Outdoor Nebraska

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY NEBRASKA GAME, FORESTATION AND PARKS COMMISSION Editor: Dick H. Schaffer Associate editor: William C. Blizzard Photographer-writer: Gene Hornbeck Circulation: Emily Ehrlich Artist: Claremont G. Pritchard MAY, 1958 Vol. 36, No. 5 25 cents per copy $1.75 for one year $3 for two years Send subscriptions to: Outdoor Nebraska, State Capitol Lincoln 9 NEBRASKA GAME COMMISSION Floyd Stone, Alliance, chairman Leon A. Sprague, Red Cloud, vice chairman Don F. Robertson, North Platte George Pinkerton, Beatrice Robert H. Hall, Omaha Keith Kreycik, Valentine DIRECTOR M. O. Steen DIVISION CHIEFS Eugene H. Baker, construction and engineering Glen R. Foster, fisheries Lloyd P. Vance, game Dick H. Schaffer, information and education Jack D. Strain, land management PROJECT AND ASSISTANT PROJECT LEADERS Orty Orr, fisheries (Lincoln) Phil Agee, game (Lincoln) Clarence Newton, land management (Lincoln) Malcolm D. Lindeman, operations (Lincoln) Frank Sleight, operations (Lincoln) Harvey Miller, waterfowl (Bassett) Bill Bailey, big game (Alliance) DISTRICT SUPERVISORS DISTRICT I (Alliance, phone 412) L. J. Cunningham, law enforcement Lem Hewitt, operations John Mathisen, game Keith Donoho, fisheries Robert L. Schick, land management DISTRICT II (Bassett, phone 334) John Harpham, law enforcement Lewis Klein, operations Jack Walstrom, game Bruce McCarraher, fisheries DISTRICT III (Norfolk, phone 2875) Robert Benson, law enforcement Richard Wickert, operations Gordon Heebner, game George Kidd, fisheries Harold Edwards, land management DISTRICT IV (North Platte, phone 4425-26) Samuel Grasmick, law enforcement Robert Thomas, fisheries Dale Bree, land management DISTRICT V (Lincoln, phone 5-2951) Bernard Patton, law enforcement Robert Reynolds, operations George Schildman, game Delvin M. Whiteley, land management RESEARCH BIOLOGISTS Gale B. Mast, pheasants (North Platte) Raymond L. Linder, pheasants (Fairmont) David K. Wetherbee, coturnix quail (Lincoln) AREA CONSERVATION OFFICERS William J. Ahem, Box 1197, North Loup, phone 89 Cecil Avey, 519 4th Street, Crawford, phone 228 William F. Bonsall, Box 305, Alma, phone 154 H. Lee Bowers, Benkelman, phone 49R Dale Bruha, 206 South 8th Street, Albion, phone 356 Loron Bunney, Box 675. Ogallala, phone 247 Raymond Frandsen, P. O. 373, Humboldt, phone 2411 Carl E. Gettmann, 810 East 5th Street, Hastings, phone 2-4929 John D. Green, 720 West Avon Road, Lincoln, phone 8-1165 Ed Greving, Box 221, Rushville, phone 257 H. Burman Guyer, 1212 N. Washington, Lexington, phone Fairview 4-3208 Larry Iverson, Box 201, Hartington, phone 429 Norbert J. Kampsnider, 1521 West Charles, Grand Island, phone Dupont 2-7006 Jim McCole, Box 268, Gering, phone 837 L Jack Morgan, Box 603, Valentine, phone 504 Gust J. Nun, 503 East 20th, South Sioux City, phone 4-3187 Roy W. Owen, Box 288, Crete, phone 446 Paul C. Phillippe (Unassigned) Fred Salak, Box 254, O'Neill, phone 678 Herman O. Schmidt, Jr., 1011 East Fourth, McCook, phone 992W Joe Ulrich, Box 1382, Bridgeport, phone 100 Richard Wolkow, 701 South 22nd, Omaha, phone ATlantic 0718 V. B. Woodgate, Box 403, Fremont, phone PArk 1-5715

IN THIS ISSUE:

BASS FISHING FUNDAMENTALS Page 3 (Gene Hornbeck) CAN FISH SEE? Page 7 (Glen R. Foster) HOW TO PAINT A BOAT Page 9 CATFISH SKINNING Page 10 Page 11 BACK YARD BAIT (William C. Blizzard) NEST ABANDONMENT (Phil Agee) SPRING COMES TO NEBRASKA Page 14 Page 13 Page 16 POINTING DOGS (William C. Blizzard) WASTED GAME BIRD Page 18 SPORTSMEN'S CLUB FOR A BETTER TOMORROW Page 21 END OF DROUGHT MEANT FISHING BONANZA IN '57 Page 23 NEBRASKA RECORD FISH Page 24 OUTDOOR ELSEWHERE Page 25 NOTES ON NEBRASKA FAUNA SHARP-TAILED GROUSE Page 26 (Gordon Heebner) FISH I.Q Page 28

BASS FISHING FUNDAMENTALS

by Gene Hornbeck Photographer-Writer If you're looking for a full stringer plus action galore, try your hand at bass in Nebraska's lakes and streams

NESTLED among the sandhills, shimmering in the reds and golds of a setting sun, is a small lake along whose shore a fisherman fights a finny acrobat. The rod tip dances as the angler deftly puts on pressure to stop the fish's bid to gain the sanctuary of the weed bed.

Some minutes later the net is brought into play and the fish is landed. The angler admires the prize so well earned. A devout bass fisherman recalls the time when he had no idea of the sport bass could afford when fished on a light spinning rod or fly rod.

He remembers his "first" on a spinning rod, a two-pounder in a lake near Fremont. From then on he spent his time trying the many methods of taking bass. As a result, he had over the years taken many fish from the abundant bass waters of Nebraska. Pleasant memories of such lakes as Pelican and Long in the sand hills and Swanson's Reservoir in Hitchcock County, which all produced excellent catches, entered his mind as he strung his fish.

Bass fishermen are only a small percentage of the state's fishing fraternity. But find a devout bass fisherman and MAY, 1958 3   you will find a man with a heap of fishing knowledge. He knows the habits and habitat of the bass, and where the fish can be found. His many lures and baits are proven fish-getters. He knows how to tempt a lunker and he doesn't limit himself to one particular method of fishing. His tackle may consist of spinning or fly and bait-casting equipment, for each method has its own advantages under certain conditions.

Lures and baits for bass fishing are varied, but in all probability the old, tried, and proven bass-bamboozlers are still the best. Let's first consider bait. Night crawlers are perhaps best for all-round bass fishing, followed closely by minnows, then frogs and crayfish. The latter, though excellent bait, is not used so widely as it could be despite the fact that crayfish are readily obtained in many of our streams and lakes. The young of these Crustacea, about two inches long, make the best bait. I may also add that some of the large aquatic nymphs are good producers. They can be found under rocks and debris in our streams and lakes.

Spinning, now gaining many followers in the state, will account for a good percentage of bass caught this year. A 6 to 6 ¥2 -foot rod of medium action is ideal. A six-pound-test monofilament line and any of the many spinning reels now on the market will serve very well under practically all bass-fishing conditions.

How many lures you have depends largely on how much the little woman allows you for your angling necessities. But to build a good selection you must have representatives of the basic three types: surface plugs, underwater plugs, and the spoons and spinners.

In the surface division you should have.one each of the different actions: plunker, gurgling, and propeller types. Underwater plugs should be designed to cover shallow, deep, and medium depths. As this class has the largest inventory, it is perhaps the most confusing. Plugs of the pikie type are good, and the violent action of the flatfish-type lures will often provoke even the most stubborn bass into striking. The river-runt type, a deep-running lure, is also a must for those deep feeders.

Spinning has brought about a change for the better in spoons and spinners. Spoons are smaller than the regular bait-casting models and are generally much better for bass fishing. The red and white, black and white, and silver and pearl colors are tops in spoons. Spinners in the so-called French and Swedish varieties will help to complete your tackle box.

Last but not least in the lure class is the pork strip, both the black and white shades being outstanding.

All mentioned lures also apply to bait casting, except they come in larger sizes. Bait-casting rods in the 5 ¥2-foot class with a medium action are very well suited to all-round fishing. Any medium-price level wind or the versatile "spin-cast" reels work well on the rod. Casting line should be as light as you can use. Twelve-pound-test nylon casts nicely and is strong enough for most fishing. Spin-cast line should be six to eight-pound-test monofilament. If you go heavier the casting quality of your outfit will be impaired.

Bass bugging with a fly rod lends a touch of real skill and sportsmanship to bass fishing. There is nothing that I would rather watch than a man who knows how to handle a fly rod with heavy poppers, bugs, and flies. The graceful arc of the rod powers the line in lengthening casts, a fine picture of co-ordination in slow motion. A fish hooked on the fly rod will give the angler twice the enjoyment derived from heavier tackle.

A well-balanced outfit is a must for bass fishing. The rod should be of the slower, wet-fly action, about eight feet in length and weighing 4 to 4¥2 ounces. The line should be balanced to the rod. An HDH tapered line should fit but trial is the only sure way to prove how a certain line will handle.

Many rods will vary from the standards made prevalent in the field by the tonkin and bamboo rods. With the introduction of glass in the rod-making field, the old standards are no longer valid in selecting the proper action, line, and weight, so have your local dealer help you in selecting a well-balanced outfit.

I have mentioned the tapered line instead of the level because it's more satisfactory for casting heavier flies and bugs in bass fishing. Poppers, bugs, and flies tend to suggest rather than imitate naturals. Deer-hair-bodied bugs, OUTDOOR NEBRASKA 4   frogs, moths, and mice are excellent for bass, and if you are experienced with the fly rod you should be able to handle these rather bulky lures. They have a lot of wind resistance. The cork and balsa-bodied poppers are easier to handle, with hook sizes around two to six. Sometimes you will find larger or smaller models produce better, but for casting ease and performance these sizes will cover most of your needs.

Colors that are standard producers are red and white, yellow and white, frog-finish, and all white. These colors hold true in streamers and bucktails as well as poppers. The deer-hair mice, frogs, and moths can be done in the natural deer-hair finish or in such colors as green and white on the frog.

Wet flies in the larger sizes such as 6 to 10 are at times very good on bass. Patterns that are the most popular are the Professor, Yellow Sally, Coachman, Royal Coachman, Brown Hackle, and the Black Gnat.

It is one thing to have the right equipment for bass fishing, but it will be found that to take fish successfully and consistently the angler must have quite a bit of knowledge of habits and habitat.

The largemouth is by far more common in the state than the smallmouth. The latter occurs in a few of the reservoirs and streams. The largemouth must have three factors in his environment. First, he must have food; second, he must have comparatively clear waters; and third, good cover and suitable spawning areas.

The activities of the bass are associated with water temperature. Early spring will find them sluggish and often difficult to catch. As the waters warm and reach about 50° they come out of this lethargy and begin to feed more consistently. Bass begin spawning activities in mid-May in southern Nebraska and in June in northern Nebraska, and are usually finished by mid-July.

When the fish are over the spawning beds they become easier targets, as they will hit any lure that comes near the nest. They apparently strike more from anger than want of food. It may not be sporting to take fish from their spawning beds, but at present it is legal to do so. Once the eggs are hatched, the male fish stays with the fry for a week or so, then family ties are severed and the young are on their own.

Bass feed actively into early December or until the water temperature again recedes below the 50° mark. Many times I have watched a man fishing for bass in early summer in water up to 20 feet deep, knowing he had small chance of taking fish. If he had spent a little time reading and experimenting he would have found most of the fish then are on the spawning beds or in shallow water. This knowledge of fish habits and habitat is all important if one is to be consistently successful.

If we were to set up a timetable for the bass it would read about as follows on most summer days. Daybreak will find our finny friend lying in the shallows, in perhaps only six inches of water, waiting for a meal to swim within striking distance. As the sun begins flooding the water he will slowly work into the protection of the weed beds and deeper water. Between sunup and 8 o'clock he will search for food as he works his way slowly into his daytime resting area.

The depth the bass lies during the day depends on water temperatures and the available protective cover. It is seldom more than 10 feet except during the warmest period in summer when bass may go to 15 or 20 feet to find the most comfortable water.

As evening nears, the bass will once again retrace his way into the shallows, feeding on nymphs, crayfish, and other aquatic dwellers. He will usually be in the shallows by dark, and from then until morning will feed as the opportunity presents itself.

When you have an idea of the bass's timetable you should know at what depth he is most likely to be found. In the daylight hours the bass sticks close to cover such as MAY, 1958 5   weed beds, logs, lily pads, and brush piles. Fish these areas carefully, especially the lily pads or floating weed beds, stumps and logs. Be assured the fish are there; you only have to present the lure or bait in the right way and you will be rewarded.

Space limitations will not permit going into the many ways of fishing for bass, but I should mention that on the whole a bass has to be teased into striking. A slow retrieve will get the best results in fly or bait-casting. The surface lure should be cast to a likely looking area, letting it remain motionless until the disturbance of the fallen lure has faded from the water. Now twitch the lure and move it an inch or two, rest it again for a few seconds, and then move it again. Repeat this procedure for about five to ten feet, then retrieve and recast. You will find that over 50 per cent of the fish will be taken on the first foot of the surface retrieve.

Fish underwater lures as slowly as possible. It pays when using a spoon of the weedless type to allow the lure to settle to the bottom and pick it up with a quick snap of the rod. Retrieve 10 feet and repeat the process.

Fishing bait on a cork is perhaps the easiest way to fish, but it is not the most productive. The fisherman using bait on a spinning or casting rod without a float will find his success is markedly improved if he casts and retrieves his bait slowly, covering much more area than the still-fishing method.

To sum up on fishing bass, stick to the shore lines and shallow water, fishing the cover that offers protection to the bass. Learn to place your casts with some accuracy, trying varied lures to find the depth at which the fish are feeding. Vary your retrieves if the slow method does not pay off, and note the ways that produce strikes, so that the next time out you can use your experience to come in with a nice stringer of fine fish.

Speaking of eating the bass, many fishermen believe that the sometimes strong, muddy taste of the bass is characteristic of the species. My suggestion is to fillet the fish as illustrated in the April issue of OUTDOOR NEBRASKA. Deep-fat fried to a golden brown, dipped in seafood sauce with our favorite beverage on the side, they are fine eating in anyone's book.

Where must you go to fish for bass? This species is numerous in Nebraska, and many pleasant hours may be spent on the lakes and streams of the state. Scotts Bluff County boasts many gravel pits along the North Platte River that hold a good bass population. University Lake and Hoffman Lake offer good bass fishing.

West Kimball Reservoir in Kimball County is fair. Sheridan County's Smith Lake is a well-known bass lake. Cherry County in the heart of the sandhill country offers a lot of fishing for the bass fan. Lakes such as Rat, Beaver, Pelican, Shell, Merriman and Gay have a better-than-average population.

Many lakes in this vast ranch area are on private land, and a fisherman should ask permission to wet a line. He will find this common courtesy will make new friends, find new fishing areas and put more fish in the creel.' The ranchers of the area are no different from any other landowners; they have a right to know who is fishing on their property and where.

Northeastern Nebraska offers good to excellent bass fishing in Grove, Lewis and Clark, Fremont State, O'Donnel, and Pibel Lakes. Rivers such as the Beaver in Boone County and the Cedar in Wheeler County, although not so good as some of the lakes, do have many good fishing areas. I should also mention Wheeler County's Lake Erickson and the many farm ponds of the northeastern section.

If you plan to try southeastern Nebraska, here are a few spots worth trying: Cass County's Platteview (Louisville) sand pits and the City Lake at Weeping Water, Carter Lake at Omaha, Pier Lake at Grand Island, and Alexandria State Lakes (West and North). Merrick County has the Booth sand pit at Central City, Hord Lake near the same city, and the Scotts sand pits south of Clarks.

Verdon Lake in Richardson County, Memphis Lake in Saunders County and Pawnee Lake in Webster County are well worth some fishing time. In the reservoir areas on the Platte and Republican Rivers, McConaughy is tops for smallmouth. Swanson's in Hitchcock County, Enders in Chase County, Medicine in Frontier County and Harlan in Harlan County are rated as good bass waters. Fishermen should keep in mind that many canals hold fish and many of them are practically unexplored, so give them a try first chance you have.

Many other Nebraska lakes and streams have bass fishing varying from poor to excellent, but many of them are on private land. Information regarding them is limited. If you want to know more about a particular area, OUTDOOR NEBRASKA will do its best to supply information upon request.

Tight lines and a full stringer. . . . THE END

6 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

CAN FISH SEE?

Fishy stares are the real article, for fish can see. Here's what you can do to be there and not be seen by Glen R. Foster Chief of Fisheries

MOST fishermen may readily be spotted by their quickness to argue about fish rather than politics, taxes, or women. They probably prefer fish to politicians, and certainly to taxes. They may even prefer—but few anglers are that extreme.

Not many fishermen, however, even the extremists, doubt that fish can see. After all, fish have eyes. You can't get around that. But there are fishermen who will argue at the drop of a plug that the more wary fish have eyes second only to the antelope's. Adherents to this school of thought advocate the belly scraping approach to a trout pool. Other fishermen insist that fish are myopic Magoos, unable to see more than a few feet beyond their noses. These anglers walk right up to stream, pool, or lake, about as well camouflaged as a neon sign. They may, however, be sneaking along on felt soles three inches thick, for they are partisans of the vibration-spooker theoreticians.

Without becoming involved in this epic donnybrook, I shall detail some findings and opinions of the ichthyologists, professors of fish lore. First let us consider the effect upon light of the medium in which the fish lives, for a fish sees in the same way we do, by means of reflected light. It is obvious that a fish will see farther and more clearly in clear water than in muddy water, just as we see better on a clear day than in heavy fog.

Granted reasonably transparent water, visibility is similar to that in the air, for light passing through water still travels in straight lines, though not so fast as through air. The eye of the fish is adapted to its environment, and it is probable that under good conditions the images it sees are quite sharp. Excellence of eyesight does vary among species.

So much for seeing beneath the water. Is the fish able to see the fisherman above water? Yes, but this answer must be qualified. Both ichthyologists and practical fishermen (and it isn't impossible to be both) know that game fish feed largely by sight. In gin-clear water on a calm day, a trout may see you as well as you see him. Obviously you would be foolish to outline yourself against the sky while waving your fly rod, especially in heavily fished waters.

No matter how clear the water, the surface, looking upward, is opaque except within a circle directly overhead. The fish sees through this circle. The rest of the surface acts as a mirror, so the fish sees reflections of underwater objects. The size of the circle through which your quarry sees depends upon how deep he is. The diameter of the circle is always a little more than twice the distance of the fish from the surface.

If the fish is one foot below the surface, the circle through which he sees above-water objects is a bit more MAY, 1958 7   than two feet in diameter. If the finny snooper is six feet down, he has a keyhole more than 12 feet in diameter.

Only under good conditions, with limpid water and a calm surface, could the fish see you. If a wind is blowing, or the water surface is disturbed by stream flow, vision is disturbed or made virtually nil. If the stream is milky or muddy, it further renders ineffective the visual process.

As will be obvious to many, Figure 1 takes into consideration the bending of light rays occurring at the surface. This is called refraction and enlarges somewhat the fish's angle of view. We are all familiar with this phenomenon. Looked at from an angle, a bar of soap in your bathtub is not where it seems to be. If the bar of soap could look back, you wouldn't appear in your actual position, either. Refraction works both going and coming. Only when we look straight down at the soap do we perceive its true position. Unless, of course, we step on it, which is locating it the hard way. This is illustrated in Figure 2.

Refraction makes it possible for a fish to see you on the bank when he couldn't if both you and the fish were in the air. Figure 3 shows how a fish in water can actually see around a corner. Again, it works both ways, for you can see him, too, though he isn't where you're looking.

We may say, then, that a fish can see you on the bank or in a boat, but has severe limitations on his vision. The extreme convexity of fish eyes indicates they are nearsighted. It is doubtful if most fish can see more than 12 yards, but they can see better than humans at extremely close range. Some see objects clearly when they are only one inch from their noses. If you think you can, try it.

In its general form the eye of a fish is not unlike the human eye, but it is necessarily somewhat modified for use underwater. The lens in the fish eye is a globular body, whereas the eye of a land vertebrate is somewhat flat and convex on both sides. And in land vertebrates the iris of the eye is capable of regulating the amount of light allowed to enter the eye, in the manner of the diaphram on a camera. In fish, the iris generally surrounds a rounded pupil, and has comparatively little power of contraction. Most fish, for this reason, avoid bright sun. It impairs their vision and may be uncomfortable.

The iris may be brightly colored, red, orange, black, blue, or green. Figure 4 makes clearer the comparative structure of fish and human eyes.

As the eyes of fish are placed on either side of the head, some authorities believe fish have monocular vision, being incapable of focusing both eyes on the same thing at the same time. Others believe it possible for fish to see the same thing with both eyes if the object is beyond the point where the line of vision of each eye crosses. This sounds reasonable, and if true it stands to reason that a short-nosed fish has a distinct advantage over a long-nosed one.

One of the features of the eyelid in the human eye is the lachrymal gland. It furnishes the moisture necessary for the proper working of the eye, and also produces tears. It is of interest to note that the human infant cannot weep when first born, nor for several weeks afterward. It can make plenty of noise, but it can't shed tears. Fish do not have the lachrymal gland and cannot shed tears at any age.

In any case, the outer surface of the fish's eyeball is kept clean and moist by the surrounding water. The true eyelid is absent in fish, making it impossible for most fish to close their eyes. For this reason many people believe fish do not sleep. There can be little doubt, however, that all fish spend at least a part of the day or night in a state of suspended animation.

A curious modification of the eyes is found in the four-eyed fish inhabiting some Central and South American rivers. Each eye projects well above the top of the head and is divided into two equal parts by a dark horizontal band. The upper part is adapted for vision in the air, and the lower for vision underwater. These fish swim in shoals at the surface, the water reaching as far as the horizontal band which divides the eye. They are thus able to detect insects on the surface or in the air, and at the same time observe insects or other food below the surface. A nonscientific opinion has it that a similar ecological adaptation will eventually take place with motorists driving in traffic.

Some oceanic fish are provided with telescopic eyes, generally in the form of short protruding cylinders. Some 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   types may be directed either upward or forward, and others are directed upward only and cannot be turned in any other direction.

In many fish there is a distinct connection between the mode of life and the degree of perfection of the vision. In catfish and some other forms living in muddy water, the eyes are much reduced in size and efficiency. In fish that have taken to life in caves, wells, or subterranean streams, the eyes have disappeared altogether. This is probably just as well, for there is generally little worth seeing in such places, anyway.

Just as a man who has lost his sight tends to develop a delicate sense of touch or acute sense of hearing, fish with weak or no vision tend in compensation to have one of the remaining senses sharpened. Thus, most catfish have long, sensitive barbels or feelers which are used in finding or tasting food. These barbels are provided with taste buds that are used as auxiliary tongues. It is believed that some catfish have taste buds all over their bodies, and can actually taste with their tails.

In fish such as trout, the sense of sight is very keen. They depend solely upon their eyes in finding surface food, although the trout also has the sense of taste and smell. It is well known that trout often show a preference for a certain kind of fly or insect as soon as they see it. This is usually the exact opposite of the fly the fisherman is using.

It is of interest to note that some species with comparatively well-formed and functional eyes depend very little on the sense of sight to obtain food. There are exceptions, of course. Experiments have shown that if the eyes are removed, some fish are able to detect food or enemies just as quickly as normal fish. What the experiments did to their appetites is not noted. It is believed that with most fish sense organs in the lateral line and scattered over the skin are more important in obtaining food and in directing general movement than are the eyes.

The proverb says: "In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king." In the land of finny creatures, it seems that even the no-eyed fish may be at least a happy subject. And with two eyes, one eye, or no eyes at all the watery denizens are frequently able to outwit fishermen in full possession of their faculties. And therein lies much of the fascination of fishing.

THE END.

HOW TO PAINT A BOAT

Scrape old paint from hull, then sand smooth with a power sander. Fill dents with plastic wood or similar compound. Then put on a first sealer coat, and sand it thoroughly when dry. Put on the final sealer coat. Sand slightly. Brush on a marine undercoating, let dry, then sand smooth, and for super-smooth surface, apply another coat. If final coat is not to be white, put tint of the proper color in undercoat. Then add two coats of marine enamel, with drying time between coats. 9

CATFISH SKINNING

KILL your catfish and place on a paper - covered board, driving a nail through its head to hold it in place. Slit skin from one pectoral fin across the head to other pectoral fin. Work enough skin loose with pliers, so that it will peel back toward tail in one piece.

Flop catfish over and remove remaining "V" of skin by pulling with pliers toward head.

Last step is to cut off head and clean, and there's your meal!

10 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

Back Yard Bait

by William C. Blizzard Associate Editor

FISH like worms. Birds and many mammals like worms. Other worms like worms. And fishermen like worms—at least to fish with. I here refer to the earthworm, phylum Annelida, a popular bait on any stream or lake. The earthworm is easy to transport, fairly easy to keep alive for long periods, has no teeth or claws to bite or scratch, and does not scream when pierced by the hook.

The earthworm is called an annelid, from the Latin annelus, meaning "little ring", because of the many small segments of which its body is composed. He/she/it comes in several delicious sizes, from tiny fellows to huge ropelike monsters seven feet long and an inch in diameter. Nebraskans needn't worry about the latter, for they are native to Ecuador and Australia. There the fishermen have been known to go around bragging about the big bait that got away.

All earthworms have the same general characteristics, though zoology texts do not offer information as to the excellence of the larger types as fish bait.

The upsurge in number of fishermen, estimated today at 20,000,000 in the United States, is not only inducing deafness in sporting-goods dealers, from listening to clanging cash registers, but is putting pressure on the earthworm population. Dealers all over the country raise worms by the millions. And many fishermen are growing their own in back yards or basements. Given a mild climate, adequate moisture, and fertile soil, the earthworm happily multiplies, heedless of the hook which lies in his future.

The garden variety of earthworm makes excellent bait, but is not so prolific as those developed by commercial dealers. Or so the commercial dealers say, and my experience confirms their allegation. I have been personally acquainted with four types of worm. There is the stinkworm, a frequenter of manure piles. He has marked B.O. and a red complexion, but the fish bite him all the same. There is the garden worm, about two to four inches long, a pale fellow, plentiful in the spring, but hard to find during the summer.

Another variety is the leafworm, sometimes six inches long, the most active of all earthworms. You may find him under leaves by raking away in the black humus with your hands. Or use your feet, if you wish. It's all the same to the leafworm

The leafworm, unfortunately, is not so plentiful everywhere as he was in one location I used to know, where you could pick up thousands in a couple of hours. I tried to raise him in captivity, but had little success, for he lives close to the surface and stubbornly refused to breed in MAY, 1958 11   outdoor pits. In the Bronx Zoo in New York City, however, the duck-billed platypus is fond of the leafworm, and his keepers feed him by raising their own, so it can be done.

Then there is the night crawler, sometimes almost a foot long, described by zoologists under the awesome name of Lumbricus terrestris. I have managed to breed these worms in captivity, using tile and concrete pits. Fish like these big worms, but they have never much appealed to the writer, being rather slothful by nature, and hardly even squirming when touched by the hook.

I have also seen and captured another of the annelids, a long, skinny fellow that can run like a pheasant. But he seems rather rare, and is entirely too thin for use in average fishing. He might do, possibly, for very thin fish.

From a practical point of view, it is probably better to buy hybrid worms from a dealer to start your batch of future bait. Garden worms simply do not multiply fast enough. Get a thousand or two adult worms and put them in small boxes in a basement or any other place where they are protected from sun, rats, and moles. Moles love earthworms, and will eat you right out of house and home, speaking earthworm-wise.

Procure a larger box, full of loose, rich earth, into which you will put your newly hatched "wormlets" a few weeks after you get your supply of adults. Leave the adults in their original box. After awhile, the little worms will in turn become adults and you will be forced to build or buy other breeder boxes. If you have really good luck with your breeding you may have to build another basement. Worms have no self-control whatever.

Worms are hermaphroditic, or monoecious, whichever term you prefer. If you don't like either, don't blame the worm. He and she can't help it. I say "he and she" advisedly, for you can't accurately say Mr. Worm or Mfs. Worm. Each worm is both. This may sound confusing, but the worm seems to understand, and that's what monoecious means. Both sexes are present in one individual.

It takes two worms, however, to produce the tiny eggshaped capsule from which little worms hatch. By the way, the band around a worm is called the clitellum, and is a part of the reproductive system. The presence of the band indicates a mature worm, its absence a relative infant.

You don't have to use separate breeder boxes for the adults and another for the egg capsules, but it is one workable system. You may use any large box, tightly made to keep your livestock from escaping. The egg capsules are small, but visible to the unclad eye, resembling tiny gooseberries. As many as 12 or 13 threadlike worms may hatch from the capsule.

You'll have to feed your worms. They like table scraps, coffee grounds, milk, cooked oatmeal, and syrup, to mention a few favored items. Place the food on top of the soil OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   and dig it under a little with your fingers. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.

When you dig worms for bait, use your hands or a fork. An edged instrument may kill your worms. Actually, a severed worm may grow a new head or tail, but it is not a wise idea to cut your worms in half to double your supply. It doesn't always work. And one tail has been known to grow another tail at its opposite end, a most disagreeable situation. The opposite dilemna, however, having a head at either end and no tail, is not a happier circumstance.

You can raise your own worms, for I've done it, and I don't have an especially wormy thumb. But it might not be advisable to think in terms of making money from it. Some dealers earn excellent incomes from worms, but the average person will find it not an easy way to wealth, as is sometimes implied by glowing advertisements. But you can grow your own bait. And worms are not just bait, they are often the most excellent bait procurable.

For fish like worms. Birds and many mammals like worms. Other worms like worms. And fishermen—but that, I believe, is where I came in. THE END

NEST ABANDONMENT

by Phil Agee, Project Leader

THIS spring, just as in previous years, someone will declare to the boys in the barbershop that the pheasant population would be better off if hunters had not killed so many cocks. And the complainer's statement will be based on what he considers good evidence. He will have proof: two or three pheasant nests he has been watching have produced nothing.

"The eggs are infertile, not enough cocks to take care of the hens," he will state.

Biologists have seen those nests, too, lots of them. And I must agree that during the early part of our field investigations the situation looked suspicious. But since it is a biologist's job to take nothing at face value, we set out to learn, among other factors regarding nesting, just why those nests had not produced. Here's what actually goes on.

With the coming of the long, warm days of spring, certain changes take place within the bodies of pheasants. These changes set cocks into patterns of courtship, preparing them for the act of mating, and cause hens to pay heed to a cock's cavortings, to receive his advances, and to declare some degree of loyalty as members of his harem.

By May, nearly all hens are laying, producing five or six eggs per week. We would expect that every egg would be utilized, that the hen would get down to the business of producing a brood as soon as possible. But. this is not the case. The first few eggs laid are often dropped at random. These account for the single eggs sometimes found lying in such places as fence rows or the edges of roads.

The hen soon selects a shallow depression in the ground and deposits her eggs there. As the eggs accumulate, there is every indication that a brood of pheasant chicks is in the making. But for some reason the hen will suddenly transfer her efforts to a new nest site. The old one, though it may contain a full clutch of eggs, is forgotten.

Occasionally, abandoned nests will contain 30 or more eggs which appear to have been contributed by two or three hens. A technician usually refers to them as "dump nests."

The reasons for hens abandoning nests are hard to pin down. Some have said they do so because the nests are poorly situated. This is doubtful, for in many cases abandoned nests appear even better situated than the incubated ones. Other people speculate that the hen knows the eggs are infertile or dead, but this has been disproven. If the eggs are taken from the nest and put into an incubator for a few days, nearly every egg will contain an embryo. Undoubtedly, some which fail to develop are fertile eggs which are dead as a result of prolonged exposure in the field. It can only be deduced that nest abandonment is a normal step in the preparation for reproduction. It apparently occurs whether the cocks have been harvested heavily or not at all.

THE END MAY, 1958 13

SPRING COMES TO NEBRASKA

14 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   MAY, 1958 15

POINTING DOGS

by William C. Blizzard Associate Editor

SCIENTISTS have traced the dog's ancestor to a tiny fellow living 40 million years ago. It is probably safe to say that dog and man struck it off nicely from the time the latter got up on his hind legs and became Homo Sapiens. Dogs cavort merrily after game on Egyptian tombs 5,000 years old, and here in Nebraska and the Missouri River Basin is archaeological evidence that domesticated dogs were yapping on hot trails at least 500 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

According to the Smithsonian Institution, Indians in this area 600 or 700 years ago used dogs of great Dane size as pack animals. There were other sizes and breeds of dogs, too. It is doubtful, though, that any of the dogs were such specialized hunters as the modern pointing bird dog. Until civilization advanced to a point where some people, at least, had sufficient leisure and wealth, hunting, with or without dogs, was strictly a meat-getting proposition. The modern pointing dog is an extremely specialized product, developed through years of selective breeding. Man might be defined as an environment-moulding animal. Dogs, a part of that environment, are changed to suit his needs, and, sometimes, his whims.

The American pointing dog is a beautiful animal developed by American breeders. Nevertheless, the basis of this development was dogs imported from England. And the pointer breed seems to have been imported into England from Spain, although some writers believe the Spanish pointer arrived in Holland and Belgium long before he ambled over Albion. Other authorities contend the pointer was nosing around England before a similar dog was imported from Spain. Dog lovers, unlike other sport fans, sometimes disagree.

Sporting dogs are classified as gun dogs and hounds. Gun dogs are further divided into pointing dogs, spaniels and retrievers. While all pointers are pointing dogs, not all pointing dogs are pointers. The pointing dog may be a pointer, an English, Irish or Gordon setter, a Brittany spaniel, a German short-haired pointer, a spinoni, or a wirehaired pointing griffon.

It is an interesting fact that pointing dogs were developed in part from dogs that do not point. Dog authority William F. Brown says: "There isn't any doubt but that the pointer was evolved from a type of hound with a 'setting spaniel' cross. The foxhound has been accorded a prominent role by breed students."

The setter seems to have evolved from the spaniel, except for the Brittany, a non-pointer.

The pointer is probably the most popular pointing dog, except with owners of Brittany spaniels, German shorthaired pointers, spinoni, wire-haired griffons, or one of the three setters. A consistent winner in the field trials, the pointer is a powerful, swift, wide-ranging animal. He hunts almost entirely by body scent, and has been used with good results on nearly all game birds.

In good form on point, his sinewy body freezes into the appearance of a statue about to be exploded by some irresistible inner force. Tail and head are high, at least in modern field trials, but one forefoot is not always daintily 16 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   raised, artistic portraits notwithstanding. His short hair is a disadvantage in some cases, making him sensitive to cold and briers.

Pointers are quick and early learners, making them favorites with such extremely different men as the professional handler and the amateur trainer. Most hunters, because of the visibility factor, like a lot of white on their pointers. This is usually combined, in varying patterns, with liver, black, orange, and lemon. It should be noted that field-dog and show-dog standards for the same breed differ, and this is certainly true of the pointer. We are here, of course, concerned with the field dog.

As before stated, there are three breeds of setter. Llewellins and Laveracks, named for two famous English breeders, are simply strains of the English setter. The English is a beautiful dog with long hair and a most silk-stocking appearance. Pretty, but no sissy, he is a large dog capable of a great deal of punishing work. His heavy coat protects him from brambles and cold.

Many handlers of both setters and pointers believe the former to be the more friendly dog, making a good family pet as well as a hunter. In recent years, the setter has not shown up so well as the pointer in field trials, except on grouse. This doesn't mean the setter is not an excellent hunting dog. He is, and may be a better retriever than the pointer. While the long coat of the setter protects him from briers and thorns, it is also a natural haven for burrs. And who has to spend hours removing the burrs? Yes, indeed.

As with the pointer, there is a good deal of white on the English setter, with patterns of black and tan or orange and lemon. He is often a belton, that is, has small color flecks against a white background. If the flecks are black, he is called a blue belton.

Irish setters are not green, despite hailing from the Emerald Isle. They are red, like the beard of the late George Bernard Shaw. Seriously, Irish setters have been bred for their great beauty of conformation and color. The long hair is of an attractive mahogany tint. Gun-dog men complain about this, saying the Irish is a victim of his own beauty, a show dog and not a bird dog. If true, don't blame the dog. Save your shillelaghs for that inexorable force, public demand.

Like the English, the Irish setter was developed from a cross between the spaniel and Spanish pointer. But the spaniel was of a native red variety. Many sportsmen would say that when the Irish setter is good he is very, very good, and when he is bad he's a show dog.

The Scotch, not to be outdone by their brethren of the British Isles, produced their own setter, the Gordon. He is named for the Duke of Gordon, who had a large kennel in his castle. The Gordon's origin, like that of other breeds, has led to many scholarly wrangles. One story has it that he is a cross between a bloodhound and an Irish setter; another that the Duke of Gordon had a black sheep dog he crossed with one of his best setters.

In any case, the Gordon has a good nose, and is addicted to ground scent. He will follow his bird from here to eternity, and, if you're still around, you'll get a shot at that bird. Not so fast or showy as the pointer or English setter, he has fallen from favor in recent years. And like the Irish, he is a dog of great beauty.

The Gordon has attributes a pheasant hunter would appreciate. Few individuals have the picture-book style sought in field trials. But the Gordon will put his nose to the ground, crawl under brush, and squirm through heavy cover. He has one idea in mind: Get that bird. If shooting game is what you're after, you could choose a worse companion than the Gordon.

Combining the traits of the non-pointing spaniel and the pointing dog is the Brittany spaniel. Like the Gordon setter, he is a good meat dog, but there the resemblance ceases. The Brittany has a fairly small body, long legs, and a short or nonexistent tail. He is usually orange and white or liver and white. He works close to the hunter, and points game like a setter. He also retrieves well. The Brittany has been popular for years in France, only recently in the United States. Some say an Englishman living in France originated the breed, but the present Brittany is largely the result of the efforts of French sportsmen.

The German short-haired pointer was bred in Germany, but is not so short-haired as his name indicates. His coat is not so thin as the conventional pointer's, and protects him well while retrieving waterfowl. He looks like a pointer with a docked tail, and is liver and white in color, usually light on the white and heavy on the liver.

The shorthair is an attempt at an all-round dog. He was produced by crossing the old Spanish pointer, the bloodhound, and the foxhound. He trails like the hounds and points like the pointers. He will1 point bird or rabbit, retrieve, and then go nighthunting for raccoon. Devotees of the German shorthair claim a lot for him, everything, as Ray Holland says, except that he will retrieve deer. And, given time, he might do that.

You might say the wire-haired pointing griffon looks something like a spaniel whose mother got too friendly with a porcupine. The breed, used throughout Europe, is not so popular here. Like the German shorthair, the griffon has been developed as an all-purpose dog. But he is not considered a serious competitor of setters and pointers in the bird-hunting world.

The spinoni was included in the list of pointing dogs for the sake of completeness, but you will seldom see one. He simply didn't catch on in the United States.

Completeness in the pointing-dog category can hardly be hoped for. Many dogs not listed here may be used as pointers. Bulldogs have been known to point, as have terriers. This writer once owned a little fox terrier that locked up on quail like a big pointer. Whatever the breed, the pointing instinct is either there or it isn't. Where did it come from? The old Spanish pointer in the bloodline, say some. And they may be right.

Pointing dogs are valuable aides to the hunter, especially on birds. The physiological basis of the peculiar reflex (if it is a reflex) called pointing is not the province of this article. Nor is its origin and usefulness in biological adaptation of the earliest pointers. It is sufficent to note that the modern pointing dog is a result of the purposeful and conscious activity of man, a small part of that man-created complexity we call the modern world.

THE END MAY, 1958 17

18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

WASTED GAME BIRD

The mourning dove is speedy, tasty, numerous, yet this fine game bird is now off limits to Nebraska sportsmen

IT is news when a bird or animal becomes extinct through natural law or thoughtless slaughter. It is news, too, big news, when one of our finest and most numerous game-bird resources becomes extinct by legislative action. Nebraska sportsmen are becoming more and more aware of the inequity of the official "extinction" of the mourning dove, a sporty little speedster, and are determined to present their case to the Nebraska Legislature during its 1959 session.

The Nebraska Game Commission has gone on record as favoring efforts to return the dove to its rightful status as a game bird. In 1952, it became apparent that various individuals and groups were most interested in removing the dove from the game-bird classification. There followed, in 1953, the introduction and passage of legislation classifying the dove as a song bird, the net result being that the Game Commission could no longer allow an open season on doves. This action was taken despite the fact that the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has jurisdiction over the migratory dove and, as in the case of ducks and geese, has final authority on allowable open seasons for this species.

In 1916, a formal treaty between the United States and Great Britain classified the dove as a game bird. A similar treaty was made in 1936 with the Republic of Mexico. In these treaties, doves are definitely included in the game-bird class, and certainly are not insectivorous or nongame birds.

In 1955 and 1957, legislative attempts were made to return the dove to its rightful status as a game bird in Nebraska. These attempts failed. Nevertheless, for true sportsmen and conservationists to manage the bird in the best interests of all, the dove's return to the game-bird list is a primary need. The Nebraska Legislature can and should do this during its 1959 session, although whether or not it is done is largely a responsibility of the individual Nebraska sportsman.

Sound decisions regarding the mourning dove should be based on facts, not sentiment. These are the facts: Mourning doves are in no danger of extermination or extinction. On the contrary, their numbers are at or near all-time highs. Latest figures indicate that 19 million doves are harvested annually in the United States, with no damage to the species. As a comparison, this figure far exceeds the kill of ducks or pheasants, and is an indication of the pressure the species will stand and still thrive.

Due to modern knowledge of mourning-dove habits, migratory patterns, the adaptable nature of the birds themselves, plus the intelligent regulations of the Fish and Wildlife Service, doves today are in no danger of over-harvest. Leading game biologists know that Nebraska doves could provide fine annual shooting and continue to remain one of our most numerous game birds.

Doves are short-lived. Experience indicates that disease, predation, accidents, and old age take their toll. The hunting "take" largely comes from the birds that would ultimately die later that season from natural causes. The hunters' kill represents only a small portion over and above that which nature, in her sure, relentless way, would have removed. Thus, what would have been waste provides man with recreation, income, and food.

Mourning doves nest three to six times a year, with a far higher success ratio than pheasants. Nebraska studies indicate pheasants have about a 14 per cent nesting success ratio; doves have a 50 per cent succcess ratio. Pheasants usually break up family activities for the year after a successful brood is hatched and reared. Doves, however, work overtime, often with as little as a 32-day MAY, 1958 19   cycle from the start of one nesting to the start of another.

Few birds can approach the rapid growth rate of young doves. In Nebraska, nesting starts in April, and is virtually complete in August. Nebraska doves begin migrating southward about September first.

Band returns from Nebraska-reared doves show migration to be largely straight south to Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Mexico. The following open seasons and bag limits in states where Nebraska-reared doves are usually taken should be of interest:

STATE OPEN SEASON LIMIT Kansas 50 days 10 birds Oklahoma 50 days 10 birds Texas 47 days 10 birds

Many of the doves taken in bygone years in Nebraska, when they were legal game, were from the Dakotas and Canada. This indicates the interstate and international migratory nature of doves, and the futility of one state trying to set itself up as a dove preserve. Thirty of the 48 states have open seasons on doves, none for less than two weeks duration and most for a month or six weeks.

Lack of sporting and eating qualities are often cited by the uninformed as reasons for the song-bird classification of mourning doves. Nothing could be further from the truth. Doves are one of the trickiest, sportiest birds awing. Ask any old dove hunter. Even expert shotgunners have a hard time batting over .300 when pass shooting doves. As to their gastronomic qualities, doves are rich, satisfying, and delicate in flavor. Two doves are a normal serving, three a full meal for a hungry man.

The food habits of doves are another area of dispute. By the unknowing, doves are often presented as insectivorous birds. Once again, the fact is that extensive nationwide dove-crop studies indicate that insect consumption is insignificant in the dove's diet. Doves are largely granivorous, meaning that grains and weed seeds are the principle items of diet.

Religious objections to the shooting of mourning doves are often voiced. Extensive Biblical research of every reference to doves has failed to yield any evidence that the mourning dove was a "holy" bird. To clinch this further, the dove of the Bible is actually the European rock pigeon, an entirely separate, distinct bird not closely related to the doves of the United States. Our mourning dove is more closely related to our common barn pigeon than it is to the dove of the Bible.

Another interesting fact regarding the mourning dove is that the hunting thereof is a highly significant support of the restoration and research efforts being made for all wildlife, including true song birds. Estimates of the source of Pittman-Robertson funds—the federal taxes on arms and ammunition that are returned to the states largely for this work—indicate that 13 per cent of these funds come from the sale of arms and ammunition used in dove hunting. Thus, doves and dove hunters are making an important contribution to most important largescale, effective wildlife restoration and research. In truth, hunters and fishermen pay the freight for almost all wildlife research, propagation, restoration, promotion, and protection, including that relating to song birds. It might be in order to ask what similar contributions are being made by those who oppose the hunting of mourning doves.

In summary, here are the important facts regarding mourning doves in Nebraska: A harvestable annual surplus of doves is produced which once provided sport, recreation, and some of the finest eating for thousands of Nebraskans. It can again, without the slightest danger to the numbers or future of this fine little former game bird. Only you, the sportsman and conservationist, can return this valuable game species to its rightful classification. And you can do this only if your elected representative knows how you feel. It's up to YOU!

THE END

EVER try to tempt trout and tangle with a turtle? Or hunt for hare and harvest a hippo? Dare Carr and Earl Nelson of Garland did something like that while hunting crows.

Earl was keeping a sharp lookout while Dale cawed like crazy on the crow call. Dale saw Earl point his shotgun. Following his companion's line of fire, he expected to see crows. What he actually saw caused him to drop his crow call, seize his shotgun, and fling himself to his feet.

Only 20 yards away, walking toward him, was a big, hungry-looking coyote. Dale fired first, then both men fired together. The result, one coyote corpse and two confounded crow callers.

Dale's comment: "I've tried predator calls, with poor results. Now this happens. I'm either the worst crow caller in the country or that coyote had darn bad ears. I've hunted a lot of coyotes, but I never expected to have one hunt me."

It is probable that Dale's crow calling efforts fooled the coyote into thinking a bird or other small animal was in distress. Many fox and coyote calls are based on this principle, emitting the scream of a wounded or dying rabbit.

THE END

20 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

Sportsmen's Clubs For A Better Tomorrow

Nuceleus for outdoor life, conservation education, is found in sportsmen's clubs

INTEREST in outdoor sports in any area may be judged by the number of active sportsmen's clubs that area supports. Judged by this standard, Nebraska has, in relation to its population, a high proportion of outdoor enthusiasts. The potential, in terms of those who enjoy the outdoors but belong to no organized group, is even larger.

While the number of sportsmen's organizations in Nebraska varies, some going out of existence and others springing to life, the Game Commission currently lists 173 organized groups of men and women who thrill to the performance of a dog, the whir of fast-flying game birds, the arc of a leaping fish, the graceful bend of an archerrs bow, or merely the glint of sunshine on a stream or the cool green of forest and field. And there are many whose primary interest is in the intelligent use and conservation of our natural resources.

The state's largest organized group of sportsmen is the Nebraska Council of Sportmen's Clubs. It accepts to its rolls any eligible sportsmen's club, whether that club is composed of devotees of the dog, boosters of the bow and arrow, fanciers of fishing, or gentry of the gun. Affiliated with the National Wildlife Federation, the Council was formed in 1947, succeeding the Nebraska Wildlife Federation. The incumbent president is Charles Einspahr of Imperial. Honorary president is Dr. H. C. Zellers of Lincoln, who has a long record of distinguished service in the outdoor field. Council officers receive no compensation, and no expenses except postage and stationery.

Business is handled by the delegates (two delegates are alloted to clubs with membership under 100, three to larger clubs) and the officers they elect. The purpose of the council is the introduction and support of needed wildlife legislation in Nebraska. Conversely, the council fights legislation it considers unfavorable to sportsmen and to sound conservation. Attitudes of the membership on legislation are determined by open-panel discussions at the annual meetings, questionnaires, and contacts with state and federal wildlife authorities.

In President Einspahr's words, "We don't always win, we aren't always right, but we try to do our best. We try not to be a pressure group, or to be governed by selfish desires of individuals or groups, but to proceed in line with MAY, 1958 21   sound conservation to see that the hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman gets the privileges he is entitled to."

Council delegates meet annually. During years of the legislative session in Lincoln, the meeting is held in the Capital City. Delegates meet in the morning to thresh out problems in open discussion. The same procedure is followed in the afternoon, except that the Game Commission director, commissioners, and department personnel are present. A buffalo feed follows in the evening with legislators and the governor and his staff as guests.

When the legislature is not in session, the annual meeting is held at the headquarters of a member sportsman's club. Officers, who serve two-year terms, are elected at these sessions. All meetings feature speakers of national repute in the wildlife field.

Dues are paid on a voluntary basis. That is, no club is deprived of membership because of inability to pay. Those clubs financially able to pay are assessed $5 per delegate.

This year's meeting of the Council is to be at Neligh, on Sunday, May 25, with the Antelope Sportsmen's Club as host. The main business meeting will be the following day, with a banquet Monday night. Reservations may be made with Leon McCoy of Neligh, convention chairman.

Another outdoor organization of foremost importance in Nebraska is the Izaak Walton League. The league is a nation-wide organization, with many chapters in this state. Because of its name, those unafamiliar with its work may think of the league as a group of fisherman banded together for fun and sport. For old Izaak, of course, a 17th century worm-drowner who wrote THE COMPLETE ANGLER, is the patron saint of the fisherman.

But Ike members emphasize that the League is much more than a sportsman's group interested only in fishing or hunting. While most* Ike's do fish or hunt, and certainly enjoy the companionship of their fellows, they look upon their organization as dedicated to improving and perpetuating the nation's soil, woods, waters and wildlife. That is, the interests of the league are as broad as the whole outdoors. It is basically a conservation organization.

The league was organized in Chicago, in 1922, by 54 conservationists, and in the ensuing 36 years has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments in the conservation field. The basic unit of the league is the chapter, and a statewide division devotes itself to matters of a broader nature. The national office, of course, as with any organization, correlates all state and chapter activity, and helps organize new chapters. The national office also publishes a monthly publication, Outdoor America.

William H. Pringle of Pierre, South Dakota, who visited the Lincoln chapter in March, is the current national president. Bud Kemptar of Ravenna is Nebraska president.

The league prides itself on believing in action, rather than in being a debating society. In 1923, shortly after the organization was formed, it campaigned vigorously to establish an upper Mississippi wildlife refuge. In the following year, action was taken to save the elk herd in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The League led the fight to stop commercial sale of black bass and since 1927 has campaigned relentlessly against water pollution. It has helped to establish federal wildlife refuges, and has fought to retain vast areas of western land in the public domain.

The Nebraska division was formed in the same year the national organization was born. It has been active in supporting the formation of the Nebraska Game Commission, and has sponsored tree planting, education of youth in conservation, and anti-pollution legislation. While the league necessarily makes itself heard on legislative matters relating to natural resources, it does not consider itself a lobby. That is, its motives are altruistic, not selfish. The league is a non-profit, scientific and educational institution.

The above constitutes only a fraction of progressive activity of the Ikes, on either national or state level. Space restrictions preclude a complete report. Local dues are set by the local chapter, and thus vary, but in Nebraska would average about $12 the first year and $8 thereafter. These include all payments to the national office.

In addition to numerous Ike chapters dotting the state, other local organizations of sportsmen show the diversity of Nebraskan interest in the outdoors. There are, to name a few, rifle and pistol clubs, gun clubs, rod and gun clubs, wildlife clubs, pheasant clubs, retriever clubs, archery clubs, boat clubs, trap and skeet clubs, conservation and recreation clubs, pointer clubs, setter clubs, dog and hunt clubs, bird clubs, lake-development clubs, beagle clubs, game-protective clubs, and hunting and fishing clubs.

The outdoorsman, the hunter, and the fisherman may have at one time been a silent, lone pursuer of game. But this is not true in Nebraska today. A more gregarious, talkative group than the average sportsmen's assembly would be hard to find. Sportsmen like to get together to compare notes, to learn from one another, and have fun. And they have learned that in the conservation and wildlife fields, as in others, strength lies in unity and organization.

THE END. Advertisement SPORTSMEN'S CLUBS TAKE NOTE! If you are not on the mailing list of the NEBRASKA COUNCIL OF SPORTSMEN'S CLUBS and wish to be, notify: Dr. M. C. Pedersen, Council Secretary 1700 South 24 Street, Lincoln or Charles Einspahr, Council President Imperial Dogs German short-haired pointer pup from championship stock, A.K.C. Whelped March 11. Gordon Heebner, R. R. #1, Norfolk, Nebraska. 22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

End of Drought Meant Fishing Bonanza in 57

Abundant water led to big bass, colossal catfish, potbelly pike, walloper walleye and dandy drum

NEBRASKA fishing in 1957, the best experienced in years, thanks to an end of the drought, produced three state-record catches, about par for the course. In addition, a number of record-challenging hefties were caught, particularly in Maloney Reservoir where Nebraska anglers experienced the state's best all-round fishing of the year.

Abundant moisture contributed tremendously to the improved angling success. Lakes and rivers ran full with fresh, cool water, keeping many fish in the top layers of water even in mid-summer. And for the first time in history the Republican River reservoirs were full of water, covering land not previously inundated. This made a vast amount of food available for the fish, and should contribute to better fishing for the next few years.

Glen Helbeg, 1910 Burlington, North Platte, started the assault on Nebraska records by taking a 2-pound, 10-ounce bullhead at Eagan's Lake in Grant County. The barbeled fish was a victim of Nebraska's most popular live bait, the minnow. Former bullhead record holder was Don Smith of Lincoln, who landed a 2-pound 4V2-ouncer while still-fishing at Cedar Bluffs in September 1955.

Biggest fish reported taken anywhere in Nebraska last year was the record 52-pound, 7-ounce catfish hauled ashore by Lloyd C. Hagenbuck of Monroe while fishing the Loup River Power Canal, notorious for its lunker catfish. The big whiskered cat was 46 inches long and had a girth of 34 inches. Its head weighed 13 pounds. Hagenbuck was using a cane pole and 40-pound-test line. Bait was a minnow. Old record was a 46-pounder taken from the same power canal by Leo Wozny of Columbus and Roy Hamilton of Lincoln in 1950.

The new record holder put frosting on his cake by landing a ponderous 13 V2 -pound catfish on the same outing.

All state-record laurels, however, were not restricted to the fellows. Mrs. Ethel Engle, 921 North Dewey, North Platte, saved face for the women by catching a record 1-pound 10-ounce perch in McConaughy Reservoir. The former record 1-pound, 8-ounce perch was caught in Sutherland Reservoir by Fred McMurtry, also of North Platte, in 1956.

Maloney Reservoir, a 1,600-acre lake located in west-central Nebraska, about seven miles south of North Platte, was a fishing hotspot during most of the '57 angling season. The four largest walleyes taken in Nebraska last year originated in Maloney, as did the three biggest fresh-water drum, two heaviest northern pike, largest white crappie, and third and fourth biggest black bass. And many more of bragging size.

And if Nebraska had a team of all-star anglers, based on reports filed with the Game Commission, it would read like this:

WALLEYES: 12-pound, 8-ounces by Howard Enzminger, North Platte (Maloney); 11-pounds, 7-ounces by Mrs. G. P. Fitzpatrick, North Platte (Maloney); 10-pounds, 15-ounces by C. D. Arney, North Platte (Maloney); 10-pounds, 3-ounces by Bill Kallhoff, North Platte (Maloney).

FRESH-WATER DRUM: 10-pounds, 8-ounces by Louis Frager, North Platte (Maloney); 8-pounds, 12-ounces by Bob Zimmerman, Springfield (Maloney); 7-pounds, 8-ounces by Mrs. C. D. Arney, North Platte (Maloney).

YELLOW CATFISH: 38-pounds by Dick Clark, Crete (Blue River); 34-pounds by Duane Bowman, Burchard (Nemaha River).

WHITE BASS: 3-pounds, 2-ounces by Victor Farney, North Platte (Sutherland).

BLACK BASS: 7-pounds, 5-ounces by Carl Herguth, Columbus Country Club Lake); 6-pounds by Corky Thornton, Valentine (Valentine Mill Pond); 5-pounds, 5-ounces by Kenneth Fraze, North Platte (Maloney); 4-pounds, 15-ounces by Paul D. Lund, North Platte (Maloney).

NORTHERN PIKE: 21-pounds by V. K. Cantrell, North Platte (Maloney); 18-pounds, 9-ounces by Kenneth Drost, North Platte (North Platte).

BLUEGILL: 1-pound, 11-ounces by Phil Agee, Lincoln (Pelican Lake).

CARP: 13-pounds, 8-ounces by Fred Lantz, Tecumseh (Humboldt Lake).

BROWN TROUT: 4-pounds by Ben Bentz, Valentine (Boardman Creek).

MAY, 1958 23   Nebraska Record Fish

BLUEGILL: 2 pounds, 8 ounces by party composed of Walter Beckman, Carl Buck, Bill Adams, and Ervin Krueger, all of Garland, in Monroe Power Canal in 1949.

BUFFALO: 32 pounds by L. Ashbaugh, Wilber, in Blue River near Wilber Dam in 1944.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: 9 pounds, 3 ounces by Wentworth Clarke, Omaha, in Fremont State Lake No. 4 in 1943.

SMALLMOUTH BASS: Open.

WHITE BASS: 4 pounds, 4 ounces by Barbara Momach, Grand Island, in McConaughy Reservoir in 1952.

BULLHEAD: 2 pounds, 10 ounces by Glen Helbeg, North Platte, in Eagan's Lake in 1957.

BLUE CATFISH: 58 pounds by O. P. Nielson, Bloomfield, in Missouri River near Bloomfield in 1954.

CHANNEL CATFISH: 31 pounds, 12 ounces by Bob Nuquist, Broken Bow, in Lake Erickson in 1944.

YELLOW CATFISH: 52 pounds, 7 ounces by Lloyd Hagenbuck, Monroe, Loup River Power Canal in 1957.

FRESH-WATER DRUM: 17 pounds, 1 ounce by Edward Woolsey, Omaha, in Carter Lake in 1952.

CRAPPIE: 3 pounds, 4 ounces by A. E. Hueppelsheuster, Lincoln, across Lake McConaughy from Otter Creek in 1947.

BROOK TROUT: 4 pounds, 8 ounces by Vernon Zimmerman, Avid, Colo., in McConaughy Reservoir in 1953.

BROWN TROUT: 11 pounds, 4 ounces by L. B. Eby, Sidney, in Otter Creek in 1950.

RAINBOW TROUT: 12 pounds, 4 ounces by J. C. Wickard, Brule, in Sports Service Bay Near Kingsley Dam.

NORTHERN PIKE: 25 pounds by R. O. DeFord, Ogallala, in McConaughy Reservoir in 1949; also by O. D. Moon, Sterling, Colo., in McConaughy Reservoir in 1951.

SAUGER: 6 pounds, % ounce by Roy E. Peterson, Wausa, in tailwaters of Gavins Point Dam in 1956.

WALLEYE: 14 pounds, 8 ounces by Otto Weigel, in Maloney Lake in 1956.

YELLOW PERCH: 1 pound, 10 ounces by Mrs. Ethel Engle, North Platte, in McConaughy Reservoir in 1957.

CHANNEL CATFISH: 22-pounds, 10-ounces by Jim Ross and Hal Saum, Elm Creek (unnamed sandpit).

BLUE CATFISH: 22-pounds, 14-ounces by Albert Witkoski, Bridgeport (McConaughy Reservoir); 19-pounds by Dick Krajewski, Ogallala (McConaughy).

BLACK CRAPPIE: 3-pounds by Dr. Heider, North Platte (Big Alkalai Lake).

WHITE CRAPPIE: 1-pound, 11-ounces by Pattie Fletcher, North Platte (Maloney).

Animal or vegetable, you name it for bait, and you'd probably take your share of fish. Nebraska anglers successfully used baits ranging from pork rinds, beef melts, crawfish, minnows, worms, toads, grasshoppers, shrimp, salmon eggs, salamanders, stink baits, garden hackles, and turkey livers, to corn and even potatoes. Then, too, fish galore were taken on flies, spoons, plugs, and others in the artificial-lure repertoire.

Nebraska's conservation officers reported the following most successful baits, and it's a good bet that tried again this year, these same baits will produce equally good results, with some full creels.

CARP: worms, corn, dough balls, potatoes.

BLUEGILL: flies, worms, spinner and pork rinds.

FRESH-WATER DRUM: worms, minnows, crawdads.

BULLHEADS: worms, minnows, shrimp.

SAUGER: minnows.

TROUT: worms, grasshoppers, salmon-egg clusters, garden hackles, beef melts, spinners, flies.

NORTHERN PIKE: minnows, plugs, spinners.

WALLEYE: minnows, plugs, spinners.

CRAPPIE: minnows, flies.

CATFISH: minnows, prepared baits, stink baits, crayfish, worms, salamanders, turkey livers, chicken blood, shrimp, nightcrawlers, sand toads, chubs, frogs, grasshoppers, chicken entrails.

WHITE BASS: minnows.

PERCH: minnows, worms.

BASS: surface plugs, poppers, minnows, spoons, crayfish, spinners and pork rinds.

Did You Know?

If danger threatens a brood of red squirrels, the mother moves them, one by one, to another nest or temporary hiding place. She grasps each one by the loose skin on its belly and the youngster curls its legs and tail around the mother's neck. This method enables her to jump from branch to branch with her young.

Jack rabbits seldom drink water. Much of their moisture intake comes from succulent vegetation.

Although the bison may attain weights of half a ton or more, he is capable of moving across the plains at speeds up to 40 miles an hour.

Snow geese, the most abundant kind of wild geese in North America, usually keep to themselves and seldom mix freely with other geese, except their close relative, the blue goose, and the rare Ross's goose.

In galloping, the white-tailed deer uses the "rocking horse" gait, common among large animals, in which the hind feet swing far ahead of the front-foot tracks. The mule deer usually runs with a bounding, rubber-ball action, all four feet coming down together, hind feet behind.

Bats are the only mammals possessing the power of true flight. Others parachute.

24 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

OUTDOOR ELSEWHERE

Mystery Animal No More

NEW HAMPSHIRE . . . The "Mystery Animal" which had residents of the Springfield area agog with excitement has been apprehended. Imaginations ran rampant, creating mind pictures ranging from a hyena to a coyote to a sloth bear. The mystery began when a strange cry in the night was heard, like nothing heard before. A tape recording of the sound was made, and many people heard and speculated wildly as to its source. Evidence seems quite conclusive that a wild dog shot by a conservation officer is the "creature of the Springfield woods." Laboratory examinations of the dog's stomach disclosed that it had been feeding on porcupines, and biologists had thought that possibly quills in the animal's throat might account for the weird cry it made.

* * * Perfumed Den Diggers

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Three Lowhill Township residents recently tracked a gray fox to its den. When they started digging the animal out, they learned there apparently was a housing shortage of wildlife. When the gray fox ran out of the den, it was followed by six skunks that retaliated in their usual "smelling" manner.

* * * Hog-Hunting Duck Hunter

MISSOURI ... A "dead" duck helped make a dead duck out of an out-of-season hunter recently. Conservation Agent Bob Henrickson said it appeared that the man was a hunter, but the man denied it and told Henricksen he was looking for a lost hog. At that strategic time, a mallard drake popped his head out of the snow, where he had been buried, waggled his feathers, and waddled off. The agent then found the shotgun buried in the snow. Henricksen commented that the "dead" duck did not appear to be a hog and asked the man to tell the judge about his hog-hunting experience.

Who Took The Scalping?

SOUTH DAKOTA ... We all know a coyote is a tough hombre, but if further proof is needed, here it is. A male coyote was taken recently by a federal trapper that had both ears removed previously by someone collecting a bounty. Mark Worcester, head of the Branch of Predator and Rodent Control, U. S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife in South Dakota, said the ear wounds had healed perfectly and the coyote had apparently gone about his business without handcap. Worcester wonders if someone scalped the coyote for bounty, then turned him loose to breed some more little bounties.

Just Like A Woman

NEW HAMPSHIRE . . . Names make news, even though the report may be a bit confusing. Richard Doe of Stoddard killed a doe deer, a 100-pounder. Mrs. Doe, however, came in with an 80-pound buck.

* * * Eagle Goes for Big Game

NEW MEXICO ... A bald eagle attacked a healthy mature doe but didn't get away with it. Phil Freeman of the Department of Game and Fish witnessed the attack on the east side of Red River Pass. The eagle swooped and made several passes at the doe, striking her twice on the back. On one pass the doe reared up on her hind legs and pawed at the eagle with her front feet. Running and turning erratically, the doe finally reached a heavily timbered area and the eagle ceased to attack. In all, the attack lasted five minutes, and was "like a cat worrying a mouse," said Freeman.

Wandering Deer

MARYLAND . . . The Maryland Department of Game and Inland Fish recently sent some interesting information to Lewis Urian of Linwood, Pa. Urian killed an ear-tagged, six-point buck three miles south of Gettysburg last deer season. According to the report from the neighbor state, this white-tailed deer was not the usual stay-around-home type. The buck was marked and released in Maryland on March 4, 1957, 36 airline miles from the spot where Urian bagged it.

* * * "Captive" Flocks of Geese

WASHINGTON, D. C____Changes in procedure for establishment of "captive" flocks of Canada geese on national wildlife refuges in northcentral and northeastern states are being put into operation this coming fall, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Under the new plan only goslings-of-the-year will be captured, raised to maturity in confinement, and released to establish the new flocks, a departure from previous methods which allowed the mixing of birds of various age classes. Since the success of the program depends on the natural reproduction of these birds in the wild following their release, efforts to establish flocks will be restricted to those refuges having suitable nesting site possibilities. Since 1935, about 40 refuges throughout the county have engaged in this phase of goose restoration, including Valentine and Crescent Lake in Nebraska.

* * * Litterbugging Is Big Offense

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Litterbugging along Commonwealth waters accounted for 68 per cent of the arrests made by Pennsylvania fish wardens during the first quarter of 1958. The amendment to the Pennsylvania fishing code, effective January 1, empowers wardens to arrest any person in or along the waters of the Commonwealth for leaving garbage, bottles, cans, rubbish, wire, glass, paper, cardboard, or wooden cartons. Fishermen have been cautioned that even disposing of bait cans and lunch papers while fishing is a violation of the law.

MAY, 1958 25

PEDIOECETES PHASIANELLUS CAMPESTRIS is the scientific name for the bird known to most Nebraskans as a sharp-tailed grouse or plain "sharptail." While this member of the grouse family is not common to the entire state, he does occupy a rather large portion of it, namely the sandhills.

The sharptail is larger than the ruffed grouse, but slightly smaller than the prairie chicken. Its weight ranges from 1% to 2 pounds. Coloration of the two sexes, cock and hen, is almost identical. The general coloration is brown, with marking of blackish, buff, and whitish. In contrast to the prairie chicken, the pattern of the dark markings on the breast is V-shaped. The upper parts are mostly brown and blackish. The wing flight feathers are brown with white spots on the outer vanes. The brown "V" breast markings are set off with more of the lighter colors than on the back, and the mottled area grades front and back into a creamy throat and white belly.

Above each eye is an erectile yellowish - orange bare space (comb). The central tail feathers are dark, soft, and with some lighter markings; the outer tail feathers are shorter, stiff, and much lighter in color-almost white on the outer portion. When spread the tail has the pointed shape that gives the bird its name. The neck sacs of the male are purplish areas of bare skin, distensible but not as well developed as in the prairie chicken; they are well hidden by whitish feathers when not inflated. The legs are a dusky brown, somewhat bare on the back, and feathered to between the bases of the toes with long hair-like plumage.

Because the prairie chicken and the sharptail are often found together, some hunters are confused as to distinguishing marks. The sharptail is lighter in color, the breast has V-shaped marks, and the belly is white! The chicken has cross-barring and these cover the belly, too. The legs are dusky brown in the sharptail and tend to be yellowish in the chicken. Sharptail cocks lack the pinnae that the chickens have on the neck, and the neck sack is purplish instead of orange-yellow as in the chicken. The spread tail is rounded and even in length on the chicken, but longer in the center, wedge-shaped, and with white outer feathers on the sharptail. Both have feathered legs.

The sharptairs breeding season is ushered in by a courtship which is notable for the unusual and spectacular antics of the courting males. In many ways this performance is similar to that of the prairie chicken, and 26 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   yet it is uniquely different. It is done on an area of bare or grassy land, often on hill or rise in the ground. The area is usually 100 to 200 feet across, but may be an acre or more. These areas are generally known as "dancing grounds," for the emphasis is on dancing, rather than on throat noises as with the prairie chicken. The serious performances and dancing-ground activity begin as spring arrives, usually in late March.

Notes on Nebraska Fauna

SHARP-TAILED GROUSE by Gordon Heebner, District III Game Supervisor

When the weather is clear and calm, the birds arrive on the dancing ground about 45 minutes or so before sunrise. Each bird chooses a position on the area, with some preference for spots near the center. Much of the activity in the early morning consists of sparring and bluffing, apparently to resolve individual territories.

The sharptail has a dancing-ground activity similar to the booming of the prairie chicken. The sound, best described as hooting or cooing, is uttered while the bird is standing in the open. The neck sacs are inflated and the neck stretched forward as the hooting sound is made. It sounds much like the notes of a horned owl, and can be heard up to half a mile on a calm day. It is not as prominent as the booming of a prairie chicken.

In another spectacular performance, the head and neck are similarly thrust forward, and the wings are extended horizontally with tips curved downward. The erectile feathers on the neck are raised, and the fleshy eyebrows expand nearly to the top of the crown. The tail is held in an erect fan, and is vibrated sideway with a whirring noise. Viewed from the rear, the white under-tail coverts and the outer-tail feathers show very prominently.

From this stance the cock often rushes forward or goes in a circular movement with short, rapid, stamping steps, meanwhile vibrating the tail continually. The vocal accompaniment to this display is a peculiar froglike sound. After the single performance is over, the bird stands tense or squats for a time.

There is considerable co-ordination among the birds in this display. When one begins to perform, his neighbors join in, so that a part of the group or even all the birds may be in action at once. The morning activity lasts for three or four hours. The afternoon has less activity and lasts one or two hours, until about dusk. The spring activity period wanes by mid-May and ceases a week or two later.

In late April or May each hen seeks a nesting place, usually within half a mile of the dancing ground. Soon the dancing grounds are left to the males alone, and each hen begins her task of incubation. The nest is built on the ground and usually well hidden from view. Some nests have as few as 5 eggs, or as many as 17 but the typical clutch has 12 eggs. Incubation is 21 days.

The eggs measure about 1.7 by 1.3 inches in length and width and are olive, dark buff, or brown and have a purplish bloom. There are usually some small dark-brown specklings.

The time of nesting and hatching varies with the weather. Nebraska birds hatch in early June in ordinary by Gordon Heebner, Districl III Game Supervisor seasons, or as much as a week or 10 days later in cold wet years.

Hatching period is a time of danger for sharptails, as it is for all ground-nesting birds. Predators find the nests most commonly just before and during hatching. The luck of the weather is the biggest gamble of all and it continues to be a threat to the young chicks for some time after they hatch.

The brood is led away from the nest soon after all the eggs have hatched. Only the mother provides parental care for the chicks; the males and broodless females spend the summer singly or in small flocks. The chicks grow very rapidly and are able to fly when 10 days old. At four weeks they are well feathered and fly well, though in their early life they prefer to escape danger by "freezing" rather than by flying. When the chicks reach 8 to 10 weeks of age they resemble small adults, and begin to show some independence of the mother. By mid-September or early October they resemble adults. Although they still prefer to walk, they readily flush when disturbed. They are strong fliers, and will occasionally traverse two or three miles in a single flight.

As fall approaches, the family units break up and flocking begins. The flock size increases as the fall season progresses, but it is always a rather loose social organization. Flocks are the largest in late fall and early winter, and generally include 10 to 30 birds.

Feeding is easy in the autumn. In the sandhills they use the fruits and greens that are so plentiful. Winter snows make food harder to find, and the birds turn to budding trees. This life may require daily travels of as much as two or three miles; their annual cruising radius under normal conditions is not much more.

Roosting in deep snow is common, much in the manner of prairie chickens. Flock size actually diminishes through the winter, unlike the habits of the prairie chickens, and then increases again in spring. The use of the dancing grounds increases as the sharptails begin their spring build-up; the dancing-ground gatherings of spring are larger than the winter flocks, but not as large as the fall concentrations.

The sharptail is still an important bird in the state. However, since it is subject to wide fluctuations in population, there will be years of poor as well as good hunting. But because of the sparsity of human population over much of its range, the kill by sportsmen is not large.

The sharptail, naturally wary in behavior, has good flight speed and presents a fairly difficult target to the hunter. Its flight is straight and has been measured as between 30 and 46 miles per hour, depending on the wind. While slightly slower than the pheasant, its wariness and habitat make it more difficult to shoot than the ringneck. It lies well to pointing dogs and rises with a whir of wings, accompanied by clucking sounds. Its flesh is considered just fair eating.

Nebraska's grouse season opens on the first Saturday in October. Season length and bag and possession limits will be announced later.

THE END. MAY, 1958 27

FISH I.Q

Write in the name of each fish. Check your answer below. 1. Largemouth bass 2. Brown trout 3. Channel catfish 4. Northern pike BULK RATE U. S. POSTAGE PAID Lincoln, Nebr. Permit No. 694 Postmaster: If undeliverable FOR ANY REASON, notify sender, stating reason, on FORM 3547. postage for which is guaranteed. FORWARDING POSTAGE GUARANTEED OUTDOOR NEBRASKA STATE HOUSE Lincoln, Nebraska