Volume 99, Issue 9, 2021
November 2021
- Identifier:
- nela.2021_099_09
- Title:
- Volume 99, Issue 9, 2021
- Issue Name:
- November 2021
- Date Issued:
- 2021-11-01
- year:
- 2021
- month:
- November
- Season:
- Autumn
- PDF filename:
- NL_99.09.2021_Nov_Spreads_Entire.pdf
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 099
- issue:
- 09
- number:
- 099.09
- Decade:
- 2020s
- Type:
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, all rights reserved.
- Extracted Text:
-
$4.95
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Nebraskaland • November 2021
Share your story with #NEParks100November 2021 • Nebraskaland
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Volume 99 No. 9
November 2021
FEATURES
20
HONORING A CONSERVATION LEGEND
34
OUTDOOR NEBRASKA
36
42
50
58
Director Jim Douglas Retires
What to Do in November
By Renae Blum
100 YEARS OF HUSKER
FOOTBALL ON THE RADIO
By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
PUBLIC GROUSE
An Adventure Story
Story and photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
ONE TRAIL
Many Species Use a Well-Worn Path
Between Two Waters
Photos and story by Eric Fowler
FORT ROBINSON
Exceptional Horses and Fine Fish
By Justin Haag
DEPARTMENTS
8
12
66
72
74
Your Nebraska
In the Field
Mixed Bag
Portraits from the Past
The Last Stop
ON THE WEB
For more articles and
information, visit
NebraskalandMagazine.com
Cover: A white-tailed buck deer buck walks through a Cass
C
County woodland. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
C
T page: Pheasant hunt at Crescent Lake National Wildlife
This
Refuge. BOB GRIER, NEBRASKALAND
Nebraskaland (VOL. 99 / NO. 9 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.
4
Nebraskaland • November 2021
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
5
Magazine Staff
magazine
Communications Director Christy Firestone
Public Relations Shawna Richter-Ryerson
Published by the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission since 1926. The Commission is
dedicated to the conservation and protection
of all the state's natural resources and the
people who use them.
Editor Jeff Kurrus
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, Ryan Sparks,
Gerry Steinauer
Art Director Tim Reigert
Graphic Designer Mel Severin
Photo Librarian Jaclyn Cruikshank Vogt
Administration
Director Jim Douglas
Deputy Director Tim McCoy
Commissioners
Chairman - Dan Kreitman, Wahoo
Vice Chairman - Pat Berggren, Broken Bow
2nd Vice Chairman - Rick Brandt, Roca
Robert Allen, Eustis
Ken Curry, Columbus
Donna Kush, Omaha
Scott Cassels, Omaha
John Hoggatt, Kearney
Doug Zingula, Sidney
Circulation
For address changes and questions about your
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Advertising Sales Manager
For advertising information contact
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Email: shanegilster@gmail.com
Nebraskaland Magazine Copyright 2021, 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 Offices
Conservation Officers
Headquarters/Southeast District Office
2200 N. 33rd Street Lincoln, NE 68503
Phone 402-471-0641
ADMINISTRATION (Lincoln)
Craig Stover (Administrator)
Duane Arp (Asst. Administrator)
Travis Shepler (Asst. Administrator)
Jeff Clauson (Asst. Administrator)
Northeast District Office
2201 N. 13th St. Norfolk, NE 68701
Phone 402-370-3374
Southwest District Office
301 E. State Farm Rd. North Platte, NE 69101
Phone 308-535-8025
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
NORTHWEST (Includes counties covered)
Dan Kling (Lieutenant)
308-430-0572
EAST SUB-DISTRICT
Sean Schultz (Sergeant)
308-672-1824
Northwest District Office
East Hwy. 2, Box 725 Alliance, NE 69301
Phone 308-763-2940
Jerod Hahn (Deuel, Garden, Grant)
Keith Jadlowski (Keith, Deuel)
Jaden Porter (Keith, Garden)
308-520-5539
308-289-9580
308-289-2274
Bassett Office
524 Panzer St., Box 508 Bassett, NE 68714
Phone 402-684-2921
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
Kearney Office
1617 First Ave. Kearney, NE 68847
Phone 308-865-5310
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium/Schramm Education
Center
21502 W. Highway 31 Gretna, NE 68028
Phone 402-332-3901
Omaha Office
8495 Frederick Street, Omaha, NE 68124
Phone 402-595-2144
(Keith, Arthur)
Nebraskaland • November 2021
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
Kevin Bergstrom (Sergeant)
308-520-1031
Ray Dierking (Custer, Thomas, Blaine)
Frank Miller (Cherry, Hooker)
Greg Hesse
308-870-0322
402-389-0444
308-546-7464
308-660-4671
308-530-3157
(Lincoln)
(McPherson, Logan, Hooker, Cherry)
308-763-8226
SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
Josh Widhelm (Morrill, Scotts Bluff)
Jacob Stoinski (Sioux, Dawes)
308-279-9133
308-615-9017
(Red Willow, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock)
(Box Butte, Sheridan, Grant)
NORTHEAST (Includes counties covered)
Tom Zimmer (Lieutenant)
402-649-8053
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
Jeff Jones (Sergeant)
402-762-5022
John Bauer (Holt, Boyd)
Dale Davis (Keya Paha, Brown, Rock)
Jonathan Andreasen
402-314-9257
402-760-0712
402-340-3981
Mitch Johnson (Knox, Antelope, Pierce)
402-613-8612
(Knox, Cedar)
Cory Krause (Sergeant)
402-380-6410
Kyler Prochaska (Platte, Colfax)
Nicholas Fix (Dixon, Dakota, Thurston)
402-830-8278
402-508-0261
CENTRAL (Includes counties covered)
Mike Thome (Lieutenant)
308-293-8746
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
Doug Pollard (Sergeant)
308-730-7050
Matt Brandt (Sherman, Howard)
Daryl Teter (Howard, Greeley, Merrick)
Mark Sullivan (Nance, Polk, Wheeler, Boone)
Kyle Gaston (York, Polk, Hamilton)
308-202-0819
308-440-1863
402-741-0636
402-719-6226
(Loup, Garfield, Valley)
SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
Matt Taylor (Sergeant)
(Thayer, Fillmore, Nuckolls)
402-200-9597
308-380-7331
402-902-2017
308-920-2762
308-440-3847
SOUTHWEST (Includes counties covered)
Roger Thompson (Lieutenant)
308-530-3097
Kelsey Glodowski
(Cuming, Wayne, Stanton)
6
Tim Williams (Hall, Hamilton, York)
Eric Javins (Adams, Clay, Webster)
Pat George (Harlan, Franklin, Phelps)
Ethan Teter (Buffalo, Kearney)
308-672-1824
(Kimball, Banner, Scotts Bluff)
Single issue
nearest to
filing date
A. Total Copies Printed
(net press run) ....................... 21,093 ............21,466
B. Paid Circulation
1. Mail subscriptions ............. 17,126 ............17,533
3. Single-copy sales ................. 2,459 ..............2,775
C. Total Paid Circulation ............ 19,595 ............20,318
D. Free Distribution
by Mail ..........................................304 .................286
D. Free Distribution
Outside the Mail ..........................377 .................377
E. Total Free Distribution ................681 .................663
F. Total Distribution ................... 20,276 ............20,981
G. Copies Not Distributed ...............781 .................453
H. Total ........................................ 21,057 ............21,434
I. Percent Paid and/or
Requested Circulation .......... 96.64% ...........96.84%
Sean McKeehan (Sergeant)
SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
Any program that receives federal funding from the National Park
Service, or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service prohibits unlawful
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, marital
status, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation. Any person
who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program,
activity, facility, or service, should contact the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission, Lincoln, NE 402-471-0641, the Equal Opportunity
Commission, Lincoln, NE 402-471-2024, TTY/TDD 402-471-4693; United
States Fish Wildlife Service, Civil Rights Coordinator, 4401 N. Fairfax
Drive, Arlington, VA 22203; Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S.
Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Mail
Code 0008, Washington, D.C. 20240-0001.
Average number of copies
of each issue during
preceding 12 months
Alex Hasenauer (Lincoln, Perkins)
Brandon O’Neal
(Madison, Pierce, Stanton)
OutdoorNebraska.org
Statement of ownership and monthly circulation of
Nebraskaland Magazine
Owner and publisher: Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission
Editor: Jeff Kurrus
Headquarters of Publisher and Publication:
2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE 68503
Stockholders, Bondholders, Mortgage and
Security Holders: None
(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)
Brian Piernicky (Sergeant)
308-340-6627
Matt Andrews
308-746-2418
Owen Johnson (Dawson, Custer)
Taylor Dixon (Dawson, Gosper)
402-266-1759
308-217-2108
(Furnas, Gosper, Frontier, Red Willow)
SOUTHEAST (Includes counties covered)
Stacey Lewton (Lieutenant)
402-890-7140
EAST SUB-DISTRICT
Heath Packett (Sergeant)
402-210-0888
Russell Mort (Otoe, Johnson)
Rich Berggren (Douglas)
Dan Evasco (Sarpy)
Mike Luben (Saunders, Butler)
Bryan Adams
402-209-1506
402-619-1355
402-616-5961
402-443-6392
402-429-1924
(Cass)
(Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson)
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
Scott Eveland (Sergeant)
402-853-3273
Dina Barta (Lancaster),
Dudley Sorensen (Lancaster)
Bryce Streger (Seward, Saline)
Trevor Stahlecker (Lancaster)
Matt Seitz (Gage, Jefferson)
402-890-6463
402-937-3422
402-646-0420
402-314-9641
402-806-0915
(Lancaster)
YOUR NEBRASKA
Instagram Photos
Follow us @nebraskaland and tag us in your
photos to be featured in an upcoming issue.
Erik Johnson, Lincoln
A Sandhills Ford
Bart Torbert, Crawford
Wild Plum Harvest
Dave Borman, Gibbon
Hummingbird
8
Nebraskaland • November 2021
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
9
YOUR NEBRASKA
Luke Kathol, Norfolk
Jumping Spider
Send your comments and
photos to:
Jeff Kurrus, Editor
Nebraskaland Magazine
P.O. Box 30370
Lincoln, NE 68503
or email Jeff.Kurrus@Nebraska.gov
Please include your postal address
and telephone number. Letters
may be condensed and edited.
Photographs are also welcome.
10
Nebraskaland • November 2021
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
11
IN THE FIELD
HUNTING AND HARVEST
A field of corn stalks are
silhouetted against an early
November sunset in Sarpy
County.
JEFF KURRUS,
KURRUS NEBRASKALAND
12
Nebraskaland • November 2021
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
13
IN THE FIELD
The elusive and seldom seen, eastern black rail.
WILLIAMBURT.COM
THREATENED AND ENDANGERED:
THE BLACK RAIL
By Joel G. Jorgensen
Most people have heard of the fabled Sasquatch, but far
fewer are familiar with the mythical creature known as the
black rail. The former serves as a useful comparison for the
latter, not with respect to its size or validity of its existence,
but in its trademark elusiveness.
The sparrow-sized black rail inhabits dense marsh
vegetation, usually stays out of sight and vocalizes
infrequently. Many sightings of black rail are brief glimpses of
a small, dark bird lasting not more than a second. The brevity
of observations and its similarity to other species, such as
the far more common Sora, often leaves an observer trying
to make sense of what they encountered. Few observations
are supported by hard evidence such as photographs or audio
recordings. Thus, this little marsh dweller almost becomes a
creature of dreams and folklore, like that big hairy hominin,
rather than one that can be experienced in the here and now.
The eastern black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) inhabits
the eastern and central United States and was federally
listed as threatened in late 2020. As a result, and because of
how Nebraska’s endangered species law is structured, the
species automatically became state listed at the same time.
However, the black rail is not known to regularly occur in the
state and, in fact, there are only two widely accepted records
in the past 40 years. Its primary range is to the south and
east along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. There are a handful
of other reports from Nebraska since the late 1800s, some
credible and others not so much.
14
Nebraskaland • November 2021
So is the black rail more common in Nebraska than
is known? Has the species been looked for? Since 2013,
biologists with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and its partners have conducted more than 1,300 call
playback surveys where trained observers play the black
rail’s call in the hopes this will elicit a response from a
real bird. Out of all those surveys, only one black rail was
detected. Thus, it appears the black rail truly is a very rare
bird in the state and only occurs as a rare migrant or vagrant.
The black rail is a species that has declined throughout its
range because of many factors, but like many other marsh
birds, wetland loss and alteration is a major driver. More than
90 percent of all breeding season records are from coastal
areas, so its future and fate likely will be determined by the
effectiveness of conservation efforts in those areas. With
small localized breeding populations as close to Nebraska as
central Kansas and southeastern Colorado, there is always
the possibility a black rail could be seen or heard at a
Nebraska wetland.
However, it happens so infrequently its presence here
remains something almost of legend and superstition. Just
like Sasquatch, having a camera or an audio recorder handy
and acquiring indisputable proof will go a long way in
convincing the skeptics if you encounter one.
Joel G. Jorgensen is the nongame bird program manager for the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
IN THE FIELD
While strutting is most commonly associated with breeding in the spring, toms will gobble and raise their feathers at other
times of the year. These Pine Ridge toms were showing off in November 2020. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
A THANKSGIVING TURKEY
By Todd Mills
It’s not often in hunting that you get to pursue the same
bird during two different times of the year, but in Nebraska,
the wild turkey will give you this opportunity.
The sound of a lonesome tom during the spring is what
drives me to pursue them so passionately. If you’ve ever
experienced it, and particularly at close range, you know
what I mean. Hunting them in the fall, however, requires a
different approach.
Change Your Strategy
Hunting turkeys during the fall requires completely
different tactics as they prepare for the winter season.
Turkeys hatch their eggs in the early summer. So, unlike
hunting turkeys in the spring, birds are young and not nearly
as intelligent. Hens and late-spring hatched birds travel
together in large flocks. It’s not unusual to find hens together
with their young, and toms are always close by.
The strategy I’ve used with success in the fall is to break
up a flock, scattering birds in different directions. Set up a
blind close to where you broke them up under a tree and start
calling. More times than not, those birds will travel back,
curious to the sounds and wanting to be with their group.
Stay patient and concealed, and you will likely get an
opportunity. Decoys can be effective as well, but I would
suggest using only hens this time of year. The sight of a large
tom on his own in the fall may send them packing.
16
Nebraskaland • November 2021
Find Travel Routes
Fall turkeys are a bit more predictable than spring birds.
Since no mating and nesting is involved, they tend to follow
the same patterns. They also feed longer, as they prepare
for the winter months ahead. Find a travel route between
roosting areas and feed plots and you’re likely to fill a tag;
hunters may purchase two turkey permits in the fall, and
each permit allows two birds.
Set up on fence lines, game trails and meadow areas
where they could be traveling through. Make sure you’re
concealed in the shadows or in a blind as they’ll pick up on
any movement. Remain patient as birds won’t always move
at the same time. Weather conditions and the time of year all
play a factor in their daily routine.
Nebraska Opportunities
Nebraska offers some of the best turkey hunting in the
country, with three different subspecies of turkeys, including
the popular Merriam’s. It also offers long seasons, affordable
permits and 1.2 million acres of public and public-access
land in Nebraska. You also can harvest both sexes in the fall,
unlike in the spring when only male tags are available.
Nebraska’s fall turkey season runs Sept. 15, 2021, until
Jan. 31, 2022. Preparation and scouting will be the recipe for
success when chasing this captivating game bird during this
magical time of the year.
IN THE FIELD
Wild turkey salad seasoned with cranberries and tarragon.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
WILD TURKEY SALAD
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Over crackers, in a sandwich or scooped over a bed
of fresh greens, this is my go-to turkey salad recipe for
leftover Thanksgiving dinner or made from scratch with
a wild bird. Tarragon — a classic French herb — has an
anise, or licorice-like, aroma and used sparingly, can
transform any poultry dish. Tart cranberries, lemon zest
and juice add balance and brightness to this creamy
salad.
Skip the brine if you wish, but wild turkey dries out
easily. This simple brine will add flavor and ensure that
your wild turkey breast will stay moist in the oven.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 wild turkey breast
4 cups of water
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly cracked pepper
Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blend
1 rib of celery, finely diced
18
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nebraskaland • November 2021
• ½ cup mayonnaise or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1. To make the brine, combine water, kosher salt and
brown sugar, and stir until dissolved. Submerge turkey
breast into the brine; use a plate to weigh it down.
Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours; the longer you allow the
meat to sit in the brine, the saltier it will taste.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove
turkey breast from the brine and rinse with cold water.
Pat dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil and season
with cracked black pepper; I also used a bit of Mrs. Dash.
Place breast on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for
about 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches
160 degrees. Once cooked through, allow breast to cool.
3. Dice or shred turkey breast. Place meat into a
medium bowl and mix with mayonnaise, tarragon,
Dijon mustard, cranberries, lemon zest, lemon juice
and cracked black pepper to taste. Adjust the amount of
mayonnaise to your liking. Chill before serving.
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
19
Honoring a
Conservation Legend
“A
After 47 years of service, including nine years serving
as director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,
Jim Douglas is retiring. He has celebrated a lifetime of
conservation accomplishments.
sk yourself what kind of world you want to live in
and leave for your kids,” said Director Jim Douglas,
a statement that says so much about what he has
accomplished during his 47 years in conservation.
For the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, he has
served in a variety of roles, including the district supervisor
and chief of the Resources Services Division, chief of the
Wildlife Division and deputy director of Administration. His
last nine years were served as the agency’s director, where
his contributions locally and nationally were immense.
Originally from Illinois, Jim’s relationship with the natural
world came early. He often tells a story from his childhood
that mirrors his future work in conservation. “I spent a lot of
time in the woods and the creeks. But there was a rule; until
I was a certain age, I could only go to the first creek. There
were three parallel creeks that were about a quarter mile
apart, so I could go down into the first creek when I was 6
years old. But I had to be 8 or 9 before I could go to the second
creek — older, wiser. I couldn’t go to the third creek until I
was about 12. And after I made it to the third creek and saw
all of its wonders, one of my older brothers said, “Well, that’s
nothing. If you keep going, there’s a river.”
Jim’s passion for natural resources fueled his long,
distinguished career in conservation. “I have always
appreciated how Jim was able to look down the road amongst
the traffic weaving in and out to try to proactively address
the next wildlife resource challenge,” said Ritch Nelson,
state wildlife biologist and forester for the Nebraska-Natural
Resources Conservation Service. “His work in regard to
Jim Douglas, director of the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission from 2012 until his retirement
this month, has had a lifelong love of conservation
and the outdoors. Director Douglas speaks at the
Fort Robinson State Park 1891 Officers Quarters
Dedication in June 2021. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
20
Nebraskaland • November 2021
forming the Nebraska Bird Partnership in the early 2000’s is
a good example among many such efforts by Jim.”
Partnerships and servitude have long been an excellent
way to describe Jim’s efforts in conservation. He has served
on the Federal Aid Joint Task Force, the Monarch Joint
Venture Steering Committee and the National Bobwhite
Conservation Initiative. He chaired AFWA’s Agricultural
Conservation Committee and the Wildlife Resource Policy
Committee, and has served on the Executive Committee,
Bird Conservation Committee and the Fish & Wildlife Health
Committee, among others.
“Jim Douglas is the consummate professional, and his
contributions to the work of the Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies, on national policy, are countless,” said
Ron Regan, executive director of the Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies. “His years of experience as a leader
and his consistent, thoughtful and wise counsel have made
him one of our ‘go to’ directors for managing the complex
conservation issues of our day. He brings the same passion
to interactions with peers and colleagues, at a personal scale,
all across the country.”
For Douglas, it is those peers and colleagues — landowners,
conservationists, and fish and wildlife staff here and across
the country — who make the difference. “I have been blessed
to work with great commissioners and talented, dedicated
staff,” Douglas added.
“I recognize our greatest strengths are not our personal
achievements; they are our successful collaborations,”
Douglas said. “It takes working together to care for our fish,
wildlife, parklands and natural resources, and I know my
contributions will be continued and built upon by others who
also want to see healthy lands, wildlife and waters available
for generations to come.
“That, I believe, is the greatest gift we can give to future
generations.” N
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
21
C
reated by Douglas, the Commission’s
communications division connects
people with outdoor Nebraska
through marketing and public relations,
social media, special events and programs,
outreach and skills-based education.
These efforts have helped grow the
agency’s customer base and participation
in many outdoor activities, such as hunting,
fishing, boating, camping and wildlife
viewing.
One of the many successful ways Douglas
has worked to recruit youth has been
through supporting mentored hunting
programs and skills-based education
programs. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
Creation of family-friendly shooting ranges and the addition
of ranges at parks across the state have helped grow shooting
sports participation. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
“Jim Douglas was key to the development of the Recruitment, Retention
and Reactivation plan. He understands that the Commission needs to create
opportunities for our user groups. He also knows how important it is to keep
our sportsmen and sportswomen actively engaged if our outdoor heritage and
traditions are going to remain healthy and survive. This is why you can always
count on Jim Douglas to work tirelessly to make R3 a success.”
In 2013, the Commission returned to the Nebraska State Fair in grand fashion with a 12-foot waterfall,
aquarium, shooting activities and games providing interactive learning opportunities for thousands of
Nebraskans. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
22
Nebraskaland • November 2021
– Mark Pinkerton, former Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioner
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
23
Douglas recognized the importance of
increasing kids’ curiosity in the outdoors
and engaging them at an early age. He
expanded educational programming
in parks and created a new division
to engage teachers and families with
outdoor Nebraska.
Educator Amanda Filipi teaches
elementary students about yucca pods
at the newly created Wildcat Hills Nature
Center. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
“Jim has been a strong ambassador for conservation over the years, including his
critical thinking on challenging issues and his ability to bring teams together at
the state and national level to solve those problems. On a personal note, Jim has
been a sage counsel and a bright light for other conservation leaders through
his guidance, encouragement and support. He truly is a mentor of mentors. I’m
thankful for all the ways he has positively pushed conservation forward during
his tenure.”
– Sara Parker Pauley, AFWA past president and Missouri Department of Conservation director
The new Schramm Education Center is at the heart of
the Venture Parks Complex and teaches guests about
Nebraska’s wildlife and ecosystems.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
D
uring Douglas’ tenure, he created Venture Parks at
four popular state parks and recreation areas along
the Platte River — Eugene T. Mahoney State Park,
Platte River State Park, Schramm Park State Recreation Area
and Louisville State Recreation Area. The goal of Venture
Parks is to engage new users and create future generations
of park patrons. The expanded features were possible
thanks to innovative public and private partnerships.
The creation of the Commission’s Fish and Wildlife
Education division highlights Douglas’ desire to create a
conservation-minded society and getting all ages curious
about the natural world. From outdoor discovery programs
across the state to the ever-expanding Trout in the Classroom
program, the Commission is well positioned to build the
next generation of outdoor stewards.
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Nebraskaland • November 2021
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25
T
he National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan
is a collaboration among 24 state wildlife
agencies and Pheasants Forever. Finalized in
2013, it provided a blueprint for restoring and
maintaining pheasant populations across the country
and addressed states’ collective conservation goals
in today’s agricultural landscapes.
The Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies asked Nebraska Game and Parks’ Director
Jim Douglas to facilitate hiring the plan’s coordinator
— a critical role in moving the plan forward — and
to provide the groundwork in creating interstate
partnerships across the pheasant range.
In Nebraska, Jim has been a champion for the
Berggren Plan, which has been aimed at growing
the state’s pheasant population and increasing land
open to hunting.
The plan, named for the late Nebraska Game
and Parks Commissioner Lynn Berggren, continues
to grow since its 2016 inception with the goal
of making Nebraska one of the best upland bird
hunting locations in the country.
“There were a lot people who were
involved in putting all the pieces
together, but I think Jim was the
plan’s champion. He was in a unique
position of being in Nebraska — a
state where pheasants are still
important — and he has great
relationships with other directors
across the country and Pheasants
Forever. All these things came
together through Jim.”
– Dr. Scott Taylor
National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan
Coordinator, Pheasants Forever & MAFWA
During Douglas’ tenure Nebraska worked with partners to develop plans to improve pheasant habitat.
Pheasants have been released annually on wildlife management areas across the state to provide special
hunting opportunities for Nebraska’s youth.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
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Nebraskaland • November 2021
November 2021 •
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27
T
he Commission has expanded
fish and wildlife research
to help guide management
practices and the development
of several management plans,
including the Coolwater Stream
Management Plan, the River Otter
Management Plan, the Berggren
Plan for Pheasants, the Mountain
Lion Management Plan, the
Bighorn Sheep Management Plan
and the Elk Management Plan,
which is currently underway.
Chadron State College students join Commission staff and volunteers to release a bighorn sheep ewe back to
the wild after equipping it with a new radio collar near Chadron State Park. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
28
Nebraskaland • November 2021
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29
Pictured is a monarch butterfly in the hands of a child in Sarpy County. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Conservation Officer Ethan Teter teaches a kayak class at Outdoor Discovery Day at Platte River State Park in
Cass County. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
D
irector Douglas increased
law enforcement personnel,
resources and support to help
protect our natural resources and
the people of the state who enjoy
our outdoor amenities.
“Most people in Nebraska probably don’t realize what a
leader Jim Douglas is in the conservation field, not only in
Nebraska but also across the country. There’s a list of programs
today — including the Monarch Joint Venture — that are just
accepted, but 20 years ago, that wasn’t the case. It’s easy for
a government agency to say, ‘This is how we’ve always done
things,’ and the only reason the ice was ever broken was
because someone like Jim said, ‘Wait a minute. Why wouldn’t
we want to do something?’ Jim’s innovative and collaborative
approach is the hallmark of his career.”
Nebraska Conservation Officers were recognized by the
Commission in 2021 for working with partners to solve
one of the largest poaching cases in Nebraska’s history.
From left to right: Commissioner Pat Berggren, Director Jim
Douglas, Officer Mike Thome, Officer Stacy Lewton, Officer
Travis Shepler, Administrator Craig Stover and Commission
Chairman Dan Kreitman. CHRISTY FIRESTONE, NGPC
30
Nebraskaland • November 2021
– Pete Berthelsen, partnership director of the
Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
31
Above: Director Douglas participates in the Governer’s Pine Ridge Turkey Hunt sponsored by the Northwest
Nebraska Development Corporation. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND Opposite: Jim bags a tom on the trip. RONALD J. REGAN
J
im has been a huge supporter of the visitor industry. “Tourism is the second largest industry in our
area,” said Deb Cottier, executive director of the Northwest Nebraska Development Corporation. “Jim
has been a supporter of the Governor’s Pine Ridge Wild Turkey Hunt and has been there to sit down
and discuss solutions. He knows what it takes to run a ‘business’ as large and geographically dispersed
as the Game and Parks Commission. As the face of the Commission, his word is good, his interest is
genuine and his knowledge of all things from critters to people has served us well in Nebraska. I think
Jim’s legacy will be the quiet nature of his voice, the breadth of his understanding of wildlife, habitat and
people services, and the desire to share Nebraska’s natural resources with as many people as we can.
Thank you to Jim for being such a good custodian of those natural resources during his time with the
Commission.”
Thank you, Director
Jim Douglas, for your
47 years of service to
the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission, our
natural resources and the
people of the great state
“I consider myself blessed to have a career
with the National Wild Turkey Federation
that overlapped with Jim Douglas’ career with
the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. I
have always appreciated Jim’s straightforward
leadership style, desire to hear and consider all
viewpoints and his commitment to making the
best decision for the wildlife and sportsmen
and sportswomen of Nebraska. Jim’s strategic
and steady leadership will be sorely missed but
his legacy and body of work for the wildlife and
wild places of Nebraska and across the West will
persist well into the future.”
– Jared McJunkin, director of conservation operations for
the National Wild Turkey Federation
of Nebraska.
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33
Outdoor Nebraska
By Renae Blum
What To Do in November
Book discounted
state park lodging
Whether you’re waiting for snow or just basking in the crisp air,
there’s something for you to enjoy outdoors this month as a hunter,
wildlife watcher or nature enthusiast. N
Throughout the month
Select state park areas
During the off-season, you can enjoy
a 30 percent discount on lodging and
camping at select Nebraska state
parks. It’s a great chance to gather the
family for Thanksgiving or experience
your favorite park during a different,
less-crowded season. For more
information, call parks directly or visit
NebraskaStateParks.ReserveAmerica.
com.
Go geocaching
Year-round | Statewide
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Enjoy firearm deer season
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Go on a high-tech treasure hunt this fall! Geocaching is a great way
to spend time with family over Thanksgiving. Since weather can
vary, be prepared and let someone know where you’re going. You
may be sharing space with hunters, so keep any noise minimal and
make yourself visibly noticeable.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Nov. 13-21 | Statewide
It’s the season you’ve been waiting for. Experience the rush of nine days
stalking deer, making memories and bringing home delicious venison.
To find a place to hunt, consult the Public Access Atlas, and learn about
regulations, bag limits and more with the 2021 Big Game Guide, all at
OutdoorNebraska.org.
Visit the Schramm
Education Center
View common loons
at Lake McConaughy
Year-round
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily | Gretna
Throughout the month
Western Nebraska
Looking for indoor family fun? Check out the
Schramm Education Center. This state-of-theart facility teaches visitors about Nebraska’s
natural ecosystems through unique, interactive
exhibits. Explore live animal tanks, aquariums
featuring Nebraska fish, a virtual reality
mountain biking experience and much more. See
details at OutdoorNebraska.org.
Common loons are large diving water birds
with long bodies and short tails. Their long
dagger-like beaks are used for foraging in
the water, and these birds often will breed
on quiet, remote freshwater lakes. Be on
the lookout for this beautiful-sounding
bird this month.
CHRIS MASADA, NEBRASKALAND
34
Nebraskaland • November 2021
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
35
100 Years
of Husker
Football on
the Radio
By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
ong before Lyell Bremser first shouted, “Man, woman,
and child, did that put ’em in the aisles!,” Pittsburgh radio
station KDKA made Husker history Nov. 5, 1921, when
it broadcast the Pitt-Nebraska football game. It was the
first live broadcast of an NU football game, and one of the
L
Nebraska’s home field, circa 1920, before Memorial Stadium. The NU-Pitt game, the first Husker game broadcast on radio,
was played at Forbes Field, the baseball park that was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates. History Nebraska RG2758-105-8
Team captain and future College Football Hall of Fame
inductee Clarence Swanson scored the only touchdown of
the 1921 Nebraska-Pittsburgh game with a 63-yard run.
Omaha World-Herald, Nov. 6, 1921.
36
Nebraskaland
• November 2021
first football broadcasts ever.
Few Nebraskans had radios in 1921. The state’s first
commercial stations did not go on the air until the following
year. And even if you had headphones and one of those
newfangled battery-powered crystal sets, Nebraska was too
far away to pick up the signal.
KDKA first went on the air in 1920; it still boasts of being
the “Pioneer Broadcasting Station of the World.” KDKA did
the first live football broadcast during the Pitt-West Virginia
game on Oct. 8, 1921, less than a month before the Nebraska
game.
Though Nebraskans could not hear the broadcast, they
were pleased with the outcome. The Cornhuskers defeated
Pop Warner’s squad 10-0.
Nebraska began its own radio broadcasts the following
season. The first live broadcast from Nebraska Field
(predecessor of Memorial Stadium) was NU’s season
opener, a 66-0 thumping of South Dakota on Oct. 7, 1922.
The university had its own radio station in the electrical
engineering building. A telephone wire connected the station
to a remote microphone beside the field. In 1924 the Daily
Nebraskan boasted that the station had a broadcast radius of
300 to 400 miles.
Commercial radio stations soon got involved. In 1925 the
university partnered with the “Nebraska Buick station”
KFAB to broadcast games from a new soundproof booth in
the (unheated) press box. For away games, KFAB “leases a
telegraph wire” to relay the signal to its own studio.
By 1927, fans had grown accustomed to having an
announcer explain the game as it unfolded. That season,
Memorial Stadium added its first public address system
and stadium announcer. Radio, however, was becoming
controversial among athletic departments. In 1928 the Big
Six Conference (the future Big 8, and predecessor of today’s
Big XII) discussed banning game broadcasts. Some athletic
directors believed radio hurt attendance. Others thought it
helped by raising interest.
When a few athletic conferences banned broadcasts in
1932, Nebraska’s “business manager of athletics” expressed
support. As the Daily Nebraskan put it, “many people who
would otherwise pay their $2.75 to see the game now do not
do so because they can save their money and enjoy the game
almost as much at home.”
The Big Six banned broadcasts of conference games
starting with the 1933 season. A letter to the Daily Nebraskan
complained that “untold thousands of true Nebraska grid
fans are to be severed from their ‘blood of life.’” In 1935 a
McCook state senator introduced a legislative bill requiring
the university to accept the highest bid for game broadcasts.
Warning of “considerable resentment” in his part of the state,
he argued that taxpayers supported the university and were
therefore entitled to hear the games.
The university responded that the football program
received no tax dollars and that football paid for much of NU’s
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
37
Two halves of a panorama of a
still-unfinished Memorial Stadium
during a game in its first
season (1923).
History Nebraska
RG2758-102-105 and
RG2758-102-106
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• November 2021
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39
The 1936 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Head Coach Dana X. Bible (front, center) left Nebraska after the season and spent the rest of
his head coaching career with the Texas Longhorns. History Nebraska RG2758-103-39
Great things were expected of Coach Dana Bible’s team in 1936. The Cornhuskers entered the season as reigning Big Six
champions. History Nebraska RG2758-0-559
Cornhuskers with Head Coach Biff Jones, circa 1937. History Nebraska RG2758-100-57
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Nebraskaland
• November 2021
athletic program. Furthermore, gate receipts had increased
since the ban. Despite Nebraska’s winning teams, the 31,000seat Memorial Stadium rarely sold out in those days.
“It seems best not to tamper with the set up,” a Daily
Nebraskan editorial concluded. The McCook senator’s bill
failed to pass, but football fans nationwide were growing
louder in their demands to hear games on the radio.
By 1936 about half of college football teams were still
banning or limiting broadcasts. Nebraska broadcast one game
per season, selecting a likely sellout. (That year it was Pitt.)
Head coach Dana X. Bible wanted to limit broadcasts until
all of Nebraska’s facilities were paid off. After that, he said, it
would be worthwhile to look into a commercial deal. By then,
Big Six schools were again free to sign radio contracts. Iowa
State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri allowed broadcasts
of all home games. Oklahoma and Nebraska did not.
That season, two conferences signed radio sponsorship
contracts with oil companies. The Pacific Coast Conference
received $100,000 for the rights to broadcast its conference
games, to be divided equally among its 10 schools. The
Southwest Conference split $14,000 per season among seven
teams.
These contracts sound like low-rent predecessors of
today’s network deals, but they got the attention of athletic
departments. The 1937 season saw a 300 percent increase
in the number of college football games on the radio, and
Nebraska’s games were among them. From then on radio was
a regular part of a Husker fan’s life — and within 5 years, so
was Lyell Bremser. He began calling Husker football games
for KFAB in 1942, a position he had for 42 seasons. N
Visit History Nebraska’s website at history.nebraska.gov.
Lyell Bremser, right, interviews Nebraska assistant football coach
Gomer Jones in 1946. History Nebraska RG2183-1946-831-10
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
41
Public Grouse
An Adventure Story
Story and photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
A brace of sharp-tailed grouse hanging from an Open Fields and Waters
Program sign on public access land near Minatare.
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Nebraskaland
• November 2021
T
he hunting world can be small,
and it seems even smaller on the
internet. I credit social media for
several friendships over the
years — connections with like-minded
hunters whom I would’ve never met
otherwise. Through sharing photos,
advice and recipes on Instagram
and Facebook, we celebrate and
Ross Juelfs of Gering, left, and Rick Wheatley of Omaha hunting for greater prairie chickens on
private rangeland in Keith County, with Lake McConaughy sparkling in the distance.
commiserate in each other’s successes
and failures every season. And
sometimes, these online connections
lead to hunting opportunities — real
“FaceTime” and new adventures —
down the road. A few years ago, my
husband, Rick, and I had one such
opportunity.
In early fall 2018, Ross Juelfs
filled his limit on grouse in western
Nebraska. He posted a picture on
Instagram, and I made a casual
comment about grouse being on my
bucket list. Ross and I had never met,
but we’ve been Facebook “friends”
since I started writing for Nebraskaland
almost nine years ago. He is a hunting
guide at The North Platte Outpost
by Cheyenne Ridge Outfitters near
Minatare, and when he’s not guiding
clients during the waterfowl season,
you can find Ross at a nearby stream
with a fly rod in hand or chasing birds
in the Sandhills with his dog Beaufort.
Ross saw my comment on his photo,
and without hesitation, he invited Rick
and me to hunt with him the following
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
43
LEFT: Megan Beach of Oregon and
Ross Juelfs discussing where to
walk next.
OPPOSITE: The author bags a
sharp-tailed grouse.
season . To trade, I said I’d cook for him
— we had a deal.
Public Grouse
A year later, Rick and I met with
Ross and his friend Megan Beach, now
of Oregon, out in western Nebraska
on a Friday late afternoon. We went
to dinner in Scottsbluff, at a great
restaurant called the Flyover Brewing
Company, to get acquainted and to
go over the plan for the weekend. It’s
always a little awkward hunting with
strangers for the first time, but when
you know you’re going to be handling
firearms around each other, you make
an effort to break the ice quickly.
The plan was to get up early the next
day. We would hunt in the morning,
take a break for lunch and then hunt
again until one of us couldn’t walk
any longer in the afternoon. I was
mentally prepared to cover ground that
weekend. While most of the terrain in
Nebraska isn’t as dramatic as some
other states’, don’t underestimate the
Sandhills' gentle slopes. I did get on
the treadmill a few times leading up to
the hunt, and I was so glad I did.
On Saturday morning, we were on
the road as the sun came up. Ross drove
us south from Gering, and we passed
Gear for Grouse Hunting
The prairie grouse season starts Sept. 1, and temperatures could be scorching during the first half of the month and chilly as
the season progresses. Wear layers that you can easily take off. Also, choose a lightweight, well-ventilated hunting vest to wear.
Expect to cover ground. In some Open Fields and Water sites, there also could be elevation. Light, comfortable hiking shoes
will do. Sandburs are a nuisance out this way, especially for hunting dogs, but it’s not enough for hunters to wear chaps.
Grouse like open grasslands and short brushland habitat, which are relatively easy to walk.
With all the walking, hunt with a lighter, easy-to-carry gun. Grouse are not hardy birds and are easy to knock down — that is, if
you don’t miss. Earlier in the season, Rick and I do well with our 20-gauge over-unders with modified chokes in both barrels and
6 shot.
Shooting instructor Greg Preston of Omaha said, “Over pointing dogs, improve cylinder to light modified is best, and if they
are getting up a little wild, use modified in the bottom barrel and improved modified on top. For a single barrel gun, modified is
the best all-around choke.”
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Nebraskaland
• November 2021
November 2021 •
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45
Getting There and Staying
From the metro area, the drive out to Scottsbluff can be a long one, so set aside a three-day weekend to hunt. If you’re
leisurely travelers, like me, tack on a couple more days to see other sights on the way there and back. I recommend setting
aside half a day for scouting if you’re not familiar with the area.
The fastest route to Scottsbluff from Omaha or Lincoln is on the I-80. Everyone knows that long stretch to North Platte can be
boring, so bring a fishing rod to visit one of the I-80 lakes, if you have the time. Then stop for a late lunch in Paxton. Although
Julie Geiser has written about Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse in a previous travel story, it didn’t prepare me for the greeting I
received when I walked in — a massive polar bear stood near the doorway, followed by countless animal mounts from every
continent that filled every inch of wall space. It’s a lot to take in, and you’ll relish every bit of it.
If you’re coming from Lincoln, it would make more sense to stick to the I-80. But those coming from Omaha have another
option: Hop on the 275 toward Fremont, then head straight west on the 91. The Sandhills start opening up once you get near
Ericson. Check out the Northside Bar in Burwell, a cowboy watering hole complete with bull fries on its menu — the drinks are
cheap, the service is friendly and all the old rodeo photographs are fun to look at, too. This route will take you onto Highway 2,
which isn’t called the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway for no reason.
Stay in Scottsbluff or Gering for the hunt. I’ve found that hotel prices are slightly cheaper in Gering; the Cobblestone Hotel
& Suites and the Monument Inn & Suites are both pet friendly if you plan to bring a hunting dog; however, make sure to call
ahead.
Ross Juelfs's English springer spaniel, Beaufort, is 14 years old. Although Juelfs has tried to retire Beaufort on
several occasions, the old dog still loves to hunt.
46
Nebraskaland
• November 2021
through the beautiful Wildcat Hills.
Not too long after, we stopped at the
first Conservation Reserve Program
field, which was situated directly
across from a field of wheat stubble
that year. Having never seen grouse
habitat before, I was delighted when I
realized that I wasn’t going to have to
fight through any head-tall stands of
kochia or hip-breaking cattails, land
characteristics so typical of pheasant
hunting. Instead, the ground looked
relatively sparse with mostly short
vegetation.
Ross, Megan, Rick and I spread out
to begin walking abreast. I licked my
lips in anticipation and shifted my
gun to a more comfortable position in
my hands. My heart was pounding — I
always get nervous stepping into the
field for the first time every season. It’s
a combination of emotions: the fright
from the first explosion of feathers
— it’s startling after being off for so
long; and the nervousness of making
the first kill of the season — that one
always weighs heavily on me.
A few paces in, and we didn’t have to
wait long for a flush. I didn’t see from
where the bird came, but it made this
distinctive sound: a combination of
clucking and gobbling, almost like a
rapid laugh. Ross shouted at Megan
and me to look up, and before we could
get our guns up, the grouse had flown
beyond what both our skills could
hit. It sailed across the road where
we couldn't hunt. “So, that’s what a
sharptail looks and sounds like when
it’s in the air,” I made a mental note.
Rick, who was working the field
edge, also missed a bird; he hadn’t
picked up his shotgun in over a year,
and after flubbing his first-ever
opportunity at a grouse, he looked over
at us crestfallen, heavily wagging his
head. It was Ross who would bag the
first bird that weekend. His English
springer spaniel, Beaufort — who was
14 years old at the time — happily
made the retrieve. We worked toward
the far fence line and saw several more
birds flush out of gun’s reach.
When we reached the end of that
field, Ross stopped to give Beaufort
water. After a breather, we swung
around to head back out toward the
pickup, and nearing the end, a bird
flushed ahead of me.
I heard it before I saw it, flapping
its wings above the mullein. Quickly,
I shouldered my over-under, squeezed
the trigger — and missed. But there
was no time to lament. Rapidly
remembering what I had learned from
a handful of shooting lessons, I pulled
the gun tighter against my cheek, gave
myself time to zero-in on my target
and made a second attempt. To my
amazement, I hit the bird square in
the back, dropping it immediately. My
companions whooped in excitement.
I jumped for joy. This was my first
sharp-tailed grouse.
“That was a long shot!” Ross said,
Rick Wheatley smiling with a sharp-tailed grouse.
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
47
Scouting
Before you hit the road, make sure to bring your
Nebraska Public Access Atlas. And although not
necessary, I’ve found the onX app helpful in marking
and saving my favorite hunting and foraging spots, as
well as being able to see property lines. You could also
download maps ahead of time to use in areas with poor
data coverage.
When you get to Scottsbluff/Gering, drive those county
roads. Map sheets 3 and 4 show the general area
where we hunted. A good number of those Conservation R
Reserve
Program areas shaded in red hold grouse. John Laux, Nebraska Game and Park’s
upland habitat and access program manager, said:
“Out in that part of the state, grouse commonly use CRP fields, which are
typically undisturbed and provide better cover than adjacent rangeland,
especially during dry years like this one. That all being said, they do hang out in
some short or sparse cover at times. You are generally looking for large blocks of
grasslands — mostly void of trees — with shin to knee-high grasses that provide
sufficient cover for concealment. This structure is typically the key to finding
grouse.”
Furthermore, look for areas with good plant diversity of grass intermixed with
broadleaf plants and patches of bare ground, Laux said.
“These broadleaf plants attract insects, which are an important food source for
grouse early in the season. Many broadleaf plants also produce seeds and fruit.
Native shrubs are another thing to look for — they provide shade during hotter
parts of the day and food resources as well. And during dry periods, grouse often
key-in on the fruits and succulent leaves of some forbs.”
Topography is also important. “Throughout much of the sharptail’s range in
Nebraska, they prefer choppy topography and are usually found at the higher
elevations, which is generally where you will find good plant diversity and cover
that is more patchy and intermixed with bare ground,” Laux said.
smiling wide and giving me a high five.
“I’m so excited for you!”
We found the bird, and Rick took
a picture. He was just as happy for
me as I was for myself. Both he and
I were surprised by how many birds
we saw, just in that one CRP lot. We
continued on to the next field, where
Rick redeemed himself and shot his
first sharpie, too. Ross got his second
bird in the bag.
We had lunch at a charming roadside
diner called the Double L Country Store
and Café, located on Highway 71 near
Harrisburg. The Double L had great
food: fresh farm-to-table cooking,
ice cream, old-fashioned sodas and
baked goods. Its gift shop was full of
interesting knick-knacks. We went
over the morning’s events.
Temperatures got warm that
afternoon, and although keen,
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Nebraskaland
• November 2021
Beaufort sat out the rest of the day.
He was 14, after all, and his role
that weekend can be best described
as “honorary.” That was another
thing that surprised me: You don’t
need a dog to be successful hunting
sharp-tailed grouse in this area. Ross
brought Beaufort along mostly for the
company, and because his senior dog
still loves to go out.
“I’ve tried retiring him many times,”
Ross said.
The remainder of the day proved to
be as productive, although more birds
flushed wild. Ross and Rick ended up
shooting their limits, and I got one
more sharpie in the bag. Unfortunately
for Megan, she was never in the right
place at the right time. Still, I don’t
think she minded. An accomplished
hunter, Megan was just happy to be
out and meet new hunters.
As for Rick and me, we were
absolutely stoked about our day. The
weather was beautiful, the company
was second to none, and we were
happy to see birds on public ground.
That night, I prepared a dinner of
French sorrel soup, summer heirloom
tomato salad, goose confit with
Cumberland sauce, sautéed seasonal
mushrooms and wild elderberry panna
cotta for dessert. We stayed up late
talking — a couple of us had trouble
waking the following morning.
Missed Opportunities
and Other Ones
The next day, we hunted on private
rangeland for prairie chickens. I
couldn’t tell you how big the property
was, but it sprawled for miles in
all directions; I could see Lake
McConaughy sparkling in the distance.
The scenery was spectacular — it was
cattle country as you would imagine
it in Hollywood cinema. However, we
saw few birds, and the ones we did
view did not hold well.
I still kick myself when I think about
that Sunday hunt. Toward the end
A sharp-tailed grouse feather
resting between blades of grass.
The hunting party hitting the road with the rising sun.
of the morning, after walking miles,
up and down the hilly, otherworldly
landscape, a prairie chicken caught
me by surprise. It was sitting on the
opposite side of a hill, and as soon
as I crested over the hump, the bird
exploded into flight, its wings quickly
catching the wind. I panicked. Had I
given myself more time to shoulder my
gun for a proper mount, maybe — just
maybe — I might have picked up my
first greater prairie chicken on that trip,
too. Alas, I had spent my shells, and all
I could do next was watch it disappear
over the next ridge. That was the one
opportunity I had at a chicken that
day, and I blew it. A single, lonely bird
left the field that morning, shot by
Ross, who gifted it to me.
As vexed as I was over missing
a bird, a greasy burger and ice-cold
red beer at the Admiral’s Cove on
Lake McConaughy melted away
all irritation. It was also where we
parted ways with our new friends. We
promised Ross we’d be back again, and
that following year, Rick and I traveled
west to hunt grouse twice. We hunted
on our own in early September 2020
on our way home from vacation in
Yellowstone and then the second time
with Ross — and we’ve never come
home empty-handed.
Tradition
Grouse are quickly becoming my
favorite game to hunt. With the season
beginning Sept. 1, it’s the perfect kickoff to a new hunting season to go along
with doves. But more than that, I often
ponder about how the opportunity
came about. Circling back, I think
about the hunting community as a
whole: Much like other sports, there
are rules of engagement when hunters
meet in the field. But unlike other
sports, there is no room for dirty play:
Can you trust a stranger to meet them
on unfamiliar ground? What’s more,
can you trust them to keep you safe
in the midst of an exciting flush?
There really is no other sport that can
bring strangers together in such an
extraordinary way as hunting.
In hunting, there’s an uncommon
trust that binds us together. Whether
you hunt with a stranger on the other
side of your home state, or on the other
side of the world, gun safety,
sportsmanship and respect for the
game you chase are the foundations of
every successful hunt. And the stories
you make together and tell beyond the
field keep the tradition alive. I’ve
hunted with and photographed many
strangers over the years, and always
on the drive home, I never fail to feel
pride in being a part of this world. N
For more information, see Game and
Parks’ 2021 Prairie Grouse Hunting Trip
Planner: https://bit.ly/3njdfy3
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49
One Trail
Many species use
a well-worn path
between two waters
Story and photos by Eric Fowler
I
f you’ve ever “blazed a trail” through the woods, or gone
“bushwhacking” as some might say, you know it can often
be an unpleasant experience pushing your way through
branches, brush and tall grass.
Life is much easier on a trail. And wildlife agree. That’s why
a hike through any woodland or prairie will reveal a series of
what we often call game trails. These trails, to put it simply,
are the easiest paths between points A and B.
That was certainly the case with a trail on a friend’s
property along the Platte River south of Wood River, on
which I placed two camera traps for the better part of two
years in hopes of capturing a photo of a river otter.
Not only did the camera capture photos of otters, including
a mother and her five pups, it also captured images of other
species using the trail, including raccoons, mink, mice,
muskrats, opossums, deer, a bobcat, beavers, a hen wood
duck and her brood, a few random birds that just dropped in
for a drink and three species of turtles: painted, snapping and
spiny softshell. And raccoons. So many photos of raccoons.
Trails such as
this one are found
everywhere there
is wildlife. Some
have been used
for generations.
Some were so
well defined that
man, be it the
Native Americans,
Euroamerican
explorers or fur
traders, followed them and took the same routes. Some even
became roads.
This trail covers a scant 75 feet of land between the two
water bodies it connects. One water body is what is left of
the south channel of the Platte River. Now disconnected from
the river where it splits from the main channel near Kearney,
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A family of North American river otters walks up a trail leading from the south channel of the Platte River south of Wood River.
Left: A curious raccoon gets an up-close look at a camera trap.
its flows are fed mainly by groundwater. The other, on the
north end of the trail, is a stream that flows from the Platte
during high flows and is fed by groundwater when the river is
low. Both streams flow through sandpit lakes above the trail
and rejoin the main channel of the Platte about one-third of
a mile downstream.
On the north end, the trail climbs a steep bank, crosses a
two-track trail road, and ducks into a 40-foot stretch of grass
and brush before dropping down the bank into the south
channel of the Platte. One of my cameras captured photos on
the trail through the brush during the day. The other was set
on the bank of the south channel, capturing photos both day
and night.
Few of the photos are perfect. The camera on the water’s
edge never made it more than a few days before its lens was
covered with dirty water spots left by otters or raccoons
shaking to dry off as they left the water and headed up the
trail. Or by the same critters leaving wet nose prints.
Most of the photos — there must be thousands — captured
raccoons using the south channel of the Platte as a trail,
wading along the edge in search of food. But this game trail
was often their approach to or from that path.
The deer were likely using this trail to move between
woodlands north and south of the streams. But most of the
species, including the otters, turtles, ducks, mink and other
species, used it to move between the two streams they called
home.
It’s not the only trail between these habitats. There are
two other well-worn paths between the two waters. All three
have something in common. They are at the narrowest points
in the territory they share. These critters are smart: No need
to waste energy bushwhacking their way through the forest
when they can take a road. N
November 2021 •
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51
A river otter carries what’s
left of a catfish down the
trail to the river.
A bobcat leaves the trail and follows the high and dry ground rather than following it down to the Platte’s south channel.
An American beaver.
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A hen wood duck and her brood.
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53
A young Virginia opossum.
A painted turtle.
A white-tailed deer.
A green heron.
A raccoon.
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55
A family of river otters shake as they
leave the river, spraying the lens of
the camera trap with water.
A great blue heron “photobombs” an image of a raccoon.
A common snapping turtle.
An American mink.
A common muskrat and its kit.
The trail leads south through grass and brush to
the south channel of the Platte River.
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57
Fort Robinson
ExcepƟonal Horses
and Fine Fish
By Justin Haag
H
Soldiers tend to yearling horses at Fort Robinson in 1932.
istorians often tell of Fort
Robinson’s period of producing
the trusty steeds of the cavalry
as a remount depot for the
U.S. Army in 1919-1945. The fort’s
role in rearing aquatic species that
bolstered the region’s fishing heritage
during that era gets less attention.
During the 20th century, Crawford
and Fort Robinson became an integral
location for producing the fish that
found their way to dinner tables of
the Midwest and High Plains. Most
of the ponds that visitors enjoy today
were created to serve aquaculture
as Crawford was part of the U.S.
government’s federal fisheries program
for more than half a century. They
stand as a reminder that the Crawford
city park was home to a first-class fish
hatchery from the late 1920s until a
devastating flood in 1991.
of fish nursery ponds on Fort Robinson
property. The request to do so had
come in the form of a two-page letter
from none other than Herbert Hoover,
who was U.S. secretary of commerce
at the time and would become the
nation’s 31st president two years later.
Henry O’Malley, U.S. commissioner
of fisheries, wrote in his 1928 annual
report that construction had begun on
“a new combination trout and pond
station” at Crawford as a subsidiary to
the Spearfish hatchery.
Much of the early construction was
on the main hatchery grounds at the
city park, including buildings, ponds
Hatching a Hatchery
As the U.S. government was looking
to remedy depleted fisheries resources
across the nation in the late 19th
century, it developed the National
Fish Hatchery System. The Crawford
operation was established as a
substation of the Spearfish hatchery in
South Dakota’s Black Hills, which had
been operating since 1896. The U.S.
Department of Defense issued a permit
to the Department of Commerce in
December 1927 for the construction
Henry O’Malley led the United States
Bureau of Fisheries from 1922 to 1933,
the period in which the Crawford
hatchery was created.
and a water line from springs at Fort
Robinson. By 1933, Crawford had grown
to become a stand-alone operation.
From 1933 to 1935, the hatchery
capitalized on the ready labor of the
Civilian Conservation Corps, which
had established a “drought relief
company” camp at Fort Robinson as
part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s
New Deal to provide employment
opportunities during the Great
Depression.
Just as it had done throughout
the nation, the corps, known as the
CCC, left a lasting impression in the
Panhandle through its many projects.
Among them were construction of
cabins at Chadron State Park and the
lighthouse-styled observation tower
at Lake Minatare. The largest of the
projects at Fort Robinson was for
irrigation — what we now know as
Carter P. Johnson Reservoir.
A CCC newsletter from May 1935
tells that the 470-foot “Noel Dam” on
Soldier Creek was nearing completion.
Surely, the workers would have enjoyed
having equipment that would be used
for the lake’s upcoming renovation, as
constructing the dam and excavating
the reservoir with Fresno scrapers
proved challenging that winter.
“At first the work was all pick and
shovel until the flow pipe was laid,”
the newsletter’s author stated. “Then
four mule teams with Fresnos were
Although the Crawford hatchery
has long been abandoned,
remnants of the operation still
stand in the city park.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
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• November 2021
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59
A watercolor portrait of Lt. Carter P.
Johnson by American artist Frederic
Remington, circa 1888. The largest
of Fort Robinson's ponds, Carter P.
Johnson Reservoir, is named for the
colorful cavalryman.
added followed by four caterpillar
tractors with Fresnos to speed up the
movement of dirt. Every night a crew
of six men kept fires burning to keep
out frost and thaw the ground. Work
progressed with day crews as large
as 40 men to speed the work and in
an effort to be ready to impound the
spring rains.” The construction was a
success, and with ample rain that year,
the reservoir filled quickly.
According to the newsletter, the
corps initially named the resulting 20acre reservoir Lake Bertha to honor the
wife of Louis Bash, a quartermaster
general who had recently visited Fort
Robinson. At some point, naming
honors instead went to Carter P.
Johnson, the cavalryman who served
five tours of duty at Fort Robinson
while advancing through the ranks
and building a storied military career.
Having retired as a major in 1909,
and taking up residence on a nearby
ranch along the White River, Johnson
returned to the fort for a short stint
as commanding officer in 1916 — the
same year he died of heart problems.
His colorful reputation is reinforced in
a painted portrait by renowned 19th
century artist Frederic Remington.
Puƫng in Ponds
The conservation corps was busy in
’35. An annual report from hatchery
foreman Fred Engelhardt said the
work included “concrete outlets for
two nursery ponds on Cherry Creek,
lower ice pond dam of earth and
spillway, concrete outlet, earth dam
and spillway for lower Grable Springs
bass pond. One half mile drainage ditch
from Grable ponds to Grable Reservoir.”
They also “began repair work on
lower ice pond dam and spillway,
damaged by erosion caused by a cloud
The Grabel Ponds, recently renovated with fishing access and habitat improvements, were an important part of the hatchery’s
operation. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
A 1986 photograph shows the well-kept grounds of the Crawford hatchery.
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• November 2021
NGPC LIBRARY
burst early in June.”
Historical documents also tell of
the CCC constructing numerous dams
along Soldier Creek. Although not
specified, the Wood Reserve Ponds,
near the fort’s old timber and sawmill
operation, and Crazy Horse Pond,
named for the highly revered Sioux
war leader who was killed while being
detained at Fort Robinson in 1877,
were likely among them.
In 1936, Engelhardt wrote that
station personnel graded bottoms
and banks of two “Grable Spring trout
nursery ponds.” With corps labor, they
also rebuilt the “lower ice pond dam and
completed the spillway with concrete
floor and side walls at discharge end of
the spillway, riprapped upper ice pond
spillway and rebuilt Grable Spring
pond number three dam.”
Sometime
since
Engelhardt’s
reports, the spelling of Grable changed
to Grabel in documents. Also, the “ice
ponds” became known as Ice House
Ponds and Grable Reservoir became
Lake Crawford.
The Old Ponds
Records indicate the Ice House
Ponds and Lake Crawford are the
earliest of the fort’s impoundments.
Lake Crawford, which was originally
called Grable Lake, is named for an
enterprising family from the late 1800s
that became known nationwide for its
efforts to develop the West. Regrettably,
those efforts seemed to end in scandal.
The Crawford Tribune of the 1890s
featured many headlines conveying
excitement about Francis C. Grable
and his nephew Charles J. Grable and
their work in developing irrigation
infrastructure in the White River
Valley and gold mining and smelting
operations in nearby Edgemont, S.D.
Grable Lake was part of those efforts.
Francis C. Grable, an Ohio native,
had connections to the railroad and
had early dibs on townsites between
Alliance and Deadwood, South
Dakota. He also had connections to
wealthy aristocrats on the East Coast
and brought them to the West by train
for tours, convincing them to buy stock
in the operations.
The two promoters were founders
of the State Bank of Crawford, Francis
first serving as vice president and
later president, and Charles as cashier.
Newspaper accounts of the “Grable
boom” tell of the men as charismatic
characters who were working hard to
bring prosperity to the region.
“[Francis] Grable brought into
existence more mining, smelting,
manufacturing and like projects it has
been estimated, than any other one
man in the world,” wrote an Omaha
World-Herald reporter. “He floated all
these schemes on money obtained
from eastern capitalists.”
The whole operation crashed
February 1898 when the cashier at the
Chemical National Bank of New York
November 2021 •
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61
A log book from the 1940s tells of typical hatchery work, including a trip to Fort Robinson for horse meat.
APRIL GREGORY, D.C. BOOTH NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY AND ARCHIVES
Constructed in 1904, the ice house at Fort Robinson served a vital role prior to
artificial refrigeration. HISTORY NEBRASKA
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• November 2021
admitted to the bank’s president and
board that he had loaned Francis Grable
$243,000 — about $8 million in today’s
figures — without authorization.
Headlines in metropolitan and small
newspapers throughout the nation
promptly told of the Grable “schemes”
on their front pages. Although the
Grables said the projects would
realize returns soon, the investors
backed out.
The Grables immediately departed
the region, the bank closed, the
projects were abandoned, and the
Grable reservoir dam would not be
completely finished until 1930 when
the new fish hatchery included it in
its appropriations as a pond for rearing
bass.
The reservoir must have been far
enough along to hold some water upon
the Grables’ departure, though.
“Some very fine ice has been put
up in Crawford this week, cut from
the Grable lake south of town,” stated
a January 1901 one-sentence news
report in the Tribune.
Prior to modern refrigeration, ice
was harvested during winter and
stored for later use. At Fort Robinson,
reports indicate it was cut from the Ice
House Ponds and housed in a wooden
building between Soldier Creek
and the fort’s veterinary hospital,
near what is now U.S. Highway 20.
Reportedly, the building was later sold
and moved to Agate Springs Ranch
south of Harrison.
While the Ice House Ponds remain
an attraction, the Grable Lake, or Lake
Crawford, has long sat empty because
of damage to the dam and outlet
structure. The other ponds named for
the family, which were constructed for
the hatchery and likely named such
as a matter of convenience, have been
transformed to one of Fort Robinson’s
most popular fishing spots.
In the decade following his
departure, Francis Grable focused
ambitions to the area north of Fort
Collins, Colorado, developing irrigation
ditches and roads. Those efforts
were halted when he was arrested
in 1912 after being tied to a bank
embezzlement scheme. After a judge
dismissed Grable’s case, he moved to
Clermont, Florida, and entered the
citrus industry. It was later reported
the city of Clermont was so thankful
for his contributions to the region that
it gifted him with a trip to Europe.
Despite the legal problems, he was
regarded as an irrigation pioneer
in northern Colorado and retained
popularity. He returned to Fort
Collins from 1931-1936 and wrote a
newspaper column titled “Reviewing
the Years.” A column about his efforts
at Crawford and Edgemont was not
found during this research.
He died in Florida in 1944.
Diverse ProducƟon
Boosted by the ponds’ capacity,
the Crawford hatchery had one of the
most diverse missions in the nation.
Early reports tell of its successes and
failures in producing brook, rainbow,
“black-spotted” (cutthroat) and “Loch
Leven” (brown) trout, catfish, bream,
sunfish, “black” (largemouth) bass,
yellow perch and crappies. Of the 91
stations and substations listed in the
system’s 1933 annual report, only
five other hatcheries were producing
a more diverse set of species than
Crawford.
Fort Robinson may have been one
of the nation’s best places to be during
the Great Depression of the 1930s. Not
only were the CCC’s activities building
excitement, but the fort also hosted the
Army Equestrian Olympic Team as it
prepared for the 1936 games in Berlin.
(Equestrian for what was termed the
“Nazi Olympics” later ended with
suspicions of foul play, as the host
Germans claimed an unprecedented
and not since repeated sweep of all six
gold medals.)
The fort’s role in producing horses
and fish was symbiotic in at least
one regard. Surplus from the fort’s
thousands of horses and mules
provided a supply of meat that was
converted to fish food. While other
hatcheries across the nation were
advertising to purchase horses to
feed the fish, Crawford enjoyed a free
supply of as many as a dozen horses
per month. Documents indicate it was
something of a trade for keeping the
fort’s streams and lakes stocked for the
military personnel who liked to fish. In
1942, the hatchery reported receiving
30,000 pounds of horsemeat.
Making fish food from animal
products — sheep liver and beef
hearts also were commonly used —
was messy and labor intensive. In the
Interior of hatch house at the Crawford National Fish Hatchery in 1983.
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Nebraskaland
63
1960s, dry pellets revolutionized the
way hatcheries feed fish.
Upstream BaƩle
Although hatchery staff was
grateful to the fort for allowing ponds
on the property, the distance from the
main grounds could be problematic.
Each of the ponds was upwards of 10
miles away. One year, after a period
of heavy snowfall, hatchery staff
reported filling backpacks with fish
food and plodding on snowshoes to
certain ponds to keep fish alive.
Clarence Storbeck of Chadron,
a longtime assistant supervisor in
Crawford, said hatchery employees
stocked the abandoned cellar of the
Wood Reserve’s officers’ cabin with
overnight necessities in case weather
left them stranded.
In late summer of dry years, water
at some of the ponds would get too
low and fish would require salvaging.
One especially challenging period was
during World War II when the fort’s
1,000-man prisoner of war camp was
constructed near the Cherry Creek
ponds. Not only did the “blitzkrieg” of
construction result in eroded sediment
piling up in the Cherry Creek ponds,
but also the water was diverted away
from the Grabel Ponds to meet the
demands of the new facilities.
The period brought another set
of challenges. With hundreds and
thousands of stock dams being
constructed on farms and ranches
at the encouragement of the Soil
Conservation Service, the Crawford
hatchery had a hard time keeping up
with requests for fish.
The hatchery’s original service
region included all of Nebraska, all
of Wyoming, areas of South Dakota
west of the Missouri River, and parts of
Colorado. Of course, Crawford was not
the only hatchery in Nebraska. The
state’s Game, Forestation and Parks
Commission produced millions of
fish at hatcheries near Gretna, Parks,
Valentine and North Platte. Records
show the Crawford facility had a
positive working relationship with
Nebraska’s state fisheries.
It was often noted with gratitude
that state employees provided pick-up
and delivery of fish from Crawford.
A Popular Place
The hatchery was popular with
visitors ranging from schoolchildren
to distinguished dignitaries, reporting
more than 12,000 visitors per year by
the early 1950s.
A publicity flyer produced between
1957 and 1974 boasts that the Crawford
Hatchery, then one of more than 90
such facilities across the nation, was
producing in excess of 2 million fish
per year for stockings in Nebraska,
South Dakota and Wyoming. By that
time, the facility had narrowed its
scope to largemouth bass, bluegills,
rainbow trout and brown trout.
“Several 1- to 3-acre earthen ponds
on the Fort Robinson Reservation are
used by the Crawford Hatchery to
produce largemouth bass and bluegill
sunfish for distribution to approved
ponds and lakes,” the author wrote.
The hatchery stands in ruins on May 10, 1991, after a devastating flood.
“The ponds are scattered over a wide
area so it is generally not convenient for
visitors to observe these operations.”
Torrents of Change
A Game and Parks employee feeds fish with a few of the facility’s many visitors in August of 1985.
64
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• November 2021
DON CUNNINGHAM, NEBRASKALAND
The Spearfish station would later
be named for D.C. Booth, who was its
superintendent during the era of the
Crawford site’s inception. Today, the
D.C. Booth Historical National Fish
Hatchery & Archives stands as an
impressive interpretive facility that
annually attracts more than 160,000
visitors and houses many of the
records from the Crawford hatchery
that were used for this report.
Because of budget cuts, the Crawford
Hatchery was abandoned by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service in 1984 and
the Game and Parks Commission took
over its operation. With support of
the Legislature and Gov. Bob Kerrey,
Nebraska established the Trout Stamp
to fund the operation.
Game and Parks switched it from a
brown and brook trout facility to brown
and rainbow, and, for the first time, the
fish from Crawford were distributed
exclusively to Nebraska waters.
Unfortunately,
the
Crawford
hatchery’s era under Game and Parks
was short-lived. On May 10-11,
1991, the hatchery and many other
structures in the valley were destroyed
when 12 inches of rain in a six-hour
period caused a 15- to 18-foot wall of
water to strike parts of Crawford. The
ponds at the hatchery filled with mud
and thousands of brood stock, fry and
fingerlings washed downstream —
most of which surely died.
While remnants of the hatchery
still stand at the Crawford city park,
the facility never reopened and Game
and Parks has relied on its five other
hatcheries — Calamus, North Platte,
Rock Creek, Valentine and Grove — for
the bulk of its fish production.
The hatchery’s ponds, however,
remained an asset at Fort Robinson.
With the facility destroyed, all the
ponds opened to the public for fishing
at the northwest Nebraska tourist
attraction, having transformed to a
NGPC LIBRARY
In 1984, Nebraska enacted a $5 trout
stamp to fund the Crawford Hatchery.
state park in the 1960s.
The Trout Stamp also went away,
but the Aquatic Habitat Stamp was
implemented in 1997 to fund fisheries
projects throughout the state. One
such project includes the impressive
pond renovations being realized at
Fort Robinson today.
Things are a little different from
the ponds’ beginnings, but, in a way,
they are still doing what they were
originally designed to do. With the
recent investments, they are sure to
continue putting fish on the table
and contribute to the state’s fishing
heritage for generations to come. N
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65
MIXED BAG
A LIFETIME OF MENTORS
By Gerry Steinauer
I feel privileged to be a botanist who travels our diverse
state surveying plants, evaluating landscapes and helping
conserve our native prairies and woodlands. I also feel
privileged to have outdoor hobbies, including gardening,
hunting, fishing and photography. Nature is a huge part of
my life.
Looking back, my interest in nature is due, in large part, to
having capable mentors, which Merriam-Webster defines as
“a trusted counselor or guide.” From
an early age, mentors influenced
me, taught me needed skills and,
most critically, helped me find my
path in life.
My dad was my primary mentor
for hunting and fishing, and his
efforts started when I was a mere
preschooler. He often took his
flock of six children, me being
the youngest, fishing in a muddy
Elkhorn River oxbow on his brother’s
farm west of our hometown of
Millard. There, he diligently laced
my hook with squiggling worms
and unhooked my catch of spiny
little bullheads and flopping carp.
On trips to this same farm during
grade school, Dad had the good
sense to let me run wild and explore
while he visited and played cards.
Wandering alone through the brushy riverbottom and oakwooded bluff allowed me to bond with Mother Nature. After
much begging, he also allowed me to tag along on bobwhite
hunts in Pawnee County where, to my delight, our Brittany
spaniels flushed a covey from nearly every wooded draw
and hedgerow. My job was to watch and learn until I was
responsible and big enough to shoulder my grandfather’s old
single-shot 12 gauge.
One of my early female mentors was my dear grandmother.
I fondly recall spending summer mornings with her in her
tree-shaded, old-town Millard backyard picking and savoring
ripe, purple raspberries. Those pleasant times with her likely
turned me into the avid forager and preserver of wild fruits
that I am today.
Also among my childhood memories is an early spring
escapade on an aunt’s farm on the outskirts of town. While
cutting across a neighbor’s small, grassy field, I came upon
a patch of low-growing, white flowers, which years later I
realized were prairie dog-toothed violets. When I returned
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Nebraskaland • November 2021
to the house, I asked her why there were flowers in the field.
She explained that it was a prairie, a term I had never before
heard. My aunt, who passed away more than 25 years ago
at the age of 101, then told me that when she was a child, a
prairie, lush with wildflowers, covered much of their farm,
and that when a renter, without permission, plowed it, her
mother cried. I was intrigued by her stories of days gone by.
As an aspiring biologist at Wayne State College, my
zoology professor became a mentor.
He taught especially tough courses
that students dreaded. Perhaps
our fears stemmed from his knack
for challenging us: Failure was
an option. Fear aside, his classes
taught me to see detail in nature,
and to pass, I had to put my nose
to the grindstone, spending hours
studying in the library and lab. To
this day, I still use the knowledge
and skills he ingrained. As a mentor,
he had a passion for teaching and
a dedication to his students. He
cared.
Beginning my career at the
Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, I found new mentors,
or perhaps, they found me. One
was a late Nebraskaland Magazine
writer and editor who took me
under his wing. I was never sure why. At the time, my writing
skills were limited, to say the least. In college, I squeaked by
with a C- in freshman composition. Maybe he saw potential
as he patiently painted drafts of my early articles with red
ink. I had great respect for this individual as a person and
writer, and worked hard on my writing, in part, to gain his
respect. When he retired, he told me I was ready to go it
alone. I greatly appreciate his years of guidance, without
which I might still be kicking out C- compositions.
Today, well along in life and career, I continue to benefit
from mentors, including editors who still work to rid me of
bad grammatical habits.
Luckily for me, my lifetime has been filled with mentors
who were willing to invest their time in a kid from Millard.
Without them, I wonder where I would be.
Gerry Steinauer is a botanist for the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission for 33 years. He also is a regular contributor
to Nebraskaland Magazine.
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
67
MIXED BAG
SETTING UP A DECOY SPREAD
How to lure in Canada geese
By Julie Geiser
I’ve sat with many Canada goose
hunters over the years and have seen
my share of decoy spreads. To find the
perfect set up to draw in geese, some
hunters might adjust their spreads
as often as several times throughout
a hunt. And almost all hunters will
change their set up as the season
progresses. Here are some tips:
Before you hunt, take some time
to watch Canada geese as they land in
the field. Take note of wind direction
— geese land facing into the wind
— and other weather patterns such
as sun, rain or snow. Remember how
those birds look in the field as they
feed or rest, which you can imitate
with your decoy set up. The number
of decoys needed to attract geese will
vary depending on hunting pressure,
the time of year and how many decoys
you have.
Early in the season, use as many
or more decoys than the number of
geese that you hope to attract. I like
starting with a few dozen and adding
more as the season progresses. During
this time, you can set decoys close to
your blind, even right next to it.
•
•
•
Later in the season, birds may
become decoy shy as they’ve been
hunted in many states along their
migration. Sometimes less is more
for decoy-shy birds. You may have to
set the decoys about 30 yards upwind
from your blind; flocks will swing wide
as they determine if it’s safe to land,
ultimately flying over the blind as
they circle the decoys.
Don’t set decoys too far apart.
This may make the spread look
larger to you, but from the sky, it
won’t resemble real birds. Geese will
naturally maintain some distance
between each other on the ground, but
they also will bunch up into smaller
groups consisting of family groups,
individuals, pairs and non-breeders.
Arrange the decoys into family groups
of four to eight decoys. Fill in between
the family groups with singles and
pairs. Using decoys of different sizes
also looks more real, but keep those of
the same size together.
Don’t make the mistake of
facing decoys in only one direction.
Geese typically face into the wind,
but there will be those feeding or
•
•
moving. Use different decoy positions
in the groupings, including preening,
sleeping, feeding and sentry. I set up
one sentry to every eight or so decoys.
Placing more than one sentry in a
grouping could be taken as a warning
to a flying flock.
Geese will usually try to land in an
opening in the decoys, so always keep
an opening well defined and on the
downwind side of your blind about 20
to 30 yards out. Some flocks may circle
several times before they are in range
to shoot, so be patient.
A secret to setting up decoys is
to make your spread the shape of a
triangle or arrowhead. The triangle
should always point into the wind.
The decoys will fill the shape of the
triangle, but be sure to leave a landing
area near your blind.
Once your decoy spread is set up,
stand back and determine if it looks
natural. The flow of the flock and its
smaller groupings should face in one
main direction with some variance.
Hunting patterns change during the
season, but knowing some tactics will
help you bag more geese.
•
•
On now though
January 26, 2022
Add a new challenge to your
waterfowl hunts this year –
see if you can complete the
Nebraska Duck Slam.
Harvest four of our most popular
duck species in one season and
claim flyway bragging rights and four tasty meals.
To lure in Canada geese, be strategic in setting up your decoy spread.
68
Nebraskaland • November 2021
JULIE GEISER, NEBRASKALAND
Check out details at OutdoorNebraska.org/DuckSlam
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
69
MIXED BAG
NOT-SO-RANDOM TIPS FOR DEER SEASON
Start planning for opening day now.
By Jeff Kurrus
The opening day of deer firearm
season remains an event throughout
Nebraska, as much a tradition for
thousands of families as Husker
football.
Make it more special with these tips.
Before the Hunt
•
•
Buy a permit. Don’t get in trouble
by forgetting to abide by the law.
Ready your old meat cooler by
washing out with soap and water,
drying and placing dry newspaper
inside of it.
Exercise beforehand. Walk
through the neighborhood, do pushups and sit-ups, or anything else that
will help prepare your body for all the
•
twists and turns that an opening day
deer hunt can provide.
Sharpen your knife. Dull knives
lead to accidents. The sharper, the
better, for field dressing and quartering.
Charge your phone or bring a
book. The longer you can sit, the better
your chances are of getting a shot.
Shoot before you hunt. Know
where your gun shoots before you have
a buck in your sights. It’s the ethical
step to take and will also help prevent
a post-hunt nightmare if you miss.
Carry extra clothes. If you fall in
a creek, sweat too much, get rained on
or experience any other water-related
setback, have back-up layers.
Convince someone to go with you.
•
•
•
•
•
I enjoy hunting alone, having that
feeling of being the last person on the
planet, but it’s not the safest way to
hunt. Bring a friend along to share the
day with you.
Scout. You can walk into the
woods on opening morning for the
first time if you want to. But increase
your odds by looking for travel routes,
scrapes, rubs and scat.
•
During the Hunt
•
Bring a backpack. Water, grunt
call, blood-trail markers, knife, protein
bars, flashlight, safety harness and
anything else you need for the day.
Dress light into the stand. The
worst thing you can do is wear all
of your clothes in. Any sweat that’s
created will be your detriment once
your body cools back down.
Stay in the stand. Many hunters
get down from the stand a couple of
hours into the morning. Shoot your
nice buck when they move him in your
direction.
Take a great shot. More times than
not, the animal will present a good
shot to you. Take a deep breath, calm
your nerves, and squeeze the trigger.
•
•
•
After the Hunt
•
Process your deer before taking
it to the processor. When taken care
of correctly, deer meat is not “gamey.”
Much of the blood, sinew, fat and other
undesirables can be removed before
handing the meat over to the experts.
Take pictures. Pixels are free,
and some of my most enjoyable
technological times are when my
phone sends me a “A Year Ago Today”
montage. Make sure yours focuses on
your opening-day hunting trip.
Thank your landowner before …
and after … the hunt. Enough said.
•
Abigale and Chet Bennetts firearm deer hunt. Bringing a friend, or a child, along
on the hunt is a great way to spend time afield. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
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Nebraskaland • November 2021
•
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
71
PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST
Pheasant and Quail Hunting, 1958.
Three of my long-time hunting buddies during
our senior year at Beatrice High School. Many
a weekend Norman Holdiman, Darrell Feit and
Albert Van Borkum hunted pheasant and quail
near Burchard.
I married Norman’s sister. Darrell went on
to work for the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission and retired as the director of the
Aksarben Aquarium. Van Borkum opened Van’s
Lakeview Fishing Camp at Lake McConaughy.
– Robert Kuhn, Kearney
Pheasant Hunting near Arapahoe, 1982.
The results of a pheasant hunt in 1982 in the
Arapahoe area with (left to right) John Helms
and Brittany — Twister; Ron Hines and Irish
setter — Riley; Burton Foutz and English setter
— Patti; and Gary Helms with Beagle — Ginger.
It was hard to keep the dogs from wanting the
pheasants on the ground in front and in the
hands of the hunters. The beagle was known
as “the bird beagle,” and she tracked pheasants
like it was her mission. The pointing dogs and
owners learned to trust her instincts when
tracking and flushing. She did not let many
wounded birds escape either.
– Gary Helms, Kearney
Deer Hunt, 1979.
My wife of now 51 years, Kathy, and me with
a mule deer from Custer County in 1979. My
hunting buddy, Duane McCan, and I traveled
from Lexington and archery hunted this buck the
day before the rifle season. He used his antlers
to move his does away from us. Kathy joined us
the next day when I shot him. We had the deer
mounted and moved it with us to Alaska and
later Washington state. Kathy and I retired in
Utah. Duane, now of Kearney, and I still hunt this
area annually.
– Gary Lemke, St. George, Utah
Hunting Day, 1994.
We invited my brother-in-law from Dallas, Texas, Richard
Adams, to go goose hunting at the Calamus Lake in Burwell,
Nebraska. We hunted from a boat blind with Lloyd Ness as
chief cook and Rick Gilbertson as boat captain.
Richard took a shot directly overhead and dropped a near
20-pound goose almost in the boat blind. It actually clipped
the bill of my cap as it fell.
Later, Richard had to return to Dallas early and on the
way to the Omaha airport, he told his wife Cheri, “There
are things you do in life you never forget, and this is one of
them!”
Welcome to waterfowling in Nebraska!
– Alan Embury, 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 2000. 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.
72
Nebraskaland • November 2021
Fishing for Sunfish 1950s.
My little brother Jim, right, and me — sporting matching hats and shirts, no less — caught these underwhelming
“sunnies” in the mid-50s from the creek near the old Moseley place west of Weissert at the T intersection. What little
remains of Weissert lies a few miles east of Broken Bow. We also caught “the fishing bug” in those days and remain
intrepid Nebraska anglers at ages 71 and 68.
– Steve Moseley (York) and Jim Moseley (Scottsbluff)
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
73
THE LAST STOP
YEAR
4
A CLASS RING OR AN .870
By Jeff Kurrus
Dad pleaded with me, knowing the inevitable
outcome. I was 17-years-old and looking at a
catalog of senior class rings.
“Forget the ring. I’ll buy you an .870 pump
instead,” he said, convinced of the short shelf life
of the ring and the girlfriend’s finger it would be
placed on.
But I was hard-headed, despite spending much
of my free time during those years in floodplain
water chasing mallards. So, I chose a ring with
all the predictable etchings — baseball uniform
number, a white-tailed buck and a largemouth
bass.
Several weeks later, that ring came in the mail.
And I wore it proudly … right up until the point it
was on some girl’s finger.
While Dad and I never spoke about it, I imagine
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Nebraskaland • November 2021
we agree that it was about the worst $200 I had
ever asked him and Mom to spend on anything —
soccer camp included.
Even worse, less than a year later, in 1994, I took
my own money and bought that .870 myself. Since
that purchase, I’ve shot ducks, geese and upland
birds from southern Mississippi to northern
Nebraska. Its had rust sanded off its metal and
camo tape applied to its stock.
It’s been caked in mud, stepped on by any number
of people and animals, and underwater more times
than I can count — like in this Rainwater Basin
image from last hunting season.
As far as the ring? I have no idea of its
whereabouts. I’m sure it’s gathering dust
somewhere.
Something my .870 has never done.
September 1, 2021 — January 31, 2022
Nebraska is the mixed bag capital of the Great Plains – with diverse
hunting opportunities, long seasons, more than 1 million acres of publicly
accessible lands and high rates of hunter satisfaction.
Experience all of this – and make some great memories – as you work
to harvest all four upland bird species this season. Learn more about the
slam and the prizes you could win at
OutdoorNebraska.org/UplandSlam
November 2021 •
Nebraskaland
75
Position: 412 (24 views)