Nebraska wildlife officials say conditions throughout much of the state are suitable for the spread of deadly viral diseases among big game populations. They are asking the public to report unexplained death or illnesses of deer, pronghorn, elk and bighorn sheep.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, often causes high fever, internal bleeding, swelling, lesions, lethargy, increased heart rate, dehydration, salivation, incoordination and loss of fear of humans. The symptoms and spread are similar to bluetongue disease, another disorder that can kill certain wildlife and domestic livestock.

Both are labeled hemorrhagic diseases and are indistinguishable without laboratory analysis. While the diseases do not affect humans, they can be destructive to big game populations.

The diseases are most prevalent in late summer until the first frost. For both EHD and bluetongue, certain tiny midges or gnats bite a host and move the virus to nearby animals. When animals congregate at water during drought, the insects have potential to spread the virus to more animals. Additionally, infected animals often seek water for relief and die in or near it.

The latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor dated Sept. 29 shows conditions throughout the entire state range from abnormally dry to exceptional drought. Drought conditions are most severe in the state’s southwestern and northeastern regions.

Observations of unhealthy big game animals or unexplained deaths should be reported to the nearest Nebraska Game and Parks Commission office. Locations include Alliance, Bassett, Kearney, Gretna, North Platte, Lincoln, Omaha and Norfolk. Contact information may be found at OutdoorNebraska.gov/Locations.

For more information on EHD and bluetonge, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/EHD. For more information on wildlife diseases, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/WildlifeDiseases.

Special deer hunts at Mahoney SP, Platte River SP, Schramm Park SRA

Hunters will have a chance to pursue deer at three state park areas along the lower Platte River this fall and winter.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering special antlerless deer hunting opportunities within Eugene T. Mahoney and Platte River state parks and Schramm Park State Recreation Area.

Successful applicants will be issued a special access permit that allows them to hunt antlerless deer in designated areas of a park on certain dates, using specific equipment. Successful applicants and interested alternates must attend an orientation session before receiving the access permit.

Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted through 5 p.m. Oct. 31. If more applications are received than can be accommodated, a drawing will be held Nov. 4.

Hunters may obtain an application at OutdoorNebraska.org or by calling Mahoney SP at 402-944-2523, ext. 7122, Platte River SP at 402-234-2217, Schramm Education Center at 402-332-3901, or the Southeast District Game and Parks office at 402-471-5431. Individual, mentor and buddy applications are available.

Legal equipment at Mahoney and Platte River state parks are archery and muzzleloaders. The legal equipment at Schramm Park SRA is archery.

Hunters must have an appropriate deer permit, habitat stamp, and access permit. Each vehicle entering the parks must have a park entry permit. The following are the hunting opportunities, with park, legal equipment and dates:

  • Mahoney SP and Platte River SP, archery, Nov. 28-Dec. 1, Dec. 5-8, Dec. 12-15, and Dec. 19-22
  • Mahoney SP and Platte River SP, muzzleloader, Jan. 2-5 and Jan. 9-12
  • Schramm Park SRA, archery, Nov. 28-Dec. 1, Dec. 5-8, Dec. 12-15, Dec. 19-22, Jan. 2-5 and Jan. 9-12

Successful applicants will be assigned a hunting period at a park, according to their preference. Hunting sites for the disabled hunters will be available at Mahoney SP. Only antlerless deer will be allowed for harvest. Appropriate deer permits for archery hunters are: Statewide Archery, antlerless-only Season Choice Wahoo or Statewide Youth. Muzzleloader hunters must have either an antlerless-only Season Choice Wahoo or a Statewide Youth Permit. Some permits are limited and may sell out prior to these park hunts.

Orientation sessions will be Nov. 22 for archers and Dec. 12 for muzzleloaders. The orientations will be at the Schramm Education Center classroom. Both sessions begin at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the Southeast District Office or one of the parks listed above.

2022-2023 Stubble Access Guide now available

Wheat and milo stubble left tall following harvest provides excellent cover and hunting opportunities for pheasants and other wildlife. The 2022-2023 Stubble Access Guide displays these and other adjacent habitats open to public, walk-in hunting across portions of western Nebraska.

Through the Open Fields and Waters program, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission works with landowners to increase public hunting, trapping and/or fishing access on private lands. Tall wheat and milo stubble fields are enrolled in Open Fields and Waters following harvest each year to ensure quality cover is provided. Consequently, most of these areas cannot be included in the printed Public Access Atlas.

The Stubble Access Guide highlights an additional 28,000 acres of upland habitat open to public access in western Nebraska. It displays these recently enrolled tracts, as well as other publicly accessible lands. Many stubble fields include unfarmable pockets containing dense cover that often are underutilized by hunters.

The Stubble Access Guide is available where hunt permits are sold throughout parts of western Nebraska. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org/PublicAccessAtlas to view the guide online, as well as the digital versions of the Public Access Atlas, such as the interactive atlas map or the mobile-friendly offline atlas. These versions also display tall stubble sites and are updated throughout the hunting season.

Game and Parks will certify youth fishing instructors Oct. 23 in Lincoln

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify youth fishing instructors at a workshop Oct. 23 in Lincoln.

Instructors are part of the Youth Fishing Program, a statewide team of volunteers and Game and Parks staff who host educational fishing events.

The workshop will take place from 3-6 p.m. at the Nebraska Outdoor Education Center, 4703 N. 44th St.

Workshop participants will receive training and tools to conduct youth fishing clinics. These volunteers will have access to Game and Parks’ loaner fishing equipment and educational materials for events. They also will receive program incentives. Instructors are encouraged to volunteer for such Game and Parks programs as Community Fishing Nights and the Outdoor Expos.

Contact Larry Pape at [email protected] to register, which is preferred but not required.

Four anglers win grand prizes in Take ’em Fishing challenge

There is nothing quite like a fishing trip with family or friends, especially if a newcomer is involved.

Nebraska’s Take ’em Fishing program celebrates that and rewards those who make the effort to bring fishing into someone’s life. At the conclusion of Take ’em Fishing’s fourth year, grand prizes were awarded to Dacia Caskey of Norfolk, Lajuana Davis of McCook, Scott Grossenbacher of Lincoln and Joel Dorfmeyer of Lincoln for their efforts.

Take ’em Fishing encourages anglers to take a beginner fishing, snap a photo and submit it online for the chance to win prizes. Those who do are helping fund conservation of the state’s aquatic resources for future generations to enjoy. The four grand prize winners were selected randomly for submitting their photos.

Caskey, Davis and Dorfmeyer each won a Stay and Play fishing package, which included a two-night cabin stay at select Nebraska state parks, as well as a spinning combo and spincast combo fishing rods, an electric fillet knife, tackle bag, net, folding chair, cooler and more.

Grossenbacher won a Float and Play fishing package, which included a fishing kayak, life vest, spinning combo, backpack cooler bag, tackle bag, net and more.

Prizes were donated by the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation.

Additionally, Mason Furman of Kearney won a Minnkota Endura C2 trolling motor from Ag Dryer Services/Pondtini and Jerry Newth of Holdrege won a Youth Lifetime Fishing Permit for his son from Heartland DSC and the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation.

This year’s program ran April 15 through Sept. 15.

“Thank you to every person who spent time this year sharing their love of fishing with someone new,” said Tim McCoy, Game and Parks director. “Time spent fishing with friends and family is always time well spent.”

In the four years since Take ’em Fishing began, more than 14,000 fishing trips have been logged on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s website.

To see photos and stories from the program, visit OutdoorNebraska.org/Takeemfishing.

Yankee Hill WMA access road project has begun

A project to move the west entrance to Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area along Southwest 56th Street in Lancaster County has begun.

The entrance to the road that leads to the boat ramp will be moved slightly north from its current location. It will connect with the old access road further inside the WMA.

Access to the boat ramp will remain open, but users of the area should be aware of construction traffic while entering and exiting the area. 

The new access road will alleviate problems created by frequent flooding at the current entrance.

The project should be completed by the end of the year. The old access road will be closed by next spring.

Hunters should avoid heavy equipment at Straightwater WMA

Hunters are advised to be cautious and avoid heavy equipment performing wetland enhancement work at Straightwater Wildlife Management Area in Seward County in the coming weeks.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges the public to stay at least 200 yards from all equipment on the area for their and the equipment operator’s safety. Equipment will be using 378 Road, so hunters are advised to park within existing parking areas.

This project, which is expected to be brief, will improve wildlife habitat and use and recreational opportunities by recovering wetland hydrology and improving wetland conditions.

The project is a joint effort of Game and Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Environmental Trust through the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, and the adjacent landowner.