the steamer or on the wok. Then lay the goose
seeded and crushed
breast skin-side down on the rack. Turn on the heat to low.
Sea salt, to taste
After a few seconds, you should start seeing smoke. Cover
2 pieces of star anise
the wok or steamer and cook for 15-17 minutes for medium
1
⁄3 cup of black tea leaves
rare, depending upon the thickness of the breast. Remember
¼ cup of raw Jasmine rice
to keep the heat low to avoid burning the tea mixture. Once
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
cooked to your liking, remove the breast and allow it to rest
2 tablespoon of cilantro leaves, chopped
for 5-10 minutes.
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4. Mix cilantro into cooked rice. Slice
2 servings of cooked Jasmine rice
goose against the grain and serve with
rice. Garnish with sliced scallion. Sprinkle
1. Grind 2 teaspoons of Sichuan peppercorns in a food
sea salt over the goose to taste. ■
processor for mortar and pestle. Then with a sharp knife,
This recipe and photograph originally
score the skin of goose breast in a diamond pattern.
appeared on Jenny’s Food for Hunters
Be careful not cut into the meat. Rub crushed Sichuan
blog at Foodforhunters.com.
peppercorns and sea salt, to taste, on all sides. Cover and
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60 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
nebraska
MAHONEY STATE PARK
PREMIER WINE
EXPERIENCE
MAY 6 & 7, 2016
ToastNebraska.com
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 61
The Sewer Fox
I
was off duty and made a bad decision to break my diet
and eat some fast food. After picking up my food, I
decided to stop in nearby Eden Park in Lincoln to eat my
lunch. As I pulled into the parking lot, I thought I saw a
set of ears in a nearby storm drain.
At first I pulled up close ... but nothing appeared. I was
afraid I had been seeing things. I pulled farther back and
waited about 10 seconds and there it was again. I pulled out
my camera and marveled at what I was seeing, a red fox.
Thank goodness for bad decisions.
Dina Barta, NGPC Conservation Officer
March 17, 2014
62 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 63
Position: 743 (23 views)