Safety paramount as firearm deer season approaches
With Saturday's start to the firearm deer season approaching, Nebraska Game and Parks sent out a release reminding hunters of four key safety rules.
They are to treat every firearm as if it is loaded, always point the firearm muzzle in a safe direction, be sure of the target — including what is in front of and beyond it — and to keep fingers outside of the trigger guard until ready to fire.
“Hunters that follow these four rules greatly reduce the risk of causing a hunting incident,” the release stated.
Eight incidents occurred during 2021, including four involving the pursuit of big game.
“The firearm deer season is near and dear to the hearts of many Nebraskans, and anticipation for opening day is building,” said Hunter Nikolai, hunter education coordinator. “Remind those you hunt with, novice to experienced, to always follow the four primary firearm safety rules and make this season memorable for the right reasons.”
Hunters are also asked to be mindful when using a tree stand. They should remove and inspect equipment before use, buckle their harnesses securely, connect their harnesses before leaving the ground and to reveal the location of the hunt to someone.
Overall, hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange meaterial displayed on their heads, chests and backs during the Saturday through Nov. 20 season.
Deer check stations set
Nebraska Game and Parks has established game check stations ahead of the firearm deer season.
In Blair, the Taylor Quik-Pik at 1052 Washington St. will serve the role. The location was confirmed by a person answering the convenience store's phone Thursday afternoon.
Elsewhere, the Cubby's in Tekamah will serve as a check station as will R&L Meat Processing in Bennington. Both locations are according to the Game and Parks check station map.
Hunters can also check in their deer at the Fremont Lakes SRA west of Fremont.
Upland bird hunters find variable success
Nebraska's upland bird hunters found variable success during the opening weekend of the 2022 season, which began Oct. 29.
Field reports from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission staff and law enforcement suggest the “greatest success” came in parts of northeast and south-central Nebraska, including the Rainwater Basin.
“Many hunters also found good numbers of quail, especially throughout their core range in south-central and southeastern Nebraska,” a Commission release said.
In traditional pheasant strongholds, however, success was “more limited.” Drought conditions in the southwest and Panhandle regions of the state have been prolonged.
“The ongoing drought conditions, coupled with emergency haying and grazing of CRP lands, have greatly reduced the availability of suitable habitat in many areas,” said John Laux, Game and Parks' upland game program manager. “When cover is more limited, scouting becomes even more crucial. Finding quality cover is going to be more challenging this year and hunters should focus on tracts adjacent to irrigated cropland, wetlands and other water sources where birds can make a living despite the dry conditions.”
Additionally, Nebraska's crop harvest is ahead of schedule with 80 and 97 percent of the state's corn and soybean acreage harvested, respectively, according to an Oct. 31 U.S. Department of Agriculture report.
For more information on upland bird hunting in Nebraska or to view the Upland Outlook, visit outdoornebraska.org/upland.
Commissioners approve 5-year plan
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved a five-year plan to recruit, retain and reactivate outdoor enthusiasts during its Oct. 21 meeting in Broken Bow, according to a commission release.
The Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation Plan was set to engage outdoor participants in outdoor opportunities. Its focus is boating, fishing, hunting, parks, shooting sports and maintaining support for conservation and recreation.
In addition, commissioners approved changes to wildlife regulations at the Broken Bow meeting. They added the Pine Ridge Mule Deer conservation Area to the list of draw units, added a nonresident antelope archery permit to the list of draw permits, and allowed nonresident archery antelope hunters to apply for a preference point or the archery permit.
Commissioners also added turkeys to the list of animals to be checked within 48 hours of harvest, and added language to allow hunters to cancel and check their electronic turkey permits on their mobile devices immediately after harvest beginning with the 2023 spring season.
Changes were also made to fishery and boating regulations. More about the changes can be found online at outdoornebraska.gov/publicnotices.
— Staff reports
