Outdoor notes: Pheasants released for holiday weekend; Archery on tap at Platte River

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will release rooster pheasants at 14 wildlife management areas in time for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The 14 areas are: Oak Valley (Madison County), Wilkinson (Platte County), Sherman Reservoir (Sherman County), Pressey (Custer County), Branched Oak (Lancaster County), Yankee Hill (Lancaster County), Twin Oaks (Johnson County), Hickory Ridge (Johnson County), Cornhusker (Hall County), Peru Bottoms (Nemaha County), Kirkpatrick Basin North (York County), Schilling (Cass County), Arrowhead (Gage County), and George Syas (Platte County). Kirkpatrick Basin North, Schilling, Wilkinson and Peru Bottoms are non-toxic shot only, but otherwise all normal regulations apply.

The pheasants will be released to increase hunting opportunities over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The pheasant season runs through Jan. 31, 2018. Permits, including the nonresident two-day hunt permit, may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.org.

Archery on tap at Platte River

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will hold a day of free archery Dec. 2 at Archery on Fire at Platte River State Park.

All ages and experience levels are welcome for this event, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Roger G. Sykes Outdoor Heritage Education Complex. Equipment and instruction will be provided.

Archery, 3-D archery, crossbows and tomahawk throwing will be available. There also will be campground games, kids’ crafts and a pellet gun shooting gallery. All activities are offered at no cost.

A park entry permit is required.

Christmas in the Woods at Ponca

Ponca State Park will hold weekly seasonal activities as part of its Christmas in the Woods celebration.

Christmas in the Woods will take place Nov. 25, Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, and give people a chance to do seasonal crafts, attend an outdoor program or ride on a decorated and lighted hayrack.

The park will also hold its annual snowman building contest from Nov. 25 through March 19. The top three entries will win prizes.

Contact the park for more information about activities or discount lodging packages at 402-755-2284 or [email protected].

New option for Iowa hunters

Iowa hunters will have a new option this fall while hunting deer during the youth season, disabled hunter season and both shotgun seasons — rifles that are capable of shooting straight walled cartridges.

The law was enacted to allow for a lower recoil option for older and younger hunters, but is available to all hunters in those four seasons.

The law allows for straight wall ammunition that was previously approved for pistol hunting to be used in rifles.

The new law requires individuals caught with a rifle capable of shooting ammunition not on the approved list while hunting deer to have their hunting privileges suspended for two years and receive a $250 fine.

Iowa deer harvest down

The 2017 Iowa deer harvest is running slightly behind the 2016 totals. So far this fall, 21,825 deer have been reported, compared to 21,947 for the same period last year.

The bulk of Iowa’s deer harvest occurs during the two shotgun seasons in December.

Calendar

SUNDAY

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