I’d like to wish all Nebraska outdoor enthusiasts a Happy New Year.

The occasion got me to thinking about Lincoln outdoorsman Val Didrichsons, who came up with a nice twist on the New Year’s resolution a few years back.

He challenged readers of a online forum to write a list of outdoor goals for the coming year. Instead of targeting your weight or personal shortcomings, the list would contain things you really wanted to do.

I thought it was a great idea.

As I looked back on 2008, I clearly spent too little time hunting, fishing, camping and enjoying nature.

I’m making a list of outdoors resolutions now so this time next year, I’m not making excuses. Hopefully Val’s idea will inspire you to write your own list.

Self-help experts say when setting goals, you should make them challenging yet achievable. And while we could all come up with dozens of things we would like to do in the outdoors, it’s better to focus on a few, specific goals.

So, here goes.

Take at least four camping trips with my family: I know, “four” sounds kind of lame. But last year, my wife and I failed get our daughters out once.

I’m a little ashamed about it. Practically before our 7-year-old and 4-year-old could speak in complete sentences, we had tent camped at Smith Falls, Lake Ogallala, Merritt Reservoir, Fort Robinson, the Big Horns of Wyoming and the Indian Peaks of Colorado. Every time we’ve had them out, we marveled at how they came alive with the experience.

Come spring, we’re headed to Indian Cave State Park and we’ll go from there.

Catch 100 fish with kids — my own and others: I did a little better in this category in 2008, but truth be told, my daughters have more Barbies than pictures of themselves holding a fish.

Clearly I’ve lost my way as a father.

A great thing about this resolution: Kids don’t care about size, just action. That means gearing down, getting some crawlers and finding some bluegill and bass.

So I’ll be heading to Holmes Lake more this spring.  And if we’re not getting bites, I won’t apply my standards of patience so much that the girls start whining.

At least once, I’ll have them invite a friend. After all, Angling 101 is as satisfying for the teacher as the student.

For those looking for teaching pointers or opportunities, here’s a couple of suggestions:

* “Let’s Go Fishing,” by Michael DiLorenzo, www.adventureswithjonny.com. Not only does the book provide an angling bedtime story, it includes a well-illustrated guide for adults to make outings more fun and productive.

* The Nebraska Walleye Association,www.nebraskawalleye.com. Association volunteers host a series of kids fishing clinics across the state, and instructors are glad give pointers to parents as well.

* To learn more about the youth fishing program run by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, send an e-mail to andrea.cade@ngpc.ne.gov or call (402) 332-3901.

Why 100 fish? Sounded good to me. And if the kids and I happen to go over, who’s counting?

(For those who answered “the game warden,” note that I wrote  “catch,” not “keep.”)

Quit taking the cranes for granted: We used to live in Grand Island, so we have a been-there, done-that attitude about the sandhill crane migration. A lot of Nebraskans do. But seeing thousands of cranes come into roost along the Platte River really is a spectacle for the eyes, ears and spirit.

I’ll probably wait another couple of years before expecting the girls to spend hours in a blind. But we can do a self-guided car tour this year, then before dusk we’ll walk to the river bridge on the Fort Kearny hike and bike trail.

Crane season — mid-February through mid-April — also coincides with the waterfowl migration in the Rainwater Basin, a network of wetlands in south-central Nebraska. If half-a-million cranes is impressive, consider that the basin attracts some 7 million waterfowl each spring. Plus the region has lots of public marshes.

For an online spring migration guide, go to www.outdoornebraska.org and click on “wildlife” then “guides” then “spring migration.”

Note to self: don’t forget the binoculars.

Hit the range with my smoke pole: A consummate hunter regularly spends time on the range with his or her firearm, developing the skill necessary to shoot accurately and lethally.

The rest of us sight their rifles in a couple of weeks before the season and call it good.

I did the latter this year with my traditional muzzleloader. When I got my chances in December, I blew them.

As a relative neophyte to muzzleloading and deer hunting, being lazy translates into a year bereft of venison. Because venison is my favorite meat, this is not something I want to repeat in future Decembers.

So I intend to shoot my black-powder rifle a lot this year. Before the season started, I bought a new tin of percussion caps. My goal will be to blast those caps on the range.

Borrowing a page from bowhunters, I’ll also practice at different angles and elevations and use deer targets to hone my accuracy.

If my wife questions why I’m leaving the house once again with my smoke pole, I’ll be able to honestly say, “Just keeping my New Year’s resolution.”

Reach Joe Duggan at 473-7239 or jduggan@journalstar.com.