Access digital copies of guides and regulations publications from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Issue link: http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/i/715005
3 3 OPEN FIELDS AND WATERS PROGRAM Open Fields and Waters Program – Private land that is open to the public for hunting, trapping, and fishing is important to Nebraska because of the state's limited amount of public land. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Pheasants Forever work closely with hundreds of private landowners who voluntarily open their land to use by hunters, trappers, and anglers. The OFW program provides financial incentives to landowners who allow public walk-in hunting, trapping and fishing access. Enrolling land in this program also allows landowners to work with Game and Parks biologists to improve wildlife habitat. Canyon Access Initiative - In 2015, Game and Parks began working with the NWTF to increase hunting access opportunities in the Loess Canyons region of Lincoln County. This area in Lincoln County is a biologically unique landscape that provides optimal habitat for turkey, mule deer, whitetail deer and elk hunting. This program will provide public hunting access on an additional 8,825 acres during the 2016-2017 hunting season. If you hunt one of these sites, please contact Game and Parks biologist Adam Kester at 308-535-8025 or by emailing him at adam.kester@nebraska.gov and let him know how you did. OTHER PROGRAMS The Berggren Plan – Game and Parks has completed a comprehensive plan for creating the best pheasant hunting experience for the most people over the next five years. The Berggren Plan includes managing all aspects of the pheasant hunting experience, with habitat and access as cornerstone activities. This plan will work to improve upland gamebird habitat on over 800,000 acres of public and private lands over the next 5 years. Habitat work will be concentrated where it will be most effective based on sound science. Eight focus areas and 17 Wildlife Management areas are highlighted in the plan. The Berggren Plan also calls for an increase in quality upland game bird hunting, with a goal of 122,000 acres of upland game bird hunting access/year in these focus areas. To accomplish these goals, Game and Parks will work with existing partners, and develop new partnerships with private conservation organizations, local communities, and other state agencies. To learn more about the Berggren Plan visit: OutdoorNebraska.org/PheasantPlan Small Grain Stubble Management Program – This fall, hunters may find OFW sites consisting of milo or wheat stubble (check the online version of the Public Access Atlas to find these sites illustrated in light purple). Tall, undisturbed milo or wheat stubble has been shown to provide multiple habitat benefits to pheasants, quail and other wildlife from the end of summer through the harsh winter months. Tall stubble provides additional agricultural and economic benefits through collecting and conserving soil moisture by catching snow, shading the ground, and reducing soil erosion. Nebraska hunters also will benefit from the tall stubble program as many of the landowners were willing to provide walk-in hunting access on their stubble fields this fall. If you hunt one of these stubble fields, call T.J. Walker at the North Platte Game and Parks office (308-535-8025) and let him know how you did.