LINCOLN, Neb. – Wetland conditions across most of the state have improved recently, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
On Oct. 11, Game and Parks released an update on the status of Rainwater Basin wetlands, as well as pumping plans for waterfowl hunting seasons.
“Due to cooler temperatures and increased rainfall, conditions throughout most of the state and in many Rainwater Basin wetlands have improved over the past month,” said Ted LaGrange, Game and Parks’ wetland program manager. “The cooler and wetter conditions have also helped to make our pumping more efficient and effective.”
So far this fall, Game and Parks has pumped water into 19 Rainwater Basin wildlife management areas (WMA) and into four wetlands on WMAs located outside of the Rainwater Basin. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had surface water delivered into Funk Waterfowl Production Area.
Duck season is open in zones 2 and 4 and opens Oct. 14 in Zone 1 and Oct. 26 in Zone 3. The remaining youth waterfowl season is Oct. 21-22 in Zone 3.
In addition to providing places to hunt waterfowl, wetlands are pumped to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl and other water birds, to provide areas for people to observe wildlife, and to spread out the distribution of migrating birds to reduce the possibility of disease outbreaks.
The wetland condition and pumping plans information is updated periodically throughout the duck season. View the report at Outdoornebraska.gov/waterfowlchecklist. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for more information on waterfowl hunting and to purchase permits and stamps.
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