Volume 100, Issue 1, 2022

January-February 2022

Identifier:: nela.2022_100_01
Title:: Volume 100, Issue 1, 2022
Issue Name:: January-February 2022
Date Issued:: 2022-01-01
year:: 2022
month:: January; February
Season:: Winter
PDF filename:: NL_100.01_2022_Jan_Feb_Spreads_Entire.pdf
Publisher:: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Format:: Periodical
volume:: 100
issue:: 01
number:: 100.01
Decade:: 2020s
Type:: PDF
Extracted Text:: magazine

$4.95

To renew your subscription or change your
address call 1-800-632-5263

JJanuary-February
an u a ry Fe br uarry 2
2022
022

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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

3

Volume 100 No. 1
January-February 2022

Cover: Smith Falls is a sight to see in late-February. Smith Falls State Park
C
iis in Cherry County.
JJUSTIN HAAG

T page: Sunrise and ice on a Nebraska wetland near Aurora. To see
This
more photos like this, see story on page 20.
m
CHRIS HELZER
C

FEATURES

20
28

A WINTER HIKE

A Great Time to Observe Nature

Story and photos by Chris Helzer

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

What to Do in January and February
By Renae Blum

30

A HISTORIC GATHERING

36

THE BLACKSMITH SHOP

38

PRAIRIE SEEDS IN WINTER

46

Story and photos by Eric Fowler

By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska

A Photo Exhibition

Photos and story by Gerry Steinauer

QUESTIONS FOR CORY
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley

DEPARTMENTS
8
12
48
56
58

Your Nebraska
In the Field
Mixed Bag

Portraits from the Past
The Last Stop

ON THE WEB
Nebraskaland (VOL. 100 / NO. 1 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 • January-February 2022

For more articles and
information, visit
NebraskalandMagazine.com
January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

5

Magazine Staff

magazine
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.

Communications Director Christy Firestone
Public Relations Manager Shawna RichterRyerson
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, Todd Mills,
Ryan Sparks, Gerry Steinauer
Art Director Tim Reigert
Graphic Designer Mel Severin
Photo Librarian Jaclyn Cruikshank Vogt

Administration
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
subscription, call 800-632-5263
Advertising Sales Manager
For advertising information contact
Shane G. Gilster, 402-742-0125
Email: shanegilster@gmail.com

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)

Southwest District Office
301 E. State Farm Rd. North Platte, NE 69101
Phone 308-535-8025
Northwest District Office
East Hwy. 2, Box 725 Alliance, NE 69301
Phone 308-763-2940
Bassett Office
524 Panzer St., Box 508 Bassett, NE 68714
Phone 402-684-2921
Kearney Office
1617 First Ave. Kearney, NE 68847
Phone 308-865-5310
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium/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

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)

308-760-0145

Jerod Hahn (Deuel, Garden, Grant)
Keith Jadlowski (Keith, Deuel)
Jaden Porter (Keith, Garden)
Tyler Stueck (Keith)

308-520-5539
308-289-9580
308-289-2274
308-289-6260

(Keith, Arthur)

WEST SUB-DISTRICT

308-672-1824

Kelsey Glodowski

308-763-8226

Josh Widhelm (Morrill, Scotts Bluff)
Jacob Stoinski (Sioux, Dawes)

308-279-9133
308-615-9017

(Kimball, Banner, Scotts Bluff)
(Box Butte, Sheridan, Grant)

NORTHEAST (Includes counties covered)
Dale Davis (Lieutenant)
402-760-0712
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT

Jeff Jones (Sergeant)

402-762-5022

John Bauer (Holt, Boyd)
Jonathan Andreasen

402-314-9257
402-340-3981

Mitch Johnson (Knox, Antelope, Pierce)

402-613-8612

(Knox, Cedar)

SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT

Cory Krause (Sergeant)

402-380-6410

Kyler Prochaska (Platte, Colfax)
Nicholas Fix (Dixon, Dakota, Thurston)

402-830-8278
402-508-0261

(Cuming, Wayne, Stanton)

CENTRAL (Includes counties covered)
Mike Thome (Lieutenant)
308-293-8746
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission does not discriminate
based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual
orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information,
veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs,
activities, or employment. 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 402-4712024, TTY/TDD 800-642-6112; Director, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and
Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20240.

6

Doug Pollard (Sergeant)

308-730-7050

Matt Brandt (Sherman, Howard)
Daryl Teter (Howard, Greeley, Merrick)
Trent Howard (Nance, Wheeler, Boone)
Kyle Gaston (York, Polk, Hamilton)

308-202-0819
308-440-1863
308-318-1273
402-719-6226

(Loup, Garfield, Valley)

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT

Matt Taylor (Sergeant)

402-200-9597

Tim Williams (Hall, Hamilton, York)
Eric Javins (Adams, Clay, Webster)
Pat George (Harlan, Franklin, Phelps)
Ethan Teter (Buffalo, Kearney)

308-380-7331
402-902-2017
308-920-2762
308-440-3847

(Thayer, Fillmore, Nuckolls)

SOUTHWEST (Includes counties covered)
Roger Thompson (Lieutenant)
308-530-3097
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

Alex Hasenauer (Lincoln, Perkins)
Brandon O’Neal

308-660-4671
308-530-3157

(Lincoln)

(Hooker, Thomas, southern Cherry)

Sean McKeehan (Sergeant)

(Madison, Pierce, Stanton)

OutdoorNebraska.org

ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND

Nebraskaland Magazine Copyright 2022, 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

Northeast District Office
2201 N. 13th St. Norfolk, NE 68701
Phone 402-370-3374

Trumpeter swans may be found
feeding on open water or in fields.

(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)

SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT

Brian Piernicky (Sergeant)

308-340-6627

Bryce Streger (Dawson, Gosper, Custer)
Matt Andrews

308-537-0404
308-746-2418

Taylor Dixon (Dawson, Gosper)
Sophia Gobber

308-217-2108
308-222-0368

(Red Willow, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock)

(Furnas, Gosper, Frontier, Red Willow)

(Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock)

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)
Brian Arp (Douglas, Sarpy)
Dan Evasco (Sarpy)
Mike Luben (Saunders, Butler)
Bryan Adams

402-209-1506
402-619-1355
402-530-9011
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)
Mark Sullivan (Lancaster, Seward, Butler)
Trevor Stahlecker (Lancaster, Saline)
Matt Seitz (Gage, Jefferson)

402-890-6463
402-937-3422
402-741-0636
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.

@pocket.macro
Frog’s Eye

8

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

Chuck Hackenmiller, Lincoln
Pawnee Lake Fisherman

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

9

YOUR NEBRASKA

@bfbinstailey
Sandhill Cranes Taking Flight
@drtylermoore
Hoverfly on Spiderwort

@rogerrichters
Windmill and the Milky Way

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 • January-February 2022

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

11

IN THE FIELD

WILD TURKEYS
Wild turkeys (Meleagris
gallopavo) feed along a Platte
River slough on a winter
evening in Hall County.
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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

13

IN THE FIELD

McCOY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE
OF NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS
By Jeff Kurrus
Commissioners at the Nebraska Game and
Parks appointed Tim McCoy in September
to become the agency’s new director. “I am
honored to be selected as the director of the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,”
McCoy said. “It is a unique privilege to lead
the stewardship of Nebraska’s fish, wildlife
and park resources and provide diverse
opportunities for outdoor recreation.”
McCoy has extensive experience in
leading the Commission — and has been
successful at building positive relationships
with sportspersons, partners, state leaders,
conservation organizations, landowners and
agency staff. He has served as deputy director
since July 2012, and in previous roles as the
agency’s wildlife division administrator and
agriculture program manager in Lincoln. He
joined Game and Parks in 2002 as a district
manager in the wildlife division in Kearney.
“Tim has the education, experience,
knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully
lead the Commission,” said Commission

14

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

chairman Dan Kreitman. “As commissioners,
we are honored to volunteer with Game and
Parks and work directly with Tim, connecting
people to our natural resources and supporting
conservation in Nebraska.”
McCoy grew up on a southwestern Nebraska
farm, near Arapahoe, where he developed his
passion for outdoor pursuits and curiosity
about fish, wildlife and their habitats. He feels
a deep sense of responsibility for the resources
that Game and Parks manages, McCoy said,
and knows these resources are in good hands.
“We are successful and are poised for future
success because of our great employees and
our partners. They are professional, passionate,
skilled, and are the most important assets
of this agency,” McCoy said. “I look forward
to working with all of them to manage our
cherished resources and provide abundant
opportunities for outdoor recreation that make
our quality of life in Nebraska so great.”
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and staff welcome Tim McCoy as our director.

IN THE FIELD

WAITING 50 YEARS TO BE TOLD
By Joel G. Jorgensen
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission occasionally
receives animal mounts from individuals who want or need
to unload them but do not want to see them go straight to
the garbage bin. These donations, if in acceptable condition,
can be used for education or to spruce up a public space.
Usually the mounts the agency receives possess little or
no information about where the animal was harvested or
collected, as most are decades old. This was the case for
an unusual goose mount that has been in the Lincoln
Headquarters for quite some time. In fact, it is not known
how or when the specimen got here, but it sat quietly in our
building for at least 15 years waiting to tell its story.
It was not until I was looking up some old information in
the state’s ornithological journal, The Nebraska Bird Review,
when I realized a photograph of a purported barnacle goose
harvested in Otoe County in November 1968 by Milton
Muncie appeared rather similar to our “goosey” office decor.
Upon closer inspection, it was confirmed the bird in the
photograph and the mount in the office were one and the
same.
Barnacle geese are a Eurasian species and, at the time,
Muncie’s prize was reported as a Nebraska first. However,
records of barnacle geese in North America before the early
2000s were generally dismissed as representing escaped
domestic birds because the species is also kept in captivity
in North America. This conclusion has been shown to be
incorrect as wild barnacle geese that nest in Greenland do,
on occasion, reach North America. So, is it safe to conclude
the Nebraska specimen is a wild bird? Not necessarily, but
possessing its feathers provides the opportunity to find out.
Feathers are composed of keratin and are a product of
the environment in which they were produced. This means
some atoms and molecules a bird ingests through its diet
will ultimately be preserved in feathers a bird grows at
specific times. Keratin does not change or break down over
time, and certain atoms, specifically isotopes, vary with
weather conditions. Stable isotope analysis is a technique
where a feather’s signature can be matched to certain areas
of the world. In this case, a northerly signature would
suggest a wild bird and a temperate signature would suggest
an escaped captive bird. Long story short, stable isotope
analysis showed that this bird grew its feathers at the
northern location in Canada or Greenland, thus suggesting
a wild bird.
Is this the end of the story? There is one final twist. Upon
review, it was determined this “barnacle goose” was, in
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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

fact, a hybrid. Making absolute conclusions about parent
species of avian hybrids can be a risky venture, but plumage
characteristics suggest this goose is a barnacle/cackling
goose hybrid, with the latter species previously known as
the small form of the Canada goose. Interestingly, the goose
was harvested in a flock of Arctic-breeding cackling geese, or
hutchies, as they are sometimes called. As cackling geese are
rarely — if ever — kept as exotic pets in North America, the
case for a wild origin of this hybrid bird only grew stronger.
Nebraska has no other accepted records of barnacle geese,
but the evidence this bird possessed in its feathers shows
wild birds are capable of migrating to our state. It is a story
that was just waiting 50 years to be told. A more complete
summary of this study is presented in the latest edition of
The Nebraska Bird Review.
Joel G. Jorgensen is the nongame bird program manager for the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Scientific analysis of feather samples from this goose
harvested in 1968 revealed important clues about its
origins. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND

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IN THE FIELD

Pan-seared northern pike fillets seasoned with pesto and wrapped in pork prosciutto.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED NORTHERN PIKE
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 northern pike fillets, boneless
4 slices of prosciutto
2 tablespoons of pesto
Freshly cracked pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Lemon wedges

•
•
•
•
•
•

1. Cut each pike fillet in half to make 4
pieces. Spread pesto on one side of each

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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

Share the joy of hunting!

JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND

piece. Sprinkle freshly cracked pepper on
top.
2. Roll each piece of fish and carefully
wrap with a slice of prosciutto. Secure with
two toothpicks.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over
medium high. Carefully cook each piece of
fish to brown the prosciutto on all sides.
You can remove the toothpicks halfway to
three-quarters of the way through cooking
when the rolls can hold their shape. Cook
until the pike is cooked through.
4. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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GRAND PRIZE
John Deere
XUV590M Gator
in Camo

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LEARN MORE AT

OutdoorNebraska.org/TakeEmHunting
January-February 2022 • Nebraskaland 19

A Winter Hike
A Great Time to Observe Nature
Story and photos by Chris Helzer
nyone can hike on a warm day, surrounded by birdsong
and verdant meadows of wildflowers. The world is full
of sights and sounds. But in the winter? That sounds
ridiculous. It’s cold outside, the plants are all brown
and animals are either hibernating or vacationing in warmer
places. What are you supposed to do, tromp through the snow,
bundled up like that one kid in that one movie? Well, yes.
Whether you explore the local trail or head out to your
favorite state park or recreation area, plenty of animals,
animal signs and other winter attractions will make your trip
worthwhile. Sure, it’s nippy out there, but throw on an extra
layer, find that second glove and go see what’s happening
in the world. Here are four great reasons to leave your cozy
home and venture into the cold.

A

Water boatman in ice.

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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

No. 1 Animals
While many animals either migrate out of Nebraska or
enter a dormant state during the winter, many others are
still active, at least some of the time. Large mammals, such
as deer, can sometimes be easier to see in the winter than
the summer, in part because the absence of leaves on trees
makes it harder for them to hide in woodlands. Coyotes,
foxes, opossums and other medium-sized mammals often are
out and about, too, especially on warmer days.
Winter brings opportunities to see a diﬀerent suite of
bird species than can be spotted during the rest of the year.
Juncos, Harris’ sparrows, tree sparrows, Lapland longspurs
and bald eagles are just a few species that are either

Virginia opossum in snow.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

21

No. 2 Tracks and Other Signs
Spotting animals during a winter hike is fun, but your
success often relies upon good fortune as much as outdoor
expertise. On the other hand, if you enjoy a little detective
work, you can always find signs of animal activity, even if
you don’t see the animals themselves. Tracks, scat and other
animal signs are all over the place during the winter. Fresh
snow, of course, provides an especially great opportunity to
find clues about animal behavior.
Footprints are probably the easiest way to see what critters
are up to. If you have the patience, you can follow a set of tracks
for hours, noting where an animal changes direction, where it
stops to feed or mark its territory, and — eventually — where
it shelters overnight or during inclement weather. If you’re
lucky, you can even come across evidence of interactions
between animals, including large wing prints in the snow at
the end of a long trail of mouse tracks.
If you are particularly observant while hiking through
the snow, you can learn a lot about the favorite winter foods
of various animals. You can often find either neat piles or
scattered arrays of empty seed hulls on top of the snow.
Combining that evidence with the tracks leading to and from
that site can often tell you what kinds of seeds are being eaten
by birds, mice or other small creatures.

River otter tracks on ice.

Leopard frogs moving beneath ice.

exclusively or more commonly found during the winter.
Species like meadowlarks and horned larks establish and
defend individual breeding territories during the summer, but
form roving gangs during the winter, providing opportunities
to see lots of them at the same time.
Despite their reputation as harbingers of spring, flocks
of American robins also can commonly be seen during the
winter, searching for fruits on eastern red cedar and other
trees. Upland game birds, including northern bobwhites,
ring-necked pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse and greater
prairie chickens, can be flushed up in big groups, depending
upon which part of the state you’re in.
If you’re willing to look a little more closely, smaller animals
are around during these months, too. Walking along the edge
of frozen lakes and wetlands can sometimes reveal animals
either in or under the ice, including numerous insects. Some
of these insects become encased in ice because they died and
then were captured by the freezing water. Others might simply
be in a dormant state, their cells prevented from rupturing by
a kind of natural antifreeze produced by their bodies. If you’re
lucky, you might even stumble across frogs moving around
slowly beneath a thin layer of ice, breaking all the rules you
learned in elementary school about cold-blooded animals.
Speaking of surprisingly mobile creatures in cold weather,
a number of invertebrates stay active during the winter, even
22

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

Ant walking on snow.

on very cold days. Examples include some ants, spiders and
one species of springtail called the snow flea. Snow fleas are
tiny and abundant invertebrates that spend most of their
time feeding on organic matter near the surface of the soil,
including underneath layers of snow. Sometimes, however,
and for reasons yet to be discovered, they’ll appear on top
of the snow in large congregations, looking like dirty snow
when viewed from a distance.

Grouse tracks.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

23

One seed-bearing plant that doesn’t get nearly enough
credit for its value as bird food during the winter is ragweed.
Ragweed pollen can be nightmarish for hay fever suﬀerers but
makes up for that by producing numerous seeds that provide
attractive forage for many diﬀerent bird species through the
winter months. It’s common to find a mass of songbird tracks
scattered around and through a ragweed patch after a snowfall,

Ragweed seeds.

and if you hang out nearby for long enough, you’ll likely get a
chance to watch the birds return to finish their meal.

No. 3 Winter Shelters

Indiangrass seeds disturbed by a feeding animal.

With or without snow, careful observation can reveal
where various animals are sheltering from cold weather.
Some are obvious, like the large, matted patches of grass
where deer hide out in tall prairie vegetation. Others are more
subtle and require a keen eye to discover.
On cold mornings, the burrows of small mammals can
sometimes be found by looking for an excess of frost near
the entrances. Following tracks through snow, of course,
makes that even easier if snow is available. Some mice
eschew the underground life and make nests of fluﬀy seeds,
feathers or fur either on the ground or in the branches of
eastern red cedar or other trees.
Many invertebrates create winter shelters, too. Some, like
praying mantises, build structures to keep their eggs safe
until they hatch in the spring. Others burrow inside plant
stems or other structures. In some cases, the presence of an
insect inside a plant is given away by the “gall” produced as a

Bird tracks in ragweed patch.

24

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

Goldenrod galls.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

25

into glittering wonderlands. Hoarfrost, advection frost and
rime are all formed in diﬀerent ways, but create similarly
spectacular results. Sometimes, magical foggy mornings turn
everything in sight white with frost, but even patchy frost
in low-lying areas or around ponds or other water sources is
worth venturing out to admire.
Snow, especially combined with wind, also can create
magnificent displays. Snow drifts make for sore shoulders
and backs when they block your garage door or sidewalk, but
they sure are pretty out in the wild. In addition to providing
a canvas for animal tracks, grass leaves, branches or other
structures also can trace fascinating patterns in fresh snow
when guided by a strong breeze.
Hiking isn’t a three-season activity. Winter may not
provide wildflowers, bird song, butterflies or even the red and
gold leaves of autumn, but there is still plenty out there to
make it worth lacing up your boots. There’s a good chance
you’ll spot some wildlife, and even if you don’t, signs of life
will be there if you look hard enough. Any day is a good day
for a winter hike, but a frosty morning or fresh snow should
stimulate you to drop anything you can and head out the
door. Spring will come eventually, but in the meantime, enjoy
these fruits of winter. N

A jumping spider takes winter shelter inside a leaf attached to prairie grass.

Chris Helzer is the Nature Conservancy’s director of science in
Nebraska and a regular contributor to Nebraskaland Magazine.

Frost on stems on wetland.

Grass leaves and circles.

response by that plant to the invasion. One of the most
common and recognizable of those is found on goldenrod
plants. A fly larva spends the winter inside those golf ballsized masses, waiting to emerge as an adult in the spring —
unless parasitoid wasps or woodpeckers get to it first.
Some spiders and moths use silk to build winter hideouts.
Silk moths of various species overwinter in cocoons
constructed with silk and leaves or other plant materials.
Some adult spiders create insulated winter lodging in a
similar manner. If you look carefully for small, odd-shaped
masses of leaves stuck to grasses or branches, you might find
some of those shelters.

No. 4 Patterns

Chinese mantis egg case in snowy prairie.

26

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

In addition to animals and their various signs, there are
lots of other vignettes of natural beauty available to winter
hikers. Sunrise hikes after a snow or on a frosty morning
are especially great for finding interesting patterns. As an
extra bonus, low-angled and low-intensity morning light
can produce excellent conditions for photographing those
discoveries if you so desire.
Accumulations of frost crystals can highlight the edges
of leaves and stems, transforming dull brown landscapes

Cattail seeds on ice.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

27

Outdoor Nebraska
By Renae Blum

A clear, starry sky, a crisp winter hike and an afternoon spent ice
fishing — these are just a few delights available to anyone wanting to
get outdoors this month. There is more to do than you might think! N

What To Do in January and February
Stargazing
Moonless nights for best viewing
Statewide
Some of the most transparent and
crystal-clear starry skies can be seen
this time of year, oﬀering a spectacular
view for those willing to brave the
winter chill. Nebraska’s state parks oﬀer
some of the darkest skies on the planet,
making them great places for stargazing.
Dress warm, bring a friend, get a star
map and learn your constellations.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND

Ice fishing at Smith Lake

Birds and Breakfast event

As conditions allow | Smith Lake Wildlife Management Area

Feb. 11-12 | Ponca State Park

Many Sandhills lakes are good for ice fishing, but Smith Lake is a standout, with
a long record of great ice fishing. It’s a classic Sandhills lake, relatively shallow
with lots of aquatic vegetation — and a very productive fishery, with some big
northern pike and largemouth bass as well.

Enjoy a Valentine’s Day escape at Ponca State Park. This getaway
package includes a 30 percent discount on lodging, as well as
breakfast and bird tours and counts with experts from the Loess Hills
Audubon Society. Learn more at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov or
by calling the park at 402-755-2284.

BOB GRIER, NEBRASKALAND

JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND

Winter hiking for
wildlife viewing
Throughout the month | Statewide
Now is a good time to view wildlife while
hiking, especially with fewer people around to
spook them oﬀ. State parks are always a good
bet, as are wildlife management areas and
anywhere with water. (Though, you can find
wildlife just about anywhere, including your
own backyard.) Wear layers, bring binoculars
and a journal, and have fun.
CHRIS MASADA

Prepare for
spring hunting
Throughout the month | Statewide
Spring hunting is on the horizon, and now is
the time to do a little dreaming. This could be
your year to hunt gobblers in the Panhandle.
Start planning now — lock in your vacation
days, seek permission for private land access
and go through your gear. It can all make a
big diﬀerence.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND

28

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

29

A Historic Gathering
Story and photos by Eric Fowler

M

y phone almost always rings
when whooping cranes show
up in the central Platte
River valley. A good friend, who simply
appreciates seeing the tallest and
rarest bird in North America, called in
early November. So did another. There
weren’t just a few whooping cranes on
the river: There were a lot of them.
When I had a chance to head west
from Lincoln with my camera on
Nov. 7, I was rewarded with something
that was not just rare, it also was
unprecedented: a historic gathering
of 46 whooping cranes on the Platte.
It was the most recorded anywhere in
30

North America outside a fall migration
staging area in Saskatchewan and
their wintering grounds at Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf
Coast in Texas.
On that morning, the birds
congregated on the river just a halfmile downstream of the South Alda
Road bridge on land owned by the
Crane Trust, one of many groups
working to manage the river and
surrounding landscape for whooping
cranes and other species. The Central
Platte Natural Resources District
viewing deck and roadside at the
bridge were filled with birdwatchers

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

who flocked there to witness the
gathering.
Crane Trust staff and volunteers
joined me at a Trust viewing blind
above the river.
“It’s just amazing to see that many
whooping cranes all at once,” said
Colleen Childers of Grand Island after
watching and photographing the
birds. “We’re part of history!”
On several mornings each week in
the spring and fall, Childers is above the
river in a Cessna, counting whooping
cranes on the river and in nearby fields
as part of an official survey conducted
by Headwaters Corporation for the

Platte River Recovery Implementation
Program.
Those flights had documented 11
other whoopers on the Platte that
day, including eight at the National
Audubon Society’s Lillian Annette
Rowe Sanctuary near Gibbon and
three more on Platte River Recovery
Implementation Program property.
That single day count of 57, repeated
each day Nov. 3-8, was an all-time high
on the Platte, topping the previous
record of 35 from the spring of 2018
and smashing the previous fall record
of 20 in 2019.
The count was roughly 11 percent

of the 506 birds in the migratory
population that breeds at Wood
Buffalo National Park in Canada and
winters in Texas, following a 200-milewide migration route between those
areas.
A day earlier, the same group of
46 whoopers, representing every bird
crews had spotted on the 20 miles of
river between Shelton and Doniphan,
were spotted in a nearby cornfield.
Mallory Jaymes, a biologist who
coordinates the survey flights for
Headwaters, said the first whooping
cranes to arrive in Nebraska on their
southward migration this fall were

A group of 46 whooping cranes, the
largest ever recorded on the Platte
River in central Nebraska, forage on
the river downstream of the South
Alda Road bridge, as a flock of
sandhill cranes flies overhead on
Nov. 7, 2021.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

31

“We usually get quite a few more
whoopers that stop in the spring than
in the fall,” Jaymes said. “We’ve had
more individuals stop in the spring,
but this fall is really the anomaly.”
Jaymes said the ground observations
can typically identify unique groups
of cranes that make it possible to
get an accurate count. That became
impossible when the birds bunched
up this fall. “Usually, they kind of stay
within their family groups, and this
group just kind of socialized, which
was cool to see,” she said.
Dave Baasch, the threatened and
endangered species specialist with the
Crane Trust, said the high daily counts
of whooping cranes this fall were due
to several factors lining up. Weather
conditions delayed the migration and
held birds in Saskatchewan. When
conditions were favorable, many of
them made it to the Platte River at
once, and then strong southerly winds
kept the birds here.
“It’s never happened before, and it’s
possible that it could happen again,
but not highly likely,” Baasch said.
The whooping crane was one of

Above: A flock of 37 whooping cranes,
part of a larger group of 46 that
gathered downstream of the South
Alda Road bridge, loaf and play on the
Platte River as sandhill cranes feed in
a meadow owned and managed by the
Crane Trust in Hall County.
Opposite: Colleen Childers of Grand
Island and others watch from the
Central Platte Natural Resources
District viewing deck near the South
Alda Road bridge in hopes of seeing
whooping cranes return to roost on
the Platte River on the evening of
Nov. 7.

32

three adults spotted at Rowe Sanctuary
on Oct. 23. Three other groups totaling
19 birds were spotted on Oct. 31. More
arrived Nov. 1 and 2, but with survey
flights scratched for poor weather,
they weren’t officially counted until
Nov. 3. For nearly a week, 57 whoopers
were present on the river. They began
leaving under north winds on Nov. 8.
The last birds to head south, a family
group of two adults and a juvenile,
departed Nov. 17.
The survey flights have been
conducted daily, weather permitting,
since 2001 and from early March to

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

mid-April and early October to midNovember. Each morning before
sunrise, two planes leave airports in
Kearney and Grand Island with a pilot
and two trained observers, each flying
half of the 90-mile stretch of river
between Lexington and Chapman
searching for whooping cranes. On
their return flight to the airports,
they fly transects to survey specific
wetlands. Observations from the
air are confirmed by crews on the
ground coordinated by Headwaters
Corporation. The surveys are designed
to determine how whooping cranes

the first species to gain protection
under the Endangered Species Act in
1970. The migratory population that
passes through Nebraska twice each
year had dipped to just 18 individuals
in 1945, decimated by hunting and
the loss of nesting habitat. The bird
had never been abundant due in part
to its delayed reproductive maturity
and a reproduction rate of less than
one chick annually. A record number
of nests were observed in Canada
this summer, and Baasch said the
population could top 520 individuals
when surveys are completed in Texas
this winter.
A second migratory flock has been
established that moves between
Wisconsin, part of its historic nesting
range that extended across the northcentral U.S. into central Alberta, and
Florida. A nonmigratory flock was
restored in Louisiana. Between the
three wild populations and captive
birds, there are just 800 whooping
cranes in the world.
While the birds don’t always stop,
the big bend reach of the Platte River
in central Nebraska is one of four areas

are responding to land and water
management activities in the Platte
Valley.
In all, the surveys determined that
88 whooping cranes stopped on the
Platte this fall. This established a new
record for the fall, topping the previous
high of 42 in 2019. The top count in
the spring was 120 in 2018. Surveys
conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service located additional whooping
cranes, bringing the total count to 97,
20 percent of the migratory population
and matching the number in the
population in 1987.
January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

33

in the U.S. determined to be critical
habitat for the species. The Crane Trust,
the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon
Society, the Platte River Recovery and
Implementation Program, Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service and others have
worked to restore and protect habitat
for the birds, as well as for other
threatened and endangered species:
the interior least tern, piping plover
and pallid sturgeon. This work also
benefits the roughly 1 million sandhill
34

cranes that stop each spring and other
wildlife, too.
The day after the large group of
cranes gathered near the South Alda
Road bridge, I found more than 30
whooping cranes a few miles upriver
on a stretch that flows between my
friend’s property and property owned
and managed by the Platte River
Recovery Implementation Program. I
photographed them from a distance
until they left to feed in the morning.
I returned to the river when they did,

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

lying in brush on the bank for more
than two hours as they loafed and
foraged. A few juveniles playfully
danced, but most of the birds simply
stood facing into the strong north
wind. By noon, most of the birds,
one family group or small flock at
a time, lifted their wings, put that
wind to their back and continued their
migration; the survey flight found just
17 birds on the river the following day.
I hope to see some of them again
this spring. N

Above: A flock of whooping cranes
spreads their wings and takes flight
for a short trip across the river
channel south of Wood River
in Hall County.
Right top to bottom: A family group
of whooping cranes shares the
river with a flock of American white
pelicans.
A quartet of whooping cranes flies
over the Platte River.
Adult and juvenile whooping cranes
roost on the river at sunrise.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

35

The Blacksmith Shop

Blacksmith shop at Fort
Robinson State Historical
Park, 2013. Supplies and
equipment were left in place
when the army abandoned
the fort in 1948. History
Nebraska: author photo.

By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
he blacksmith shop was always
one of the first businesses
established in any frontier
community. It was hard to imagine
a world without the clang of a hammer
on an anvil. Blacksmithing is an ancient
trade, dating back millennia to the time
when bronze tools began to replace
stone. Before the Industrial Revolution,
every iron tool was custom-forged by a
blacksmith. Such tools were expensive,
and you didn’t replace one if you could
help it. You had it repaired.
The heart of the blacksmith shop
was the forge, where metal was heated
so it could be more easily worked. A
forge had a bellows to make the fire
hotter and regulate the heat. Near the
forge stood an anvil of hardened steel,
where the blacksmith shaped metal
with a hammer and other tools. Curved
objects were shaped around the anvil’s
horn. The anvil’s “pritchel hole” was
used when the blacksmith punched
holes in a piece of metal. Special tools
for cutting and shaping metal were
attached to the anvil’s square “hardy
hole.”
Mass-produced
metal
items
eventually reduced demand for a
blacksmith’s custom-made products,
but many shops adapted to changing
technology. As farming became
mechanized, and as newfangled
automobiles required frequent repairs,
some blacksmith shops evolved into
mechanical shops. Others specialized
as farriers — shoeing horses and mules
— a trade that continues to this day. N

T

Visit History Nebraska’s website at
history.nebraska.gov.
36

Nebraskaland

Written on the back of this photo: “Photo from C.A. Duﬃeld” and “Mr. C. W. Watson,
Mr. O.S. Watson. In directory, 1890-91.” History Nebraska RG3906-10-35

Polk County, Nebraska, circa 1910. History Nebraska RG2407-02-12

• January-February 2022

Photo by John Nelson, Ericson, NE, circa 1910. Jensen is probably the man standing in the doorway wearing a dirty leather
apron and holding a hammer and punch. History Nebraska RG3906-10-35

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

37

Prairie
Seeds in
Winter

A Photo
Exhibition

Photos and story by Gerry Steinauer

B

y autumn, the seeds of most prairie plants have fallen, and with
luck, pounding rain, digging animals or winter frost heaving
will work them into the soil to await germination. Some seeds,
however, are stragglers — held in pods, shriveled fruits or
tight bracts to face the elements of winter aboveground. Many of
these will fall prey to hungry birds and mammals, and a lucky few
will pass through the foragers’ gut unharmed and be dispersed about
the land. Others will fall onto snow or ice and, eventually, the melt
will gently deposit them onto moist soil.
Last winter, I chose prairie seeds as a photographic pursuit. On
several calm, often frosty, early mornings and late afternoons, I
roamed local prairies and fields seeking photogenic seeds or seed
heads. When found, framing them usually forced me down on my
knees, butt or belly onto snow or frozen, hard ground. Clumsy
gloves tossed aside, I operated my camera barehanded, my fingers
turning cold, stiﬀ and red. Fortunately, the excitement of the chase
distracted my mind from the cold. Here are the results of my
endeavor. N

Gold finches and other songbirds relish cup plant’s large,
nutritious seeds that consist of up to 33 percent protein, 24
percent fat and 9 percent carbohydrates. They also contain
vital minerals, including potassium, calcium and iron.
Individual plants can produce up to 0.4 pounds of seed, a
treasure trove for birds.

38

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

39

Clockwise from top left: Common
milkweed grows throughout eastern
Nebraska in prairies, pastures and
roadsides. Its seeds develop in spindleshaped pods that split open in late
summer releasing the seeds.
New England aster seed heads are
commonly sown in eastern Nebraska
prairie restorations, and its flowers
attract numerous pollinators.
The pods of swamp milkweed sit empty.
A major benefit of seed dormancy (see
sidebar on page 45) is that it allows
time for the wind, water or animals to
disperse seed to new, possibly superior,
habitats prior to germination.
Prairie rose fruits, called hips, turn
from green to bright red as they ripen
in late summer and contain several
light brown, egg-shaped seeds. The hip’s
red color attracts sharp-tailed grouse,
prairie chickens and other prairie fauna
that consume and disperse the seeds.

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

41

Right: Maximilian’s sunflower
seeds are tightly bunched in bractshrouded heads, the individual seeds
resembling miniature domestic
sunflower seeds. The plant grows to
6 feet tall and is common in eastern
Nebraska prairies. In late summer,
migrating monarchs flock to its
flowers.
Below: Three wing-like bracts, called
valves, encase dock seeds. Narrowleaf dock valves have toothed edges
whereas the valves of many other
dock species have smooth edges.
Introduced to North American from
Russia, botanists first collected
narrow-leaf dock in Nebraska in
1935, and it now occurs statewide in
low, moist habitats.

Above: Papery, inflated husks
surround the berries of common
ground cherry, also called Chinese
lantern. The green, unripe berries
can be somewhat poisonous, but
the yellow, ripe berries are edible
and agreeably sweet with a hint of
tomato. Plains tribes ate the berries
raw and in sauces. This weedy
perennial is common in pastures,
roadsides and other disturbed sites
statewide.
Left: The flower heads of rigid
goldenrod, a member of the
aster family, contain many small,
individual flowers, each producing a
hair-tufted seed. In this photo, most
of the heads have shed their seeds.

42

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

43

Seed Dormancy

Above: The frost-covered seed heads
of common sunflower, a widespread
annual in our state. A cultivar of
this plant is the source of edible
sunflower seeds.
Left: Grass seeds, called grains, are
enclosed within sets of stiﬀ bracts.
The bracts of Canada wild-rye have
long, arching awns, which clearly
distinguish this species from other
wild-ryes.

44

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

Seeds are plants’ life blood: its
agent of dispersal to new habitats,
as well as the foundation of its
next generation. Seed dormancy
is an adaptation to increase seed
efficiency by delaying and staggering
germination over time, allowing at
least some seeds to sprout under
conditions favorable for seedling
survival and growth.
Dormancy provides plants many
advantages. Key in our climate, the
dormancy of most prairie wildflower
and grass seeds are broken by
exposure to the cold and dampness
of winter. The seed coat softens
or chemical changes occur within
the seed, allowing the embryo to
sprout in spring. Without dormancy,
a potential worst-case scenario is
that a plant’s entire summer bounty
of seed sprouts during a warm,
wet spell in autumn, and winter’s
chill kills an entire generation of
seedlings.
A far better strategy is for the
precious seed to lay dormant in
the soil through winter and sprout
the following spring, allowing the
seedlings to mature under the warm
summer sun. Prairie restorationists
typically plant seed in fall so it can
naturally break dormancy over
winter.
Exposure to sunlight breaks the
dormancy of some buried seed,
brought to the surface by erosion,
tunneling animals or trampling by
large ungulates. The hard seeds of
starry false Solomon’s seal and other
plants are stimulated to germinate
by passing through an animal’s gut,
where stomach acids or a gizzard’s
grinding action weaken the seed
coat, allowing water uptake and the
seed to sprout.
The seed of some plants lay
dormant in the soil until stimulated
to sprout by favorable events.
Illinois bundleflower, a common species in eastern Nebraska prairies,
Researchers, for example, have
produces hard-coated seeds that can remain dormant and viable in soil
recently discovered that the heat
and smoke of prairie fires chemically for decades.
those of the Illinois bundleflower (shown above), a
weaken the seed coat of some prairie
widespread species in eastern Nebraska prairies,
wildflowers, such as buffalo bean and silver-leaf
can remain dormant and viable in the soil for
nightshade, allowing their seedlings to take root
decades. The longest documented seed dormancy:
in fire-bared, sun-soaked soils temporarily free of
Researchers sprouted seeds of the narrowcompetition from other vegetation.
leafed campion that had been buried in Siberian
The length of time a seed can remain dormant
permafrost for an estimated 31,800 years.
varies by species. Hard-coated seeds, such as

January-February 2022 •

Nebraskaland

45

Questions for Cory
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
had the opportunity to patrol the
Elkhorn River with Game and Parks
Conservation Oﬃcer Cory Krause,
who is stationed in West Point in
northeastern Nebraska. Shortly after
getting on the water, we came upon
two fishermen in a remote area of the
river. As Cory predicted, they did not
have valid fishing permits. Cory filled
out a couple of tickets and made some
calls, and just when I thought this was
going to be a textbook citation, the
shiny handcuﬀs came out. Cory had just
run background checks, and one of the
men had several outstanding warrants
in a nearby state. After some more
digging, Cory found that he was also in
possession of marijuana, neatly hidden
in his tackle box.
Cory strapped the oﬀender in an ugly
orange life vest, crowned him with a
pair of earmuﬀs and gave him the most
awkward boat ride of his life. He was
handed over to the sheriﬀ ’s department,
who waited for us by the bridge on
Highway 275. After, we sat down for
lunch at a nearby restaurant to talk
about the morning and Cory’s job as CO.
JNW: How long have you been a CO
and what interested you?
CK: When I was in the second grade,
a conservation oﬃcer came to visit
my class. He was actually my dad, and
I never had a clue at what he did until
he came to school and talked. I knew
he went out and worked, and wore the
uniform and a gun belt, and that was
about it until his visit. I decided then
that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve been a
CO since 2005, and I’m living my dream.
JNW: How long does the process take
from applying for the job to actually
being out in the field?
CK: You begin by taking a written
test that covers a number of
things, including biology, wildlife

I

46

Nebraskaland

identification, the equipment you will
use and general knowledge of hunting,
fishing and trapping. Then you have
two interviews after that, which is
followed by more testing. It could be
five months before you find out if you’re
oﬀered a position. And then if you’re
not certified law enforcement already,
you have to go to Grand Island to the
law enforcement training center for 16
weeks. After that, you go through four
months of conservation oﬃcer academy
and the in-the-field training program.
So, if you’re not already certified law
enforcement, it would be a year until
you’re on your own.
JNW: What signals or signs do you
look for when you approach people?
CK: Those guys earlier, as soon as
we got there, I could tell there was
something wrong before we even really
got into it. And I know the reason why
they chose the spot they did. Normally,
when I see someone that far oﬀ the
beaten path, there’s something going
on. It just happened to be these guys
who didn’t have fishing permits.
JNW: Why is it important for everyone
to follow game and fish laws?
CK: We can’t let everybody go that
doesn’t buy fishing permits because
that’s what funds our conservation
eﬀorts. And it’s just a small percentage
of the people out there who aren’t
following the rules that make everyone
else look bad. And there’s a diﬀerence
between an honest mistake and blatant
violation.
JNW: So whether or not you issue a
citation is dependent on circumstances.
CK: Oﬃcer’s discretion is very
important, and I don’t need to write a
ticket to do my job. Citations can either
make or break a person. For example,
let’s say there’s a kid who just turned
16, and he didn’t grow up in a family

• January-February 2022

where they did any fishing or hunting.
All of a sudden, this kid decides that he’s
going to buy his own fishing pole and go
fishing, but he goes fishing without a
permit because he doesn’t know. And
here comes the CO to check him. By
law, he’s in the wrong, but I can make or
break him on his outdoor experience.
If I give him the ticket and walk away,
he may say, “I’m never doing this again.”
Or he can become a potential problem
for me down the road and become a big
violator who will never buy a permit.
Or, I can work with him. That can pay
dividends down the road. He could be
someone who can keep an eye out for
me or give another kid a break and help
somebody else.
JNW: Have you ever gotten into a
dangerous situation?
CK: We don’t just handle fish- and
game-related situations. There are
times when the sheriﬀ ’s department or
state patrol needs help with speeding
tickets, DUI, car wrecks and traﬃc,
and we’ll assist. To say anything was
completely dangerous where I was
fearful for my life, fortunately, no. I’ve
had some “oh [crud] moments” though.
A few summers ago at one of our small
state recreation areas, I ended up in
a wrestling match with a guy on the
ground. He had drugs, and he wasn’t
cooperating. It was late at night, I was in
an area with poor radio coverage, and I
was outnumbered. The only way I could
get him in handcuﬀs was to go to the
ground fighting.
JNW: What’s a typical work week for
you?
CK: It’s not a Monday through Friday
job. My oﬀ days change all the time. We
work nights, weekends and holidays.
We are busy year-round, and we get
home when we’re done. If I’m working
spot lighters, I won’t go out until 9 p.m.

Conservation Oﬃcer Cory Krause running background checks on fishing violators on the Elkhorn River near West Point.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND

and don’t come home until 3 or 4 a.m.
And as soon as you get home you get a
call — somebody needs something or
somebody needs help. Then you go back
out for a little bit longer to help. It’s a
sacrifice, but it has a lot of benefits and
those pros outweigh the cons 10-fold.
JNW: Are people usually cooperative?
CK: It depends on how you approach
them and how you talk to them. And I’m
not here to preach or to lecture anyone.
They know they are in the wrong.
They’re adults, the majority of them are.
They know the consequences. So it’s a
citation, and we go on about life.
I had a guy, a couple years ago, in
Stanton County. He shot a deer oﬀ the
road, landowners caught him, and he
tried hiding the deer. He lied to me for
15 minutes, that he never shot the deer,
but I had already found the deer that he
tried to hide. I just looked at him and

said, “Stop and think about this. You’re
a grown man. You’re trying to lie and my
little kids can lie better than you. What
is the deal? Why did you feel compelled
to shoot this deer oﬀ the road? I know
you did it, and I’m not going away.”
And then he just stopped and said, “I
did it.”
And I said, “I know you did.”
I saw that guy a year later at the
boat and sports travel show in Omaha,
and he came up to me and introduced
his son. He said, “This oﬃcer wrote me
that ticket for shooting that deer. He
treated me with respect, and I was in the
wrong.” He thanked me for it. What are
the odds of being thanked for writing
somebody a ticket? Not very often. But
it’s kind of nice when it does happen.
Unfortunately, I met a nice guy at the
wrong time.
JNW: What’s exciting about this job

for you?
CK: Everything. There’s never a dull
moment — except writing reports.
Having people come up and say, “Hey,
we appreciate what you do. We need
more oﬃcers in this state. We don’t see
enough of you guys.” And being able to
have a good working relationship with
the state patrol and some of the deputies
is a big help. I know they’ll always be
there. They will come running. It’s a
friendship as well as a professional
working relationship.
I also enjoy going to the elementary
schools and library here in town. I’ll go
and give a program on wildlife, and I can
sit there with a group of kids and keep
their complete attention for an hour.
Many of us COs also teach fishing clinics
and boating safety classes.
Like I said, there’s more to the job than
writing a ticket and making arrests. N

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THE MIDDLE OF EVERYWHERE
By Roger Welsch

While some people sniff that
Nebraska is “The Middle of Nowhere,”
I would argue that we are actually
the middle of everywhere. We lie
in a transition zone between many
features, geographies, climates,
economies and periods of history. That
puts us in a unique position of having
all of those things within reach.
It’s always hard to draw specific
boundaries when, in fact, most natural
features blend gradually, one into the
other. But it could be argued with some
reason that Highway 281, 9 miles
east of Dannebrog, is a convenient
dividing line between the tallgrass
prairie, deciduous woodlands and rich
farmlands of the east, and the mixedgrass prairie rangelands and hardscrapple farmlands of the west. This
was true even before the white man
invaded the continent. In the east, the
Pawnee, Ponca and Omaha were village
builders, farmers and hunters, while
to the west, the Lakota, Comanche
and Cheyenne were primarily hunters.
Geographic differences are reflected,

Western kingbird.
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CHRIS MASADA

too, in the kinds of animals and
plants that are common to the
east and rare to the west, and
vice versa. Our rivers, like the
Niobrara, Loup Forks, Platte and
Republican, frequently serve
as bridges between the two
biological regions.
Sometimes I think our
backyard is the meteorological
dividing line between Arctic
blasts from the north and
moisture-rich warm fronts
from the south, thus setting up
the kind of dramatic weather
warfare we constantly find
ourselves in the middle of. And
there sure is something going on
with rainfall, huge rain shields
advancing across Nebraska only
to stop somewhere north of Oak Creek
or at the Sherman County line, leaving
us high and dry while everyone else
at the town café is bragging about 21⁄4
inches in their gauges.
The westward advance of the
American frontier stood still on the
eastern bank of the Missouri
River for almost half a century.
Not only was that river a
formidable barrier, but there
also was the Civil War, ferocious
resistance from tribes for whom
this was already homeland, and
few of the resources available to
the East — abundant wood, rock,
water and rich farmland. So Iowa
became a state in 1846 while
Nebraska, a few hundred yards
to the west, joined the Union
only in 1867, and even then,
with serious questions about
whether its politics belonged to
the North or the South.
There are plants that
are common enough in the
easternmost Nebraska counties
that are already rarities here in

Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

Eastern kingbird

CHRIS MASADA

Howard County, only 100 miles to the
west. Birdwatchers know that it is
not at all unusual for the interface
of eastern and western species to
be found here, in the center of the
Great Plains — plants, birds and even
people: To the east, its overalls and
seed caps, and west, its cowboy boots
and Stetsons. North of the Platte is
considered the Northern Plains and
to the south, the Central Plains. One
half of Nebraska’s population lies
east of Lincoln; the rest of us are out
here where “there are more cows than
people.”
The old joke is that Nebraska is
where “the West begins ... and the
East peters out.” Maybe it’s not so
much of a joke after all. See? “Middle
of Everywhere!” And nowhere else I’d
rather be.
Roger Welsch is an author, humorist,
folklorist and a former essayist for CBS
News Sunday Morning. He is the author
of more than 40 books and has been
contributing to Nebraskaland Magazine
since 1977.
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KNOW YOUR LANDOWNER
By Jeff Kurrus
Many years ago, a friend told me a story about the time he
was granted permission to hunt on private land, and then
lost that permission on the same day, after a bobwhite quail
hunt. After shooting a few birds, he went and thanked the
landowner for her hospitality. Then he showed her the birds.
She was mortified at the sight. Their new patch of hunting
land was revoked as soon as it was granted.
Keep these tips in mind when thanking your landowner for
their hospitality.
1) Don’t be in a hurry — Have a conversation without
needing to be anywhere. Perhaps the same person that
allows you to hunt lives vicariously through your experiences
and wants to hear nothing more than a story or two about
your day on their place. Or, perhaps they like the thought of
hunting but not the finished product. The only way you find

this out is to have a conversation with your host.
2) It’s not always alcohol — During these talks, see what
your landowner is partial to. Are they a beer drinker? If so,
what brand? Or do they stay away from alcohol altogether,
and you’re better off getting them some other kind of gift?
3) These gifts can come in a variety of makes and models.
From a letter written by your child who was allowed to tag
along with you pheasant hunting to some prepared game
or fish harvested during your visit. The one sentiment that
seems likeable by all is a photograph of your success or a
pretty image of their place.
With 98 percent of Nebraska’s land being privately owned,
you’re extremely lucky to have a place where you can lock
the gate behind you. Make sure your landowners know how
fortunate you feel.

A photograph of a landowner’s property is an ideal gift when granted permission to hunt or fish.
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JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND

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LATE-SEASON RINGNECKS
By Todd Mills
Growing up in northwestern Iowa
during the ’70s and ’80s, chasing
pheasants was almost a religion if you
loved to hunt. Before the days of set
aside acres and conglomerate farm
operations, just a simple knock on a
farmer’s door would most likely lead
you to hunting permission success.
My brother was the master at fooling
even the wiliest of late-season roosters.
The colder the better, and if you were
lucky enough to have fresh snow on
the ground, well that was an added
bonus. More than once he’d roust
me out of bed, demanding that I get
dressed and ready to chase. “Good day
to trick them, brother” would usually
be the first words spoken. From those
days came tactics that I still use today
when pursuing January ringnecks.

Temperature Fluctuations

Any change in weather can greatly
enhance your ability to get birds to sit
tight. Look for days when humidity

is high and moisture is on the way.
Something about these conditions
makes birds want to sit and not run as
much. You want to find deep cover that
allows them to escape the elements,
and wait until midday to allow them
to feed early and get back in the cover.
Some of my best pheasant hunts have
been after 10 a.m., as they’ve settled
in after putting on the food bag. Work
the cover slowly and don’t be afraid to
search even the unlikeliest of places.

Change Your Tactics if Needed

When hunting large stretches of
cover, the more traditional forms of
pushing them usually won’t work late
season. If they are running and flying
out ahead of you, don’t be afraid to
send a couple of hunters ahead to
block. Hunting large, winding river
beds when I was younger taught me to
abandon a plan early if it’s not working.
If you have large stretches of CRP, you
can zigzag and hopefully confuse them

Trusting your dog’s nose is a key to success against late-season pheasants.
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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

into sitting and not flying out ahead.
Blockers can also work effectively, but
make sure they are somewhat hidden
as birds will spot them when flying out
and change directions.

Trust Your Dog

If your dog has been properly
trained, chances are they know way
better than you what the birds are
doing. So many times, I’ve hunted
with guys who try to control what
their dog is doing, constantly trying
to make their dog go in a different
direction than where she wants to
go. Big mistake here. My plan was
always to stay on my dog’s tail, even
if it meant going away from what I
thought the birds might be doing.
Work your dog into the wind and don’t
force her to go in a certain direction,
but instead follow your dog and keep
her at a close distance. More times
than not, this strategy has paid off in
fooling a cagey rooster.

JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND

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PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST

Grouse Hunting Near Taylor, 1980s.
I took this picture in the early 1980s. A successful grouse
hunting trip north of Taylor, Nebraska. Pictured are Mike
Emanuel, Tom Walklin and Steve Wiota.
– Steve Johnson, Valley

Pheasant Hunting Near Albion, 1999.
Former Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Assistant Director Bill Bailey (standing) and
myself, Lee Rupp (former district III fisheries biologist out of the Norfolk office).
We had three limits of roosters in 90 minutes in Boone County. Former Commissioner
Charles Wright took the photo.
– Lee Rupp, Monroe
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Family Camping Trip Along the Platte River, 1911.
Taken on family property along the Platte River east of Columbus in either 1910 or 1911. My family was likely celebrating
either the Fourth of July or an early 50th anniversary of my great-grandfather receiving a “Bounty Land Grant” from the
federal government for that 160-acre parcel of land in April 1862. Included in the picture is my great-grandfather and greatgrandmother James and Johanna Haney, my grandfather and grandmother James S. and Alma Haney, great-aunts Lizzie and
Agnes Haney, great-uncles Frank and Patrick, uncles Carl and Art, aunt Helen, and my father Bill.
Of note in the background to the middle right of the family portrait is a wood-burning camp stove with a short smoke stack
and pots and pans hanging around a tree trunk, and to the left of the picture is the American flag on a wall tent.
– Bill Haney, Beaver Lake
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.

January-February 2022 •

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THE LAST STOP

GLOW WORM
By Eric Fowler
Last July, while walking out to turn off the water
before I hit the sack one night, I had one of those “What
the …?” moments.
There was something glowing in a flower bed next
to my house. The fireflies were out, but this looked
different. So I went back inside to grab a flashlight, and
when I returned, I found something I had never seen
before: a glow worm.
Under the light, the inch-long worm was a yellowish
tan with brown spots. Turn out the light and the
bioluminescent stripes on its back and spots on its sides
glowed as green as a lightning bug’s butt.
After photographing it in both the light and dark the
following day in the studio at the office, I passed it on to
Shaun Dunn, a natural heritage zoologist and resident
insect expert at Game and Parks. Dunn determined it
was a female in the genus Phengodes, in the glowworm
family (Phengodidae) of beetles, but couldn’t determine
the species, of which there are 23 in the United States

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Nebraskaland • January-February 2022

and Canada.
They aren’t commonly seen, Dunn learned. Even as
adults, the females are always in the larval form and
look like a worm. “I use that term loosely, as they are not
worms,” Dunn said. The males morph from a worm into
a beetle as an adult. While the females always glow, the
males only glow as larvae. Evidence suggests the larvae
can turn their glowing on and off, and it is thought that
the glow is used to warn off predators, unlike fireflies,
which glow to attract mates.
I got the same “What the …?” reaction from others
with whom I shared the glow worm photos. Personally,
I was wishing I could have found a few dozen of them.
I can’t help but think they would be a can’t-miss bait
while night fishing for crappies and bluegills. Maybe
next year.
In the meantime, I’ll just have to be happy to have
learned something new. That, for anyone and especially
me, isn’t hard to do if you pay attention.

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