Access digital copies of guides and regulations publications from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Issue link: http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1449393
55 BEGIN to assess the potential social benefits of changing hunting regulations such as modifying shooting hours to a mid- morning start time� NGPC hosted community-based focus group meetings within seven of the eight priority areas during winter 2016-17 and surveyed small game permit buyers and CSA operators throughout the state to determine the potential impacts of changing shooting hours. By and large, there was overwhelming support amongst all groups to maintain our existing shooting hours (i.e., one-half hour before sunrise to sunset). B9� Statutes, Regulations and Programs Affecting Predation BEGIN the regulation-setting process to reduce the price of nonresident fur harvest permits In recent years, the NGPC sold 20-30 nonresident furbearer permits each year and even with reduced prices, this likely wouldn't result in a major increase in permit sales or enough additional harvest to positively impact upland gamebirds in any measurable way. This potential change would also likely not be supported by Nebraska Fur Harvesters as inequality in reciprocity rules between states is causing concern for Nebraska trappers. BEGIN development of a research project to assess the costs and benefits of a focused predator removal operation and to determine areas of the state where such an operation would have the highest return on investment� An overwhelming majority of peer-reviewed literature has concluded that predator removal is not an effective means to alleviate predation on ground-nesting birds over large geographic areas. Also, to obtain long-term benefits to nest production, predator removal must be carried out over multiple years, which also adds to associated cost. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks initiated a "Nest Predator Bounty Program" in 2019 (more than $1 million budget). The cost-effectiveness of this initiative remains in question as South Dakota's pheasant population has continued to fluctuate annually in response to weather conditions and changes in habitat availability (as it has in other surrounding states). A similar effort in Nebraska is expected to exceed $2 million based on recent harvest estimates of the furbearer species being targeted. Habitat restoration continues to provide the most cost-effective, long-term solution to declining pheasant populations, hence its emphasis in this plan. B10� Childhood Experiences and Education Affecting Landowner Values ASSESS the feasibility of adding delivery of the Leopold Education Project This was assessed early on but was determined unfeasible due to several reasons (e.g., other educational priorities, many concepts already covered in existing programs, etc.). The recent creation of the Fish and Wildlife Education Division has greatly increased the NGPC's capacity to deliver outdoor educational programs. B11� Adult Experiences and Education Affecting Landowner Values C1� Public and Non-governmental Organization Lands Open to Hunting CONTINUE research in partnership with UNL on the relations among hunting pressure, hunter satisfaction, and game abundance and behavior to ascertain potential benefits of unlimited versus restricted access on areas open to public hunting UNL researchers conducted a comprehensive hunter use research project from 2014-18 that examined hunter use, preferences, and satisfaction associated with hunters using publicly accessible sites within nine focal areas throughout the state. Results have been incorporated into decision-making processes associated with both the OFW Program and NGPC land acquisitions. A separate hunter survey in 2014 looked at preferences associated with restricted access on OFW sites (i.e., would limit the number of individuals or number of days available per site). Most hunters preferred no changes to the existing OFW Program. Still, different approaches may be necessary to help meet the continued high demand for increased hunting access on private lands near our state's population centers. Arguably, several other states have implemented successful reservation-based access programs to facilitate access for high-demand activities (e.g., big game hunting), especially near urban population centers (e.g., IWIHA in KS) and the NGPC will continue to investigate these potential options.