The agency also set new fees for hunter exemptions and stocked bullheads at Louisville and Two Rivers state recreation areas.
the Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, July 18, 2008 7:00 pm
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission firmed up dates for the upcoming waterfowl seasons, but they won’t become official until the end of August.
Meeting Friday in Kearney, the commission set the dates after hearing testimony from staff, the Nebraska Council of Sportsmen’s Clubs and several individual waterfowl hunters. In response to the hunter testimony, the eight commissioners made minor changes to the staff recommendations, which mostly involved starting seasons earlier in some units.
The overall framework for waterfowl hunting seasons is set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Because the service will not reveal the 2008 framework until next week, the dates set by Nebraska could still change slightly. The commission will formally set dates Aug. 29 in Beatrice.
Season dates set on Friday:
Early teal — Low Plains, Sept. 6-21; High Plains, Sept. 13-21.
Early Canada geese — Sept. 6-14.
Youth — Sept. 27-28
Ducks and coots — Low Plains Early, Oct. 11-Dec. 21 and Dec. 27-28; Low Plains Late, Oct. 18-19, and Oct. 25-Jan. 4; High Plains, Oct. 11-Jan. 14.
Pintail and canvasback — Low Plains Early and High Plains, Oct. 11-Nov. 18; Low Plains Late, Oct. 18-19 and Oct. 25-Nov. 30.
Dark geese — East Unit, Oct. 25-Jan. 28; North Central Unit, Oct. 11-Jan. 23; Platte River Unit, Oct. 25-Feb. 6; Panhandle Unit, Nov. 8-Feb. 6; Niobrara Unit: Oct. 25-Feb. 6.
White-fronted geese — Oct. 11-Dec. 21.
Light geese (fall season) —Oct. 11-Jan. 11 and Jan. 26-Feb. 6.
Light geese conservation action — Feb. 7-April 12.
Crows — Oct. 1-Nov.15 and Jan. 20-April 6; public health order, Nov. 16-Jan. 19.
Falconry — Low Plains, Sept. 1-30 and concurrent with all duck season dates within Low Plains Early and Low Plains Late zones; High Plains, concurrent with all duck season dates within the High Plains zone.
Agency sets new fee for hunter exemption: The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission set the fee for the new apprentice hunter education exemption certificate at its meeting Friday in Kearney.
For $5, people between the ages of 12 and 29 will be allowed to try hunting for one season without taking a hunter education course. If they want to continue hunting in future seasons, they will have to take the class.
The commission will establish details of the exemption program at its August meeting. The program is the result of a new state law meant to recruit more hunters.
Outdoors expos offer workshops for youths: Youngsters and their families will can learn outdoor skills at free workshops across Nebraska in the coming year.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission announced dates for outdoor expos at its meeting Friday in Kearney. All of the events will have time reserved exclusively for school children.
The dates for the events:
* Missouri River Outdoor Expo, Ponca State Park, Sept. 20-21.
* Nebraska Outdoor Expo, Fort Kearny State Historical Park, May 14-16.
* Eastern Nebraska (for school children only), Platte River State Park, April 22-23.
n Western Nebraska (for school children only), Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area, May 6-7.
Commission stocks bullheads in lakes: The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has stocked hundreds of bullheads at two state lakes.
Bullheads were to be stocked at Louisville and Two Rivers state recreation areas in eastern Nebraska.
Bullheads are among the easiest fish to catch. Use a light-action rod with 6- to 8-pound test line and fish on the bottom using a nightcrawler, garden worm, beef liver or shrimp.
The daily limit is five bullheads at both lakes.