Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Preliminary results from the 2024 Nebraska November firearm deer season show statewide harvest was down 2% from 2023 and down 24% from the 2019-2023 average. This was more successful than expected for the Nov. 16-24 season as November firearm permit quotas were reduced 13% from 2023 in response to declining deer populations. Mule deer buck harvest increased 9% from 2023, while whitetail buck harvest fell 2%. Antlerless mule deer harvest declined 10% from 2023, while antlerless whitetail increased 2%. All harvest levels are down significantly...
Starting this fall, hunters have the option to electronically report their November firearm deer season harvest or take their deer to a check station. While checking in deer is mandatory, hunters may choose to check in their deer at a check station or through Telecheck for the first time this nine-day firearm season. In the past, hunters were required to take their harvest to a physical check station during the firearm season while deer harvests during the remainder of the year were reported...
As we move into fall harvest, a large percentage of Nebraska is in moderate to exceptional drought conditions. Fire is of high concern due to weather conditions conducive for fires to move quickly throughout the landscape. Beyond conducive weather conditions, equipment has changed dramatically over the last couple of decades. Compared to older machines, today’s equipment is bigger, more complex, and carries more oil and fuel. On combines, shields, panels and fuel tanks used to be made out of metal but are now mostly synthetic, which can easily...
As perennial flowers bloom out during their season and others wait their turn, there are blooming annuals for a quick glimpse of color. Even then, there are times when looking out my kitchen window that the greens in the garden take front stage. I’ve just trimmed the spent iris and peony pods. Looking out my window the hostas are well leafed out. I’m a hosta fan and I’m fortunate I have shade for them. There is a variety of them in the flower garden and they put on quite a show. I don’t know th...
I’m anxious these days to get in my vehicle and drive. It’s time to stop looking out my kitchen window and look upwards at all the beautiful fall trees with leaves of golds and reds. Taking a drive with my husband, I was treated to a spectacular show of Mother Nature’s painting skills. In my area of Northeast Nebraska the trees are dotting the landscape in gold, burgundy and deep red. Along a mile stretch of a country road, three acreage driveways and groves are filled with trees that are flood...
Hunters may begin purchasing unlimited quota Nebraska deer and antelope permits July 10. Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may purchase permits through the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, starting at 1 p.m. Central time. Unlimited quota deer permits are resident statewide archery, resident statewide muzzleloader, youth, youth whitetail, nonresident restricted youth, limited landowner and special landowner. Unlimited quota antelope permits are resident statewide archery and youth archery. The remaining purchase periods are:...
With Nebraska’s permit quotas reduced for the upcoming deer seasons, hunters may find tags easily obtained in the past will be in limited supply. Hunters can help improve chances of getting a permit by applying during the respective periods in June and July. Changes to permit quotas are driven by changes in the field, notably a severe decline in deer harvest last year. The 2022 deer harvest was down 11% statewide from 2021 and down 22% from 2020. Mule deer buck harvest was the lowest since 1981 and whitetail buck harvest was the lowest since 1...
Spring is finally here in the Northern Plains and summer feels just around the corner. As all we Northerners know, as soon as the temperatures hit even a mild degree on the thermometer, most of us shed the jackets and long pants and our skin is front-and-center. The sunny season is prime season for mosquitoes and ticks, along with the itchy bites and all the unpleasant infections they can carry. Different species of mosquitoes and ticks can transmit different bacteria and viruses and, around...
Jericho D. Neal, 24, of Atkinson faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill on Jan. 10 to be sentenced for several crimes committed last spring - including Count II, a Class 1 misdemeanor, procuring alcohol to a minor; three Class 3 misdemeanors, Count IV, possession/discharge illegal fireworks, Count V, shooting highway signs, Count VI, shooting wildlife from highway; and Count VII, an infraction, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Burdick sentenced Neal to a 12-month term of probation, including $...
A spark. That’s all it takes to ignite a wildfire. With the pheasant and rifle deer season openers rapidly approaching, hunters are reminded to act responsibly in the field and to do their part in the prevention of wildfires. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln drought monitor, 80% of the state is experiencing severe to exceptional drought conditions. These prolonged conditions have increased the risk of wildfires across much of the state, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges hunters to take the following precautions: R...
Recently our family went on a camping trip. Our kids loved how we canoed our supplies across a lake and set up our campsite. My wife and I were reminded how much work it is. Soon our children were experiencing more mosquitos, flies, caterpillars and ticks than they had ever seen before. On one of our lovely hikes, nearly every time I looked down, I found another tick crawling on my shoe or leg. Ticks love tall grass, wooded areas and other moist and humid environments often close to the ground....
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over the Antelope County court in the Neligh courtroom last Wednesday, with a light criminal docket. Cases ranged from a hunting violation and driving offenses to accumulating junk. But one defendant left the courtroom after paying a fine, to meet an officer waiting with handcuffs and warrant in hand. Connor A. Napier, 20, of Orchard appeared for arraignment on two counts, shooting wildlife from the roadway and violating deer regulations. Napier waived his right to counsel and initially pleaded guilty to...
At 5:30 a.m., Saturday, 10-year-old Brogan Billings and dad, Chad, of Orchard, headed to a secluded spot, a.k.a. his grandparents' cabin, north of town. Here, father and son awaited daybreak and an opportunity to bring home a prize on the opening day of Nebraska's firearm deer season. With a trusty .22-250 in one hand and a 4x4 buck in sight, the younger Billings practiced patience. Ready. Aim. Pull the trigger. Excitement, first. Then, bring on the hunt. "We had to chase after it," Billings...
Hunters taking to the field for the November firearm deer season will have bagging a deer on their minds. Safety should be uppermost on their minds. Deer hunters always should heed the following tips from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission during the season: • Keep the rifle’s muzzle pointed in a safe direction, with the safety on, and finger off the trigger until ready to fire. • Properly identify the target and what lies beyond it before pulling the trigger and never shoot at sounds or movement. • Wear blaze orange. All deer hunters...
Looking out my kitchen window, my eyes seem to travel to plants and blooms in the tones of orange, rust and burgundy. It's October and I just can't get enough of the warm colors of fall. Even the kitten that plays in the flower garden has orange in its calico-colored fur. We know the weather is going to get cooler, but somehow we are never ready for the chill and then the freeze that ends our growing season. I'm not sure just why the flower colors are so much brighter preceding a frost, but...
Larry and Tamra Ziems are crazy about growing pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. The rural Ewing couple own CraZ Pumpkins, which has seasonal stands in Ewing and Clearwater, with pumpkins and gourds for sale. "Larry's been growing a few pumpkins for several years," Tamra said. "Then when I moved up here after we were married in 2012, we had a couple really good years and we had a few extras. And I said, 'It was sad we couldn't share these with more people.'" That led Larry and Tamra to put up a...
Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, in Cherry County, will conduct a limited draw for all muzzleloader deer hunting in 2020. The draw is offered in response to public comments received during a hunting and fishing program review that expressed concern over hunting pressure during previous seasons. Twelve muzzleloader hunting permits will be issued for each of the following dates: • Nov. 14 - 22 • Dec. 1 - 8 • Dec 9 - 16 • Dec. 17 - 24 • Dec. 24-31. Applications opened Aug. 15 and will continue until Sept. 15 at 4:30 p.m., CDT. Permit ap...
Last year, I introduced and prioritized LB 243, which created the Healthy Soils Task Force. Since the bill’s passage last April, the governor has appointed 14 members to the task force, representing production agriculture, agribusiness, natural resource districts, environmental organizations and academic experts in the fields of agriculture and natural resources. In addition, the director of the department of agriculture serves on the task force, along with representatives of the Agriculture C...
Nebraska's firearm deer season begins Nov. 16 and contines through Nov. 24, giving individuals an opportunity to share a hunt with family or friends. "We should have another great firearm deer season in Nebraska," said Luke Meduna, big game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. "With plenty of permits available and excellent deer numbers, there are great hunting opportunities for all ages. Go out with your friends and family and stay safe." The Commission has the following...
