Deer hunters have two resources to donate venison
 The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters that there are two programs that support deer donation in Nebraska: Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) and the Deer Exchange.
HHH pays for the processing of whole field-dressed deer that hunters donate at any HHH processor, and the Deer Exchange program allows hunters to sign-up with the exchange to find individuals who have also signed-up and want to receive venison.
The Deer Exchange is free to use for anyone, but no processing costs are paid for under the program. Venison may not be sold or purchased, but hunters and people receiving the venison may agree to share in processing costs. Any amount and type of venison can be transferred, from a whole field-dressed deer, to jerky, to packaged roasts. More information on both of these programs is available online.
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Tickets on sale now for Fort Robinson Christmas Dinner
 The 20th annual Historical Christmas Dinner at Fort Robinson State Park is set for Saturday, Dec. 6. To mark the special anniversary, the dinner’s theme will step back 100 years with attire and the menu from the 1914 Christmas dinner at the Fort.
Only 200 tickets will be sold for the dinner, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3. Tickets will be available by cash or check at the Fort Robinson State Park office, the Chadron Chamber of Commerce office, and Rea’s Market in Harrison. Because of the high demand, there is a limit of four tickets per household. More information on this unique event is available on our website.
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Learn the basics of handguns
Professional range officers can help you learn to operate your handgun during a series of Friday night classes at the new Outdoor Education Center, 4703 N. 44th St., in Lincoln. There will be separate classes for men and women. Participants can either bring their own handgun and ammunition or use the Outdoor Education Center’s equipment. The cost of each class is $15 without gun rental and $20 with gun rental.
Women’s classes will take place Nov. 7, Nov. 21, Dec. 5, and Dec. 19. Men’s classes will take place Nov. 14, Nov. 28, Dec. 12, and Dec. 26. All classes will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
To register or to find more information, visit the Outdoor Education Center event page or call 402-471-6141.
Photographing a familiar place in a different light
 One morning, Game and Parks public information officer Justin Haag set out early looking to capture photos of migrating sandhill cranes, which commonly stay over in the panhandle their journey southward this time of year. Even though he had heard promising reports from the previous night, he didn’t find where the cranes had roosted. But visiting Whitney Lake Management Area early in the morning allowed him to see the area in a different light, which led to some nice photographs, even without the cranes he was looking for. Visit his blog to see what he saw during those early morning hours.
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Searching for the three-toed woodpecker in the Pine Ridge
Late last month, two Game and Parks wildlife biologists took the long drive from Lincoln to East Ash Creek Canyon in the Pine Ridge, southeast of Chadron. They were on a mission to find an American Three-toed Woodpecker. This species is a major rarity for Nebraska and major rarities are always a source of excitement. They hiked through the canyon and after just a mile or two, they found this rare bird. Visit the Nongame Bird Blog to learn more about this trip and to see video and photographs of this species not frequently seen in Nebraska.
The stories a tagged catfish can tell
Over the past few years Game and Parks fisheries outreach manger Daryl Bauer has have blogged several times about some of the research being done on Branched Oak flathead catfish. A large part of that research has been the tagging of flathead catfish in Branched Oak Reservoir; over 1,500 flathead catfish in Branched Oak are swimming around with tags on them.
About this time last year, Bauer was lamenting that even with all of those tagged flathead catfish in Branched Oak, it seemed like he could not catch one. A year later, he and his son have finally got a few, and it seemed like every one was tagged. Those tags revealed some interesting information about the big catfish swimming around in Branched Oak. Visit Daryl's blog to learn more.
Featured photo from NEBRASKAland Magazine:
A full moon hangs over grasslands and a windmill on private property in Sioux County
Justin Haag/NEBRASKAland Magazine
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