OUTDOOR Nebraska

IN THIS ISSUE:

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA of ihe Air

THE BIG SHOW

RUDY, Rudy," I shouted half crazily, "they're here, they're here!" The still surface had suddenly become a boiling rapids, and like a man with octopus arms I jabbed to my left, to the right, back to the left, between my feet, to the right, and to the front with machine-gun rapidity. Water sprayed with my every poke, dousing me within seconds.

Between gasping breaths I bellered again, "Rudy, Rudy, the place's gone nuts. They're all over the place!"

This time he responded. Normally slow afoot, he uncorked a bristling 50-yard sprint from our parked car. He was still struggling to fasten his boots when he burst into the water and joined in the melee. Our target—carp. The place—an outlet emptying a chain of sand-pit lakes into the Platte River. The time—a hot 85° Tuesday afternoon. Our fishing equipment—spears.

This was our Utopia, a carp rendezvous that Glen "Rudy" Foster and I had sought for three tiring days. It was a place where fish were fighting one another for elbow JULY, 1959   room, a place where fish bumped our boots in their flight upstream, a place where even we couldn't miss.

Our Operation Spearfish had its beginning in early March. Both Rudy and I are just so-so fishermen, and we were searching for a way to joust with our aquatic friends on a more equal basis. Spearing, we figured, would be the equalizer. Rudy, state fisheries chief, hadn't tossed a spear in his 30 years with the Game Commission. My spearing record was similarly blank. But neither of us thought our being novices would impair our chances, so we logged the operation.

First chore was to get some equipment. A visit to a local sporting-goods dealer produced two five-pronged spears at $1.25 each. The tines are about five inches long, V4 inch in diameter, and barbed at the end. For handles we bought a couple of 10-foot-long dowels from a lumber yard and were in business.

Some of our "spearing" friends suggested that we attach about 10 feet of small-diameter rope or venetian-blind cord to one end of the handle, so we would have a way of retreiving the spear. But our friends missed the boat in not suggesting that we sand the handle. We learned this the hard way, at the expense of a couple of painful slivers.

D-Day for our Operation Spearfish was Wednesday, May 20. Spearfishing is open sport in Nebraska from April 1 to December 1, sunrise to sunset. But only carp and other rough fish are legal game.

Target area was a series of sand pits located north and east of Lincoln, about 40 miles by the way the crow flies. The pits are linked together by narrow ditches and eventually empty into the Platte River.

Rudy and I arrived on location about 8:30 a.m., dressed for summer weather in short-sleeved shirts. The setting, though, was anything but inviting. Dark clouds hovered overhead and a chilling breeze rippled the water. Rudy donned hip boots and I put on breast waders, then we divided ranks, each taking one side of the lake.

The rustling water combined with the dark sky made our water peeking an impossibility, except at the immediate water's edge. Not one carp stirred, but we did see thousands of other fish that didn't give a hoot that we were about. They should have been, for we were invading their spawning ritual. Groups of 10, 15, and 20 of these fish worked along the shore, often breaking water. Only hitch was that the fish were shad that ran about four to five inches long.

Both Glen and I worked around our respective sides of the lakes and rendezvoused, without so much as tossing our spears. While exchanging comments about the many shad, curiosity got the best of Rudy. He tossed his spear aside and reached into the water, coming up with a handful of moss.

"Look," he showed me, "the stuff's loaded with eggs."

And he was right. A myriad of tiny white spots covered the moss. Rudy moved farther down shore and pulled up more moss. Same story—thousands of shad eggs. Rudy explained that shad, one or two inches in size, make good forage food for mossbacks and other predatory species. But the situation here was unfavorable, for the shad had outgrown their use both in size and numbers. They now competed with other fish for food.

I had come to the pits for action and was going to get it one way or another.

"Nothing wrong with us spearing shad," Rudy comforted me. "Targets are a bit small, though."

I didn't have to search for targets. They were everywhere along the bank. Drawing a bead on a school in about six inches of water, I let go with the first spear toss of my career. Shad scattered every which way and the only mark I made was an indentation in the sandy bottom. Rudy followed suit with comparable success. We learned in short order that the small shad, though thicker than Rudy's thinning hair, were evasive targets.

Practice was what we needed and we got our share of it on the shad. Our aim improved and we both nailed some shad—three to be exact, one for Rudy and two for me. This was hardly any reward, though, for five chilly hours of walking and searching the lake shallows.

Two days later, with a partly cloudy sky greeting us, we departed again for our target area. But the weatherman pulled a fast one on us, and by the time we arrived the sky was threatening. And without sunlight, looking through the water was about as difficult as peering through an unlighted room at midnight.

Again we split ranks and for once the tide turned our way. Rudy had spotted some large surface swirls in a small bay of the lake. Occasionally a big carp ruptured the surface, and simultaneously Rudy's blood pressure spiraled up. Slowly, deliberately he stalked the fish—about eight in all. They were about 40 or 50 feet out, too far for an accurate toss, so he moved into the water ever silently. A big buster worked into range but Rudy wanted him closer. The fish then moved out, as if to say you had your chance but lost it. But Rudy's patience paid off as another lunker worked within range. This time Rudy let go but the spear sailed harmlessly a foot over the fish.

"Gosh," he muttered, "I'll probably never get another chance like that."

And he didn't, not on that day anyway. Biggest target to show itself to me was a bullfrog. I almost stepped on it. I was scanning the shallows for carp when this big bullfrog, as black as the ace of spades, beeped loudly and sprung from near my feet and into the water.

But not all was in vain, for we were treated to the music of bobwhite quail during most of the day. It wasn't until we rounded the edge of one of the pits and approached an old duck blind though, that we saw some bobs. There was a sudden whir and two quickly disappearing dots in the sky.

Other birds joined in the musical interludes. There were catbirds, blue jays, robins, sparrows, noisy woodpeckers, and others I couldn't identify. And on occasion there was the noisy raucus of a cock pheasant.

While walking from one pit to another, Rudy and I tried naming the many trees that bordered the water areas. Some we recognized were alders, cottonwoods, lindens, cedars, American elms, and willows.

The birds and trees were rewarding, but we wanted to pit our ability against some hefty carp. So we vowed then to make one more try and possibly cash in on the old saying that third time is charm. And it was. Four days later, with the sun smiling its approval and the wind at rest, we hit it good.

But the day didn't start off with a bang. Our first sightings were the tremendous concentrations of shad, again on the water's edge. On occasions Rudy and I spotted a long wake made by a gar. I got one chance, a 10-foot toss at one of the armored hangovers from ancient times, but missed. I was too anxious and didn't lead enough.

That failing points up the fact all fishermen should realize: the fish aren't where you think they are, and to be a successful spearman, you will have to anticipate their every move. Most of our misses were due to not leading enough. Fish are extremely fast (some carp reach 7.6 miles per hour), so about your only chance to intercept their flight is by leading them aplenty. And, Rudy and I learned, the way you toss the spear is important. Try throwing the spear so that it is perpendicular to the length of the fish.

My last pre-carp fling that day was a warm-up toss at a bevy of shad. Somehow, some way, my spear caught three fish at one time. One was cut cleanly in two. Rudy was on the other side of the lake,and he still doesn't believe my feat to this date.

I drew the first carp. It was nosing along with a small group of shad. It was such a surprise that I didn't have time to get nervous. I just drew back and fired. The dangling end of the rope slapped my face as the spear went on target. I couldn't have aimed better. The spear end of my rig came to the surface with the tines partially in the carp. But with one wiggle the hurt carp was free and away.

Shortly after I spotted another dark target from high on a bank. The big fish was lurking in about three feet of water, 10 or 12 feet from shore. I edged down toward the edge, with spear drawn. But then I saw that my target was closed game—a mossback that would hit 1 1/2 or 2 pounds. The big fish then spotted me and in typical bass fashion backed up slowly. Suddenly, he turned on a dime and sped into the safety of the depths.

A bit despondent, I joined Rudy and we treked to another pit. This one was extremely(continued on page 18)

PLAY IT SAFE

TAKE a generous amount of common sense, a dash of good judgement, and blend with a knowledge of basic boat handling—these are the ingredients of a first-class outboard skipper. With some 40 million boating enthusiasts ready to hit the waters, a guide to safe boatery is in order.

No other form of recreation has experienced such a rapid growth and improvement as has pleasure boating. A study of boating advertisements in time-worn magazines and sports pages shows outboard motorboats today differ as much from the early models as do the present-day automobiles from the Model T's.

With this avalanche of boats, motors, and human population hitting the water, a major problem of boat safety arises. Accidents are bound to occur, but the majority are avoidable. There are five factors which cause most boating accidents. These are: 1. foolish operation; 2. panic; 3. overloading; 4. unbalanced loads, and 5. not carrying or wearing the approved type of life preserver.

Matter of fact, you could lump all of five factors under one heading: lack of common sense. Statistics reveal that this nonsense causes 35 per cent of all reported boating mishaps.

Let's take the case of four people who drowned last spring while crossing a flooding river. Conflicting stories blamed the accident on motor failure at a critical moment, and on the boat. However, an investigation revealed that neither was at fault. This is what actually happened:

The four men were in a boat much too small for them and also too small for the river. Then they overloaded it further with gear. Their combined weight, plus poorly distributed duffle, put the boat so low in the swirling water that it had less than three inches of freeboard.

In crossing the swollen river, the boat struck a hidden rock and tipped. The four men had no life preservers, and in their panic tried to swim for shore. All were drowned.

If you will re-read the above paragraph, you will note that these grown men were guilty of the five major causes of boating accidents. This amounted to nothing short of lunacy.

There's a brighter side to boating. Studies by the United States Health, Education, and Welfare Department show that small-boat fatalities are decreasing. In fact, boating is considered one of the safest family-participation sports. Fatalities in 1949 numbered 1,243. In 1956, the latest year for which figures are available, the number of fatalities dropped to 1,237, a phenomenal achievement since there were over. 35 million boating enthusiasts.

You might ask, "If boating is so safe, why the hollering?"

The answer is simple: boating could be made even safer if each boater would just apply common horse sense to his boat operation. To help toward this end, major outboardmotor manufacturers have launched a unique education program. They are encouraging their dealers to sponsor classes in small-boat handling and safe operation in conjunction with physical-education programs in high schools.

Experiments along these lines have been very encouraging. There is not only tremendous enthusiasm for the programs but also a definite increase in safety principles (habits) by youthful boaters.

"This would be a worthwhile program for our children to absorb," commented F. B. Decker, State Commissioner of Education. "However, due to the lack of time available in a school day, this type of boating-safety education would have to be done after school hours or on weekends. This does not preclude the possibility that our school children will not enjoy such a venture in the near future. We are looking into the matter, and if a suitable plan can be instituted, we're all for it."

Let's examine the causes of boating accidents. Are you a foolish operator? In other words, have you ever placed yourself and your passengers in jeopardy by some ill-considered move? Are you careful? Or are you guilty of reckless speeding, cowboying, forcing other boats aground? Or rocking anchored craft by your wash, or veering sharply at the very last instant to avoid hitting another boater?

How about pilot errors? Do you habitually commit the same ones? Ever place yourself in such a position that in avoiding a crash you have a real close shave? If so, it's high time to make your moves afloat a little safer. Use common sense.

Panic. You've read countless newspaper articles telling the tragic story of people who drowned when they attempted to swim from their capsized boat to shore. An upset boat will support many people, often till rescue arrives. If you get in such a jam, don't panic.

Overloading and unbalanced loads go hand in hand. Proper load distribution should receive major attention. It is pretty easy to imagine what would happen if you put your motor, gas cans, fishing tackle, camping gear, passengers, and yourself in the stern of the boat. There would be a dunking party. Take care to distribute the boat's load equally; forward, amidship, and aft. Your boat has a metal tag which stipulates the safe and maximum load capacity. Never exceed it.

This tag is a valuable assist provided by the Outboard Boating Club of America. All boats bearing this plate have been checked to determine the weight they can carry safely. Add the combined weight of your passengers and extra gear, and then be sure you comply with the indicated weight limits.

Many people involved in boating accidents on calm waters drown because they are not wearing the prescribed life-preserver jackets. There should be one life-saving device for each person on board. And don't let them lie around the boat. They belong on you and your children, not as decorations on a boat seat.

To gain a more comprehensive knowledge of safe-boating tactics, contact your local United States Power Squadron. These outfits usually have free classes on piloting and small-boat handling, rules of the road, seamanship, safety afloat, mariner's compass, aids to navigation, charts and piloting, and manners and customs on shipboard.

With so many horses confined in an outboard motor, it's a strong temptation for a boater to "open her up" and roar by fishermen and swimmers. Nobody is more sensitive to this problem of cowboy clowns than the boaters themselves. That's why more and more of them are adopting the familiar hand gesture 'Thumbs down" as a signal of disapproval.

The use of hand signals is spreading among boaters as a means of communication. Developed by boating clubs affiliated with the O. B. C, these hand signals tell at a glance when to turn, when to speed up, stop, need for help, or proceed. These are not as yet accepted as a standard means of communications, but steps are being taken to have this done. (continued on page 24)

BOOT TRAINING FOR DOGS

EACH year finds many people bitten by the bug to own a sporting dog. And many follow through and buy the dog. However, once a dog is acquired, the new owner is suddenly confronted with the frightening task of training the dog for his specific needs. And what's more, the owner hasn't the foggiest notion of how to go about training the dog or how to gauge the dog's ability to learn.

The most important command you must teach a dog is the negative command. When you say "no" to a dog who is misbehaving, say it with authority. Don't plead or mumble meekly. Bark out your command. And don't ever reverse your commands. This only confuses the dog and leads to uncertainty of what you mean or want him to do.

The use of one-syllable words works well in teaching obedience to a dog. Some people have successfully adopted the use of "ah-ah' in place of the word "no".

John Van Bloom of Lincoln admits being a neophyte in the retrieving game. However, the sparkling work of his tar-black Labrador, Tammy, shows his methods are paying off with some sensational trial wins. At the recent Nebraska retriever trials in Lincoln, Van Bloom remarked that "the nicest command and one that is actually soft and gentle is 'ah-ah'. To prove his point, he suggested that I say it.

That I did. And while saying 'ah-ah", I unconsciously raised my hand to lend emphasis to the command.

"Did you notice what you just did? grinned Van Bloom. "You raised your hand. By using that type of command and shaking your hand at the same time, you can improve a dog's behavior in a few lessons.

Wait until the dog is six-months old before you begin the yard training. This phase of his education might be referred to as "boot training ", and should encompass these essential commands and instant obedience to "heel", "come", "sit", "stay", and "no".

After a dog has passed his preliminary lessons in manners, he enters into what could be classified as his college course. In retriever work, use a whistle along with 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   the command, "sit!" Later, as you use the whistle exclusively, one short blast will stop him in his tracks, and if he's absorbed the lessons well, he will stop, facing you, to observe your directional hand signal.

My own experience in teaching manners indicates that yard lessons serve as a solid foundation to future lessons afield. An uncontrollable dog is worse than having no dog at all. It simply indicates the owner has been very lax ing applying some hard and fast rules in teaching manners to such a dog.

Don't attempt any serious field work until your pointer or setter is one year old. Prior to this, he should be given complete freedom afield until he learns to range with confidence and fire. This way he has an opportunity to discover the thrill of bird scents and the pleasures of hunting.

During this youth indoctrination period, work him in fields similar to those he will eventually hunt. Don't do anything to restrain or restrict natural development afield or destroy his confidence in working game.

If your pup takes to field work slowly, it might be wise to hunt him with an older and more seasoned campaigner to speed up his development. Some of his best lessons will be gained from the experience he gets with seasoned performers. However, don't use the older dog until you see that the pup is developing too slowly. Give him ample time to learn for himself and to gain the confidence he'll need in later years.

Before you spend too much time training your pup, why don't you try the cap-pistol method to learn if the dog is gun shy. But don't do it so close to his ears the noise could rupture his delicate eardrums. A good way to do this is to shoot the cap pistol about 15 feet away from the dog while he is busy eating. If he flinches and runs away in a cringing manner, you're in for big trouble. Your best bet is to shuck the training program and get another dog.

Van Bloom's technique might help some reader to start his dog on the right path of not being gun-shy.

"In less than 20 minutes," he told me, "Tammy completely ignored the firing weapon. How'd I do it? I took her afield and allowed her to play and romp. When she was about 50 yards away, I fired several shots from a .22 rifle. She paid no attention. I moved in closer and shot again, first at 25 yards, then at 10. Still she didn't flinch. Then I changed to a 16 gauge shotgun and fired about 25 yards from her. It didn't phase her. I narrowed the gap until I was almost on top of her, still shooting the 16. Today she is rock-steady when guns boom all around her."

Never stretch your yard-training lessons beyond the 15-minute mark. A young dog will soon tire, lose interest, and become bored if you drive him too long. Stop while he's still keyed up.

If I had to pick one word which would best explain the purpose of giving any dog manners, it would be "control". This is a very important item to remember. Proper control of your dog can be gained by teaching the same lessons time after time.

As an illustration, take the Labrador retriever. To control a retriever you must be firm. But this doesn't mean you must be brutal in rebuking him for his mistakes. Retrievers are sensitive, and firmness spiced with gentleness and a bit of affection will often bring excellent results. That old saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink", can be applied to a dog's willingness to obey you because of love for you, whereas force and brutality would cause him to be obstinate.

Training your own retriever can be very rewarding and exciting as you see the dog develop into a highly trained animal that responds to your commands with excitement and willingness. Every day will offer new and interesting challenges, and overcoming each obstacle brings a warm glow of inner satisfaction to the trainer.

It's exciting to watch how a young dog absorbs the elementary stages of "heel", "sit", "come", "stay", and to note how he learns to mark the fall of a thrown object and retrieve it upon a given signal. And it is an absolute thrill to see him make a letter-perfect delivery to the hand, as he carries the object tenderly. The ultimate in his training is realized when he makes the "blind" and "double" retrieves in an impeccable style while you are commanding him only with whistle and hand signals.

In the end you will have a well-mannered dog to be proud of. And if he indicates during his training sessions that he has field-trial potential, then by all means take a gamble and enter him in the derby stakes of a local field or retriever trial. He could surprise you pleasantly by placing, or even winning.

"There's no sweeter reward, except in winning," Van Bloom said, "than in hearing a spectator comment about the way your dog handles. It could be your dog they are talking about, and it makes you want to puff your chest out in pride. You see, a dog's ability is a product of hard work—and team work. The two go together like ham and eggs."

GOOD OLD DAYS

PHEASANT hunters, get your guns, for big things are on tap for 1959. Barring an unforseen catastrophe to this year's production, Nebraska's fall pheasant population should be larger than it was in 1958. And '58 was the peak season of recent years.

Hunters will remember that 1958 was a banner year for upland-game birds, with a calculated pheasant kill totaling 1,148,550. This was nearly double the 1957 harvest. Birds were many, and the cover was heavy. Last season, the average hunter took 2.68 pheasants per hunting day. This means for each hunt, the hunter was close to his daily bag limit of three.

"We have the opportunities for the best hunting season in the past decade," Lloyd Vance, chief of the Game Commission's Game Division commented. "But we can not come right out and state it is going to be the best. Too many things can happen between now and the fall season. But the opportunities for a fabulous season are there."

Major reason for the optimism is the spring pheasant numbers. This is the breeding population which should furnish the crop for excellent fall hunting.

"The spring breeding population is truly remarkable," Vance said. "It is nearly double the 1958 figure."

An estimate of the spring population is based on a statewide rural-mail-carrier winter and spring count. The survey has proven to be a reliable index. Post-card questionnaires are sent to the rural mail carriers who are each asked to report his route mileage and to record the number and sex of pheasants seen along his route for a four-day period. The number of bobwhite quail, prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, cottontails, and deer are recorded. This year 715 mail carriers took part and traveled a total of 180,172 miles.

All surveys conducted since the first of the year indicate an increase in the pheasant population as compared to the 1958 counts.

Spring data obtained by rural mail carriers showed an average of 16% birds observed per 100 miles, an increase of 75 per cent over the 9V2 pheasant count in 1958. The 1958 mail carriers count showed a 32 per cent increase over 1957, 9.49 birds per 100 miles as compared to 7.2. Nebraska's pheasant population has been on an upswing for the past two years.

Mid-winter count figures showed 16 pheasants per 100 miles this year as compared to 15.8 in the 1958 tally.

The spring mail-carriers survey also showed that the quail and grouse populations were up. There were 2.45 quail per 100 miles, an increase of 120 per cent over the figure of 1.11 in 1958. The grouse count for 1959 was up approximately 100 per cent, 1.25 as compared to .63 the previous year.

Now with all things equal, the outlook for the coming pheasant, grouse, and quail seasons is nothing short of fabulous. The upland-game bird populations showed a big increase between the 1957 and 1958 hunting seasons. This same increase, probably larger, can take place this year.

Although the breeding population of pheasants is the best it has been in years, the final hunting situation will depend on nesting success and survival.

Due to the extremely high mortality or rate of population turnover of pheasants, a hunting population is determined fundamentally by the annual production. The mortality of the pheasant population from year to year averages about 70 per cent. So without success and brood survival, the pheasant situation can do a complete reversal from spring to fall.

Nesting and rearing seasons are the critical period as far as the hunter and pheasant are concerned. Given ideal conditions for reproduction, the pheasant population can boom upward rapidly. To get a good fall population, the state has to have an adequate spring breeding population which can be labeled the capital stock. There is no question but what Nebraska has it.

The nesting season can start early in April. Broods this year were reported to the Game Commission by mid-May. Clutches laid early in the season may run as high as 15 eggs and the late ones half as many. So an average nest will usually be about 12 eggs. It takes a hen 1.3 days per egg in the laying period, and incubation will require about 23 days. The average peak of the hatching season is usually before the middle of June.

Because of the losses among chicks, broods are reduced considerably by fall. Farming activities, predation, and weather all take their toll.

As stated, there is a 70 per cent turnover in the pheasant population from year to year. Population turnover is great in most of the smaller wildlife species, which rely upon a high reproduction rate to maintain their numbers. These birds are endowed with large reproduction potential to compensate for heavy annual mortality.

This turnover occurs whether the bird is hunted or not. Biologists will agree that birds killed in hunting are merely being spared the natural fate that would overtake them otherwise.

Durward L. Allen, who has written a book on pheasants, says: "To get the picture of the hazards a pheasant faces, we can look at it this way: An egg laid as part of an incubated clutch stands less than one chance in two of hatching. A chick hatched stands about one chance in two of attaining its full growth, and a fully developed bird in the fall stands about three chances in 10 of attaining the age of 1 1/2 years.

"It's a good thing pheasants can't reason—they wouldn't be able to face it."

So it is easy to see why there is so much chance between the spring breeding population and the fall frying pan. The elements to make one of Nebraska's greatest hunting seasons were present during the spring, and everyone is hoping. The thing to remember is that pheasant populations can pulsate rapidly. It can explode to high numbers or go down quickly.

At the time you read this article, the pheasant population will be past the critical period. It is mid-summer and a time when one hears speculation concerning the pheasants and the approaching season.

Broods of pheasants are appearing in the fields and along roadsides. Game Commission personnel are making observations and surveys to determine the population. When these counts are finished, the Game Commission will know for sure the status of the Nebraska pheasant.

Right now, all the biologist can do is to speculate on the potential fall crop. Nebraska has the breeding population and everything points to a banner season. Conditions to date during the nesting period are promising. When the summer surveys are complete, the whole story can be told.

Finds of the surveys will determine the hunting season to be set by the seven Game Commissioners.

There is room for considerable optimism. All the early facts point to a tremendous season. If everything goes right and there are no indications to the contrary at this time, pheasants will be exploding all over. Here's looking forward to Nebraska's greatest pheasant season in many years.

FLOWERING FUN

WHEN fishing palls and the shotgun is all ready for fall hunting, you could very well spend a Sunday afternoon taking a stroll through your favorite woods and pastures. Your purpose would be the visiting of Nebraska's most popular spring and early summer flowers. The wet spring has nurtured them gently, and the state has blossomed with color. Where you live in the state depends on what flowers are now in bloom. Look for them first in the Missouri River area, several weeks later in the northwestern part.

You might want to take a trowel along, to bring back the more hardy varieties for planting in your rock garden or in that bare spot near the house. If you do transplant, plan to take plenty of the soil around the plant to insure bringing back a good root system. But if you don't have a green thumb, better leave the wild flowers in their natural home. Most of them have particular appetites, and will wither if planted in unfavorable surroundings. A humus-loving jack-in-the-pulpit will not survive a hot, sunny location, nor will a Pentstemon from sandy soil thrive in a shaded spot. Furthermore, some of our wild plants are toxic or poisonous to many people, or have other undesirable characteristics.

The columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, with its scarlet trumpets, is one of the best known of our woodland flowers. A member of the buttercup or crowfoot family, it is likely found in rocky woods, ravine slopes, or the crevices of cliffs. You can identify columbine, also known as rockbells, readily by its scarlet and yellow flowers, the tubular petals of which extend back into long, hollow spurs or horns. These spurs contain a honey gland. Only hummingbirds and long-tongued butterflies can reach up into them to suck out the nectar, but bumblebees sometimes short-cut by biting through the petal and opening the glands.

Numerous stamens, the male part of the flower, hang out of the flower like clappers on a tiny bell. The stems are one to three feet high, and are very slender. The leaves are finely divided into thin leaflets, and the plant grows from a perennial root. Rarely salmon-pink or white columbines are found.

The name columbine comes from a word meaning dove. Long ago people fancied a resemblance between the spurred flowers and four doves around a shallow drinking dish. The scientific name Aquilegia pertains to the talons of eagles, also suggested by the nectar-spurs.

Mr. Gibbs, an explorer of 1853, wrote that the roots are edible, and were eaten by Indians. However, since the columbine has some rather dangerous relatives, you better leave it alone.

To enjoy the exquisite and airy beauty of the columbine you must seek it in its own haunts, for it will not submit to ruthless transplanting.

On a valley floor and moist slopes of open woods and thickets you may find Solomon's seal, a member of the genus Polygonalum. The generic name comes from the Greek, meaning many and knee, referring to the many joints of the rootstock of this perennial plant. The common name stems from the shape of the scar left by each year's stalk on the rootstock. These thick underground rootstocks are said to have been used as emergency food by Indians and early white settlers.

This plant is conspicuous because of its broad and waxy foliage. The flowers are attractive, though not colorful. The plant is a member of the lily family and has the characteristic long, somewhat oval, pointed leaves with the prominent parallel veins. The leaves are attached nearly opposite one another on the arching stem.

The flowers appear in clusters of one to two flowers, and hang as pendants from the junctions of the leaves and 12 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   stem. Their color is commonly greenish, and their long tubular base gives the appearance of being in bud even when the flower is mature. By midsummer the flowers have formed dark-blue berries.

False Solomon's seal, Smilacina slellata, is found in the same habitat as Solomon's seal. It is called false because its leaves closely resemble those of the Solomon's seal. It has the same alternate leaves, which are three to six inches long, and its stem zigzags in the same characteristic manner. Under ideal growing conditions the stem may reach three feet. Its berries turn red in the autumn and stand out prominently in the thinning foliage of the woodland.

The deciding character between the two plants is the terminal spike of false Solomon's seal. The greenish-white flowers appear at the tip of the leafy stem as a waxy and fragrant cluster. The flowers generally appear from May to July. These plants are closely related to each other and to your garden lily-of-the-valley.

Yucca, the most common species of which is Yucca glauca, appears in an entirely different environment than the preceding flowers. You won't find this plant anywhere in your woods but in prairie pastures, and the hotter and sandier, the better. And you'll be lucky if you see this sharp-leaved plant produce its gorgeous panicles of creamy-white flowers. The unopened panicle is conspicuous for a long time, appearing much like an overgrown three-foot high stalk of asparagus.

The stem of yucca lies partially on the ground with its tip upturned sufficiently to support a crown of sword-like leaves which are rigid and sharp-tipped. The leaves are the reason for the name Spanish bayonet sometimes given to this group.

Owning to the structure of the flowers, the plant cannot fertilize itself and needs some outside agent to insure the production of seeds. Thus yucca is completely dependent upon the activities of a little, white, night-flying moth, the female Pronuba. In return she uses the plant for food for her offspring.

She flies from plant to plant, gathering the pollen, which she rolls up into a ball with her feet. When she has JULY, 1959 13   a good ball, she flies to another plant and lays her eggs in its ovary, or female part. Before she leaves this flower she climbs up to the stigma, which is the place where pollen must be deposited for the flower to be fertilized. Here she pushes the pollen ball she has been carrying into the stigma. Her benefit from this procedure goes to her progeny. If the plant is fertilized by her activity it will develop and produce seed which the larvae, hatching from her eggs, will eat.

Yucca also has another common name, soapweed, coming from the practice of the Indians of cutting the stems into pieces, beating them into a pulp, and mixing them with their wash water as a substitute for soap. The leaves are also valuable to the Indians as basket material.

Pentslemon, or beardtongue, is another native Nebraska plant that grows in sunny, dry places. The showy flowers are borne in large terminal clusters on a leafy stalk that closely resembles milkweed. The flowers are large, and generally lavender-blue to purplish. The petals are fused at their base into a tube. Characteristically this tube becomes two-lipped, with the upper lip two-lobed, and the lower lip divided into three marginal segments. There are five stamens, although one of them is sterile and has no function. This stamen extends up into the throat or mouth of the flower like a tongue and is often covered with little hairs. This accounts for the common name, beardtongue, and also for the scientific name Penisiemon, meaning five stamens.

Puccoon, or Lithospermum canescens, is also found in rather dry, usually sandy places where there is little shade. Its bright orange-yellow petals resemble those of phlox somewhat, being funnel-shaped at the base and spreading into five broad-rounded lobes. The plant is short, 6 to 18 inches high, and has oblong to linear leaves. Its other common name, stoneseed, refers to the mature smooth and shining nutlets of the seed. The root yields a red dye which the Indians used.

The lupines, one of the most attractive flowers of the prairie, are members of the pea family, as is readily seen by their characteristic flower resembling in beauty the sweet pea. The name is derived from the Latin word Lupinus, meaning wolf. Since lupines commonly grow on poor sandy and unproductive soil, people used to think they robbed the land of its mineral food. Actually this is completely wrong. The lupines, like other members of the legume family such as soybean and alfalfa, have on their roots tiny nodules which house beneficial bacteria. These bacteria convert nitrogen from the air in the soil to forms usable by plants.

Lupines have leaves made up of five to seven leaflets branching like the fingers from your palm. The showy purplish-blue flowers are butterfly shaped and sweet scented. Some people have reported that the flowers change their color after fertilization to a more reddish shade. In late summer or hot, dry days the pods, which look like pea pods, may burst and fling their seeds several feet.

Wild sweet William and the wild phloxes belong to the Polemonium family which is noted for its large proportion of beautiful flowers, some of them perhaps growing in your own garden. No plant adds color to the patches of prairie along railroads and other waste places or open grassy areas in woodlands more effectively than the prairie phlox. Blooming from May to July, it produces large clusters of pink or purple flowers which are faintly fragrant and have the typical phlox shape. Blue phlox is a shorter plant and tends to have more lilac or bluish petals. Wild sweet William has three- or four-inch clusters of large reddish-purple flowers which sometimes have a deep-purple eye, and a purple-spotted stem one to three-feet high.

The phloxes grow well when transplated, and are excellent as garden ornamentals both in borders and rock gardens.

Back in the woods the jack-in-the-pulpit preaches. Also called Indian turnip, it is common in rich woodlands. The two leaves and the flowering stalk come up in May from the corm, which because of its shape is called Indian turnip. This corm has an intensely acrid juice and is well ignored.

At first, pale-green points come up through the marshy ground. They are the tightly folded leaves. Later they unfold and show a striped hood and three-parted leaves. Next the hood unfolds, and the top hangs over an inner stalk. This stalk is the spadix and carries either male or female flowers clustered at its base. These are invisible because of the enveloping sheath of the hood. The hood is termed the spathe, and varies considerably in its color pattern. The zebra-striped form is quite common in moist woodlands. The one considered most typical of the species is a purple spathe. In late summer the leaves wither, and bright red berries become prominent.

The female flowers are produced somewhat later than the male flowers. To insure fertilization the flower has a neat trick. When it is young the spathe is so smooth and slippery on the inner side that flies which have visited the flowers and collected pollen are unable to climb out. As soon as the spathe begins to wither it becomes less smooth and the flies escape to a female plant. Here again they are imprisoned until the flower matures, thus accomplishing pollination, although the flies may perish from the ordeal.

The jack-in-the-pulpit belong to a family largely found in the tropics, where some of its members have tuberous stems used for food much as our potato. The Calla lily and elephant's ear also belong to this family. Indians found that either cooking or prolonged drying rendered the corms harmless and palatable. The corms were boiled to serve with venison, or dried and ground into a meal for use in baking cakes or making gruel.

One plant you will not wish to encounter on your Sunday afternoon walk is poison ivy, Rhus radicans. The plant will grow almost anywhere, usually appearing as a densely fine-hairy vine, climbing by means of aerial roots. The flowers are not helpful in identification, and you must recognize the plant by its three waxy leaflets. The leaflets are ovate or round-diamond shaped, one to four inches long, and toothed. Poison ivy contains a nonvolatile oil which if it comes in contact with the skin may produce irritation and blistering. You may be immune but wash your hands and face with strong soap suds as soon as possible. Do not treat the area with rubbing alcohol or baking soda as this tends to dry out the skin and spread the poison. Compresses of epsom salts or table.salt may ease the burning. Then dust the skin with cornstarch or talcum.

Learning to recognize a few of the wild flowers brings you no gain you can measure. But then, maybe it's the intangibles that count in the long run. Certainly you're adding a little beauty to your life.

THE CHIGS UP

WARM weather is with us. Now is the time for fishing, for camping, for picnicking, for berry-picking, and for itching.

There are different itches caused by various things. Ticks, poison ivy, and poison oak do pretty well. But the really Big Itch (one writer has described it as the "most exquisite itch") comes from that red rascal, the chigger, professionally known as Eutrombicula alfreddugesi.

The adult chigger is a rather staid individual who does its feeding on organic matter found in damp places well shaded by vegetation. It's his off-spring that causes the trouble. The parents hibernate for the winter in a little cell of earth about an inch or so below the ground. They emerge in the spring, and Momma Chigger usually lays her eggs in a shady spot. The eggs hatch out into larval chiggers which latch themselves onto almost any host, ranging from snakes to birds and man.

After about a three-day feeding, the chigger drops off, sheds its skin, and enters another phase of life in which he begins being respectable, feeding on organic matter instead of us humans.

When he grabs onto you, he races around over you a while before he settles down. (If man could run as fast as a chigger, size for size, he could race along at over 170 miles per hour.) When he finds a tight spot in the clothing, he sits down to his meal.

He doesn't burrow into your skin, and he doesn't suck blood. He attaches himself with his mouth parts to a depression in the skin, usually near the base of a hair. He doesn't chew. He injects a fluid something like that used by a mosquito into the skin, and it causes the cells to break down into a semi-liquid mass which is sucked into the chigger's mouth. It's that fluid he uses that causes the itching later.

If you've been out among chiggers, it's good to take a hot, soapy bath. That helps get rid of some of the rascals, but it won't affect the fluid they used on you. However, rubbing alcohol, ammonia, or camphor helps some.

The best thing is to prepare for them before you go into their home grounds. There are a number of repellents on the market that help. Those containing dimethyl phthalate, dimethyl carbate, indalone, or ethyl hexanediol are nearly 100 per cent effective when used properly. Putting repellent on sock tops and trouser cuffs helps, but for more complete protection you should treat all openings in your clothing. You also can treat your clothing by dunking them in about two ounces of the above repellents or benzylbenzoate in one and one-half quarts of cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid evaporates, leaving the repellent in the clothing. If you don't get them wet, your clothes should be "chigger proof" for about two weeks.

The chigger has a natural enemy, the snout-bug, which has a beak-like snout and does in the chiggers by the dozens. You might carry around a number of snout-bugs to keep them away.

If you don't want to do any of these things, you have two alternatives: stay indoors, or resign yourself to scratching.

PARK VACATIONLAND

Wide open spaces to elegant drawing rooms highlight your family's tour of Nebraska's varied state parks

DOES your vacation-bound family face this conflict? Mom and the girls want to visit old colonial mansions and stroll through formal rose gardens, while Dad and the boys hanker for arrowhead collecting and the wide open spaces. Here's how you can satisfy everybody and still get in some fine trout fishing.

The solution to your problem is a family trip around the beautiful and varied Nebraska state parks. Nebraska is more than drying winds and hayfields; it is the home of Arbor Day, and it is the place where the Cheyenne Indians made some of their last desperate struggles against the white men. A tour from the southeastern river plains to the northwestern hills will not only give you a good cross-section of Nebraska territory, but an enjoyable vacation for the entire family as well.

Afraid of those long distances across the state? Relax, Nebraska's eight parks are conveniently scattered along good highways. Think you might not find accommodations? Many parks have cabins or camping facilities.

Don't want to spend too much? Your biggest item will be food, and this is flexible, depending upon your personal tastes—how much you eat out, etc.

Sit down with us and plan a trip around the state to see our parks. The map shows your stops, you will see that they are scattered over Nebraska. This way you can start almost anywhere in the state and soon be in your first park. Make your cabin reservations early. Cabins are available through September 15. Let's say you come from Omaha or Lincoln. Your first destination will probably be Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City.

Arbor Lodge is the park Mom will enjoy. A stately colonial mansion, the home of J. Sterling Morton, stands at the top of a brick drive over which rolled the carriages of the political and social elite of former day. Mr. Morton, a prominent pioneer Nebraskan who held many high public offices, including that of Secretary of Agriculture in President Cleveland's cabinet, was the founder of Arbor Day.

The 52-room mansion is open to visitors from April 1 to October 31. Guides will show you the elegant furnishings the Morton family used, the historic exhibits, and the stables. You will want to see the terraced Italian garden south of the house and admire the formal plantings. Nebraska's only arboretum, the famous "tree trail", brings together every type of tree grown in Nebraska, in addition 16 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   to many peculiar to other states and foreign countries. You may find a high school science class studying along the path.

You can picnic here, but there are no cabins or other overnight facilities. Overnight camping is not permitted.

Your next stop is Stolley State Park, southwest of Grand Island. This is the site of Old Fort Independence. In 1857, William Stolley, the first person to claim a portion of land by squatter's rights in Nebraska, constructed a cottonwood-log fort for defense against the Indians. At present the area is primarily a historical site. Multiflora rose and red cedar will provide future cover for quail and pheasants. Flower beds present a pleasant background for your picnic lunch. Picnicking and camping are permitted, although there are no cabins.

Only forty miles away is Fort Kearny State Park. This 40-acre historical site is maintained as a general picnic and recreational area. Old Fort Kearny was a fortress in the late 1840's to nearly 50,000 emigrants who passed over the Oregon Trail during the gold rush. The kids can wear off some energy on the swings while you examine the original parade grounds and site of the stockade and fort buildings of the old army post.

Victoria Springs Park, east of Anselmo, is a good place to spend the night. This little park borders the Sand Hills, and has a surprisingly well-groomed air for being situated in the heart of cattle country. Tall trees and clipped lawns cover the park. There are modern cabins, space for camping, a lake for fishing and boating, and picnic and playground facilities. A road from Merna also goes to the park.

When the pioneers began to move westward through the state, they were first appalled by the lack of available water. Victoria Springs attracted settlers because of its numerous mineral springs, no two of which are chemically alike. In the early 1870's Judge Matthews of Virginia settled on this area, and received a post office charter. The two cabins he built—one for a home, the other for the post office— are still standing.

The park has a new boat dock, and here's the place to start your trout fishing. The lake is also stocked with bullheads or bluegills. And try a drink from the ice-cold springs. The water is bitterly cold, but next morning you'll be back for more.

It's a long drive through the Sand Hills from Victoria Springs to Fort Robinson State Park, so plan to leave early in the day. Don't drive straight through, the Sand Hills are Nebraska's most unique land formation and deserve your attention. Devoid of trees except along stream bottoms, the rolling hills produce some of the first-rated cattle grazing land in the world.

The area is not the barren place the name implies. The grass-covered hills shelter luxuriant valleys and hundreds of natural lakes. You will want to get out your rod here, for some of Nebraska's best fishing can be found in the Sand Hills country. The streams are generally clear and cool and filled bankful from the great underground reservoirs.

Fort Robinson is your closest link to Nebraska history. Living men can still remember carbine fire ringing down Hat Creek Canyon. Here Buffalo Bill Cody had his showdown fight with Yellow Hand. Here Sioux Chief Crazy Horse fell, and here the Cheyennes attempted to flee to freedom in the bitter winter of 1878-79.

The fort was established in 1874 as a base of operations against hostile Indians. The fort's Comanche Hall is named for the horse Comanche, said to be the sole survivor of Custer's Last Stand at the Little Big Horn.

Turn your little Indians loose in the Nebraska Bad Lands, a few miles north of Fort Robinson. They will love scouring the area for agate and arrowheads.

Don't worry about having to live as hard as the pioneer soldiers at Fort Robinson. Your stay here will be comfortable and relaxing. Former adobe officers' quarters have been modernized into 14 rental-cabin units. Eight of these have housekeeping facilities. There is also a lodge with 10 hotel-type rooms with bath, and a modern dining room.

Fort Robinson has camping and picnic areas. You can swim, or ride horseback on trails once followed by warring Indians. This is "trout country", and that tells you what to do. Native brown,rainbow, and brook trout abound in nearby streams.

Only 25 miles away is Chadron State Park, located nine miles south of the town of Chadron on State Highway 19. This is Nebraska's largest state park, encompassing 1,525 acres of rugged, deep ravines, high buttes, and pine timber. On buttes overlooking the park area are 15 cabins, all double and completely modern.

Chadron has a magnificent swimming pool, a lagoon for fishing and boating, and hot trout fishing in Chadron Creek. Camping and picnic areas are well tended.

Camping facilities are much cheaper, though not so plush, as the rental cabins. You will find barracks-style sleeping quarters, a mess hall, and sanitary facilities.

Across the state in the northeastern part is Niobrara State Park, located near the confluence of the Niobrara and the Missouri river. This area was settled in 1856 by Mormons, who cleared a three-quarter-mile millrace which still can be seen. The park covers about 450 acres, and is a heavily wooded island at the mouth of the Niobrara. It provides a variety of activities, including a nine-hole golf course, fishing and boating in the lagoon, and swimming in a fine pool. Mom will appreciate the cabin accommodations since they were designed to give her a vacation, too.

On your way to Ponca State Park, why not take a side trip to Gavins Point Reservoir. Maybe you'll get Mom to dip her line into the lake before she breaks out the picnic lunch.

Ponca State Park, about 25 miles northwest of South Sioux City, typifies the oak-covered hills along the Missouri River. Modern cabins provide shelter, while a modern swimming pool, picnic sites, flowers, fossils, and miles of drives and trails will keep the entire family busy. From the east shelter house you can view three states, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota.

From Ponca you can head home. By now you ought to be sun-tanned, rested, and ready to plan next year's trip around the state. You haven't touched all of Nebraska's fine fishing and scenic wonders yet, even though the parks are a good start.

THE BIG SHOW

shallow and alive with surface swirls. And though it had all the makings of a sure thing, our action was limited to two casts by Rudy. He gave the lake another whirl but I moved on to another pit.

As I approached a big overhanging tree, I focused on the sucker mouth of a carp working on the surface, not 15 feet out. Taking careful aim and convinced that the fish didn't know I was there, I let go with a rifle toss. The spear hit dead center and the fish didn't have a chance. The spear, though, due to the momentum of my toss, continued out a short way into the lake and out of reach. I tried wading out after it but the pit began dropping off fast. A broken branch on the bank and some daring wading produced the retrieve.

I nailed two more fish—one a buffalo and the other a carp in the same lake. Rudy was still finding the going rough, but he did come up with one carp. The grass always looks greener on the other side, so Rudy suggested we try our luck in the outlet.

We drove to within about 50 yards of the outlet and climbed out. I'd kept my breast boots on so hurried to the water. Glen had removed his hip boots to give his feet a breather. I'd just put one foot into the clear stream when the explosion occurred. Dorsal fins of stampeding carp skimmed the surface everywhere.

That's when I began bellering for Rudy to hurry down. Fish were darting this way and that. Some passed to my left, to the right, and between my legs. One even hit my foot. Some were momentarily stranded in the extreme shallow portions of the outlet. But try as hard as I might, I couldn't score by jabbing with the spear. By the time Rudy joined in the act everything was in a frenzy.

The big show lasted but five minutes. But those were the craziest, zaniest five minutes ever. We learned quick that jabbing didn't score. We switched to tossing the spear and began hitting our targets. Business was so good that we didn't even bother to take the fish off the spear with our hands; we merely aimed toward shore and tossed with a jerking motion. In that short spell we nailed 12 carp, with the largest going three pounds. We missed many times the number of fish we hit.

After five minutes, fish were still racing every which way. But we were so completely exhausted and happy that we had to take a breather. The warm 85° temperature plus the flurry of action did us out. We barely made it to shore where we fell exhausted, in a wringing heap.

Ten minutes of respite and we entered the stream. But all was now quiet. We meandered up and down the outlet for 200 yards or so but didn't spook another carp. Then we hiked back to the car and drove farther downstream to a marshy area. Fins were protruding everywhere from the water—until we entered the water. Somehow they made it safely into the cattails and reeds.

Time was beginning to take its toll and these two novices were tossing in the sponge. Our boots felt like they were filled with lead. Our shirts were soaked, our arms ached, and our hands hurt with burns and slivers. But we had our fun and came up with a total of 16 carp and 1 buffalo. The rest of the job—the scoring and filleting of our haul—was completed by our wives. When they saw our condition they insisted on doing the job.

PICKLED FISH

IF YOU want to turn your fish catch into a tasty lunch treat, why not try pickling? In the strict sense, pickled fish include only those cured in vinegar. While but a few types of fish are preserved commercially by this method, you can try practically everything from buffalo fish to eels.

Pickling has been a common procedure in Europe for centuries. Recipes are closely guarded and handed down from generation to generation.

Preservation by this method usually keeps the fish for shorter periods than by salting or drying. Microorganisms are the most important cause of spoilage. They require moisture and warmth for development. To stop their growth an acetic acid content of 15 per cent is necessary. But even the ordinary commercial vinegars at 5 to 6 per cent are too strong for the average taste. Pickling solutions containing as little as 3 per cent acetic acid will retard spoilage for a week or more. If stored in a cool dry place, the product may last for months.

One word of warning: pack your fish in small jars. Even those with a love for the pickled finnies can't finish off a two-quart jar of carp before the taste is gone.

A Bohemian recipe for pickled fish has the following ingredients:

Clean the fish carefully, skin, and cut into fillets. Boil together the vinegar, spices, and enough water to cover the fish. Cover and boil half an hour, strain, pour back into the kettle, and when it begins to boil, add the fish fillets. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. It is well to wrap each piece in a piece of muslin or cheesecloth for then it will keep its color. Cool. Pack into pint jars, pour the boiled liquid over the fish, and store in a cool dry place. Fish prepared this way keep for several months.

Another recipe, recommended by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will work for carp, catfish, or any other fresh-water fish:

Clean the fish, skin, and fillet. Cut fillets into pieces about two inches square. Wash well in fresh water and soak for 60 minutes in a brine in the proportion of 1 cup salt to 1 gallon water. Drain, pack in a crock, and cover with a saturated salt solution. Brine for 12 hours. Drain, rinse in fresh water, and pack in an ovenware crock. Scatter a few spices on the bottom. Pack in a layer of fish, followed with a thin layer of sliced onion and spices, repeating until all the fish are packed. Cover with 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water, adding a small piece of alum. Boil slowly until the fish may be pierced easily with a fork. Cool, and pack in pint jars, adding a few fresh spices, a bay leaf or two, and a slice of lemon around the side of the jar. A few slices of onion may be added. Strain the vinegar sauce and pour over the fish in the jars. Cap tightly and store. Happy eating.

LONG LAKE

WAY UP in the north-central section of Nebraska, tucked away among the rolling Sand Hills, is the Long Lake Recreation Grounds. While little known to the average citizen because of its out-of-the-way location, this area is recognized by local hunters and fishermen as an outdoor paradise. Game and fish abound.

The recreation grounds is located 25 miles southwest of Ainsworth, deep in the famed cow country. Traveling from Ainsworth to the lake takes one over 7 miles of highway, 5 miles of graded country road, and 13 miles of Sand Hills trails. The area can be reached by going south out of Ainsworth on Highway 7 and following the state recreation-ground signs. Visitors can also reach the lake from the south, starting at Halsey. This road, paved part of the way, goes north out of Halsey through Purdum and Elsmere.

Long Lake is a part of the Brown County chain of lakes. The Calamus River springs up in this chain, heading in Moon Lake.

Back in the early history of Nebraska the Sand Hills were thought to be a great desert, unfit for settlement, and few white people ventured into the area. No Indians lived in the area, but many Great Plains Indians used the fertile lakes and river areas as hunting grounds.

The identity of the first white man to penetrate the Sand Hills area is not definitely known. But the first record of white man's exploration of the Sand Hills was in this Brown County region of Long Lake. The expedition was led by a Scotchman, James MacKay, in 1795-96.

MacKay worked his way up the North Loup River, then across the Cherry County hills to the Niobrara River. On his return trip, the explorer came back through the Cherry County lake country and into the Brown County chain. Here he wrote about the high hills and the numerous lakes filled with wild rice and oats in the valley. MacKay then came upon the Calamus River and followed it to where the stream joined the North Loup.

The Game Commission's recreation area is located on a small, sloping hillside near Long Lake. The upper end of the lake is state-owned. Development of the area started in 1930, when the state purchased 80 acres to give hunters and fishermen access to the waters.

Picnicking, camping, fishing, hunting, and hiking activities are available at this spot in the heart of the Sand Hills. The area contains fireplaces, picnic tables, well water, and sanitary facilities. Cottonwood trees blanket the grounds with shade.

For the visitor who loves solitude, Long Lake fills the bill. It is far from highways, railroads, and towns. But despite the fact that it is off the beaten track, the popularity of the area is reflected in the more than 6,500 persons who visited the lake in 1958.

The biggest attraction at Long Lake is the tremendous fishing and hunting potential offered by the area. It draws anglers and nimrods like a magnet.

Fishing at Long Lake is hard to beat, what with good pan fishing and productive angling for bass. Local Conservation Officer John Harpham reports numerous lunker bass taken this spring. Mossbacks have been averaging about two pounds, with an occasional rod bender hitting three pounds. Best success has been enjoyed with artificial lures. On cloudy days, bass have been hitting throughout the day, but on sunshiny days, only in the evening.

Long Lake "froze out" a few years back and is still on the recovery road. In a short time the black bass should run considerably larger. The crappie, according to Harpham, have been weighing in at about one-half pound each. Some of the bigger ones have stretched 12 inches in size.

For those fishermen who wish to get away from shore and the heavy vegetative growth, boats are available for rental.

If you love the outdoors in the fall and the excitement of taking upland-game birds and waterfowl, you will enjoy the Long Lake Recreation Grounds and the neighboring Sand Hills country. The possibilities for the hunter are tremendous.

The area is in the middle of the good prairie chicken and grouse country, and it isn't unusual to spot large numbers of these birds in the immediate area. Last year, Nebraska enjoyed a banner season on the prairie grouse. The colorful ring-necked pheasant, the state's most popular game bird, is also at home in good numbers in this area.

Early fall finds the Long Lake grounds an excellent spot to start a duck hunt. Sand Hills lakes furnish the state with a fine population of native ducks. Long Lake in particular produces a good hatch of ducks, primarily teal and mallards. These are supplemented with a multitude of waterfowl from the Dakotas and Canada to furnish plenty of topnotch gunning.

The upper west end of the lake, where the state recreation grounds is located, is partly covered with reeds and rushes. Within this growth are open spots of water in which ducks like to land. The same reeds and rushes provide plenty of natural cover for hunters. This is of tremendous help to hunters, for no permanent blinds can be constructed on the Long Lake area or any other state recreation grounds.

In the spring, waterfowl in full nuptial dress offer quite a show for visitors. The lake is alive with jabbering ducks and coots. Also, pelicans use the chain of lakes as a stopping place on their flight north. The large flocks of huge white birds are something to behold as they slowly glide in large circles before landing in the lake. They group tightly together on the lake's edge, creating a white blanket against the water.

For the hunter, fisherman, and person who loves the wide-opemoutdoors, Long Lake beckons. The outdoorsman can find many hours of pleasure here.

JACK OF ALL BAITS

TWO anglers slipped their boat gently along the dock at Harlan County Reservoir. As their outboard engine sputtered into silence, a lanky stranger who had watched the anglers come in asked them the age-old question of "How did it go out there today?"

One of the men in the boat grinned happily, reached over the gunwale into the water, and hauled out a stringer festooned with saucy fish.

"Not bad, eh?"

"What did you use for bait?" the stranger inquired.

"Nothing but crawdads."

The lanky one then asked if they knew where he could buy some.

"No need to buy them," came the answer. "They're plentiful along the irrigation canals at Holdrege. In five minutes you'll have all the bait you need."

"Free crawdads at the irrigation canals," muttered the stranger, as he spun around on his heel and headed for the parking lot.

The two anglers grinned, as the wheels of the stranger's car spun crazily on the gravel toward Holdrege.

"There goes another convert to crawdad fishing," exclaimed the angler who had hauled out the dangling stringer of fish.

Crayfish, commonly called crawdads, have been used as fish bait for a long time. Fishermen with savvy seek them avidly. And fish go nuts when crawdads are dangled before them. In case you didn't know this, crawdads are considered the piece de resistance when the blue chips are down and anglers desire sure-fire angling action.

The crawdad, Cambus asiucus, ranges in size from a tiny nail head when born to a hefty 15 inches in length. Its name is derived from the French word ecrenisse (inhabiting a crevice). Various species inhabit fresh-water streams, ponds, and lakes. They hide under rocks, logs, and water weeds or build hiding places by burrowing. In Nebraska they are quite common along the irrigation canals.

At certain seasons, crayfish burrow into the mud and become scarce. Fish scrounge around the bottoms looking for them, and the most discriminating piscatorial gourmet can't resist this tasty morsel. And that's one reason for the deadly effectiveness of crawdads as fish bait. Here are some little known facts about this tough customer.

He is a solitary bottom dweller, hiding by day under stones or in crevices or burrows. His pinchers constantly flick about, seizing any food that passes within reach. Occasionally he will emerge from his hiding place to grasp food and then quickly return to his retreat. He's most abundant when the temperature rises, and for that reason it is best to look for him in July and August.

Although desired by many anglers, these crawdads to Matt (short for Lewis Gaulden Mathieu), drainage engineer for the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation, are absolute outcasts. If he had his way crawdads wouldn't be. But he has a basis for his loathing.

"There are so darn many crawdads along our 630 miles of canals and laterals during July and August that it seems like an invasion," Matt reported. "Last summer, two men picked nine gallons of them in less than 10 minutes. Some were used for bait and the rest, I'm told, provided food for a banquet.

"All fishermen," Matt added, "are welcome to all the crawdads they can find along our canals. They're a menace here, so we plan to exterminate them, but in a manner that will not affect the water. To be safe, though, have the crawdad hunters check with our office to inquire if the extermination program has begun before they hit the canals."

The crawdad resembles a miniature lobster and is a marvelous fighting machine. His sharp pinchers are things to avoid, as they can inflict painful but not serious injury. He is a nocturnal prowler but during the day can be caught by hand, or dipped out with small hand nets along the 22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   irrigation canals. The best crawdad for fish bait is one that has shed its armor-plate cover and is soft and helpless.

If you use crawdads, tie them to a hook with a fine thread and you'll score with trout, black bass, walleyes, catfish, carp, and large pan fish. To use the hard-shells, break their claws and hook them neatly through the tail or back. The tail alone often makes a mighty effective lure, too.

For the folks who have never tasted a crawdad, they have a rare treat in store. Many people don't realize that they make a delicious and tasty meal.

Ted Johnson and Stan Matzke, of the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, have concocted a recipe which they highly recommend. First, soak the crawdads in salt water for 20 minutes. Next place the necessary amount of water to cover the crawdads entirely in a pot. Now add bouillon, one cup of port wine for each quart of water used, pepper, and salt to suit taste, bay leaf, and add a pinch of curry, thyme, and coriander.

Now as your concoction reaches a boil, watch the crawdads closely. When they begin to turn into a baby-pink color—this usually happens within four minutes of boiling time—remove them from the fire. You may adjust the boiling time to suit your fancy.

Now all you have to do is to remove the tails, dip the meat into regular shrimp sauce, and you'll enjoy an epicurean delight that's hard to beat.

Here's another recipe which may appeal to you: Special Courl Bouillon. (This is excellent for cooking any kind of fish, not just crayfish). 1 1/2 quarts water, 2 stalks celery with leaves, 1 carrot, sliced, juice 1/2 lemon, 1 small onion, sliced medium, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup of white or red wine.

Combine ingredients, bring to a boil, add crayfish, and allow water to boil again. Turn heat down to simmering. Cover and cook crawdads five minutes, no longer. Drain and cool quickly. Use shrimp sauce for added dash of flavor.

If you're a worm fisherman this story may induce you into trying crawdads for bait. Two old cronies were fishing together at about the same place in the stream. One man was having marvelous luck, but the other man was batting zero.

"How come no fish?" asked the lucky angler. "We're both at the same place in the stream and, by George, we're even using the same kind of bait."

"Search me," growled the unlucky fisherman. "Maybe my worm isn't trying."

So the next time you go out, and if your worms aren't producing strikes, maybe they're tired. Keeping up with the crawdads won't help your social standing, but it'll sure make a hit with the fish. "

PLAY IT SAFE

A nationwide campaign "to keep boating one of the safest of all outdoor sports" was launched during National Safe Boating Week, June 27 through July 5. Nebraska kept in step by adopting a new uniform boating law. Briefly, here are some of the most important aspects of this law which incorporates the basic provisions of the famed Bonner Act:

1. All powered boats, regardless of horsepower, shall be included in a numbering system. This means, unless your boat is registered, you cannot legally operate your boat on any Nebraska waters after January 1960. Certificate of registration is for one year and must be renewed each year. Under terms of this law, all watercraft propelled in any way by machinery must be registered and numbered with three-inch letters on the bow. These shall be maintained at all times so they will be in legible condition.

2. All boat-livery operators shall maintain six-month records of customers, listing time of departure and return. This also makes the livery operator responsible for determining that such rental craft carry safety equipment in compliance with federal and state law.

3. Every boat towing a skier shall carry an observer, in addition to the driver. Exception: This does not apply to boat equipped with wide-angle, rear-view mirror. Skiing one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise is prohibited unless an approved event is adequately lighted.

4. Boat owner is liable for any injury or damage caused by negligent operation, either by himself or a member of his family, or by any other person operating the craft with permission. Essentially this parallels the "family car doctrine" which applies to automobiles.

5. Mufflers are required and cut-outs forbidden on powered craft except in cases of authorized races, trial runs, and speed tests immediately related thereto.

6. Every vessel afloat shall carry at least one life preserver, life belt, ring buoy, or similar device of the sort prescribed by the regulations of the Game Commission for each person aboard.

7. Every conservation officer, and every peace officer of this state and its subdivisions shall enforce the provisions of this act, and shall have the authority to stop and board any vessel subject to this act.

Registration fees, effective January 1960, for boats in Nebraska shall be as follows:

Class I, $1. This includes all boats less than 16 feet long and powered by a 5 HP outboard motor or less.

Class II, $3. Less than 16 feet long and powered by outboard motors exceeding 5 HP.

Class III, $5. 16 feet or over and less than 26 feet.

Class IV, $10. 26 feet or over, and less than 40 feet.

Class V, $20. All boats over 40 feet long.

All funds go into the State Boating Fund for administration and enforcement of the act, and for construction and maintenance and docking facilities, navigation aids, public access areas, and other proper uses which will promote the safety and convenience of the boating public.

"Each powerboat owner has a personal stake in this fund," commented Mel Steen, Game Commission director. "If he conscientiously observes safety regulations, and insists that all who may operate his boat do likewise, our enforcement will be held to a minimum. This will enable us to channel more money into the development of varied boating facilities so urgently needed at many water areas throughout Nebraska."

Boating accidents are caused by people who do not use common sense. Let's all be ever mindful of one another's welfare and make boating an even safer and pleasurable sport.

Outdoor Elsewhere

WYOMING . . . Howard Ferguson tells this one. One evening when relaxing by one of his ponds, he saw a mallard hen at the edge of the pond with what appeared to be a brood of nine ducklings. She coaxed eight of them to jump into the pond with her. The ninth little bird remained on the bank for ally the hen lured it into the water. It splashed around briefly, then sank.

Suspecting something amiss, Ferguson retrieved the sunken bird and found it to be a pheasant chick. Examination of the mallard's nest showed all the duck eggs empty, but there were two unhatched pheasant eggs among the shells.

OREGON . . . One cutthroat trout occupies more space in the record books of the Oregon Game Commission than many of his brothers. His capture by an angler recently revealed a jaw-tag and a missing right pectoral fin. Matching these with the records showed him to be nearly 11 years old. He was finclipped as a downstream migrant fingerling in the spring of 1948. He was recounted and jaw-tagged in 1949 during his first spawning run upstream when he was 13 inches long. This year he stretched to 20 inches and dressed out at over three pounds. All that history ended up in fillets, most likely.

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Trie Pennsylvania Fish Commission has developed and put into operation its first practical big water electro-fishing unit. The shocker consists of a 230-volt, 3,000-watt direct current electric generator with two positive and two negative electrodes and accessory controls on a shallowdraft wooden barge. The barge is propelled by an outboard motor and carries a three man crew, one at the motor and two stationed forward with long-handled nets to scoop up the fish that are drawn to the positive electrodes and shocked into momentary insensibility. Tests revealed that no evidence of burns or harmful effects to the fish came from the shocker. Since this is so new a device and technique, additional knowledge is 'being pursued by fishery research workers in several parts of the nation.

KANSAS . . . Use of a helicopter has opened a new door to prairie chicken research. The novel experiment was conducted on some 100,000 acres of government-owned land along the Cimarron River in Morton County, Kansas. The presence of several hundred lesser prairie chickens was discovered by Dr. Adolph Stebler, leader of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at Oklahoma State University. Most of the birds sighted were believed to be males on courtship "booming grounds". Used slowly at altitudes up to 100 feet, trained game biologists were able to make accurate bird counts. The "chopper" made frequent landings to permit checks of habitat. In all, an estimated 189 square miles were covered.

TEXAS . . . Certain fish have varied appetites and will eat nearly anything at one time or another. A skull taken from the stomach of a channel catfish caught in Little River turned out to be that of a bristle-haired cotton rat. Samples taken from fish included pecans, also the sack the nuts came in. Other items *found in the stomachs of fish include grapes, red-winged blackbirds, chicken bones, ducklings, and swallows.

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Less than half the duty hours of Pennsylvania's fish wardens were devoted to stream patrol and law enforcement in 1958. Of the 156,520 hours logged by 50 wardens and 6 supervisors there were no less than 19 other specific activities. Paper work was second in time consumption, special details third. The fourth greatest segment of the wardens' time was expended in planting fish.

SOUTH DAKOTA . . . Deer may be the stars of their own radio programs in the near future. According to Dr. John Seubert, head of game research at South Dakota, the animals may be released from live-traps with miniature radios attached to them. Then, as they graze, travel, or flee from hunters, a receiver equipped biologist could track their movements. Grouse in Minnesota may be studied in the same way.

PENNSYLVANIA ... "A cock ringneck in western Clearfield County, Penna., went into a rage every time an automobile would enter his little domain," says Game Protector Claude Kelsey. "The bossy ringneck would attack all cars. Afterward the bird would crow in triumph. But finally there was an encounter at which there was no crowing. David the cock bird lost to Goliath the vehicle."

Notes on Nebraska Fauna

NORTHERN PIKE

WITHOUT a doubt the northern pike, Esox Lucius, is one of the most interesting and probably the most neglected game fish in the country. Much adverse publicity in the past has been directed toward this species because of its elongated, toothy appearance. Unfounded remarks have pictured the pike as a serious predator of young waterfowl. Recorded evidence, though, points to the waterfowl predation problem only in those limited areas where waterfowl nesting and heavy pike populations occur in the same habitat. Game Commission biologists have found no tangible evidence of excessive pike predation on waterfowl in Nebraska.

The life history of this fish begins in early spring with the annual spring thaw. In Nebraska, the lengthening days in March and the warming winds herald the spawning act of adult pike. Spawning pike seek the shallows and where possible, ascend drainage flow ditches. In 45° to 55° water temperature, when most other fish life still remains dormant, adult pike begin spawning. The number of eggs produced per female varies directly with the weight and length of the parent. It is not uncommon for a 12-pound pike to release 100,000 eggs over submerged vegetation and flooded grasses. As is often the case with high egg capacity fish, only a small per cent of these eggs are fertilized and survive until the hatching date.

It requires about 10 to 14 days for the eggs to hatch. The warmer the water, the faster the hatching process. The progeny are unattended by the parent fish and upon hatching are dependent upon minute animal organisms for food. If weather conditions are not favorable, these food items may be absent thus causing a heavy mortality of young pike. After reaching two inches in length, the young pike are busy eyeing their fellow young with one thought in mind—devouring them. By the time they reach six to eight inches, they are ready to take on any fish an inch or less in size.

Biologists studying growth rates of fish have reached the conclusion that the northern pike is the fastest-growing game fish in Nebraska. Of course, the rate of growth is directly related to the availability of food and physical condition of the lake. Sand Hills lakes produce fast-growing pike because of high water fertility.

The distribution of northern pike is almost world-wide in the temperate and northern latitudes. In the United 26 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   States, this species has been introduced as far west as Colorado and eastward to the Atlantic States. Our 49th state, Alaska, recently has recognized this fish as a game species. The end result was that Alaska sportsmen, using light tackle, have been seeking the pike in increasing numbers each year.

Recently, Nebraska has been experimenting with this predator as a farm-pond species. The bluegill-northern pike combination has already proven successful in several north-central farm ponds. Bluegills that manage to survive the hunger pains of old longnose grow to good size and provide top fishing.

The northern pike is a member of the family Esocidae. Near relatives include the muskellunge, and chain, grass, and red-fin pickerel. The life histories of these fish are quite similar, but only the northern pike, muskellunge, and chain pickerel reach a size of interest to the angler. Several hybrids are possible among the pike family members. Of interest to biologists in Nebraska has been the recent discovery of the grass pickerel-northern pike cross in a Sand Hills lake. To our knowledge, this is the first recorded finding of such a hybrid.

The following characteristics separate the three Esocidae species found in Nebraska waters:

What type of lake or pond is best suited for northern pike? As pointed out before, this species is adaptable to many types of lakes, rivers, and ponds. Several important conditions for the pikes' well-being are: (1) the presence of submergent or emergent vegetation in the shallow borders of the lake for spawning sites; (2) absence of a dominant rough fish population; (3) water quality of moderate hardness and fertility, and (4) abundance of zoo-plankton (small animal life in water) and forage fish.

Fishing for pike, whether it be through the ice on a frigid Sand Hills lake or in one of the Nebraska's reservoirs, provides a scrap that can't be lightly dismissed. This fish is no prima donna in his moods as it doesn't seem to matter to him how the lure is presented. For the casual angler out for some fun, that means something. Ice fishing for northern pike has been booming lately in the prairie lakes of Nebraska. By stocking fry or fingerlings in winter kill locations or recently renovated lakes, fishermen may harvest 12 to 16-inch fish by the first winter. In any lingo, this is a pretty good return on a stocking investment.

Baits commonly used to snag pike during the freeze-up period include the usual assortment of live bait and artificial lures. The use of jigging spoons has been popularized and very successful in North Dakota and Minnesota. Ice fishermen in Nebraska will have to learn jigging techniques on the lakes that are subject to live-minnow restrictions.

When it comes to the all-important eating qualities, this fish ranks high with those in the know. For one thing, skin pike, don't scale him. Much of his so called "fishy" taste lies within the skin. The meat is firm, white, and ranks alongside the walleye and perch for palate pleasing.

What can be done to improve northern-pike fishing? The answer lies within several fisheries-management practices. First, and undoubtedly the best known, is the current practice of stocking hatchery-raised fry and fingerlings in waters deemed suitable for good growth and natural reproduction. Fry stocking is advised only for new impoundments and lakes which have been chemically renovated. The Nebraska Game Commission maintains two hatcheries for the purpose of northern-pike production during the spring months. The artificial propagation success of this species remains unpredictable since so many factors are involved. The weather, egg quality, rearing-pond fertility, and cropping methods all directly influence the total hatchery production.

The other management problem concerns the availability of spawning marshes and sloughs. The artificial creation of adjoining marsh-type areas to lakes where such spawning sites are lacking has been the difference between good and poor pike fishing. Stocking alone will not always provide the answer to improved fishing.

The following table reflects a typical comparison between the growth of northern pike and other game fish commonly associated with it.

Pike may live to be 10 to 12 years of age. However, in the highly competitive ways of nature, only a few fish obtain this old-age status. Normal pike populations are not stock-piled for next year's fishing and almost never occur in the same numbers as five-year-old fish as when they were in their first year of life. An adult population of 15 pike (75 pounds) per acre is about average for our Sand Hills lakes. This carrying capacity will differ each year as it becomes a direct function of annual recruitment and mortality (old age, angling, disease). Most of our pike are mature at two or three years of age.

Here in Nebraska the Game Commission is increasing research and management work toward the propagation and establishment of Esox lucius. Where conditions warrant, introductions of this species will be established so that additional anglers may enjoy this mean, cantankerous fish who enjoys nothing more than unwinding some tacklebusting action. He ranks with the best.

1959 BIG GAME SEASONS

APPLICATIONS for deer and antelope permits are accepted on a "first come, first served" basis. Only residents of Nebraska may apply for a firearm permit until July 15 or until the quota of permits for any area is filled, whichever may come first. After July 15, applications will be accepted from residents and nonresidents alike on a "first come, first served" basis until the quota for each open area is reached.

Inasmuch as the number of archery permits to hunt deer is not limited, nonresidents may apply immediately.

The fee for a resident permit to hunt deer or antelope is $10, for a nonresident permit, $25. Permits are avaliable from conservation officers, country clerks, and permit vendors. Make your remittance payable to Nebraska Game, Forestation and Parks Commission, State House, Lincoln 9, Nebraska