Chronic wasting disease surveillance conducted in southwestern Nebraska during the November and December deer seasons detected 197 positive cases in deer.

In the Buffalo, Republican, Platte and Frenchman management units 785 samples were collected for testing. CWD was detected for the first time in Logan, Kearney and Nuckolls counties.

Hunters looking to view 2025 CWD results, identified by harvest seal number and year, can find them at OutdoorNebraska.gov; search for “CWD.”

CWD surveillance in Nebraska is implemented in four to seven units each year, rotating to a different part of the state. New this year, hunters were able to request mail-in sampling kits; as kits were available for hunters through Dec. 31 final CWD counts may slightly vary.

Since 1997, Nebraska Game and Parks has tested more than 58,000 deer and 400 elk, with more than 1,500 deer and 30 elk testing positive for CWD to date. CWD has been detected in free-ranging deer or elk in 71 counties.

The disease was first discovered in Colorado in 1967 and in Nebraska in 2000 in Kimball County. To date, it has been detected in 36 states.

CWD is caused by a misfolded, infectious protein, known as a prion, which ultimately kills the brain cells of infected deer, elk and moose. While it is always fatal to the infected animal, animals can appear healthy while shedding the prion prior to the final stages of the disease when they become debilitated and die.

While CWD has not been reported in humans, it is related to another prion disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, which can cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For this reason, public health officials recommend taking precautions when handling or processing a harvest or tools used during the butchering process. They also recommend avoiding consumption of meat from deer and elk that look sick or that test positive for CWD.

Learn more about the disease, recommended precautions to take, or Game and Parks’ Chronic Wasting Disease Management Plan at OutdoorNebraska.gov.

Permission available for Box Butte WMA firewood collection

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is opening parts of Box Butte Wildlife Management Area to firewood collection for those who obtain permission.

Non-commercial firewood users who receive permission may cut and collect any fallen dead timber in specific areas of the property north of Hemingford from Feb. 1 to March 10. Those with an approved authorization form will receive a map of areas open for harvest and vehicle access, and will be urged to use safe practices while cutting.

Firewood harvest aids in Game and Parks’ management of areas at Box Butte subject to excessive down timber from cottonwoods, willows and other hardwoods along the fluctuating shoreline each year. The logs and branches become a hazard to boats when the reservoir's water levels rise in spring.

The free authorization form may be obtained by contacting Hunter Baillie, Game and Parks district wildlife manager, or Nate Rau, wildlife biologist, at 308-763-2940, or by stopping by the Game and Parks Commission’s northwestern district office, 1317 West Third Street, in Alliance.

Commissioners to consider funding for community outdoor projects

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider awarding funds for community outdoor projects when it meets Jan. 23 in Lincoln.

Commissioners will consider staff recommendations to approve grants for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Stateside Assistance Program and outdoor trail projects for federal funding through the Recreational Trails Program.

The meeting will start at 8 a.m. at Commission headquarters, 2200 N. 33rd St.

Also on the agenda are staff recommendations that the Commission:

  • approve and adopt the 2026-2028 Focus on the Future Strategic Plan;
  • approve an increase to the Cash Change Funds to assist with park operations, activities and events;
  • approve a permanent easement request from Dawson Public Power District for installation of an overhead power line at Cozad Wildlife Management Area in Dawson County; and
  • approve a right-of-way easement request from Omaha Public Power District for construction that falls outside the easement established in March 2025 for overhead power lines at Louisville State Recreation Area in Cass County.

Wildlife staff will give reports on depredation from 2025 and chronic wasting disease results from the November Firearm deer season.

There also will be a presentation on employee recognition awards, a preview of agency priority messages for 2026 and a look back at five years of Reptile Month in Nebraska.

A presentation will be given about the Nebraska conservation officers’ 125th anniversary in 2026 and the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association conference they will host to celebrate it.

Commissioners also will elect officers for the year.

To view a complete agenda, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for “public notices.” To view proposed changes to Commission regulations and orders, search for “regulations.”

 

Catch these Game and Parks education events in February

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators have scheduled interesting and engaging events for the curious in February.

Full Moon Winter Wetland Walk

Celebrate World Wetlands Day with a winter hike at Frank Shoemaker Marsh north of Lincoln on Feb. 1.

Participate in the free Full Moon Winter Wetland Walk from 4:45 to 6:15 p.m. and connect with nature through a guided hike, with prompts to reflect by creating sketches and writings while observing the full moon. Experts will be available to educate about wetland ecology.

Art materials and paper will be available, though participants may bring their own.

There will be about 30 minutes of walking in 10-minute intervals on unpaved trails. There are no restrooms. Parking space is limited, so carpooling is encouraged.

See the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for more information and to register, which is encouraged. Direct questions to ly.graff@nebraska.gov.

Discover ‘Science of’ squirrels

Explore the squirrel species found in Nebraska and what they eat, how they survive winter, and the roles they play in our ecosystems as Nebraska Game and Parks’ popular “Science of” virtual webinar series returns.

On Feb. 12, learn the science behind squirrel behavior, from how they communicate and navigate to the ways they store food and build nests. 

In this series, on select Thursdays at 3 p.m. Central time, Game and Parks educators discuss some of the science behind common things regarding nature and animals.

The hourlong webinars are free, but separate registration is required for each. See the calendar event entries at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for registration links.