Volume 102, Issue 8, 2024
October 2024
- Title:
- Volume 102, Issue 8, 2024
- Issue Name:
- October 2024
- Date Issued:
- 2024-10-01
- year:
- 2024
- month:
- October
- Season:
- Autumn
- Publisher:
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Format:
- Periodical
- volume:
- 102
- issue:
- 08
- number:
- 102.08
- 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 1 92 6
O C TO B E R 20 24
INSIDE
Indian Cave’s ‘Walking to Remember’ O Violets and Butterflies
Nebraska’s 1898 World’s Fair O Reading Deer Sign
Becoming a Snipe Hunter O Halloween at the Parks
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Nebraskaland • October 2024
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
3
Volume 102 No. 8
October 2024
Cover: Nick Fisher and his daughter, Adisen, of Falls City
sit around a fire in a backcountry campsite at Indian
Cave State Park.
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
This page: Fog rises from the Missouri River at sunrise
at Bow Creek Recreation Area, a National Park Service
property on the Missouri National Recreational River in
Cedar County.
FEATURES
20
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
WALKING TO REMEMBER
Annual Event at Indian Cave Going Strong
Story and photos by Renae Blum
24
OUTDOOR NEBRASKA
What To Do in October
By Renae Blum
26
BECOMING A SNIPE HUNTER
An Overlooked Game Bird
Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus
30
NEBRASKA’S 1898 WORLD’S FAIR
34
A PASSION FOR REGAL FRITILLARIES AND VIOLETS
By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer
DEPARTMENTS
8
12
38
48
50
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
Nebraskaland (VOL. 102 / NO. 8 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 all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY
FACILITIES: send address corrections to Nebraskaland, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370.
4
Nebraskaland • October 2024
October 2024 •
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
Average number of copies
of each issue during
preceding 12 months
Art Director Tim Reigert
Graphic Designer Mel Severin
Videographer Nick Sauvageau
Photo Librarian Jaclyn Cruikshank Vogt
Administration
Director Tim McCoy
Deputy Director Jim Swenson
Assistant Director Roger Kuhn
Commissioners
Chairman - Doug Zingula, Sidney
Vice Chairman - John Hoggatt, Kearney
2nd Vice Chairman - Donna Kush, Omaha
Statement of ownership and monthly circulation
of Nebraskaland Magazine
Owner and publisher: Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission
Editor: Jeff Kurrus
Headquarters of Publisher and Publication:
2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE 68503
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Security Holders: None
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shanegilster@solotreemedia.com
A. Total Copies Printed
(net press run) ..................... 18,267 ........... 17,941
B. Paid Circulation
1. Mail subscriptions ........... 15,824 ........... 15,729
3. Single-copy sales ................1,126 ................ 989
C. Total Paid Circulation.......... 16,950 ........... 16,718
D. Free Distribution
by Mail ........................................376 ................ 376
D. Free Distribution
Outside the Mail ........................329 ................ 329
E. Total Free Distribution ..............705 ................ 705
F. Total Distribution ................. 17,655 ........... 17,423
G. Copies Not Distributed .............612 ................ 518
H. Total ...................................... 18,267 ........... 17,941
I. Percent Paid and/or
Requested Circulation ........ 96.00% .......... 95.95%
Pat Berggren, Broken Bow
Rick Brandt, Roca
Scott Cassels, Omaha
Ken Curry, Columbus
Dan Hughes, Venango
Kent McNeill, Omaha
Nebraskaland Magazine Copyright 2024, 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
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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
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Commission Offices
Conservation Officers
Trevor Stahlecker
Headquarters/Southeast District Office
2200 N. 33rd Street Lincoln, NE 68503
Phone 402-471-0641
ADMINISTRATION
Jeff Clauson
402-471-5531
Lincoln HQ
Administrator
Travis Shepler
402-471-5531
Lincoln HQ
Asst. Administrator
Stacey Lewton
402-471-5531
Lincoln HQ
Asst. Administrator
Mike Thome
402-471-5531
Lincoln HQ
Asst. Administrator
Knox, Antelope, Pierce
Mitch Johnson
402-613-8612
Cedar, Knox
Northeast District Office
2201 N. 13th St. Norfolk, NE 68701
Phone 402-370-3374
Southwest District Office
301 E. State Farm Rd. North Platte, NE 69101
Phone 308-535-8025
(Includes counties covered)
Northwest District Office
East Hwy. 2, Box 725 Alliance, NE 69301
Phone 308-763-2940
NORTHWEST
Dan Kling
308-430-0572
Captain
Bassett Office
524 Panzer St., Box 508 Bassett, NE 68714
Phone 402-684-2921
Jerod Hahn
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
OutdoorNebraska.gov
EAST SUB-DISTRICT
308-520-5539
Sergeant
308-280-4320
Hunter Lee
Keith, Arthur, Deuel
Jaden Porter
308-289-2274
Keith, Garden, Grant
Tyler Stueck
308-289-6260
Keith, Arthur, Grant
Keith Jadlowski 531-310-2869
Keith
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
Sean McKeehan 308-672-1824
Sergeant
Josh Widhelm
308-279-9133
Scotts Bluff, Banner, Sioux
Brandon Wallace 308-280-4488
Scotts Bluff, Banner, Sioux
Travis Schultz
308-279-1292
Morrill, Scotts Bluff
Casey Gehrt
402-617-2112
Dawes, Sheridan
NORTHEAST
Dale Davis
402-760-0712
Captain
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
Jeff Jones
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
Nebraskaland • October 2024
402-762-5022
Sergeant
402-314-9257
John Bauer
Holt, Boyd
Greg Hesse
308-546-7464
Rock, Brown, Keya Paha
Jonathan Andreasen
402-340-3981
Madison, Pierce, Stanton
402-928-9099
EAST SUB-DISTRICT
Cory Krause
402-380-6410
Sergeant
Kyler Prochaska 402-830-8278
Platte, Colfax
Matt Costello
402-317-4014
Dodge, Colfax
Kelbi Abke
402-237-2537
Washington, Burt
Nicholas Fix
402-508-0261
Dixon, Dakota, Thurston
Kyle Hansen
531-739-7392
Dodge
CENTRAL SUB-DISTRICT
Doug Pollard
308-730-7050
Sergeant
Daryl Teter
308-440-1863
Howard, Greeley, Merrick
Matt Brandt
308-202-0819
Sherman, Howard
Klint Gill
402-613-5800
Nance, Wheeler, Boone, Polk
Garrett Zimmer 402-416-5736
Hamilton, Polk, York
Tim Williams
308-380-7331
Hall, Hamilton, York
SOUTHWEST
Brian Piernicky 308-330-8780
Captain
NORTH SUB-DISTRICT
Alex Hasenauer
Single issue
nearest to
filing date
308-660-4671
Sergeant
308-395-6001
Jacob Stoinski
Sioux, Dawes
Frank Miller
402-389-0444
Cherry, Hooker
Luis Nuñez
531-333-6093
Blaine, Custer, Thomas
Brandon O’Neal 308-530-3157
Lincoln, McPherson, Logan
SOUTH SUB-DISTRICT
Bryce Streger
308-537-0404
Dawson, Gosper, Custer
Tyler Adelman
402-314-4783
Dawson, Gosper, Furnas
Kelsey Glodowski
308-242-9000
Red Willow, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock,
Furnas
Sophia Gobber 308-222-0368
Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock
SOUTHEAST
Matt Seitz
402-806-0915
Captain
WEST SUB-DISTRICT
Matt Taylor
402-200-9597
Sergeant
402-902-2017
Eric Javins
Adams, Clay, Webster
Justin Gress
308-629-9335
Thayer, Nuckolls, Fillmore
Pat George
308-920-2762
Harlan, Franklin, Phelps
Ethan Teter
308-440-3847
Buffalo, Kearney
EAST SUB-DISTRICT
Heath Packett
402-210-0888
Sergeant
402-209-1506
Russell Mort
Otoe, Johnson
Rich Berggren
402-619-1355
Douglas
Brian Arp
531-530-9011
Douglas, Sarpy
Mike Luben
402-443-6392
Saunders
Bryan Adams
402-429-1924
Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson
CENTRAL SUB-DISTRICT
Curt Prohaska
402-470-1298
Sergeant
402-890-6463
Dina Barta
Lancaster
Mark McDonald 402-805-2353
Lancaster
Mark Sullivan
402-741-0636
Lancaster, Seward, Butler
Jarrod Messman 531-739-9760
Lancaster, Saline
YOUR NEBRASKA
Instagram Photos
Roger Richters, Utica
The Storm
Follow us @nebraskaland
and tag us in your photos
to be featured in an
upcoming issue.
8
Nebraskaland • October 2024
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
9
Chuck Hackenmiller, Lincoln
Conestoga Kayak Fishing
Mat Custer, Omaha
Leucistic Robin
Send your comments and
photos to:
Jeff Kurrus, Editor
Nebraskaland Magazine
P.O. Box 30370
Lincoln, NE 68503
or email Jeff.Kurrus@Nebraska.gov
Jakob Oates, Denver, Colorado
Sunflower
10
Nebraskaland • October 2024
Please include your postal address
and telephone number. Letters
may be condensed and edited.
Photographs are also welcome.
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
11
IN THE FIELD
ORB (CIRCULAR) WEAVERS
Banded garden spiders are
often found in gardens,
meadows and grassy areas,
which provide plenty of flying
insects for them to catch.
These orb weavers
typically begin to appear
during autumn from early
September to late October as
temperatures start dropping.
This one was found in a
grassland at Olive Creek State
Recreation Area in Lancaster
County on an early morning in
late October.
ERIC
RIC FO
FOW
O LER,
ER NEB
ER
EB
BRAS
RA
RASK
AS ALAN
LAN
ND
12
Nebraskaland • October 2024
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
13
IN THE FIELD
UNDERSTANDING WHITE-TAILED
DEER SIGN
By Julie Geiser
Deer are social animals who communicate with sounds
and signs. The signs they leave behind and how to interpret
them can be clues for hunting success.
Mature bucks can make hundreds of rubs and scrapes from
late summer to the rut, the deer breeding season, but only a
handful of these signs get used during the hunting season.
Key factors such as food sources, cover, travel corridors and
bedding areas as deer transition from summer to fall and
winter play a big part in which areas you should focus.
Deer Rubs
Rubs are good places to scout as they are typically along
deer travel corridors. Before the rut, bucks rub on trees to
remove velvet off their antlers and to build neck muscles for
sparring during the rut. These rubs most likely won’t produce
much hunting action.
As the rut nears, bucks leave their scent on trees from
glands on their foreheads to establish territories and
dominance — these are the rubs to look for, especially those
on the edge of a food source. If you are the only one hunting
an area, this could be a good spot to set up as a buck will
check his rubs every few days. If it’s public land and there is
a lot of hunting pressure, this area could be tough to hunt.
A rub line, where a buck has shredded several trees with
his antlers, shows a distinct direction that a buck prefers to
travel in the morning and evening from bedding to feeding
locations or vice versa. Set up near this line, but keep your
scent from blowing toward the area and stay out of sight.
Clusters of rubs with no notable pattern in thick cover tells
you a buck is comfortable in this location. It could be bedding
areas for one or several bucks. Find a trail or pinch-point
where deer are traveling near the cluster, and this could be
14
Nebraskaland • October 2024
a great hunting location. Hunt these areas in the mornings
as the buck returns from feeding to bedding areas. This way,
you won’t chance spooking him away from his comfort area
when trying to get into a tree stand for an evening hunt.
Deer Scrapes
A buck will scrape the ground, clearing it of vegetation,
urinate in the scrape and leave scent on any tree limbs
above the area by licking them or by rubbing his scent from
glands on the top of his head. Scrapes become the internet
of communication between deer as they travel to and from
feeding and bedding areas. As does go into estrous, they will
urinate in the scrape, and bucks will be able to follow their
scent with hopes to breed.
Not every scrape produces deer, however, and hunters can
waste a lot of time setting up on scrapes. Bucks tend to check
scrapes during the night in areas with substantial hunting
pressure. Bucks will also go downwind to scent-check the
scrape from a distance.
Make sure the scrape location has good cover to allow a
buck to feel safe to check it during shooting hours. Create
mock scrapes with doe-in-estrous scents near a buck scrape
to lure the testosterone-filled buck toward your ambush
location.
When you have a combination of active rubs and scrapes,
you know you have a good place to set up.
Trails and Scent
Scout for areas where several trails intersect, especially
those that come from a thick bedding area to food sources.
If there is an active rub or scrape with a trail leading to it,
chances are many deer will be checking these as the rut gets
into full swing.
Bucks prefer trails in thicker cover where they can check
out open areas and sample the wind for does, other bucks and
hunters. Be sure to cover your scent when in the field. Don’t
leave your scent when hunting near rubs, scrapes and along
trails. Use a scent blocker on clothing and wear knee-high
rubber/muck boots. Avoid touching anything with your bare
skin, especially when making a mock scrape, putting out
scent wicks or climbing into a tree stand.
Learning how to read deer sign can start in early spring
when looking for sheds, and you can keep at it until fall.
Putting time in the field can help hunters learn more about
deer sign; when rubs, scrapes and trails are being used; and
how to locate great hunting locations.
IN THE FIELD
Cottonwood leaves litter the ground, providing habitat and protection for a variety of insects and spiders.
JULIE GEISER, NEBRASKALAND
LEAVE THE LEAVES THIS FALL
By Julie Geiser
Many people like the idea of a tidy lawn and quickly
landscape after trees have dropped their brightly colored
leaves or plants and flowers have wilted away for the season.
It may look nice to have everything picked up, but for small
creatures that live around your property, those piles of
leaves, dead plant material, twigs and stems help keep them
alive over the winter months.
Even the pickiest gardeners might want to change their
gardening habits.
Food and Protection
Many butterflies and moths overwinter in our landscapes
as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis or adult. They bury themselves
in leaf litter for protection from cold and predators.
Numerous species also disguise their cocoons and
chrysalises to resemble dried leaves, blending in with the
natural leaves around them and keeping them safe from
would-be predators.
Bumble bees rely on leaf litter for protection as well. Queen
bumble bees burrow into the ground only an inch or 2 to
hibernate for winter. Leaf litter adds a thick layer of insulated
protection from harsh winter weather.
Other species live in leaves as well, such as spiders, snails,
worms and beetles. All these insects are important food
sources that squirrels, birds, turtles, toads and many other
animals rely on for food in the spring. Earthworms and pill
bugs also create healthy soil by eating decaying fall leaves.
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Nebraskaland • October 2024
Shredding
Some folks shred fall leaves for composting, but shredded
leaves do not provide the same cover as whole leaves for
insects. When mowing or shredding leaves, you may destroy
eggs, caterpillars and chrysalises along with the leaves.
Leaves are free mulch; they provide valuable organic
matter and help build healthy soil. They suppress weeds and
retain moisture underneath them. In the fall, the brilliantly
colored leaves provide decoration for landscapes. Leaves will
also provide a layer of protection for all the perennial plants
and flowers in your landscapes.
A Happy Medium
If you think about what wild or natural areas look like in
the winter, they are not picked up or manicured. Grasses,
flowers and other plants are allowed to grow seed heads that
birds feed on in winter and early spring. However, most of
us don’t want that messy look in our yards. So, how do we
find that happy medium between satisfying our landscaping
desires and helping to sustain wildlife populations?
Leaving the leaves doesn’t always mean ignoring them
completely; they can be moved to places in your yard
where they won’t kill grass but will still help wildlife. When
possible, rake those leaves and put them into garden beds,
around trees and other landscaping areas, or find a corner of
your yard to pile them in along with small sticks.
Definitely don’t get rid of them completely.
IN THE FIELD
GERMAN PHEASANT AND SPÄTZLE SOUP
By Ryan Sparks
This fall, my wife and I
attended
an
Oktoberfest
celebration where we sampled
several German dishes (and
beers). We both agreed that
of everything we tried, the
spätzle soup was by far the
best. We also thought that wild
pheasant would be an excellent
substitution for the chicken
traditionally used in the dish.
After brainstorming how to
recreate the soup, we ended up
with our own version. German
culinary enthusiasts will likely
say it is unauthentic, but they
can’t argue with its delicious flavor.
Making your own pheasant stock or
broth gives the soup a deep, rich flavor,
but store-bought chicken stock also
works. Note that you will probably
want a spätzle maker for this recipe. A
perforated pan will work, but spätzle
makers can be found online for less
than $15 and make the process much
easier.
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: ~2 hours
Ingredients
Soup
4 tbsp. butter, divided
6-8 boneless pheasant breasts
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. caraway seed
1
⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1
⁄4 cup white wine (optional)
8 cups game bird stock (optional,
but highly recommended), or
chicken stock
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
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18
Nebraskaland • October 2024
becomes dry to prevent burning.
Deglaze the pan with white
wine if using. If not, use stock
instead. Scrape any browned
bits from the bottom of the pot
with a wooden spatula.
Add the stock and seared
pheasant and bring the mixture
to a simmer. Continue simmering
for 1-2 hours until the pheasant
breasts easily shred with
a fork.
While the soup simmers,
make the spätzle: In a large
PHOTO BY RYAN SPARKS
bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk
in the milk and cream. Add salt
Salt to taste
and nutmeg to the bowl and stir. Last,
Fresh dill (optional)
add flour and mix until smooth. The
Sour cream (optional)
mixture should resemble melted ice
cream or a thin pancake batter.
Spätzle
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling
2 cups all-purpose flour
1
boil and place the spätzle maker on
⁄4 tsp. grated nutmeg
top. A spätzle maker has a small hook
2 eggs
1
on it to anchor it to the rim of a pot.
⁄4 cup heavy cream
Place some spätzle mixture in the
1 cup milk (whole is best and
hopper and slide it back and forth to
buttermilk works well too)
make the dumplings. Work in batches
A healthy pinch of salt
to avoid crowding the pot. When the
dumplings float, give them another
Optional equipment:
minute or so and then move them to
Spätzle maker
a large bowl. Toss them with butter or
a neutral oil, like vegetable or canola
Sear the pheasant breasts in 2
oil, to prevent them from sticking
tablespoons of butter in a large soup
together.
pot over medium/high heat. When
When the pheasant is tender,
nicely browned on both sides, remove
remove the breasts and allow them
to a plate.
to cool slightly. Shred them with
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of
your hands or two forks. Return
butter to the pot, along with the diced
the shredded meat to the pot. Add
onion and shredded carrot. Lower
the apple cider vinegar. Simmer for
the heat to medium. Cook for about 5
another 5 minutes and taste for salt.
minutes until the onion softens. Add
To serve, spoon some spätzle in the
the garlic and cook for another 2-3
bottom of a soup bowl and top with
minutes. Add the thyme, parsley, black
a couple of ladles of soup. Optionally,
pepper, caraway seed and tomato
top with fresh dill and serve with sour
paste. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
cream on the side for adding to the
The contents of the pot should form a
soup.
cohesive mixture. Add more butter if it
•
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October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
19
Walking to Remember
Annual event at Indian Cave going strong
Story and photos by Renae Blum
The Chrome Divas of Omaha, a motorcycle organization
supporting those with breast cancer, rode to the event in
2023.
When registering for the walk, participants may choose to
buy a memorial pumpkin in honor of a loved one.
Memorial balloons pictured before the Pink Pumpkin Walk begins.
C
ool October breezes stir along a path at Indian Cave
State Park, lined with pumpkins painted pink. Dozens
of people wearing gray and pink T-shirts stride along
the path, stopping to look. Each pumpkin is decorated
with glitter, a big ribbon and the name of someone who has
had cancer. Recognizing a name, families gather around the
pumpkins, smiling and posing for pictures.
This annual event, called the Pink Pumpkin Walk, began
in memory of Sharon Holliday of Lincoln. Her son, Kevin
Holliday, was the park superintendent at Indian Cave at the
time. Sharon died of breast cancer in October 2015.
“My idea to start the event in 2016 evolved from the
previous year, when Sharon was fighting terminal cancer,”
20
Nebraskaland • October 2024
Park Superintendent Jan Alexander said. “October is Breast
Cancer Awareness Month, so it seemed fitting to hold this
yearly event in memory of Sharon in October.”
In the Pink Pumpkin Walk’s first year, they saw 81
registered walkers. Last year, there were 197 — and the size
of the event still surprises onlookers.
“I’ve been asked, ‘What event are you most proud of that
you’ve started?’ and it’s the Pink Pumpkin Walk,” Alexander
said. “I just feel honored to continue this event, and I hope
that somebody else continues it when I’m not here.”
What the Walk Looks Like
The Pink Pumpkin Walk falls on the third Saturday in
October — the busiest weekend of the year for Indian Cave.
In addition to the Pink Pumpkin Walk, the park also hosts a
junk and craft market, trick-or-treating and hayrack rides.
It’s important to call ahead to register, Alexander said, as
all proceeds go to one of several local cancer organizations.
Those who register will receive a T-shirt, as well as the
option to buy a memorial pumpkin to honor a loved one.
Music is a big part of the event, with certain songs played
at key moments. The 2-mile walk begins to the sound of
“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten, with other selected songs
playing throughout. Participants don’t have to walk the
entire length of the route, but they may choose to do so.
The hand-decorated and personalized pumpkins are
Pink Pumpkin Walk participants walk a route lined with
memorial pumpkins at Indian Cave State Park.
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
21
Sharon Holliday
Nebraskaland • October 2024
This year’s Pink Pumpkin Walk will be Saturday,
Oct. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please register before
Oct. 5 by calling Angie at 402-883-0014; registration
is $25 for adults and $10 for kids and includes
a T-shirt. When you register, you may choose to
purchase a memorial pumpkin for $20; this also
includes a memorial balloon.
Check-in for the walk starts at 10 a.m. Once the
walk is over, take time to check out the Jack-O’-
A Personal Experience
One longtime Pink Pumpkin Walk participant is Julie Buss
of Humboldt, who has attended each year since 2019 with
her family. “We have quite a big group sometimes,” she said.
“Sometimes 16, 17 of us. Whoever can make it, makes it. I
don’t say, ‘You’ve got to come.’”
Buss was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 when she
was in her 40s. “I did several rounds of chemo and six weeks
of radiation,” she said. “It was a lot of trips to Lincoln and
back.”
Asked what the experience was like, she said, “I had to
stay strong for my family. I just took one day at a time.”
Losing her hair, she says, was emotional: “You just don’t
think about how that would feel until you actually do it.”
Buss has now been cancer-free for 24 years, and recently
retired from her job as a custodian at Humboldt Table Rock
Steinauer Public Schools. The Pink Pumpkin Walk is a way
for her to give back to the community, she said.
“And it’s good to see that there are survivors out there. It
gives you hope,” she added.
Her favorite part of the event is the walk itself. “It’s
so peaceful,” she said. She loved receiving her own pink
pumpkin from family at a recent walk. “My grandkids were
looking through all of the pumpkins trying to find my name
on it,” she said with a laugh.
It’s hard for her to describe exactly what the event means
to her. “I feel welcome, and I feel at peace when I go,” she
said.
She plans to be there again this year. N
Julie Buss of Humboldt (center, holding pumpkin) with her
family at the Pink Pumpkin Walk in 2020.
Lantern Junk & Craft Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
and the food trucks from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
You can also stay for the 2 p.m. pumpkin roll for
all ages, as well as Trick-or-Treat by the Buses from
3:30-5 p.m. and the Haunted Hollow Hayrack Rides
from 7-9 p.m.
A park entry permit is required and can be
purchased at OutdoorNebraska.gov, from permit
vendors or upon entering the park.
After the Pink Pumpkin Walk, stay for the 2 p.m. pumpkin roll for all ages.
COURTESY OF JULIE BUSS
scattered along the route for about an eighth of a mile. They
are painted by the participating cancer organization and
decorated by Indian Cave staff; Alexander says it takes them
about two eight-hour days to create. Last year, they made
nearly 50 of these pumpkins.
After the walk, door prizes and raffle gifts are handed
out. The song “Rise Up” by Andra Day plays as Alexander
recognizes registered walkers with cancer, as well as those
who have recovered from cancer, with gifts.
The event is “really kind of emotional, even if you didn’t
have anybody touched by cancer and you were just there
watching it,” Alexander said.
She feels the Pink Pumpkin Walk is an important event to
host because of how prevalent cancer is: “If you haven’t had
cancer, typically you’re going to know somebody who has
had cancer,” she said.
“I think it’s a good thing for the families, because it gives
22
The Pink Pumpkin Walk in 2024
them support from other people,” Alexander added. “October
is a great time to be out here anyway, and enjoy the park.”
COURTESY OF COURTNEY HOLLIDAY
1949-2015
The Pink Pumpkin Walk
began in memory of Sharon
Holliday of Lincoln. Her son,
Kevin, wrote the following:
“Mom battled breast
cancer for quite some
time, which we all thought
she had beat. But it had
evidently spread to her
spinal fluid which was incurable.
bl
My mom was one of the most caring people I have
ever met. She would do anything for anyone. She
was a teacher at Northeast High School in Lincoln,
working in the family and consumer sciences
department. Many of her students today have
gone on to do great things because of her culinary
arts program at Northeast High.
Sharon raised five boys with our dad, Doc. We
were raised in the outdoors, fishing, hunting,
camping, boating, hiking, mushroom hunting, et
cetera. She instilled the love of the outdoors in her
kids and her grandchildren.
Mom loved Indian Cave State Park; she spent
many weekends there with her grandchildren.
She would be at most of the park’s annual events,
assisting in presenting for the Bluebirds Across
Nebraska organization.b
This event means a great deal to me and my
family. Every year I get to spend time with my
daughter in remembering her grandma — and
also being with so many different people who
have family that have gone through the same
experiences as I have. The people who are fighting
cancer now, the people who have beaten cancer
and the many we remember who have battled it.
We all come together on this special day, and some
day we hope there is a cure!”
See what’s for sale at the Jack-O’-Lantern Junk & Craft Market.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
Trick-or-Treat by the Buses.
TIM REIGERT, NEBRASKALAND
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
23
Outdoor Nebraska
By Renae Blum
Make time this month to experience the beauty of fall,
from changing leaves to hunting seasons, great fishing
opportunities and state park events. N
What To Do in October
Fish for largemouth
bass at interstate
lakesb
September to November | Central
Nebraska
Fall is one of the best times to catch big
bass, and one place they can be found is in
Nebraska’s interstate lakes — dozens of small
water bodies scattered along Interstate 80
from Grand Island to Sutherland. According
to Fisheries Biologist Daryl Bauer, they may
contain largemouth bass as large as 5 or 6
pounds this year. You can fish more than one
of these lakes in a day, so go explore. Find a
guide to the I-80 lakes on the Fishing Guides
and Reports page at OutdoorNebraska.gov.
BOB GRIER, NEBRASKALAND
Duck hunt the High Plains
Oct. 17 | Statewide
Experience the closest supermoon of the year. A “supermoon”
occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth at the same
time the moon is full. However, the sun will be shining directly
on this full moon, leaving no contrast or shadows, so the best
time for viewing is several days before the moon is full, says
Jim Kvasnicka of The Prairie Astronomy Club — anywhere
from Oct. 10-17. You can use binoculars, a telescope or your
naked eye. Kvasnicka advises using a lunar filter on telescopes
to reduce glare. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
Season dates vary by zone | Western Nebraska
Waterfowl hunting in Nebraska is almost a religion, and October sees the regular
season open in all four of the state’s duck zones. This month can be a great time
to witness the early migrating prairie ducks that can include gadwall, teal, ringnecks, wigeon and even some early mallards. Spending time scouting and finding
the hidden water holes is key this time of the year. A good number of camo-clad
hunters will make the pilgrimage to the High Plains area of western Nebraska each
year; Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area, with more than 6,100 acres, has room
to explore. Be aware of special boundaries and hunting areas that come into play in
November. JULIE GEISER, NEBRASKALAND
Experience Halloween
Haunt at Johnson Lake
Oct. 12, 1-7 p.m. | Johnson Lake State
Recreation Area
Enjoy Halloween fun of all kinds at a beautiful park.
Come to the Main Campground, where the afternoon
will kick off with kids’ games and pumpkin painting
from 1-4 p.m., followed by campsite trick-or-treating.
Be sure to participate in the campsite decorating
contest; judging will take place at 5 p.m. The evening
will wrap up with marshmallow roasting at 6 p.m.
The event is free, but a park entry permit is required.
ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
24
Nebraskaland • October 2024
View the full Hunter’s Moon
Attend the Wise and
Wild workshopb
Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. | James Family
Conservatory and Nature Center at Eugene
T. Mahoney State Park
This monthly workshop is designed for seniors
ages 55 and up who love the outdoors. In
October, the topic will be cooking with a Dutch
oven — a tried-and-true method that can yield
delicious results. Instructors will begin by sharing
pointers, and then lead the group through a
cooking demonstration on the patio, with time to
enjoy the finished recipe. This 60- to 90-minute
workshop is free to attend, but a park entry
permit is required. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
25
Becoming
a Snipe
Hunter
An Overlooked Game Bird
By Jeff Kurrus
L
ast year I had the good fortune
of seeing thousands of Canada
geese during a Platte River hunt. I
watched my son shoot his first
buck during the firearm season in Cass
County. I witnessed covey rises and
pheasant flushes. I watched the sun
rise on a Missouri River duck hunt,
and the sun set during more than one
raccoon hunt.
But the most memorable hunt, the
most absurd, is easily a Rainwater
Basin snipe hunt.
Day 1
It was never our plan to hunt snipes.
For many, this bird conjures thoughts
of flashlights, empty bags and
confused buddies. Even for our group,
the relationship with this bird was
sketchy at best.
My son and I were jump shooting
ducks in the Rainwater Basin, often
having a hard time finding birds
because of the dry conditions. On
many of our favorite areas, there was
just enough water for long-beaked
birds to dip into the shallow water next
to the mudflats, feeding on a variety
of insects and crustaceans, but not
enough to hold the number of ducks
we were wanting to sneak toward.
On one of these sites, duck numbers
26
Nebraskaland • October 2024
were down but there were a number
of birds working the area that we
thought were snipes. The long,
straight, dark bill is the bird’s most
recognizable characteristic, and we
could immediately see it in flight.
Unsure, we held our shots until we
could gather more information. So, on
the way home, I called a friend who I
knew would be open to any number
of hunting possibilities, common or
otherwise. I described the bird I was
seeing, and he told me I was looking at
common snipes.
A check of Nebraska’s hunting
regulations told me the common snipe
was a legal game bird. Because my
young son and I planned to go the next
day, and it looked as if he might get
some shooting in, I could hardly sleep
that night.
Day 2
We glassed the marsh from the road,
first checking for any ducks that might
have moved in. Quickly convinced this
had not occurred, we set our sights on
the long-beaked birds working the area
— acrobatically diving toward various
patches of water to drink and feed.
Then, for the next four hours, we
had the shoot of our lives. Well … at
least when we were quick enough to
Common Snipe (Gallinago
gallinago) at Kiowa Wildlife
Management Area in
Scotts Bluff County.
JON FARRAR, NEBRASKALAND
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
27
to be wondering if what we were doing
was even legal.
It is. Which is why we continued to
do what we were happy to do, hunt
for these challenging and tasty game
birds as they worked their way across
the marsh.
Then, as an added bonus, and
testament to the value of the
Rainwater Basin habitat, a lone
rooster pheasant took flight at our feet
while we looked for a downed snipe.
Minutes later, we were comparing
the size of each of them in our hands,
a spectacular conclusion to one of
our most memorable hunts ever.
Epilogue
A few days later, we returned to the
marsh, but the snipe had completely
disappeared, migrating through like
other bird species on their way south
for the winter.
Curious if we were alone in our snipe
pursuit, we researched this species and
found there was some interest in these
acrobatic fliers and fine dinner guests.
Suggestions echoed our findings.
Hunt with an open choke, such as
improved cylinder, and use No. 6 or 7
in steel or some other non-toxic loads.
The habitat was just as we had
found, shallow wetlands where the
birds could use their long beaks to hunt
while still standing on solid ground.
The last aspect remains the most
important of all: Be open to hunting
snipe. Yes, your friends are probably
going to make fun of you. Yes, you’re
probably going to question what’s
become of your life.
But, if you can ignore these factors
long enough to miss the first bird that
zooms past, you’ll be hooked.
You will become a sniper, too. N
HIP Number
The Migratory Bird Harvest
Information Program, or HIP, is
a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
program designed to measure
the harvest of migratory birds
for management purposes.
All migratory game bird
hunters must register annually
with the Migratory Bird
Harvest Information Program
in each state you hunt before
hunting ducks, geese, swans,
mergansers, coots, cranes,
snipe, doves or woodcock.
The phone number for the
Nebraska Harvest Information
Program is (877) 634-8687. You
can call Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for help
registering for a HIP number.
You can also register for HIP
online at OutdoorNebraska.
NE.gov/HIP 24 hours a day.
Three lesser yellowlegs, five stilt sandpipers, six killdeer, one short-billed dowitcher and two least sandpipers fly across a
Rainwater Basin wetland in York County. None of these birds are legal to shoot and are not easily identifiable from a distance.
Research is critical to common snipe hunting. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
pull the trigger as they flew by.
Common snipe is similar to a
mourning dove in size, and at times
rival these athletic fliers with their
constant maneuverability. When they
set their wings to land, they resemble
teal. Their wings cup suddenly, and
they turn on a dime as they dive to the
ground. If flushed from the ground,
they move away from the shooter
like a bobwhite. Their unbelievable
camouflage makes them nearly
impossible to see on the ground and
forces the shooter to stay at a constant
ready position when walking.
And don’t dare shoot more than one
on the rise: with their mottled brown
bodies, it’s hard enough to find one
downed bird in the marsh.
Taking on the traits of these various
28
Nebraskaland • October 2024
game birds, common snipe quickly
became one of the most challenging
birds we have ever hunted.
Then, after the hunt, came the final
test of the day. How would they be
on the dinner plate? Because of their
comparative size to dove, we first
attempted to clean them the same
way, breasting the birds with nothing
more than our bare hands.
However, after cracking a second
breastbone, which is less hardy than
a dove’s, we applied a pair of shears
to the birds the same way many do
when cleaning doves. The results were
excellent, with us having a pile of
breasted birds in minutes.
Lastly, we simply pan-fried the
breasts in butter, salt and pepper. We
wanted to taste these birds in their
simplest table fare form, and were not
disappointed. We devoured them and
readied ourselves for the morning.
Day 3
Because the birds work the marsh
throughout the day, there was no
reason to wake up early. With overcast,
but steady weather continuing, we
arrived at the wetland mid-morning,
pockets full of non-toxic shot in our
grasp, and went to work.
The birds in the area were wary,
having been shot at the day before,
but we were still able to pick up several
birds by day’s end. This prompted even
more of our snobby friends back home
to question what we were doing in the
first place. Another hunter watching
our shoot from his pickup truck seemed
A common snipe after a hunting trip in the Rainwater Basin.
October 2024 •
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
Nebraskaland
29
Nebraska’s
1898 World’s Fair
By David L. Bristow
Nebraska State Historical Society
M
ore than 2.6 million people
attended
the
TransMississippi and International
Exposition. Open from June
through October 1898, it was the
largest public event ever staged in
Omaha.
Inspired by Chicago’s 1893
Columbian Exposition, the event
was a huge financial gamble.
Planning began a few years
earlier during a severe economic
depression, prolonged drought and
crop failures. Omaha businessmen
prepared to risk large sums of money
to lure tourists to a city in which
some 5,000 houses stood empty.
Fortunately
the
economy
recovered by the time the gates
opened. Covering 184 acres, the
Exposition grounds featured a
Grand Court of white classicalstyle buildings housing displays of
technology, commerce, agriculture
and the arts.
The Grand Court was built around
a man-made lagoon nearly half a
mile in length, its waters adorned
More than 2.6 million people visited
the Exposition during its five-month
run. NSHS RG2752AM
30
Nebraskaland
• October 2024
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
31
Ticket for “Nebraska Day,” June 14, 1898.
NSHS 7999-34-B
with a large fountain encircling a statue of Neptune and
Venetian gondolas that carried passengers. Nearby, the
grounds also featured an Indian encampment, Buffalo Bill’s
Wild West show, and two midways complete with rides,
games, shows, restaurants and various concessions.
It was even more impressive at night when the newfangled
The Machinery and Electricity Building exhibited the latest
technology. NSHS RG2752-01-10-1
“Indian Day” parade, Aug. 4, 1898.
Grand Court lit by incandescent bulbs, looking northwest.
32
Nebraskaland
• October 2024
NSHS RG2752-1-11-1
electric lights came on. Visitors were awed by the fair’s
extensive use of outdoor incandescent lighting, with 14,000
light bulbs powered by a half-dozen steam generators.
Historian Amanda Johnson has argued that electric lighting
was as important to the Omaha fair as the Ferris wheel was to
Chicago’s Columbian Exposition. Both drew visitors and were
seen as symbols of modernity and technological prowess.
Even the fair’s pretentious name sent a message. Boosters
promoted it as a coming-of-age event not only for Omaha —
now a regional hub city and no longer a frontier town — but
also for the entire region west of the Mississippi River. And
since the fair took place during the Spanish-American War, it
coincided with America’s emergence as a rising international
power.
The fair’s “Indian Congress,” meanwhile, was meant to
represent the nation’s past. (It was a “congress” in the sense
of a large gathering of multiple tribes, rather than a political
body.) The Indian Wars were all but over, and the tribes were
restricted to reservations. Most Americans assumed the
Native population would continue its long decline, with the
remainder assimilated. When President William McKinley
visited the fair on Oct. 12, the Omaha Bee commented that he
led a nation that was “just commencing to play its great part
upon the stage of the universe,” and that he was “rendered
NSHS RG1739-0-3
honor by a thousand representatives of a passing civilization
that was in its way great.” Among the Native leaders greeting
McKinley was the famous Apache warrior Geronimo.
In the end, Native peoples and cultures proved far more
resilient. The fairgrounds, on the other hand, were temporary
by design. Made of plaster and lath, the fancy white buildings
were torn down within a few years, and the former Grand
Court became today’s Kountz Park. N
Visit the Nebraska State Historical Society’s website at
history.nebraska.gov.
Vendors sold souvenir 3D stereoview cards of the
Exposition. “Shooting the Chutes” was a popular ride
on the Midway. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
33
A Passion
for Regal
Fritillaries
and Violets
By Gerry Steinauer, Botanist
he regal fritillary is aptly
named. A glimpse of this large
butterfly, with its beautiful
reddish-orange wings ornately
spotted with white, black and blue,
effortlessly sailing above the prairie, is
indeed a regal sight.
Historically, the regal fritillary
occupied
grasslands
throughout
the northeastern and north-central
United States. Unfortunately, east
T
of Nebraska, regal populations have
crashed, and the species has been
extirpated from much of its former
range. However, in the Great Plains,
the butterfly has fared better, and this
region is the species’ last stronghold.
In Nebraska, the regal fritillary still
graces grasslands nearly statewide,
from the tallgrass prairie remnants
in the east to wet meadows in the
Sandhills and dry, mixed-grass plains
A regal fritillary delicately sips nectar from a common milkweed. The butterfly also favors nectar from
native thistles, coneflowers, gayfeathers, ironweeds and joe-pye weed. CHRIS HELZER, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
The deeply lobed leaves of prairie violets set them apart from most other violet
species native to Nebraska. GERRY STEINAUER, NEBRASKALAND
34
Nebraskaland • October 2024
of the Panhandle. Its local abundance
varies from common to rare, dependent
on habitat abundance and quality. The
loss of native grassland habitats is
largely responsible for the butterfly’s
range-wide decline. However, other
factors have also played a role,
including the fact that evolution has
painted the insect into a corner of
specialization.
Let me explain: Like many butterfly
species, regal fritillary caterpillars
have evolved to feed solely on a
specific group of plants — in this case,
violets. Unfortunately, in Nebraska
and elsewhere throughout the species’
range, native violets have greatly
declined in grasslands due to heavy
grazing, herbicide use and other
factors. As you can easily surmise, this
is bad news for the regal fritillary, as
its caterpillars cannot survive without
food.
This is where Sarah Bailey,
Conservation and Education Director
for the Prairie Plains Resource Institute
in Aurora, comes into play. For 14
years, she has been growing violets in
a greenhouse and transplanting them
into eastern Nebraska grasslands for
the benefit of regal fritillaries. This is
the story of the butterfly and Bailey’s
violet-growing efforts to help them.
Life Cycle
Like all butterflies, the regal
fritillary’s life history has four stages:
egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult.
Males emerge from the chrysalis in
mid-June, while the females emerge
one to two weeks later. The males
patiently perch on plants, waiting for
females to fly by, or actively fly about
prairies searching for females to mate
with. After mating, the no-longerneeded males soon die.
The eggs develop slowly within
the female and are not laid until late
summer or early fall. Females walk
about the thick prairie vegetation
laying over 2,000 eggs singly on
dead and living vegetation, including
violets if she happens upon them. The
eggs hatch in three to four weeks, and
without eating, the tiny hatchling
caterpillars immediately crawl down
into clumps of dried grass, where
they enter a period of suspended
development and overwinter.
October 2024 •
Nebraskaland
35
violets into grasslands during the
coolness of late September, allowing
the plants to avoid the stress of
summer’s heat, but giving their roots
time to take hold in the soil before
entering winter dormancy.
Bailey grows and transplants
between 1,500 and 2,000 violets
annually. The majority are prairie
violets, but she also grows other
violets regal fritillary caterpillars are
known to eat, including Missouri violet
(V. missouriensis), which is native to
eastern Nebraska wet meadows; lanceleaved violet (V. lanceolata), which
is native to northeastern Sandhills
wet meadows; and downy blue violet
(V. sororia), which is common in
grasslands and woodlands throughout
the state. Her violets have been
planted into prairie restorations and
Young prairie violets grow in tubes at the Prairie Plains Resource Institute greenhouse.
The warmth of spring propels the
caterpillars to emerge from hibernation
and begin feeding on tender, young
violet leaves. However, there is a catch:
The caterpillars can only detect violets
from about an inch away, and most
never find their first meal. By laying
2,000 eggs, females ensure that a few
lucky caterpillars will find violets and
survive.
In Nebraska, the caterpillars are
thought to feed mainly on prairie violet
(Viola pedatifida), a fairly common
species of higher-quality grasslands
in northern and eastern Nebraska, but
they also feed on a few other violet
species. Individual caterpillars feast
on several violet plants throughout
their slow development; therefore,
violets need to be present in sufficient
densities to support them. When
fully developed, caterpillars enter the
chrysalis stage in late spring, and the
life cycle begins again.
Violets to the Rescue
Sarah Bailey’s passion for regal
fritillaries and violets began the
summer after her freshman year at
36
Nebraskaland • October 2024
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in
2006. During an excursion to a prairie
near Lincoln to photograph wildflowers
and insects, she encountered her first
regal fritillary, became smitten and
began researching the species’ natural
history and dependence on violets.
She graduated in 2009 with a
degree in biology and environmental
studies. Serendipitously, soon after
her graduation, Prairie Plains received
a grant from the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission for regal fritillary
conservation. The funds were used to
build a greenhouse on their Gjerloff
Prairie in Hamilton County to grow
violets and other wildflowers, which
are favored by regal fritillaries as
nectar plants, for transplanting into
grasslands. They needed someone to
run the operation, and Bailey was the
perfect fit.
Before explaining Bailey’s method
of growing violets, it is important to
understand why Prairie Plains and
other conservation groups do not
simply harvest and sow violet seeds
into grasslands to enhance their
populations. Primarily, it is because
it is extremely difficult to find and
existing prairies throughout eastern
Nebraska.
Measuring Success
In September 2018, 300 of Bailey’s
prairie violets were planted into two
go-back prairies, long-abandoned farm
fields now mostly colonized by native
and non-native grasses, in Pawnee
County. They were planted in marked
rows with plants spaced a yard apart
to allow follow-up monitoring. Luckily,
a week of good rain followed.
The following spring, the plants
were counted, and beyond expectation,
93 percent survived through their
first winter. Bailey said that at most
transplant sites, 40 to 60 percent of
violets survive their first winter. Better
yet, at the go-back prairies and other
GERRY STEINAUER, NEBRASKALAND
collect sufficient quantities of the
small and scattered violet seed pods
in grasslands. Also, once ripe, the
pods immediately burst open, ejecting
the tiny seeds onto the soil and out
of reach of the already frustrated
collectors’ grasp.
Soon after being hired, Bailey began
digging mature violets from prairies
and transplanting them into large
pots in the greenhouse. Her intent was
to use the seeds produced by these
violets to start new plants in grow
tubes. The mature violets bloomed
the following spring and formed seed
pods, but there was a problem: The
bursting pods scattered the seeds
across the greenhouse floor before
Bailey could harvest them. The next
year, she innovated by placing window
screens over the pots so that when the
pods burst, the seeds bounced off the
screens and onto the bare soil in the
pots.
These seeds germinated en masse in
the pots late the following winter, and
Bailey then meticulously transplanted
each tiny seedling into its own grow
tube where they matured over the
summer. She transplants the young
Sarah Bailey poses for a photo before planting prairie violets in a grazed mixedgrass prairie on the Sherman Ranch in Hamilton. GERRY STEINAUER, NEBRASKALAND
A regal fritillary caterpillar feeds on a
prairie violet.
SARAH BAILEY, PRAIRIE PLAINS RESOURCE INSTITUTE
transplant sites, new violet plants are
now becoming established from the
originals via seed or rhizomes, shallow
underground stems with buds.
Transplants and wild violets need
energy and require full exposure to the
sun in spring for leaf growth, flowering
and seed set. If shaded by tall grass or
thick thatch during this critical time,
they will not reproduce and may not
even survive. The go-back prairies are
managed with grazing, which limits
both grass growth and thatch. Welltimed haying and prescribed fire can
also achieve the same result. Proper
grassland management at transplant
sites is crucial to sustain violets and
a variety of other wildflowers adult
regal fritillaries need for food.
Bailey admits that the return on
investment of her violet transplants
for regal fritillaries is still unknown,
and true success will only be realized
when the transplant site’s violet
population can sustain the butterfly’s
caterpillars.
Unfortunately,
the
caterpillars are extremely hard to find;
after years of searching, Bailey has
encountered only one, complicating
the measuring of success. While the
long-term effects of her work are still
being evaluated, she will continue to
grow violets and learn. It’s the passion
and knowledge of people like Bailey
that drives conservation. N
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ENDANGERED SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
The Mountain Plover
By Ruby Rolland, Environmental Specialist, NGPC
Nebraska’s List
Threatened Species
Eastern Black Rail
Piping Plover
Rufa Red Knot
Thick-billed Longspur
Mountain Plover
Southern Flying Squirrel
Lake Sturgeon
Northern Redbelly Dace
Finescale Dace
American Burying Beetle
Timber Rattlesnake
Western Massasauga
Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
Ute Ladies’-tresses
American Ginseng
Small White Lady’s Slipper
Endangered Species
Eskimo Curlew
Whooping Crane
Interior Least Tern
Black-footed Ferret
Swift Fox
Gray Wolf
Northern Long-eared Bat
Pallid Sturgeon
Topeka Shiner
Sturgeon Chub
Blacknose Shiner
Salt Creek Tiger Beetle
Scaleshell Mussel
Blowout Penstemon
Colorado Butterfly Plant
Saltwort
Mountain plover on a nest.
ROB PALMER, ROB@FALCONPHOTOS.COM
Nebraska lists 32 species of
plants and animals as threatened or
endangered. The mountain plover
(Charadrius montanus) is a migratory
bird listed as threatened in Nebraska
and is found in Banner, Cheyenne and
Kimball counties during the nesting
season.
Despite its misleading name, the
mountain plover is not a mountainloving bird. In Nebraska, these drabcolored plovers historically preferred
to nest and raise their chicks in heavily
grazed or disturbed shortgrass prairies
in areas with bare ground — think of
prairies burned by raging wildfires,
grazed by massive bison herds and
sprawling with prairie dog towns.
Today, much of these “classic”
western ecosystems within the
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mountain plover’s Nebraska range
have been lost or converted to
agriculture, so these birds are often
found nesting in rangeland, fields left
fallow or newly planted with millet
and wheat. The loss of nesting habitat
is the greatest threat to mountain
plover survival.
Nesting season for Nebraska’s
mountain plovers lasts from March
until August. After courtship and
mating, these plovers lay their
camouflaged eggs directly on the
ground in a “bowl” they scrape into
the dirt. The birds and nests blend in
masterfully, but are still susceptible to
predation, as well as being crushed by
grazing cattle or farm equipment.
Currently, the Nebraska Prairie
Partners work with landowners in
mountain plover habitat to provide
bird-friendly management practices
and assist producers with flagging
plover nests ahead of planting and
harvest to prevent loss.
Surviving nests produce small,
speckled chicks that hatch after 30
days and are on their feet and feeding
themselves within hours. Another
30 days and chicks are fully grown,
independent and able to fly.
Around August, most mountain
plovers leave Nebraska and begin their
migration to the deserts of California
and other western states to spend the
winter.
For more information on Nebraska’s
threatened and endangered species, visit
OutdoorNebraska.gov.
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DOG AILMENTS AND TREATMENTS
By Todd Mills
After a recent waterfowl hunt, I found a puncture wound
on my dog’s paw. I noticed she was limping a little, but I
didn’t take the time to inspect. The next day, her foot swelled
and was infected. Not only was it a costly vet bill, but she
wasn’t able to hunt for almost a month.
“Some of the most common injuries I see in hunting dogs
are lacerations, cuts and puncture wounds,” said veterinarian
Donna Mertz, who has been a source of great comfort for me
and my hunting dogs through the years.
Here are a few tips to help keep your hunting partner
healthy and safe.
Post Hunt Inspection
After spending time in the field or blind, thoroughly
inspect your dog. Check their eyes and feet, as seeds, dust
and abrasion from grass can cause serious damage. Carry
saline solution and make sure to rinse out their eyes after
every hunt.
Inspect their feet and underbelly for any cuts or puncture
wounds. Clean any cuts you observe with clean water and
remove dirt and debris, and if needed, cover the wound with
a sterile dressing.
First Aid Kit
Have a kit handy at all times, and in multiple places if
possible — one in your vehicle and a lighter kit for carrying
into the field. A few other items that can help in emergency
situations include super glue for cuts, duct tape, Vetbond
tissue adhesive, sterile saline eyewash and wound spray.
Carry an emergency card with the dog’s pertinent
information, including your name and address, and do
research on the closest veterinary office if you’re going out
of town. Do not give your dog Tylenol or ibuprofen or use
hydrogen peroxide on wounds.
When in doubt, get it checked out.
Extreme Temperatures
In 2003, a heat wave hit South Dakota during the
opening weekend of pheasant season. With temperatures
into the mid- to upper 90s, it was estimated over 100 dogs
died due to heat-related causes. Although this was a rare
circumstance, heat can be fatal to your dog if you don’t take
precautions.
Each one of my hunting dogs has handled heat differently, so
recognizing the signs early and knowing your dog’s tolerance
is critical. Excessive
panting, dry pale
gums,
restlessness
and difficulty walking
are all signs your
dog is overheating.
Immediately
take
them to a cooler
area, and lower their
body temperature by
getting them in cool
water.
During and after
every
hunt,
pay
attention for signs
of injury or distress
in your dog. Don’t
let a bad situation
get worse. Not only
will this minimize
the possibility of a
large vet bill, it will
also ensure your
hunting partner will
be around for many
years to come.
Carry saline solution and make sure to rinse out your dog’s eyes after every hunt. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
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CAMPFIRES, COSTUMES AND CREATURES
By Renae Blum
up for the costume contest; kids, adults and pets can join in
the fun. As you enjoy the afternoon, munch on s’mores and
sip hot apple cider.
Combine everything you love about Halloween — dressing
up, pumpkins, candy and spooky fun — with the beauty of a
Nebraska state park, and you have these eight events. Nearly all
are free; you just need a park entry permit to get in. Learn more
and see additional events at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.
Children compete in a costume contest at Ash Hollow State
Historical Park in Garden County. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
a pumpkin and playing kids’ games. Take in all the fun
costumes as kids go trick-or-treating at the campsites. The
day concludes with judging of the campsite decorating
contest and marshmallow roasting.
Halloween campsite decorating contest and trick-or-treating
at Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
by trick-or-treating at the campsites. As darkness falls, take
a hayrack ride through the haunted trail. Purchase tickets
starting Sept. 16 by calling the office at 402-783-3400. Other
activities include pumpkin carving, a pumpkin roll and
costume contest.
Indian Cave State Park
Oct. 11-12, 19, 26; times vary
Treat yourself to a smorgasbord of Halloween fun. The
park’s 29th annual Haunted Hollow event kicks off with
trick-or-treating along decorated trails at the old town of St.
Deroin. The following dates include a pumpkin roll, haunted
hayrack rides and campsite decorating contest. Oct. 19
features a junk and craft market, a walk raising funds for
local cancer organizations and Trick-or-Treat by the Buses,
starring Volkswagen buses.
Campsite decorating contest during the annual Haunted
Hollow event at Indian Cave State Park. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
Ash Hollow State Historical Park
Oct. 19, 1-6 p.m. MT
Get ready to have fun at this Halloween celebration for all
ages. Bring your best costume for the costume contest and
enjoy some trunk-or-treating. Kids can saddle up for pony
rides and play kids’ games, while individuals and families
can also sample the food vendors and compete in skill games.
Johnson Lake State Recreation Area
Branched Oak State Recreation Area
Oct. 19, 3:30-9 p.m.
Got some eerie campsite decorations up your sleeve?
Show them off in a campsite decorating contest, followed
Visitors inspect pumpkins on display at the annual Pumpkin
Carving Festival at Calamus Reservoir SRA in Loup and
Garfield counties. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
Young and old enjoy the pumpkin rolling contest during
Hallowfest at Ponca State Park. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
Oct. 12, 1-7 p.m.
Johnson Lake’s Halloween Haunt returns with plenty
to enjoy. Start off by painting your Halloween vision on
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
Saturdays and Sundays in October, 12-6 p.m.
Purchase admission to this event and enjoy activities for
all ages, from horseback riding to ax throwing, a petting zoo
and zipline. Plenty of experiential activities are available
as well, including a giant hay slide, inflatable corn maze,
pumpkin bounce pad and corn cannon. If you get hungry,
concessions will be available, too.
Children in the costume parade at Eugene T. Mahoney State
Park near Ashland. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
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Red Willow State Recreation Area
Oct. 25-27
Know someone good with a paintbrush? Kids ages 14 and
younger are invited to bring their artistic skills and compete
in a pumpkin-painting contest. Those with an eye for festive
décor can compete in a camper/campsite decorating contest.
Make sure to bring some candy, as the event also features
camper-to-camper trick-or-treating.
Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area
Enders State Recreation Area
Oct. 26, 2-6 p.m. MT
Old-fashioned Halloween fun is on deck at Enders, such as
pumpkin carving, hayrack rides and trunk-or-treating. Dress
Visitors trick-or-treat in the Middle Oak Creek Campground
during the annual Spooktacular event at Branched Oak
State Recreation Area. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
Craft market at Indian Cave during the Pink Pumpkin Walk
event. RENAE BLUM, NEBRASKALAND
Oct. 19, 7-8 p.m. and 8-9 p.m.
Curious about the wild things that go bump in the night?
Experience the Wildcat Hills at night during the Howl in the
Hills Night Hike. This guided hike will be a little over half a
mile long on uneven terrain. Please bring a flashlight, hiking
shoes and a sense of adventure. Two hikes are available, with
a limit of 25 participants per hike. Pre-register before Oct. 9 at
Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.
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REPORTING GAME VIOLATIONS CAN MAKE A CASE
By Eric Fowler
violators arrived while we were loading gear into our trucks.
When we asked them if they knew what shooting hours were,
they said 30 minutes after sunset. That works for pheasants
and deer, we told them, but not waterfowl. They played
dumb, but with the gear they had, we knew these weren’t
rookies who had made an honest mistake.
The next day, the conservation officer I had texted got back
to me. I shared the other hunter’s contact info. She passed on
that information to fellow officer Curt Prohaska, who called
me soon after and got my side of the story. By the end of
the day, Prohaska had talked to the other witness, watched
the video and contacted the violators at their homes. When
presented with the evidence, they confessed, were cited for
shooting game after hours and surrendered the goose they
had shot.
The moral of this story is: Don’t be dumb. Not like the
hunters who blatantly violated the law with people around
to witness it. Or like me and think officers won’t be able to
catch up with the bad guys.
“We’re not always going to be at the places where the
violation takes place,” Prohaska said. “However, it’s the
public’s eyes and ears that help us in our job.”
Prohaska said witnessing a violation can leave people
asking, “Is this really happening?” and “Is there anything I
can do about this?”
“There is,” he said. “Give us a call, and we’ll take it from
there.”
First, get every detail you can: the time and
place, description of the violator, their license
plate number, and, if you are able, photos or
video. Nearly everyone carries a camera on
their phone, and when confronted with that
type of evidence, perpetrators are often quick to
say, “You got me.”
A list of conservation officers can be found
at OutdoorNebraska.gov (search “conservation
officers”), in all of the hunting and fishing
guides and on page 6 of this magazine.
There are good reasons for every game law on
the books, be it size limits on walleyes, bag limits
on pheasants or shooting hours. I can attest to
the reasoning for the latter, as there were many
times while I was hip-deep in a farm pond
picking up goose decoys after a day’s hunt and
had geese almost land next to me. It’s too easy.
Not every case can be this easy for
Whether they roost on open water or ice, Canada geese often return after
conservation officers, but they won’t close any
sunset. The birds can be easy to decoy at this time, one of the reasons
cases you don’t report.
shooting hours end when the sun goes down. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
I’ve witnessed a few game violations that I haven’t
reported during my years in the field. For whatever reason,
the idea got stuck in my head that by the time a conservation
officer could get there, the perpetrators would be gone, and
what could they do then?
Considering I work for the same joint that employs the
folks who enforce the game laws, I should know better. They
can do a lot.
Last February, while ice fishing with friends at one of the
Salt Valley Lakes, we watched some hunters shoot geese
after shooting hours had ended. I guess I should say we heard
them shoot, since it was too dark to see much by the time
it happened. This wasn’t a case of their watch being a few
minutes off. It was 20 minutes after legal shooting hours.
They took a crack at another group 10 minutes later.
I texted a conservation officer I had in the contacts in my
phone. Soon after I did, another goose hunter, who had set
up decoys on the ice on a different part of the lake, and had
them packed up when he should have, walked across the ice
to discuss the same question we had.
He was going to report the violation and wanted to know
which vehicles in the lot were ours. Through the process
of elimination, we determined the plate number of the
perpetrators. Since I’d already contacted an officer, the hunter
shared his contact info, and let me know he had a video of the
violation.
We packed up our gear and headed to the ramp. The
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PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST
Pheasant hunting near Lyman, 1970
Sometime around 1970. Lyman, Nebraska. From left: brothers Bruce and Brad; my dad, Bob Bode; brother Barry and me. A
good haul of pheasants and a Canada goose. In western Nebraska in the ’70s, a goose was a real prize. Great hunting in those
days — lots of weeds, sugarbeet fields and standing corn.
– Brian Bode, Kansas City, Missouri
Catfishing at Logan Creek, 1974
Taken in Bancroft likely summer 1974 after a
good channel cat wading session in Logan Creek
(the Dredge). Randy Schilling (right) married
Gail Brandes (center) and went on to his career
with the Game Commission in Plattsmouth.
Brother Bill Schilling (15 here) is now retired in
Ohio, wading for smallmouth and an occasional
cat. In the ’70s, we waded and cast minnows
or crawdads, with a small splitshot, for great
success at dusk and into the night.
– Bill Schilling, Oxford, Ohio
Fishing at Dewey Lake, 1989
This photo of me was taken in 1989 on Dewey Lake by my fishing partner, Doug King. He, Dennis Galyardt and I each
caught northern pike of this size using fly rods and fishing out of float tubes. The fish in the picture was caught on a deer hair
mouse that was retrieved through the reeds. A trip to the Valentine Refuge lakes was an annual event in those days and many
good memories were made.
– Tip Spencer, La Vista
Attention Nebraskaland Subscribers
We are quickly running out of submissions for “Portraits from the Past.”
If you send us yours, we may be able to get it into an upcoming issue
relatively soon (first-come, first-served).
Send your originals (or good reproductions) to the address below,
and we will be sure to return them.
If e-mailing pictures, please send JPEGs scanned at 100 percent original size,
at a high resolution (i.e. 300 dpi) to tim.reigert@nebraska.gov. Call (402) 4714595 if you have questions. Please include a story about the photograph,
identifying people, places and approximate date the photo was taken.
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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THE LAST STOP
This looks like a lot. There’s even more happening than you might guess. CHRIS HELZER
GARAGE CARNAGE
By Chris Helzer
Nature isn’t always for the faint of heart, but it is
consistently fascinating. For example, take the gruesome
scene I found playing out on the siding of my garage last
fall. A green caterpillar was thrashing about while numerous
larvae were crawling out of its body. The scene was being
observed by several small wasps.
Fortunately, with the help of friends — especially Dr.
Enakshi Ghosh of Colorado State University — I can explain
the scene to you. The caterpillar was a larva of a cabbage
white butterfly, an invasive species from Europe. The
emerging larvae were the offspring of a European parasitoid
wasp introduced to North America to help suppress
populations of the butterfly. Adults of that wasp species
find caterpillars by following the scent plants release as a
response to the caterpillar’s feeding activity. When a wasp
finds a caterpillar, she inserts her ovipositor (a skinny tube
eggs feed through) into it and lays up to 30 eggs inside the
hapless creature.
Just to punch up the story a little, the wasp also introduces
a virus into the caterpillar that takes over its brain and keeps
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it alive and moving, even as its innards are consumed by the
wasp’s kids. That turns the caterpillar into a kind of guardian
for the larvae inside it by repelling “hyperparasitoids,” which
are wasps that try to lay eggs on the larvae of parasitoid
wasps. I know, right?
Anyway, what I was seeing was wasp larvae exiting the
caterpillar and immediately spinning yellow fuzzy cocoons,
inside which they’d pupate and become adults. The larvae
were probably the babies of the initial parasitoid wasp, but
they might also have been the young of a second wasp that
laid eggs on the larvae of the first. It’s all very complicated.
Oh, and those small wasps hanging around while all this
happened were yet another species of hyperparasitoids.
They were waiting to lay eggs on the wasp cocoons as soon
as they were created. As a result, when I checked back a few
weeks later and found empty cocoons, I didn’t know what
species had emerged from them. It might have been a wasp
that laid eggs on the caterpillar, a wasp that laid eggs on
those eggs, or a wasp that laid eggs in the cocoons of either
of those others. Happy Halloween.
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