Lots of badgers in Nebraska, a smaller relative of the wolverine, but I am afraid no wolverines have been documented in the state for a long, long time.

Daryl B.

Brad Olson / Riverfront Hunt Club

I had heard about these changes, but did not know the proposed dates until I read an article on it tonight. I’m in total agreement with Mike Tallman and every other waterfowler in our area. We would prefer to stay with the Low Plains Early Zone season dates (Oct. 8 – Dec. 18 & Dec. 23 – 24) as our season really doesn’t even get started until the second to third week in November and is usually good until almost Christmas. We have no huntable numbers of ducks in our area during the early part of the season, which proves to have the least interest from hunters to hunt waterfowl in our part of the state (so an Oct. 1 start would hurt more than benefit). As Mike stated we mainly hunt migrations in our area as there are little to no staging areas on typical years, so the change for us would have no benefit and would almost certainly have us missing out on the good late duck pushes . My club also have a hunting operation in Julesburg, CO, and Mike is right on the money when he says there is no comparison with the hunting out west and hunting here. Western Nebraska seems to get ducks earlier and is warmer therefor ducks and geese stage there, some year-round (giving those hunters the chance to hunt ducks and geese later. Why would we have to change the only season we have to an earlier date to benefit less hunters out west who get to hunt a second season anyway? They had the same start date as us last year and having that extra week at the end of season instead of the beginning is the only way to go for northeast Nebraska. My grandpa, Rick Olson, hunted the Tekamah/Decatur area for over 60 years, and if he were here today he would let everybody involved with this decision that the change would be the biggest stab in the back move you could do to the permit/stamp buying Nebraskans of this area.

I would also like to have a discussion on this issue if you have time, since I had not heard of the meeting taking place in Omaha. My number is 402-699-4324, I appreciate your time to read this and all that you do for us hunters.

Brad Olson / Riverfront Hunt Club

Fisheries science, just like all science has evolved and advanced over the years. It is easy for me to wonder what in the world past fisheries biologists were doing when they introduced new species into our waters, but consider that at the time of their efforts that was very much state of the science. Yes, “throw it in and see what it does” was a common fisheries management technique “back in the day.” And no, they just did not have the knowledge base at that time to indicate that what they were doing was not such a good idea.

Also keep in mind that there is a list of success stories as well. Today we are able to fish for a number of species for which we would have never had the opportunity if some ole pointy-headed fisheries biologist had not stocked them. Brown trout are not native to this continent at all, but I can think of a bunch of great fisheries where a person can go catch brown trout and I am glad we can! In addition, in Nebraska many of the waters we fish today are man-made; pits, ponds, and reservoirs are all man-made, and many of our streams and rivers have been altered by man. In many of those waters, stocking fish species that many not have been there for the past thousand years or so is the best way to produce some excellent fishing opportunities and I believe is a legitimate way to manage those resources.

I suppose in a half a hundred years or more there may be some pointy-headed fisheries biologist sitting in an office wondering what in the world I was thinking, but I do believe we are doing the best we can and we are getting better.

Daryl B.