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Many hunters will be searching for places to hunt this fall and winter. With over 400,000 acres of public lands available, hunters have many great hunting opportunities.
Many hunters will be searching for places to hunt this fall and winter. No matter what type of game you hunt, public lands can offer many great hunting opportunities.
There are over 400,000 acres of public hunting lands scattered across Nebraska. Included in those lands are hundreds of wildlife management areas where hunting is allowed in season.
There are many state recreation areas, Open Fields and Waters areas along with other agencies that allow hunting. Federal refuges and national forest lands can be hunted but have special regulations.
The Open Fields and Water Program or OFW is a voluntary program that offers financial incentives to landowners willing to allow walk in hunting, trapping or fishing.
This program is paid partially by sportsmen and women who purchase habitat stamps and hunting permits. Pittman Robertson dollars, which is a tax derived from firearm and ammunition sales, also go toward the OFW Program.
Since 2015, Game and Parks along with the National Wild Turkey Federation have partnered to increase public hunting and trapping opportunities working with private landowners in the Loess Canyons in Lincoln and Dawson counties.
Thousands of acres of rough canyon country provide walk-in only access to biologically unique landscapes that provide optimal habitat for turkeys, dove, white-tailed deer, mule deer and some elk.
A complete listing of all of Nebraska’s public hunting areas is included in the “2022-23 Public Access Atlas,” which is available free from any Game and Parks office and local vendors. The atlas is available online where viewers can see hunting areas using the GIS or geographic information system, to view interactive maps of specific hunting areas, using this, hunters can get a hunting plan in place before stepping foot on site.
The atlas and GIS information is available on the Commission’s web site, outdoornebraska.org.
The fall “Stubble Guide” will be coming out in early October. These acres are also made available by incentives and willing landowners that open their property to hunting.
The “Stubble Guide” shows all the wheat and milo stubble acres available for public hunting. Upland bird hunters will find excellent opportunities on these stubble areas and associated unfarmable pockets of dense cover.
Other hunting guides are available including the “Big Game,” “Small Game and Waterfowl,” and “Turkey” guides. Hunters need to read all the rules and regulations for whichever seasons they will be out in the field for.
Rendezvous were historically held in the fall between fur traders and local Native American tribes and were a time to gather, share trade goods such as skins, furs, beads, food items, weapons and knowledge. It was a time to relax, make money and have some fun.
The public is invited to partake in the festivities happening at Ash Hollow State Historical Park Sept. 9-11 to absorb themselves in the pre-1840 history, unique culture and educate themselves of an era gone by.
Park guests can see demonstrations of black powder shooting, tomahawk throwing, recurve bow and arrow shooting, open fire cooking, trap setting and canoeing. There will also be a trader’s row.
Cowboy poet and singer/songwriter John Horton will be preforming throughout the day for guests as they walk through trader’s row or stop at locations to learn more about the fur trader era.
A living history tent, emulating the spirit of American men and women of the era will be part of the weekend.
Guests are invited to come spend the day to immerse themselves in period dress and décor of the mid-19th century. Historical re-enactors will be speaking throughout the day speaking on subjects such as the newest kitchen utensils, fashion, political issues, current events and people that lived in 1876.
There will also be a men’s tent including a card playing table where men can relax and catch a historical game of cards. Both of these exhibits will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Ash Hollow SHP gates open at 9 a.m. and the events are free to attend. All times listed are Mountain time. Vehicles require a valid park entry permit which can be purchased at the park or online at outdoorsnebraska.gov.
Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash. Food vendors Smoken Hill BBQ, and Ma and Pa’s Frostbites will be on location for the event.
For more information call the park office at 308-778-5651, or 308-778-7708.
An all-women Hunt Safe Session is from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Maxwell Gun Club. This two-hour review is designed for females 11 and older. This is a great opportunity for moms and grandmothers to take this course with daughters and granddaughters.
This free, classroom-style course allows female students to participate in hands-on sessions, which provide participants with knowledge and skills relative to hunting and hunter safety.
The session will focus on equipment safety for firearms and archery through hands-on scenarios along with tree stand safety, equipment safety, shoot/don’t shoot scenarios.
The course will also develop comfort handling firearms and practicing shooting skills. Women can learn with another female friend or family member.
The course will further hunting skills and for women that want to attend a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman mentored deer or turkey hunt, it is a requirement.
Participants will need to complete the online hunter education or bow education course in advance of this session then print and bring their certificates of completion of the online course and attend the in-person session on Sept. 24. There is a vendor fee for the online course.
During the class, additional questions and hands-on learning will take place. Upon course completion, participants will be graduates and certified for hunter/bow education.
An optional live-fire session of shotguns, rifles and archery is from 5 to 7 p.m. for those who would like to experience these types of equipment. This is not required to obtain certification. Firearms, archery equipment and ammunition will be provided. To shoot shotguns, there is a $6 fee per 25 blue rocks.
More information can be obtained by going on the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Nebraska Facebook page, or by calling the North Platte Game and Parks office at 308-535-8025.
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Many hunters will be searching for places to hunt this fall and winter. With over 400,000 acres of public lands available, hunters have many great hunting opportunities.
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