Commissioners Set Turkey Seasons, Increase Some Permit and Parks Fees

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NGPC news release, 10/30/08:

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners approved changes to a number of fishing regulations, adjusted fees for facilities and activities at some park areas, and took action on a number of other issues during a meeting Oct. 30 at the Public Library in Alliance.

The Commissioners:

- set the 2009 spring and fall archery and shotgun turkey seasons. The spring archery turkey season will be March 25-May 31, the spring shotgun season will be April 18- May 31. Limits during the spring season will be one male or one bearded female turkey per permit. The 2009 fall archery turkey and shotgun turkey seasons will be Sept. 15-Dec. 31, except during the November firearm deer hunting season. The limit will be two turkeys per permit. The spring youth archery season will be April 11-May 31 and the spring youth shotgun season will be March 25-May 31.

- approved amended regulations that give the Board of Commissioners authority to authorize shared revenue auction permits, which will allow the harvest of one antelope, one deer, and two turkeys (two in the fall season, two in the spring season, or one in each season) taken in any open area during any Commission authorized seasons corresponding for each species with weapons legal for that season. The combination permit will be valid during the 2009 and 2010 hunting seasons until the permit is filled. Four shared-revenue permits were authorized for residents and nonresidents.

- approved amended regulations that give the Board of Commissioners authority to authorize season choice statewide buck permits, which will allow the harvest on one antlered deer in any open area statewide during any Commission authorized seasons corresponding with weapons legal for that season. The season choice statewide buck permit will be valid for one season until the permit is filled. Five shared-revenue auction permits are authorized for residents and nonresidents. Five Commission lottery permits are authorized for residents only.

- approved amended regulations that give the Board of Commissioners authority to authorize combination antelope, deer, elk and turkey permits, which will allow for the harvest of one antelope, one deer, one elk and two turkeys (two in the fall season, two in the spring season, or one in each season) taken in any open area during any Commission authorized seasons corresponding for each species with weapons legal for that season. The combination permit will be valid during the 2009 and 2010 hunting seasons until the permit is filled. One Commission permit is authorized for residents only.

- approved amended regulations that give the Board of Commissioners authority to authorize a statewide elk permit, which will allow the harvest of one bull elk taken in any open area during any Commission authorized bull elk season. One shared-revenue auction permit is authorized for residents only.

– approved fee increases for some deer, turkey, elk, antelope and lifetime permits;

– approved a pilot program to expand access to private lands and waters for hunters and anglers to be funded by fee increases for the Habitat Stamp and the Aquatic Habitat Stamp;

- approved a staff recommendation to remove the bald eagle from the list of threatened species.

– approved the 2009 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Marketing Plan;

- approved a staff recommendation to permit limited hunting opportunities at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park (SHP). They directed staff to prepare an annual recommendation for Commission review and approval in designating which game species may be hunted, open hunting periods, the areas of the park open for hunting and any special area restrictions of limitations.

– approved the Middle Loup land exchange in Thomas and Dawes counties, between the Commission and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which will give the Commission ownership of the main campground at Chadron State Park, which had been leased from USFS for a number of years;

– approved staff-recommended increases for some state park fees, services and activities. The nightly cabin fees were increased an average of 3.85 percent; camping fees will increase $1 and an additional $1 for campsites with electricity. Also approved were modest increases in activity fees at some state parks;

– approved acquisition of a 120-acre tract of wildlife land in Johnson County that will be an addition to Hickory Ridge Wildlife Management Area (WMA);

– approved acquisition of a 19.37-acre tract of land near U.S. Highway 77 and Bluffs Road in Lancaster County, which will be the site of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Operations and Maintenance Complex. The Commission will take possession of the property on May 1, 2011.

- approved a permanent easement at Jack Sinn WMA in Lancaster County. The easement will grant Lancaster County the right to use a .24-acre parcel of property for maintenance of utilities, slopes, drainage structures, drainage channels and/or drainage ditches for which the county has responsibilities.

– heard a presentation by A. James Moravek regarding ATVs on the public beach at Lake McConaughy;

– approved a staff recommendation to allow hunting at Fort Atkinson SHP during the second session of the 2008 archery deer season, Nov. 24-Dec. 31, by hunting bow or disabled permitted crossbow, in areas designated by staff.

- approved many fishing regulation changes for 2009, which will become effective Jan. 1, 2009. See the free 2009 Nebraska Fishing Guide available at Commission offices and from permit vendors across the state in mid- to late-December for more detailed information about the changes. By approving the staff’s recommendations, the Commissioners:

– reduced the daily bag limit of trout (rainbow, brown and brook in combination) in inland waters and waters from the Missouri River from seven to four with a possession limit of eight; and increased the bag limit from seven to eight and the possession limit from 14 to 16 trout at designated lakes and ponds that do not support trout year-round and are stocked in the fall, winter and/or spring;

– deleted the 12-inch minimum length limits on smallmouth, spotted bass and largemouth bass in privately-owned waters and established a 15-inch minimum length limits on all black bass in all inland waters, both public and private;

- added Swan Creek 67 to the list of waters with 21-inch minimum length limits (one-fish daily bag limit) and deleted Willow Lake from the list;

- added the entire Two Rivers State Recreation Area and Bowling Lake to the list of waters where no harvest of black bass is allowed;

– added Wagon Train Reservoir to the list of waters with a daily bag limit of three and possession limit of six striped bass, white bass and striped bass hybrids; deleted the list of state recreation areas with minimum length limits of 18 inches and daily bag limits of one and possession limits of two;

– reduced the daily bag limit of channel catfish to five and the possession limit of 10 at Calamus, Harlan County and Merritt reservoirs; added Bowling Lake to, and deleted Ponca State Park Pond and Three R’s Pond from, the list of waters with three-fish daily bag limits;

– deleted the 18-inch minimum length limits on walleye, sauger and saugeye at Harlan County, Calamus and Sherman reservoirs; and established regulations at Harlan and Calamus reservoirs that allow the harvest of no more than one fish 15-18 inches, three or four over 18 inches, and no more than one greater than 22 inches;

– changed regulations at Sherman Reservoir to allow a daily bag limit of two walleye at least 15 inches but less than 20 inches and one walleye over 28 inches (fish 20-28 inches must be released);

- added Cottonmill Lake to the list of waters with 30-inch minimum length limits;

– added Bowling Lake to, and deleted Three R’s Pond from, the list of waters with 10-fish daily bag limits of black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, rock bass, green sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish and redear sunfish and their hybrids;

- renamed the “Marina” Lake at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park to “Baright” Lake and deleted the two-fish daily bag limit;

– restricted the use of baitfish taken by anglers from the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam to that area, making it illegal to move any baitfish from that area of the river.

– made it illegal for individuals to import live baitfish (from out of state) for use in inland waters. This does not include the Missouri River;

- made it illegal for bait dealers to take baitfish from the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam downstream.