Justin Haag
Public Information Officer | justin.haag@nebraska.gov | 308.430.8515

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Commission Invites Landowners to Discuss Pheasant Opportunities

ALLIANCE -- The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is inviting landowners in the northern Panhandle to discuss their roles and opportunities for pheasant management. The public meeting will be 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at Newberry’s, 104 West Fourth Street, in Alliance.

The Commission will share information about the Berggren Plan, a five-year initiative aimed at improving the pheasant hunting experience in Nebraska. Attendees also will learn about a variety of conservation programs and incentives available to landowners within the “Northern Panhandle Pheasant Opportunity Area.” This area includes most of Box Butte and portions of Sheridan and Dawes Counties and represents one of eight priority areas identified in the Berggren Plan.    

John Laux of Alma, the Commission biologist who is leading the initiative, said the Panhandle has a lot of untapped potential for being a pheasant hunting destination, noting  that pheasant densities in this region consistently rank first or second in the state during annual rural mail carriers surveys.

“The northern Panhandle has some of our best pheasant numbers, even rivaling southwest Nebraska,” Laux said. “We’re hoping to partner with local landowners to improve pheasant habitat and increase hunting access throughout the region. This will not only to boost bird populations and expand opportunities for pheasant hunters but also will strengthen hunting’s role for the local economy.”

More information about the meeting and landowner opportunities in the northern Panhandle may be obtained by contacting Commission wildlife biologist Shelley Steffl of Chadron at 308-432-6183 or shelley.steffl@nebraska.gov. The Berggren Plan may be found online at outdoornebraska.org/pheasantplan.

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Wildcat Hills Offers Muzzleloader, Archery Classes

GERING -- The Wildcat Hills Shooting Sports Complex at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area is seeking enrollees for its first series of classes which consist of six sessions about muzzleloaders and archery.

Both topics have a course set for each of the coming months – February, March and April. The courses are offered in three two-hour sessions over consecutive weeks.

Cat Vinton, the facility’s superintendent, expects the courses to be popular. With advancements in equipment, long seasons and distinctive challenges, both archery equipment and muzzleloaders provide hunters exceptional opportunities to be successful in pursuing a wide range of species.

The courses are $36 each, with muzzleloader sessions open to shooters age 9 and up and archery open to anyone 5 and above. For more information or to register, people may contact Vinton at 308-436-0561.

The Wildcat Hills Shooting Sports Complex, which opened in September 2016, offers a wide variety of shooting opportunities throughout the year. The facility features a rimfire range with seven lanes for rifle and six lanes for pistol, an archery range with 33 lanes, a trap/skeet range for shotguns and a 100-yard range for sighting in rifles.

More information about the shooting complex, along with a list of other upcoming programs and courses, may be found at outdoornebraska.org/wildcathillsrange.

The schedule (Each class is 3-5 p.m.):

Archery: Session one, Feb. 4, 11, 18; Session two, March 4, 11, 18; Session three, April 8, 15, 22.

Muzzleloader: Session one, Feb. 3, 10, 17; Session two, March 3, 10, 17; Session three; April 7, 14, 21.

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