MUZZLE-LOADING SQUIRRELS

RUNNING INTO the clearing, my partner hefted his heavy-barreled muzzle-loader to his shoulder, cocked the hammer, and zeroed in on the bushy-tailed target making a wild dash for cover. A moment later an earsplitting blast reverberated across the creek bottom. Through the smoke I could see the squirrel topple to the ground.

My hunting buddy ran to the cottonwood, picked up his prize, and let out a war whoop reminiscent of the era of the guns we were using. All Jack Houchen needed was a coonskin cap and he would have been right in style. Certainly his shooting was good enough to put him in a class with the rest of the sure-shots of the Old West.

I had been eager to go on this hunt ever since Jack showed me his collection of famed muzzle-loaders. Both of us wanted to learn just how difficult it was to bag game with the old weapons. But the outing was a long time in the making. I had to cancel out on two previous occasions and the night before this hunt Jack's wife had presented him with another income-tax deduction.

But this didn't stop Jack. "We might as well shoot a few squirrels," he said sleepily over the SEPTEMBER, 1962 3   phone, "I can't see my wife until tomorrow afternoon, and I would rather be shooting than sitting."

By 6 o'clock the next morning we were out of Lincoln and on our way to a farm near Bennet. The season was a couple of weeks old. The sky was cloudy, a good day for stalking bushytails. They tend to move around more then, and we needed all the breaks, considering the thick cover and our ancient weapons.

From Jack's collection of firearms we had selected a .38-caliber, muzzle-loading "Plains" cap-and-ball rifle of 1860 vintage, a modern-day replica of Colt's .38-caliber Navy cap-and-ball pistol, and an original Remington .44-caliber cap-and-ball pistol. Jack would try for accuracy with the rifle and I would experiment with the pistols.

Contrary to popular opinion, most of the rifles owned by early Nebraska settlers were not true Kentucky rifles but the "Plains" variety made in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Jack's was one of the best preserved I'd seen. To make it more serviceable, he had rebored the barrel for a .38-caliber load and added an adjustable open-back sight.

We selected the two pistols because of their importance in the settlement of Nebraska. Buffalo Bill was a great advocate of Colt's .38 and many clouds of smoke from a Remington .44 had helped tame the West. Actually, we had our choice of a variety of weapons. Both shotguns and rifles are legal and handguns are often brought into play.

After Jack recovered from shooting the first squirrel in just a few minutes hunting, he started the long process of reloading. First he swabbed out the bore with a wet patch and dried it with two dry runs. Then the proper charge of powder was measured into the barrel and a wet patch with a ball in it was rammed home. Fired with a cap, Jack's loads are accurate enough to put three shots in a two-inch circle at 50 yards. Loading the pistols was simple since all I had to do was pour the cylinder full of powder, ram a ball in on top of it, and place a cap on each of the cylinder nipples.

The powder is made in several grains to lengthen or shorten the burning time required by each particular firearm. The balls are still forged by hand. This is a very exacting sport in that even the thickness of the patch around the ball affects accuracy.

But accuracy wasn't all we had to worry about. We had to find some more squirrels. The area we had chosen was considered prime bushytail country. It was bordered by cornfields sprinkled with plenty of hollow nest trees and numerous nut trees. A small stream split the area. Jack and I started working through the trees downstream and soon noticed several squirrels cavorting through the trees just ahead.

"They're playing with us," Jack decided after 15 minutes of stalking without a clean shot. "They're smart enough to stay just ahead and ornery enough to lead us on."

"Why don't you catch your breath and try a long shot?" I suggested. "We might get one of them."

Jack rested the long, heavy barrel on a fallen tree trunk and waited for a good target. It wasn't long before a squirrel poked his head out 75 yards away. After cocking the front hair trigger, my partner took steady aim and touched the release. Again the gun belched black-powder smoke, but no squirrel fell.

After the shot, Jack reloaded and expounded on the difference between fixed-target shooting and actual hunting. Then we picked the squirrels up again 4 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   on down the creek, but they stayed farther ahead now. We didn't want to rush them too fast.

Jack took the west bank and I the east, hoping to catch some singles off guard. I hadn't gone 100 yards when a rustling overhead made me stop. But all I could see were leaves moving where my squirrel had been. I shot once but only leaves fell, then shot again as the squirrel disappeared around the trunk. My running to the other side only made the elusive animal scoot around out of range again.

Finally I picked up a fallen limb and tossed it on the opposite side. Around he came. Again the .44 boomed and again only bark fell. I popped another cap after my escaping target with, the same results.

The next 30 minutes were uneventful as we doubled back to our starting point and tried hunting upstream. Cornfields were closer to the tall trees here and we thought the area might hold a few more squirrels. Finally Jack spotted one and stalked it. He steadied the rifle on a tree branch and fired the 45-yard shot. The roar again quieted the chattering birds and when the smoke cleared we had two squirrels in the bag. But so far, I was getting skunked.

About 15 minutes later I got my first real good shot but missed. My target jumped from tree to tree but I was after him, determined to score. A lack of brush made chasing easier and I stayed almost under my prey. He paused on a branch and I closed up the distance, bracing myself against the base of a tree. The .44 roared and smoke enveloped my line of sight. Then Jack let out his war whoop and I knew I would not return home blanked.

As I jammed two balls into the empty chambers, Jack fired at a leaf-rustling form about 60 yards away without success. When he didn't reload, I figured he was ready to call it quits. Our escapade proved it's possible and great sport to shoot squirrels with a muzzle-loader. Our only regrets were that the leaves were too thick for good sighting, and time had cut our hunt short. But we knew the next trip would be different.

TO KILL A GROUSE

WHEN YOU MENTION chicken hunting to an old-time gunner you can notice a faraway glint in his eye that reflects the excitement of past hunts. Hunting sharptails and the prairie chickens is the ultimate in upland gunning to those who love to hike the vast grasslands of Nebraska's ranch country.

Many would-be grouse hunters are soon discouraged because the key to successful hunting is a good pair of legs to hike the hills. A few birds can be flushed from the meadows, others from the fringes of the cornfields, but the vast majority are found in the rough country.

The Sand Hills is the stronghold of the sharptail. While there are a few chickens scattered deeper in the hills, most are found on the fringe with the better populations on the east and south of the vast area.

During the hunting season sharptails eat seeds, wild fruits, and grasshoppers. The chickens' diet is much the same, except the grain intake is usually higher.

The hunter will find that both grouse have a fairly regular time schedule. They feed in early morning and late afternoon, loafing during the warm part of the day. Shelter belts, hedgerows, plum thickets, or heavy grasslands are all good loafing sites. Shelter from predators and weather is a determining factor in selection of these areas.

These daily habits and hangouts pay off to the hunter who takes advantage of them. When you get permission from the rancher, ask about the grouse population. Find out where his winter pasture is located. These areas have a better growth of grasses and the birds will be using them. Native prairie grasses and plants are the mainstay of grouse. If the rancher grazes too closely or drought knocks down the growth of grass, the population tends to go with it.

A typical Cherry County ranch of three or four sections hosts anywhere from 20 to 60 birds per section. Rough choppy hills with a number of plum thickets along the sidehills would be considered ideal habitat. Good ranching practices with controlled grazing enhances the bird's range. Smart hunters work the rough hills that have good grass cover and an abundance of wild rose.

The rose hip attracts the grouse like honey does the bear. You can be almost certain that sometime 6 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   during the course of a day the grouse will be feeding on it.

While information on movement is limited, it is known that grouse often change habitat with the seasons. Ranchers tell of numerous birds during the summer and early fall, then, as hunting season gets under way, report very few in the same area. The birds begin to show up again by mid-November. Where they go and why remains unanswered. Food and cover are probably the determining factors.

Habitat conditions are a definite influence on the grouse population on a given area. The hunter not finding birds in likely looking habitat should stick with his quest. Somewhere, within a mile or two, there'll be grouse.

Hunting the prairie chicken varies slightly from sharptail gunning. He's found more often in the meadows and the smaller area along the fringe of the vast area. The chicken also likes alfalfa fields. If the hunter can find a field that has a fair stand of cover, he'll do well to hunt it out.

Because the birds are wild, getting in on them can sometimes be a problem. To many, this spells defeat, but to the true grouse hunter it means more sport. The challenge only increases, sweetening the action.

Both chickens and sharptails tend to flock into bigger groups as the fall progresses. In doing so they become increasingly wary. A good bet then is to flush the large group, marking the direction of flight. Hunt toward them, flushing and breaking up still other flocks. The birds will only fly over a hill or two and land again. This method may mean another mile of climbing and skidding, but it also means you'll have the birds split up and some will sit tight for the gun.

The rough hills offer another advantage. The hunter is able to approach the birds without being seen for a long distance. It may seem that every bird flushes from the hillside across the valley. This can only be true 50 per cent of the time.

Prairie grouse present twice the challenge to a pointing dog. The bird's rather unpredictable in his reaction to a dog, especially one staring at him from close range. More than likely, he'll cluck his disapproval, walk awkwardly away, then flush if the dog tries to move with him. A good dog that doesn't crowd birds too much is a real gem.

Hitting grouse with a scatter gun can be mighty tricky, even to old pros. The flight is rather slow and the target is out in the open. Most of the shooting is either straightaway or quartering.

Either a 12, 16, or 20 gauge works well. A modified choke makes a good all-around gun and a full-choke device can be handy for those days when the birds are getting up farther out.

Shot sizes from Nos. 4 to life's are effective. These birds are strong fliers but lightly feathered. It doesn't take too much to put them down. Even when wounded, they don't run like a cock pheasant. They'll flounder around, revealing themselves to you.

The grouse summer surveys are not yet complete, but spring counts were higher than last year. With good reproduction, the population will be up for the opening of the 1962 season. If so, there'll be plenty of action for those hardy enough to take to the Hills.

SEASON SAVVY

NEBRASKA IS fast becoming known for its realistic hunting seasons and bag limits. In this state, sportsmen are afforded outdoor recreation opportunities in keeping with game management facts rather than barbershop biology. In recent ringneck seasons, for example, hunting has extended from late October to mid-January. The "cocks only*' regulation is more than adequate protection for Nebraska pheasants; bag limits and season lengths are unimportant under such a regulation.

Not all species, however, can be managed in this way. Each species has its individual problems and factors, and these must be given full consideration before hunting regulations are set. Much research and management data are needed. No sooner is one season over than technicians begin collecting information for the next. It's year-round work in which many facts and factors come into play.

Naturally, the preservation and increase of wildlife resources are primary considerations when setting seasons. Regulations that place a species in any jeopardy are neither recommended nor approved. While regulations are conservative, wise use is not forgotten. Providing maximum recreation through the harvest of wildlife resources is also a purpose of game management. To produce as much as possible, and to harvest as much of that crop as is surplus to production needs — these are the problems and purposes of game management.

To accomplish this, hunting regulations must provide the opportunity to harvest the surplus that is annually lost to causes other than hunting. Game population turnover is normal and substantial, with or without harvest by the gun. In modern management, hunter take is held below those numbers that are lost through turnover. Hunter harvest is substituted for other mortalities, so to speak.

Among the factors that are considered, perhaps the most important is that of population status. Are there more, less, or the same number of each species? For this information, year-round surveys are conducted.

Inventories of wildlife populations are not as sensitive nor as exact as those made for domestic 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   animals. A farmer or rancher usually knows the exact number of livestock on his place. Exact counts are neither possible nor necessary in game management. Approximate numbers, however, can be computed and are adequate for management needs.

The problem in counting wildlife lies in the fact that no fence or barn confines them, and their extensive range provides innumerable hiding places. It is physically impossible and economically impractical to count each deer, antelope, or quail. Wildlife inventories, therefore, are primarily sampling methods which science has proved to be reasonably accurate when expanded to the entire range.

Since the pheasant is our principal game bird, pheasant inventories are typical of the techniques used. Surveys follow the ringnecks throughout the year. The most familiar counts are those taken by Game Commission personnel; a continuing inventory from year to year. Rural mail carriers also assist by keeping a record of all pheasants observed on a specific route during a specified period. Records of pheasants sighted with a mileage summary are submitted to the Game Division. From this information the birds observed per mile are calculated and the findings compared with records of past years to evaluate the present status. The Game Commission census is checked against the mail-carrier census to determine discrepancies, if any.

To fill in additional gaps, data on the ages of pheasant broods are gathered by trained wildlife observers. This study provides hatching-date information. Nesting studies are also conducted. Summer brood counts round out the nesting-success picture.

Counts taken during the winter provide post-season sex-ratio data, revealing the take of cocks during the previous season. Bag census figures and hunting statistics are studied and evaluated. Winter mortalities are measured. Finally, the spring breeding population figures are carefully developed, completing the year-round inventory of Nebraska ringnecks.

Methods vary for bobwhite quail, grouse, and other small-game species. Inventories such as whistle counts, booming and dancing-ground surveys, and transect brood counts are used because research has proved that these techniques are better for these species.

For big game, several census techniques are used. Antelope, for example, can be counted from the air. Flights are selected throughout the antelope range. Low altitude flights are made and the actual number of antelope recorded.

Aerial counting has some limitations for Nebraska deer. Complete snow coverage is essential if this technique is to be fully efficient and accurate. However, a Nebraska winter without snow is rare. Deer are commonly associated with river systems, hence selected portions of stream courses are censused each year. Results from these counts are compared with the figures of previous years to determine population trends.

Evaluating range conditions is an important technique for judging deer abundance in addition to the aerial-survey method. This is an indirect method of determining numbers. Through the study of deer-browsing on certain important deer foods, mostly shrubs, and a comparison with previous pressure on these plants, it is possible to draw surprisingly accurate estimates of changes in deer numbers.

Censusing waterfowl is more complex. Since ducks and geese migrate through the Central Flyway, local and state counts are not the only ones considered. The population must be censused in other Central Flyway states as well as some Canadian provinces. Waterfowl regulations are established by the Interior Department from the total data gathered. States may then select seasons within the federal framework.

When waterfowl are numerous and generous, bag limits and long seasons prevail, and no great problems are encountered. But when the population is down and the regulations (continued on page 30)

The Legend of WILD BILL

Progress THROUGH RESEARCH

NEBRASKA IS MAKING great strides in the application of present information and gaining new knowledge in the fishery field. Each year sees new and better techniques employed with resulting benefits to all fishermen. Not satisfied with the status quo, technicians are constantly striving for better means of management through a vigorous research program. Wildlife research is often misunderstood. But it, like other sciences, leads the way to progress.

In Nebraska, research is being conducted on the stocking of ponds and lakes. Studies are being made of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Missouri River and some of the animals without backbones which live in Sand Hills lakes. In addition, a compilation of the history of Nebraska fishes is being completed. Work is also being done with spawning and production of flathead catfish in state hatcheries, on the use of fish toxicants other than rotenone, and on developing artificial spawning beds for northern pike and walleyes.

The experimental stocking project is designed to determine what fish do best in Nebraska ponds and at what rates they should be stocked. One fish which causes the greatest trouble in Nebraska waters is the black bullhead. In nearly every pond in which bullheads are stocked, they overpopulate to the point where they become stunted. Flathead catfish have been stocked in six such problem lakes to determine if they can reduce the bullhead population to promote better growth.

Studies on the Missouri of its physical, chemical, and biological characteristics are designed to document these points so that changes can be noted in future years as the Corps of Engineers continues channeling and straightening the river. A limited age and growth study of some of the fish species has been conducted. Of primary concern is a study of the fish food organisms and of the physical and chemical properties of the water.

The major portion of the diet of most small fish and some large fish is made up of small animals 12 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   lumped together in a group called invertebrates. These have no vertebrae or backbones. The group includes snails, insects, clams, tiny crustaceans related to crayfish, leeches, small earthworm-like worms, and other little-known animals. They are being studied in six Sand Hills lakes to determine if they can be used as an indication of the suitability of the lake for fish.

Fishery technicians will have a source of what fish have been stocked, what were present, and what fish are now present in Nebraska lakes and streams when the "History of Nebraska Fishes" is published. The record begins with the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804 when, on July 29, they reported catching a white catfish. he record continues to the present day, with a list of species known to now inhabit state waters.

The flathead catfish is a desirable fish, from the viewpoint of both the fisherman and the fishery manager. It grows to a large size and is generally a good-eating fish. The fishery manager likes the flathead because it is a good predator and can survive in both clear and muddy water. It has the potential of being very useful in reducing populations of other fish where they have become too numerous for good growth and, hence, good fishing.

Sodium cyanide is being investigated for possible use as a fish toxicant in situations where it is desirable to save for re-use some of the fish in the lake being treated. With rotenone, which is the commonly used fish toxicant, all fish die and none are saved for re-use. Fish in lakes treated with sodium cyanide can usually be saved if placed immediately in fresh water.

Oftentimes some of the most desirable game fish, such as walleyes and northern pike, do not reproduce in lakes and reservoirs because these waters lack natural spawning areas. Walleyes which spawn over coarse gravel or rock will receive some special attention in some of the Salt-Wahoo reservoirs near Lincoln. A crushed rock, artificial spawning bed is planned for at least one reservoir. It is hoped that the walleyes will make use of the crushed rock and be able to maintain a good walleye population by natural reproduction.

Unlike walleyes, northern pike spawn over vegetation and prefer such places as flooded meadows to deposit their eggs. Some work has been done with placing hay in waters lacking natural spawning areas. The project has met with varying success.

As with most fish species, it is impractical, in fact next to impossible, to maintain a population of northern pike and walleyes by continual stocking of hatchery-reared fish. An average female walleye can lay 100,000 eggs. In a 50-acre lake with a moderate to good walleye population, 10 million eggs are laid, yet only a possible 200 will reach the two-to-three-pound size. Obviously, the Game Commission cannot stock 10 million walleye fry per 50 or 100 acres of .water, where walleyes will survive and are desired. The only time it is practical to stock most fish is when the lake is new (continued on page 28)

BIG MAC'S BIGGEST

BREATHING HIS last, the ponderous northern pike was finally mine, climaxing a grueling see-saw fight that seemingly lasted an eternity. Actual time lapsed, though, was closer to 30 minutes. I didn't realize then, as I shakily lit a cigarette on the sandy shore of Lake McConaughy, that my four-foot-long hulk of a fish was a new Nebraska record—27% pounds of piscatorial splendor. But both the crowd that had gathered and I were convinced that this northern should have never been caught.

For a moment at the height of the battle, I didn't know that I had a northern on the end of my six-pound-test line. That's right, six-pound-test that should have snapped the first time I thumbed down on the drag. But the line was only one of the fantastic quirks in this fish story.

Saturday, July 14, started off sane enough. My folks had driven up to Big Springs from Kearney earlier for an outing at Lake McConaughy with my wife, kids, and me. Mom and dad are ardent fishermen and hoped to score on the big reservoir's rainbows and walleyes. Since we didn't have a boat for trolling, I headed for the outlet. It and Lake Ogallala proper below the dam produce some nice catches. But not this time. We were ready to call it quits when a passing angler said the walleyes were hitting on Mac's northern shore near the dam.

The sun was casting deep shadows from the west by the time we drove across the dam and cut back down the rutted road to the beach. Five or six fishermen were already there and a couple of silhouetted outboards cruised slowly along the shore line. Jerry and Judy, my six and two-year-olds, ran out ahead to play in the sandy shore while my folks and I strung our lines and my wife fixed lunch.

I remember thinking that this was a perfect evening for sitting back and taking it easy. I had every intention of doing just that, once I had put a couple of juicy night crawlers on the snelled hooks. Catching a northern, any size northern, was the farthest thing from my mind. Who ever heard of using snelled hooks on these sharp-toothed fighters, especially with night crawlers? These were just two more of the impossibles of this impossible fishing foray.

Once the first line was cast out into the shallow waters of the bay, I began baiting up my second casting outfit. Both my rigs are battle scarred. I've had plenty of varied fishing action, both here and overseas, completing a 10-year hitch in the Strategic Air Command last March. No outing, however, would match the showdown that lay in store for me at McConaughy.

My mother was the first to notice that my line was acting up. From the action on the end of my rod, it didn't look like it was going anywhere so I took my time casting the second line. This done, I picked up the small Japanese rod and set the hook, figuring I had a troublesome carp on the end of the line.

I had trouble, but it wasn't carp. Line screamed out as my catch headed for deep water. No matter how hard I held down on the drag, it would not hold. I had no tension at all by the middle of the run. Desperately I put my thumb in front of the whirring handle to slow down whatever was trying to take me and my rig into the middle of McConaughy.

Why the line didn't break on the first run I'll never know. My catch bolted out hard for about 70 feet,then headed back. I knew then that whatever it was, I would have to give him head and hope to heck that the line would hold.

"What have you got?" my dad yelled, dropping his own rig and running over to help.

"I can't tell yet," I answered. "Whatever it is, it's the biggest in the lake."

My catch moved into shallow water for a second and dad thought it was a carp. But before I or anyone else could get a good look the monster was off and running again and so was I. With the six-pound-test line and the fouled-up drag, I (continued on page 32)

ONE MAN'S DREAM

FROM FAR AND WIDE they came, by covered wagon and later by rail, seeking a new life, staking their hopes and dreams on the frontier that was to be their home. Here they homesteaded, building their houses from the sod they tilled. And from them came a bright, new heritage for America, a heritage built by strong backs and sweat and the will to make a better life for those yet to come to the frontier.

Today, in Minden, this spirit lives on in displays of implements, buildings, and inventions. Its Pioneer Village is a unique memorial to those people who built a nation. Not just a museum or a collection, it is the preservation of at least one of a kind of every 16 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   item of significance used since 1830, with almost everything in perfect working order.

The year 1830 marked the beginning of the most amazing century in the history of the world. When man found that steel could be rolled into plates to hold steam for power, and that wire could be drawn continuously to build bridges and carry electricity, civilization moved from generations of slow progress into a whirlwind development.

No history book can show the real meaning of these exciting years like Pioneer Village. In the span of three city blocks is the determination of one person to show man's evolution during the past 130 years. It began with Harold Warp's love of history and a will to retain all of the things that would show his generation's children and their children the hardships, heartaches, and problems that the pioneers faced when they set out to build a new frontier. With this in mind, the Minden native and Chicago manufacturer set out to collect more than 30,000 items and the history that surrounds them.

Raised on a homestead near Minden, Warp thought back to his childhood, recalling that everything of importance to his young life—the rural mail route, the doctor's horseless carriage, the telephone line, the first road-grading rig—had seemed to come over the hill north of the homestead. Thinking back, he recalled the many things that he felt should be preserved, and went into action.

When the country schoolhouse he had attended as a child went on the auction block, the idea for the Village began to take form. He was high bidder and bought the building with all its records intact. After this, the search was on. The first church in Minden was added. He purchased the Old Elm Creek Fort at Cowles where settlers sought refuge from Indians. Then came the Burlington Railroad depot, country store, sod house, and other authentic buildings. And all the time Warp was looking for items to fill them, all of which would finally culminate in the tremendous undertaking that today is Pioneer Village.

In his search, Warp was aided by his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Jensen. Today SEPTEMBER, 1962 17   they manage the enterprise and still continue to scour the nation for more Americana mementos.

The three have traveled more than one-half million miles around the country in their quest. The 30,000 items now accumulated touch on every phase of human life, from transportation to music. All have been restored and are displayed in chronological order of development. A visitor can see the entire exhibit by walking less than a mile. Each item carries a brief description, telling when it was developed, the approximate number made or used during its heyday, and the approximate date when the item faded into history.

By 1953, Warp and the Jensens saw the products of their early travels completely restored and ready for public viewing. On June 6, 1953, the ribbon across the entrance was cut and the Village was officially 18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   opened, ready to give the world a true picture of what had come before.

Since that day in 1953, 900,000 visitors have marvelled at the Village. It has gained world-wide renown and is now listed as one of the top 20 tourist attractions in the nation. Financed solely by Warp, his investment in the project has been estimated at over one million dollars.

New items and collections are constantly being added. Obtaining the many things and restoring them to their original form has cost immense sums of money. Two men are continuously at work on the historical finds and approximately 40 people are on the regular payroll.

Advertising a top-notch attraction like Pioneer Village is also a big job. An estimated $40,000 per year has been spent. Warp reaches all parts of the country. During the summer months, especially, he puts into gear a huge campaign. Twenty-four-sheet billboards are used on all major highways within a 500-mile radius. Highways throughout Nebraska are dotted with signs, designed by Warp himself. Newspapers in large, metropolitan areas and a number of national magazines regularly carry advertising. Numerous brochures are also printed and circulated throughout the country.

Running large, detail-packed Pioneer Village is truly big business. There are grounds to keep, the flavor of the entire project to ever preserve. Seven days a week, from 7 o'clock in the morning to sundown, visitors pour to the Village. Though there is an admission charge, Harold Warp is not looking for profit. This is his lifetime dream and he gets return enough by knowing that people are learning firsthand about the heritage that has made America what it is today.

Visitors are granted the unique privilege of overnight checks. Warp instituted this policy after he discovered that many tourists entering the Village intended to visit only an hour or so found it so interesting they wanted to stay overnight and see more the next day. The check arrangement enables them to return without further charge. Also as an accommodation to visitors, Warp has built a 66-unit motel and a restaurant adjacent to the Village.

Thanks to Harold Warp and his love of history, people are able to see what man has accomplished. Through private enterprise, Nebraska has one of the greatest attractions in the country. All this because a pioneer farm boy from Minden refused to forget the heritage that his parents and countless others had left for him and the entire nation to marvel at in the Space Age.

THE LINEUP

THE DUCK DUO glided in out of the mist, banked to the right, and prepared to land. Two hunters suddenly jumped up. One bird twisted and turned, furiously grabbing for altitude to escape the inevitable. A shot was quickly followed by two more. The duck folded up in mid-air and fell on the far side of the river.

The hunter waded through the decoys to claim his prize. He picked up the bird, looked furtively around, and tossed it far up on the opposite shore.

"What happened?" asked his companion.

He didn't answer until returning to the blind. "It was a redhead. I hope nobody saw me." Then almost apologetically, he lashed out, "How in the dickens can you be expected to tell one duck from another when they sneak up on you like that?"

What started out as a day to remember, a day both had planned for weeks, became instead one of disappointment. Even worse, the bagged bird, much needed for future breeding stock, was gone.

With duck populations continuing at a low ebb, positive identification becomes more important than ever. Redheads and canvasbacks are on the protected list. The ruddy, wood duck, and hooded merganser have been shown degrees of protection. Others could follow as loss of breeding grounds continues to clobber the waterfowl population.

The day may come when only three or four species will be in sufficient numbers to provide hunting. Bag limits and seasons could be cut drastically. Longer or bonus seasons for waterfowl that are more abundant are another possibility. Whatever the future holds, duck identification is becoming increasingly important.

There is no easy way to duck identification. It takes time and experience. Photographs and drawings are, at best, a help only when the bird is within 30 yards. Positive recognition is particularly difficult in the early morning or late afternoon hours, and during inclement weather, times when waterfowl are more apt to decoy.

Old-timers, men who have hunted ducks all their life, can readily identify one species from another at great distances. How do they do it? Even they 20 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   can't fully explain the secret. They'll tell you to keep your eyes open, that learning to identify birds is like learning to walk. It's an awful struggle when you start, but once you know, you'll never forget.

Learning one species from another can not be mastered overnight. Make a game of it with yourself and companions. Start in the spring when flights are returning from the south. Continue studying the birds through the summer and fall. Look them over at close range. Then get to recognize their individual traits at greater distances. Compare one species with another, remembering the key points of each. During the open season take time out to positively identify each before shooting.

Why not get to know the mallard first? This beauty accounts for nearly 65 per cent of the duck harvest in Nebraska. His iridescent green head, white collar, bright yellow bill, and purplish-green wing patch make the greenhead one of the most easily spotted ducks. At a distance, however, the mallard's plumage fades into a dark brown with few of the predominant characteristics visible. A hen mallard, even at close range, can easily be mistaken for a pintail, black, or gadwall hen.

Once you feel you have the mallard's identifying characteristics down, compare the bird with another popular species, say the pintail. Observe and study the difference in flight attitudes. A pintail will appear longer and thinner, due to its elongated neck and tail. The drake's gray body with dark-brown head and long white neck is distinctive.

Pintail flocks in flight have the habit of descending, from great heights in a zigzagging rush with a great roar of wings. Little characteristics in silhouette flight will impart themselves on your memory. Eventually you will be able to say with certainty that the bird in your sights is either a mallard or pintail. You may not be able to explain why, but you will know for certain.

After mastering these two popular birds, take on a third species. The small green-winged and blue-winged teal would be a good choice. The green-wing is a chestnut color on the head and upper neck with a glossy green patch covering the bird's eye and SEPTEMBER, 1962 21   extending to the back of the head. The body's grayish. The bluewing has a slate-gray head with purplish and greenish gloss and crescent-shaped patch in front of the eye. The body is grayish brown on top with the chest, breast, and belly pale reddish cinnamon, marked with round black spots. Both species have a green patch on the secondaries of their wings. In addition, bluewings have a large blue patch on the forewing, further differentiating them from their green-winged cousins.

Ducks of the diving and puddler clans offer good comparison opportunities. In general, diving ducks, such as the canvasback, redhead, and scaup, appear to have their wings set farther back on the body. Divers appear more labored in flight, beating their wings furiously in an apparent effort to stay aloft. When landing they take their time, circling in ever-decreasing circles before dropping in. In taking off, they patter along the surface of the water before 22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   rising in the air. Divers are big-water ducks and are seldom seen in small ponds. Walking is difficult since their legs are set farther back on the body. Because of this most of the diver clan are rarely seen on land, sticking to open water. As the name implies, ducks of this species dive underwater for food.

MALLARD Here's one of the most easily identified species. His iridescent-green head, white collar, bright-yellow bill, and two white bars on each wing are standouts. The body is grayish on top, nearly white underneath with chest a rich, mahogany brown. The female is like other mottled-brown ducks but paler with the white tail, two white bars on each wing.

PINTAIL Alert looking, with flocks recognized by the trim, handsome males. The slim head and neck and long fail distinguish pintails from other species. The drake has a gray body, dark-brown head, and long white neck. Hens resemble mallard and gadwall hens but are more slender. In flight they are fast flyers. The pointed wings are a feature.

BALDPATE Bird is called wigeon locally. The drake has a shiny white crown, green patch behind the eye and pale-gray neck. The hen has a gray head and brownish body. Both have a green patch on each wing and a white patch on the forewing. Baldpate are sometimes mistaken for gadwall with the chief difference being the baldpate's identifying white crown and wing patch.

GADWALL Duck is often confused with baldpate and pintail as the three are often together. Chief distinguishing feature is the large white patch on the trailing edge of the wing. The drake is dark gray with a white breast and black hindquarters. The hen is brownish with a whitish breast. In flight the gadwall flies swiftly in small, compact flocks.

Mallards, pintails, teal, and other puddle ducks are more graceful in flight. They give the impression of knowing where they are going and getting there in a hurry. Swift and direct, they alight on the water with a gentle, gliding splash. When taking off, puddle ducks spring vertically into the air for several feet before leveling off in flight. Drakes of the brightly colored puddler family lose their distinctive plumage in the summer months. Many birds in the early part of the hunting season have not fully colored up and can often be mistaken for hens.

A pocket-sized book with color plates of both drakes and hens of each species can be helpful. Study books such as these as a general guide in learning coloration and appearance. At greater distances, flight patterns are the only reliable method of positive identification.

Before you open up on a duck approaching your blocks be sure it isn't either a canvasback or redhead. Both are protected. The drake in both species has a red head, black chest, white belly, and grayish upper body. The canvasback is further identified by its long black bill and elongated head. The hen in both species is brownish with the redhead having a white patch behind the bill. Both can usually be distinguished from puddle ducks by their greater over-all size.

When you learn to tell one duck from another the problem of accidently shooting a protected species will never occur. Don't let a dead canvasback or redhead left in the brush be your responsibility this hunting season.

THREE YEAR STING

FOR THREE YEARS Johnny Johnson had dreamed of taking a deer with a bow and arrow, but in all his dreams he could not foresee the beautiful trophy animal that he finally bagged during the 1958 archery season. His was the biggest deer taken in Nebraska with bow and arrow since the advent of bow hunting four years earlier. Johnny's name was now ninth in the Boone and Crockett standings for archers, the beautiful five-point whitetail rack counting out at 134.5 points.

Johnny's trophy buck didn't come easy. The Omaha archer had tried for a big one ever since bow-and-arrow hunting was made legal in Nebraska. Up to now he had been blanked and the way the 1958 season was beginning, it looked like more of the same. He had gone hunting every day after work and every day he could take away from his job since the beginning of the archery season. It had opened September 13. Wanting to give full attention to hunting, he decided to take a two-week vacation. At least he wouldn't have to face his fellow Telephone Company employees who were always joshing him.

"Well, are you going out to club them today with a stick?" they kidded him. "Didn't see your name in the paper where you bagged a deer, Johnny . . . Why don't you send your boy out, maybe he can hit one . . . Maybe you can lasso one with the string on the stick you're carrying?"

Year after year Johnny had heard the same remarks, all in fun, of course, but they were beginning to wear thin. Zelma, his wife, had some things that she wanted Johnny to take care of during his vacation, but like most wives, she knew that hunting would come first. She was hoping her husband would connect as soon as possible, but other years had not produced any results. The patient kind, Zelma resigned herself to sitting out the two-week hunt.

Steve, the Johnsons' 15-year-old son, was the Robin Hood of the family.. Once the boy bagged two tremendous strings of carp. He even had his picture in a local Omaha paper. But for Johnny, Zelma had only hopes.

Johnson tried to talk his friends into joining him, but all declined. Having two weeks of hunting before him, the archer took his time heading for the Missouri break country near DeSoto Bend. The 20-mile trip from Omaha was a pleasant one. It was warm and the leaves on the trees were reluctant to give way to fall. But too soon a brisk wind would destroy the fiery reds and yellows that blazed along the timbered Missouri.

Johnny was thinking of what his buddies were missing as he pulled into the farm where he'd made his arrangements to hunt. The archer drove along the rough road leading to the river. The weeds and limbs along the way beat a tattoo on the sides of the white "Jet", the pet name he had given his car. Once parked in the tall weeds beside the road, he donned his woolen Army coveralls. Though the temperature was 70°, it would get chilly when the sun went down.

Once dressed, Johnny braced his bow and strapped on his hunting knife. He didn't nock an arrow. Johnny was sure that he had made enough noise coming in and figured that it would take awhile for the forest residents to settle down.

He was wrong. A roar like a freight train came rolling through the woods, making every hair in his butch cut tingle. The sound was made by a beautiful buck. He broke from the woods just ahead of Johnny and bounded over a fence within easy range. Before 24 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   the archer could get ahold of himself, the deer had cleared a barbed-wire fence and leaped into the timber. At the last moment Johnny regained enough composure to send his calling card at the heels of the deer.

Wouldn't he have loved that buck? It was the trophy he had hoped for, one that came out just 20 feet in front of him, and he wasn't even ready. For over a month, he had waited for just this kind of a set up. Johnny gave himself a mental thrashing and resolved that the next time a deer showed up it would be different.

When the Omahan reached his blind he checked the weeds to be sure that nothing would obstruct a shot. He put out scent rags on all sides with a little extra soaking of buck lure. Throwing dirt in the air to check the wind direction, Johnny settled back in the blind for the long wait. His powerful hunting bow was ready, and the arrows in his quiver were so sharp they could cut paper. He had practiced diligently and had won some prizes for his ability with the bow. Johnny was confident of his gear, confident of his ability with the weapon. Now all he needed was a target.

The archer didn't have long to wait. A big buck walked within range. Johnny's adrenalin hit an all-time high, his heart pounding out of control. But he pulled his 41-pound bow to a full draw and the arrow streaked toward the deer, just 35 yards away. His aim was perfect; the arrow piercing the heart. The deer ran a few yards, then toppled in a heap.

Johnny's hunt was over almost before it started, but the trophy buck was his. With knife ready, he rushed up to the big whitetail. His shot was perfect, the deer never knowing what hit him. Johnny thought of the boys back at Omaha, chuckling as he realized at last that the last laugh would be his.

The trophy killer hog-dressed his buck, remembering the instructions of Dick Wolkow, area manager at the Game Commission's Two Rivers Recreation Area. Johnny couldn't begin to take the deer out, since it was almost twice his weight. He drove to the nearest farm house and called his buddies for help. Once convinced that Johnny had really bagged a buck, they jumped in a car and headed north. Johnny was waiting for them; a huge pole all ready to use in hauling the carcass out. But when they angled the pole through the buck's bound feet and lifted, it broke as if it were a toothpick. The pole couldn't begin to hold the 266-pound, hog-dressed deer. The boys finally decided to drag the carcass to the road where they could load it on the archery hunter's white Jet.

Johnson couldn't believe that he had bagged such a trophy, even after the carcass was weighed at the check station. He had weathered the stings of the rest of his fellow workers for three years. Now, because this was the first day of his vacation, he would have to wait two weeks before he could return the taunts. But he could wait. He'd waited a lot longer to get his buck.

VERDON

THE SUN has just begun to peek over the horizon. Sounds of late summer are beginning to stir and blend into the stillness that surrounds the little lake. A muskrat, tired of his nighttime meandering, flip-flops into his watery home. From the shelter belt to the north, a bobwhite sends out his inquiring whistle. High up in the trees a scurrying squirrel decides to add his two-cents worth and begins to chatter shrilly.

Picnickers have not yet arrived, but cottontails move through the grassy cover. A curious white-tailed doe gives a flick of her tail and bounds off into the underbrush.

This is Verdon Recreation Area, one mile west of Verdon on U. S. Highway 73. Situated next to the highway, the small, neat area stands ready year-round, catering to fishermen, picnickers, campers, 26 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   and hunters. Signs on the highway and at the area's entrance make it easy to find.

Verdon's main attraction is its lake. Here, fisheries management is working to turn it into a year-round hot spot. Bank and ice fishermen, and those who prefer rowboat angling are .discovering what the 30-acre lake can offer.

Anglers can take their choice of spots along the lake. If you live near the recreation area, it's a good place for some day's-end fishing. Bank fishermen will find plenty of elbowroom, and though motorboats aren't permitted, rowboats are.

This past spring, Verdon ranked as one of the top fishing spots in southeastern Nebraska. Bass were the big takers with occasional bluegill and crappie coming into the creel.

Verdon is a good example of the kind of fishing proper management can bring. In the spring of 1961, fishing luck was almost nil. There were lots of bass, but size-wise they were the runts. Four-year-old bass were averaging seven inches in length and weighed only about three ounces. Technicians seined Verdon and removed some of the bass population, leaving room for the remaining fish to grow. Through seining, 70 per cent of the bass were removed.

The management effort was well worth the effort. This spring the bass had grown to an average of 13 inches in length and weighed up to IV2 pounds. Fishermen cashed in on the bonus fishing and reports showed Verdon ranking as southeastern Nebraska's hottest fishing spot.

Technicians are attempting to solve Verdon's vegetation problem. For the past few years, middle and late summer has seen the lake covered with weeds, making fishing almost impossible. This year's vegetation growth was greatly below that of some of the previous seasons. Where for some time there was no fishing during the hot summer months, this last summer's anglers found open water. Experiments will be continued at Verdon and other waters in an effort to learn the answer to the aquatic vegetation problem.

Fishing truly has no season at Verdon. Year-round, anglers can find plenty of sport. Even when winter freezes the water, ice-fishing enthusiasts can look forward to creeling scrappy bluegill.

But Verdon is not an area limited to fishing. It's in the heart of quail country. Hunters will enjoy camping and hunting at the recreation spot. This is also deer country, and squirrel and cottontail hunters will find plenty of action.

Picnickers and campers are also kept in mind. The attractive picnicking and camping area is set in the shade of tall pines and cottonwoods. Picnic tables are readily available as are fireplaces, pumps for fresh water, and latrines. The grounds are covered with a well-cared-for carpet of grass and it makes the ideal place for a barbecue or leisurely picnic. When the children tire of running around, fishing, or watching the small animal life that abounds here, they can take their turns on the swing set or teeter-totters that are provided for their enjoyment.

Campers will enjoy pitching their tents or setting up their camping trailers. Never crowded, Verdon is ideal for an overnight stay. The picnicking and camping space is far enough away from the highway that the sounds are no bother.

This is Verdon Recreation Area, waiting to give you the time of your fishing life, catering to the camper and picnicker looking for a restful, uncrowded play spot. Add it to your weekend plans now.

Dick's Hobby Craft

S & W — MARLIN — STEVENS — SAVAGE — H & R — CENTRAL GUN Inc

PROGRESS

or recently renovated and there is not an established fish population present. Consequently, to maintain a fish species where they have no natural spawning area, it's necessary to provide an artificial spawning bed.

Fish species new to Nebraska are also being given a trial. Sacramento perch, the only native of the sunfish family found west of the Continental Divide, have been stocked in some selected Sand Hills lakes. This species is able to withstand higher mineral content than most native varieties and is being tried in lakes which are unsuitable for other fish.

The removing of fish from the watersheds of new and proposed reservoirs is in full swing. Red Willow was completed last fall and work is under way in the watersheds of the Salt-Wahoo reservoir system. Still to be done is the watershed of the reservoir on the Snake River. Although all fish are not killed by the rotenone used on these projects, enough are eliminated to allow development of a good game-fish population in the reservoir before rough fish can become a problem.

There is a rapidly increasing number of lakes in which to fish along with improving management techniques. All in all, Nebraska fishermen can look forward to a bright future. Fish science and research are playing a big part in that progress.

OUTDOOR ELSEWHERE

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Some Pennsylvania pigeons got a little carried away with their home town of Pittsburgh's fame as the "Steel City". When the building where they usually nested was torn down, the pigeons migrated up river to a factory yard. When they couldn't find any of their usual nesting materials, they improvised with scrap tin that was lying around and built what probably is the sturdiest nest in the country.

WASHINGTON, D.C. . . . More and more landlubbers are taking to the open water according to the U. S. Coast Guard report, "Recreational Boating in the United States ". At the end of 1961, 3,085,732 motor boats had been numbered under the provisions of the Federal Boating Act of 1958. Michigan led the list with 428,974 boats registered. California came in second with 260,527. Wisconsin registered 224,509 boats, New York, 221,264, Minnesota, 180,827, Florida, 177,658, and Texas, 173,091.

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Two car salesmen were watching the busy street in front of their showroom when they spotted a rabbit starting through the heavy traffic. The hapless animal was immediately hit by a large truck. The salesmen retrieved the rabbit and put him in their garage to recuperate. In a short time, Mr. Rabbit was turned loose again, fully recovered from his ordeal. Apparently he hadn't learned his lesson. He started across the street on the dead run. At the exact spot where he had tried to cross before, a car ran over the rabbit and this time smashed him flatter than a pancake.

MAINE ... It was nothing but utter confusion when a novice Maine hunter reported he had shot a mule. Seems he thought it was a deer. The situation worsened, however, when investigation showed the mule wasn't a mule at all. It was a moose.

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Just how destructive a fox can be was clearly shown when two Pennsylvania officers dug out a den. Part of 8 rabbits, 2 cock pheasants, 2 pheasant hens, 1 muskrat, parts of 4 woodchucks, and a number of small songbirds were among the loot the fox had accumulated.

CALIFORNIA . . . Drunken driving is a menace—and so is drunken hunting. A California hunter found out that you can get into just as much trouble this way, too. Arrested in a drunken condition with six cans of beer and the remains of a half-gallon of wine in his possession, the man went home soberer, wiser, and $250 poorer.

WEST VIRGINIA . . . Muskies came expensive in West Virginia when coal wastes from a deep-mine operation washed into the Little Kanawha River causing an extensive fish kill. Included were three 26-inch-long muskies. The coal company offered $2,500 for replacement of the fish but state fishery experts felt that restocking wouldn't help the periodically polluted stream. To assure three muskie catches equal to those killed, at least 100 would have to be stocked. Since present production costs average about one dollar per inch, costs of the 100 muskies would take the full $2,500. Instead of restocking, it was proposed that funds be used to intensively survey sources of pollution and the existing fish population of the river.

WEAVER'S POTATO CHIPS

SEASON SAVVY

restrictive, to the waterfowler it's a much different story. This is especially true in Nebraska where there is wide variation in migrations across the state. In a short season, a compromise between early and late hunting opportunity is the fairest season for all concerned. Providing the most hunting opportunity for the greatest number is a Game Commission obligation, but this does not mean that each duck hunter will get the season he prefers.

Zoning the state for waterfowl has never been permitted by federal regulations, but it is used for upland game. Through this technique, it is possible to provide more liberal seasons in some areas of Nebraska than would be possible over the entire state. The bobwhite quail is a good example. There is wide variations in the quality and quantity of quail habitat in Nebraska. The northern part of the state is quite marginal, whereas southern Nebraska is normally good quail range. Bobwhite zoning is usually desirable. On the other hand, it is of little or no value for species more evenly distributed across the state.

In Nebraska, standard opening dates normally prevail for all species except waterfowl. This gives sportsmen the opportunity of arranging their vacations to correspond with their hunting desires.

Farmer and rancher attitude also receives careful attention. Since the majority of the hunting in the state occurs on private land, it is obvious that landowners must receive every possible consideration. Sportsmen make their wishes known, too, and their recommendations are given due consideration by the Game Commission.

When all factors have been evaluated and put in their proper perspective, final Game Commission action sets the stage for another year of excellent hunting. In Nebraska, game seasons provide maximum recreation for the greatest number, minimum waste of the state's abundant game resources, and more than adequate brood stock for the coming year. This is good game management; this is wise use of natural resources, hence wildlife conservation at its best.

SPEAK UP

"For six or eight years prior to subscribing to OUTDOOR Nebraska we made an annual trip to Minnesota. We enjoyed these trips but they only came once a year. The rest of the time we just sat around and talked about last year's trip or planned for the next one.

"After subscribing to your magazine we began to realize that there actually were places right here in Nebraska that provide recreation possibilities equal or superior to those found in Minnesota. After checking a few of the spots mentioned in OUTDOOR Nebraska, we realized what we had been missing. Now, instead of a vacation of one or two weeks a year we purchased camping equipment and have been making weekend trips to the current hot fishing spots around the state.

"Of all the magazines we get, we enjoy yours the most. It makes a lot of difference when we read stories that we can prove ourselves.

"Keep up the good work. You'll have our subscription as long as OUTDOOR Nebraska is printed."—Mike Novicki, Columbus.

"We appreciate OUTDOOR Nebraska and enjoy reading the fine stories as we here in Texas seem to have much in common with Nebraska in our outdoor facilities and opportunities.

"The July feature on crows in "Notes on Nebraska Fauna" was particularly interesting. When the birds migrate they must select Texas as the natural place to go. They are found throughout west, east, and south Texas in sky-blackening flights.

"Farmers here have an unusual method of keeping crows out of watermelon and truck-garden patches. They use a soft cotton-strand rope about one-quarter inch in diameter. Inserted along the string are firecrackers spaced about six inches apart. The melon grower then ignites the string at the bottom and, as the rope burns, firecrackers go off in 20-minute intervals. Growers say this method keeps crows from even nesting in trees surrounding the fields of ripening melons."—Sam Malone, Jr., Nacogdoches, Texas.

"I want to know why people don't leave the prairie dogs alone. They have lived in Nebraska for hundreds of years and should be allowed to continue."—Nickey Lynn Bergslrom, Merna.

The Game Commission agrees that the prairie dog should not be eliminated from the Nebraska scene through indiscriminate poisoning. In local areas they can and should be controlled in cases where their burrowing habits interfere with agricultural operations. Control does not mean total extermination, however. The Game Commission is especially interested in maintaining this popular tourist attraction on state lands. Unfortunately, in some instances, the dogs have been killed there. A few widely scattered prairie-dog towns still exist in the state and the Game Commission feels they should be allowed to continue. They are an interesting link with the state's pioneer past.—Editor.

LEE LOADER

Harold Warp's Pioneer Village.

YOUR NEBRASKAland FUN GUIDE

BIG MAC'S BIGGEST

figured the only chance was to follow him back and forth along the shore and hope he stayed out of deep water.

I stumbled along the sandy shore, trying to keep up with the ton of dynamite on the end of my line. My feet were getting soaked but I didn't care. I started to reel in line but the fish broke for deep water again, a process that would be repeated a dozen times.

Sweat poured from my brow now, the battle 10 minutes old. A big blister was forming on my thumb from the whirring handle, but I didn't care. People were beginning to gather and the next time the fish came into shallow water all tried to identify him.

But my fish wasn't sticking around to let them find out. Away he went again, the reel screaming out line. About this time I began wondering what I would do with the big fish even if I was successful in playing him close to shore. I didn't have a gaff hook or net.

The fish played his game of tearing up and down the shore with me in hot pursuit for the next 15 minutes, bolting for deep water at the end of each run. It seemed impossible that the line had held this long. But my catch was weakening. There was less fight every time I reeled him in closer to shore.

Now that he was in close I could see that he was a northern, the biggest I'd ever seen. A couple of guys from McCook (I never did get their names) came running out with dip nets. The two men gingerly stuck a net over his gaping mouth and another around his thrashing tail. Together we hauled him up on the beach.

The northern was a whopper, but I didn't figure he was a record-breaker. It took some convincing from the onlookers to get me to haul him up to Sports Service Bay to be officially weighed in. I've never been one to be concerned about records. The catching and the sport of it is the important thing.

But seeing the look on Earl Cogil's face was worth all the effort. I went in first without the northern 32 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   and asked him if he was weighing fish for the Ogallala Chamber of Commerce fish contest. He said he was in a disinterested sort of way, busy with another customer at the time. I carried the fish in over my shoulder and dropped it at his feet. Genial Earl's jaw dropped down to his chest, the veteran Mac resort operator never seeing a northern pike as big as the one I presented him.

Officially the pike weighed in at 27% pounds and stretched 46% inches. The old record was a 25%-pounder taken by Tom Kinder and Larry Reid of Goodland, Kansas from Enders Reservoir in 1959.

Word spread up and down the reservoir's 105-mile shore line, and the first of 2,000 that would see the fish that night and Sunday came in to inspect the record pike. Bob Gaston of the Chamber convinced me that the northern should be mounted and put in the organization's traveling display.

By Sunday evening I was completely bushed. I still couldn't believe that I had landed the 46y2-inch tiger. I still don't. But I'm convinced of one thing, catching sea bass off of Corpus Christi and four-foot sand sharks off the Okinawa coast will never match the thrill of landing my northern. I know. I've caught them all. Night crawlers, snelled hooks, six-pound-test line—they all add up to the fish that shouldn't have been caught. Maybe he shouldn't have, but he was, and I caught him.

RALSTON TRAILER RENTAL

CONGRESS INN

notes on Nebraska fauna...

SHORT-NOSED GAR

THE FISHES of the gar family (Lepisosieidae) are found almost exclusively in North American waters. Gars are often referred to as living fossils since their relatives are nearly extinct. Fossilized specimens have been found in Europe. Like the sturgeons, those presently plying North American waters are holdovers from prehistoric times.

One of the primary reasons for survival is the fish's armor-like covering. The scales are diamond shaped, interlocking, and coated with a material similar to enamel. The gar does not scale readily as do other fishes. All the gars belong to one genus, Lepisosieus, Lepis meaning scale and osteus, bony. Hence, the gars are bony-scaled fishes.

Another characteristic which has aided in the fish's survival is the swim bladder. It is connected to the pharynx and may be used as a lung. When other fishes are dying, due to lack of oxygen, the gar can surface and receive oxygen by taking in air.

The short-nosed gar, Lepisosieus plaiosiomus is found in the Missouri River and its oxbow lakes and backwaters. It may occur in the tributary streams such as the Platte and Elkhorn rivers. Distribution is from Minnesota to Texas. The short nose is known 34 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   by such common names as stub nose, Billy gar, and short bill.

Drawn out into a tough, bony beak or snout, the face is easily recognizable. The teeth are long, cone shaped, and sharp, and are arranged in a single row on both upper and lower jaws. The huge alligator gar, common in southern waters, has a double row of upper teeth. The body of the short nose is long and cigar-shaped, attaining a length of about three feet. He weighs from one to five pounds. Coloration is brown to olive green or yellowish on the back fading to white beneath. A few dark spots occur on the gar's tail.

Young grow rapidly and may be 10 inches long the first year in favorable habitat. Spawning takes place in the spring. Eggs are scattered in the shallows and left unprotected. The short nose prefers the warm waters of rivers and oxbow lakes and the still waters of the pools of rivers. Apparently this gar is found in muddy streams, as opposed to the long-nosed gar which seems to have a preference for cleaner waters.

Also common in Nebraska, the long nose attains a length of around five feet and has a longer, narrower snout. The spotted gar may occur rarely in the Missouri. This species has spots over most of the body and may grow to four feet in length. The alligator gar is a fresh-water giant once common in the Missouri. He's now found mainly in southern regions. Pollution and siltation are probably two major factors in the reduction of his northern range. This giant lives up to his name. Specimens have been taken weighing in excess of 300 pounds, and measure nine-feet long.

Food is primarily fish although the gar does eat some insect larvae and crayfish. As expected, the fish is a fierce predator and probably does some good in helping hold down populations of small forage fishes which sometimes tend to become overabundant.

The gar feeds by sight. He has a habit of basking near the surface, floating like a stick or log. He is quite sluggish, except when feeding. Then he moves swiftly and strikes viciously.

There is little if any economic importance attached to the gar. Use as food is limited to local areas of the country. Gar eggs or roe are considered poisonous and should not be eaten. The short nose is generally considered a nuisance and can become so abundant as to warrant control measures. His armor-plating and fierce feeding tendencies make him almost immune to attack and predation from other fishes.

Anglers take few of these fighters. Most are usually caught while fishing for other species. One method of taking gar is by the use of a wire snare with a minnow suspended inside. The loop of the snare is drawn tight about the beak when the hungry predator strikes the bait. Gar may be taken here by means of spearing or bow fishing from April 1 to December 1. There is no limit. If a bowman wants to check his arrow's penetrating ability, let him try the tough hide of the gar. He should have a few extra tips along, however, to repair those that become bent from striking the skin.

The short nose will take spinners, flies, and plugs but prefer minnows and crayfish. When fishing for either the short or long-nosed varieties, use small, sharp hooks and spinning gear. Bait up with a crayfish, allowing some of the offering to trail the hook. Cast the bait past the gar and retrieve by skittering the lure on or near the surface in front of the fish. Be ready for a strike that is short and swift, the rush often resulting in the bait being knocked completely out of the water. He's hard to hook due to the tough, bony beak, but once on, the angler will have a barrel of fun landing him. When creeling the fighter, watch out for those sharp teeth. Many anglers carry a hammer in the boat when fishing for gar, the perfect weapon for killing the catch.

Probably as old as the Missouri, the short nose adds a special touch to the fish scene. He's every inch a fighter, armed with hide, teeth, and temperament that will guarantee him a place here for a long time to come.

Musts FOR HUNTERS