Leaving the river with only memories to hang on the wall.

This morning I was in the 180 blind before shooting time and stayed till noon. I only saw a few small deer.

Only a true conservationist can appreciate the resource enough to only harvest mature game that are past their prime reproductive stage... That's what guys like me say when we get skunked.

I loaded everything up and went back to Lincoln this afternoon, then took our youngest to check his deer in. I was planning to go watch the cyclocross races in Lincoln this weekend, but now I'm considering going back to the river to try again before the season ends on Sunday. We'll see.

Even though I didn't get a big buck to hang on the wall, or even a fat old doe for the freezer, it's been a great deer season. I love that place, I started hunting deer there when I was 14 with my dad and grandpa, and look forward to deer season all year. It's nice to get out of the city and back to where my oldest deer hunting memories were made. This year I harvested record breaking memories. No taxidermist can make a trophy that would compare.

2010 rifle deer season day 2.

At sun up I was in a tree stand by the river. At 8am our youngest got a nice antlerless deer. By 10am I was back in the 180 blind and our youngest had his shotgun ready for the turkeys.

We saw just one deer and no turkeys from 10-3. He hitched a ride back to Lincoln to get ready for school tomorrow while I stayed to continue to try to fill my permit.

After he left, the turkeys came by, and even walked directly under the blind. 5 smaller whitetails put on a show around sunset that was fun to watch. But left me eager to see something meatier. I headed back to the camper for supper and a little TV before turning in. I'm hopeful about tomorrow morning and am excited to get back out there.

What a wildlife.

The wildlife is thick down at the river this weekend. Today we saw several bunches of turkeys, quite a few deer, raccoons, otters, eagles, squirrels and waterfowl. Our youngest tagged a nice whitetail doe a little after nine this morning. We'll try our luck again tomorrow starting first thing in the morning.

The trees go in at the river.

We rechecked our rifles this morning to be sure they were still sighted in. Then helped my dad with a nice buck he got today with his bow. This afternoon we took time to plant 3 apple, 1 peach, and 2 oak trees. The fruit trees should start producing in 3 years and whatever mom doesn't pick for lunches and pies will fall and be eaten by deer. These trees will be a nice addition to their habitat. Right now we're getting settled in for the night and rested for opening morning tomorrow.

The 2nd Annual Central Ne Quail Forever Banquet.

Tonight was the Quail Forever banquet in Boelus so our youngest and I made our way out for the food and to try our luck on some of the raffles. Every seat was taken and lots of money was raised for upland habitat. We're staying on the Loup River and we'll spend tomorrow getting ready to deer hunt. Rifle season starts Saturday.

2010 Loup Valley Ducks Unlimited Banquet.

Last night was the DU banquet and before we got there we stopped off at the river to check out my parent's new deer stand. We're looking forward to going back in a few weeks for rifle deer season.

Turning 13 in a turkey blind.

Our youngest and I are ushering in his birthday with pop tarts and gatorade in a turkey blind on the Loup River in Central Nebraska. We've seen 4 deer already this morning and one gobbler that was out of range. But, it's still early. Sure beats working on a Monday morning!

Watched the city fade away in the rearview mirror.

Our youngest and I left Lincoln this afternoon for a few days on the Loup River to Turkey hunt, fish and camp. This get-a-way is overdue!

The Nebraska Big Buck Classic.

This weekend was the Big Buck Classic at the Quest Center in Omaha. My parents, our youngest and I went, and had a great time seeing the trophies, meeting outdoor celebs, and checking out the vendor booths.

It's da second week of deer camp...

Our youngest and I made our way back up to the river friday afternoon. At 4:40 I had this big bodied 3X4 in my sites. We were out again Saturday morning and evening to try to fill his doe tag, but will have to try again later during black powder or the late rifle seasons. He wasn't dissapointed a bit about the idea of spending more time at the river.

Opening weekend of rifle deer season.

Our 12 yr old and I went down to the Loup River and stayed in my parents camper. Saturday morning found us sitting in the trailer blind. We saw some smaller bucks and fawns before this bruser came out of the trees just after 8:20 am.

He saw the buck and wispered "Dad! There's a buck, should I get it?" I leaned up to look out and saw him and said "YES!"

We spent the better part of the day checking it in and taking it to the taxidermist. Sunday morning we took time out to eat and visit with the guys from ec&m outdoors at the Dannebrog Fire Dept Hunters Breakfast before going out to hunt again.

He went home for school Monday and I stayed, trying a tree stand but still came away empty handed. We'll try again this weekend.

Loup Valley Ducks Unlimited Banquet in Cairo.

Today was the annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet in Cairo Ne. Our youngest and I made the trip for the prime rib dinner and brought back some nice raffle prizes.

Ducks Unlimited is a conservation organization that works to improve waterfowl habitat. DU banquets are held around the world to raise funds to restore wetlands benefiting not only migratory birds, but also all wildlife that shares that habitat.

12 yr old shoots two turkeys in one shot! That's my boy!

Honest. He really did!

I dropped off our youngest to Turkey hunt on the Loup River with my mom and hadn't even made it back to Lincoln when he called and said that while setting up the blind down on the river he was able to hit two with his first shot. He never misses, but this is just showing off I think! I guess I can't complain about having to spend so much money on his ammo anymore, huh? Ha!

I asked if he wanted me to turn around and come get him since his permit only had two tags and he'd used them both up already. Not one to concede so easily, he said, "no, we'll just go on-line and get another permit, there are too many turkeys down here." He loves it there, I knew he wouldn't want to come home till he absolutely had to.

Are you kidding? Yeah, I'm proud of him!

EC&M Outdoors New Video - Spring Thunder "Hittin & Missin"

My old buddies at EC&M Outdoors have just completed their latest video. You've got to see the 1 min long 'commercial' - click here to view it. Very cool!

They'll even send you a copy of the full length video for free! Check it out. Fun guys from my old stomping grounds.

May 16th is Free Park Entry and Fishing Day.

Free Fishing & Park Entry DayDate: 5/16/2009

Time: All Day

Location: State Wide

Cost: Free Free Fishing and Park Entry Day.

No park entry permit or fishing license is required.

Buffalo Bill Recreation Area will be hosting a free fishing clinic from 10 am - 3 pm.

Alexandria State Recreation Area will be hosting a free kids fishing clinic from 9:30 am - 3 pm. Door prizes will be drawn at 3 pm and Zebco Rod and Reel will be awarded for Largest Fish, Largest Bluegill, and Largest Crappie (Youth Sixteen and Under). Fishing poles, bait and tackle will be provided to those without fishing equipment. A free hotdog cookout will be provided for participants.

Fort Robinson is offering free jeep rides, hayrack tours, and museum admission from 9 am - 4 pm. A fishing derby for children 12 and younger will be held from 9 am - 12 pm and prizes will be awarded to anyone who enters. A BBQ will be held on the lawn of Fort Rob from 12 pm - 1:30 pm.

Fremont SRA will be hosting a Kid's Fishing Day from 9 am - 12 pm at Lake #3. Food, Fun and Prizes. Bait and Tackle will be provided while supplies last. Platte River is hosting a Fishing Clinic from 9 am - 12 pm. Raffle drawings around 11 am and all kids win a prize.

Chadron State Park will be hosting a fishing clinic from 9:30 am - 2:30 pm.

Lake Minatare will be hosting a fishing clinic from 9 am - 1 pm.

Louisville State Recreation Area will be hosting a fishing clinic at Lake #1 from 9 am - 12 pm.

Eugene T Mahoney SP will be hosting a fishing clinic at the Owen Marina from 9 am - 11 am.

Ponca State Park will be hosting a fishing clinic from 9 am - 8 pm.

Two Rivers State Recreation Area will be hosting a fishing clinic at Lake #1 from 9 am - 12 pm.

Victoria Springs State Recreation Area will be hosting a fishing clinic from 9 am - 6 pm.Contact:

Also:

Nebraska Outdoor Expo - Public Day - May 16, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fort Kearny SRA. The Expo’s Public Day, May 16 will offer over 30 hands-on skill activities and demonstrations that will make the Outdoor Expo a memorable experience. Family members of all ages, are invited to participate in the FREE fun interactive event. Novice or experience, you are invited to help celebrate Nebraska’s outdoor heritage. Join us at the new location, Fort Kearny Recreation Area (SRA), (located on Highway L50A south of Kearney) for the event of the season.Public Day Activity options include:Enjoy a free day at one of Nebraska’s State Recreation Areas Safety training and shooting 20 gauge shotguns or air guns Archery shooting at bullseye or full-sized animal 3D targets Compete in the 3D trail challenge Instruction and kayaking Visiting a trapper's camp to learn about trapping history and equipment Exploring various campsites Tasting outdoor cooking Hiking and bird watching along park trails Observing hunting dog training techniques Learn turkey hunting techniques from Nebraska’s professions Visiting with conservation officers, viewing law enforcement equipment Attending educational workshops on animal and bird behavior View Nebraska raptors and snakes Learn fish cleaning and cooking techniques Compete in the Nebraska Outdoors Challenge Explore the Kids Outdoors Discovery Dome Kick-off event for Nebraska’s 2009 Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Adventure Program.

See the Nebraska Game and Parks site for more info.

Hunter Education class ends successfully.

Guest speaker, Nebraska Game and Parks Officer Murray Johnson shares experiences and advice with students.

Congratulations. Good luck and best wishes to all the graduates.

Practice the skills you've learned on both the range and in the field.

They are an outstanding group of outdoors men and women. And will be a valuable addition to the sport.

I couldn't be prouder of the individuals that took this weeks class.

Spring Turkey Season.

The turkey is a funny bird, Its head goes bobble-bobble; And all he knows is just one word...And that is GOBBLE-GOBBLE!

Archery is open now, shotgun spring turkey season starts soon! Time to get your permit. Click here for the ngpc application.

Also, NGPC is offering a Turkey Hunting Workshop Thursday night for free! Here's the info on it:

Turkey Hunting Workshop There is still room to sign up and attend this free workshop! Thursday April 9, 2009 6:00 to 9:00 pm Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium Outdoor Education Center 21502 West Highway 31 near Greta Sign-up required - call (402) 332-3901. Whether you are preparing for your first trip or your second decade of hunting, come explore the excitement and challenge of spring wild turkey hunting during this free workshop. All aspects of tukey hunting will be covered, including: Beginner Basics Wild Turkey Biology Hunting Strategies Hi-tech Scouting Gear Advanced Turkey Tips This hands-on program has something for all levels of experience and features Nebraska Game and Parks Commission specialists. Call today to reserve your spot!

Hunter Education

When we got the kids BB guns and started shooting with them in 2004, it didn’t take long and several of the neighbor kids showed up (our house was always the hangout anyway) with their BB guns wanting to join in.

If they were going to shoot around me they had to be safe. And when I one day saw one of them shooting off his back deck at a can in their yard and pointing toward our house I was more than happy to have him join us for some lessons on firearm handling.

I thought that if I’m going to be showing these kids how to shoot, I’d better make sure I’m telling them the right thing. I signed up to become a volunteer Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Firearm Hunter Education Instructor.

I have since taught in St. Libory at the Catholic Church and Palmer at the firehall with Arlo. In Grand Island with Mel and the others at the Grand Island Rifle Club. In Cairo and Boelus with my dad, Dave, Harold, Larry, John, Heath, Rick, Paul, and several others. In Seward at the Efree church, and in Lincoln at the Hunter Ed office and classroom.

Being an instructor has been a way I can give back to the sport and teaching with so many other instructors during the last 4 years has given me a wealth of knowledge and forged friendships with some great hunters. It has also served as a constant reminder that I need to conduct myself in the most positive light in the class room, on the range and in the field.

Nebraska is in need of more instructors and I encourage you to check out the game and parks website to sign up and become a certified instructor. Hunting has benefited wildlife in so many ways! But the number of hunters is dwindling as hunting and shooting are in competition with T.V., video games, and the over scheduled lives that our kids are faced with. It’s a great way to help insure the future of the sports we love and teach our youth about being safe, respectful and responsible outdoors men and women.

Hunting

When I was 8 years old we moved from west of the Ordnance Plant to ¼ section of pasture with some great mature shelterbelts on Hwy. 11 between Cairo & Centura. I would hunt with relatives every chance I got, but I also hunted alone on our new place.

Just like it was yesterday, I can still hear Todd tell me that if I sat real still at the base of a bush near the driveway I’d be able to get a sparrow. So, I sat there as they moved our furniture in the new house. Sure enough, a flock landed in the branches in minutes and my old trusty Daisy smartly dropped one to the ground as a puff of feathers floated off in the breeze. At that moment, I was convinced we were moving into the Garden of Eden!

We had a lot of hogs and the spilled ground corn and 20 hog sheds provided perfect food and shelter for sparrows. I was really greedy when I was a kid, and when my dad said he’d give me a dime a sparrow, that was all I needed to hear. He claimed they spread disease to the hogs. But I supposed it had more to do with getting me to spend time outside of the house with my BB gun. He had a charge account at the hardware store, so I could charge BBs and later 22ca. cartridges whenever I wanted. He never said a word about me charging to his account till I started throwing in candy with my ammo purchases. Then he only told me, I’d have to pay for the candy myself from now on. He never hesitated to pay-up for the sparrows I got, except a few times when my pay would be over $2 on a good day. I’m sure he knows now that it was cheap tuition for lessons that I’ll never forget.

Besides sparrows, we had cottontail rabbits so thick you wouldn’t believe it! I shot a zillion of them, but never put a dent in the population. I got to where I could clean a rabbit in no time flat. And mom never complained about having to cook all those rabbits.

My first ‘real’ gun dad insisted I buy myself, I was 11 when he sold me a H&H break-action single shot DU greenwing 20 ga. with some gold inlay in the lettering. And not long after that my parents gave me a new pump 22ca.

I took Hunter Education in the basement of the Cairo bank when I was 12 with all my friends and some great instructors that I would later teach with. I clearly remember my first duck off the Platte, my first pheasant and dove hunting with my dad around Dannevirke. My first Deer I got with a new Remington 243 ca. pump Duke gave me for my 14th birthday. I got it on Lucile’s river ground that my parents bought 11 years later. I can still point out the tree I was leaning against when it came by. I enjoyed all of the hunting Central Nebraska offered. But as I got older my interest faded and I pretty much quit for nearly 15 years.

As our kids got older (see the Shooting blog to see how it started with BB guns for them) I got back into it and now we go whenever we can. Our youngest never turns down the chance to hunt and our oldest has had a lot of success in the field. Our daughter and the wife haven’t hunted but they like to shoot targets. Our oldest went rifle deer hunting with me last year on the loup and even though he didn’t get a chance to shoot, he was eager to get out again this last season. This year proved to be better, he got a buck on the 2nd day. Our 11 yr old got to go for the first time this last season since Nebraska lowered the age to 10 from 12 to try to get more kids hunting and bring the deer population back under control. He had a youth permit with two tags and filled them both on the first weekend. It took me 4 days to get one. Ha!

They both have bagged a Turkey during shotgun season and since the 11 yr old has more time to hunt he’s harvested squirrels, pheasants, and chuckers. They’ve both spent some beautiful mornings in duck blinds but are still waiting for their first waterfowl.

Our 11 yr old has gone before, but this month was the first time I joined him and my dad at Bunker Hill east of Hastings. Our 12 yr old went shopping with my mom while the three of us hunted. Bunker Hill releases birds, but if you haven’t hunted a place like this I’m here to tell you it’s far more challenging than you might think. I visualized it as standing over a box of birds and shooting as they fly out. Ha! Not hardly, they release the birds and later give you a vague description of where at in their the vast fields. I can testify that they release more than are harvested thanks in part to my poor marksmanship. Places like Bunker Hill have far longer seasons, can harvest both sexes and have no bag limit. They are also an excellent place to work your upland dog. Hunters still need to be licensed and follow all the other hunting laws. Bunker Hill has turned a defunct military ammunition plant into excellent habitat for both their birds and other wildlife that share the property. As well as populate surrounding fields with upland game. And bring in hunters dollars to the local economy.