LINCOLN, Neb. – Rainwater Basin wetlands observed during an aerial survey Aug. 29 are mostly full of water due to above-normal rainfall, so little pumping is planned, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Wetland conditions also are good throughout most of the rest of the state, resulting in excellent habitat for waterfowl and creating good opportunities for waterfowl hunters.
Because of the rainfall, some parking lots and roads are in poor condition and some of the areas are heavily vegetated, which can make hunting access difficult, so it is recommended to check the areas you plan to hunt before the season opener.
Waterfowl hunting in Nebraska begins with early teal season Sept. 7-15 in the High Plains Zone and Sept. 7-22 in the Low Plains Zone. That also kicks off the new Nebraska Duck Slam challenge, which encourages waterfowlers to harvest four species in the state. More information is available at OutdoorNebraska.org/DuckSlam.
In addition to providing places to hunt waterfowl, wetlands are pumped when needed to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl and other water birds, and to provide areas for people to observe wildlife.
To view the Aug. 29 report on wetland conditions and pumping plans, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov/waterfowlchecklist/, where updates will be posted regularly throughout the duck seasons. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for more information on waterfowl hunting and to purchase permits and stamps and register for the Harvest Information Program.
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