SEPTEMBER SQUIRRELS

THE SQUIRREL had scampered into the hole in the branch just as I started to raise the .22 to my shoulder. I needed a bushytail desperately. My wife, Arline, had been giving me the business. In her first try at squirrel hunting, or for that matter any kind of hunting, she already had one and I was still skunked.

About a half hour earlier I knocked one from a swaying branch high in an old oak but somewhere between there and the ground he had lodged in a SEPTEMBER, 1963 3   fork and never came down. Arline and I looked for him for about 20 minutes or so, but the still heavily-leaved tree just wouldn't give up it's prize. It was early in September and the heavy foliage made our hunt a real toughy.

Arline's taunts as she left for another try through the creek bottom made me determined that this one was going to be taken. "OK mighty hunter, see if you can get at least one before we go home," were her parting words.

In a way I had no one to blame but myself. My wife hadn't wanted to go hunting in the first place. It had been my idea all the way and took about three days to talk her into the outing.

I settled back against a fallen trunk, positioning myself so the leaves from another tree screened me from view. It was almost a perfect spot. I could just barely see the open nest and there were no branches in the way to deflect the bullet. "This is one spot," I thought, "when all these leaves are going to work to my advantage."

It takes about 15 minutes for a squirrel to settle down after being startled, even if you don't shoot at him. This was a good time to go over a few things in my mind. The open sights on the single shot left a little to be desired in heavy cover. A 3-power scope would probably be the answer and I made a mental note to suggest that the next time Arline or our two sons bugged me about a Christmas or birthday present.

The scope would come in handy as a spotter, as you can glass an area pretty well at a distance before moving in for shots. Early in the season when the leaves are still on, a squirrel can be out sunning 4 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   himself on a branch without being seen from below. Beating the leaves is a challenge, but it's more comfortable than cold-weather hunting.

A slight movement at the den brought me back to the business at hand. At first it was just a flicker but soon I could make out the head of my intended victim. He looked around, decided it was safe, and started out of the hole. Just as I was slowly raising the gun to my shoulder a blue jay made a pass at the den and he popped back in. There was a minute of quiet, then the same routine. This time he was half out and then stopped for a better look. He was a perfect target but I was afraid he would fall back in the den. I bided my time, waiting for the bushytail to get all the way out so he would fall to the ground when hit.

This time it was Arline who sent him scurrying back in. I heard the flat report of her over-and-under .22-.410 in the early-morning air and her shrill scream of delight. I started toward her and got over to the edge of the creek that winds through the woodlot in time to see her poking in the water with a stick.

"Could you help me dear?" she said in that helpless feminine way wives give out when a storm door is stuck or the car won't start. I fell for it and gallantly hurried over. There was a squirrel floating along in the current. My first reaction was to let it go. Now she had a pair and I was still looking for my first. But I gave in and retrieved it for her.

"I guess it wasn't too good an idea to shoot him over the water," Arline said. "He was running across this branch, and I wanted to shoot him before he got away."

"Running shots yet," I thought. "The next thing she'll be doing is shooting them as they leap from branch to branch."

If you can't beat them, join them, I figured, and tagged along to find out Arline's secret of successful squirrel hunting. We wandered through the flat land along the banks of the wandering Salt Creek. Large oaks and elms made a perfect home, as the numbers of tree nests testified. Corn and milo fields along side made for a plentiful food supply. With food, water, and shelter it was an ideal spot to find bushytails.

There was still evidence of the flood waters that raced through Salt Creek late in June. Trees along the steep banks had tumbled into the creek from the force of the raging current, making natural bridges here and there to cross the now-quiet stream. The completed dams on the Salt Creek flood-control project had saved many acres from destruction, though, and the additional dams now being built and planned for future years will end this waste of valuable farm land.

A squirrel scampered out of a cornfield for the safety of his tree home. I snapped off a shot, throwing a cloud of dirt about a foot behind him. Arline took her time, but he made it safely to the tree before she was ready. We rushed over, getting on opposite sides so at least one of us would get a clear shot. But this bushytail was no novice. He scooted up the trunk, zig-zagging his way so neither of us got a chance to get a shot.

We crossed over a tree bridging the stream and headed for a quartet of stately oaks, towering over the rest like sentinels. "This looks like a good spot," I said. "We'll each pick out a tree, sit under it, and wait them out for a while."

I selected a tree that gave me a good view of two others and, at the same time, broke my silhouette so that I blended into the (continued on page 38)

they DIVE FOR SPORT

LIKE A CREATURE from another planet, the black-suited diver eased himself over the side 1 of the boat and disappeared into chilling Lake McConaughy. *A wavering trail of bubbles marked his downward progress. It was quiet in the boat, the only sound coming from the soft slapping of the waves against the bow.

The international diver's flag, red with a white diagonal stripe, bobbed lazily on the float alongside, warning all that a diver was below. Five minutes had ticked by when bubbles started coming up again, first in ones and two's, then more as if there was an urgency behind their rapid ascent.

Other divers crowded to the side of the boat expectantly, waiting for the return of their partner. Suddenly he burst out of the water, throwing a shower of spray and holding a still-wiggling carp aloft, impaled on his spear. Pausing only long enough to deposit the fish in the boat, the diver took off for the depths again.

A new Game Commission regulation has opened up this fascinating sport to scores of skin divers. Fishing in the eerie underwater world is becoming more popular every day. It's legal to take several species of non-game fish, including buffalo, carp, gar, quillback, carp sucker, sucker, and shad in some state waters. The season is open year-round and there's no limit to the number or size of rough fish taken.

Carp and other rough fish are no easy mark for the gun-wielding skin diver. Naturally curious, they watch the hunter with unblinking eyes. But 6 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   as soon as he gets too close, they're gone in a flash. Stalking takes both experience and patience.

A rubber-band-powered spear gun is effective up to about 18 feet with the most deadly range under 15 feet. A carp or gar will usually spook before that. In addition, the fish has his choice of going forward, up, down, or to either side. That's five different escape routes and the skin diver has just a split second to guess the right one before he fires.

When the gun is fired the arrow-like projectile hisses its way to the target. A stout line attached to the head of the arrow and to the spear is used to bring in the quarry, or, as often as not, to retrieve the spear for another shot. Regulations prohibit the line from being more than 20 feet long. This prevents long shots that might injure another diver.

The rubber-band-powered spear gun is the most popular of the three methods allowed in skin diving. Hand spears, with an effective range of less than 10 feet, and spring-loaded guns can also be used.

While rough fish are wary and hard to stalk, game fish are almost a nuisance at times. Bluegill and crappie swim right up to the diver, striking at fingers and even charging into the face mask. Bass and northerns are hungry rascals and look upon a man as just another meal. They aren't dangerous, of course, but are unnerving to the swimmer who finds one following him around with a meal-time look on his face.

Clear water and plenty of swimming room make Lake McConaughy the No. 1 spot among divers. In addition to Big Mac, Lakes Ogallala, Minatare, and Lewis and Clark are open to spear fishing along with Box Butte and Harlan County reservoirs. Private lakes can also be used with permission.

What is needed to try this fascinating underwater sport? There are two kinds of suits, wet and dry. The dry keeps water out and is fine for shallow dives and during warm weather. But in deeper lakes a neoprene wet suit is the answer. Water is absorbed by this ^-inch-thick outfit. The fluid acts as an insulator, keeping the wearer warm even in the coldest weather. This suit consists of shirt, pants, hood, gloves, and sock-like boots.

The scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) tanks are filled with compressed air and generally contain about an hour's supply of air. A demand regulator is attached to the air hoses, allowing air to be breathed in from the tank as needed. The intake valve is automatically closed when the diver exhales.

When all the equipment is on, the diver adds enough lead weight so that he sinks slowly when in the water. By being nearly weightless, the diver moves with a minimum of effort.

With an outfit like this, proper training, and a fishing permit, you are on your way to exploring the depths, bringing up rough fish with your spear gun, cruising by submerged logs festooned with fishing lures until they look like a Christmas tree, and playing tag with a hungry northern.

WAGON Camping

TODAY'S VERSATILE station wagons are made to measure for the outdoorsman in search of lunkers, whether he travels deep in the Sand Hills or heads for the shores of a whopping big reservoir. When rigged right, your outfit can be a home away from home for a week or a week-end.

The wagon's biggest asset is its versatility. You can set up camp in quick order in one spot, then when you're ready to take on new waters, it's a simple chore to pull up stakes and move on, confident that wherever you end up at sundown, both grub and bunk are ready and waiting in the back seat.

Converts to station-wagon camping figure that they have it all over the tent and trailer clan in many situations. They'll admit that they may give up some space geared for comfort and convenience. But what they lose here, they more than gain in speed and ability to get to out-of-the-way places. Economy also comes into the picture. The wagon camper can come up with an operable rig by utilizing sleeping and eating gear from the home.

The first thing you'll need to transform your wagon into a camping rig is a mattress. The air type works fine, but if you happen to have an old three-quarter or full-sized mattress, keep them for your station wagon. Both will fit fairly well in most outfits. You can sleep first class, even getting so fancy as to use sheets. Of course, sleeping bags or spare blankets will meet the comfort needs of most.

Now that you've got a bed, you'll need to round up gear to prepare your grub. A two-burner gas stove is handy and efficient for cooking. These little outfits take up very little room and the cook can rustle up a meal a lot faster than over an open fire.

Cooking utensils are the standard frying pan, kettle, medium sauce pan, and coffee pot. A couple of pieces of polyethylene plastic make a good space-saving pan for washing both dishes and yourself. Just dig a hole in the ground, line it with plastic, and you're in business.

A light portable camp cooler is a must for keeping milk, eggs, and meat fresh. Of course on the return trip, it is used to keep your catch cool and fresh. One more important item is a gas lantern. This will assure plenty of light for late chores after a day of angling.

If you want some shade over the back of the wagon for protection in the event of rain or wind, get yourself a six-by-eight-foot tarp. This can be tied on the top of the wagon and supported either to nearby trees or propped up on two corners by poles. This addition will almost double the working area. Other refinements, not altogether necessary but nice to have along, are small camp stools and a folding table. Pieces of cheese cloth taped over open windows assure plenty of ventilation while keeping out bugs. For privacy, you'll want to rig up curtains for the back windows of your wagon, especially in public areas.

When you do travel into Nebraska back country, don't forget a few emergency items such as a handy compact trench shovel. Other items such as first-aid kit, snake-bite kit, rope, and axe may be needed so make a place for them under the back seat.

Remember your station wagon offers ample room to haul all your gear but organization is important. A lot of time and patience can be wasted if you're forever moving stuff around. Fold the mattress, bedding and all, to the front of the wagon when not in use. Keep the stove, cooler, grub, and lantern close to the tail gate. Load it right and you'll be surprised at the gear you can get in your wagon.

Many equipment manufacturers are catering to the wagon-camping trend. Items such as double air mattresses, kapok wagon mattresses, double sleeping bags, and aluminum window screens are available. Among the really plush ideas is a new rig that has a kitchen unit, stove, sink, and work and storage room that slides out on a track from the tail gate. When the unit is folded back, there is still room for sleeping.

If you are looking for additional room, there are a number of fold out-type tents on the market that attach to the wagon in varied fashions. These convert your wagon into a family unit.

This year make your wagon a home away from home. Once rigged for camping, all NEBRASKAland is yours to explore.

WHERE THE FISH ARE

IF YOU'RE like every other angler, you've wondered just how many and what kind of fish lurked below your offering. There's no way of telling when you're topside, and no one has yet figured out how you can get a fish-eye view without spooking the fish.

Smart fishermen can recognize most likely looking hot-spots. They can tell where holes are and the water in which a particular species congregates. And there are always those that have fished the spot before. But when you come right down to it, it's still a guessing game.

Ron Florea, Jerry Wicks, and Gene Hornbeck made such an educated guess when they took part in a stream survey experiment on the Little Blue River. Fishery technicians offered them a chance to fish a test section of the stream prior to a population survey. This way they could not only test their 12 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   angling skill, but find out just how many fish were on hand to provide fast action.

The Little Blue is known for its catfishing, and the site the trio was to fish showed a good channel catfish population on the previous year's survey. Just to make the experiment more interesting, the three anglers decided to use different baits and fishing techniques.

Wicks, a Hastings businessman, picked minnows as his bait and concentrated on still fishing the holes. Florea, a high school teacher from Trumbull, chose to still fish, using nightcrawlers and minnows. He would work the holes, bends, and deep runs, fishing for about a half hour at each spot. Hornbeck, Game Commission photographer, chose a flyrod with blood-bait offering.

Once rigged, the trio went into action. All took their educated guesses as they worked the test section of the Little Blue. Fifteen man hours of furious fishing were put in before the anglers called it quits. For good measure, they set out five bank lines baited with minnows.

From all of this effort all that was caught was one 12-inch flathead catfish. It was caught by Wicks on a minnow. Hornbeck hooked one fair fish but lost it in a log jam. Florea caught and lost a carp. The set lines produced nothing but bare hooks.

Now it was time for the technicians to move in. Though dejected, the trio was mighty anxious to see the results of the survey. None of them could believe that they were that bad. Maybe the fish population was low. The sampling would soon tell the story.

The technician can use several methods to survey the stream. Because he is dealing with a natural resource that he can't directly see he must use techniques which enable him to see a portion of the fish population. Seining, electric shocking, and spot poisoning all work well, though poisoning is the most thorough.

Rotenone has been the chemical most commonly used for sampling purposes. Its only drawback is that it kills all species present. Recently several states have been experimenting with a chemical which has the same effect as rotenone, but allows the fish to revive when placed in fresh water. As with rotenone, the new chemical affects only fish. Frogs, turtles, and aquatic insects are not hurt nor are any warm-blooded animals drinking the treated water. Technicians had used the new concoction with excellent success in ponds and lakes, but this was to be its first use in stream sampling.

Once the large fine-mesh block net was set at the downstream end of the sample area, the chemical was applied. Every fish (continued on page 33)

LIFE ON A SAND HILLS LAKE

CANINE IMMIGRANTS

THE SIGHT of a free-wheeling springer moving in on a pheasant is as American as hot dogs and mustard. Or so it would seem. Actually the springer made his way here from England, the pheasant from China, the hot dog from Germany, and mustard from Asia.

But just as all these have been blended together to mean America, so have the myriad hunting dogs introduced to the United States over the past 300 years. Of the 45 or so breeds found here, only two or three could be called truly American.

According to well-known authorities, the first mention of hunting dogs being imported to America appears in a diary of one of DeSoto's retainers. The Spaniard wrote that DeSoto brought the dogs along to hunt not foxes, rabbits, or squirrels, but Indians.

Actually dogs were found on the North American continent long before this. It is believed they were brought here centuries before by nomadic tribes who crossed the land bridge connecting Asia and what is now Alaska. There isn't any evidence that Indians used dogs for hunting. Instead they found them invaluable as beasts of burden, watch dogs, and for food in time of famine or feast.

When Coronado's horsemen crossed the plains, they met hunting parties of Indians using large wolf-like dogs to carry their gear. These animals carried 40 to 50-pound packs or were hitched to travois. The introduction of the horse to the plains ended the dog's worth for carrying loads.

The family tree of recognized American hunting dogs started around 1650 when early colonists brought over foxhounds from England. Through the 1700's additional importations were made, including some by George Washington, who began building up a pack of hounds in 1768. Like all dog owners, 22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   Washington had troubles and reported anointing his animals with "hogs lard and brimstone" to cure an epidemic of mange.

These first dogs were hunted in packs but gradually, as they became available to individual farmers, were hunted singly. As the settlers moved westward, they took their dogs with them. From these breeds the numerous raccoon, wildcat, coyote, and mountain lion dogs came about. Few could ever be registered with the American Kennel Club, but to their owners they were and are just as good as the "fancy" breeds.

While Americans were importing hounds from England, European fishermen were starting the first lend-lease program. Fishing off the banks of Labrador, they often brought back local dogs that were excellent for working in the water. British breeders crossed them with existing retrievers there and came up with such popular dogs of today as the Labrador, curly-coated, and flat-coated retrievers.

In 1807 an English ship was wrecked off the coast of Maryland. Among the cargo brought to shore were two Newfoundlands. They were given to one of the rescuers and bred to many of the nondescript dogs then used as retrievers. By 1885 the Chesapeake Bay retriever had come into his own.

The first bird dog to hit American shores was the English setter. Just when this occurred is difficult to say, but it is believed to be in the late 1700's. This English breed became so favored on quail and grouse that pointers, when first imported from England, enjoyed only limited popularity. Some of the original English setters were bred with Irish and Gordon setters. These breeds dominated the American scene, winning the free-for-all stake in the first American field trial held near Memphis, Tennessee, in 1874.

Llewellins, a breed of English setter, was imported from England and gradually took over in popularity. Setters continued to hold the edge on pointers for many years, winning the National Bird Dog Championship from 1896, when it began, until 1909 when a pointer took the title for the first time.

Until pheasants were introduced, pointers and English setters dominated the American bird-dog scene. Soon the German short-haired pointer, Weimaraner, Vizsla, Brittany spaniel, and the springer spaniel became increasingly popular.

When it was first introduced, the Weimaraner was hailed as an all-around dog that did about everything but cook the pheasants after you got home. This German import suffered as a result but has made a come back, its owners recognizing its true value on pheasants and grouse.

In spite of its name, the German short-haired pointer stems from England and Spain. He's a cross between the Spanish pointer, English foxhound, bloodhound, and English pointer. This quartet proved to be a winner for a medium range, moderate-speed dog. The short-hair is an adequate waterfowl retriever, but excels on pheasants and grouse.

The Vizsla, the most recent import, traces its history back a thousand years. Nebraska is the leading state in the nation in Vizsla registrations, and no wonder. Coming from the Hungarian plains, the import is right at home here.

Unique among the spaniels is the Brittany. He is the only spaniel that points. The "Brit" is equally at home in the water as on land. In spite of his small appearance, the Brittany is a tough hombre in thick cover.

Boasting an ability to charge through the heaviest of cover, the springer spaniel has become popular with many hunters. This Englishman is one of the few top-rated bird dogs that doesn't point.

Today's hunting breeds have come from the four corners of the earth. Each has his own special hunting traits, but all have made the sportsmen's lot easier and more enjoyable.

the ROAD BACK

THE SMALL PLANE flew slowly across the lonely Sand Hills to the end of the transect, banked left, and headed off in the distance. Fifteen minutes and 20 miles later the pilot lined up the plane for another straight-ahead run. While he concentrated on the horizon, two waterfowl technicians, their eyes glued below, tallied the number and species of ducks as fast as they could count them.

Elsewhere in the northern plains states and clear into Canada, similar scenes are going on during the spring and summer, as technicians from state and federal agencies take the long count on 1963 waterfowl prospects in the Central Flyway.

As Nebraska technicians conducted their survey, they found much to be encouraged about for the coming season. Many areas in the Sand Hills that had been bone dry in the spring of 1962 were filled with water and holding more ducks than a year ago.

The duck population is up in this 16,000 square miles of prime breeding grounds. Surveys show a breeding population of 115,000. This is considerably more than in 1962, but still under that of years past.

On the deficit side, however, the rain-water basin in south-central Nebraska shows a drop of 50 per cent with only 5,000 ducks. This compares with 10,000 last year and 40,000 as recently as 1960.

Where does this leave Nebraska duck hunters for the coming season? To start with, Nebraska is on the extreme southern fringe of the Central Flyway's waterfowl production factory. It contributes one per cent to the annual supply of ducks in the management area. The bulk of the ducks come from Saskatchewan, with lesser amounts from other Canadian provinces, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Minnesota.

The latter two states report breeding conditions are the best in the past five years. Manitoba is having its best breeding season since 1960. Alberta is excellent in the north and fair to poor in the south. Saskatchewan is spotty.

Most of the ducks Nebraska hunters will be anxiously scanning the skies for this fall come from these high-production regions. Nebraska's contribution of 115,000 breeders this spring as compared to the estimated 9.3 million in the rest of the flyway is slight but, depending on the season opening dates, could provide good early season shooting here.

The aeriel survey of breeding grounds shows 38,000 mallards and 36,000 blue-winged teal making up the bulk of the total. Gadwall are next with 17,000, followed by 11,000 pintail, 5,000 each of shovelers and ruddy ducks, and 2,000 redheads. In addition, there are approximately 1,000 each of green-winged teal, canvasbacks, and baldpates in the estimate.

Mallards showed the greatest jump in numbers over 1962, with an increase of about 13,000 or 141 24 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   per cent. Pintails are up 64 per cent, blue-winged teal 57 per cent, gadwall about double that of last year, while shovelers, ruddy ducks, and redheads have decreased from 12 to 38 per cent.

These figures, taken at face value, can be misleading without knowledge of other factors. In 1962, due to an extremely dry spring, only 69,000 ducks were found in the Sand Hills. This is the smallest number there since surveys were begun in 1954. From a percentage basis almost anything would be an improvement over last year. A 10 or 15 per cent increase from a high production area is more significant than one of double or triple that from a marginal region such as Nebraska.

There's another factor to be considered before assuming the entire flyway has the same increase as Nebraska percentagewise. Ducks on their migration will stop at the first place that has sufficient water for their needs. Therefore, if these ducks hadn't found the necessary marshes in the Sand Hills they would have continued their northern journey and been counted elsewhere in the over-all Central Flyway index.

Encouraging as the picture is, it will take more than one year of high production to bring ducks back to the point they were in the past. Drouths that hit production areas back in the 1930's showed that. Restricted hunting seasons and the acquisition of much-needed marshes was the order of the day. But it was bountiful rains that actually brought waterfowl back to peak seasons in the 1940's and early 1950's. During that time and continuing to the present, marshes have been drained at a rapid rate. In Nebraska's rain-water basin, for example, 80 per cent of the marshes have been emptied in the past 50 years. Much of this was done when duck production continued at a high level.

But when the recent drouths joined with drainage, the full effect became evident. Drouths have plagued man periodically since the beginning of time. However, in the past when rains returned it collected in the basins and ducks could find abundant nesting habitat. If drainage continues at its present rate there will be no place for the water to collect.

As an example, when migrating ducks arrived in the rain-water basin area in 1962, there had been little rain in the spring. Consequently the ducks moved on. Shortly after they left there was a series of heavy rains that filled many of the marshes. But the ducks were gone and this prime habitat remained empty for the summer.

Nebraska's duck production is expected to be well up from 1962, but it will take a number of consecutive high-powered years before it can approach peak seasons.

MONUMENT IN THE MAKING

DINOHYUS, BLOOD gushing from a huge tusk wound in his side, stumbled and fell into the stinking mud at the edge of the flooding river. He fought to free himself, but his strength was gone. His massive head fell forward into the ooze, but he did not feel its suffocating tug. Dinohyus was dead.

The flood rose higher. The water boiled around his remains and tore him free. Far downstream it swung his carcass into the circling water of a great eddy, choked with the flotsam of the dicera therium, the moropus, and a dozen more animals. There, in a common grave, the river buried them all beneath the silt of time, to rest undisturbed for twenty million and six hundred thousand years.

That's the way it might have happened, those long eons ago. But because it happened, western Nebraska may soon have a new public attraction, the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Legislation for its establishment is presently pending before the Congress of the United States.

Dinohyus, incidentally, was a hog, a hog as big as a bison, and with an incisor tooth a full foot in length. One of his fossilized bones was found by Captain James Cook, in about 1878, as Captain Cook rode through the valley of the Niobrara in search of a spot to build a home.

It wasn't the fossil, however, that caused Captain Cook to take squatter's rights to a good stretch of the valley. It was the lush grass that would support a large herd of cattle, and a man retiring from the life of a soldier and scout would need to make a 28 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   living. In 1886 he established Agate Springs Ranch, and settled down to the business of raising beeves.

The presence of those bones on the hillside, however, became a subject that intrigued him more and more. When he happened to meet Mr. O. A. Peterson in 1904, a fossil collector for the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, he told him of the bones. Peterson was interested enough to investigate. Cook had a 17-year-old son, Harold, who helped Mr. Peterson unearth the first few bones of what turned out to be a type of rhinoceros that was new to science.

As he assisted Mr. Peterson with the excavating, the romance of the unknown struck young Harold. Here at his very front door discovery after discovery SEPTEMBER, 1963 29   of ancient animals completely new to science was being made.

This was the beginning. From then on study became a passion with Harold. All channeled toward learning more about those mysterious bones various groups were unearthing on the hills of home.

Together, Captain James Cook and Harold dreamed of creating a museum where there might be preserved these mementos of a far distant past. And what better place to display them than on the very spot the beasts had lived and died? Yet, however interested he was in the field of paleontology, whatever vast knowledge he was able to contribute to furthering it, Harold still remained a rancher.

In a small room at Agate Springs Ranch, Harold continued to study and add to his collections. He worked toward that day when his dream would be realized. But in 1962 death interrupted his efforts. Since then, his wife, Margaret, has "carried on with the plans his death cut short.

And, in 1963, Senator Roman Hruska introduced the bill in the U. S. Senate, a bill to create the 30 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   $1,750,000 Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Some 3,100 acres of Cook's ranchlands on either side of the Niobrara river, adjacent to State Highway 29, portions of the ranch-house area, the smallest post office in Nebraska, and the world-famous fossil deposits will be included in the monument.

Through it will flow tourist travel from Scotts Bluff National Monument to Fort Robinson, and on to the Pine Ridge. The open-air museum on Carnegie Hill, the site of the richest fossil deposits, will house specimens taken from the quarry only a few feet behind the building. Visitors will be able to walk into a tunnel bore which will show ancient bones.

Dinohyus is dead. The great river that flung him there has long since cut deeper into the valley floor and dwindled away. The Niobrara that replaces it is only a younger offspring that dinohyus could have cleared in a single leap. Yet the past and the present are inexorably intertwined, and when the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is ready for full-scale operation, it is hoped by 1967, Dinohyus will be there to welcome you.

OUTDOOR ELSEWHERE

NEW MEXICO ... An Albuquerque man recently came up with a new excuse for fishing with more than one pole as state law prohibits. One of the poles, he said, wasn't working and he was trying to adjust it. The line in question was some 30 feet from his boat and baited with a minnow. He was fined $30.

MISSOURI . . . Conservation Agent Vernon Seiler had a fishing violation recently that turned into quite a party before it was over. After giving a summons to a woman for fishing without a permit the woman's husband flew into a rage. He picked up two fishing rods and threw them in the river. Then he dragged his wooden boat onto the bank, pushed it over the campfire, and piled brush on the fire to make sure the boat burned thoroughly. "I gathered he was upset," Seiler commented.

TEXAS . . . Nature usually has a way of keeping animal populations within certain bounds. The South American nutria once overran the upper Gulf Coast but now is scarce there. What hunters, trappers, and poisoners couldn't do, Hurricane Carla did. The floods caused by this September, 1961 storm killed 90 per cent of these rodents. Now fur buyers are paying as much as $2.75 for nutria pelts and mink food processors are paying up to 6 cents a pound for nutria meat.

PENNSYLVANIA ... A pair of chickens have been fighting over who is to raise two pheasant chicks. A Pennsylvania officer put the day-old birds in a coop with the two Leghorn hens after the chicks had lost their mother in an accident. For the moment, at least, the hens have reached a compromise, each sharing the sitting time on the nest.

CALIFORNIA . . . The city of Ventura plans to spend $1,500 to spray mint-treated perfume downwind to its sewage sump. Complaints of residents in the area led to tests with the perfumery apparatus and it was found to be effective in screening out objectionable odors.

PENNSYLVANIA ... A conservation officer flushed a meadow lark and discovered it had been sitting on a golf ball. He removed the "egg" hoping the bird would still have time for another, normal brood.

PENNSYLVANIA . . . Little Billy Jones made a rare catch in a farm pond recently. He baited up with a strip of bacon and immediately got a bite. He then proceeded to reel in the first catch of its kind in those waters—a Pomeranian dog. Billy managed to remove the hook from the lip of the pet with no damage. There is no verification, however, as to whether or not Billy threw back his catch because of its small size.

NEW YORK ... A fisherman caught some channel catfish and on opening them up discovered they had been feeding largely on mulberries. Having two mulberry trees in his yard, he thought he would do a little experimenting. When the first mulberry-baited hook hit the water the battle was on and since then has used them extensively.

WHERE THE FISH ARE

living in a 200-yard stretch of the river would soon become stunned and drift into the block net below. Fish began splashing to the surface as the chemical swept through the riffles and brush piles. The first to drift into the net were small red shiners. Thirty minutes later fish activity stopped and the net was hauled out. To the surprise of everyone only nine small 4- to 6-inch channel catfish were netted. Red shiners and other river minnows were present in large numbers.

To find out why the test section's fish population was down, technicians donned waders to make a close check of the stream. It didn't take long to find the answer. Where last year deep holes existed, the depth was now about two feet. Because of the sand bottom of the Little Blue, the holes are constantly changing. In high water stages the current fills in one hole and further downstream gouges out a new one.

This was the reason there were no catfish to take the trio's offerings. Though the channel cat feeds in the shallows, he must have deeper holes for resting cover. If this habitat is lacking in a section of the river, usually the channel is also absent. The only mistake the fishermen made was fishing strictly the area assigned to them.

Technicians recorded the information gained at the section, then moved on to the two other test sections that were not fished. Here the river yielded one of her secrets. Neither of the sites appeared to have the looks of the first for fish habitat. But looks are deceiving. The second station gave up 14 catchable-size channels and three one-pound carp. Numerous young channels and a few small flatheads were also present.

The jack pot came in the final stretch sampled. Thirty-one channels from 9 to 16 inches, and 122 from 5 to 9 inches were netted. All catfish were measured and quickly returned to the flowing untreated water. Some were fin clipped and they will be watched for in future sampling. The marked fish will give information on movement and also offer proof of survival from the effects of the chemical.

Everyone taking part in the experiment agreed that in stream fishing, the angler has to move from stretch to stretch, fishing each likely-looking hole. This way the daytime fisherman is more apt to discover the resting concentrations of the channel catfish.

Florea, Wicks, and Hornbeck wish that they followed their instincts instead of sticking to the test site. If they had, there's no telling how many channels they would have creeled.

the ALL-IN-ONE RIG

ON THE WAY to a long-awaited fishing trip thoughts of lunkers are supposed to be uppermost on an angler's mind. But even on a pleasure trip Omaha inventor-manufacturer Bernhardt Stahmer can't always keep his mind on pleasure. On such a trip a few years ago he came up with the idea for his current brainchild—a combination boat and camping rig.

Stahmer has named this latest invention the Handy Andy and claims its uses are practically unlimited. In addition to being a boat and camping outfit, it can be used for such unrelated purposes as a back-yard pool, floating dock, neat car-top carrier and a storage locker. There is no mention of its practicality as a spare bedroom or family fallout shelter, but after all, you can't have everything.

The boat's unique design is the reason for its multiple use. In appearance it resembles the rectangular life rafts used in World War II. The rig's conception and design are as interesting as its unconventional looks.

Stahmer came up with the idea while flying into an inaccesible area on a fishing trip. The usual method to transport the boat or canoe for such trips is to tie the rig to the plane's struts. This cuts down on air speed and maneuverability. The rest of the 34 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   gear was packed into the cockpit like Fibber McGee's closet and this bothered Stahmer's orderly mind.

He came home with the idea of building a boat that could double as a luggage carrier and tent and, at the same time, present the least possible air resistance when strapped to the side of a plane. Go to a marine engineer with an idea like that and see how quickly he throws you out on your ear. But since Stahmer doesn't have the advantage of an engineering degree he went ahead and designed the rig himself.

With 75 patents to his credit for such divergent uses as a machine that makes corrugated potato chips to electrical products used on intercontinental ballistic missies, Stahmer isn't exactly a stranger to working out difficut problems. A rectangular box-like arrangement takes care of storage. Aluminum poles at each corner make it into a tent as well. By rounding the sides and square bow in a half-moon design, it is a seaworthy boat. A square stern would take care of motor and storage.

"By starting without any preconceived ideas of how the rig was supposed to look, we came up with a design that fits all three purposes—tent, boat, and cargo carrier," explains Stahmer. "The all-aluminum construction makes the Handy Andy easy for one person to load on and off the top of a car. Had we designed the rig with the idea of it looking like either of the three basic components, we would have created something that didn't fill the bill in any."

Each Handy Andy comes complete with a two-window tent and a canvas cover that keeps camping gear clean and dry while being transported. The two seats with built-in flotation can be easily removed when the boat is being used as a sleeper or storage container. There are two models, each four feet wide, with one 7% feet long and weighing 53 pounds. The larger 8y2-foot model weighs only 60 pounds. Each rig has 23 inches of free board. Because of the flatbottom design, the boat draws iy2 inches of water with two passengers. Five one-inch-deep aluminum keels run the length of the bottom for stability.

"In this way, for a reasonable price, the average sportsman has a vehicle for carrying his gear on a trip, using it as a boat during the day, and a tent at night," says Stahmer. "It's light so that one man can handle it by himself. Instead of going to the expense of buying a boat, a tent, and a luggage carrier or trailer separately, all three are rolled in one with a Handy Andy."

While he was at it Stahmer decided a racy runabout would appeal to boaters who wanted portability, light weight, and low cost. He took the 8y2-foot Handy Andy, added two aluminum sponsons, a plywood foredeck, and windshield and steering controls and named it the Go-Ski. Weighing only 140 pounds, the Go-Ski easily can pull a water skiier with an 18y2-horsepower outboard motor and has a top speed in excess of 40 miles an hour. Due to its light weight it planes at five mph.

Rounding out his outdoor recreation line, Stahmer manufactures a luggage carrier that fits either on the roof or trunk lid of cars for carrying extra gear. He has also designed a combination game-gun carrier for hunters that is similar in size. Each has weatherproof gasket seal lids to protect the contents against moisture and dust. The hunter model has a padded gun rack that accommodates five rifles.

In his electrical business Stahmer is the largest manufacturer of industrial reels in the world. His boat-camping rig already marks him as the first boat company in NEBRASKAland. Perhaps his latest creation will have as much worldwide recognition.

WHERE TO GO

TUCKED DEEP in the Sand Hills is a primitive area just right for the grouse hunter looking for a spot where he can be sure of sighting sharptails. Rat and Beaver Lakes, a Game Commission special use area, is a natural for the grouse hunter. Its 240 acres of rolling terrain is the stomping ground for many of the prairie drummers.

Thirty miles out of Valentine on U. S. Highway 83, the twin-lake area has long been known by hunters as a real game producer. Deer roam its grasslands and recently stocked antelope find the range to their liking. Ducks frequent these waters and old-timers will tell you of the fabulous pass shooting once found on the estuary between the two lakes when all species were in abundance.

Shaped like three dominos staggered in stair-step fashion, the Game Commision area borders on Rat and Beaver lakes. Some 38 acres of water are in the state area, the balance of the two lakes bordered by private land. Beaver Lake 36 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   nudges into the western end of the area; Rat touches on the east end. The total surface area of both lakes is 572 access-assured acres.

The area, though some distance from the highway, is well marked. Outdoorsmen should look for the Game Commission "Special Use Area" sign at the oiled road leading to Verender's Marsh. This portion of the road is on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. Once you come to a rural schoolhouse, a marked dirt road goes into the area. This is the kind of get-away-from-it-all set-up that a lot of outdoorsmen always dream about but usually never find.

Roughing it is truly the byword here. Hunters should bring enough water and firewood to last them during their stay. None of the typical facilities found at most areas are available, such as fireplaces with wood, water, picnic tables, and toilets.

If you plan to cash in on the area's prime grouse hunting this season, don't forget to bring along your fishing gear. Sandhillers like the brand of bass and perch fishing Rat and Beaver lakes offer. They work the two sites every chance they get. Bluegill and crappie are also creeled with regularity.

Come winter, the hard-water anglers move in. Last year local fishermen enjoyed great success fishing through the ice for perch. There's no reason why the angling shouldn't be the same when the ice moves in again this year.

Beaver Lake is one of the deeper lakes in the Sand Hills. During the drought years the 15- to 18-foot-deep lake was one of the few that didn't go dry. When the rains finally came, bass from Beaver were used to restock many of the lakes in the area when they could support fish again.

Nestled as it is next to the Valentine National Waterfowl Refuge, the two lakes see several species of ducks during the breeding and nesting season. Hunting opportunity depends on the dates and length of the season as set by the Department of the Interior. Mallards, shovelers, pintails, and teal are all found here.

A variety of wildlife frequents the area. In addition to game species such shore birds as gulls, redwings, and curlews can be seen. Muskrats build their dens along the shore and raccoons are in the area. Coyotes prey on a variety of rodents and there are always birds of prey close by looking for their next meal.

If you plan to hunt the Sand Hills this fall, drive into the out-of-the-way area that is Rat and Beaver Lakes. You'll have the opportunity to rough it in the true tradition of the outdoorsman.

SEPTEMBER SQUIRRELS

background. This time a blue jay was my friend instead of enemy. I heard his high-pitched scream as he chased a squirrel down the branch. The bushytail reached the safety of a fork in the tree and the bird departed.

The gun was at my shoulder and I carefully clicked off the safety, waiting for the shot. Nothing happened, though. I peered into the tree, but there wasn't the slightest movement, so I started running my eyes to other branches, hoping for a sign of my quarry. There was still no action so I glanced back to the branch.

Something was wrong. The "branch" had moved about a foot higher up the trunk. Taking no chances, I lined up the target and squeezed off a shot. The elusive squirrel tumbled to the ground and I finally broke out of the loser's column. But Arline still came out ahead. She beat me to the squirrel and held it aloft for all the world to see.

But then she turned from huntress to mother. "We better hurry home," she chided. "David and Dan will be home for lunch soon and I haven't got a thing ready for them."

There isn't any way you can beat a woman, even in what's supposed to be a man's game. She had been reluctant to go hunting but now, as we drove home, she was excitedly planning another try.

"The boys can take their lunch to school next time and we'll have all day to hunt," she pointed out.

Maybe if this keeps up I'll be taking my lunch to work and hurrying home to get dinner ready for the boys while she spends all season tracking down squirrels, pheasants, quail, and all the other game available close to home. I may have created a monster in some ways, but I've given her something different to talk about at the lady's bridge club.

SPEAK UP

"One evening recently one of our young saddle mares came in for water and we noticed what appeared to be cactus spines stuck in her nose. We pulled them out with a pair of pliers. One of our friends said he thought they were porcupine quills. Could you check this out for us? We have lived in this area for 35 years and never saw or heard of a porcupine here. Are porcupines protected in Nebraska? What parts of the state do have porcupines? I would appreciate any information you can give us."—Chuck Wietzki, Burwell.

The quills you sent in are definitely from a porcupine. These animals are found along watersheds and heavily-wooded areas in northern and western Nebraska with isolated cases reported elsewhere. Porcupines are not protected here.—Editor.

"Do you know of anyone who knows different ways of preparing deer meat? We like it very much."—Mrs. M. R. Chubbuck, Lincoln.

"Looking back through some old copies of OUTDOOR Nebraska I came across an article, "More Water Ahead" in the February, 1962 issue. The article tells about the Merritt Dam on the Snake River and the planned Norden project on the Niobrara River. Has Congress approved the Norden project yet? I also want to refer to the article, "Down the Niobrara," which appeared in the June, 1959 issue of OUTDOOR Nebraska. I am sure that anyone who has taken a canoe trip down the Snake or Niobrara will agree with me that this deep canyon country is better left in its natural wilderness state than being covered with large reservoirs, busy with power-driven boats.

"Development is important, but if this section of the Niobrara could be saved at least one area in the state could be left in its natural state. Perhaps other readers who are canoe or float-trip enthusiasts can help save the most beautiful section of this outstanding stream."—Ronald P. Liewer, Butte.

Construction on the Merritt Dam is progressing and is scheduled for closing in 1964. Money for construction of the Norden project has not yet been appropriated by Congress. —Editor.

notes on Nebraska fauna...

RUDDY DUCK

ONE OF NEBRASKA'S most unusual summer visitors is the spritely-colored ruddy duck. This dapper fellow arrives in the state about mid-spring, considerably later than an early invader such as the pintail. The ruddy occurs principally in the Sand Hills and the rain-water basin area in south-central Nebraska, but may be seen in all parts of Nebraska during the spring migration. The species is not extremely numerous here and the spring breeding population ranges up to about 5,000 birds.

The ruddy appears quite small when observed on water, but is heavier than would be expected. The ruddy drake averages about 1% pounds and the hen tips the scales at one pound. This puts it mid-way between a green-winged teal, which weighs slightly less than a pound, and the mallard, which averages about 2% pounds.

Like most other divers, the ruddy must employ a running start to get air-borne. He runs along the surface for several yards before attaining flying speed. Once in flight, he makes quite rapid progress. In flight, his pattern is rather uneven and jerky.

If one were to shoot a drake ruddy in the fall, the duck would have lost the gaudy ruddy-black and 42 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   white colors of his summer plumage. He undergoes a complete post-nuptial molt in August and September. His winter plumage is almost as drab as that of the hen. Even the bill loses its bright blue color.

The ruddy possesses several unique features which sets him off from other waterfowl. Perhaps the most characteristic is that of carrying the tail erect. This habit is only true of the drake, however.

There are other features which give the ruddy a special place in the waterfowl annals. This bird has two complete moults per year; most other ducks have only one. Because the feet are located so far back on the body, both sexes are incapable of walking on land. The male is the only duck with a bright blue bill.

And there are more differences. The male assists in raising and caring for the young. He has inflatable air sacks in the neck, which are used during courtship activities. The female, though weighing only one pound, lays larger eggs than any other duck, except some of the eiders and scooters. Both sexes possess a very bad temper and the female is silent. Certainly these qualities describe a duck that believes in being different.

Shortly after arriving in the state, which is usually about mid-April, their courtship displays are intensified. During these activities, the male swims around the female, showing off his bright summer garb. At the time of these antics, the tail of the male is tilted forward until it nearly touches the head. Then the head is extended forward to the full extent of the short little neck. It is quickly retracted and the bright-blue bill is tapped against the ruddy's red chest. All the while, he utters a low call meant to sound romantic to the hen.

The ruddy goes through another series of maneuvers in which the bill is pressed against the chest and the tail is underwater. During this particular play for attention, the drake scoots across the water at a rapid pace. The female, when sufficiently impressed, emulates some of the male's antics, and shortly thereafter the romance is consummated.

Although courtship has been going on for some time, nesting activities usually commence the latter half of May and continue well into June. The ruddy is a late nester compared to most of the other species who journey north at the same time.

The nest site is usually located on a marsh or pond which has a thick stand of bulrushes or cattails. It is located over water about eight inches above the water level. The nest is basket-like in appearance and is made from the adjacent vegetation. It is firmly attached to growing reeds and as a result of the way it is built, the nest is almost perfectly concealed, and is very difficult for a person to find.

Eggs per clutch varies from 9 to 14. As mentioned earlier, they are very large, about 2.45 by 1.79 inches, and exceed the size of those laid by the canvasback and mallard. The female incubates the eggs, which takes 23 to 24 days. Once hatched, the male pitches in and assists in bringing up the family. It is a common sight to see the male swimming ahead with the brood and hen following behind as they journey proudly for the first time.

The young ducklings are ready to dive and swim as soon as they emerge from the egg and set about the task of obtaining food. Food items taken by the ruddy consists primarily of vegetable matter with about 75 per cent of the diet consisting of pondweeds, bulrushes, and other acquatic plants. The balance of the diet is made up of insects, molluscs, and other animal matter.

In Nebraska, the ruddy is not one of the more important ducks in the hunter's bag. This species usually comprises less than one per cent of the total duck kill. The flesh is generally considered to be less tantalizing to the pallet than many other ducks, but some classify it as quite tasty.

The scientific name of this pompous diver is Erismatura Jamcicensis rubida. The generic name comes from Greek and in translation refers to the stiffened tail. Locally he is commonly referred to by any of the following names: butterball, bluebill, bristetail, brown teal, bullneck, butterduck, dapper, or spiketail plus a host of other appellations. But whatever his name, the ruddy is as unique as they come.

GO-GO INDUSTRIES PRESENTS

GO-GO MAKES THE GOING FUN the year-round, whether you're a boater, skier, camper, or traveler. GO-GO's fine family of unique dual-purpose vacation gear features the versatile HANDY ANDY, the all-in-one boat, camper, and car-top carrier. Incorporating its years-ahead construction concepts are the flashy, deluxe-equipped GO-SKI and the most useable luggage carrier yet developed, LOTTA-LUGGER. Realistically priced yet quality constructed, GO-GO's right for you.

GO-GO PRODUCTS FEATURE many of the basic structural designs of today's aircraft. All-aluminum made, you're assured of maximum strength with minimum weight. Your HANDY ANDY includes a wood deck, oar locks, float seat, canvas cover, and complete tent attachment, all for $199.50*. For those beautiful extras, then GO-SKI is the boat for you at just $299.50*. And before your next trip, see how the LOTTA LUGGER LL-1000 can make the going great for only $69*. Pick the GO-GO that's right for you, then head for a date with fun.