Volume 96, Issue 5, 2018
June 2018
- Identifier:
- nela.2018_096_05
- Title:
- Volume 96, Issue 5, 2018
- Issue Name:
- June 2018
- Date Issued:
- 2018-06-01
- year:
- 2018
- month:
- June
- Season:
- Spring
- PDF filename:
- NL_96.05_2018_Jun_Spreads_Entire.pdf
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 096
- issue:
- 05
- number:
- 096.05
- Decade:
- 2010s
- Type:
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, all rights reserved.
- Extracted Text:
-
Publis hed by
y the Nebr a s k a Ga m e a nd Pa r k s C o m m is s io n si nc e 1926
NEBRASKAland
June 2018
IIn
n tthis
hiss iissue
ssue
The Aquatic
Habitat Program
Celebrates Twenty Years
Sunset over the Niobrara River at the Nature Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley Preserve.
Photo by Chris Helzer.
● RVs
RVs
RV
at State
at
Stta
ate
te Parks
Parks
ks
NebraskalandMagazine.com
$4.95
PLUS
Chimney Swifts ● Niobrara Confluence WMA
Travel to Valentine ● Halsey National Forest
Photographing Insects ● Time Well Spent ● Go Ape
NEBRASKAland Magazine
Volume 96
●
No. 5
●
June 2018
F EAT U R ES . . .
20 Chimney Swifts
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL FORSBERG
Well Spent – What to Do in June
26 Time
B R
B
Y ENAE LUM
28 Aquatic Habitat Program
Celebrates 20 Years
BY DON GABELHOUSE
34 Completing the Vision
The New Niobrara Confluence Wildlife Management Area
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ERIC FOWLER
40 Ten Tips for Insect Photography
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS HELZER
46 The Forest in the Sand
The Nebraska National Forest at Halsey
20
●
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARK HARRIS
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E ...
From Our Readers – Letters, Comments, Etc. ........... 4
Mixed Bag – The Least Weasel, Travel to Valentine,
A Brief History of Lightning Strikes, Bug Banter, Zipper
Repair, Upcoming Events, and more .................................. 6
Outdoor Education – Roles for Kids....................... 52
Junior Journal – Build a Fort .................................... 53
Portraits from the Past – Readers' Photos ............. 58
In the Kitchen – Scallion and Ginger Walleye.......... 60
The Last Stop – A Life Well Worn........................... 62
34
●
46
●
O N TH E W EB . . .
To see additional content including photos,
videos and additional articles, visit
magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/digital.
Cover: The Aquatic Habitat Program has been improving fishing,
including that for largemouth bass, for 20 years. Story on page
28. Photo by Jeff Kurrus.
NEBRASKAland (VOL. 96 / NO. 5 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.
2 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
26
●
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 3
Instagramer @tessrousey posted this
photo: "Ridge Running" Spring turkey
hunting.
NEBRASKAland Magazine
Tiffany Niewohner took this photo
through her kitchen window in Petersburg
last February.
ADMINISTRATION
CONSERVATION OFFICERS
Director Jim Douglas
Deputy Director Tim McCoy
Commissioners
Chairman - Dick Bell, Omaha
Vice Chairman - Robert Allen, Eustis
2nd Vice Chairman - Dan Kreitman, Wahoo
Rick Brandt, Roca
Pat Berggren, Broken Bow
Jim Ernst, Columbus
Norris Marshall, Kearney
Doug Zingula, Sidney
Scott Cassels, Omaha
ADMINISTRATION (Lincoln)
Craig Stover (Administrator)
Duane Arp (Asst. Administrator)
Jeff Clauson (Asst. Administrator)
MAGAZINE STAFF
Phillip Ciesluk of Omaha shared this photo on Facebook of
pelicans at Standing Bear Lake. "I was hesitant to go out that
day since it was really cloudy. But I'm glad I did ... pelicans are
so much fun to watch," he said.
Kyle Madsen, a former park
superintendent at Danish Alps State
Recreation Area near Hubbard, captured
this sunrise on Kramper Lake.
Visitor
The visitor in the May 2018 issue of NEBRASKAland is on
page 36. It is a velvet ant.
In reading about this insect, I found this is actually a
wingless female wasp. It was also mentioned that the male
has wings. The article also stated that the velvet ant is known
as the “cow killer ant.” The name was given to the velvet ant
because of the reputation of the female’s sting. It is said that
the sting is so painful that it could kill a cow! Wow!
Carol Shafer
York, Nebraska
Good morning,
I found the ant on page 36, I believe it is a red ant.
Really enjoyed the “Native foods of NE.”
Thanks for another great issue
Janelle Downing
Norfolk, Nebraska
Liz DuBry of Utica wrote: "I have enjoyed watching a great horned
owl pair since I located them in late summer 2016. On April 29,
2018, I felt extremely blessed to have the opportunity to watch this
little owlet fledge the nest. ... A truly fascinating experience!"
4 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Communications Director Christy Firestone
Editor Jeff Kurrus
Art Director Tim Reigert
Associate Editor Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Regional Editors Eric Fowler, Julie Geiser,
Justin Haag
Contributing Editor Michael Forsberg
Regular Contributors Renae Blum,
Chris Helzer, Chris Masada, 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 2018, 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
MMIS
MIS
SSIO
S N OFFICES
OFFI
FF CES
FF
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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
Jayson Basilio took this sunset photo at a
city park in Oakland.
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.
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,
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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.
Southwest District Office
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Phone 308-535-8025
Northwest District Office
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Phone 308-763-2940
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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
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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
Dan Kling (Sioux, Dawes)
308-430-0572
Kyler Prochaska
(E 1/2 Dawes, N 1/2 Sheridan, W 1/2 Cherry) 308-430-3984
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)
402-719-6226
Kyle Gaston (Dodge, Colfax)
Greg Hesse
(Greeley, Wheeler, Boone, S 1/2 Antelope)
402-843-6567
Mitch Johnson (Knox, Antelope, Pierce) 402-613-8612
402-762-5022
Jeff Jones (Knox, Cedar)
Jon Reeves
(S 1/2 Thurston, Burt, Washington)
402-889-8508
Andrew Heyer (Pierce, Madison, Stanton) 402-613-2241
Cory Krause
(Cuming, Wayne, Stanton, Dodge)
402-380-6410
Steve Oberg
(Colfax, Platte, Madison, Stanton, Nance)
402-910-3366
Owen Johnson
(Dixon, Dakota, N 1/2 Thurston)
402-266-1759
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
(Harlan, Franklin, Phelps)
308-920-2762
Matt Andrews
(Gosper, Furnas, Frontier, Red Willow)
308-746-2418
Brian Piernicky
(Red Willow, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock)
308-340-6627
John Lee (Hitchcock, Dundy, Chase, Hayes) 308-414-1432
308-289-0427
Nicholas Fix (Keith, Perkins)
308-289-1169
Bryce Streger (Keith, Arthur)
308-760-0145
Sean Schultz (Keith)
Brandon O’Neal
(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)
308-530-3157
Alex Hasenauer
(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)
308-660-4671
Dale Johnson (Kearney, Buffalo)
308-440-3847
308-529-8146
Mike Thome (Dawson)
Ray Dierking (Custer, Thomas, Blaine) 308-870-0322
Taylor Dixon
(Dawson, N 1/2 Gosper, N 1/2 Phelps)
308-217-2108
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
Matt Taylor (Thayer, Fillmore, Jefferson) 402-200-9597
402-806-9084
Dan Zuehlke (Gage, Saline)
402-890-6463
Dina Barta (Lancaster)
402-937-3422
Dudley Sorensen (Lancaster, York)
402-613-2312
Travis Shepler (Lancaster)
402-314-9641
Trevor Stahlecker (Lancaster)
402-890-7140
Stacey Lewton (Lancaster, Seward)
402-443-6392
Mike Luben (Saunders, Butler, Polk)
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 5
A Mammal
Brief
Least Weasel
By Lindsay Rogers
North America’s smallest
carnivore, the least weasel is
less than one-third the size
of the American mink.
Their fur is brown to
pale tan in the summer,
but creamy white in winter.
Its tail is significantly shorter
than its cousin, the long-tailed
weasel, and lacks the long-tail’s
characteristic black tip.
The least weasel is found in wetlands,
grasslands, and non-forested areas, but prefers
to live near water. They are found across Canada and northern United States; in Nebraska they are found
statewide.
Although small, least weasels are great predators and must eat their own body weight in food daily. To
accomplish this, they hunt both day and night. The feed mainly on rodents, but will also eat bird eggs,
amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Like most weasels, least weasels will go after prey larger than themselves.
■
Lindsay Rogers is an outdoor education specialist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
6 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 7
Travelogue
Travelogue Sponsor
●
Valentine
Visit Valentine
By Erin Lenz, Nebraska Tourism Commission
on
A
Do
Eat
After you’ve finished golfing one of
the two world-class golf courses at The
Prairie Club, stop into The Prairie Club
Lodge to experience the cuisine of
“cow country.” Peppermill Restaurant
& Lounge is another great option if
you’re in the mood to try some of the
local favorites made with Nebraskaproduced beef.
Once you’ve had your fill of beef,
quench your thirst with an Indian Pale
Ale from Bolo Beer Co. or try one of
the other beers on their menu like the
Wild West Wheat Ale or Wild Plum
Gose.
Not too far from Valentine, enjoy
a taste of Sandhills wine at Niobrara
Valley Vineyards. Sip on their awardwinning Marquette and semi-dry white
wine, Boss Cow.
Stay
Not only is The Prairie Club great
for dining and golfing, but it also offers
a few different lodging styles from a
rustic Bunkhouse room (wooden deck
to view sunsets included), a cabin right
on the edge of Snake River Canyon or
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
See the history of the Sandhills
and ranch life up close at Arthur
Bowring Ranch State Historical
Park, a working cattle ranch and living
history museum. Walk through the
visitor center and view artifacts from
early ranching days or take a glimpse
at corrals, barns, bunkhouses and sod
house. The Cherry County Historical
Society Museum is another destination
where you can learn more about the
history of Cherry County.
Interested in viewing wildlife? Five
miles east of Valentine is home to a
herd of bison, elk and a prairie dog
town at the Fort Niobrara National
Wildlife Refuge. Or catch a fish at
one of the top fisheries in the state,
Merritt Reservoir, known for its
walleye fishing, sandy beaches, boating
and swimming opportunities. Good
bass, northern pike, perch and bluegill
fishing is also popular in the nine
lakes open year-round at the Valentine
National Wildlife Refuge.
Last but not least, don’t forget to
mark down Aug. 5-10, 2018, on your
calendar to attend the Nebraska Star
Party, one of the nation’s premier
stargazing events.
Sod House Sunday at Bowring Ranch State Historical Park near Merriman.
8 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
small town with big adventure,
Valentine is waiting to be
explored. Located in the
beautiful Sandhills of Cherry
County, Valentine has plenty
of experiences and views for outdoor
enthusiasts. Whether it’s a scenic trip
down the Niobrara River, bike ride on
the Cowboy Trail or a hike through a
state park, you will already be planning
your return trip.
Visitors at Nebraska's famous Smith Falls.
a room in the main lodge. Heartland
Elk Guest Ranch and Merritt Trading
Post Resort offer cabin experiences
close to nature, or camping is available
at a variety of different locations along
the Niobrara River, including Smith
Falls State Park. If you’re more
interested in a restful hotel stay with
complimentary breakfast, The Niobrara
Lodge is perfect for you.
Explore
Outdoor adventures are waiting all
throughout Valentine. Tube, canoe
or kayak down the scenic bends of
the Niobrara River where you will
experience dramatic bluffs and wildlife
diversity. While you’re floating down
the river, don’t forget to stop at the
state’s highest waterfall, Smith Falls.
Dry off and take a hike to the state’s
largest waterfall by volume, Snake
Falls or walk through the mile-long,
self-guided hiking trail: Jim McAllister
Nature Trail at Smith Falls State Park.
If you’re looking for a great trail to
bike, hike or ride horseback, look no
further than the Cowboy Trail. The
Cowboy Trail is the largest rails-totrails conversion project in the United
States with 192 miles finished from
Valentine east to Norfolk. One of the
most scenic parts of the trail is the
former railroad bridge east of Valentine
that offers breathtaking views from 150
feet above the Niobrara River. ■
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 9
Duck Creek
Now Open
A Brief History
Luella's Lightning Shoe
By David Bristow, History Nebraska
(Nebraska State Historical Society)
Visit H
History Nebraska’s website at history.nebraska.gov.
PHOTO BY KEN BOUC
10 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
ffour killed by lightning or drowning during flooding in
Greeley and Nance counties. Other Nebraska papers
reported horses killed, fires started, and a rancher
named Sam Lane struck dead while riding fence near
Hay Springs; he was still mounted on his dead horse
w
when neighbors found his body.
Now at least we understand how Luella’s story might
hhave been overlooked at the time.
Our homes and buildings are better protected these
ddays, but Nebraska weather is still Nebraska weather.
W
While enjoying the great outdoors, keep an eye on the
sky
sky. ■
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
C
arol Pearson was browsing an estate
sale in California when she found
an old shoe containing a yellowed
newspaper clipping and a handwritten
slip of paper. In the article, an elderly Mrs.
Luella Brown of Chico, California, recalled
the day in 1902 when
hen she was struck by
lightning near Lakeland,
eland, Brown County,
Nebraska. The slip of paper read, “I was
born in 1894. This happened 1904.”
Brown said the family had gathered
r’s birthday.
for her grandfather’s
ing
She was inside sitting
on a cousin’s lap
when suddenly
“the house
was in
shambles”
and she
“was on the
floor covered
Luella's shoe, donated in 2003 by Pearson.
with plaster.”
NSHS 13290-1
The lightning
apparently
followed a clothesline to the house, passing through Brown
and her cousin and exiting through her left foot. Her foot
was blistered and the shoe damaged. Brown said she was
once offered $100 for the shoe but refused to sell it.
We tried to learn more when Pearson donated the shoe to
History Nebraska in 2013. We searched Nebraska newspaper
databases for 1902 and 1904. Because Brown’s paternal
grandfather, Frederick Albert Cox, had a June 8 birthday, we
focused especially on that month in the hope that he was the
correct grandfather.
We didn’t find the story, but we found lots of others.
Consider June 1902. A severe storm on the 5th burned
down a barn in Leigh, tore a hole in a farmhouse near
Gretna, “severely shocking the family, although not
seriously” (whatever that means!), and knocked the North
Bend telephone exchange manager out of his chair and
tore plaster from the wall. On the 13th a young man was
struck fatally near Peru while crossing a wire fence; the
report concludes cheerfully that “Nemaha County has the
best prospects for crops ever known before.” Two days
later a Lexington farmer was killed by lightning while on
horseback; the report didn’t mention the horse’s condition
but said the crops were promising “a mighty fine yield.”
June 1904 was even worse. On the 10th the Red Cloud
Chief claimed that “Probably more than a score of persons
have been killed or dangerously injured by lightning the last
two weeks in Nebraska alone.” A day earlier the Valentine
Democrat reported one dead from lightning in Fullerton and
By Eric Fowler
Duck Creek Recreation Area and its
new 62-acre reservoir near Peru opened
to the public in April.
The recreation area, built and
managed by the Nemaha Natural
Resources District, encompasses 200
acres and will offer fishing, no-wake
boating, RV and tent camping, a nature
trail, picnic areas, swim beach and
playgrounds.
The Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission was one of several
partners in the project, providing design
and funding assistance to enhance
aquatic habitat for fish and access for
anglers with a $500,000 grant from the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport
Fish and Wildlife Restoration program,
which is funded through excise taxes
boaters and anglers pay on equipment.
The work included excavating parts of
the lake and building underwater shoals
to provide depth diversity, anchoring
tree piles for fish habitat to compliment
Duck Creek Recreation Area, located 5 miles northwest of Peru, was built for flood
control and recreation.
the abundant standing timber that
was flooded, building breakwaters
and sediment traps to maintain water
quality, and a boat ramp and fishing
pads for anglers.
The Commission stocked the lake
with bluegill, black crappie, largemouth
bass and channel catfish starting in
2016. Bass and bluegills also found
their way into the lake from upstream
ponds. Duck Creek currently has a high
density of small bass and bluegills,
with a few keeper-sized fish.
A grand opening and dedication
is planned for June 2 at 11 a.m. The
event includes lunch, kayaking, boat
and facility tours and a fishing clinic.
A Nemaha NRD access permit ($15
annual, $5 daily), which provides entry
to four other areas, is required and
can be purchased on site. For more
information, go to NemahaNRD.org. ■
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 11
In-field Zipper
Repairs
Some tricks to know if
your tent zipper fails
By Julie Geiser
T
12 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Try to loosen stuck zippers by putting
pressure on the pull tab with pliers.
The FixnZip makes repairing a zipper
simple with no tools or sewing required.
PHOTOS BY JULIE GEISER
ent zippers are key components
to tents. They keep wind, rain
and bugs out, but when they fail, be
prepared with some knowledge and
tools to do on-site repairs to your tent.
Zippers consist of nylon, plastic or
metal teeth or coils and a slider or
grab tab pull that brings the teeth or
coil tracks together. Many tents come
with closed-end zippers, which means
the zipper is stitched together at both
ends. Closed-end zippers can be harder
to repair in the field unless you have
some good tools in a repair kit. Openend zippers are much like those on a
jacket where the two sides of the zipper
come apart; these zippers are somewhat
easier to repair.
Zipper maintenance can help extend
its life span and keep problems to a
minimum. Keeping the zipper free
of dirt and sand will help keep it in
good working order. Running a damp
washcloth along the zipper track will
clean most sand and dirt while in
the field. A small can of keyboard
air cleaner in a repair kit is great for
flushing debris out of a zipper
track.
If a zipper is only misaligned, you
might fix the problem by working the
slider back and forth a couple of times
to make it run more smoothly.
If the slider is broken, there are
things you can do to try to fix it. If the
slider is stuck, try using some lubricant
to make it run more smoothly on the
zipper track. There are dry lubricants
made just for zippers or try using a
graphite pencil by running the graphite
along the zipper’s teeth to lubricate the
track.
Other lubricants can be used but be
careful that they do not attract sand and
dirt. Lip balm or WD-40 can be used
when you do not have any other options;
run a light layer of either along the teeth
of the zipper and see if that helps the
slider pull the two teeth sides together.
If this doesn’t
work, try putting
some pressure on
the slider’s back
side by squeezing
the top and bottom
together on each
side of the slider
pull tab with pliers;
squeeze one side of
the slider at a time
and then run the
slider up and down
on the teeth until
it hopefully closes
the zipper.
If the slider is
not working at all,
a quick solution
to the problem is
a zipper repair kit
like FixnZip.
The sliders in
the FixnZip make
repairing a zipper
fast and simple
with no other
tools or sewing
needed like other
conventional
The FixnZip works on zippers made with
coils or plastic or metal teeth.
zipper repair kits. The FixnZip sliders
work by finding the right size of
slider, then loosening a screw on the
top of the slider, attaching it to the
zipper teeth on both sides of the slide
and tightening the slider down on the
zipper. FixnZip replaces old zipper
sliders or repairs broken zippers that
separate or come undone. They work
on zippers made of coils or plastic or
metal teeth, and can be used on opened
and closed zippers. They also fit many
zipper sizes.
The zipper sliders that I purchased
online came with three different zipper
slider sizes, which ensures that one
will fit your tent, sleeping bag, jackets
or other equipment. These sliders are
a lifesaver when zippers break on a
camping trip and will save tent owners
a lot of money by fixing a zipper
instead of replacing a tent. ■
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 13
Junior Explorer
Program
14 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
By Justin Haag
Children have long enjoyed exploring nature at Wildcat
Hills State Recreation Area, whether by hiking the trails
of the 1,000-plus-acre park or by viewing the interactive
displays of its Nature Center. Now there is a new program to
make their exploration at the Panhandle park official.
This spring, the Nature Center began awarding badges and
certificates to children who complete its new Junior Explorer
program.
Amanda Filipi, the outdoor education specialist who is
based at the Nature Center, worked with members of the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s communications
division to create, design and print a 16-page full-color
book with activities for children ages 4 and up. In addition
to traditional activities, such as a word search and maze, the
program has activities that require children to find and study
natural features, such as animal tracks and plants.
A Watchable Wildlife Grant, made possible by donations
to the state’s Wildlife Conservation Fund, funded the project.
“Here at the Wildcat Hills we’re always looking for ways
to help kids gain an appreciation for nature and the region’s
history,” she said. “We’re sure the kids will enjoy completing
the activities and getting a little recognition for it. We’re
excited to get it started.”
The new book and badge created for the Junior Explorer
Program at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center helps children
explore the park.
Filipi said the activities are intended to relate specifically
to the Wildcat Hills, highlighting the region’s history,
wildlife, paleontology, flora and geology. For instance,
there is content devoted to topics such as bighorn sheep, the
ancient fossils that have been unearthed nearby, the park’s
Great Depression-era stone shelters and the rare-to-Nebraska
mountain mahogany tree.
“And, we have a section on the bees. Here at the Wildcat
Hills we always have to have something for the bees since
we have an active bee hive at the building,” she said.
Filipi said this is the first Junior Explorer Program at a
Game and Parks Commission attraction, but hopes to see it
added to other parks in coming years.
The Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area is located 10
miles south of Gering along Nebraska Highway 71. The
books are available at the Nature Center’s front desk. ■
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 15
Presented by
Bug Banter
By Julie Van Meter
State Entomologist,
Nebraska
Department
of Agriculture
T
he Japanese beetle (Popillia
japonica) was introduced to the
United States around 1916 on nursery
stock. Since its introduction, this exotic
invasive insect has established in
almost every state in the eastern half of
the country.
Nebraska is on the leading edge of
this infestation as the beetle moves
westward. Currently 38 Nebraska
counties are considered infested,
including Douglas and Sarpy counties
where infestations are widespread.
Adult beetles are approximately
½-inch in length. The head and thorax
are green and the elytra (hard back
wings) are brownish to bronze in color.
June beetles, by comparison, are larger
in size and a more uniform orange to
dark brown color.
Other scarab species, including the
false Japanese beetle and the rose
chafer, both of which are found in
16 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Japanese Beetle.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID CAPPAERT,
BUGWOOD.ORG.
Nebraska, are often confused with the
Japanese beetle. A key identification
characteristic of the Japanese beetle is
the white tufts of hairs on the sides and
end of the adult abdomen. Japanese
beetles have a one-year life cycle.
Adult females begin to lay eggs in
the ground in early to mid-summer.
White grubs, similar to the grubs of
other scarab beetles, hatch from these
eggs. The grubs (larvae) remain in the
soil, feeding on grass roots, which can
cause significant damage to turfgrass.
Grubs overwinter by burrowing deep
into the soil. As spring approaches and
soil temperatures increase, the grubs
resume feeding, then pupate before
emerging as adults. In Nebraska, adult
emergence typically begins in early to
mid-June.
Adults crawl out of the ground and
begin to feed on flowers and foliage.
Preferred hosts include linden, rose
and grapes, but these insects are known
to feed on more than 300 species of
plants, ranging from trees and shrubs to
annuals and vegetables.
Homeowners and land managers
have a number of chemical options for
managing Japanese beetles. Selecting
plants that are less attractive to adult
beetles and hand removing adults
(when populations are low) are nonchemical options. Contact your local
extension office for Japanese beetle
management recommendations. ■
Japanese Beetle.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID CAPPAERT, BUGWOOD.ORG.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 17
by Jerry Kane
June 1
Landowner Elk Permits
June 8
Wildflower Walk
Final day eligible landowners may apply
for one elk permit
Wildcat Hills Nature Center, Gering
June 1-30
Archery Paddlefish
Season start and end
June 2
Family Fishing Event
Yanney Heritage Park, Kearney
June 2
National Trails Day
Indian Cave State Park (SP), Shubert
June 9
National Marina Day
Lewis and Clark SRA, Crofton
June 9
Birding Day
Fort Atkinson SHP, Fort Calhoun
June 9
Family Fishing Event
Medicine Creek Reservoir SRA,
Cambridge
June 17
Father’s Day Fishing
Tournament
Niobrara SP, Niobrara
June 17
Father’s Day Fish Fry
Living History
at Fort
Atkinson near
Fort Calhoun.
Ponca SP, Ponca
June 18-19
Legacy in Environmental
Education Discovery
Workshop
Wood River
June 19
Family Fishing Event
June 9-10
Becoming an Outdoors-Family Camp Holmes Lake, Lincoln
Fort Atkinson State Historical Park (SHP), Louisville SRA and Platte River SP,
June 19-21
Fort Calhoun
Louisville
Learn to Hunt Camp
Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor
June 4, 25
June 10
Education Center, Lincoln
Family Nature Club
Family Fishing Event
Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor
Terry’s Pit, Terrytown
June 19-22
Classroom, Norfolk
Patriot Camp of Eastern Nebraska
June 11-22
Fort Atkinson SHP, Fort Calhoun
June 6
Deer Permit Applications
Family Fishing Event
Residents and nonresidents may apply
June 20
Benson Park, Omaha
for one deer permit in any draw unit
Family Fishing Event
Windmill SRA, Gibbon
June 6, 13, 20, 27
June 11-22
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Antelope Permit Application
June 20-21
Residents and eligible landowners may
Handgun Series
Project WILD and Aquatic WILD
apply for one buck or either-sex antelope Educator Workshop
Platte River SP, Louisville
permit in available units
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
June 7
June 11-22
Family Fishing Event
June 21
Elk Permit Application
Mormon Island State Recreation Area
Growing Up WILD Educator
Residents
may
apply
for
one
elk
permit
(SRA), Grand Island; Oak Lake, Lincoln
Workshop
June 12
North Elementary School, Falls City
Family Fishing Event
June 21
June 2-3
Living History
Walnut Creek Reservoir, Papillion
June 13
Family Fishing Event
Bowling Lake, Lincoln; Red Willow
Reservoir SRA, McCook
June 14
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Beginning Canoeing
Wehrspann Lake, Omaha
June 15-16
Ash Hollow Pageant
Ash Hollow SHP, Lewellen
June 16
Buffalo Cookout and
National Park Service
Program
June 17
Father’s Day Buffet
Platte River SP, Louisville
June 23
National Park Service River
Adventure Day
Niobrara SP, Niobrara
June 23
Tour de Nebraska Bicycle Tour
Niobrara SP, Niobrara
June 24
Show and Shine Car Show
Indian Cave SP, Shubert
June 26-28
Outdoor Explorer’s Camp
Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor
Education Center, Lincoln
June 27
Family Fishing Event
Prairie Queen Recreation Area,
LaVista; Red Willow Reservoir SRA,
McCook
June 28
Family Fishing Event
Carter Lake, Omaha
June 29
Dutch Oven Cooking Class
Family Fishing Event
Louisville SRA, Louisville
Cottonmill Lake, Kearney; Towl Park,
Omaha; Skyview Lake, Norfolk
June 30
White Perch Tournament
June 22
Commission Meeting
Branched Oak SRA, Raymond
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
meeting, Ogallala
June 30-July 1
Living History
Last issue’s winner of
the Visitor drawing was
Sherrill Maxon of Bellevue,
Nebraska, who found the
velvet ant on page 36.
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
page 16, 17, 19, 26, 40-45, or 63.
Fort Atkinson SHP, Fort Calhoun
June 22
Family Fishing Event
Birdwood Wildlife Management Area,
North Platte
June 23
Carp-O-Rama
Branched Oak SRA, Raymond
June 23
Sod House Saturday Night
Bowring Ranch SHP, Merriman
Every June at the Ash Hollow Pageant,
volunteers reenact scenes from the diaries of
those traveling the Oregon trail.
Preston Green of Lincoln crosses a Go Ape
structure at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park.
18 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
NEBRASKAland
Visitor
By Cara Pesek
On Arbor Day, a group of students
from Lincoln Southwest High School
spent the morning in the treetop canopy
at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. They
crossed suspension bridges, balanced
on cables, and completed other
feats of daring and strength before
ziplining back to the ground. It was an
experience many said they found both
exhilarating and unforgettable.
The students were among the first
participants to try the new Go Ape
Treetop Adventure, which is now
open at Mahoney State Park. This
new feature, the first of its kind in
Nebraska, features six challenge
courses high up in the trees. The grand
finale of each course is a zipline that
whisks participants back to the ground.
The Go Ape Treetop Adventure is
part of Nebraska’s new Venture Parks
Complex, which will bring exciting
new activities and features to four
parks: Mahoney State Park, Platte
River State Park, Schramm Park State
Recreation Area and Louisville State
Recreation Area.
“Providing learning opportunities in
an outdoor environment is a key pillar
of the Venture Parks project,” said
Nebraska State Parks Administrator
Jim Swenson. “Guests gain a sensory
experience by venturing into the parks’
treetops and have a fun and memorable
experience at the same time.”
To learn more about the course, see
photos and video or to book online,
visit goape.com. ■
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
Niobrara SP, Niobrara
Family fishing in Kearney County.
Go Ape!
Contact the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at 402-471-0641 or visit
OutdoorNebraska.org for more information.
Visit HuntSafeNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and
BoatSafeNebraska.org for a list of boating safety classes.
The velvet ant (Dasymutilla
occidetalis), native to Nebraska,
is not an ant at all; it is actually
a wasp. Both males
and females are nearly
one inch in length,
and have dense, orange to
o
reddish hairs covering their
eir black
bodies. Males have transparent
wings and look like a typical wasp.
But it is the wingless female,
scurrying along the ground in
late summer, that attracts all the
attention. This bold coloring is a
warning that she is not to be
messed with. While not
aggressive, the female
can deliver a very
painful sting when
threatened, earning
her the nickname “cow
killer.” Velvet ants are
solitary creatures and do not build
a nest or live in a colony. Instead
the female lays eggs in grounddwelling bee and wasp nests. Her
larvae parasitize the
host larvae, ultimately
killing them.
Special thanks to Julie Van Meter,
State Entomologist, Nebraska
Department of Agriculture.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 19
m
male
female
Chimney Swifts
The Wildlife Among Us
Story and photos
by Michael Forsberg
20 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 21
Left: Distribution of the chimney swift
in North America.
MAP COURTESY OF THE CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY
Previous pages: Swifts circle the
chimney at Irving Middle School
before descending to roost on an
early autumn evening in Lincoln,
Nebraska.
O
ne fall evening while
walking the dogs around
the neighborhood and
Irving Middle School
in Lincoln, Nebraska, a
small group of parents waiting for their
kids at soccer practice were pointing
up to a massive vortex of swirling,
chattering silhouettes descending into
the school’s towering chimney. “Look
at all the bats!” I heard someone say.
At first, I thought they were, too. But
as we watched I realized these were
birds, and they were disappearing
into the chimney, not coming out
of it for the night. And they were
using a nearby church’s chimney,
too. I went home and did some quick
research. They were a huge migrating
flock of chimney swifts.
Chimney swifts are those dark
boomerang shapes that chitter in the
sky from dawn to dusk over our towns
and cities in Nebraska, across the
Midwest and all the way to the East
Coast.
With a wingspan of 14 inches but
The Irving chimney casts a shadow on the playground during a youth flag football game. This chimney and others in Lincoln serve
as important roost sites for chimney swifts, neo-tropical migrants that move between the Midwest and the Upper Amazon Basin.
Chimney swifts dive toward their roost head first, but as they enter a chimney, they
will turn right-side-up and drop in feet first.
22 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
weighing just less than an ounce,
chimney swifts are part of a larger
group of bird species including
swallows, goatsuckers and other swift
species called “aerial insectivores.”
They specialize in eating flying insects
(especially mosquitos), and like bats,
an individual can eat 2,000-3,000
insects per day.
In other words, if bats are the night
shift, swifts are the day shift, working
hard for us as 100 percent organic,
nature-certified, non-GMO pest control
agents, sweeping the skies 24 hours a
day, and they work for free.
Chimney swifts are neo-tropical
migrants, meaning they do not
require one home but many homes
to thrive, moving thousands of miles
annually between breeding grounds
in eastern and central North America
to wintering grounds in the tropics.
In fact, scientists have yet to identify
exactly where their core winter grounds
are, except to say that they are remote
and likely somewhere in the Upper
Amazon Basin.
Chimney swifts do not perch like
other birds standing on two feet.
Instead, they have specially designed
claws that allow them to cling to
vertical surfaces like bats, but right-side
up rather than upside down. Before
Euro-American settlement, chimney
swift communal roosts and solitary
nests were once in hollowed-out trees
of old growth riparian woodlands
and eastern hardwood forests. But
as America grew west and harvested
those trees for fuel, building materials
or cleared them for agriculture, the
swifts adapted quickly to using brick
chimneys built for our homes or
schools, and smoke stacks for industry.
But today, most of those old brick
chimneys in homes are being covered
or sealed, dilapidated buildings and
their smokestacks are being torn down,
old steam-generating heating and
cooling systems in public buildings like
schools and office buildings are being
retro-fitted or modernized, and now
the swifts’ human-made habitats that
they were able to adapt to in the last
century are dwindling, and the birds
are struggling in some areas to survive.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is, people and
communities that learn about these
swifts seem to care, and conservation
efforts for swifts are on the radar.
Cities like Austin, Texas, have
incorporated swift-friendly roosting
and nesting structures into their
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 23
Irving’s students and teacher sponsors helped
developed an after-school Chimney Swift Club to
educate their classmates, local neighborhoods and the
city about these remarkable little birds.
city’s architecture and urban design.
An elementary school and local
conservationists in Portland, Oregon,
raised awareness and succeeded in
protecting a large de-commissioned
chimney attached to their school
because it served as an important
migratory roost site for thousands of
Vaux swifts, western counterparts
to the chimney swifts, and provided
a perfect environmental education
opportunity for the school that now
hosts hundreds of spectators gathering
to watch the birds descend to their
nighttime roost on fall evenings.
And even in my own home
neighborhood at Irving Middle School
where I first saw those swifts several
years ago, a small group of enthusiastic
teachers, a University of Nebraska
ornithologist (and Irving alumnus),
and a group of students formed an afterschool Chimney Swift Club, now in its
fourth year, to learn and help educate
their classmates, local neighborhood
and city about the beauty and value
of these remarkable little birds and
celebrate the wildlife among us.
It is hard to believe at a glance
that a small cigar-shaped brown bird
twittering above our urban forest here
in the Plains can connect us to farflung places half a world away, and
either despite us or because of us,
is making a life in an increasingly
modern world. ■
Swifts do not perch upright like most
birds. With specially designed claws,
they perch by clinging to rough surfaces,
usually bricks and mortar of interior
walls.
Above: The communal roosts of chimney swifts can number in the hundreds or thousands during migration. Like bats, they will
roost in tight clusters for protection and warmth.
Opposite: A swift may eat thousands of flying insects before returning to the roost each night. If bats are the night shift then swifts
are the day shift, aerial insectivores and nature’s pest control agents, sweeping up our big Nebraska skies.
24 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 25
Time Well Spent
What to Do in June
By Renae Blum
O
PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY
nce Memorial Day rolls around, it’s “park season” in Nebraska, which means
plenty of fun family events scheduled throughout the summer. Here’s a preview of
several you can look forward to. You can find more details about these and other events
online at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. ■
Stargazing
June 22
Living History – Old-Fashioned
Fourth of July with a Focus on 1812
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
Nothing quite catches the breath like the sight of a star-filled sky
– much less one viewed through a good telescope. On June 22
the Omaha Astronomical Society and Prairie Astronomy Club will
set up powerful telescopes at Mahoney for visitors to use. Meet
at the Bur Oak Picnic Shelter across from the golf driving range
from dusk to 11 p.m.
June 30-July 1
Fort Atkinson State Historical Park
June 8
Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area
Visit a Nebraska
Beach
Throughout the month
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
Wildflower Walk
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
Fort Atkinson’s Fourth of July events are a prime time to see living history at the
park. This year’s event has a special focus on 1812, specifically the War of 1812 and
its connection to the fort, with special displays onsite from the Archives of Ontario
and the Naval Museum in Washington D.C. The weekend’s activities also include a
visit from Dolly Madison and other historical presentations.
Statewide
2nd Annual National Marina Day
Nebraska and beaches – two words you
don’t tend to associate with one another.
However, a number of inviting beaches
and lakes can be found throughout
the state. Some of our favorites are at
Lake McConaughy, Calamus, Louisville,
Windmill, and Summit state recreation
areas.
June 9
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area
Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area is a great place to
view wildflowers – volunteers have spotted more than 40
blooming species in a single day. To celebrate Nebraska
Wildflower Week, join us for a mile-long hike in the park to
see the flowers in bloom and learn key characteristics for
identification.
26 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
It’s boating season, and there are few places better to celebrate than at Nebraska’s second largest reservoir, Lewis and Clark Lake,
during their National Marina Day event June 9. The day includes kayaking, archery, fishing clinic, boat tours, sandcastle building
contest, fish fry, hayrack ride and more. The event also offers an educational angle, with talks on boating safety, wetland habitats and
aquatic invasive species; a fish cleaning demonstration; and a search and rescue dive demonstration.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 27
Aquatic Habitat Program
Celebrates 20 Years
To maintain, restore or enhance the
capacity of a waterbody to produce and
sustain fish.
I
n the mid-1990s, Nebraska’s reservoirs constructed
during the middle part of the 20th century were showing
their age: Basins had filled with silt, shorelines had
eroded, water quality had degraded, and less-thandesirable fish communities made for poor angling.
Anglers wanted change. More than 650 anglers attended
19 meetings across the state beginning in 1993 to discuss
problems and possible solutions related to aging reservoirs
and aquatic habitat. Seventy anglers were invited to meet
with biologists and others at a three-day meeting in 1994,
in which they identified priorities and developed a course of
action for addressing the state’s aquatic habitat issues.
From this meeting, what would become the Nebraska
Aquatic Habitat Program and the Aquatic Habitat Stamp
were born.
In 1996, the Nebraska Legislature passed a new law
requiring most anglers to buy a stamp in order to fish in the
state. Money generated by sales of the newly-established
Aquatic Habitat Stamp went into a fund, which was only
used to make improvements to aging Nebraska waters.
More than 20 years later, sales of the stamp have generated
more than $22 million for improvements to 127 waterbodies
across the state. Many additional funding partners, including
the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, the Federal Sport
Fish Restoration Fund, Natural Resources Districts and cities
across the state, have contributed an additional $73 million
for Aquatic Habitat Program projects, which have improved
water quality, removed sediment, stabilized shorelines,
added submerged aquatic habitat structures, provided for the
construction of fishing docks and piers and much more.
Because it was the first of its kind, the American Fisheries
Society recognized it with a Sport Fish Restoration
Outstanding Project award in 1998. The true beneficiaries of
this program have been anglers, who have better access and
opportunity in Nebraska than ever before.
Now, and into the future, anglers will continue to reap the
benefits of so many successful projects across Nebraska.
– Don Gabelhouse, Fisheries Division Administrator
1993-2016
PHOTO BY BOB GRIER
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
Above: Bluegills hover over their spawning beds at Louisville State Recreation Area (SRA) where a
$500,000 angler access project to install fishing piers was completed in 2012. Opposite: Biologists get an
early start on a day long renovation of the fishery of Lake Ogallala.
28 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018• NEBRASKAland 29
Left: Rick Wheatley fishes for
trout in Long Pine Creek at
Long Pine SRA in Brown County
during the winter. Coolwater
streams are also on the Aquatic
Habitat Program’s plan to
improve fish habitat and angler
access.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG
Bottom: An already great
fishery, Sherman Reservoir
was enhanced by a large
scale Aquatic Habitat project
to stabilize major points and
protect coves, the focus of many
anglers to this Sherman County
jewel.
Right: Over the
last 6 years a
major project has
improved access
and restored
aquatic habitat
on the Valentine
National Wildlife
Refuge in Cherry
County, setting
the stage for its
return as a world
class fishery once
common carp are
removed.
PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER
PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY
PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY
A soon-to-be underwater view of the aquatic habitat and
angler access improvements underway at Conestoga
Reservoir southwest of Lincoln. Excavation, basin
sculpting, rock piles and root wads are great for fish,
while the new breakwater and ADA piers will be great
for fishing. To see drone footage of this project, visit
OutdoorNebraska.org/aquatichabitatprogram.
30 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 31
Fisheries biologists Jared Lorensen and Caleb Huber
conduct an electrofishing survey on West Brady
Wildlife Management Area, one of seven interstate
lakes recently improved for angler access.
PHOTO BY BOB GRIER
PHOTO BY JULIE GEISER
At Shell Lake Wildlife
Management Area,
northeast of Gordon,
in Cherry County, an
early Aquatic Habitat
project was conducted
to increase depth in this
shallow natural Sandhills
lake to improve fish
growth and survival.
Opposite: The locations
of Nebraska waterbodies
that have benefitted
from Aquatic Habitat
and Angler Access
projects are statewide.
Find more information
at OutdoorNebraska.org/
fisheriesprograms, or feel
free to contact Aquatic
Habitat Program Manager
Mark Porath at mark.
porath@nebraska.gov.
32 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
Right: The restoration of
Summit Lake was prior
to the addition of angler
access into the Aquatic
Habitat program. It still
produces great fishing
and is now getting access
enhancements like a new
ADA fishing pier added to
this breakwater in 2017.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 33
Completing the
Vision
The New Niobrara Confluence
Wildlife Management Area
Story and photos
by Eric Fowler
F
rom the hilltop lodge at Niobrara State Park,
one can see for miles up, down and across the
picturesque Missouri River. Now, thanks to a
generous donor and other partners, much of the
land and wetlands you can see in front of the
park will forever be in the public trust, part of
Niobrara Confluence Wildlife Management Area.
Stretching from the mouth of the Niobrara
River 3 miles up this relatively unspoiled
segment of the Missouri National Recreational
River, the 1,225-acre tract contains a diverse mix
of habitats that teem with fish and wildlife.
Theresa Fowler of Lincoln and
Mary Snowden of Niobrara kayak through the
backwaters of Niobrara Confluence Wildlife
Management Area on the Missouri River.
34 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 35
M
iss
ou
ri
Riv
er
Niobrara
Confluence
WMA
access road
Nio
bra
ra
Co
nfl
ue
nc
eW
MA
Mis
souri R
M
uch of the bottomland is comprised of backwaters, wetlands and cattail
marshes that fill the traces of the historic river channel and provide
valuable habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds and other migratory birds.
It includes bottomland prairie that was once farmed but abandoned due to
rising groundwater levels and is now wet during periods of high river flows and
always pocked with shallow wetlands, providing nesting habitat for grassland
birds, including pheasants. In recent years, a pair of bald eagles has nested in a
cottonwood growing along an old road in the midst of the backwaters. Sandbars
on the river provide habitat for least terns and piping plovers, and the Niobrara
River delta provides an abundance of shallow water for many water birds. A 120acre parcel of land stretching from the bottomlands into the bluffs includes a mix
of tall- and mixed-grass prairie and hardwood forest and is home to white-tailed
and mule deer, wild turkeys and numerous woodland bird and mammal species.
In all, the property is home to 25 resident bird species and visited by another 115
migratory species.
36 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Brazile
Creek WMA
Niobrara
Brazile
Creek
WMA
Niob
rara Riv
er
MAP BY TRISHA SCHLAKE, GIS APPLICATIONS DEVELOPER
Niobrara River
Niobrara
State Park
ABOVE: The extent of Niobrara Confluence WMA and its wetlands and backwaters can be seen from the group lodge at Niobrara
State Park. BELOW: A least tern sits on its eggs. The birds, a threatened species, nest on sandbars in the Missouri River.
iver
SOUTH
DAKOT
A
NEBRA
SKA
Niobrara Confluence WMA is a welcome addition to the public lands managed by the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission near the village of Niobrara.
The waters of the area are home to many of the 64 native and introduced fish
species that swim in the Missouri, including the endangered pallid sturgeon, the
prehistoric paddlefish and numerous game fish including catfish, northern pike,
small- and largemouth bass and sauger. False map turtles and other amphibians
also call the area home.
The area, combined with the adjacent 1,647-acre Niobrara State Park and the
4,061-acre Bazile Creek WMA, which stretches from the Niobrara River 12 miles
downriver to near Santee, will provide many recreational opportunities, including
hunting, fishing, kayaking and bird watching, as well as an additional access point
to the Missouri River. The state park’s railroad trail runs between the properties
and provides an elevated view of much of the property. An access road leads to a
small concrete boat ramp in a backwater that connects to the Missouri.
Opening the land to the public was a long-time vision of landowner Tom
Hastings, who began working with the Commission on the project more than
10 years ago. It is also a big part of why Ducks Unlimited (DU) stepped in to
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 37
work with the Commission and help facilitate the complicated process to make
that vision a reality. Hastings donated a 227-acre portion of the property to DU,
which last year transferred that property to the Commission. DU purchased the
remaining 998 acres and held it until the Commission could secure the necessary
funding to buy it back. That was accomplished through a $473,000 grant from the
Nebraska Environmental Trust, a portion of which was used as matching funds to
obtain another grant through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, which
distributes excise taxes paid on firearms and ammunition to the states.
“This is a great addition to the public lands which are enjoyed by a vast array
of Nebraskans and our visitors,” said Commission Director Jim Douglas. “We
can’t thank Mr. Hastings, Ducks Unlimited and the Nebraska Environmental Trust
A county road crossing the western portion of Niobrara Confluence WMA, which stretches for nearly 3 miles to the mouth of
the Niobrara River, provides access from Highwy 12 to a primitive boat ramp on a Missouri River backwater.
A portion of Niobrara Confluence WMA located in the bluffs adjacent to the
riverbottom includes prairie and hardwood forest.
38 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
enough for helping make it happen.”
John Denton, manager of
conservation projects for DU in
Nebraska, said the size of the property
increased the organization’s interest in
the project. “It’s probably going to get
as much or more use than 99 percent
of the properties we work on,” he said.
“Public use is a big deal for us. Being
a conservation organization, we’re
relying on there being other people
who are enthusiastic about the same
things we are and donating to our
cause. If they don’t have a place to go
view and enjoy these resources, then it
depletes our donor base and volunteer
base and membership base, everything that makes us what
we are and allows us to be so successful.”
There was a “big-time fringe benefit” of the project,
too, Denton said. DU used the proceeds of the sale of the
property to the Commission to obtain yet another grant,
this one for $973,000 from the North American Waterfowl
Conservation Act (NAWCA). That money and $1.8 million
in matching funds from partners will be used to restore
and enhance wetlands and improve access on Niobrara
Confluence WMA, as well as another 1,000 acres of
wetlands on other state and federal areas along the Missouri
River including Bazile Creek, Ponca State Park, Elk Point
Bend WMA and DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, and on
the Elkhorn River at Wood Duck WMA near Stanton and a
Ducks Unlimited property near West Point.
There is considerable work to be done at Niobrara
Confluence. Proposed habitat improvements through the
NAWCA grant include excavating shallow wetlands on
the floodplain, removing a roadbed and filling a ditch that
have altered the hydrology of the existing backwaters and
wetlands, and controlling invasive species such as cattails
and reed canary grass to improve the value of existing
wetlands. A Nebraska Natural Legacy Program project is
working to remove eastern red cedar and other invasive trees
from the grassland and woodlands in the bluff portion of
the property. And the remains of several cabins destroyed
in the 2011 Missouri River Flood need to be removed.
Future access points may be developed in conjunction with
proposed improvements to Nebraska Highway 12.
While those improvements are pending, the area is
receiving plenty of use, both from man and beast. And it’s
only likely to see more. ■
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 39
Insect
Photography
Ten Tips for
Insects like this katydid
nymph can be very
satisfying to photograph
– as long as they don’t fly,
jump, or crawl away first.
Photos and story by Chris Helzer
ave you ever wanted to take better photos of
insects? Of course you have; insect photography
tops every self-respecting outdoor enthusiast’s list
of aspirations. It’s hard to hold your head high
among your peers when they’re showing off spectacular
photos of leafhoppers and damselflies and all you have is a
blurry shot of something that might have been a bee.
Worry no more, my friend. Here are 10 tips that will make
you a better insect photographer. Many of these tips will also
apply to other kinds of close-up (aka macro) photography,
so if you can successfully photograph insects, you’ll find
that photographing flowers, tree bark, or your favorite Lego
Minifigure will feel like child’s play.
By the way, I may refer to spiders and other non-insects
in this article, and yes, I know they’re not insects. It’s just a
lot simpler to write “insects” than it is to write “arthropods”
or “invertebrates.” Don’t be pedantic.
Tip #1. Be Prepared for
Failure
Here’s the hard reality: most insects aren’t going to let you
take their picture. Just when you’ve crept nearly close enough
to get a smashing photo of a cute soldier beetle on a flower,
the little bugger will almost always jump or fly away.
Alternatively, you’ll knock the beetle off its perch yourself,
with your big clumsy feet or elbows. You’re going to get
really frustrated. You’ll find yourself on your hands and
knees yelling bad words at a ladybug who won’t stand still
for just a second.
If you can’t handle that degree of exasperation, you might
as well stop reading right now and go find something easier
to do – like putting together jigsaw puzzles with no pictures.
40 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Tip #2. Approach Low and
Slow
Stalking insects is much like stalking any other prey.
Approach your quarry slowly and avoid making sudden
moves that might draw attention to yourself. Try not to
bump or step on plant stems that could hit the stem your
subject is on. Be aware of your shadow and make
sure it doesn’t pass over the insect as you’re creeping
toward it. Most importantly, keep your head down.
Like many other creatures, insects will most easily
spot you when you obstruct their view of the sky.
Stay low enough that your head is below the
insect’s view of the horizon and you’ll have a
decent chance of getting close enough for a
photograph.
Tip #3. Camera
Equipment
Before you go out, let’s talk about
the kind of camera equipment you’ll
need. There are a few important things to
consider when you’re shopping for insect
photography gear.
You don’t need to buy a camera that
costs more than your car. All you need is
something that lets you manually control
exposure (shutter speed and aperture), allows
interchangeable lenses, can attach to a tripod,
and lets you remotely trigger the shutter,
when necessary. Because you’ll be
working with very little depth-of-field,
you’ll need to manipulate the camera’s
aperture (more on that later) and often
shoot with relatively slow shutter speeds. A basic
digital single
lens reflex
(DSLR) camera
is probably your best
option.
A macro lens is really
important. There are cheaper
options, including some
magnifying lenses that screw onto
your lens like a filter, but if you’re
going to be serious about
insect photography, start with
equipment that won’t limit you. A good
lens may cost you several hundred dollars, but
you’ll be glad to have it. Look for a macro lens capable
of a 1:1 magnification ratio, which means the projected
image of a bee onto your camera’s sensor will be the same
size as the bee is in real life.
Some photographers like to use flash equipment for
close-up photos of insects. I own a flash system, but
rarely use it. However, if you plan to photograph
insects in woodland or other shady places, or if
you will be taking lots of photos of fastmoving insects like bees, flash can be
really helpful. Look for flash systems that
direct light at the subject from more than
one direction simultaneously, using either
a ring flash or multiple flash units. Also, try to use
flash as supplementary light, rather than at an intensity
that illuminates the subject so brightly the background turns
black.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 41
Because depth-of-field is limited,
make sure the eyes of tiny
subjects are in focus. Wolf spider
and offspring.
Tip #4. Use a Tripod
Tripods can be unwieldy, especially when you’re trying to photograph
something close to the ground in dense vegetation. However, the added stability
of a tripod has enough advantages to outweigh the hassles most of the time. When
trying to maximize depth-of-field, you’ll often need slow shutter speeds, and that
can make it hard to hold a camera steady enough to avoid blurry images. A tripod
can solve that, especially when you control the shutter remotely, either with a cord
or a radio-controlled trigger.
In addition, however, a tripod can minimize the number of factors you are
trying to deal with when taking insect photos. With a shallow depth-of-field, a
camera movement of just a millimeter toward or away from the insect can cause
it to go out of focus. A tripod helps reduce movement of your camera so all you
have to worry about is the wind and the movements of the insect, which is plenty.
Sometimes, when an insect is moving quite a bit, or the wind is blowing its perch
around, I’ll fold my tripod legs together and use it as a monopod. That way I can
move with the insect, but still control camera shake and give myself a reasonable
chance of getting that little stink bug in focus.
Tip #5. Make Your Camera Squint
Maximizing depth-of-field in macro photos means using small apertures (higher
F-stop numbers). The effect is like squinting at the alarm clock without your
glasses or contacts, or to just see something more clearly. When photographing
insects, a larger f-stop number means more of the insect will be in focus (large
f-stop number equals a small hole for light to pass through). The trade-off, of
course, is the need for slower shutter speeds. Even with a tripod, there will be
many times when an insect is moving enough that a shutter speed of 1/30 second
or faster will be needed to freeze the action. Faster shutter speeds limit how much
your camera can squint, especially in low light situations, so balancing aperture
with shutter speed is always in the mind of an insect photographer.
Tip #6. Perpendicularity is Good
One way to limit frustration with depth-of-field is to position yourself so
the insect is as perpendicular as possible to the camera. The flatter you can
make the subject, the more of it will be in focus. Depending upon the situation,
it’s not always possible to control the angle from which you photograph, but
sometimes just moving yourself a few inches one way or the other can make a big
difference. If you can, think about the angle you want before you approach the
insect. That will limit how much fiddling around you’ll need to do when you’re
within shooting range, and will increase the chance of getting a photo before that
butterfly flees the scene.
Because it is
perpendicular to the
camera, this damselfly is
entirely in focus.
A fast shutter speed was
needed to capture these
mound building ants.
Tip #7. Aim for the Eye
When we look at other people our eye is automatically drawn to their eye(s).
The same is true with insects, even if their eyes might look different (or be
more numerous) than our own. If you can see the eye of the insect you’re
photographing, make sure it is in focus when you take the picture. Even if the
majority of the insect is out of focus, get the eye sharp and the photo will likely
work. Only on rare occasions is there a more appropriate focal point than the eye.
In addition, although depth-of-field issues can make it tricky, don’t be afraid to
try for intimate face-to-face images of insects. If you don’t scare the insect away
(and you probably will) you might get a truly great photo.
42 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 43
Tip #8. Pay Attention to the
Background
Tip #10. Go Out When the Light is
Good
When trying to keep track of focal point and depth of field while
cursing softly under your breath at the wind and the spider that keeps
shifting position, it can be easy to forget about what’s behind your subject.
Unfortunately, the background of an image can easily ruin a photograph, even
if you get everything else right. A nice clean background, free of distracting
blurry stems or leaves, can create simple, elegant images that highlight the
insect itself. On the other hand, sometimes it’s nice to include a background
that shows the insect in its actual environment, creating a less studio-like
photograph. In either case, the key is to make sure you’re making conscious
choices about how you want the background to look. If your camera has a
“depth-of-field preview” button, use it to check out the background before you
shoot.
There are several ways to control the background in a close-up photo. The
first is depth-of-field. A shallow depth-of-field will blur out everything behind
the subject, creating a nice, simple image. However, because there are good
reasons to maximize depth-of-field to ensure a sufficient amount of the insect
will be in focus, this can create a tension. Again, there is no rule to follow
here; just be thoughtful about the choices available to you, and if there’s time,
experiment with both shallow and deeper depth-of-field options.
Background can also be controlled by your relative position to the subject.
You can get down lower than the insect and frame it against a clean sky, for
example, with or without a horizon line included. Sometimes, by moving
slightly to one side or another, you can eliminate a pesky shadow or stray leaf
that is creating a distraction behind the subject. In some situations, you can
hold up your hand or hat to create a shadow behind the insect and prevent
overly bright reflections from light-colored stems or leaves. Be very careful
with this last strategy, of course, since both movement and shadows can easily
spook your insect before you get the photo you want.
Finally, you can control background by physically moving objects around to
get them out of the way of the shot. I do this all the time, but there are ethical
boundaries to consider. It’s one thing to bend a grass leaf out of the way and
tuck it behind another plant. It’s another thing to tear plants out by the roots
because they’re in your shot. Remember that as a nature photographer, you’re
there to capture the scene, not destroy it. Plus, by the time you mess around
with moving distracting plants out of the way, your insect will have flown off
long ago.
In insect photography, as with any photography, light is the most important
element. Getting good insect photos in the middle of a bright sunny day is almost
impossible without using diffusers, flash, or other tricks to reduce the harshness
of the bright light and contrasting dark shadows – and those tricks just add to
the complexity of an already difficult task. Your camera’s sensor can’t handle the
same range of light your eye can, so you’ll either get washed out highlights or
black shadows, and either way, the resulting image will likely be disappointing.
More importantly, photographs taken when the quality of light is high will result
in more colorful and attractive images. The sun looks nearly white in mid-day, but
is colorful during the early morning and late evening. That colorful light reflects
from whatever it hits, making your insect and its background more attractive. In
addition, reduced light intensity on bright, overcast days or during the early or late
portions of the day eliminates distracting shadows and lets every nook and crevice
of the insect shine through in your image. Journalism photographers have to shoot
when the action is happening and do what they can with the light they get, but
the rest of us have more control over when we go out. When you can, search for
insects when the light is good; you’ll get better quality photos. Of course, this
assumes any insects sit still long enough to be photographed.
Tip #9. Take a Lot of Shots.
Seriously.
One of the greatest advantages of digital photography is that, unlike with
film photography, clicking the shutter button costs you nothing but time to
sort through the resulting images. In the case of insect photography, this is a
huge blessing. Between wind, moving insects, depth-of-field issues, messy
backgrounds, and all the other complications you’re dealing with, getting
everything right in the same shot is really difficult. It’s not unusual for me to
take 100 photos of the same insect (assuming it sits still long enough to do
that). Within those 100 photos, I’m trying different angles and composition
options, creeping gradually closer to the insect, and experimenting with
depth-of-field and shutter speed. Above all, I’m hoping that at least one of the
images will come back with the insect’s eye in sharp focus, especially when
that insect isn’t sitting perfectly still. Take way more photos than you think
you’ll need; you’ll thank me.
44 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Early morning dew
both slowed and
highlighted this salt
marsh caterpillar.
Golden early morning
light makes this photo
of a ghost bee on silky
prairie clover a winner.
BONUS TIP. Dewy Mornings!
Despite all the complications nature throws at insect photographers, there is one
blessing bestowed upon insect photographers that makes up for everything: dewy
mornings. Especially in the late summer, nature creates magical opportunities
when a low morning sun angle provides soft golden light and the world is covered
by glistening jewels of water droplets. Not only do dew drops create interesting
and attractive subject matter, the cool temperatures and moisture also prevent
insects from moving (much) until they warm up and dry out. It’s hard to imagine
a better overall scenario for insect photographers, so if you wake up and see dew
drops on still leaves outside, clear your schedule and go find some insects!
Last Thoughts
Some hunters and anglers say their satisfaction comes not from shooting a
deer or catching fish, but from the pursuit, and the stories they can tell later.
Regardless, it’s true that chasing deer, pheasants or fish makes you look at the
world differently, and brings a different kind of enjoyment than just walking
aimlessly down a trail. The same is true of insect photography. Despite the fact
that most insects will escape before you capture their image (did I mention that?)
you’ll find that just the bare attempt to find and photograph insects and other little
creatures will open your eyes to a world you’d otherwise ignore.
As you develop a mental search image for insects, you’ll start seeing them
everywhere – and not in a creepy way. Once you begin watching those insects
closely, you’ll see behaviors and interactions
that will stimulate your curiosity and
sense of wonder. You’ll find a diversity
of life you never imagined, and find
yourself digging through books and
internet sites trying to figure out
what kind of moth has that cool
wavy stripe across its wings. If
you’re lucky and persistent, you
might even get some nice, sharp
photographs of insects. ■
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 45
The Forest
in the Sand
The Nebraska National Forest at Halsey
Trees cover about a quarter of the Nebraska National Forest. Being man-made, the Forest’s natural grandeur
contrasts its oddly straight edges within continually rolling Sandhills.
F
The Forest’s abundant windmills are vital to equestrians like Roger White from
Kearney, Nebraska. Roger and his wife, Misty, camp and ride within the Forest’s 142
square miles several times a year.
46 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
reight trains following the Middle
Loup River send sound waves deep
into the Nebraska National Forest.
Punctuated by the wail of their horns,
the engines’ hum filters southward
through cedars, pines, junipers and firs
until muffled to a whisper.
This is a peculiar forest. Rooted
in abruptly transitioning sandy hills
without the familiar contours of
creeks, valleys or ridgelines, walking
through it is disorienting – a roller
coaster of trees. Equally curious are
the unnaturally straight edges dividing
woods from grasslands.
Viewed from above the Forest has a
patchwork quality. Some sections are
impenetrably thick – too daunting even
for deer – though most are traversable.
Not many people venture through on
foot, so if you choose to be among the
adventurous few you will find raw and
scenic solitude. Take a map.
Situated southwest of Halsey,
Nebraska, this implausible collage
of hand-planted trees and open hills
comprise Nebraska’s forest in the
sand, created by ambitious men with
practical objectives.
At a time when
homesteaders and
railroads needed
wood, University
of Nebraska
Professor of
Botany Dr.
Charles E. Bessey
foresaw a manmade forest on a
DR. CHARLES E. BESSEY
landscape void
of trees. Widely known for his grand
vision, without resources it would
remain visionary until 1891 when
Bessey heard from the man who would
help bring the forest to life – Bernhard
E. Fernow, chief of the USDA Division
of Forestry.
One year and 9,000 trees later, the
experiment proven successful, Bessey
and other advocates continued the
quest; it was a forest they wanted, not
just a prototype. In 1902, President
Theodore Roosevelt heard their voices
and designated a forest reserve. That
same year, the Charles E. Bessey Tree
Nursery began growing saplings, and in
1904 the planting began.
Horse-drawn wagonloads and hand
planting soon gave way to machines
planting 20,000 sprigs per day. Today,
trees cover 25,000 of 91,000 acres
comprising the Nebraska National
Forest, and the Bessey Nursery is a
regional powerhouse in tree sales.
Nursery Manager Richard Gilbert
and staff produce 1.5 million bare-root
trees per year. Skinny as a pencil and
about a foot tall, they grow outdoors in
long, orderly rows. Eastern red cedar,
Rocky Mountain juniper, American
plum, chokecherry, and 40-some
other varieties sell to several state and
federal agencies for land conservation
and habitat.
Greenhouses grow another 900,000
species such as spruce, pine and fir
which replenish forests devastated by
fire or bark beetles. “Very small trees
are preferred,” said Gilbert. “They’re
easier to plant in rocky ground.”
Living on the grounds near
headquarters, botany-obsessed Gilbert
often treks into the woods where
he once came upon a freshly killed
young deer as its killer, a bobcat,
came up behind him. “It was not very
happy with me, but it was an amazing
experience,” he said.
Halsey
Situated southwest of Halsey, Nebraska,
the Nebraska National Forest is a yearround destination for diverse groups of
outdoors people.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 47
One large section of the Nebraska National Forest comprises a labyrinth of 4-wheeler
trails. Here atop the Forest’s “Hill Climb,” ATV and UTV riders spin donuts in the sand.
Camped nearby, kids gaze over the Middle Loup River before sunset. Forest campgrounds come alive in the evenings.
Luke and Kayla Fries of Grand Island share a loving campsite moment with daughter
Rayan during their second family reunion in the Forest.
48 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
The Nebraska National Forest
experience is a mystery to most
Nebraskans. Many will say they have
driven past, some might have climbed
Scott Lookout Tower for a bird’seye view, but few truly know what is
beyond the entrance. Two categories of
recreationists know it well, however,
and divergent as they are, they have
one thing in common: horsepower.
It is counterintuitive that horses and
all-terrain vehicles could coexist in
one place. Their riders seek opposites:
sand-churning speed versus peaceful
exploration. But the Forest is large;
western regions are for equestrians
while all-terrain people stick to the
east. Loud engines are inaudible
miles away in the peaceful Natick
campground where horses munch hay
in individual pens.
Windmills brimming with water
are crucial to Forest riders; nearby
rivers are not accessible and the quickdraining sand does not hold surface
water. Roger and Misty White of
Kearney camp in Natick several times
a year. Riding windmill to windmill
on their horses Hellno and Trouble,
they sometimes team up with new
campground friends. “We love the
fellowship with the other horse
people,” said Roger, “but it’s also
about peaceful rides, quiet camping
and starry skies. Horses don’t need
horseshoes in the sand but they have to
work harder. It’s good for them.”
Camping is allowed anywhere,
and some groups form their own
communities just off road, circling
campers and trailers like wagon trains.
One circled group of Iowans cooks
over coals as their horses run loose
in the section where they camp. “We
have been coming to this spot for 20
years,” said Jeff Pierce of Colfax,
Iowa. “Windmills are landmarks for
us, helping us keep on course,” Pierce
said. “We have been a little misplaced,
but we always find our way back.
Other Iowans we talk to can’t imagine
a riding area so huge.”
Their camp is in the middle of the
Forest near all-terrain vehicle trails, so
sometimes the groups converge. “The
four-wheelers respect our horses and
yield the trail to us,” said Pierce. “It
has been a good relationship.”
All-terrain vehicles, “quads,” are a
mix of smaller, one-seater ATVs and
larger UTVs (utility terrain vehicles)
with side-by-side seats and payload
bed. With fat, deeply grooved tires,
springy racing shocks and powerful
engines, UTVs are more dune buggy
than utility cart and most trails here are
not for beginners.
Loren Eaton, recreation specialist,
is no UTV rookie. Racing away from
the setting sun along the aptly named
Poison Ivy Trail, he guns the engine
through narrow straightaways and
fishtails around steep NASCARstyle turns created by decades of
spewing sand. Tightly buckled and
full-face helmeted, Eaton slows when
approaching blind spots and hilltops,
hoping that others do the same.
Wrecks are common in the Forest –
on quads and from horseback. Eaton,
also a local volunteer rescue captain, is
a first responder. Normally his rescue
UTV suffices, but at times he summons
medivac helicopters to pluck serious
cases from remote areas.
The trail finally emerges onto the
region’s quad-riding Mecca, the
climbing hill. Abuzz with donutspinning riders, hell bent for speed, it
is steep – climb fast or spin out. Target
sand moguls at the bottom and launch
four wheels off the sand! It’s a circus.
Foraging deer barely notice us as we
noisily return to camp. They are much
warier of men on foot, especially late
in the year when 200 to 300 will fall
prey to hunters.
We arrive at the most popular
campground near the Forest’s northeast
entrance, full of campers this warm
June evening. Colorful quads dot the
grounds, helmets resting on springloaded seats ready for tomorrow’s
outing. It smells of burgers as families
gather around picnic tables.
After a day of fishing in the pond
or swimming in the river, vacationers
are happy. Everyone offers me food.
Parents in lawn chairs watch the kids
play. Up the hill, a family reunion
bustles with Frisbee throwing in a
camping complex made for such
groups. Up a distant road, the state’s
4-H complex attracts larger family
reunions and kids’ groups.
Two-wheel drive vehicles cannot
access Whitetail campground in
the Forest’s southernmost region.
Remotely set near the Dismal River, it
brings a mixture of quad riders, horse
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 49
species don’t do well here.”
Pocket gophers rule by sheer quantity
within mounds that carpet the Forest’s
hills, but large animal tracks are
perpetually visible. It’s sand, so their
every step leaves a print – something
we hard-dirt people find mesmerizing.
Walk far enough in these hills and
you may flush a covey of quail or
sharp-tailed grouse, the flying jugs of
the prairie. Accompanied by songbirds
you will likely spook deer, maybe
turkeys, perhaps a distant antelope.
Evenings bring crickets, yipping
coyotes, hooting owls, and emerging
badgers. As people bed down for the
night among the trees rooted deeply in
sand, engines cooled, horses resting,
the Forest comes alive.
This is Nebraska’s paradoxical
masterpiece. As the Dismal and
Middle Loup waters flow silently
past, the legacy of Dr. Bessey and his
determined associates lives on. ■
Mark Harris is the Associate Director
of the University of Nebraska State
Museum.
The Charles E. Bessey Tree Nursery produces 900,000 pine saplings indoors per year and another 1.5 million
various tree species outdoors.
Fire is essential to healthy prairies. In springtime, if conditions allow, yellow-clad “burn
crews” converge on the Forest’s grasslands to conduct highly orchestrated blazes.
50 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
people and campers, including one pair
of impromptu nudists startled to see my
SUV round their private nook. “Sorry!”
shouts the man as they scramble for
clothing.
Loren Eaton is not surprised to hear
of nudists. He has seen all kinds of
antics and incidents. “Most commonly,
people don’t take a map and they get
lost,” he said. “Some are lost overnight,
and in emergencies cell companies
will ping phones to give us the general
vicinity.” And people get stuck in the
sand. “It’s the first time some of them
have ever left the pavement.” But
standard visitors are rural folks with
big tires and high clearance who know
about dicey roads.
Forest staffers are largely rural, too.
“We have a lot of former ranch hands,”
said Julie Bain, district ranger. “It’s a
competent bunch who can fix things.”
Bain lives here and loves it. “We
are much less visited than mountain
forests,” she said. “You have a real
opportunity for seclusion on hikes or
on horseback.” Recently, Julie heard
rifle shots and redirected her horse to
investigate. Coming around a bend
she found a man sighting in his rifle.
Stunned to see her, the man declared,
“I’ve been coming out here for 47
years, and I’ve never seen another
person!”
“I often get puzzled looks when I
tell people where I work,” Bain said.
“There’s a forest in Nebraska!?”
“But the locals know it well. It’s a
playground for them.”
Julie looks after the land’s wellbeing and to remain healthy, grasslands
need fire. “Prairies evolved with fire,”
said Bain. “To maintain a healthy
ecosystem our goal is to burn 10,000
acres each year.” Controlled burns
are much about getting rid of invasive
plants like cedar trees that can overtake
grasslands. “From an ecological
standpoint, this land is amazingly
intact,” Bain said. “It didn’t get plowed
up during the Dust Bowl, grazing
has been well managed, and invasive
Alia Bejot of Ainsworth drops her line off the deck overlooking the Forest’s pond.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 51
junior journal
from NEBRASKAland‛s Trail Tales magazine for kids
Roles for Kids
If you can get a child outside, which you can, you can find something they’re passionate about.
By Jeff Kurrus
E
very time I talk about the image
below, which is a lot, I always
go back to the response of the
little girl on the left side of the
frame. This is Brylee Heard,
sister of Jake who is on the right of the
image and was the focus of the April,
2018 article “Countdown for the
Crew.”
It was Jake’s first-ever bullfrog hunt
and one of many for my daughter,
Madeline, who is in the center.
Brylee is not a fan of blood or any
of the other results of a good hunt. She
also has no desire to touch a fish, much
less a slimy, smelly bullfrog. It was a
surprise she opted to go on this hunt in
the first place.
However, she was ecstatic about
shining lights in their eyes while her
interesting notes for readers of all ages
brother and friend grabbed them from
the pond edges that night.
And she was really good at it,
spotting frogs that no one else in the
boat could see. With that in mind,
here are a few other roles that kids can
play on hunting and fishing trips that
might just further their interest in the
outdoors, creating their own unique
relationship with those activities that
life-longers have enjoyed forever.
Waterfowl hunting – setting decoys,
waving goose flags, calling.
Small pond fishing – running the
trolling motor; cooling everyone down
with waterguns during hot-water trips.
Turkey hunting – calling, especially
push-button and box calls. Also making
decisions on when to move and when
to sit still.
by Monica Macoubrie and Donna Schimonitz
Big lake fishing – glassing for gulls
when white bass and wiper fishing;
using GPS and topographical maps to
help with location changes.
Deer hunting – setting up trail
cameras and pinpointing the best spot
for a ladder stand location; helping
build food plots, especially throwing
seed.
Ice fishing – pulling along a sled,
first for carrying equipment, and later
for riding across the ice.
Regardless of your outdoor pursuit,
understand that a kid may see that
activity differently than you do. This
alternate point of view isn’t necessarily
a negative.
Just because they don’t want to pick
up a frog doesn’t mean they’re not a
frog hunter. ■
Build a Fort –
Make it Your Own!
Tree ID
Identify the leaves in each photo as
cottonwood, maple, bur oak, ginkgo,
black walnut or American elm.
By Julia Plugge, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
D
o you dream of building your own
ultimate fort? Maybe you want a
special place to play or hide? Forts
provide shelter from the weather,
a secret hiding spot, outdoor nook
to read a book, or a clubhouse for
friends to hang out.
Outdoor forts are a lot of fun and
easy to make. Summer is the perfect
time to break out your fort-building
skills. Using only a few supplies,
you will soon have your own
outdoor hideout!
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Find the best place – Locate an
area with large trees and low-hanging
branches, fallen logs, bushes, a swing
set structure, or clothesline poles to
serve as your scaffolding. If this is not
available – an open area in the yard of
your choice will work. Large branches
leaning in on each other can make a
base for your fort.
2. Gather materials – The best forts
are built using natural materials found
outside – fallen branches, sticks,
twigs, fallen leaves, mowed grass,
etc. Your fort also can be made with
pallets, rocks, recycled lumber or
even snow.
3. Start building – Arrange your
taller branches vertically on a tree,
securing the top of the branch directly
up against a “Y” shape within the tree
with the base of the branch angled
out. Use a clothesline pole or swing
set as your main frame if no tree is
available. Tie branches together with
string or rope for added support.
Close in your fort with lightweight
sticks around the outside frame.
Don’t forget to leave a space open
for your door.
4. Fill fort and decorate – Unleash
your imagination; make the inside of
the fort your own space. Use leaves,
grass, vines, clippings, or bark as your
floor. You could sit on a pile of leaves,
tarp or stump for a seat.
5. Do not stop building – Your
fort should be an ongoing project.
Continue to fill in the sides with twigs
as they fall onto the ground. Make the
fort as big as your imagination.
NATURE CALENDAR
Watch the Perseids meteor shower:
July 17-August 24, 2018
Look for robins and other songbirds
molting: late August through September
Answers, top to bottom: GINKO, AMERICAN ELM,
COTTONWOOD, BUR OAK, MAPLE, BLACK WALNUT
52 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
Grasshopper eggs hatch:
middle to late June
Compass plant photo by Jon Farrar
PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS
Brylee Heard, Madeline Kurrus and Jake Heard celebrate after a successful Sarpy County frog hunt.
Compass plants can be found all
across the prairie: all summer
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 53
Platteview
Country
Club
Whether you’re in search of a fun-filled vacation, great dining, wonderful shopping or exciting nightlife, something
awaits you at every turn in Sarpy County. Just minutes from the state’s most vibrant metropolitan district, the area
offers the perfect blend of city and country. Kick off your adventure today at
GoSarpy.com!
BELLEVUE • GRETNA • LA VISTA • PAPILLION • SPRINGFIELD • OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE • OMAHA METRO
54 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 55
Summer Travel Guide
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The Most Unlikely Place
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NEBRASKA SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL
The
Outdoorsman’s
Advocate
łXCECVKQPTCPEJEQO
56 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
very year, legislation is introduced at
the state and federal level that affects
how we use and enjoy our public lands
and waters. Safari Club International
as well as the Nebraska Chapter are
constantly striving to improve our
opportunities in the great outdoors.
Not only are we monitoring legislation
on the national level, but we are also
watching closely and informing our
members of any actions at the state level
that may affect us all.
Most of us are not aware of the projects
Each spring, SCI Members visit with their elected representatives during the annual
our own Game and Parks Commission
Lobby Day to advocate for hunters’ rights.
undertake on a day-to-day basis. The
Not only are we first for hunters, but we are first for all
actions we take on the local level are
outdoors men and women.
important to support how effective our managers can be as
custodians of our game and lands.
Nebraska Chapter SCI informs our members through
For more information on all of our activities or to sign up
e-mail alerts and social media posts on issues that we feel
for e-mail alerts you can go to nebraskasafariclubint.com or
are important. We also provide tips on effective ways to
you can e-mail nebraska.safariclubint@gmail.com or call
communicate with legislatures and commissioners.
(402) 214-8270.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 57
COURTESY OF SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL
E
▲
This is a photo of my dad, Frank Barrett, who is currently 85
years old and still likes to fish at his cabin in Morse Bluff. Taken
in 1956, the catfish was the largest ever and was caught on the
Cedar River, north of Greeley off the Paxton Ranch bridge with
his brother-in-law, Joe Mahoney (deceased).
My mom (deceased) and dad grew up in Greeley and loved to
visit several times a year. My dad would take us to the bridge to
go swimming every summer. Great spring-fed river.
– Tom Barrett, Omaha
▲
Two Holt County ranchers Larry Schafer and Lloyd Waldo
(my husband) bagged a couple Canada geese on a hunting
trip. They were best friends and shared many fun things in
their lifetime. Lloyd was an avid golfer but Larry did not share
that enthusiasm for the game. Photo was taken about 1979.
– Mrs. Lloyd Waldo, O’Neill
▲
Pictured is Matt, Ronnie, Wayne (my dad) and Mike Mueller in
Columbus, Nebraska. They were having a great day walleye fishing
on the Missouri River south of Sioux City in 1978.
– Donna Robinson, Lincoln
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. Text may be edited and photos adjusted
for reproduction. All photos will be returned.
58 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 59
Scallion and
Ginger Baked Walleye
A French technique called “en papillote,” this walleye
dish is cooked “in parchment” paper.
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
F
ish gently cooks in these
parchment packets, creating their
own steam and staying moist.
Allow each guest to open up
their own packet at the table. The
aromas that fill the room will be a fun
surprise. If you don’t have parchment
paper on hand, then heavy-duty foil
would work just as well.
The vegetables listed below are
only suggestions. Use whatever greens
and herbs you like best. The scallion,
ginger and soy sauce makes this dish
salty enough to enjoy with white rice.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
4 walleye fillets
Kosher salt and freshly cracked
pepper
1½ cups of grape or cherry
tomatoes, halved
8 ounces of fresh green beans
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Cooked jasmine white rice
Special Equipment: parchment
paper
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scallion-Ginger Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons of peanut oil
¼ teaspoon of Asian dark sesame
seed oil
3 green onions, white and light
green parts finely julienned
2-inch by ½-inch piece of fresh
ginger, peeled and finely
julienned
¼ cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 Thai chili, minced (optional)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1. Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
Cut 4 sheets of parchment paper into
12- by 12-inch squares. Fold each
60 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
sheet in half and divide tomatoes,
green beans and sliced shallot between
each sheet, laying ingredients only
on one side of the fold. Sprinkle salt,
pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over
vegetables.
2. Rinse walleye fillets under cold
water and pat dry with paper towels.
Check for bones. Lay one fillet over
vegetables and sprinkle salt, pepper and
drizzle olive oil over fish.
3. Fold the parchment over fish and
vegetables. Then starting at one end
of the fold, make little folds on top
of each other to form a sealed packet
around ingredients. If necessary, cut a
half circle around the ingredients to get
rid of excess parchment to seal more
neatly.
4. Lay packets on a cookie sheet(s);
do not overlap. Bake walleye for 15-20
minutes in a 400° F oven until fish is
cooked through. Do not open packets
mid-way to check doneness – you will
lose the steaming effect.
5. While the fish is in the oven, make
the scallion-ginger soy sauce. Gently
heat peanut oil, sesame oil, julienned
green onion and ginger in a small
saucepan until warmed, but do not
brown. Take off heat and mix in the
rest of the ingredients.
6. Serve fish immediately. Eat right
out of the packet or slide everything
onto a plate. Give the scallion-ginger
sauce a good whisk before drizzling
over fish. Serve immediately with
hot jasmine white
rice. ■
This recipe
and photograph
originally appeared
on Jenny’s Food
for Hunters blog at
foodforhunters.com.
JUNE 2018 • NEBRASKAland 61
A Life Well Worn
I
t wasn’t until I finally shot the turkey that I noticed what had happened to my boot. It was twice as
large as normal, a clown shoe of sorts, and the first line of my internal dialogue was “I don’t feel
injured.”
Yet something still wasn’t right. Both of my feet were wet, as they often get when turkeys pitch
down from their roost on the wrong side of the creek and I’m forced to quickly head them off. But
these boots had been wet and muddy before. They were my three-season,
do-everything walking boots that have accompanied me everywhere from
Dawes to Richardson counties and all places in between.
Now I had a massively swollen foot – so swollen, I thought, that
I must have broken something when I slipped from a dirt wall I
was trying to climb earlier in the morning. Yet it didn’t hurt at all.
Perhaps I was in shock. I sat on a log and looked at the sole of my
boot. Through the caked-on mud I could see my sock. My sock?
Why was I seeing my sock?
Then I smiled, finally understanding that this is what a boot
looks like when you’ve worn it so much that you have
completely torn out its rubber sole.
Some might believe a boot isn’t worth its weight if it
doesn’t last a certain number of years, but I’m not one
of those. I remembered a conversation I once
had with former NEBRASKAland writer Jon
Farrar. Every gun, he said, needs at least a few
scratches on it.
I think boots do, too. And, if they get enough
scratches, they will fall apart on their lucky
owner.
Quite often, I am approached by a friend
or colleague trying to convince me that I
need the newest in new technology or gear.
I usually counter with the question, “Do
you think it will hold up?” I need rods and
reels that can outlast a trip or two down
a dusty Sandhills road, a bow that won’t
rust when I want to archery hunt during a
rainstorm, and a pair of boots that will, at
some point, spontaneously combust
– yet only after leading me
on one of my most
memorable turkey
hunting ventures of
the season. ■
Jeff Kurrus
May 9, 2018
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