Filed under: family, Fish, Fishing, outdoor education, Uncategorized | Tags: learning to fish, NE family fishing nights, Nebraska fishing events, Nebraska youth fishing, Omaha-metro area fishing
I wanted to let you know that two very informative, hands-on Family Fishing Nights are coming up in the Omaha-metro area. These are a blast! Look for our white Urban Fisheries Trailer, where rods and reels, as well as bait and fishing instruction will be available.
This is the perfect opportunity for you if you’ve never fished, haven’t fished for years or want to get your family into the angling lifestyle!
Remember, anyone 16 or older needs a current, valid fishing permit if they plan to wet lines for fish at these events which will be held rain or shine. Here are the details:
Thursday, June 24 at Halleck Park Lake, 816 East Halleck Street, in Papillion from 6-8 p.m.
Wednesday, June 30 at Cunningham Lake, 96th & State Street, in Omaha from 6-8 p.m.
Filed under: Camping, outdoor education, outdoor information, outdoor survival, Outdoor tips, Uncategorized | Tags: Camping, camping in storms, camping safety, camping tips, lightning, Nebraska camping, thunderstorms
Tis the summer storm season in Nebraska! With that in mind, I came across some outstanding information about tips for camping in a thunderstorm written by Kirk Brown on the reputable website: www.trails.com that I wanted to share with all of you. I’ve added a couple of tidbits of my own info as well.
Step 1 For weather forecasts, advisories, watches, warnings, etc., know your camping location from the nearest town, plus what county and what portion of that county you’re located in. Step 2 Bring a weather radio on camping outings so you can be aware of these severe-storm advisories.
Step 3 Avoid exposed areas like hilltops, summits, ridges and large meadows when choosing a campsite. Also stay away from especially tall or isolated trees. Low-lying settings that are prone to flooding also are less than ideal. Step 4 Seek a safe shelter when you hear the first rumbles of thunder. If possible, head to your vehicle or an enclosed building. Don’t come back outside until 30 minutes after you stop hearing thunderclaps.
Step 5 Keep away from water bodies, metal camping gear and tall, isolated objects if you see lightning. Step 6 Kneel or squat on a dry rubber sleeping pad with your feet close together if a lightning strike appears imminent and there is no time to seek safe shelter. Each member of your camping party should maintain a distance of at least 15 feet from one another to prevent lightning from traveling between persons.
Things you’ll need:
– Weather radio
– Dry rubber sleeping pad
Things to note:
– In an average year, lightning claims more lives than tornadoes and hurricanes combined!
– According to the National Weather Service, there is NO safe place to be outside in a thunderstorm. The best way to stay safe is to avoid the threat of lightning.
See you out there, always playing it safe during a storm!
Filed under: family, Fishing, Nebraska outdoor events, Omaha lakes, outdoor education, outdoor recreation, Outdoor tips, Youth | Tags: family fishing nights, how to teach kids to fish, Nebraska's youth fishing program, taking kids fishing, youth fishing tips
Well, I’m Jo Momsen with Nebraska Game & Parks Commission’s Omaha Office and I have infiltrated Greg Wagner’s blog, ha! I am here to tell you that there are three easy steps for teaching young kids how to fish! But first, a little background information about me. I’ve been working for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for over 20 years and I absolutely love it! In that time, I bet I’ve taught more than 3,000 young kids how to fish in the Game and Parks Commission’s Youth Fishing Program. If you’d like more information about the program, go here: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/fishing/programs/aquaticEd/AquaticEd.asp
The most important thing I have learned when teaching youth basic angling skills is to keep it simple, VERY SIMPLE! And, that is where my 3 steps enter the picture.
First, the equipment and bait. No need to over-complicate this part to youngsters. I tell first-time anglers they only need to make sure the circles on the two-piece rod are lined up, clip a bobber about 18″ up the line, tie on a hook with a good clinch knot at the end of the line, then, somewhere between the bobber and the hook clamp on a small, split-shot weight. Next, put that earthworm on the hook. You’ve got it, you’re ready to fish!
Second, the cast. I show kids the “little button” on the (spin-cast) reel and instruct them to press it down with their thumb while holding the trigger grip (located on the rod beneath the reel) with their pointer/index finger. If I have really young kids, I say to simply hold the rod over the water and take their thumb off and drop the line in the water, especially off of a dock. “Watch that bobber closely and wait for it to dance,” I’ll stress to them. For older kids, maybe 7 years and up, I have them use the overhand method of casting. I’ll make them take a quick look behind themselves for safety, reach back with the rod (thumb still on the button), and then bring the rod forward with one motion taking their thumb off the button when the rod tip reaches eye level. The kids will smile from ear-to-ear watching their line fly into the water!
Third, the catch. When bobbers begin to disappear under the surface of the water, pure excitement reigns with kids, it’s great to witness! After hooking a fish, I’ll tell the young beginners to keep their rod tip up, their line taut and to start winding the handle on the side of the reel. “There’s gonna be a fish waiting at the other end to greet you!” I’ll exclaim.
Keeping it simple for kids, not over-teaching, and putting them on the water immediately will give them the hands-on know-how they need to be successful anglers. Once a kid catches his or her first fish, you’ve got ’em hooked for life!
Reminder that the Game and Parks Commission has fun-filled ‘Family Fishing Nights’ scheduled around the state to assist kids and families with landing those first fish. Equipment, bait and instruction will be available. Look for me at one or more of these events around Omaha this summer. Here’s a link (below the pic) for complete details regarding those: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/Fishing/freefish/pdf/2010freefishposter.pdf
Before I forget, three other key points to emphasize to the kids while at the water’s edge: Being safe, proper catch-and-release fishing and leaving the area better than it was found by picking up litter.
Pack your patience along with a ton of fun and I’ll ‘see you out there’ (as Greg says) wetting some lines with your kids!
Filed under: natural wonders, outdoor education, Scenic places, Uncategorized | Tags: Cherry County, Nebraska natural wonders, Nebraska waterfalls, niobrara river, Snake River, waterfalls
I was talking with new neighbors on our block in Dundee Omaha today and they just couldn’t believe that Nebraska has any waterfalls whatsoever. Well, new neighbors – Mark and Deb, as promised, this blogs for you! Enjoy seeing some of Nebraska’s pretty waterfalls, all of which are in Cherry County (a county larger than the state of Rhode Island if you didn’t know) and one of my favorite counties in Nebraska. Look below, you can understand why, can’t you? See you out there, or under there!
Filed under: Nebraska outdoor events, outdoor education, outdoor recreation | Tags: family outdoor activities, Nebraska Outdoor Expo, youth outdoor opportunities
Yesterday and today many Game and Parks Commission outdoor experts are assisting with a large-scale outdoor expo for youth at Platte River State Park near Louisville. Hundreds of area school kids are trying their hands at a number of outdoor activities like kayaking (see photo below).
A statewide outdoor expo geared toward kids and families will be held at the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area near Kearney on May 15th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Like the expo for school kids at Platte River State Park, this expo will feature a variety of hands-on outdoor activities as well. Click the link below the expo logo for further information.
See you out there, hopefully at the expo!
Filed under: Hunting, outdoor education, Outdoor Radio & TV Programs, Turkey | Tags: Dick Turpin, Dick Turpin's Turkey Tips, The Great Outdoor Radio Show, turpincalls.com
Recently, I had the privilege and pleasure of sitting down and talking spring wild turkey hunting on my radio show with whom I consider to be “The Grand Master” of Nebraska turkey hunting – my good friend, veteran woodsman and sage Dick Turpin of Lincoln, NE.
Dick has been hunting tom turkeys annually in the spring since the first seasons were held in Nebraska in the early-mid 1960’s! His passion and respect for the North America’s largest game bird remains strong and steadfast, especially, he says, in this Golden Age of turkey hunting in the Cornhusker State with all the birds we have!
So, you see, Turpin really knows these turkeys (I’ve always told him that it takes a turkey to know a turkey, ha). A self-proclaimed “professional tinkerer” Dick makes and sells homemade, handcrafted, walnut turkey box calls . They are really cool, they really work (I’ve bagged several gobblers with mine) and he personalizes them as well. Here’s what one looks like.
Get more information about the unique calls he constructs at www.turpincalls.com
Here’s what Turpin says about calling turkeys in the springtime on his website:
“Any turkey that has been alarmed will go silent. You spook a bird and it will likely “putt” very loudly and then just shut up. Other than the alarm call (or putt), any sound a turkey makes is an assurance to birds who hear it that everything is normal.
Yelps, purrs, cackles, cutting, clucks and gobbles are made by birds that are comfortable. When a tom hears one of these sounds, he is assured that all is well in his woods. Since turkeys make all kinds of sounds, other than the aforementioned putt, almost any sound from a friction call will entice an aroused tom.
Being an “expert ” caller, in my opinion is not as important as some would make it out to be. Patience, knowing your hunting area and good camouflage will be every bit as important to a successful hunt.
An aroused tom turkey will not care that you haven’t won a calling contest.”
Turpin, in his folksy, entertaining way, elaborates much more about calling in gobblers and about the various aspects of spring turkey hunting on the radio show interview I had with him. Hear it on The Great Outdoor Radio Show I host from 9-10 a.m. CST on Omaha’s ESPN Radio 1620 AM or online, at: www.1620thezone.com
Turpin’s’ interview is fitting because this Saturday morning, April 17th is the opening morning for Nebraska’s spring shotgun wild turkey hunting season. When you’re coming in from the field for a brief break give us a listen!
We’ll see out there, enjoying a spring wild turkey hunt thanks to the tips from Turpin!
Filed under: outdoor education, outdoor information, Outdoor Radio & TV Programs, Uncategorized | Tags: Greg Wagner Friday radio appearance, KFAB Good Morning Show, KFAB radio
Since the late 1980s, I have made an appearance on 1110 AM/KFAB radio’s Good Morning Show to talk about timely, newsworthy Nebraska outdoor topics nearly every Friday morning from about 8:47 a.m. to about 8:56 a.m. and I absolutely love it! The folks at KFAB are awesome and understand the importance of airing/providing outdoor news and information!
I and the team invite you to give us a listen.
Find out the latest happenings with regard to the Nebraska outdoor scene and let us help you with your weekend outdoor plans.
See you on the air on KFAB and out there!
Filed under: Fish, Fishing, Hunting, nebraska vacations, outdoor adventures, outdoor education, Outdoor tips, outdoor TV shows, Scenic places, State Parks, Travel, Uncategorized, wildlife, wildlife watching | Tags: Nebraska game and Parks Commission online resources, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission YouTube
Everything from tremendous scenery to turkey hunts to Turpin’s Tips, that’s what’s in store for you to see on the Game and Parks Commission’s account on the YouTube website. I provided a sample for you:
My good buddy Ralph Wall is in the process of aggressively uploading all kinds of video clips, stories, essays, etc. about Nebraska’s outdoor scene. Here’s a shot of our outdoor video/broadcast guru Ralph Wall.
Like our blogs and Facebook page, this is one of those online avenues that you need to keep continually checking. Each time, I’m sure you’ll learn something new and hopefully that will prompt you to go outdoors and experience the adventure! The Game and Parks YouTube link is : http://www.youtube.com/user/NGPCnews
See you out there and on YouTube!
Filed under: outdoor education, the Nebraska conservation officer, Uncategorized | Tags: conservation officers, game wardens, Great Outdoor Radio Show, Jeff Clauson, Nebraska conservation officer duties
Yesterday, I had the opportunity and privilege of spending the day with great friend, fellow Game and Parks compatriot and conservation officer Jeff Clauson of Waterloo and his four-legged, faithful companion named “Rush” (the dog serves as a goodwill ambassador and may assist with an investigation).
What an interesting day it was! I’ll tell you first-hand that the work of a field conservation officer in Nebraska is incredibly varied (see photos).
I have tremendous respect for these men and women who are sworn peace officers on our front lines in the great outdoors enforcing fishing, hunting, fur harvesting, boating and park laws and regulations, AND SO SHOULD YOU! The field conservation officer actually has one of the most dangerous law enforcement jobs in the country! Why? The majority of contacts are made alone in sparsely populated rural areas with people who have a weapon of some sort in their possession or on their person, whether it’s fillet knife or a firearm!
It is very important to point out that Conservation Officers also present many informational/educational programs and talks to groups, organizations, hunter safety classes, etc.
Along that same line, I am fortunate to have Jeff Clauson come on my Saturday morning outdoor talk radio show, entitled: “The Great Outdoor Radio Show” airing on Omaha’s ESPN Radio/1620 AM (and also on www.1620thezone.com) nearly once a month on Saturday mornings from 9-10 a.m. for “Ask the Conservation Officer.” He takes all questions from callers pertaining to Nebraska outdoor laws and regulations, plus other outdoor-related subjects. Listen for the promotional announcements as to when Jeff will be in the studio.
Jeff and I will chat with you on the radio and definitely see you out there! We love what we do!
Filed under: outdoor education, Uncategorized | Tags: Greg Wagner appearances, school group programs, youth outdoor education
One of the great, rewarding things I get to do as a Public Information Officer for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is to interact with youth in a variety of settings to convey important natural resource conservation messages and to encourage them to bug their parents, grandparents or guardians to take them “outside.” Here I am just moments ago with all of my game calls doing a presentation at Bancroft Elementary School in southeast Omaha and reading a story to 5th graders.
We all had fun, but I think I had more fun than they did! See you out there, getting involved in the lives of youth!