Volume 100, Issue 7, 2022
August-September 2022
- Identifier:
- nela.2022_100_07
- Title:
- Volume 100, Issue 7, 2022
- Issue Name:
- August-September 2022
- Date Issued:
- 2022-08-01
- year:
- 2022
- Season:
- Summer
- PDF filename:
- NL_100.07_2022_Aug_Sep_Spreads_Entire.pdf
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 100
- issue:
- 07
- number:
- 100.07
- Decade:
- 2020s
- Type:
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, all rights reserved.
- Extracted Text:
-
magazine
$4.95
To renew your subscription or change your
address call 1-800-632-5263
I N S P I R I N G O U T D O O R A DV E N T U R E S I N C E 1926
AU GU S T-S E P T E M B E R 20 2 2
INSIDE
The Butterfly Explorers
Dove Hunting the Sandhills
Kearney Whitewater Park
Deer with Fangs
HUNTERS WANTED
for the
IN 1948, SKEETER MADE HISTORY WITH
THE FIRST-EVER BASS BOAT.
Location: Tekamah, NErd& thBurt County
Dates: November 3 -6 , 2022
WE CONTINUE TO MAKE HISTORY!
Upland Hunt: $3,000/team
(up to 20 teams accepted)
Waterfowl Hunt: $1,250/team
(up to 10 teams can add Waterfowl)
Schedule, Rules, & Registration at
www.KAMOinc.org/bird-bounty
See website for Details!
5-Person Teams, Up to 15 Roosters, 250 Clays, Meals & Lodging
Include, Auction, and Calcutta for Waterfowl & Upland Hunts!
WWW.SKEETERBOATS.COM
2
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
3URFHHGVZLOOEHQHêWLQ3URYLGLQJ/RFDO
Scholarships for Burt County Seniors, KAMO, Inc’s
Education Center/Dog Shelter Fund, Local Projects,
Outdoor Mentorship Program, and Youth Shooting Sports.
KAMO, Inc. | 2925 County Road O | Tekamah, NE 68061 | www.KAMOinc.org/bird-bounty | 402-915-1780
Volume 100 No. 7
August-September 2022
FEATURES
20
DOVE HUNTING THE SANDHILLS
24
OUTDOOR NEBRASKA
Story by Angie Kokes, Photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Cover: Maximilian sunflower
C
iis a perennial sunflower found
sstatewide in Nebraska and
ssupports a wide variety of
aanimals through its pollen,
nectar, seeds and habitat
n
sstructure.
CHRIS HELZER
This page: Trees and fog rise
from the calm surface of Lake
Wanahoo in Saunders County
at sunrise.
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
What to Do in August and September
By Renae Blum
26
THE BUTTERFLY EXPLORERS
32
RESCUING A CHILD FROM THE PATH
OF A SPEEDING TRAIN
Story and photos by Renae Blum
By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
34
A RAPID CITY
38
DECEPTIVE DAYFLOWERS
40
RULES OF THE MARSH
Story and photos by Eric Fowler
Nebraskaland (VOL. 100 /
NO. 7 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.
Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer
An ethical guide to public hunting
Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus
44
DEER FANGS
46
MY FAVORITE INSECT GETS EVEN BETTER
48
MORE WATER FOR WETLANDS
By Brian Peterson
Story and photos by Chris Helzer
Story and photos by Eric Fowler
DEPARTMENTS
8
12
52
60
62
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
4
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
August-September 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
Nebraska
Wild plums in Nebraska are starting
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Administration
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Commissioners
Chairman - Pat Berggren, Broken Bow
Vice Chairman - Rick Brandt, Roca
2nd Vice Chairman - Robert Allen, Eustis
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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
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Phone 308-535-8025
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524 Panzer St., Box 508 Bassett, NE 68714
Phone 402-684-2921
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
402-471-5531
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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)
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Tyler Stueck (Keith)
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308-279-1292
(Keith, Arthur)
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
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That’s only 48 cents per drawing!
Matt Brandt (Sherman, Howard)
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SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
402-200-9597
Tim Williams (Hall, Hamilton, York)
Eric Javins (Adams, Clay, Webster)
Pat George (Harlan, Franklin, Phelps)
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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
Ray Dierking (Custer, Thomas, Blaine)
Frank Miller (Cherry, Hooker)
Greg Hesse
308-870-0322
402-389-0444
308-546-7464
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308-530-3157
(Hooker, Thomas, southern Cherry)
308-672-1824
Kelsey Glodowski
308-763-8226
Alex Hasenauer (Lincoln, Perkins)
Brandon O’Neal
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium/Schramm Education
Center
21502 W. Highway 31 Gretna, NE 68028
Phone 402-332-3901
Hunter Pearson
308-360-1817
SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
Josh Widhelm (Scotts Bluff)
Jacob Stoinski (Sioux, Dawes)
308-279-9133
308-615-9017
(Red Willow, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock)
Omaha Office
8495 Frederick Street, Omaha, NE 68124
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NORTHEAST (Includes counties covered)
Dale Davis (Lieutenant)
402-760-0712
(Kimball, Banner, Scotts Bluff)
(Box Butte, Sheridan, Grant)
(Box Butte, Sheridan, Grant)
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
Jeff Jones (Sergeant)
402-762-5022
John Bauer (Holt, Boyd)
Tyler Adelman
402-314-9257
402-314-4783
(Knox, Cedar)
(Rock, Brown, Keya Paha)
Jonathan Andreasen
402-340-3981
Mitch Johnson (Knox, Antelope, Pierce)
402-613-8612
(Madison, Pierce, Stanton)
OutdoorNebraska.org
SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
Cory Krause (Sergeant)
402-380-6410
Kyler Prochaska (Platte, Colfax)
Matt Costello (Dodge, Colfax)
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Nicholas Fix (Dixon, Dakota, Thurston)
402-830-8278
402-317-4014
402-237-2537
402-508-0261
(Cuming, Wayne, Stanton)
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 Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, Lincoln,
NE 402-471-2024, 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
CENTRAL (Includes counties covered)
Mike Thome (Lieutenant)
308-293-8746
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
Doug Pollard (Sergeant)
(Loup, Garfield, Valley)
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
308-730-7050
308-202-0819
308-440-1863
402-719-6226
Matt Taylor (Sergeant)
Sean McKeehan (Sergeant)
Kearney Office
1617 First Ave. Kearney, NE 68847
Phone 308-865-5310
Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever
(Lincoln, McPherson, Logan)
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
(Furnas, Gosper, Frontier, Red Willow)
(Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock)
2 Guns-A-Week Ticket proceeds fund Nebraska’s
Youth Education Programs, State Habitat Programs,
and Habitat Equipment that benefit everyone.
This raffle has provided vests for over 15,00 youth
introducted to the great Nebraska outdoors! These
programs can be continued with your support
through the 2 Guns-A-Week Raffle.
Plus, you get a chance at a new gun
with an average retail value of $900!
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)
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402-209-1506
402-619-1355
531-530-9011
402-616-5961
402-443-6392
402-429-1924
(Cass)
(Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson)
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
Dina Barta (Lancaster)
Luis Nuñez (Lancaster)
Mark Sullivan (Lancaster, Seward, Butler)
Trevor Stahlecker (Lancaster, Saline)
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402-890-6463
531-333-6093
402-741-0636
402-314-9641
402-806-0915
To order tickets contact your local chapter or go to www.NebraskaPF.com
Raffle License #35-6257461
YOUR NEBRASKA
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Hummingbird Sun
Cody Lammers, Kearney
Night on the Farm
8
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
9
YOUR NEBRASKA
Chuck Hackenmiller, Lincoln
Greetings from Niobrara State Park
Send your comments and
photos to:
Jeff Kurrus, Editor
Nebraskaland Magazine
P.O. Box 30370
Lincoln, NE 68503
or email Jeff.Kurrus@Nebraska.gov
Gordon Warrick, Blair
Cape May Warbler
10
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Please include your postal address
and telephone number. Letters
may be condensed and edited.
Photographs are also welcome.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
11
IN THE FIELD
A SLICE OF TIME
Erosion has exposed limestone, shale
and sandstone geology of the area in the
scenic cliffs along the shore of Lewis and
Clark Lake SRA, a reservoir on the Missouri
River in Knox and Cedar counties.
ERIC FOW
FOWLER,
LER, NEB
NEBRASK
RASKALAN
ALAND
D
12
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
13
IN THE FIELD
Cicada killer dragging a paralyzed cicada.
JULIE GEISER, NEBRASKALAND
CICADA KILLER WASPS
By Julie Geiser
Cicada killer wasps will start emerging from the ground
anytime, but these docile wasps only have one thing on
their minds: seeking out cicadas.
Found across the U.S., these native wasps start to appear
in mid-to-late July through August in Nebraska. Cicada
killer wasps are approximately 2 inches long with black and
yellow on their abdomens and amber-colored wings.
When you hear male cicadas begin singing to attract
their mates, adult cicada killer wasps will start to emerge
from the ground, as well. The smaller males emerge first
and begin to establish territories near where they emerged.
Adult females emerge a week or two later.
Their goal above ground is to mate. The females emit
a pheromone that attracts males, and since they only
mate with one male, dominant males typically win those
rights. Females hold sperm in a storage receptacle called a
spermathecal, and before laying the eggs, female wasps will
determine the sex of each: Unfertilized eggs become males
and fertilized eggs become females.
After mating, females select a burrow site in loose soil
around large, deciduous trees. They burrow about 10 inches
into the ground, removing soil by backing up the burrow and
pushing dirt behind them using “spurs” on their hind legs.
Each burrow will have an oval chamber at its end where the
females will place a paralyzed cicada and lay an egg on it.
14
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Often, several nest chambers are dug, which branch off the
same burrow. Dirt from new excavations are used to seal
finished chambers.
Both male and female cicadas are caught by female wasps
in trees, on the ground or in flight. Once caught, the wasp
delivers a paralyzing sting to the cicada and then flies or
drags it to the nesting burrow. Female eggs are given at
least two cicadas to feed on, while males only receive one,
which is why females are larger than males. This move is a
daunting task as cicadas can weigh twice as much as female
wasps.
After mating and egg laying is complete, both the male
and female cicada killer wasps die. Their life span as adults
range from about four to 24 days; but their offspring go on
to repeat this life cycle every year.
The wasp larvae only take a few days to hatch and then
feed for about two weeks on the cicadas their parents left
behind. Once done, they spin themselves into a cocoon to
winter in the ground; they merge as adults the following
summer.
Though these insects may look frightening, they are more
interested in finding cicadas and laying their eggs than
concerning themselves with humans. Cicada killer wasps
typically won’t sting or bite unless provoked, unlike other
wasp species.
IN THE FIELD
Derecho damage can be severe, as seen by this downed tree at Niobrara State Park in Knox County.
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
DERECHOS
By Martha D. Shulski
While I was in northeastern Nebraska on the afternoon
of May 12, I glanced at the RADAR app on my phone and
promptly told a colleague I needed to hit the road. A severe
storm moving 80 mph was on the horizon coming my way.
When I realized I couldn’t get around it quickly enough, I
headed to Niobrara State Park to wait it out in the shelter of
a Chevy pickup.
I lined the four-wheel drive with the tailgate facing
southwest (perpendicular to the storm) and held on for the
ride. It felt more like I was in an airplane than a truck as the
storm moved past. By the damage at the park — shingles and
siding ripped off cabins, downed trees and shelters ripped off
their foundation — I figured the winds were gusting above
80 mph. This fast-moving beast with straight-line winds was
the beginnings of a derecho.
Though a graduate degree could be obtained studying
derechos, in simple terms, they are widespread and long16
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
lived clusters of severe, straight-line wind thunderstorm
events that are in a hurry to get somewhere. Wind speeds
can approach hurricane and tornado strength and damage
can be devastating. Derechos are most common in summer
in the middle of North America and can occur any time the
atmosphere is grossly unstable and atmospheric wind profile
exhibits highly variable wind speeds. Even winter is not out
of the realm of possibility — remember December 2021? The
roof on my house and my scared 10-year-old does.
Four primary types of derechos are recognized, and the
RADAR often looks like an achery bow. Derechos can pulse
and feed off their own energy, so to speak, moving hundreds
of miles before collapsing. High wind is the predominant
impact, but hail, heavy rain and even tornados are known to
also occur. Given their speed, it is best to hunker down and
wait it out in the most stable shelter available. Sometimes,
that’s a pickup in a state park.
IN THE FIELD
Dove poppers with brown-sugar glazed bacon.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
DOVE POPPERS
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Dove poppers are almost celebratory,
like a hurrah to the beginning of
hunting season. Here’s how I like
them: The breasts marinated for extra
flavor and a little bit of sweetness to
glaze onto the bacon. Also, don’t make
the mistake of using expensive, thickcut bacon, which takes way too long to
cook. The cheap, fatty stuff will work
just fine.
Servings: 12 poppers
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
Breasts from 6 doves (12 total
breasts)
6 slices of cheap bacon
Cream cheese
•
•
•
18
• 6 jalapeños
Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, minced
1
⁄2 teaspoon of dried crushed
rosemary, or fresh
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
•
•
•
•
•
Brown Sugar Glaze
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1
⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
11⁄2 tablespoons water
•
•
•
•
1. Butterfly each dove breast.
Combine marinade ingredients in a
medium bowl and add dove. Marinate
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
for 30 minutes. Cut jalapeños into 12
strips; remove seeds and ribs for less
heat.
2. Prepare grill for direct heat cooking
at about 350° Fahrenheit. Cut each
slice of bacon into two, which should
give you a total of 12 short pieces
of bacon. Stuff each marinated dove
breast with a small dollop of cream
cheese and a strip of jalapeño. Wrap
a piece of bacon around the stuffed
breast and secure with a toothpick.
3. Lay the poppers onto the hot
grill and cook until bacon is rendered
and browned, turning occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients.
A few minutes before you remove
the poppers from the grill, baste the
poppers with the glaze. Serve warm.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
19
Dove Hunting
the Sandhills
Story by Angie Kokes
Photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
ove hunting offers generous
bag limits and opportunities
statewide. Although these
birds can be hunted in almost
every corner of the world, one of the
most serene destinations to do so is
in the Sandhills of Nebraska. If you
can hear the melancholy tune of an
old windmill creaking, you have found
D
the ideal location to try your hand at
bringing these tasty morsels out of the
sky, while marveling in magnificent
views of open grasslands to boot.
But before you go wandering at
the sight of any windmill, remember
to get permission first. Use plat
maps to find more information about
landowners in an unfamiliar area.
And if you’re not shy, stop by the local
coffee shop and say hello. You’ll likely
meet a few faces there, and one might
grant you access.
Where to Find Doves
Angie Kokes smiling with a couple of
doves she successfully shot.
20
Nebraskaland
Doves love water, and in this part
of the state, windmills attract doves
like moths are pulled to a flame at
sunset. There’s nothing to stop a
windmill from pumping too much
water, and the overflow can create
a “stream” or pond-size puddle that
doves rely on as a water source in this
dry, sandy landscape. Along with the
windmill, also be on the lookout for the
marijuana plant, which provides seeds
these birds crave. Lastly, whether
standing or downed, dead trees are
choice areas of congregation for doves
any time of day.
Water, food and shelter — if you can
find one of these elements, you’ll likely
find doves. However, locate all three
in one place, and that’s what I call a
• August-September 2022
At sunset, husband-wife duo Angie and Adam Kokes of North Loup walk back to their truck after a successful
evening of dove hunting in the Sandhills.
honey hole, and where you will find me
the first couple of weeks in September
each year.
Gear
Although these honey holes
don’t need a lot of help to bring in
doves, I began using decoys when
my dad started losing his eyesight.
Decoys encourage birds to fly into
specific areas, which helped my dad
concentrate on those areas during
shooting. The decoys worked so well
that I never stopped using them, even
when hunting alone. I recommend the
Mojo Voodoo Dove and Dove Feeding
Frenzy by Hunter’s Edge. Both are
motion decoys and equally effective at
luring doves into a location.
Dove hunting in the Sandhills is
mostly stationary, so bring a compact
hunting chair. Camouflage clothing
isn’t necessary when dove hunting:
Neutral colors will hide you just fine.
Also, don’t forget about the weather.
In early September, you never know
what you’ll get in the Sandhills. The
temperature could be 100 degrees, or
it might fall into the low 50s. So, dress
accordingly. Other essentials include
a hunting vest, and if you don’t want
to be eaten alive by mosquitoes, better
bring a Thermacell and/or bug spray,
too.
Seasoned hunters, including my
husband, may be thinking, “That’s a
lot of gear for a dove hunt, and how do
you carry it all in and out?” A backpack
is your best friend and will make your
walk in and out, no matter how long
or short, a piece of cake. Sometimes, a
landowner might not want you driving
across their property.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
21
capable of dodging and flying a long
way even if you managed to clip a
wing. Depending on if the dove is
flying with or against the wind, and
how fast the wind is blowing, etc.,
all will influence how far you need to
lead the bird. Meaning, you are not
aiming at the bird at all, but out in
front of them. Many times, I’ve had
to lead doves by several feet to make
shots count.
Lastly, don’t forget to follow through
with your shotgun swing. Fortunately,
there’s no shortage of shooting
opportunities when hunting in one of
these honey holes, so bring plenty of
shells.
With landowner permission and
decoys in place, find a bit of cover, if
you can, and be still. Then sit back
and watch. The sound of a creaking
windmill in the background is almost
haunting, as these swift, gray ghosts
materialize into view on the prairie’s
horizon. Aim true, because these birds
have a way of disappearing just as fast
as they come. N
MOURNING
EURASIAN
WHITE-WINGED
Dove Season
• Season Dates:
Sept. 1 – Oct. 30
• Shooting hours:
30 minutes before
sunrise to sunset
• Daily bag/possession
limits: 15/45 in
aggregate among
mourning dove,
Eurasian collard-dove
and white-winged
dove.
• Licenses: Hunt Permit,
Habitat Stamp and HIP
(Harvest Information
Program) Number
Angie and Adam Kokes waiting for doves to fly into range. A windmill is one of the elements needed of a good
dove hunting location in the Sandhills, which attracts birds looking for water in the dry landscape.
Gun and Ammo
When I started hunting doves as
a young girl, I shot a Remington 870
Lightweight, which is a pump action
shotgun. It’s a gun I still recommend to
youth. As I grew older, I graduated to
the Remington 11-87 12 gauge, a semiauto shotgun that has undoubtedly
seen thousands of rounds. However,
22
Nebraskaland
a couple of broken neck vertebrae has
made it hard for me to get down on
my stock, and so I’ve now moved on to
the Benelli M2 with an off-set stock,
which makes it easier to bring the gun
to my face.
In dove hunting, the most commonly
used rounds are 2¾-inch shells in 7 or
8 shot lead for both 20 and 12 gauge.
Speaking of spent shells, pick them up.
• August-September 2022
It’s understandable you may not find
them all, but try to do so, otherwise
you might not be welcome back.
Shooting Doves
If you’re hunting over or under a dead
tree, your shots are going to be easy.
When coming in for a landing, doves
will momentary pause in the air just
before setting down. In this scenario,
point the bead of your shotgun right
on its head and pull the trigger — it’s
that simple. Also, these birds are much
easier to mark and retrieve.
Shooting a flying dove, however,
can be one of the most difficult game
birds to hit. Doves are small, and their
vital area is even smaller. What’s
more, they’re tough, acrobatic birds,
Angie Kokes, left, and Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley of Omaha pose for a bag shot with
their doves at the end of the hunt.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
23
Outdoor Nebraska
By Renae Blum
As summer disappears into the rearview mirror, make the most of your time
outside as fall begins to set in. There’s plenty of hunting to keep you busy, but
that’s not all; read more below. N
Science of Night
Sky Ecology
Aug. 11, 3-4 p.m. | Via Zoom
It’s no secret that humans have
used the night sky for orientation
for generations, but what a lot of
people don’t realize is that it is just
as important, if not more critical, for
animals. In this free chat with a Game
and Parks educator,
learn how animals
use the night sky for
navigation, why light is
so important, and more.
Registration required;
sign up at Calendar.
OutdoorNebraska.gov.
What to Do in August and September
Take part in fall
hunting season
Season dates vary
Statewide
Are you ready? Fall hunting
season is here, and your
opportunities include archery
deer, elk, turkey, grouse, dove
and teal. Invite a friend to go
with you, and enjoy all that
this time of year has to offer.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Spend Labor Day weekend at a
state park
Sept. 5 | Statewide
Celebrate the holiday weekend with some time outside at a state
park! Your day could include fishing, camping, hiking, wildlife
watching, boating or any other outdoor recreation you enjoy. For a
list of events happening this weekend, visit
Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
Fish for white bass at
Swanson Reservoir
August through early September | Trenton
According to the 2022 Fishing Forecast, Swanson
Reservoir is one of the best spots for white bass
this year. This time of year, white bass are chasing
schools of shad, creating a feeding frenzy as they
drive them to the surface. You can catch a lot of fish
this way. Watch for gulls, who will also be on the
lookout for the same schools of shad.
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
Bring your horse to
Rock Creek Station
State Historical Park
Throughout the month | Fairbury
Take a trip back in time and ride at this
former stage and Pony Express station, which
offers 5 miles of trails and a horse camp
with 20 corrals, water for horse and rider,
picnic tables and grills. Additional riding is
available at the adjacent Rock Glen Wildlife
Management Area, though riders must
observe special regulations.
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
24
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
25
The
Butterfly
Explorers
Story and photos by Renae Blum
t had been a slow year so far. But not at this moment.
Joanne Langabee calls out, “I’ve got an orange and a
blue!” Her companion, Holly Hofreiter, responds almost
immediately: “I’ve got a Peck’s” — short for Peck’s
skipper.
One butterfly after another materializes from the prairie
grasses at their feet, just seconds apart, but the women
aren’t fazed. They continue calling back and forth in a kind
of butterfly shorthand, identifying new species as quickly
as they appear and writing them down in a notebook.
When you spend as much time counting butterflies
as Joanne and Holly do, you need a shorthand. The pair,
both retired science teachers, count and identify over
14,000 butterflies each year at Fontenelle Forest and
I
After a day of surveying for butterflies at Lauritzen Gardens, Joanne Langabee and Holly Hofreiter show the notebook they
use to record species. The two women count and identify over 14,000 butterflies in Omaha each year.
Holly Hofreiter approaches an eastern tiger swallowtail
while surveying for butterflies at Lauritzen Gardens in
Omaha.
26
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha. Staff use their data to shape
how they manage and understand these sites. And now,
researchers at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
plan to incorporate Joanne and Holly’s data into statewide
conservation planning.
“Conserving species first requires understanding where
they occur, what their habitat needs are, and how they are
doing. This information is the result of painstaking work of
many people, and the work by these researchers is a great
example,” said Rachel Simpson, who manages the Nebraska
Natural Heritage Program database.
A Labor of Love
The women keep to an intense schedule: From mid-April to
mid-October, they visit Lauritzen Gardens once a week and
Fontenelle Forest twice a week, following the same routes
every time. It’s a team effort: One person looks to the right,
the other to the left, calling out what species they see so the
other can verify. Joanne also snaps pictures of the butterflies,
which she shares with Creighton University professor Ted
Burk when she could use a second opinion.
After six years of surveying, Joanne and Holly still get excited
at seeing the first butterfly of the day after a slow morning,
or when the sun comes out on a cloudy day, potentially
attracting more butterflies. One morning, their faces lit up
when they spotted a viceroy, a relatively uncommon butterfly
to see along their route at Fontenelle Forest, and they paused
for several minutes to enjoy the sight.
Surveying isn’t easy work. Joanne and Holly are 72 and
71 years old, respectively, and their hikes at each location
are hours long; Joanne affectionally calls a part of the trek
at Fontenelle Forest “the rollercoaster” for its steep inclines.
The two-hour walk through Lauritzen Garden’s 100-acre
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
27
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Least Skipper
Viceroy
Red-Spotted Purple
Black Swallowtail
Silver-spotted Skipper
campus includes wading through waist-high grasses,
stepping through shrubs and climbing hills to lesser-visited
places in the garden.
“It’s not just a nice little path,” Joanne commented, Holly
adding that she’s a bit rusty every spring until she can get
back in shape.
Another challenge about butterfly surveying is that
identification can be tricky. Butterflies fly in an erratic
pattern to evade birds and can easily be mistaken for falling
leaves, grasshoppers or moths. Simply spotting them at all
can be difficult without practice. But after spending time
with Holly and Joanne, it’s apparent how quick their eyes are:
They can spot a brown praying mantis camouflaged in the
grass and notice butterflies the size of a fingernail.
Joanne and Holly’s butterfly knowledge was hard-won —
they’re entirely self-taught. The two met in Nebraska’s master
naturalist program, which offers training and volunteer
opportunities to anyone interested in the natural world. The
two connected easily: They are both from Bellevue and are
both women interested in nature. They began surveying for
butterflies after an introductory class at Lauritzen Gardens,
but it was slow going at first.
“We started knowing zero,” Joanne said. “The first year it
was just learning [the species]. … It was about three years to
where we were pretty comfortable.”
As they gained knowledge and experience, the surveying
grew in complexity.
“It’s something that just built,” Holly said. “We started out,
and it was really simple. And then we would talk about it and
say, ‘What if we counted them? What if we wrote down what
gardens they were in?’”
Simple Rewards
What can motivate someone to spend hours every week
looking for butterflies? For Holly and Joanne, part of it is pure
logistics: If they didn’t go every week, they would be missing
out on important data.
“Butterflies don’t have that long of a lifespan, so if you go
28
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Holly and Joanne survey for butterflies along the History Trail at Fontenelle Forest in Omaha, which overlooks Iowa.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
29
restoration efforts are working. While it’s still too early to
see big differences, those butterflies are starting to show up,
Foss said.
At Lauritzen Gardens, Joanne and Holly’s work helps
inform how the gardens are managed: what is planted,
how it’s maintained, and when and if pesticides are used.
It’s encouraging for the staff to see explosions of butterflies
when native plants are included in the landscape, and
they’ve made changes to help keep butterfly numbers high,
said Jim Locklear, Lauritzen’s director of conservation.
Now in their seventh year of surveying, Joanne and
Holly’s reports will be used in a new way. Nebraska Game
and Parks researchers plan to include their work in a
database of Nebraska’s at-risk species, as well as an update
of the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, the blueprint for
conservation in the state.
Rachel Simpson, who manages the database, was excited
by the women’s finds. In several cases, “we didn’t even have
a record of these species in the county or a nearby county,”
she said. Work like this can help conservationists better
target their efforts,
she said, and shows
ows
how much a couple
ple
of skilled volunteers
ers
can contribute.
Lepidopterist
Neil Dankert, who
ho
has
conducted
d
butterfly countss
in Nebraska forr
over 30 years,
agrees. “It’s an
awesome piece of
work,” he said.
And it proves
something else,
Dankert said. “You
do not need to be a professional entomologist
to contribute to our knowledge of the flora and fauna of our
state.” N
During a butterfly tour that she and Joanne led at Fontenelle Forest, Holly shows a millipede to the group.
out just once a month, you can miss a whole species,” Holly
said.
But beyond that, there are many reasons why they do what
they do. Part of it is the sheer adventure that every day of
surveying brings.
“I think one of the things that keeps us going is seeing how
it changes, what’s going to be new the next day, or that year.
The unknown,” Joanne said. “You don’t really know what
you’re going to discover.”
Another big pull is the camaraderie between them; the two
say they’re best friends, and they enjoy exchanging ideas
about what they’re observing. “We can bounce ideas off of
each other and see what’s new each week,” Joanne said.
Holly also appreciates the exercise, the chance to learn,
and the chance to give back. “The project gives me the
opportunity to gather data to help shape the decisions
made on a local level about habitat restoration,” she said.
And, through presentations and butterfly tours that she
and Joanne give, they’re able to communicate about habitat,
species decline and climate change, she said.
30
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Making a Difference
Each year, Joanne compiles the information into two
reports summing up what they’ve observed at Fontenelle
Forest and Lauritzen Gardens. She analyzes each trail,
garden and butterfly that she and Holly saw, including bar
charts, pictures, graphs and endless arrays of numbers. Last
year, her reports each spanned over 130 pages.
The data is welcome, site managers say. “It’s extremely
valuable,” said Michelle Foss, director of resource
stewardship at Fontenelle Forest. “Every year I get super
excited about going through the reports with Joanne and
finding out what they’ve seen.”
At Fontenelle Forest, staff use Joanne and Holly’s data to
help measure the success of their restoration efforts. The
area, once a healthy oak woodland, is overrun with invasive
plants and animals, as well as shade-tolerant trees that
wouldn’t typically be found there. As trees are removed, and
a more open forest structure is restored, staff are hoping to
see butterflies that prefer that type of habitat, showing that
Top: Joanne and Holly wrote a guidebook, Common Butterflies of Eastern Nebraska, based on their surveying, research and
photographs. Bottom: While surveying, Holly discovers a monarch caterpillar at Fontenelle Forest.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
31
Rescuing a Child from
the Path of a Speeding
Train
By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
n 1905, George Poell was a railroad fireman, soon to be a
hero. One day the Grand Island resident was shoveling coal
into a locomotive’s red-hot furnace as the train rounded
a curve. Suddenly, the train lurched as the engineer put
on the emergency brake. Poell looked out the window to see
what was wrong.
He saw a child walking on the track, a toddler with blond
curls bobbing.
“The little fellow seemed to have heard us,” Poell recalled,
“and in his childish way appeared to turn partly around and
then toddle off straight ahead of the engine, as if to run away
from us and beat us.”
The train was near Powell, northwest of Fairbury. Reports
of the train’s speed vary widely; Poell described it as “a pretty
good rate … on a down grade with a heavy train.” It was not
going to stop in time.
Knowing the engineer could not leave his post, Poell
crawled out of the cab and climbed forward along the
locomotive’s running board until he reached the “pilot” or
“cow-catcher” at the front. From here, he “snatched the child
from certain death, and threw it to the side of the track,” said
the Chicago Tribune, but in the process tumbled from the pilot
and “was dragged 300 feet, bumping over the ends of the
ties. His right foot was torn off at the ankle, both arms were
broken, and his flesh frightfully torn and bruised.”
But Poell survived and was hailed as a hero. Just before
Christmas, Poell received a letter from President Theodore
Roosevelt informing him that he had been named the first
recipient of a new medal of honor recently authorized by
Congress, the Railroad Lifesaving Medal.
“No man could have shown greater coolness, skill and
I
32
Nebraskaland
• August-September 2022
any material amends for the crippling injuries you received,”
and it went without saying that the railroad would take no
further responsibility for its former employee, even though
he was injured on the job and the boy he rescued was the son
of a station agent. It was up to local people to provide for the
disabled 25-year-old.
Poell posed for photographs with the child he rescued;
prints were sold to raise money to buy a small house for
Poell and his wife. The young man needed a desk job, so Hall
County voters elected him county clerk.
According to railroad historian Jim Reisdorff, Poell resigned
his clerkship in 1910 after being accused of misappropriating
county funds. Poell left Grand Island and eventually moved
to Kansas. But he maintained a lifelong friendship with Paul
Ussary, the little boy he had rescued. Ussary, who grew up to
be a train dispatcher, recalled that Poell “was like a second
father to me.” Reisdorff tells the story in his new book, Hero
of the Rails (South Platte Press).
For me, the oddest part of Poell’s story is that I first heard of
him while researching a nearly identical 1907 railroad rescue
between Seward and Milford. Marion Lux didn’t lose any
limbs, but like Poell, he rescued a toddler by climbing out on
a locomotive’s cow-catcher. How many small children were
playing on railroad tracks in those days? N
Learn more about History Nebraska’s publications, including
free history emails, at history.nebraska.gov/publications
George Poell with Paul Ussary, Grand Island Democrat,
Oct. 20, 1905. This was a common way to dress little boys in
that era. At the time of “breeching,” a boy would be given a
haircut and dressed in short pants.
daring, or more heroic indifference to his own safety,”
Roosevelt wrote.
The president added, “It is not in my power to make you
Prints of this reenactment of the rescue were sold to raise money for Poell and his wife. Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
33
A Rapid City
Kearney’s new
whitewater park
Story and photos by Eric Fowler
Greyson Peterson of Columbus jumps into the wave below a
drop structure on a body board. He came to test the waters
with his grandfather, Bob, of Norfolk.
Dylan Knapp of Kearney is all smiles as he rolls upright after doing a trick in the wave below the lower drop structure on the
Kearney Whitewater Park. A Florida native, Knapp began whitewater kayaking at summer camp in North Carolina, taught
classes at the University of Wyoming, and was thrilled when he moved to town and learned of plans for the park.
ven though he hadn’t used it for years, Dylan Knapp
brought his whitewater kayak with him when he
moved to Kearney in 2021. At the time, he didn’t have
a clue he would be dusting it off, along with his bag
of playboating tricks, including flat spins, stern squirts and
loops, when the state’s first whitewater park opened in his
new home a year later.
“I picked the perfect time to move to Kearney,” said Knapp,
who was one of the first to paddle the new rapids on Turkey
Creek when water started flowing in April and has made
many excursions since.
“I’ve been waiting. To come here and actually have rapids
E
34
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
for the first time in 8 or 10 years is huge.”
History of the Kearney Water Trail
The whitewater park is located at the tail end of the
2.3-mile-long Kearney Water Trail, which has been a boon to
paddlers in town since the trail opened in 2016. A joint effort
between the Kearney Whitewater Association, the city of
Kearney and the Nebraska Public Power District, the trail
begins on the Kearney Canal in Yanney Park, joins Turkey
Creek a half-mile downstream and winds its way along the
southwestern edge of town before ending above Central
Avenue. It is open from April to October when the power
district is operating its hydroelectric plant below Kearney
Reservoir, which draws water from the Platte River near Elm
Creek.
The roughly 100-member Kearney Whitewater Association
spearheaded development of the trail. Its founding members,
a grassroots group of a dozen or so individuals who simply
enjoy paddling, met at a local watering hole in 2011 to
discuss resurrecting the idea of a water trail and whitewater
park that was born and died in the previous decade. Members
donated thousands of hours to help clear 20 tons of trash, car
bodies and other debris from the bed and banks of the creek,
and the group split the cost of building the put-in and take-
out points with the city.
Their ultimate goal, however strange it may have sounded
at the time, was to build what was part of their name: a
whitewater park. They funded a feasibility study with a
Colorado company to see if such a park was even possible.
When the study found it was, they helped fund project
design and worked with the Kearney Area Community
Foundation to raise the money needed to cover the $700,000
cost of the park, working through a “brutal” two-year stretch
that included severe flooding on the creek in 2019 and the
COVID-19 Pandemic that started in 2020. In the end, they
raised $260,000 from grants and foundations, and $112,000
from individuals in the community — including $40,000 from
the core group of KWA board members — for the whitewater
features and the water trail. Along with it, the city of Kearney
committed $400,000 to the projects.
“I think really, up until a year ago, it still seemed like we
were making this whole thing up, like it was never going
to happen,” said Carson Rowh, a whitewater paddler and
founding member of the whitewater association. “I’m still
pinching myself to be honest. It’s beautiful.”
The Course
The whitewater park includes two drop structures above
and below Second Avenue constructed this past winter
with limestone boulders and rock trucked in from a quarry
in Weeping Water and held in place with sheet piling and
cement. The structures form a V across the creek channel,
pooling water above them. As water rushes over the structure
and drops into a hole below, it turns back on itself and creates
a foam-topped wave. Unlike waves in the ocean, however,
these don’t move. But experienced kayakers can paddle in
from eddies on either side of the drop and ride the wave like
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
35
More Parks?
The Kearney Whitewater Park won’t be the
only such park in Nebraska for long. Work
will begin this month on an $8.4 million
redevelopment project in downtown Norfolk that
will include eight drop structures on the North
Fork of the Elkhorn River.
The North Fork Development Project is
centered around restoration of Johnson Park, a
federal Work Project Administration plan from
the 1930s that was a centerpiece for the town
before it was wiped out by flooding in the 1960s.
The project will restructure the river,
replacing an aged hydroelectric dam with
smaller drop structures to create whitewater
features. It also includes a trail system, fishhabitat improvements and angler access, an
amphitheater and festival space along the river,
as well as business and residential development
and street improvements. It is expected to be
complete in the fall or winter of 2023.
a surfer.
That kind of experience isn’t needed to enjoy the
whitewater park, though. Paddlers on the trail can simply
point their boat downstream and ride right through the wave.
“They’re both surfable,” Knapp said. “The top one is a little
easier. The bottom is a little bigger. With both of them, you’re
probably going to get water in your boat coming down, so
just be ready for that.”
Flows at the features vary depending on natural flows in
Turkey Creek and, according to the U.S. Geological Survey
Zach Nelson paddles through the rapids below a drop
structure in the Kearney Whitewater Park.
36
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Members of the Kearney Whitewater Association paddle below the top drop structure of the Kearney Whitewater Park on
Turkey Creek during a dedication on May 19. The grassroots group raised roughly half of the funds for the $700,000 project.
stream gauge on the creek, range from roughly 150 to 250
cubic feet per second on weekdays when NPPD’s hydroelectric
plant is operating. “I would say anywhere from around 180
to 250 cfs is where it is best for surfing. Any higher and you
can’t stay in the wave because the water is too high and
washes the wave out, and any lower it gets kind of rocky and
small,” Knapp said, adding that the lower flows also mean a
bigger drop and more water coming over the bow of paddlers
heading through the features.
If you happen to capsize, the drop structures are designed
to spit you out of the whitewater and send you downriver,
where you can easily get to either shore. Life jackets are
recommended for all paddlers, and helmets for anyone
attempting tricks in the whitewater.
Below each feature, boulders terrace the shoreline,
providing a place for spectators to sit and watch. Paddlers can
carry their kayaks from the bottom feature back to the top
along the paved hike-bike trail on the south side of Turkey
Creek, part of a 13.1-mile trail connecting Cottonmill Lake
and Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. Parking is available
in the lot at the end of the water trail on Central Avenue.
If You Build It
There are more than 70 manmade whitewater parks of
varying shapes and sizes around the country, with more on the
way. Each draws paddlers from near and far, a fact that was
included in the economic development side of the fundraising
pitch used by the Kearney Whitewater Association. An
economic impact study completed by a University of Nebraska
at Kearney student estimated the park would draw 7,900
paddlers, nearly half from outside Buffalo County, and bring
$1 million annually to the community.
That doesn’t surprise Rowh, who said 16 float trips the group
organized on the water trail since it opened and promoted
through social media drew people from 44 cities and eight
states. In its first month, the whitewater park had already
drawn people from across Nebraska. “People from Colorado,
Iowa and South Dakota are online talking about making trips
this summer,” Rowh said. “It will bring people, there’s no
doubt.”
Bob Peterson has been whitewater kayaking since 1975
and drove 2.5 hours from Norfolk to try out the new park
the week it opened. He came back in May with his son and
grandson. “I don’t get to [whitewater kayak] much because I
live in Nebraska,” he said. “I’ve always had a full-time job, so
it’s always been long weekends and vacations.”
Peterson liked what he found, spending a few hours
playboating in the features. “It’s real easy surfing,” he said.
“It’s real easy to get in, and it’s pretty forgiving.”
Though you can seemingly buy a kayak anywhere these
days, retailers in Kearney may want to expand their selection
to include short, skirted, maneuverable, whitewater kayaks
as more people try out the park. Knapp and Justin Stout,
outdoor adventure coordinator at UNK’s campus recreation
department, are talking about teaching roll classes so those
who flip can get back upright while riding the waves. “It’s
going to be a fun summer,” Rowh said. N
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
37
Deceptive Dayflowers
Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer, Botanist
s their name implies, each
dayflower blossom is fleeting.
New flowers that open to greet
the rising sun close about noon
and wither by dusk. The lovely blue
flowers are as delicate as they are
short-lived. When rubbed between
one’s fingers, their petals quickly
disintegrate into a watery ooze.
Belonging to the spiderwort family
(Commelinaceae),
two
dayflower
species, both growing up to a foot tall,
A
inhabit Nebraska. Slender dayflower
(Commelina erecta) is a wide-ranging
perennial native to the Americas,
Africa and western Asia. They grow
alone or in loose clusters in sand
prairies in the western half of our
state, including the Sandhills. Oddly,
the plant is absent from apparently
suitable, sandy habitats in eastern
Nebraska.
Common dayflower (C. communis),
native to Asia, was introduced to North
Slender dayflower blooms in a Sandhills prairie in Brown County. The small,
translucent third petal is visible below the blue petals.
38
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
America, likely as an ornamental, and
first collected in Nebraska in 1905.
Limited to the eastern half of the state,
the sprawling annual is mainly a yard
and garden weed in clay to somewhat
sandy soils. The plant rapidly spreads
by rooting from nodes on its reclining
stems and, in infested gardens, can
form dense tangles among summer
crops.
Characteristic of the spiderwort
family, dayflowers have distinct,
parallel veins running the length of
their leaves. Common dayflower leaves
are broadly lance-shaped and hairless,
while slender dayflower leaves are
narrowly lance-shaped and somewhat
hairy. Both species’ flower heads are
hidden within a wide, folded, leafy
bract from which individual flowers
emerge throughout the summer and
into early autumn.
Commelina flowers have two brightblue, showy petals and a third petal
that is small and translucent or
sometimes absent. When present, it
sits below the two showy petals.
These highly-modified flowers are
designed for pollination by mid-sized
bees and flies. The flowers contain no
sweet-scented nectar to attract and
reward pollinating insects. Instead,
the vivid blue petals catch the eye
of pollinators, while the four yellow,
cross-shaped anthers draw them
into the flower. In most plants, these
anthers contain a rich meal of pollen,
but in dayflowers they contain none.
While fruitlessly probing the
infertile, yellow anthers, the insects’
abdomen flanks are dabbed with pollen
from two blue, fertile anthers found at
the tips of long filaments that extend
outward from the flower. When the
duped insects visit another flower, this
pollen is transferred to a single female,
pollen-receiving stigma found at the
tip of a long filament that extends
between the two fertile anthers. While
pollination is complete, the insects are
still hungry.
The dayflowers’ deceptive flowers
are just one of the plant kingdom’s
many unique floral designs to ensure
pollination and survival on this
remarkable planet called Earth. N
RIGHT: Early one July morning in the
author’s garden, a common dayflower
blossom emerges from the leafy bract
enclosing the flower head. Above the
fresh bloom, the previous day’s flower
sits withered.
A Botanical
Jokester
The 18th
century
Swedish
botanist
Carl
Linnaeus
bestowed
CARL LINNAEUS
dayflowers
with the
genus name Commelina in
honor of his friends: the
Dutch family Commelin. One
version of the story states
that the flowers’ two bright
blue petals represent the
families’ renowned botanists:
Jan and his nephew Caspar.
The third small, colorless
petal represents Jan’s brother
Casparus, who was merely a
book seller and newspaper
publisher. Linnaeus deserves
credit as this is about as
good as botanical humor
gets, excluding, of course, the
classic joke about the rabbi,
the priest and the botanist.
Cousins of the dayflowers, spiderwort flowers have retained three showy petals
and six fertile, yellow anthers.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
39
Rules of
the Marsh
An ethical guide
to public hunƟng
Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus
“I
think we got a shot,” said hunting
partner Todd Mills, peering
through grass on the edge of a
Rainwater Basin wetland as a
flock of pintails made a turn below the
tree line and were cupping their wings
in our direction.
“Eli, be ready,” I told my 9-year-old
son. “Mills will make the call to shoot.”
But when someone did shoot, way
out of our range and not even close
to their range, it wasn’t us. Another
hunter had emptied his gun and not a
single bird had fallen.
We were devastated.
There are some common sense and
safety rules to the marsh that should
be followed. If you don’t have any
rules of your own, I hope these help.
And if you already do, pass them on
to someone else. Hunting public land
doesn’t have to be a nightmare.
First Come, First Serve
Many hunters aren’t fortunate
enough to have private land to hunt,
and they will do whatever they can
to protect the places they hunt on
public land. Some arrive hours before
shooting time. Others go so far as to
spend the night in their vehicles. If
you’re not this person, respect the
work they’ve put in and either look
40
for a different spot or ask if they have
room. I understand it’s public land
and you don’t have to ask anyone, but
respecting others while hunting goes
a long way toward making everyone’s
hunt a good one.
On a dove hunt two years ago, my
dad, Eli and I got very little shooting
early on a patch of public land. We
switched spots and listened to hunters
boom and bang for a couple of hours.
From afar, it sounded like there were
already more than enough hunters
on this particular sunflower field.
So we hunted the fringe until they
began walking out. One of the hunters
approached us as he was leaving.
“You need to take your boy up to that
field,” he said. “It’s got birds all over it.”
“How many folks are still up there?”
I asked.
“No one. The field is yours.”
It turned out to be one of the best
shoots I’ve ever been on, and we didn’t
pull the trigger for the first time on the
opening morning of dove season until
after 9 a.m.
This Is My Dance Space
How much is enough room? Talking
to conservation officer Keith Jadlowki,
also a lifelong hunter, the answer
varies. “I don’t think you can put a set
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Todd Mills and his Lab, Hope, spend a lot
of hours on public land each year. When
hunted correctly by everyone, these
hunts can be memorable for all of the
right reasons.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
41
I met Bud Bowlin, from Palmeira, on a public dove hunt in 2016. His hunting group
often camps at the hunting location the night before to be the early bird.
On this morning, young Eli Kurrus was setting teal decoys too close to another hunter’s spread. The hunter calmly, and nicely,
shared this with our group, which included Eli’s grandfather, Larry, prompting us to move to a safer location.
amount of distance on it, because it
depends on terrain and what you are
hunting. The question I always ask is,
“Will I mess up their hunt if I’m this
close? Because they beat me fair and
square to that spot.”
Even though you’re both hunting
public land, you both also prayed that
the marsh would be empty when you
42
first arrived. If you were the early bird,
leave a head lamp on so others can
make a logical decision where to go.
But remember that sometimes depth
perception is hard to judge in the dark.
On one Rainwater Basin hunt, my
hunting party began setting up decoys
when I heard a hunter, whose light I
had already seen, say, “Guys. You’re
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
really close.”
It wasn’t until I heard his voice
that I realized how close I actually
was. “Sorry about that,” I whispered.
We picked up our decoys and moved
another 75 yards away, where we were
able to find our own little patch of water
that the teal wanted to work as well.
Quite often, there’s space for everyone.
And when there’s not, you can either
wait out the crowd in the truck, hunt
the fringe, or look for another spot
altogether. All are better options than
putting you, or the hunter next to you,
in an uncomfortable situation.
My Bird or Yours
Anyone who has hunted public land
has seen a bird go down and found
themselves, and a complete stranger,
walking toward that same downed
bird. Most of the time, even when
others shoot as well, you know if you
hit a bird. In these instances when
there are two hunters and one bird,
smile. Tell the other guy you felt pretty
good about your shot. He’ll respond
that he did, too. Then give him the
bird and say you’ll take the next if it
happens again.
Where this situation becomes
more complicated is when hunting
waterfowl and birds are circling.
Anyone who has hunted ducks on
public land has had birds called off of
them and seen other hunters shoot
when birds were just about to cup
into your decoys. Again, be respectful.
This can be accomplished by putting
your calls in your pocket when birds
are working another group of hunters,
or even taking a few minutes and
asking the other group if they want
to alternate calling. I think you’d
be surprised at how most of these
potentially uncomfortable situations
can be quickly corrected.
For many hunters, public land is
the only option they have. And when
done correctly, it is a great option, with
plenty of room and game for everyone
and the chance for unlikely friendships
to form in the likeliest of places. N
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
43
Deer Fangs
By Brian Peterson
I
n Nebraska, male white-tailed and mule deer are most
recognized by their elaborate, showy antlers. While we all
have observed deer or pictures of deer with antlers, have
you ever encountered a deer with fangs or tusks — canine
teeth? If you have, this is extremely rare, possibly a 1 in
10,000 occurrence.
Both whitetail and mule deer have two lower “incisiform”
canines which look and function like incisors and are used
for foraging and browsing vegetation, but a rare few have
upper canine teeth. Over the past 10 years while preparing
European skull taxidermy displays, I have encountered three
males, two whitetail and one mule deer, that exhibited upper
canine teeth. These canines were not visible to me, as they
were embedded in the gumline, until the skull was cleaned,
so maybe they are more common than reported, at least in
Nebraska.
Elk, the largest deer species in Nebraska, still retain canine
teeth in both males and females; commonly known as ivories,
whistlers or buglers, these teeth are smooth and rounded.
Upper canines in whitetail and mule deer may at first
glance resemble the canine teeth in coyotes, bobcats and
mountain lions. However, these upper canines are not for
catching prey, but remnants of prehistoric tusks in extinct
deer species and several Asian species that retain tusks
today, for example tufted deer, musk deer, Chinese water deer
and muntjacs. Within today’s Asian species, canine tusks are
used to fight other males during breeding season or for selfdefense against predators.
The occurrence of canines in deer is not well understood.
Multiple surveys within the United States estimated the
prevalence of canines ranging from 0-4 percent, with the most
extensive study conducted in New York State where 18,000
white-tailed deer were examined, and within the population,
less than 1 percent contained upper canines. Occurrence
of canines varies geographically, and when they occur, it
is primarily in males; however, some canines in females
have been reported. Canine teeth were first documented in
Nebraska by a Nebraska Game and Parks biologist in 1963,
when two mule deer (1 male and 1 female) were observed
containing canine teeth at a deer check station in North
Platte.
The presence of canine teeth is likely a genetic trait,
however, the mechanism that expresses this trait is still
unclear. In addition, Nebraska deer and elk still possess a
Upper canine teeth are rare, and typically only visible once the skull is clean like this trophy Nebraska mule deer European skull mount.
RICK SIMONSON
prominent black or dark brown patch on their lower jaws
where canines would occur. These are present in Asian deer
and are thought to emphasize their showy canine tusks
to rivals and predators. As deer and elk canine tooth size
decreased or disappeared, showy antlers developed and
increased in size.
There is still a lot of mystery surrounding canine teeth in
deer. Next time you are in the Nebraska woods and are lucky
enough to harvest a deer or find a skull, examine the upper
jaw for canines. You may have an incredibly rare, 1 in 10,000,
sharp piece of prehistoric genetics piercing its way into the
present-day population. N
Prehistoric and today’s Asian deer like this tufted deer native to southern and central China have large, showy canine teeth.
THOMAS E. LABEDZ, COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM
44
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Brian Peterson is a biologist at the University of Nebraska
at Kearney and coordinates the M.S Biology Online Program.
His research focus is white-tailed deer antler metrics. For more
information, contact petersonbc@unk.edu. He would like to
thank Rick Simonson of UNK Biology and Science Lab Studios,
Inc., for taking photos, Jacob Wasser of Outlaw Taxidermy, and
his client Sam Hoyt for allowing photos of his mule deer trophy.
Upper canine teeth are likely a prehistoric genetic trait.
RICK SIMONSON
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
45
My Favorite Insect
Gets Even Better
Story and photos by Chris Helzer
I
t’s hard to pick a favorite insect, but I have anyway. It’s
the camouflaged looper, which is an inchworm that turns
into the wavy-lined emerald moth. The moth is pretty
enough and I’m sure is fascinating in its own right, but it’s
the caterpillar I love.
The camouflaged looper feeds on flowers of many kinds.
What makes it incredible, though, is that it also selects
pieces of the plant it’s munching on and glues them to its
back as camouflage. When it switches to another kind
of flower, it changes its disguise to match. It’s a really
impressive strategy for a tiny creature with an even tinier
brain.
Here’s the camouflaged looper as I first saw it on stiff sunflower.
46
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
I’ve only been lucky enough to spot this little inchworm
a handful of times, despite being on constant lookout for
it. I guess that’s a testament to the effectiveness of its
camouflage, but it also makes every sighting an event to
celebrate.
My most recent looper observation came at the Nature
Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley Preserve after finishing up
a long day in the field. I actually spotted the inchworm on a
sunflower as I was driving slowly down a two-track road and
scanning for photo opportunities. I have the eyes of a hawk,
no big deal.
Anyway, I stopped and photographed the critter and
then grabbed both the sunflower and the inchworm to
take back and show other staff. Everyone was gone for the
evening when I arrived at the Preserve headquarters, so
I took the caterpillar to my cabin for the night. I put the
sunflower in a jar of water and added another flower (hoary
vervain), hoping to entice the inchworm to change its diet
and disguise. Then I put a paper towel across the water to
prevent drowning accidents and put an upside-down glass
on top of the jar.
The next morning, I woke up and immediately checked on
the caterpillar. To my surprise and delight, it had altered its
appearance overnight. However, it had chosen a costume I
hadn’t predicted. It was a completely reasonable decision,
given the dominant color in its new environment, but it still
made me shake my head in amazement.
The looper didn’t switch to the vervain and decorate itself
with bits of purple flower. Nope, the little bugger had crawled
down to the paper towel and made itself a beautiful white
garment to match! It was the perfect choice.
I didn’t think I could love the camouflaged looper any more
than I did. I was wrong. N
Chris Helzer is the Nature Conservancy’s director of science
in Nebraska.
Here’s the container I made to keep the caterpillar happy
overnight (minus the glass I put over the top).
The caterpillar camouflaged itself with bits of paper towel.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
47
More Water
for Wetlands
Story and photos by Eric Fowler
W
etlands in the Rainwater Basin provide premier
habitat for ducks, geese, shorebirds and other
species during the spring migration. While in
this part of south-central Nebraska, the birds fatten up for
the rest of their journey to breeding grounds in the north,
whether it be in the Sandhills or the prairie potholes of the
Upper Midwest and Canada.
But that is only the case when the wetlands are wet.
This spring, during severe drought, few would have held
water had the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service not pumped them at select
locations. Combined, both agencies pumped groundwater
at 24 of the 94 wetlands they own and manage for wildlife,
helping maintain the habitat that wasn’t lost to agriculture
and development. Even fewer would have been wet if not for
the first disbursement of cash from Ducks Unlimited’s new
Rainwater Basin Water Development Fund.
The water development fund, established in 2019, is a
partnership between DU, the Game and Parks Commission,
Ducks, primarily northern pintails, along with mallards and teal, take flight at Hultine Waterfowl Production Area
in Clay County in March. If not for groundwater being pumped to fill the wetland, it would have been dry.
PHOTO BY TRAVIS KOPF
Well water spills from a pipeline at Kirkpatrick Basin South
Wildlife Management in York County in October 2021.
48
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
USFWS and the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture. The goal is
to create a $7 million interest-bearing account that would
provide more than $300,000 annually to fund pumping,
improvements to pumping infrastructure, and wetland
restoration work. To date, $800,000 has been donated or
pledged, and this spring, approximately $20,000 in interest
was transferred to the agencies to use on their areas as well
as on the Verona Complex, which is owned by DU's land trust
and open to the public.
And it worked.
“Every basin we pumped [this spring] had birds on it,” said
Terry Kostinec, director of development for DU in Nebraska
and South Dakota. “We even had whooping cranes sighted
on a number of these sites.”
In wet years, a limited amount of money is spent on
pumping, but in dry years, the Game and Parks Commission
typically spends about $30,000 on its wildlife management
areas, primarily in the fall to provide opportunity for hunters,
said Ted LaGrange, wetland program manager with the Game
and Parks Commission. Were it not for the funding provided
by DU’s water fund, the Commission may have not pumped
any of the 12 wetlands it did this past spring, LaGrange said.
The USFWS typically spends between $80,000 and
$125,000 on pumping on its waterfowl production areas
in the spring and fall, said Brad Krohn, project leader of
the Rainwater Basin Management District. The additional
funding from DU allowed them to run pumps powered by
diesel longer than they would have on some areas, a growing
concern amid high fuel prices.
Ducks, geese, shorebirds and other water birds stop in the
Rainwater Basin during spring migration to feast on flooded
seed sources, such as smartweed and barnyard grass, along
with a smorgasbord of insects and other invertebrates.
Research has shown the quality of spring migration habitat
is key.
“If you can get the birds to the breeding grounds alive and
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
49
Green-winged teal drakes follow a lone hen on a courtship flight around Eckhardt WPA in Clay County, another wetland that
was pumped to provide habitat for migratory birds in the spring of 2022.
healthy, they’re going to reproduce better, which is going to
lead to a better fall flight,” said LaGrange, noting the fund
may allow the Game and Parks Commission to continue to
pump more in the spring.
The USFWS also pumps water on some of its wetlands in
the fall, beginning early enough on some to provide water
during the early teal season in September, and continuing
after the growing season to provide water during the regular
duck season in October and November. Krohn said they may
be able to do more fall pumping with the help of the water
fund.
Fall pumping can help ensure conditions will be better in
the spring, as it can take a substantial amount of water to fill
the dry, cracked clay soils and seal the base of the wetlands.
Combined with the frost layer that develops in moist soils
when cold temperatures arrive, these marshes can more
readily capture and hold runoff from melting snow or rain or
pumped water longer than a bone-dry wetland come spring.
“Our No. 1 priority, the whole reason the district is here, is
for supporting spring migration,” Krohn said. “But we pump a
lot in the fall as well, focusing on public use and areas that we
are planning to manage for our spring pumping.”
Pumping in the spring comes in stages. The USFWS pumps
larger marshes first. These areas are attractive to the massive
flocks of snow geese, some of the first migrants to arrive and
first to leave in the spring. It then pumps shallower wetlands
50
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
with abundant seed sources for the pintails, mallards, whitefronted geese and other waterfowl that arrive later. Krohn
said snow geese can deplete these food sources if they are
pumped too early. Later pumping also ensures favorable
conditions for shorebirds that arrive in April and May.
“That’s the benefit of pumping later,” Krohn said. “We’re
supporting the entire length of the migration instead of just
one aspect of it.”
During the past 15 years, the Game and Parks Commission,
with the assistance of DU and other conservation partners,
has added or improved wells, pumps and power sources and
installed underground pipelines to efficiently deliver water
from wells on high ground to the wetlands below on 18
wildlife areas in the basins. It has also completed restoration
projects on 22 areas, removing sediment and filling pits. And
in some instances where the Game and Parks Commission
owned only a portion of a wetland, it has purchased property
from willing sellers to bring more of the wetland into public
ownership, making it possible to pump more water without
flooding a neighbor.
The USFWS has done the same during the past 10 years,
drilling new wells on seven areas and replacing pumps on
two, as well as adding pipelines and doing other restoration
work. But Krohn said it has a big backlog of projects awaiting
funding, including replacing or repairing 35 of its 63 wells
that are inoperable.
Kostinec said DU’s goal is to help the Game and Parks
Commission and the USFWS continue their efforts and restore
another 23,000 acres of wetlands by making these types of
improvements so more water can be available each spring.
“Mother Nature doesn’t consistently put moisture across
the landscape,” he said. “And the pumping budgets for the
state and federal agencies have just never kept up.
“If we can achieve a $7 million investment goal, the interest
that spins off that every year would essentially take care of
all pumping needs and alleviate the problem of agencies
fighting for a budget to do a little bit of pumping here and
there each year. And once fully funded, it has the capability
of really upgrading the infrastructure and continuing to help
pay for restoration efforts in the region.”
Proceeds from the Federal Duck Stamp, Nebraska Habitat
Stamp and Nebraska Waterfowl Stamp, all required by
waterfowl hunters, have been used to purchase land from
willing sellers in the Rainwater Basin and restore wetlands
since 1962. The Game and Parks Commission owns 35
wildlife management areas in the area, 29 with wells and
pumps. The USFWS owns 59 waterfowl production areas,
25 of which have operational wells and two that can capture
surface water from canals diverting water from the Platte
River. The number of wells used to maintain these areas for
wildlife represents .3 percent of the 31,000 registered wells in
the Rainwater Basin region.
These 95 marshes and a few hundred more found on private
land represent only 10 percent of 4,000 permanent and
seasonal wetlands ranging from 40 to 1,000 acres in size that
once dotted the region. The rest were drained or filled and are
now farmed, most of them since World War II. Development
altered the hydrology of many that remain, with roads, terraces
and reuse pits keeping runoff from reaching some wetlands
and erosion filling others with sediment.
Managing what remains, including pumping water when
needed, is critical to ensure birds have what they need when
they stop, said LaGrange. It also spreads out the birds, reducing
the chances for disease outbreaks, such as avian cholera, that
have claimed 100,000 birds in a single spring in years past.
“Hunters like large concentrations of birds, and for
birdwatchers it’s an amazing spectacle to see tens of thousands
or even a million birds on a given spot,” he said. “But if those
birds get spread out, you’re going to minimize the probability
of a large die-off. It’s social distancing for birds.”
LaGrange and Krohn said their agencies are grateful for
DU's effort and look forward to using the fund to do more
for wildlife, hunters and birdwatchers. Judging from the
hundreds of thousands of birds that stopped last spring, the
birds are grateful, too. N
To make a donation to the Rainwater Basin Water Development
Fund, contact Terry D. Kostinec, director of development, South
Dakota/Nebraska, at 605-760-5791 or tkostinec@ducks.org.
Pumping Basics
Pumping water into Rainwater Basin wetlands
to provide habitat for migratory birds can be
beneficial, but it is not always feasible.
Care needs to be taken so neighboring private
lands are not affected, especially before the crops
are harvested.
Wetlands in the area aren’t always wet. The wet/
dry cycle is natural and promotes the growth of
plants that provide seed sources for birds.
Wetlands with moist soils are usually the first to
be pumped. When clay soils are dry and cracked,
much of the pumped water flows into the ground
and it can take a lot of water just to seal the soil
before it can pool. Rainwater or pumped water
flowing though the cracked soils helps recharge
groundwater.
In the fall, most pumping begins after a killing
frost, ensuring plants won’t suck up the water and
when evaporation rates are lower.
Pumping occurs outside the irrigation season,
and, in an average year, the amount pumped at
all state and federal wetlands combined in spring
and fall amounts to what is used to irrigate three
sections of farmland.
In most cases, only enough water is pumped to
flood vegetation that ducks and geese like to eat.
It is not feasible to pump enough to float a duck
boat.
A bald eagle carries a dead coot it picked up at Hultine WPA
in March. Eagles often follow the waterfowl migration north.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
51
MIXED BAG
COOLER TALK PREVAILS
By Jeff Kurrus
In the outdoors, I’m always looking
for items that change the way I do my
day-to-day job. But rarely does this
happen, and it has never happened
with coolers.
However, through the years, I have
been taught or discovered various
tips about coolers that have led to
day-to-day success with a category of
outdoor products that, despite claims
like “keeps ice for five days,” haven’t
changed much.
VISIT
Keep these tips in mind next time
afield as you wait for that last cube of
ice to melt on day four.
•
An Igloo Playmate, with its
plastic side button and light-weight
construction, is only good for a few
hours of keeping drinks cold, even
with ice. But it’s perfect as a lastminute livewell for wading anglers.
Simply connect the cooler handle, rope
and a loop on your waders. The water
will circulate the entire time you fish.
•
Store clothes in a cooler
throughout the hunting season,
adding a pine needle bough to the
cooler to help alleviate any odors. If
the cooler maintains a fishy smell
from the summer, simply place a dry
newspaper inside to extinguish that
odor in a matter of days.
CHIMNEY ROCK MUSEUM
BAYARD, NEBRASKA
•
Coolers are excellent transport
containers for frozen meat. Lining the
cooler with newspapers will maintain
the cool temperatures even longer.
•
If your cooler has a top that warns
against sitting on it, don’t buy it. You’re
going to end up sitting on it.
history.nebraska.gov/rock
•
Look for coolers without plastic
hinges. They’ll be the first to break.
•
If you go YETI or some other highdollar brand, understand that these
coolers are not cure-alls. I was gifted
one by a relative last summer and
while I like its durability, my cheap
Coleman keeps ice just as well and
isn’t nearly as heavy. But the YETI
does make a great seat.
•
A cooler with wheels is a cooler
worth having.
•
An Igloo Playmate cooler can be used as a portable livewell.
52
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Several cooler brands come with
food baskets, and these add-ons help
keep protein bars and other foods dry
when your “keeps ice for five days”
cooler has a puddle of water in it by
your first afternoon.
In your own time afield, what
am I missing as regards to coolers?
Write to me at Jeff.Kurrus@nebraska.
gov so our Nebraskaland readers can
become more educated on this often
frustrating, yet necessary, outdoor
staple.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
53
MIXED BAG
Asian Longhorn Tick with
penny for size comparison.
ERIC R. DAY, VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
AND STATE UNIVERSITY, BUGWOOD.ORG
TICKS IN NEBRASKA
By Julie Van Meter, State Entomologist
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is working to
better determine which tick species are present in Nebraska.
NDA field staff are partnering with USDA Veterinary
Services to provide outreach to veterinarians and identify
ticks submitted by veterinarians, collected from pets and
livestock.
NDA staff also conducts surveys by “dragging” for ticks.
A large white sheet is dragged across vegetation in preferred
tick habitat, and any ticks found on the cloth are identified.
Survey data assists the public, livestock producers and
health professionals by providing a more complete picture of
the distribution of tick species in the state.
Several tick species are known to be established in
Nebraska, including American dog tick, winter tick, brown
dog tick, and lone star tick. The deer, or black-legged
tick, has been confirmed in Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and
Thurston counties in eastern Nebraska.
The invasive Asian longhorned tick is also on NDA’s
radar. This tick, native to parts of Asia, was discovered in the
United States in New Jersey in 2017, infesting sheep. Since
that time, infestations have been confirmed in at least 16
54
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
additional states, including Missouri, but the tick has not yet
been found in Nebraska. This tick can infest pets, livestock
and humans, and may carry a number of serious diseases.
Asian longhorned ticks are light brown and very small.
Nymphs are only about the size of a poppy seed. An adult
female may be ¼ inch in length when fully engorged. Female
ticks can reproduce without a male, and in fact, males have
not yet been found in the U.S. This tick has a tendency to
feed in large masses, which can cause additional stress to
animals and even death.
In addition to disease transmission, tick feeding can result
in tissue damage to livestock and wildlife hosts, blood loss,
weight loss, and overall health decline or even death.
Report tick stress on pets or livestock to your veterinarian,
and submit tick specimens when possible. Consult your
doctor if you experience a fever, rash, chills or joint/muscle
pain after you’ve had a tick bite.
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
55
MIXED BAG
56
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
August-September 2022 •
Nebraskaland
57
MIXED BAG
PHENOLOGY — NATURE’S CALENDAR
By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist
Phenology is a word you may not be
familiar with, but I am pretty sure that
you’ve experienced it. Think about
what season it is. Spring? Summer?
Fall? How do you know it is that
season?
Phenology, that’s how, which can
be defined as the timing of events in
the life cycles of plants and animals.
For example, you know that winter
is waning when you see robins begin
building nests or when Pasque flowers
start blooming. Or later in the year,
you know that fall has arrived at the
first sign of foliage changing color.
Animals and plants have a sense of
phenology, too, and thus rely on cues
from the changing seasons in order to
survive.
Phenology is a key component to life
on earth. Changing precipitation and
temperature usually signal organisms
to enter a new phase of life. In plants
and trees, that includes flowering and
leafing in spring, and leaves falling
from deciduous trees in the fall. In
animals, phases include hibernation,
reproduction and migration. Many
birds, for instance, time nesting and
egg-laying so that insects will be
available for their babies to feed on
when they hatch. Insect emergence,
then, is timed with the blooming of
flowers, which insects rely on for
food.
Scientists who study phenology
look for the timing of events in
relation to changes in the season and
the climate, and phenology has been
a major interest: Our global climate
is undergoing a shift, which means
the phenology of different seasonal
organisms is also changing. Ecosystem
services such as pollination and seed
dispersal, regulation of pest species
and soil quality are all affected by
phenology, and if phenology is shifting
from species to species, these services
58
could be interrupted over time, or even
lost all together.
For example, scientists are finding
that flowers are, on average, blooming
earlier around the world, even here
in Nebraska: Flowers are blooming
around 40 days earlier than they did
just three decades ago, and while this
may not seem like a big deal in itself,
the trend could have cascading effects.
Insects need time to develop before
emerging; they simply can’t speed up
their developmental process to catch
up with flowers that are blooming
earlier. If insects have no food, they
die, and without insects, that’s bad
news for the birds that feed on them.
Furthermore, as the temperature of
the Earth rises, global seasonal trends
show that climates are becoming
warmer earlier in the year, and staying
warmer later into the fall. As a result,
changes in phenological events can
have a significant impact on how
humans interact with the environment
on a daily basis: One example is in the
food we eat.
Common foods such as almonds,
apples,
melons,
strawberries,
chocolate, peaches and tomatoes
require pollination by insects. If
flowers are blooming earlier than
pollinators are emerging, this could
lead to severe declines in many of the
foods we know and love.
One way to help scientists is to
participate in a global project called
Budburst. There, you can report
when the plants in your garden, park,
town or state are changing with the
seasons. Scientists can then use data
collected through this community
science project to predict how our
climate and different ecosystems will
change decades, and even centuries,
into the future.
For more information on Budburst,
visit budburst.org.
Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
BALD EAGLE
BARRED TIGER SALAMANDER
SWIFT FOXES
PASQUE FLOWER
SALT CREEK TIGER BEETLE
August-September 2022 •
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PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST
Camping at Long Pine, 1989
This is a family photo taken at Long Pine SRA in 1989. My family
has continued to camp at Long Pine every year since 1968. It was my
wife’s first visit, or fiancé at the time. (She is in the back row first
from the right, next to me in the blue cap.) The tykes in the photo
now bring the new generation to fall in love with the creek that has
remained constant for 53 years.
– Mick Clark, Broken Bow
Pheasant hunting near Schuyler, 1982
Thanksgiving weekend 1982 on the family farm southwest of Schuyler. Me (left), my father
Robert Schmidt, and our always reliable German shorthair, Toni.
– Roger Schmidt, Adrian, Missouri
Bowfishing near Yellowbanks, 1967
Pictured is a snapper I shot while bowfishing
at Jackson Lake west of Norfolk near
Yellowbanks. The first two shots glanced off
the shell. The third went through and it took
15-20 minutes to pull it to shore.
I was 16, going into my junior year of high
school. I had a retired neighbor who helped
me de-shell and harvest the meat.
Can’t say I could honestly tell seven kinds
of meat, as they say, but the stew was really
good. Grew up in Norfolk and have been
reading the magazine for many years.
– Reginald Ayers, York
Pheasant hunting near Dodge, 1971
This picture was taken on the first day of pheasant season
1971. Pictured is of my dad, Bill Mlnarik of Dodge, me and my
daughter, Julie. The pheasants were bagged around the Dodge
area in the first hour of the season. Pheasants were so abundant
at that time. We just took pheasant hunting success for granted.
– Dr. Dave Mlnarik, Elkhorn
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.
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Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
Halsey grouse hunt and
camping, 1981
Gary Winans (front), Terry
Smith, Lynne Winans, Kathy
Smith, Kim Bruno, Tommy
Cogan and Sue Strnad.
– Terry Smith, Omaha
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THE LAST STOP
MILKWEED TUSSOCK MOTH CATERPILLAR
GRANDDADDY LONG-LEG SPIDER
FISHING SPIDER
THE WONDROUS MILKWEED PLANT
By Julie Geiser
The relationship between milkweed and monarch
butterflies is well-known in the pollinator world. In my
garden, the plants not only provide beautiful and fragrant
flowers, but also food and shelter to many other species as
well. So, when I noticed the different species of insects and
arachnids using the milkweed in my flower garden, I began
documenting them with a camera.
First, I watched a granddaddy long-leg (or harvestmen),
which is not a true spider, eating a smaller spider on a
milkweed leaf. Longlegs are scavengers, and they feed by
searching the ground and plants for small insects, eggs or
dead plant or animal material. In this instance, my milkweed
plants offered the ideal hunting grounds.
Then I saw a milkweed tussock moth caterpillar making its
way through the maze of milkweed leaves, stopping to feast
along the way. I had never seen a tussock caterpillar before,
and it reminded me of a Shih Tzu dog with its fluffy tufts
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Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
of black, orange and white. Like monarch caterpillars, this
caterpillar’s bright coloration signals to would-be predators
that its body contains toxic cardiac glycosides from eating
the milkweed, which the tussock caterpillar exclusively
feeds on.
One of the neatest things I found was a fishing spider
and her egg sac with newly emerged spiderlings. As the
mother stood guard to protect her young, the large, strong
leaves of the milkweed plant provided them shelter from the
elements as well. With its thick stem, this milkweed plant
has survived through many of Mother Nature’s trials, which
is why the spider chose it as the location to lay her egg sac.
Each plant was like a world in itself, and this was just a
small sample of what I saw. In addition to knowing that
I’m helping pollinators, I’ve delighted in the joy of watching
nature play out on milkweed. I encourage you to plant them
in your own garden
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Position: 880 (16 views)