OUTDOOR NEBRASKA
PUBLUSHED BY THE NEBRASKA STATE GAME, FORESTATION AND PARK COMMISSION
Published quarterly at Lincoln, Nebraska, by the Game, Forestation, and Parks Commission, State of Nebraska. Subscription price 25c a year; $1.00 for 5 years.
THE ACORN PRESS. LINCOLN. NEBRASKA STAFF Editor.............PAUL T. GILBERT COMMISSIONERS Dr. M. Campbell, Chairman Clarke Wilson, Vice-Chairman Ralph Kryger Ernest Bihler Dr. C. H. Silvernail Paul T. Gilbert, SecretaryThe cover this month might well be entitled "The Little Pheasant That Wasn't There." The editor and photographer ventured into the woods with the sign shown on the cover and a crate containing one live cock pheasant. After nailing the sign securely to a nearby tree, the pheasant was removed from its case and tethered with a heavy cord to a stake hidden in the grass at the foot of the tree. Mr. Pheasant, feeling the warm rays of the sun upon his colorful plumage, preened himself majestically, took one look at the sign; and, upon realizing the full importance of the meaning of the sign, threw himself into the air with such force that the cord broke, and away roared Sir Cock Pheasant, to the amazement of your dumb-founded editor and photographer.
Anyone killing a cock pheasant in pen woods with a string attached, please report to this office and we will photograph it hanging by the sign which at present looks a little lonely on our cover.
THESE ARE PROTECTED
HUNTING HEADACHES
By Paul T. GilbertThis hunting season, possibly more than any other one season, it will be necessary for the hunter to know how to differentiate between the various types of game birds. The chief problems, briefly, are: (1) the difference between the Canada, White-front, Blue and Snow Geese; (2) the difference between Mallards, Pintails, Widgeons and Wood Ducks as compared with other ducks; (3) the difference between Quail and Chukar Partridge; and, (4) the difference between the cock and hen Pheasants.
In the first category pertinent to geese, the differentiation is quite necessary. This is due to the federal migratory waterfowl regulation which states that the daily bag limit on geese may include four Snow Geese or four Blue Geese, but not more than four in the aggregate of both kinds. In addition two of Canada and White-fronted Geese and Brant, singly or in the aggregate, may be taken. The possession limit is twice the bag limit; or in other words, twelve geese may be taken, but only in the proportions as listed above. Of the restricted geese listed with limits of two per day, the Canada and the White-front are the only ones common to Nebraska.
The Canada Goose is quite distinctive, being by far the largest and weighing around nine pounds. This bird is a brownish-grey goose, with head and full length of neck, black, except for white cheek-patches. This will separate well the Canada from all other geese, except some varieties which are all considered under the Canada bag limit. These other varieties are identical in markings but differ in weight, the Lesser Canada weighing about five pounds, the Richardson's Goose about four pounds, and the little Cackling Goose weighing about three pounds.
The other goose considered in the restricted bag limit is the White-fronted or "Speck." This bird has the entire neck brownish grey with a white band around the base of the bill and on the chin. The breast of this bird is indicative of its kind being a greyish white irregularly splashed in varying degree with brown or black, thus denoting its colloquial name, "Speck." In flight, the speckled breast, white tail coverts and yellow legs are quite noticeable. These geese listed above may be taken only in one of the following combinations in a day's hunting: two Canadas, or two White-fronted Geese, or one White-front and one Canada. In addition to one of these combinations listed above, four Blue or Snow Geese may be taken. These less restricted geese will cause little worry except possibly in the case of the Blue Goose, which might be mistaken for a White-fronted Goose. This, of course, would be a serious mistake, as the White-front can only be taken in half the number as against the four Blue Geese permitted.
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The Blue Goose can be readily identified by the white head and neck somewhat stained with a slight rusty color deepest around the base of the bill. In flight, however, the white neck is quite a good reference point. Young Blue Geese, which differ somewhat in appearance from the adult, might be confused with young White-fronted Geese. However, the latter has yellowish feet and lacks the black patches on the sides of the closed mandibles.
The Snow Goose is the most easily differentiated, as it is a large snow-white goose with black wing tips. The Snow Goose and Blue Geese may be taken in the following combinations in one day's bag: four Snows; or four Blues; one Blue and three Snows; or two of each; or one Snow and three Blues.
Differentiation Summary:
Canadas — Black neck, white cheek patches.
White - fronts — Brown neck, speckled breast.
Blues — White neck.
Snows—Completely white except black wing tips.
The second problem listed was pertinent to duck identification. In this instance the federal law reads as follow: "Daily bag limits on ducks (except American and redbreasted Mergansers) are 10 in the aggregate of all kinds, including in such limit not more than I wood duck, and in addition 5 singly or in the aggregate of mallards, pintails or widgeons. Any person at any time may possess not more than 20 ducks in the aggregate of all kinds (not including American and redbreasted mergansers), but not more than I wood duck, and in addition 10 singly or in the aggregate of mallards, pintails or widgeons. American and Redbreasted mergansers, 25 singly or in the aggregate.
It is apparent then that a hunter should at least be able to identify the following: Mallards, Pintails, Widgeons, Wood Ducks, and Mergansers. In the first ten ducks a hunter shoots in a day, he need have no worry as to kinds other than the Wood Duck which is rarely encountered. The additional five, however, that the federal regulations permit this year do require that the hunter be able to identify the species listed above; for he will be violating, if he shoots more than ten of any ducks except Mallards, Pintails and Widgeons. Since many hunters will not be able to study all of the various kinds of ducks, the only method is to learn the three kinds of ducks listed above; and then by recognizing these three kinds, he will know he should not shoot more than ten of any of the others he does not recognize.
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Outdoor Nebraska—Pall, 1944
The additional five of either Mallards, Pintails or Widgeons is permitted this year to offset some of the crop damage attributed to these three species due to their increasing concentrations.
The Common Mallard, of course, is probably the best known of all the ducks. The Black Duck, incidentally, is not a Mallard and is not to be so considered in the extra bag limit. The adult male Mallard is distinctive in its coloration. The head and neck is a rich iridescent green, with a narrow white collar at the base of the neck. The chest is purple chestnut, the back is brown and the rump is a glossy black. The sides, breast, belly and flanks are white, to silver grey. The wings of the Mallard are characterized by a bar or speculum of iridescent purplish blue. The female, as in all species, is far more difficult to identify, as it is one of the many mottled-brown ducks which look so much alike. However, if the hunter will remember that the female Mallard is a large duck, somewhat paler than other of the mottled females, and if he will look for a whitish tail and two white bars on the speculum or wing bar, he will recognize the hen Mallard fairly well. On the wing, the hen Mallard can be identified by the two white speculum bars and the white underwing surface.
The Baldpate or Widgeon is another duck permitted in the extra limit. The male of this species is quite easily recognized. The Baldpates appear as small brownish ducks, sitting bouyantly on the water with chest low and tail well elevated. The shiny white crown of the male, dark head patch and pale grey neck and a large white patch on each flank at the base of the tail is noticeble at a considerable distance.
The hunters biggest problem this year will be in differentiating the female Baldpate from a similar looking duck, the female Gadwall. This is an important factor as the Baldpate is permitted in the additional five birds allowed, while the Gadwall is on the restricted list of the ten original limit. The female Baldpate is a medium-sized, yellowish-brown duck with a white breast. Its chief Widgeon or Baldpate, male and female, distinguishing features include a dull black speculum bordered inwardly only with white, blue-grey feet, and the under wing surface is pale, ashy and not mottled. As compared to this, the female Gadwall has a white speculum and dull yellow feet. The Baldpates fly swiftly in small flocks in irregular formations with many twistings and turnings. They are prompt to take alarm and rise quickly and vertically from the water.
The last of the three ducks in question is the Pintail, which is very readily identified. The male is a large, grey-backed duck with the middle pair of tail-feathers greatly elongated and the head is dark brown with white stripes and a very long neck. The female is a mottled brown with a very long, thin neck and the tail is definitely pointed but not elongated as in the male.
The Wood Duck is the most restricted of all the ducks permitted in the daily bag. Only one of these ducks may be taken, but the hunter will experience I little difficulty in recognizing the Wood Duck. The male is one of the most beautiful of all ducks. It is a small, gorgeously-colored, strikingly-marked duck, with a unique combination of iridescent colors of crested head, body and wings. There is no other duck which resembles it. The female is a small, greyish-brown duck, with a white breast, elongated crest on the head, dull yellow feet and a bright-hued wing. The female also has a white eye ring and really displays more color than does the female of most other species.
The only other ducks not yet mentioned are the so-called "fish ducks," or Mergansers, twenty-five of which are permitted in the daily bag. There are two of these listed in the federal regulations, the American and the Red-breasted. The male American Merganser is a large rakish-looking duck with much white on the body and a black head. The female is much smaller, grey-backed with the brown color of the head and neck sharply defined against the paler lower neck region. The male has no crest while the female has a distinct crest(Continued on Page 19)
GEESE
WHERE TO GET THEM
By Levi L. MohlerAutumn is here again! To many people that means that winter isn't too far away. But to outdoor Nebraskans it means another thrill-packed season of hunting fun is theirs for the taking.
And the prospects are bright for a great season afield. Pheasants, waterfowl, quail, rabbits and squirrels are on the hunting list for 1944. So no matter where the permit buyer lives he can expect some fine sport without even leaving the county.
But some places provide better hunting than others, and it might be a good idea to consider the state-wide hunting scene before planning fall trips. With this story you'll find a map, and while the map can give only a general idea it may help to get you into the right territory.
Pheasants— First, let's talk about pheasant shooting. Hunters' records show that Nebraska has about three pheasant hunters for every waterfowl hunter so the wily ringneck is entitled to number one ranking. Pheasants are found in every Nebraska county, but the north-central, northeast, central, southwest and far west areas seem to be tops year after year. This seems to be because those areas have the combinations of cultivated lands, meadow lands, weed patches, thickets, and shelterbelts which produce huge numbers of pheasants each year.
I've heard some good arguments over various areas. Wayne, Greeley, Boone, Madison and Pierce counties always are favorites with large numbers of hunters—partly because the bird population there is high and also because this area is within easy driving range of the larger cities. A Custer county nimrod says he couldn't ask for finer hunting than the valley lands of that area—the next man swears by the weed patches and "tree claims" of Perkins county— another fellow says that Knox county cornfields beat them all—a westerner brags about the good shooting along the irrigation ditches of the North Platte valley—and still another declares that the Minden territory is "it." And so it goes.
The upland game bird survey, now in its fourth year, has not only conducted a state-wide pheasant census but it also has asked thousands of hunters to record their best and poorest counties hunted. And the hunters' bag records each year are right in line with the census figures—that is, hunting proves to be best in areas where the late summer population is known to be high.
Some out-lying counties really made a big showing when the "best" counties were recorded in the past three years.
Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
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For example, most every hunter who got into Keya Paha county labelled it as best no matter where else he hunted.
Incidentally, hunters going up to the Springview locality should use some caution in shooting birds on the flush—prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse are common there and should be spared since they aren't plentiful over the state and are on the protected list. Neither of these birds has the long streaming tail like the pheasant, and hence the hunter need not make mistakes. The Springview area isn't the only part of the state where chickens and grouse may be seen. The entire sandhills area, and the sandhill border extending roughly from O'Neill and Neligh southwest to Ogallala and Benkelman, contains some of these birds. Hunters observing either chickens or grouse can perform a helpful service by reporting their observations to the Game Commission. The state is much interested in the welfare of these birds which provided such grand gunning in the early days.
Hunters living in the east and southeast—marked "poor" and "fair" on the map—usually say they get better hunting in some county either west or northwest of the home county. When the "good to excellent" area is reached most hunters don't usually leave the home county to get some prime pheasant sport.
The pinch of gas rationing in 1943 made most hunters plan their trips more carefully than in the past—and many were agreeably surprised with what they found. Many Lincolnites, for example, found plenty of birds in the area between Crete and Hastings and they didn't really mind missing their traditional trip to central or northeastern spots.
Excepting for Scotts Bluff county no western pheasant area gets hunted very heavily. This is simply because the number of hunters is smaller in the west. Hence, the fellow who lives in the west gets great sport all season without too much competition from eastern hunters. But it's a fair guess that in postwar days the ease of travelling will even up the various areas. And the pheasants around Bridgeport, Oshkosh, Sidney, Imperial, Ogallala, Grant and Benkelman will probably have to match wits with increasing numbers of Denver hunters too when travel difficulties ease up.
What about the sandhills for pheasants? Many hunters have had their finest hunts in the sandhill country—and not without good reason. Taken by township or county the sandhills have fewer birds than many of the better areas south or east—but in the river valleys and around the lakes the sandhills offer exceptional hunting possibilities. A weed-grown old stackyard, or a brushy marsh edge, makes a fine piece of pheasant cover and a November sortie into such a spot is bound to give interesting results.
This is probably a good place to mention the fire hazard. Every hunter who gets into the sandhills should remember to be careful about fire. The growth has been lush in 1944 but a carelessly dropped cigarette or match could start a prairie fire which would wipe out valuable range and endanger ranch buildings. Take a tip from the ranchers—they are always careful about fire and will appreciate having their hunting guests play the game the safe way too.
So much for the different parts of the state. Now what about hunting in different kinds of cover and at various times of day? There isn't any hard and fast rule about where a pheasant will be when the hunter gets out. That's another thing that makes pheasant hunting interesting. But knowing something about the bird's habits often leads to better results afield. Pheasants feed during the first hour or two after sunrise—so good feeding places are apt to yield returns in the morning hours. A cornfield, a cane patch, or a tangle of sunflowers—any of these are places where birds are likely to be located in the early forenoon. The same places are also good bets toward evening.
In mid-day pheasants commonly loaf in some place which affords good protection from the wind—perhaps a spot where they can sun themselves while idling away the time. An old tree claim, an ungrazed slope in the pasture adjacent to a field, a weedy ditch—to mention a few places worth investigating in early afternoon. And in many localities a walking trip down a plain ordinary fencerow or hedgerow will turn out enough birds to fill a bag in short order. There will be enough birds in the unexpected places to keep the gunner on his toes at any time of day.
And it might be well to remember that pheasants flush wilder in late season than in early season. This wildness which develops as the season wears on isn't caused entirely by the birds' experiences during the hunting season. It seems to be nature's way of protecting birds in late fall and winter whether hunting is going on or not. Cover becomes more open and gives less protection,
(Continued on Page 19)
NEBRASKA'S QUAIL SEASON
By Levi L. MohlerWhat has been happening in the quail country? Now that a quail season is in the offing- Nebraskans are wanting to hear the story. And it is a story worth the telling too!
The quail comeback is the result of cooperation between energetic farmers, your Game Commission and nature. Nature played a big part, but man has helped in definite ways.
For years Nebraskans wanted to "do something to help quail," but nobody was quite sure what to do. It was known that the southeast was the quail corner of the state( so that area was given special attention. Incidentally, bobwhite country runs from Nebraska on south and east to the coast. Farther north and west, there are few or no quail, because brushy cover is scarce and the winters are more than quail can stand. In short, good quail range includes only the southeast and other limited areas.
There were always some quail in the southeast, but most people wanted more. The Game Commission, farmers, and the Soil Conservation Service decided that many farms could be improved for quail.
The Soil Conservation Service outlined land management, set aside certain plots as wildlife land, and supplied shrubs for planting in order to create more and better winter quarters for quail. And since quail seem to prefer grassy nesting places, the soil conserving plan of returning poor land to grass has helped quail nesting too.
The Game Commission provided necessary advice, supplied fencing to protect areas from grazing, and provided extra quail for stocking certain protected spots. Farmers soon found that stocking wasn't necessary because native quail moved in and occupied the suitable areas without waiting for man to supply pen-reared birds.
Quail responded to improved conditions and through the early 1940's have again built up to good numbers. What are good numbers of quail? The Game Commission wanted to know that too. So in 1941 a game technician was hired and sent out to get field facts. This man, David Damon, followed quail the year around. One of his main problems was a quail census, so he worked afoot, using a dog for flushing covies during the fall.
In 1941 the Pawnee area had about forty-five quail per section. In 1942 Damon found about eighty percent more birds. In 1943 quail remained plentiful, and in 1944 the population is excellent. Nebraska's quail now compare favorably with those in Iowa and Missouri where quail shooting is an annual event. Our neighbors across the river give us the benefit of their experiences, and by comparing notes with them the Game Commission is in a position to plan future quail management along practical conservation lines.
Much local quail information comes from the farmers themselves. Twice each year farmers all over the state send in wildlife report cards. These men are a big help in following game bird trends; they have been especially useful in wartime when many game workers are in the armed forces. The farmers' cards show that the southeast is the only part of the state where quail are more numerous than pheasants.
Game birds are a crop. Wise game management seeks to keep the yield high by saving plenty of seed stock. When the yield is high a hunting season is the simplest way to harvest the crop. The 1944 season, with a five-quail bag limit, will be a trial season. The take will be carefully checked, and census work will continue in 1945.
Other states have found that limited shooting does not cut into next year's population. This is because, after a good producing season, more quail are present in the fall than can be successfully carried through the winter. Records from individual farms often show about the same number of quail each spring regardless of the number seen in the fall. Each piece of winter cover has a rather definite carrying capacity even under the best weather conditions. No matter how many birds enter the winter, the number surviving by spring cannot exceed this number. At good locations this number is high, and on poorer areas it is lower. In other words, the covey gets "trimmed" by nature, (largely through predation), through the winter; and if the "trimming" is done by hunting, the winter kill will be reduced. Only the "over-population" in any piece of good cover is likely to suffer great losses through the winter.
And that is the quail story. The next step is a careful follow-up. Every hunter is urged to cooperate by contacting landowners in advance and by (Continued on Page 20)
PHEASANT FACTS
Nebraska's pheasants are today more numerous than all other species of upland game birds combined.
The average Nebraska pheasant hunter took about 18 cock pheasants during the 70-day open season of 1943.
Mail carriers assisted with a field check of pheasants during the spring months in northeast Nebraska. Of 42,311 adults observed 22,605 were cocks and 19,706 were hens.
The 1944 state-wide pheasant census in late July indicated fewer young pheasants than in the previous two years. The total of adult birds was about the same as usual. Late hatched birds will bring up the total considerably by fall.
Conservation officers, game biologists, and mail carriers in 1944 made the most comprehensive pheasant census in Nebraska's history. 109 mail carriers in northeast Nebraska recorded their observations and established clearly that June hatching of pheasants was not up to par in 1944.
Mail carriers operating out of Elkhorn valley towns reported fewer young than observers in other parts of the northeast.
During 1942 and 1943 young pheasants made up about 80 percent of the fall population.
In any year a complete nesting failure would result in a very low fall population of pheasants. A failure two years in a row would practically wipe out the entire population.
A ratio of 50 young birds produced for each 50 old birds would result in a reduced population by the next spring.
The most important reason for protecting hen pheasants is to permit a high population of egg-laying females to enter the next breeding season to produce the following year's crop.
In Nebraska the number of resident hunters is so large that it is wise management to give the hen every possible protection to insure a satisfactory population in the succeeding year.
The increase in our pheasant population was not the reason for the disappearance of the prairie chicken from southern and eastern Nebraska. Destruction of the native prairie, chiefly by cultivation, ruined the habitat of the chicken in those areas even before pheasants became numerous.
In a normal year most young pheasants hatch in June.
Hen pheasants rear but one brood in a year. If a nest is destroyed the hen may re-nest but she will not re-nest after rearing young. When a hen re-nests she usually lays fewer eggs than were in the earlier nest.
Game Commission biologists have kept records of nearly a thousand broods of wild pheasants in the past 4 summers. Only about five or six young per brood are reared to maturity, according to the field records. This means that about half the pheasants hatched are dead before the hunting season opens
Flightless broods of pheasants are seen but rarely. Lacking the ability to fly they remain secluded as their only protection.
A wild pheasant cock will mate with several females. On large test areas where cocks have been shot down to a ratio of 1 cock to 12 hens the crop the following year again reached the high levels which prevailed before the shooting.
In Nebraska not more than half the cocks are shot over any sizeable area even in the counties of heaviest hunting pressure.
More than 2,000 pheasant leg bands
(Continued on Page 20)
REGULAR FELLOWS COME TO NEBRASKA FOR REAL HUNTING
FIND THE VIOLATIONS
By Paul T. GilbertIn the following story there are sixteen game law violations. If you cannot find all of them, turn to page 16 for the answers.
(Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental).
Doggone it now, if them ain't the purtiest lay-out of pheasants I ever saw. Looks like a line of dressed chickens ready to roast. Had 'em all dressed out West and brought 'em in completely iced; and gosh, they came through slicker 'n a whistle. Every one of them birds brings back a memory of some darn crazy shot; like the one I took straddlin' the fence with the barbs bitin' into me just like the shot was bitin' into that pheasant. Yeah, that shot will long linger in my memory, at least 'til the scars heal. Even so, I never had so much fun since the old apple-stringin' bees when pop used to load us up in the old buckboard and head for Perkins' big barn. Ah, well, here I am all tuckered out; whiskers like a young porky; pants so stiff with mud that they'd stand without me in 'em; and cockle burrs; but what a trip! Reckon you might like to hear about it.
Let's see now, there was me; Eb Tompkins, that's Ezra Tompkins' son; then there was Ned Stauzenhaur; Jim Kneel, he's the one that give us the invitation to come out; and then Ed Gout; all of them mighty fine fellows. We was all set the day the season opened. The sleepin' wrinkles had hardly gone from our eyes before we was eatin' buckwheat cakes and home-made sausage; boy, can that Mrs. Kneel cook; and coffee so strong it could stand up and blow itself. But that's what starts a huntin' mornin', just good strong coffee and cakes. At any rate, we gets in Kneel's car, 'cause we was huntin' on his place, and away we went bright and early after pheasants. We was all fixed up with licenses, duck stamps, and everything legal. Ned had even come up from Kansas, but he owned some land here so he registered as one of us.
What a mornin'! It was frosty enough to fog the windshield and yet warm enough so you wasn't very uncomfortable. There we were ridin' down the dusty road. Boy, was we a-rarin'. Ned already had a handful of shells. When I heard the click of his old Iver Johnson double-barrel, I knowed he was ready to start shootin'. Darn good thing he was too, 'cause first thing we knowed we skeered up a great big cock pheasant as we drove along. Gosh, that first bird looks big the first day out. It took off from the side of the road with a racket we could hear even over the clatter of Kneel's old car. Good old Ned was on the look-out, and when that old bird got over on Ned's side, he nailed him dead, right through the window. We were off to a good start; one shot, one bird.
Then to make things even more interestin' when Ned's old gun roared, and incidentally darn near broke our ear drums, the noise flushed up another big old bird out in front of the car. I saw him first and since I was on the outside of the seat, I opened the car door and lit on the run shootin' as I ran down the middle of the road. Boy, did I ever knock the fight out of that bird. He turned over twice with feathers blowing out all around him and finally lit right in the middle of the road. Trouble was, I lit a-runnin' and didn't have time to see what I was really shootin' at. Gosh, the thing turned out to be an old hen pheasant. I felt sort of bad about it, but she was dead so I took her.
Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
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We drove on a ways and then started huntin' the fields, and did we ever get into 'em. We were all shootin' good; cross shots; side shots; all of us acting like big shots; and some of us a little half shot. Well at any rate, we walked through cornfields where the corn was so tall you couldn't see anything but corn, but you could hear the pheasants runnin' ahead of you soundin' like a bunch of hogs against the dry husks. We walked the beet fields where it was like tryin' to ride a log in a fast river; you'd take a step, land on top of a big beet, and then skid down half way over the doggone beet. It's a wonder we didn't all sprain our ankles.
Well, by noon we had our limit each, and quit huntin'. We had another hen, I'm sorry to say. Eb had heard somethin' runnin' through the weeds and shot at it, and it turned out to be a danged hen. Course Eb couldn't help it. How was he to know what he was shootin'. Since we had our limit of pheasants for the day, we decided to go down to the pond and shoot some ducks. Gosh, what a day, pheasants a-boilin' out all around us and a teal flight goin' on overhead. So we sends Jim into town with the birds to get 'em cleaned and frozen in his locker until we was ready to go back. Ned went in with him cause he wanted to send a few birds back to the folks in Kansas. Then, of course, by doin' that he could shoot a few more birds that afternoon.
We settled down in the old blind. If you haven't ever hunted, you won't know the pleasure of relaxin' in a duck blind after walkin' all mornin'. The air's cool enough so you kind of like to sit purty close to your huntin' pardner. And the world just smells plumb good, 'cause the dry brush, dirt, smoke, and gun powder all make the old blind smell like nothin' else ever does. Boy, what a life, ducks a-flyin', a comfortable blind, a good smoke, and a bunch of pals around you. Jim was a'talkin' about his duck stamp. Jim's a little queer 'cause he likes to save stamps, otherwise he's a purty nice fellow. He had that doggone stamp in a clear paper envelope. He said he didn't want to write on the stamp or soil it carryin' it around so that it would be nice to put in his collection when the season is over. At any rate we was a-visitin' about most anything that came into our heads when we was skeered to death by old Eb's gun barkin' four times, one right after the other. Well, you know, derned if that old boy hadn't spied a flock of teal while he was a-visitin'. He knocked four of 'em out slicker 'n a whistle. I didn't know a man could pump a gun as fast as he did on them four shots.
We was on our toes from then on. And did we ever get into the teal! There just isn't anything quite as excitin' as crouchin' in a blind a-listnin' to a bunch of ducks comin' in fast and low over your blind. Jim had tossed a little corn out in front of the blind and it sure helped a lot. They won't let us use live decoys any more, so now it is a little hard to get the birds in to you like we used to. Boy, them were the days, you just strung out a whole bunch of live decoys and then just shot 'til ya got tired.
Say, by the way, I wish you could have seen my old huntin' dog work. He was a little lazy last year so this last spring I took him out in the field and worked him on live birds and it sure helped. He's doin' a might better job this fall. Now don't misunderstand me, he didn't catch any birds last spring, and I didn't shoot any, I just took him out and let him range sniffin' out the birds and f lushin' 'em. Boy, he sure got a kick out of it and so did I.
Well at any rate, by sunset we had all our birds and came back home a-singin' and a revelin' in one perfect huntin' day; a full day's bag and all done legal-like too, I think. Course, there's so many darn laws that a feller never knows, and I just haven't taken the time to check on 'em anyway.
It's all over now; guns are oiled and put away; muscles are still kind of sore; the pup's still pullin' out sand burrs; and I got beautiful memories and a locker full of game meat that I can keep 'til the middle of February. Gosh, what a day; what sport; and boy, what a life! And it was all legal too, I hope.
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Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
VIOLATIONS INVOLVED
In Story on Page 14
If you are a 100% conservationist-sportsman, you found sixteen violations in this story. If you did not find sixteen of them, you had better write the Nebraska Game Commission for a free copy of the Nebraska and Federal Game Laws and Regulations. The violations in order of their occurrence are as follows:
1. All pheasants must be dressed when in transit or in storage so that sex identification is obvious. Either the head showing male markings or the feet with spurs should be left on the bird until it is ready to be cooked. 2. It is unlawful for a resident of another State to hunt or fish in Nebraska on a resident Nebraska permit even though he may own land in this State. If such an individual has his home or votes in another State, he is a non-resident and must buy a non-resident permit, the fee for which is reciprocal with the State where the non-resident has his permanent residence. 3. It is unlawful to carry a loaded shotgun in any vehicle on any public highway. This law is for the protection of the hunter, as by far the greater percentage of hunting accidents occur from loaded shotguns being carried in cars, wagons, or tractors. 4. It is unlawful to shoot from any vehicle. This includes all types of vehicles in all locations. 5. It is unlawful to shoot from any public highway. This is another law primarily for the protection of the hunter and the motorist. 6. It is unlawful to kill a hen pheasant. Nebraska is developing a good hunting population of pheasants, and the easiest method of doing this is to protect the egg producers. As soon as the population reaches desirable proportions, shooting of a limited number of hens will be permitted. At present, no hens are to be killed. 7. It is unlawful to have a hen pheasant in possession or in a car. In such case the owner of the car is responsible. 8. It is unlawful for one person to have more than five birds in his possession in a one day hunt, even though he is taking some in to town for someone else. 9. It is unlawful for one person to have more than his limit of birds in cold storage. Birds should be brought in to a cold storage plant by the individuals killing them and properly tagged to denote ownership before storing the birds. 10. It is unlawful to transport game birds on any common carrier unless the birds are accompanied by the shipper. 11. It is unlawful to return to the field and hunt the same day after taking one day's bag limit. 12. It is unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl without a Federal Duck Stamp. This stamp may be purchased at any Post Office. The hunter's signature must be placed on the face of the stamp and it must then be fastened to the State hunting license. 13. It is unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl with an unplugged gun. All guns must be so plugged that they will contain a total of only three shells. 14. It is unlawful to attempt to entice game birds by baiting or spreading is feed in places where they may be more advantageously shot. 15. It is unlawful to run or train any hunting dogs between the 1st of April and the 16th of September. Permits may be obtained to train dogs from August 1st to September 16th by contacting the Nebraska Game Commission. 16. The Federal regulations state that game may be held in cold storage for forty-five days after the close of the season. The State laws, however, are more restrictive since the 1943 Legislature established a thirty-day storage limit on game after the close of the season. This thirty-day limit then is the law to be followed and any game taken in Nebraska held more than thirty days after the close of the season, shall be declared unlawful.NOTE: For further information on Game Laws, write the Editor of this magazine at Lincoln.
GUN POINTERS
By Roy E. OwenAs the hunting season approaches, one commences to cast fond glances at the old gun case and begins to recheck on the memories of last year's hits and misses and wonders how he can improve his marksmanship.
After thirty years of experience at the traps and in the field with better than average success, I wish to pass some of these points along to the beginner and unsuccessful hunter.
First, be sure and purchase a gun that fits you, whether it be a single barrel, double or repeater. For field shooting, I would suggest a gun with 2% to 3 inch drop at the heel of the stock. The stock should be, for the average man, around 14 inches in length, and when thrown to the shoulder to shoot, should be short enough that it does not catch on the hunting coat. The line of sight should be directly in front of the eyes without crowding your face down tight on the comb of the stock.
Second, I would suggest a gun of 12 gauge, full or modified choke, 28 or 30 inch barrel, weighing around 7% pounds. For ammunition I would suggest 3% drams of powder and 1% ounces of No. 7, 6, or 5 shot, whichever you prefer; but of all things, whatever size shot you like, stay with it throughout the season. If there is anything that will throw you off of form, it is changing from a high speed to a low speed load every day you are in the field. Some hunters like the magnum load. This may add five yards to your killing range; but it isn't nearly as pleasant a load to shoot, especially if you are going to make a day of it.
Third, shoot with both eyes open and swing your gun in motion with the bird in flight. If he is flying straight away, swing your gun up to him and, as you are passing above his head, fire. If it is a cross shot or in other words a right angle shot, swing your gun on the bird, keeping it in motion with him and, as you pass out in front of him, fire. Do not stop the swing of your gun when you fire. That is where so many misses are made. You will hear some hunters tell about shooting fifteen or twenty feet ahead of a bird and then shot behind him; if they did, they stopped the motion of the gun when they pulled the trigger and the bird flew past the pattern while this was taking place. Such a lead as that is all guess work. Whenever you lose sight of your bird, you do not know whether you are shooting low or high, in front or behind him. The average lead on wing shooting at forty yards with this method of follow-through aiming, would be from 2 to 3 feet depending upon the speed of the bird. Try it and see how the old bag fills up. The most easily missed bird is the one traveling at a quarter angle. It isn't either a straight away or what you would call ah angle shot, and the hunter has a tendency to shoot straight at the bird. The proper aim would be, if the bird is traveling slightly to the right, to swing the gun to the top of the bird's head and about one foot to the right. This would just about put the bird in the center of the pattern at about 35 to 40 yards distance. The average pheasant travels about 30 to 35 miles per hour after being flushed at that distance. Do not shoot at any bird over 60 yards, as it is very much guess work beyond that distance. I have patterned many guns of various makes and have as yet to find one that would make a good killing pattern beyond that distance. You hear so many hunters tell about killing birds about 70 steps from where they stood when they shot him. The truth of it is that the bird was killed at about 50 to 55 yards and the speed he was traveling and his distance from the ground carried him about 15 or 20 yards, making it look like a long shot.
The shooting that tests the hunter's
skill the most is our duck and goose
shooting. In this you have birds coming
in from every angle, climbing or diving
as they come in over the decoys, and
leaving at great speed after the first
shot is fired. In this type of shooting,
you must consider the down motion of
the duck as he comes in over your decoys. You must also consider the speed
at which he is traveling which, with the
Redhead, Canvasback and Bluebill, is
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Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
something. To make connections with
any of these ducks, you must swing your
gun well out in front from three to
six feet.
You have never experienced any real shooting unless you have tried pass shooting in the sandhills-lake district where the ducks fly from one lake to another. They pass over you at express-train speed, and the only shooting like it is skeet shooting. The hunter who tells you that he kills about every shot he makes in this kind of shooting is bragging and does not exist. I have seen the best of them try it, and their scores are nothing to brag about; since the duck in this kind of flight is usually about 50 to 60 yards in height and its speed requires plenty of lead to get him in your pattern. To make this shot, I have found that the best method is to meet your duck out a little in front, swing your gun onto the bird and, as you are passing out in front of him, fire. If you miss, remember this, it is a nine to one gamble that you shot behind; so give him a little more lead the next shot. After you learn the spot to hold on the duck, you will meet with average success. You will enjoy this type of hunting above all others, as you earn every duck you get.
The goose is probably the most missed of all the migratory birds. He is a big bird and the average, inexperienced hunter shoots at him long before he is in range and then wonders why he didn't kill. Then too, the goose travels at a fairly high rate of speed. I have seen them flying along with a flight of ducks and staying right up with them. Now you admit that you should lead the duck to make a clean hit, so you must use the same method on the goose. Of course, if he is hovering over your decoys intending to light with them, then a point blank shot would be all right for the first shot, but you would want to swing your gun a little above him for the next two shots.
As we are having a quail season in Nebraska for the first time in many years, we can't expect to find many experienced hunters in the field. I would advise nothing bigger than a trap load of 8 or 7% shot and, if you can get them, 9's would be better. When the bird flushes, don't shoot too quickly. Give him time, and be sure that you have your gun straight in line with him, as he seldom flies over 20 feet high and is not flying as fast as the whir of his wings sounds. Any hunter who pot shoots quail should have a load of No. 8 shot neatly placed in the seat of his pants at about 40 paces. If we play the game square, we may be able to have a short season each year.
And fourth, respect the rights of other hunters while in the field, and also the rights of the land owner upon whose farm you are hunting. Don't try to take the limit of game each and every time you are out. Remember the boy who is overseas doing such a wonderful job for us here at home. See that he has plenty of game left so he can enjoy the greatest hunting ever, when he returns. You know, just a few years ago he was the freckle-nosed boy we did so little for and of whom we are asking so much today.
FOR YOUR OWN SAKE 1. Never carry a loaded shot gun in the car. 2. Always unload your gun when crossing fences. 3. Never shoot into something moving in the brush, know first what you are shooting before you shoot. 4. Never mix alcohol and gun powder. 5. Never shoot a rifle when the shot will carry beyond your field of vision. There may be a farmer in the next field. 6. Never carry shells of more than one gauge gun in your pocket at the same time. 7. Never hunt near cattle or horses. 8. Treat all cuts and scratches with antiseptic at once. Treat any blisters with care, they are easily infected. 9. Be alert for other hunter coming from opposite directions. 10. Always unload your gun whenever you pause for rest or smoke, never lay it down loaded. And don't be afraid to check unloaded guns often, just to be sure.
HUNTING HEADACHES
(Continued from Page 6)The Red-breasted Merganser is a large duck. The male has a black head and straggly crest which is separated from the brown chest by a distinct white color. The female differs from the American Merganser by showing less crest, a paler brown head blending into the white of the neck instead of being clearly defined as in other species. The Mergansers are all characterized by their long, narrow, brightly-colored bill with its saw tooth edges for catching fish.
By checking the above characteristics, as mentioned, with the photographs, a close aquaintance can be established with the ducks in question as far as this year's regulations are concerned.
The duck character summary has been taken briefly from a recent text, "The Ducks and Geese and Swans of North America," by P. H. Kortright; an American Wildlife Institute publication, Washington, D. C.
Among the upland birds there should be little difficulty in distinguishing game birds permitted in the daily bag. State regulations this year permit the taking of Quail in Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, and Richardson counties. Inasmuch as no other upland game birds of this size are to be found in these counties, there can be no problem of identifying them. In some of the closed counties, novices might be confused by the Chukar and Hungarian Partridge, both being protected species.
State regulations this year also prohibit the taking of hen pheasants. It is therefore necessary that the hunter be able to distinguish as fully as possible the differences between the male and the female pheasant. Primarily, of course, nature has painted the cock with all of the rainbow colors, while the hen is very drab. If the average hunter does not shoot the moment the bird flushes, in nearly all conditions the colors of the male will show well. Holding fire for a moment will not only enable the hunter to identify the bird, but will also give the hunter a better killing pattern when he does shoot. The cock bird is usually much wilder than the hen and will usually flush before the hen, the hen being slower on the take-off. The cock pheasant is very noisy when flushed, usually cackling at the time of take-off and often several times in flight. The hen does not tower as much when flushed and flies straighter. The cock is much easier to hit just when he is leveling off after towering. The hen pheasant holds much better for dogs than does the cock. If a little care is taken in shooting' pheasants and if the hunter looks before he shoots, few accidents will ever occur.
The above are a few of the headaches, which, if clarified before you go into the field, will make your hunting day more pleasurable and, incidentally, strictly legal.
WHERE TO GET THEM
(Continued from Page 9)and larger numbers of birds use the better locations as winter approaches. The wild flush makes up in part for the advantage which skulking habits and heavy cover gave in early season. Hunting' in late season often makes a man dig into his finer hunting skills to approach the quarry—but that's half the fun to a real outdoorsman.
Waterfowl— Nebraska offers great variety in waterfowl hunting. The state is so long that east and west get ducks and geese from different flyways. A big flight down the Missouri doesn't mean a thing to the North Platte hunter—and when the December mallards converge upon the west the eastern hunter wishes he had followed Horace Greeley's advice. Westerners are justly proud of their waterfowl shooting—but last year the easterners had the best shooting in years and with an abundance of ducks the east may be lucky again in 1944.
In general Nebraska has three types of waterfowl areas. The sandhills lakes offer grand sport, often in early season. And Nebraska-reared ducks—including blue-winged teal, shovellers, mallards, pintails and redheads—annually help swell the continental total of waterfowl.
River shooting is always important, and while the Platte is considered outstanding the Blue, Elkhorn, the Loups, Calamus, Nemaha and dozens of other streams get their share of ducks when the flights are on.
Upland rain-water basins or lagoons,
especially in counties south of the Platte
river, are favorite spots in wet years.
As this was being written all such
places were well-filled, so it looks like
nature is cooperating in more ways than
one. The many man-made lakes, including the large reservoirs, are inducing more waterfowl to remain in the
state in late season. The combination
of sandhill lakes, artificial lakes, upland basins, irrigation ditches, and numerous
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Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
streams really gives Nebraskans
every kind of waterfowling which could
be desired. (Another article in this
issue will help the gunner identify his
ducks properly).
Quail— The four southeastern counties are open for quail hunting and any weedy hillside—especially if it is near a thicket and a cornfield—is likely to shelter a covey of bobwhites. In warmer weather these birds seek the more open areas and in cool weather they stick closer to the brush. Sunny hillsides with scattered brush are good bets in mid-day and in morning and evening the feeding places are worth a search. A good dog may be a help on pheasants—but he's practically a "must" for quail.
PHEASANT FACTS
(Continued from Page 11)have been returned by hunters but only 2 of these were from birds as old as 5 years. Very few pheasants live through more than two winters and the average pheasant does not experience more than one hunting season.
Highway traffic kills many pheasants each year. The kill is high in July, August, and September when most of the victims are hens and young.
Hunting is only one of many factors causing losses among pheasants in a year. However, it is the only factor over which man has complete control.
A pheasant ordinarily spends its entire lifetime in an area of not more than 2 or 3 miles in diameter.
Optimum conditions for various birds differ. In parts of Nebraska having good quail environment quail are more plentiful than pheasants.
Logan county has shown a consistently high pheasant population during the past three seasons.
In 1943 the 12 counties of greatest hunting pressure ranked as follows: Wayne, Boone, Greeley, Cuming, Madison, Pierce, Nance, Adams, Platte, Fillmore, Stanton and Cedar. Hunting pressure simply means the amount of hunting done per unit area.
Detailed pheasant hunters' record cards, used mainly in the vicinities of Ogallala, Ord, and Pierce the past two seasons, show that limit kills are nearly as common in late season as in early season.
About half of the pheasants killed are taken during the first third of the season, according to hunters' records for 1942 and 1943.
Young pheasants gain weight rapidly during the fourth month, but gains after that are much slower. Pheasant weights are highest in December and decline during the remainder of the winter.
Winter checking in Pierce county showed that hens are more gregarious than cocks at that season. Hence, concentrations of pheasants in winter are likely to have a large proportion of hens. Cock birds are more likely to winter in small groups or singly.
NEBRASKA'S QUAIL, SEASON
(Continued from Page 10)supplying hunting records for the season. Quail hunters' report cards will be available before the season opens November 21st. These will be distributed by permit sellers, by Conservation Officers, and by interested southeastern residents. A summary of these reports will be published after the results are compiled.
Don't forget your Federal Duck Stamp. Purchase it at any post office, sign it, and attach it to your hunting permit.
NEBRASKA 1944 GAME LAWS AND REGULATIONS
DUCKS, GEESE, BRANTS, AND COOTS (MUDHENS)OPEN SEASON, October 14 to January 1, inclusive.
AREA OPEN, Entire State except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges and Walgren State Lake in Sheridan county.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
DAILY BAG, DUCKS, 10 of any species, including in such limit not more than 1 Wood Duck, and in addition 5 singly or in the aggregate of Mallards, Pintails, or Widgeons. (Possible total of 15 provided 5 or more are of last 3 species named).
AMERICAN AND RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 25 singly or in the aggregate.
POSSESSION LIMIT, DUCKS, not more than 20 including not more than 1 Wood Duck, and in addition 10 singly or in the aggregate of Mallards, Pintails, or Widgeons. (Possible total of 30 if 10 or more are of last three named species).
AMERICAN AND RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, No limit.
DAILY BAG, GEESE AND BRANTS, 2 including Canada, White-front and Brant, but not including Blue or Snow, and in addition 4 singly or in the aggregate of Blue or Snow Geese. (Possible total of 6 if 4 are last 2 named species).
POSSESSION LIMIT, GEESE AND BRANTS, Not more than 4 geese including Brant, Canada and White-front, but not including Blue and Snow Geese, and in addition not more than 8 singly or in the aggregate of Blue or Snow Geese. (Possible total of 12 providing 8 are of the last two named species). COOTS, 25 bag and possession limit.
PHEASANTSOPEN SEASON, October 14 to January 1, inclusive.
AREA OPEN, Entire State except Federal and State sanctuaries arid refuges.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
DAILY BAG, 5 cocks. No hen pheasants may be taken.
POSSESSION LIMIT, 10 cocks. No hens may be taken.
IDENTIFICATION, All pheasants taken must be dressed in such a manner as to positively identify the sex of the bird. Tail, head or feet left on the bird will suffice.
QUAILOPEN SEASON, November 21 to November 30, inclusive.
AREA OPEN, Johnson, Pawnee, Nemaha, and Richardson counties, except for Federal and State sanctuaries and refgues in these areas. All other counties closed.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
DAILY BAG AND POSSESSION LIMIT, 5.
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Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
CLOSED SEASON
The following game birds are protected by closed season: Rails, Doves, Swans, Cranes, Curlew, Plover, Prairie Chicken, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Chukar, Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, Wild Turkey, and Snipe (Wilson or Jack).
RABBITS (Cottontails)OPEN SEASON, No closed season.
AREA OPEN, Entire State except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
DAILY BAG, 10.
POSSESSION LIMIT, 20.
ACKS, No closed season. No limit.
SQUIRRELSOPEN SEASON, September 15 to January 1, inclusive.
AREA OPEN, Entire State except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
DAILY BAG, 5.
POSSESSION LIMIT, 10.
MUSKRATS, RACCOONS, BADGER, MINK, AND OPOSSUMOPEN SEASON, November 15 to February 15, inclusive.
AREA OPEN, Entire State except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges, and State-owned lakes.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, All hours.
DAILY BAG AND POSSESSION LIMIT, No limit.
FOXES AND SKUNKOPEN SEASON, January 1 to December 31, inclusive.
AREA OPEN, Entire State except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges.
HOURS OPEN EACH DAY, All hours.
DAILY BAG AND POSSESSION LIMIT, No limit.
CLOSED SEASONTher is no open season on antelope, deer, or beaver
GENERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONSNo one will be permitted to construct blinds or other devices on State-owned lakes. No one may destroy, molest, or disturb natural or planted vegetation on or near State-owned lakes.
All persons over sixteen years of age hunting migratory waterfowl must have a federal duck stamp validated by his signature written across the face thereof in ink, and attached to regular hunting permit.
Carry your hunting permit with you. It is unlawful to hunt without your own permit in your possession.
Outdoor Nebraska—Fall, 1944
23
Those under sixteen years of age are permitted to hunt without permits and are allowed the same regulation bag of birds.
It is unlawful to shoot from any public highway or from any vehicle at any game bird or game animal.
It is unlawful to hunt for any game birds or animals with a spotlight or other artificial light.
The use of live decoys, cattle, horses, or mules, or baiting is prohibited.
Dogs, blinds, and row-boats may be used, but the use of automobiles, powerboats, sailboats, or aircraft is prohibited.
It is unlawful to trap, snare, net or attempt to trap, snare, or net any game bird.
Game birds can be shipped by express, baggage or automobile, if accompanied by the shipper. All game placed in commercial cold storage plants must have regular cold storage tags attached.
The Platte River and for ten rods on each side beginning at the west line of Dodge and Saunders Counties and extending to bridge on Highway No. 16 near Yutan; and North Platte River and for ten rods on each side in Garden County closed all hours. The remainder of the Platte River and North Platte River open during the regular hunting hours during the open season.
It is illegal to carry any loaded shotgun in or on any vehicle on any public highway. Shells may be in magazine but not in the barrel.
No rifles or swivel guns can be used in taking game birds, and shot guns larger than ten gauge are prohibited. Repeating shotguns are limited to three shells on migratory waterfowl. Since pheasant season, as well as other game animal seasons, run concurrently with the duck season; the careful hunter will use a plugged gun at all times.
Game and game birds of all kinds may be held only 30 days after the close of the open season thereon. Federal regulations allow a 45-day storage season, but inasmuch as the Nebraska Legislature has set a 30-day storage period, the more restrictive state regulation must be followed for birds taken in Nebraska.
Where the entire State is open it does not include game farms, game reserves, sanctuaries, or areas closed by any Federal or State laws or city ordinances.
It is unlawful for any person to borrow or use a permit of another or to lend or transfer his permit to another.
Special permits must be purchased for trapping and for taking of raccoon by use of dogs.
All State-owned lakes are open to hunting except Walgren Lake which is closed.
Please report to the Department, the band numbers and the county where taken, of all banded birds in the bag. Quail hunters will aid the Department greatly by reporting their hunting take. It is POSITIVELY FORBIDDEN to take the legal bag of game and return to hunt and take another bag the same day. Hunters are warned that persons so doing will be prosecuted and full damages of $10.00 per bird or animal will be assessed.
For further information and full game law books, write to Paul T. Gilbert, Executive Secretary, Nebraska Game, Forestation and Parks Commission, Lincoln 9, Nebraska.
