OutdoorNebraska

7 • Rules and regulations for N-CORPE lands open to public hunting (Map Sheet 19) can be found at ncorpe.org/hunting. Conservation Partner Lands • Conservation partners, including Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants and Quail Forever, and Platte River Basin Environments have acquired or EQPVTQNURGEKſEJKIJEQPUGTXCVKQP value properties. These partners have CNNQYGFKPENWUKQPQHURGEKſE properties in this atlas. Ŗ6JGUGRTQRGTVKGUJCXGCTGCURGEKſE regulations for public use related to JWPVKPIſUJKPIVTCRRKPICPFQVJGTCEVKXKVKGU • For more information on Ducks Unlimited properties open to public hunting, visit ducks.org/nebraska/regulations-for-hunting- ducks-unlimited-properties-in-nebraska. • For more information on Platte River Basin Environments lands open to public hunting, visit nebwild.org/projects. Platte River Recreation Access (PRRA) The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) has purchased and restored numerous tracts of land along the Central Platte River to provide habitat for threatened and endangered species. In 2011, PRRIP partnered with Game and Parks to develop the Platte River Recreation Access (PRRA) Program to provide limited, walk-in public access on select PRRIP lands through an online reservation system. • More than 6,200 acres of land along the Platte River are available through the PRRA program. Ŗ6JGUGRTQRGTVKGUJCXGCTGCURGEKſETGIWNCVKQPUHQTRWDNKEWUG TGNCVKPIVQJWPVKPIſUJKPICPFQVJGTCWVJQTK\GFCEVKXKVKGU Ŗ)KXGPVJCVCEEGUUKUNKOKVGFVQCURGEKſEPWODGTQHWUGTU PRRA lands are not displayed in this atlas. To learn more about PRRA, view available properties, or make reservations, please visit platteaccess.org. • Additional information is provided on page 112 of this publication. Are Nebraska's "School Lands" Open to Public Access? In recent years, Game and Parks has received an increasing number of questions regarding access to properties owned by the Board of Educational Lands and Funds (BELF), which are often referred to as "school lands." Popular mapping software used by hunters often display BELF lands as publicly accessible and also tend to label their ownership inconsistently. Unlike some surrounding states, Nebraska's BELF lands are not open to public access unless otherwise posted. Similar to other private lands across the state, landowner permission is required. For more information, please visit belf.nebraska.gov. Recreation Liability Act Questions about potential liability for injury sometimes make landowners apprehensive about allowing public access to their property. Knowledge of Nebraska's Recreation Liability Act should relieve some anxieties. Statutes 37-729 through 37- 736 of the Nebraska Game Laws state that unless users are charged a fee for access to the property, landowners are not responsible for ensuring the premises are safe for recreational use. The statutes specify: • A landowner who gives permission to use property for recreation is not extending any assurance that the property is safe, and no liability for injury or property damage can be sought from the landowner. • Payment to landowners from a government body, such as the arrangement that occurs through Open Fields and Waters, has been treated the same as if no payment were made. • If dangerous conditions are known to exist on the land, landowners are obligated to guard or warn users. • Recreational users of private lands are responsible for their own actions unless they pay the landowner for such use.

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