Notes: Online tool helps find hunting land

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is using a new online tool designed to increase hunter access to land where landowners seek more antlerless deer hunters.

The Antlerless Deer Hunter Program allows hunters to register online and landowners to scan the database for hunters in their area, then contact them by telephone or e-mail.

This program is available at OutdoorNebraska.org. Click on Hunting, Programs and then Antlerless Deer Hunter Program to access it.

“We hear from many hunters who have difficulty finding land to hunt,” said Kit Hams, big game program manager with Game and Parks. “We also hear from landowners who say hunters only want to shoot bucks or they do not feel comfortable telling hunters to shoot does. This program has the potential to address both problems with a mutually beneficial solution.”

Hunters provide the following when they register: name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, counties and months in which they are willing to hunt, preferred weapons and the number of deer they want to harvest.

Landowners search the database by county and can see the hunters' first name, contact information and hunting preferences for county, month and weapon.

“With 136 days of deer seasons and 250,000 permits and bonus tags that allow antlerless deer harvest, we have more than enough days and permits to control deer herds,” Hams said. “This is one more tool to help.”

Waterfowl seasons to be set Tuesday

The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners will set the 2010 waterfowl hunting seasons at a meeting Tuesday in Ogallala.

The meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. at the Lake McConaughy Visitor and Interpretive Center.

The board also will consider amendments to fishing regulations and changes to the Open Fields and Waters Program. It also will consider allowing hunting at some state park areas.

Youths participate in duck-calling contests

The Duck Callers Association of Nebraska took its focus on young hunters to the recent Waterfowl & Dog Expo at Scheels in Omaha.

The organization sponsored two duck-calling contests at the event for the first time. Top finishers:

Age 12 and younger — 1. Jack Dempsey, Omaha; 2. Hunter Greckel, Omaha; 3. Hunter Myer, Bennington; 4. Garrett Hanke, Omaha.

Age 13-16 — 1. Garrett Giesler, Omaha; 2. Phil Page, Waterloo, Neb.; Mike Paskevik, Omaha; 4. Karsten Storm, Yutan, Neb.

Fort Niobrara to host youth fishing day

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge will host a youth fishing day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 11.

The event is open to children up to 15 years of age, although those younger than 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Equipment will be available for those who have none.

The refuge is five miles east of Valentine on Nebraska 12 in Cherry County. Call the refuge at 402-376-3789 or 402-376-1889 for more information.

Firearm sight-in help available on Web

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has on its website a list of gun clubs where hunters may sight-in their firearms in preparation for hunting this fall. Most of the clubs have experienced shooters on hand to help novices.

View the list on the Hunter Education page at OutdoorNebraska.org.

Butterfly tagging event set for Saturday

Learn how to catch and handle monarch butterflies, determine gender and properly tag them in the wild as part of a national research project at the annual Monarch Tagging event at Hitchcock Nature Center on Saturday.

Learn about the monarch butterfly life cycle and migration to Mexico. All monarchs will be released after they are tagged.

Bring a butterfly net if you have one, or share a park net if you don't. Tags and refreshments provided. Pre-registration is required by Wednesday. Cost for pre-registered individuals: $4 per adult and $3 per child ages 6-18. Children 5 and under admitted free. Cost day of the event: $6 per person, if space is available. Call 712-328-5834 to register for either the 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. session.

Hitchcock Nature Center is located five miles north of Crescent, Iowa.

Tips to avoid littering in the outdoors

As fall approaches, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters, anglers and park users to avoid littering.

Litter is unsightly, pollutes water and landscape, and can be fatal to fish and wildlife. In addition, hunters and anglers who litter on private, walk-in-only sites risk having landowners remove their acres from access programs.

Game and Parks suggestions:

• Leave only your footprints. Properly discard trash when camping, fishing, hunting or hiking. Parks have trash containers. Pack out trash from remote areas.

• Recycle trash. Take the aluminum cans, plastic bottles and paper home to recycle.

• Recycle fishing line. Bins specifically designated for these purposes are located at many eastern Nebraska lakes and sporting goods stores.

• Reuse. Do not leave spent shotgun shells behind. Consider reloading them.

• Pick it up. If you see trash, pick it up and dispose of it. Take a plastic garbage bag with you when you visit a park or lake and clean up what you can.

• Set an example. Maybe someone will notice and help. Teach children why they should not litter.

CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY

• Nebraska hunting seasons open for dove, raccoon, Virginia opossum, cottontail, jackrabbit, snipe and Virginia and sora rail.

• Nebraska nongame fish may be taken by bow and arrow or surface spear from sunrise to sunset through March 31, 2011.

THURSDAY

• Cornhusker Fly Fishers fly-tying workshop, 6 to 8 p.m., Cabela's, La Vista.

FRIDAY

• National Park Service program about Chief Standing Bear, Niobrara State Park, Niobrara, Neb.

SATURDAY

• Nebraska early teal and Canada goose hunting seasons open.

• Buffalo cookout and entertainment, Niobrara State Park, Niobrara, Neb.

• Living history, Fort Atkinson State Historical Park, Fort Calhoun, Neb.

• Living history, Indian Cave State Park, Shubert, Neb.

• Re-enactment Weekend, Fort Kearny State Historical Park, Kearney, Neb.

• “Stones and Bones'' National Park Service program, Smith Falls State Park campground, Valentine, Neb., 8 p.m.

SUNDAY

• Living history, Fort Atkinson State Historical Park, Fort Calhoun, Neb.

• Nebraska Walleye Association's Go Fish Kids! bingo golf tournament, Grandpa's Woods, Murdock, Neb.

• Living history, Indian Cave State Park, Shubert, Neb.

• Re-enactment Weekend, Fort Kearny State Historical Park, Kearney, Neb.

• “A Matter of Degrees'' National Park Service ranger program, Fort Falls Trail Overlook, Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, Valentine, Neb., 1:30 p.m.

SEPT. 6

• Living history, Indian Cave State Park, Shubert, Neb.

• Re-enactment Weekend, Fort Kearny State Historical Park, Kearney, Neb.

Please submit Calendar items to outdoors@owh.com or send to Outdoors Sports, World-Herald Sports Dept., 1314 Douglas St., Suite 700, Omaha, NE 68102.

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