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[Harold]

Board of Commissioners Sets Waterfowl Seasons

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners set the 2009 waterfowl hunting seasons and expanded deer hunting opportunities Friday at its regular meeting in Lincoln.
The early teal and early Canada goose seasons begin Sept. 5. The early teal season was moved up one week following a public hearing at the board’s July meeting. The early Canada goose and youth waterfowl seasons were moved up to align with the early teal season.
In addition to the waterfowl seasons, the board addressed big game hunting. In an effort to allow more people to participate in the new October Antlerless deer hunting season, holders of youth, landowner and Season Choice Areas 18 and 21 permits now may hunt during that season this fall. They may hunt in areas described for Season Choice Areas 18 and 21 with legal weapons for firearm season during the October Antlerless season, which is Oct. 9-11.
Commissioners used Friday’s meeting to approve other waterfowl changes since their July meeting:
-- Restricted seasons for pintail and canvasback were expanded to coincide with the regular duck seasons.
-- The bag limit for scaup was increased from one to two and the bag limit for wood ducks was increased from two to three.
-- Changes were made to the light goose conservation action to reduce the potential impact on sandhill and whooping cranes along the Central Platte valley. In Zone 2, the conservation action closes April 1. Also in Zone 2, the buffer zone in which no hunting is allowed was reduced from 5 miles to 3 beginning after March 11.
The 2009 waterfowl hunting seasons are:
Dark Goose – East Unit, Oct. 24 - Jan. 27; Platte River Unit, Oct. 24 - Feb. 5; Niobrara Unit, Oct. 24 - Feb. 5; North Central Unit, Oct. 10 - Jan. 22; Panhandle Unit, Nov. 7 - Feb. 5.
Light Goose – Regular Season, Oct. 10 - Jan. 8 and Jan. 23 - Feb. 5; Conservation Action, Zone 1, Feb. 6 - April 18; Zone 2, Feb. 6 - April 1; Zone 3, Feb. 6 - April 18.
White-fronted Goose – Oct. 10 - Dec. 20.
Duck (including Pintail and Canvasback) and Coot – Low Plains Early, Oct. 10 - Dec. 20 and Dec. 26-27; Low Plains Late, Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24 - Jan. 3; High Plains, Oct. 10 - Jan. 13.
Early Canada Goose – Sept. 5-13.
Early Teal – High Plains, Sept. 5-13; Low Plains, Sept. 5-20.
Youth Waterfowl – Sept. 26-27.
Falconry – Extended Season: Low Plains, Sept. 1-30; High Plains, Sept. 5-13; Regular Season: Low Plains Early, Oct. 10- 20 and Dec. 26-27; Low Plains Late, Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24 - Jan. 3; High Plains, Oct. 10 - Jan. 13.
On Friday, the board also:
-- granted the parks division the authority to increase the park cash change fund at Fremont State Recreation Area (SRA) from $1,000 to $1,700 and at Pawnee SRA from $500 to $750;
-- amended concession agreements to provide for vending of off-sale spirits at Kingsley Lodge and Otter Creek Lodge, both at Lake McConaughy SRA;
-- allowed for hunting in 2009, with restrictions, for the following state parks: Indian Cave, Niobrara, Ponca, and Eugene T. Mahoney;
-- allowed for deer hunting in 2009, with restrictions, at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park; and
-- approved the establishment of a reciprocal agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The purpose of the agreement is to allow people with Nebraska hunting licenses to hunt on Iowa lands and people with Iowa hunting licenses to hunt on Nebraska lands. Iowa lands are those under that state’s jurisdiction that are wholly surrounded by the state of Nebraska and Nebraska lands are those under that state’s jurisdiction that are wholly surrounded by the state of Iowa.
The board also entered into third-party cooperative agreements with the following:
-- Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD) on the construction of a proposed 238-acre reservoir 1½ miles southeast of Hubbard in Dakota County;
-- Nemaha NRD on the construction of a 61-acre reservoir 5 miles west of Peru in Nemaha County;
-- Lower Big Blue NRD on the rehabilitation of a 77-acre reservoir 13 miles south of Beatrice in Gage County.
Brent Bollwitt of Lincoln won the bighorn sheep lottery permit. His entry was pulled from a barrel by Gov. Dave Heineman.
Lincoln Man Wins Bighorn Lottery Permit

LINCOLN, Neb. – It has happened in the past, and it happened again Friday. When the winner of a lottery bighorn sheep hunting permit was notified of his victory, his first thought was one of disbelief.
That was the reaction when Brent Bollwitt of Lincoln was called during the regular meeting of the Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners in Lincoln.

(c) NEBRASKAland Magazine/NGPC

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, right, shares a laugh over speakerphone with Brent Bollwitt, winner of the 2009 bighorn sheep lottery permit Friday in Lincoln. Holding the cell phone is Pat Cole, administrator for the Budget and Fiscal Division of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
“I thought it was one of my co-workers playing with me,” Bollwitt said.
Commission staff called Bollwitt, then handed the telephone over to Gov. Dave Heineman, who had just drawn the winner’s name from a barrel. The governor congratulated Bollwitt, then the two had a brief, light-hearted conversation.
“By the time they put the governor on the phone, I knew it was for real,” Bollwitt said. “I kind of recognized his voice.”
Bollwitt, 41, was one of 1,547 people to pay a nonrefundable $25 to enter a lottery for the permit. The permit is valid to hunt bighorn sheep in a specified area of the Pine Ridge from Dec. 1-22.
Funds raised by the bighorn lottery permits are used for the Nebraska bighorn sheep management program. There were 1,357 entries in the 2008 lottery.
Bollwitt, who serves with the Nebraska Air National Guard, wasn’t waiting by his phone for the important call. He didn’t realize the permit was to be drawn Friday – and he didn’t like his chances, anyway.
“I thought my chances were zero,” he said. “I had applied three or four times in the past and I didn’t think I would get it this year.
“I just figured it was a donation. It is for a good cause, whether I got it or not.”
Waterfowl Hunters Reminded of Restrictions on SRAs

LINCOLN, Neb. – Waterfowl hunters on state recreation areas (SRA) are reminded they may not shoot teal or Canada goose until Sept. 8, three days after the opening of those seasons, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The early teal and early Canada goose seasons begin Sept. 5, but SRA regulations prohibit hunting until the Tuesday following Labor Day. That Tuesday is Sept. 8. In the past, the early teal and early Canada goose seasons have opened after Labor Day. For a list of SRAs and wildlife management areas that may be affected, visit OutdoorNebraska.org.
Regulations state the portions of some SRAs and state parks are open to hunting from the first Tuesday following Labor Day through the end of the spring turkey hunting season, unless restricted. A park entry permit is required for vehicles entering the SRAs and parks. Hunting is prohibited within 100 yards of any public use facility or activity area, including picnic areas, campgrounds, private cabins, concession areas, boat ramps, and parking lots.
The early teal season is Sept. 5-13 in the High Plains Unit and Sept. 5-20 in the Low Plains. The early Canada goose season is Sept. 5-13.
Waterfowl hunting is available on private and other public lands across the state. Permission is required to hunt on private land.
Waterfowl permits may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.org. Contact park superintendents for more information on hunting on SRAs.
Deer Exchange Returns in 2009

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters again will be able to provide deer meat this fall to anyone willing to accept it, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The Deer Exchange is back after a successful debut in 2008. Participants may begin signing up Sept. 1.
“We would like to increase the number of deer donated in 2009, as we had many people who wished to receive deer in 2008 that did not get one,” said Kit Hams, big game program manager with the Commission.
An ample deer population is available to hunters but also more hunting opportunities.
“A record deer harvest of more than 80,000 deer is expected this year,” Hams said. “We will issue nearly 90,000 bonus antlerless tags in an effort to thin the whitetail population, especially in eastern Nebraska.”
The Deer Exchange is designed to accommodate the additional harvest of deer. Hunters who have filled their freezers may still bag a deer and have somewhere to take the meat.
Other benefits of the program include:
-- Venison is a good source of protein in a diet.
-- The interaction will increase communication between hunters and nonhunters.
-- Opportunities exist to recruit new hunters.
Donors and recipients of deer meat may register for free at ngpc.state.ne.us/hunting/programs/deerexchange/. They may search a database for participants in their area, then make contact by telephone to set up the transfer of deer meat. Deer meat may not be sold.
The recipient may accept field dressed deer, skinned and boned deer, or wrapped and frozen deer meat. The donor is responsible for properly field dressing and checking the deer before transfer.
The Commission is not responsible for the quality of the meat or failure of the donor or recipient to follow through with the transfer. The agency provides the necessary transfer cards online.
Venison has many nutritional benefits. According to nutritiondata.com, 100 grams of ground, pan-broiled venison has 187 calories, compared to 246 for the same portion of 80-percent lean pan-broiled ground beef. Venison has 26.5 grams of protein, compared to beef’s 24, and 8.2 grams of total fat to beef’s 15.9. Venison also is low in sodium.
Electronic Deer Checking Available This Year

LINCOLN, Neb. – Many Nebraska hunters will have the option of checking their harvested deer electronically this fall, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
A new, free service will allow hunters to check their deer from the field or at home, by telephone or Internet beginning Sept. 15. Electronic checking will be available during all deer seasons except the November firearm season. Check stations remain available for all deer seasons, as in the past.
Kit Hams, big game program manager for the Commission, says electronic checking makes sense financially.
“This is good for hunters because it will save time and fuel costs,” he said. “It is good for the Commission because we will get our data sooner and cheaper.”
Hams estimated participating hunters collectively would save $150,000 in fuel costs this year and $450,000 next year. He said the Commission, which pays check stations for deer checked, could save $10,000 this year and $30,000 next year.
To check deer electronically, hunters may either go to NEdeercheck.com or call toll-free (800) 405-7700 at any time. Hunters will provide the species, sex and age of deer, as well as hunting unit and permit numbers and time and county of kill. They then will receive a seal number and security code, both of which must be written on the permit. The permit acts as the seal and must be attached to the deer if the hunter is not with the deer. The code is used to ensure the hunter has completed the checking process.
Check stations will be available only for the November firearm season in 2010. All other deer must be checked electronically.