In addition, the weekend before spring shotgun turkey, waterfowl
and upland bird season openers are set aside to allow youth an
opportunity to hunt before the regular season. Also, 2015 marked
the fifth year that the Commission has released pheasants on select
wildlife management areas to increase youth upland bird hunting
participation. During the 2015 Special Youth Pheasant Hunt events,
290 adult mentors accompanied 344 youth hunters afield. For many
of the youth, this special hunt is their first hunting experience. Many
youth return each year to participate and most have said they now
hunt pheasants during the regular season, as well.
D E E R H E R D R E C O V E R S
In 2012 and 2013, epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) killed
an estimated 30 percent of Nebraska's white-tailed deer herd and
about 5 percent of the mule deer herd. Whitetail losses ranged
from 4 percent in southwestern Nebraska to 60 percent in north-
central Nebraska. In response, nearly 100,000 whitetail antlerless
WHITE-TAILED
DEER
WADE
THROUGH
THE
PLATTE
RIVER
IN
HALL
COUNTY
32 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission • 2015 Annual Report
