Now is the time to
view bald eagles
 Get out of the house this winter and spend some time viewing Nebraska’s bald eagles. They can be seen year-round across the state, but winter and early spring are the best times to see large numbers of eagles.
In the winter, there often are concentrations of bald eagles feeding on fish and sick or wounded waterfowl at reservoirs that have some open water. Favored sites include Sutherland Reservoir near Sutherland, Harlan County Reservoir near Alma, and below Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, S.D. Lake Ogallala and Lake McConaughy near Ogallala also are top viewing sites, and the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District has a viewing building near the dam spillway. The power and irrigation district also has a viewing site at its J-2 power plant near Lexington. More information on that facility can be found online.
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Game and Parks demonstrates wild game cooking techniques
How do you prepare venison? In the first of several new cooking videos, Nebraska Game and Parks Public Information Officer Julie Geiser demonstrates one of her favorite easy recipes – venison pinwheels. Visit our YouTube page to watch the video and learn how to make this in your own kitchen.
Celebrate the season at Mahoney State Park this weekend
 Celebrate the frosty season by making memories with the family to warm you through the cold days of winter on Saturday at Mahoney State Park from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bring the whole family to the Owen Marina to learn about surviving the winter wilderness and enjoy fishing and birding activities. Stay to create memories with the children and grandchildren while making winter crafts and enjoy roasting hotdogs and s’mores over an open fire. Activities are free, though there will be a nominal fee for refreshments. More information is available on our website.
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Learn about river otter success during Lincoln workshop
Learn about Nebraska’s successful reintroduction of the river otter at a free program Jan. 29 at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln.
Sam Wilson, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s furbearer and carnivore program manager, will explain how river otters once flourished in the state before being eliminated by unrestricted harvest and land-use changes. The river otter has expanded its population across much of the state since reintroductions began in 1986.
The program begins at 7 p.m. at the center, which is located at 4703 N. 44th St. Visit our calendar to reserve your seat today.
Eagle viewing, gulling heats up at Lake Ogallala
 January
may be a great time to view bald eagles, but this month also provides another
great birding opportunity – a chance to see several species of gulls. During a
recent birding trip to Lake Ogallala, Nongame Bird Program Manager Joel
Jorgensen saw six different species of gulls. To learn more about these
visitors – and the unique opportunity they provide for birders -- visit Joel’s
blog.
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Clear Creek WMA: A great spot for hunting
Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area offers a great public area to hunt. Located near Lewellen, the WMA is a short travel distance for those in central and southwest Nebraska and a go-to destination for others.
The area is owned by Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and encompasses more than 6,200 acres of land and water depending on lake elevation. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) leases this area for wildlife management and public use access. Nebraska Game and Parks Public Information Officer Julie Geiser recently wrote about Clear Creek WMA and the many hunting and other outdoor opportunities available there. Read all about it on her blog.
Donate to the Wildlife Conservation Fund
 Since 1984, tax deductible donations to the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund have helped the thousands of species that call Nebraska home. Wildlife Conservation Fund projects help those species considered non-game, or those that are not hunted or fished. Donated dollars have big impact because Wildlife Conservation Fund dollars are matched with other grants.
This year, consider donating all or a portion of your tax refund to the Wildlife Conservation Fund through the Wildlife Checkoff on your state income tax form. You can also make a donation online any time of year, and right now those who donate online will receive one or more gifts. Visit our website to learn more about this limited-time incentive as well as about this important program.
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Featured photo from NEBRASKAland Magazine:
Winter fog coats trees with hoarfrost and partially obscures the Sandhills rising above a hay meadow along Highway 2.
Eric Fowler/NEBRASKAland Magazine
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