OutdoorNebraska

6 • Areas in Nebraska include Bessey Ranger District near Halsey, McKelvie National Forest near Valentine, Pine Ridge Ranger District near Chadron, and Oglala National Grassland near Crawford. • Refer to the Motor Vehicle Use Maps issued by the U.S. Forest Service for other regulations. They may be obtained at all Forest Service District offices, by request at U.S. Forest Service, 125 N. Main St, Chadron, NE 69337, 308-432-0300, or by visiting fs.usda.gov/nebraska. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lands (USACE) • The Corps owns and manages multiple-purpose properties in Nebraska that provide public recreation opportunities. • These properties have area-specific regulations for public use related to hunting, fishing, trapping and other activities. • Information on Missouri River USACE lands can be found by visiting moriverrecovery.usace.army.mil/. Click the "Maps" tab, and then click the "MRRP Sites page" link. U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Lands (USFWS) Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA)– These federal lands are purchased with Federal Duck stamp revenue. They are open to public recreation, but camping is prohibited. Nontoxic shot is required and other special regulations may apply; for more information, visit fws.gov/refuge/rainwater_basin_wmd/. National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) – These are federally managed lands. Parts of many national wildlife refuges are open to hunting or fishing. Special regulations apply. Check with each refuge for special regulations at fws.gov/refuges/. Natural Resources District Lands (NRD) • NRDs own and manage multiple-purpose properties in Nebraska that provide public recreation opportunities. • These properties have area-specific regulations related to hunting, fishing, trapping and other activities. • Information on NRD lands can be found by visiting nrdrec.org, contacting individual NRDs or within the Public Hunting Lands Map Sheet Index on pages 114-123. Area regulations also are typically posted on site. • 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 control specific, high-conservation value properties. These partners have allowed inclusion of specific properties in this atlas. • These properties have area-specific regulations for public use related to hunting, fishing, trapping and other activities. • 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/. 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 acts 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.

• Cover