A bull elk tag will be auctioned off by the Nebraska Big Game Society on April 12 in Lincoln. The event will be held at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club, 1800 Wilderness Woods Place.
Those who wish to bid but cannot attend may call in their bids for free. Call-in bidders must first notify the NBGS by 5 p.m. on April 5 at 402-430-9191 or via email at [email protected].
Only residents are eligible for the tag, which will be auctioned at 7:10 p.m. The high bidder will receive a bull elk tag valid in any elk management unit during a 2018 open bull elk season using any legal weapons for that season.
All of the proceeds from the elk tag auction will be used by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for the preservation of elk herds and hunting opportunities in the state.
Tickets for the banquet are $60 each or $500 for a table of eight. Dinner is at 6:15 p.m. Contact Jon Thomas at 402-430-9191 or by email at [email protected].
Badger Day comes to Gering
The groundhog may or may not see its shadow, but the forecast says there is a highly favorable chance for people to learn about another burrowing animal next month. Badger Day will be Feb. 3, at 10 a.m. at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center south of Gering.
Amanda Filipi, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission outdoor education specialist, said that Badger Day was inspired by Groundhog Day — which was actually inspired by Badger Day. To Germans, the badgers are the animal of choice for weather forecasting. Nineteenth century settlers from that country, however, had substitute a furry rodent when no badgers could be found upon their arrival to the East Coast.
“When they came to America, there weren’t a lot of badgers, so they used groundhogs to predict the weather instead,” Filipi said.
While badgers may not be plentiful in Pennsylvania, they are common in the central and western United States and thrive on the plains of the Nebraska Panhandle.
Attendees of the free event will learn about American badgers, predators that are highly proficient at digging for prey and a place to rest. Filipi also plans to discuss the history of Groundhog Day and lead attendees in craftmaking.
The event, which is an installment of the annual Wildcat Weekends series of events, is open to the public free of charge but a valid Nebraska park entry permit is required for vehicles.
Iowa deer harvests increase
Hunters reported harvesting 105,544 deer in Iowa for 2017, which is an increase of more than 4,100 deer from 2016. Iowa’s deer seasons closed on Jan. 10.
Most deer were harvested during the shotgun seasons.
Shotgun 1: 26,546 deer, 13,804 antlerless, 12,742 antlered
Shotgun 2: 19,921 deer, 12,326 antlerless, 7,595 antlered
Bow (does not include LOT or crossbow): 19,797 deer, 7,737 antlerless, 12,060 antlered
Landowners and tenants reported harvesting 7,376 antlerless deer and 3,785 antlered deer during the shogun seasons and 1,445 antlerless deer and 1,246 antlered deer during the bow season.
Overall harvest
105,544 deer in 2017, 101,397 in 2016 (increase of 4 percent)
57,522 antlerless deer in 2017, 56,010 in 2016 (increase of 3 percent)
47,992 antlered deer in 2017, 45,378 in 2016 (increase of 6 percent)
Calendar
WEDNESDAY
Prescribed burn training workshop, McCook
Statewide light goose hunting season starts
