Access digital copies of guides and regulations publications from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
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28 D1) R3 PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS Strategies • Given nationwide hunter declines, evaluate current and develop new or expand effective R3 programs and activities, targeting both resident and nonresident pheasant hunters • Strengthen and expand partnerships within the conservation community to capitalize on the shared goals of increasing hunter numbers Tactics CONTINUE to provide funding support for Pheasants Forever's Youth Mentor Hunt Program CONTINUE releasing pen-raised roosters on 15 or more publicly accessible sites (mostly near urban population centers) prior to the youth pheasant season and Thanksgiving weekends to improve hunting opportunities for youth and their families CONTINUE to provide funding support for shared positions designed to develop, coordinate and promote R3 programs and activities throughout Nebraska, in partnership with Pheasants Forever and the National Wild Turkey Federation CONTINUE delivery and expansion of the agency's R3 programs and activities, including the Staff Conservation Leadership Program, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program, Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow, Nebraska Outdoors Radio Show, After School Outdoor Skills Program, Outdoor Expos, Becoming an Outdoor Family (BOF), Passing Along the Heritage youth hunting access program, and OutdoorU! Program, among others CONTINUE to seek additional ways to connect with upland hunters (especially youth and novice) through the expansion of online and media resources, including the development of online "hunter networks" CONTINUE to partner with Pheasants/Quail Forever and local Controlled Shooting Areas to facilitate additional mentored upland hunting opportunities for youth and novice hunters (i�e� "Next Steps" program) BEGIN to utilize the permit system and other resources (e�g�, list of recent Hunter Ed graduates) to 1) more effectively track trends in hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation over time; and 2) help identify youth, novice, and lapsed upland bird hunters and use this to direct future outreach and associated R3 efforts BEGIN to develop outreach materials for underserved audiences to help increase hunter diversity BEGIN to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pheasant releases and quantify their relative contribution to R3 efforts (hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation) ASSESS the effectiveness of our current suite of programs in moving potential hunters through to the adoption phase, and propose improvements based on the results D2) STATUTES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING HUNTER PARTICIPATION Strategies • Given nationwide hunter declines, evaluate and initiate potential changes to reduce statutory and regulatory barriers to hunter participation Tactics CONTINUE to provide a long hunting season (last Saturday in October through the end of January, plus youth season the weekend prior to the general season), a three-bird daily bag limit, a possession limit four times the daily bag, and shooting hours one-half hour before sunrise until sunset CONTINUE to allow resident youth under the age of 16 to hunt without a small game permit, and nonresident youth to hunt for the price of a resident permit (but see tactic below)