BIG LEAGUE PHEASANTS

Gaudy ringnecks take autumn spotlight for baseball stars

ROAMING THE wide expanses of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium is no problem for Nebraska's Russ Snyder. The fleet outfielder isn't a stranger to moving quickly from one place to another. Latching onto a screaming line drive off the bat of Mickey Mantle is easy after spending his boyhood lining up on the express-train rush of a startled pheasant. A blooper by Nellie Fox isn't much different than the twisting, turning antics of a Nebraska quail.

In his five years in the major leagues, Snyder has talked up NEBRASKAland hunting with his teammates, first with the Kansas City Athletics, and now with the Baltimore Orioles. Each fall he rounds up his baseball pals for an annual pilgrimage to his home town of Nelson in south-central Nebraska.

At first only Kansas City teammate Bob Cerv, who hails from Weston, listened to Snyder when he talked of the fabulous pheasant hunting in Nebraska. But other teammates decided to give it a try after the 1959 baseball season was over. All came away convinced Snyder's enthusiasm for NEBRASKAland wasn't just idle conversation. Now an invitation to visit Snyder's home for pheasant hunting is as eagerly looked forward to, almost, as much as a chance to play in the World Series.

Every year the group gets larger. Last fall the squad was made up of Cerv, who is out of baseball now after a long career with the New York Yankees, Athletics, and New York Mets; Whitey Herzog, Snyder's roommate at Baltimore before he moved on to the Detroit Tigers; Jerry Lumpe and Norm Siebern of the Athletics; and Bill Tuttle of the Minnesota Twins.

In addition, there were a dozen other associates and friends who succumbed to Snyder's pheasant OCTOBER, 1963 3   talk. These men are baseball fans first, but are now ardent boosters of NEBRASKAland hunting.

BIG LEAGUE PHEASANTS continued

After a hearty opening-day breakfast prepared by Snyder's wife, Ann, and his mother, Ruth, the gang got down to business. Cerv, known as a slugger throughout his long major league career, started the ball rolling with the first rooster of the day. Before noon he had his limit. The rest "struck out" a few times before getting the range. By the time the smoke cleared and it was time for dinner, the group had 54 gaudy ringnecks.

It was a weary bunch that headed back to Snyder's home. They were as tired as if they had 4 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   finished playing a long double header but, at the same time, exhilarated with the same feeling as after a perfect day at the plate. That evening they got together for a bull session, but instead of complaining about Jim Bunning's fast ball, it was the pheasants that eluded their efforts that came in for comment.

Sunday was windy, good for a knuckle-ball pitcher, but tougher on hunters. This time the group filled out without too much trouble. That evening they were guests of the Elks Lodge in Superior.

Snyder didn't let the group rest on its laurels. It was up-and-at-them bright and early Monday morning. Fortunately they were in good shape after a full season of baseball. Snyder had them galloping from one spot to another with only a break at noon for the Nelson Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Business commitments began thinning out the gang by Tuesday morning and life began to return to normal at the Snyder household. The happy hunters were on their way home, loaded down with pheasants and memories of an exciting three-day hunt.

Snyder had some time to spend with his family and got in more hunting. Of course he had to do a little visiting around the community, taking congratulations on his .305 batting average. The Orioles' seventh-place finish was tactfully ignored. Cerv didn't waste any time talking. He stayed on for nearly three weeks, spending each day out in the field after pheasant and quail. The former University of Nebraska star athlete had plenty of game dinners for the winter months by the time he left for his home in Kansas City.

Snyder's friends were among 16,038 nonresident hunters who came to Nebraska last season to get in on the outstanding mixed-bag hunting. These men are experienced hunters, familiar with game conditions throughout the country. Their choosing NEBRASKAland is proof positive that excellent hunting and warm western hospitality brings hunters back year after year.

The 29-year-old Snyder is a walking advertisement of Nebraska hunting. Wherever he travels throughout the American League he talks up the great mixed-bag hunting of pheasants, quail, grouse, deer, antelope, and turkeys in his home state.

Snyder's team will be back again this fall. Ed Lopat, manager of the Athletics and former star pitcher with the Yankees, is among the baseball players lined up for the trip. His one-man campaign is helping to put Nebraska on the hunting map. Now when he travels around the league his friends don't bother to ask Snyder what his batting average is. Their new question is, "How are the pheasants doing?"

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 5

 

RINGNECK BONANZA

Longest in the nation — that's Nebraska pheasant success story

BOASTING A WIDE distribution and good concentrations, NEBRASKAland offers the longest pheasant season in the nation. Whether the hunter takes on the stubble of the wheat country, the cornfields of the east, or the heavy cover of the soil-bank lands, he'll find ringnecks aplenty.

This year's top hunting populations are generally in areas of mixed farming and grazing land, such as those in central, south-central, and northeastern Nebraska. All productive habitat, with ample feed and good nesting cover, will provide excellent hunting.

The irrigated farm lands, although carrying a good pheasant population, have some drawbacks. In the alfalfa areas, the high loss from harvesting operations cut down the bird production. Southeastern Nebraska supports only a fair population. The Sand Hills range country offers limited pheasant hunting in and around marshy areas.

Wheat belts of the southwest and the western panhandle have always carried a very good population. It is in these areas that large concentrations of the birds build up later in the season. During the early part of the hunt, however, you'll find the birds spread out over the stubble land in small flocks.

The ringneck was introduced into the central part of the state in the 1920's, with the first season being OCTOBER, 1963 7   held in Sherman and Wheeler counties in 1927. Since that eventful day 36 years ago, this refugee from the rice fields has been cackling his way into the hearts of thousands of Nebraska gunners. In 1962, 1% million birds fell to 166,351 pheasant hunters.

Many hunters believe that the cantankerous bird is becoming more of a runner every year. He's plenty smart and it doesn't take long for the ringneck to wise up to the ways of the hunter. There'll be many an old rooster that the hunter will never get a shot at. He'll pull all the evasive tricks of his clan to survive.

But if you know pheasant habits, you can bring home birds. When the light begins to show in the eastern sky the rooster moves out to feed. Sometimes he flies, but usually he walks from roosting cover to the fields. After an hour or two in the feeding area, he'll seek loafing and dusting areas for the midday hours, then move again into feeding cover in late afternoon. As darkness falls, he'll return to his roost. Hunting pressure and weather may alter his routine somewhat, but it will not change his need for food and cover.

Seeing good numbers of pheasants is often easy, but bagging them is another matter. The hunter that is consistently coming in with his limit of birds has learned the ways of the ringneck. When shooting hours begin, he works the short-grass pastures and wheat stubble where pheasants prefer to roost. If neither are available, the birds will roost along grassy ditches, fence rows, and in alfalfa. Look for cover that is fairly thick and about a foot high.

RINGNECK BONANZA continued

The birds are fond of most grains but corn, milo, and wheat are favorites. If there are two cornfields together, one being fairly clear and the other weedy, make your hunting choice the weedy one. Cut milo fields are also a haven, for the grain that falls to the ground is easily accessible to the birds.

Look for loafing cover in soil-bank lands, fence rows, and shelter belts. Tall heavy cover often is used during the midday hours. Heavy stands of foxtail along cornfields and fence rows, plum thickets, 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   brushy creek bottoms, and marsh edges are all good bets. Very often a section of land has but one of these loafing areas, and the hunter who knows the habits of the birds will do well on them.

The number of people in your party determines the type of area to be hunted. When there are only two men, work the small areas, fence rows, small weed patches, and strips of corn. Small creek bottoms can also be hunted successfully.

An ideal group is three gunners and a dog. Use one man at the end as a blocker and the two men working the edges with the dog covering the areas in between. Creek bottoms, shelter belts, strips of cornfields, and weed patches can be worked effectively.

When the cover comes in big blocks, such as huge cornfields, wheat stubble, and large soil-bank acres, more men are needed to cover the area adequately. Use half on the driving line, one flanker on each side OCTOBER, 1963   about 100 yards ahead of the line, and the rest as blockers. The latter should be spotted on each corner and across the middle of the field about 100 yards apart. This setup gives each gunner about a 50-yard shot at anything coming out. Flankers turn the birds back in the field as the drive progresses.

RINGNECK BONANZA continued

Be sure your drivers work slowly. They can be 50 yards apart if they zig-zag the field. When the drive comes within 100 yards of the end everyone should slow down even more and work back and forth to get the birds up. A word of caution. When hunting in drives and large groups, shoot at birds only after they have climbed up against the sky or have passed your line of hunters and are going away.

When hunting any area it is always a good idea to try and work a cover area towards a clearing. If this isn't possible, use a road on one end, but remember to keep your blockers inside the fence as it's against the law to shoot from the road. Another good plan is to surprise the wary cocks when possible. Slipping quietly around a canyon corner upon a piece of good cover is often productive.

Rough weedy gullies in south-central Nebraska are real toughies to hunt. Pheasants feed in the milo and cornfields and spend the rest of the day in gullies. Some of these areas are like canyons and often have many small draws leading into them. They are used mostly as pasture and the grass gives the birds plenty of protection to run out ahead of the hunters. The driver-blocker method works well here. Have the drivers work the main gully while a couple of blockers skirt the small draws, plugging them as the drivers work out each one.

A cock pheasant is probably the toughest upland-game bird there is to kill and choice of gun and load is important. He can carry a handful of shot a country mile if it hasn't broken his wing.

The 12, 16, and 20 gauge all find a place in pheasant hunting, but the trend in the latter two is toward the heavier loads of the Magnums to bring the fire-power up to that of the 12 gauge. The main objective is to shoot a pattern that has enough pellets to kill a bird out at the maximum range recommended for the load. This is why the 12 gauge is popular.

For the man who hunts at least a half dozen times a year, the 12 gauge with a modified choke shooting No. 6's will be hard to better. No. 7% shot will produce a tight pattern and clean kill out to about the 40-yard mark. Beyond this range the light pellets lose penetrating power.

A growing number of hunters have turned to the 12-gauge Magnum loads and shoot No. 4's. This is OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   a real pheasant getter, with the hard hitting velocity and the penetrating power of the large shot producing clean kills out at the 60-yard mark. This outfit along with the 3-inch, 12-gauge Magnum are a bit tougher on recoil and should not be used on close-range shooting under 30 yards. A direct hit at close range with this setup will demolish a bird. Shooting these cloud busters calls for a good judge of distance and a gunner that can pick his lead out at long ranges.

Pheasant hunters are finding that knocking down roosters doesn't necessarily mean putting one in the bag. The tough old birds will use their last breath to dig under any available cover to hide. Knowing how to mark downed birds is important, but to make sure you don't lose cripples, use a dog. Make sure your dog is well trained, handles well, and obeys commands or you'll find most of his pheasants flushing well out of gun range. You are hunting one of the smartest and wariest game birds in America.

Pheasant hunting looks good for 1963. The season will be long enough for you to learn some more tricks of the ringneck. If that shooting eye isn't in shape, you'd better try it out on a few blue rocks. It will pay off beginning the last Saturday in October.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 11  

QUAIL UNLMITED

Get on the bobwhite bandwagon for the trickiest shooting found anywhere

TALK HUNTING with an old hand at quail and he will naturally assume you're speaking about his one and only upland pursuit. Oh, he'll admit there are other kinds of hunting if pressed, but to him life is simple—hunting means quail.

Although Nebraska is on the northern fringe of the bobwhite range, the southern and eastern portions have plenty of these bombshell beauties. Enough, in fact, to keep dedicated hunters busy through the long season enjoyed in NEBRASKAland's mixed-bag bonanza.

There is the excitement when a dog ranges through a field and locks in on a covey. There is a brief moment of quiet as you position yourself for the best shot. Then comes the explosive whir as these half-pound missiles rocket skyward. The blood seems to drain down to your feet as you stand helplessly and openmouthed, watching the covey twist and turn its way to safety.

This is the kind of reaction that can be expected from a first-time quail hunter, especially if he cut his shooting teeth on pheasants and ducks. But to the veteran this is music—a symphony of sound that makes bobwhite the tops in scattergun action.

It takes fast reflexes to consistently score on bobwhite and so a light fast-moving gun is of prime OCTOBER, 1963 13   importance. Sixteen and 20-gauge shotguns are preferred. The barrel should be between 25 and 28 inches long with either an open or improved choke. The short barrel allows the gunner to swing quickly on these fast-moving targets. An open or modified bore gives the wide density important for close-in shooting.

QUAIL UNLIMITED continued

Most gunners prefer Nos. 8 and 9 shot sizes with some going for 7%'s. The smaller the shot size, the more pellets in each shell. As one veteran hunter puts it, "With quail being such difficult targets, I want everything on my side."

As an example, a 16 gauge No. 9 shell contains 657 pellets compared to 461 in a No. 8 and 378 in a No. 7%. The dense pattern from smaller shot comes from having the additional pellets. Some quail hunters use a No. 8 for the first shot followed in the magazine by a pair of No. 6's for the longer shots.

In no other kind of hunting does a dog play such an important part as tracking down elusive quail. Close teamwork between hunter and dog is vital. An uplander without a dog goes into the field as naked as a jay bird when it comes to having much of a chance on getting a limit.

Pointing breeds such as the setters, Brittany spaniel, English pointer, Weimaraner, Vizsla, and German short-hair are all top quail dogs. Flushing breeds are of practically no value, although some hunters use retrievers in conjunction with their pointing dog to track down cripples. The close-working smaller breeds are most popular in Nebraska's farm country. Larger breeds do better in open country.

The southeast corner of the state is the traditional bobwhite range, followed in popularity by the Platte and Republican river drainage systems and the northeast counties bordering the Missouri River. Latest reports from Game Commission technicians show the southeast holding about the same number of birds. The Republican shows a 29 per cent increase with indications that this area has the greatest density. The northeast, where there was a marked decrease last season, is on the way back, and the Platte also shows a slight increase.

Nebraska's prime southeastern range includes land within a quarter-circle from Thayer County in the south and to and including Otoe County in the northeast. This area has the greatest number of birds, with good numbers found throughout the region, particularly along river bottoms.

The Republican drainage system is comprised of the southern tier of counties east from the Colorado line to the western half of Nuckolls County. The number of birds here is not as great as in the southeast, but they are more heavily concentrated along 14 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   drainages. Very few birds are found any distance away. The same holds true for the Platte drainage. The majority of birds in the northeast live along the bluffs of the Missouri. Scattered colonies are found elsewhere in the state along river bottoms.

Bobwhite are creatures of habit and usually can be found in the same general areas throughout the season. They start off the day later than most game birds, leaving their roosts of brushy draws, soil-bank land, and multiflora rose hedges around eight in the morning. From there they breakfast on milo, corn, or, in bad weather, weeds.

It's back to heavy cover during cold or wet weather or to sandy places for dusting during warm sunny days. In mid-afternoon, the quail hit the chow line again until dusk when the birds return to the roosting area. Unless disturbed, bobwhite will usually roost within a 100-foot area each evening.

When the dog points a covey, walk up slowly to the point, bringing the gun to the ready position Face the direction the birds will probably fly, remembering quail ordinarily head for the nearest cover. Standing between the birds and the cover usually results in the birds flying at the hunter.

The natural inclination is to fire directly into the covey on the mistaken impression that at least one bird can be brought down in this manner. It is far better to wait a brief second, pick out an individual bird, and fire. Quail are erratic in flight, making snap shooting a better bet than the follow through used on pheasants or ducks.

Quail hunting begins in the summer for experienced gunners. A few trips through your favorite area will determine the location of coveys that can be worked during the open season. It's also a good time to get on a person-to-person basis with landowners.

Scaled and coturnix quail have been introduced in Nebraska in recent years. Although a rarity, either can be hunted during the regular quail season. Hunters bagging either species are asked to contact the Game Commission. The scaled quail is similar in size to the bobwhite, but is of a blueish color with a small but prominent topknot. The coturnix is considerably smaller and lighter with a stubby tail and narrow pale streaks on his breast.

The tiny bobwhite weighs in at a mere six to eight ounces but don't let his size fool you—King Bob reigns supreme with hunters who know him best. It takes a while to get on to his tricks, and just when you figure there's nothing more to be learned, he comes up with more to drive you nuts.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 15  

20,000 SQUARE MILES OF GROUSE

Hit the Sand Hills for the best in chicken and sharptail action

IN THE ROLLING 20,000-square-mile wilderness of Nebraska's Sand Hills the prairie grouse, both sharptail and prairie chicken, still abound. These natives have seen the passing of Indian and homesteader, drought and wet years, and today thrive in the huge expanse of lush grasslands.

Thanks to good range and game-management practices, grouse have increased in recent years. Nebraska, in fact, is one of the few states where prairie chickens can be hunted. The sharptail is more abundant and is found throughout the Sand Hills. Chickens frequent the perimeter of the vast area with higher concentrations in the eastern edge of the hills. Historically both species ranged throughout Nebraska, but the inroads of civilization have left but a few flocks outside the ranch lands of the Sand Hills.

Preferred habitat is those areas that furnish abundant food and cover. The rough, choppy hills with a good stand of grass, a few clumps of plum brush, and a good selection of forage plants such as rose, buck brush, and clover are top sharptail hangouts. Chickens prefer some grain and will frequent alfalfa and hay meadows. Both birds use plum brush thickets and shelter belts during the midday hours. They are seldom found, however, in heavy cover such as soil-bank lands or weedy overgrown draws.

Early morning and late afternoon find the birds feeding in areas that have an abundance of forage. They also relish clover and seek out the small valleys and meadows where this plant grows.

While biological information is limited, game men have found a movement of birds from one range to another during the year. This can be attributed to the preferred forage and cover of the hills as well as destruction of habitat with haying operations.

Many hunters become impatient when they don't find grouse right away. Most fail to realize that a OCTOBER, 1963 17   square mile of Sand Hills is a lot of country to cover for a man, but it's all in a day's living for the birds. A section of good grouse range can support upward of 50 birds, with an average of about 20 per section.

Grouse are found in small groups, most often individual families, early in the season. As the season progresses they join others to form flocks of 25 to 50 birds. They remain in these large groups through the winter.

Productive hunting techniques vary with the type of terrain hunted, the time of day, and the weather conditions. As a rule of thumb you should hunt feeding areas during the early morning and late afternoon hours. These will include meadows, rose patches, and grain fields.

To hunt any of these takes strategy. The hunter should be able to evaluate the cover and determine how the birds will hold. Generally speaking, grouse stick better in heavy grass than they do in pastured areas. If the birds are in fairly good cover, work slowly across the area to flush targets. If the range looks a little thin, it's best to put a couple of blockers ahead of the drivers. Place the men in behind a haystack or have them squat down in the grass so the birds won't spot them and flare away too soon.

20,000 SQUARE MILES OF PRIMARY SECONDARY GROUSE continued

It is better to have blockers between the drivers and the nearest hills than to have them on the end of a long meadow. When grouse flush they head for the protection of the hills rather than flying down across the meadows.

When hunting during the midday hours it doesn't matter how many are in the party so long as everyone moves at about the same speed and doesn't get in the others way. Many grouse hunters prefer to work in pairs and hunt each hill by staying below 18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   the crest and working around it. In this way they don't expose themselves to all the birds in the area.

Grouse prefer to get up in a spot where they can see some of the surrounding country. On warm days they are found on the shady side of the hill; on cold, windy days on the lee side. When crossing a ridge, come up over it in a hurry and be ready for birds to flush. You can often catch them loafing and get in close for good shooting. By about the second week in the season, though, when the grouse gather in larger flocks, they become more and more difficult to get in on.

There are a couple of tricks and a couple of lines of reasoning that will produce shooting. If a big flock flushes from a distant sidehill, keep your eye on it and hunt in the direction of flight. Birds tend to break up, giving the hunter a chance to get in on individual grouse.

Although shelter belts are not too prevalent in the Sand Hills there are some along the eastern and OCTOBER, 1963 19   southern edges of the area. These should be hunted with a gunner on each side and either another hunter or dog working the center.

20,000 SQUARE MILES OF GROUSE continued

Know what your dog can do before taking him into the hills. If he's a retriever, he'll save some lost birds and a number of steps. He can also be helpful   when the birds sit tight in heavy grass. A pointing dog that has worked grouse provides the ultimate in sport, but the sad fact is that there are very few dogs that have hunted grouse and fewer still that know how to handle them. A dog that handles well is a must. If you are unfortunate enough to get behind a wild-running, hard-headed dog you may see lots of grouse but it will be from a half mile away.

Prairie chickens will work better than the sharptails for a dog. There are days when the latter will hold well, but on the average they'll mill around in front of a staunch pointer up to a minute before they take wing.

Guns and ammunition can be a bit lighter than that used on pheasants. The bird is not a real strong flier and is comparatively thin feathered. A broken wing will put a grouse down and keep him there. He may try to hide if only wounded, but he doesn't run like a cock pheasant when hit. For the medium-range shooting early in the season use a modified choke and Nos. 6 or 7 1/2 When the ranges get longer, go to a full choke with Nos. 5 or 6.

Grouse are abundant in the Sand Hills and hunting these unpredictable birds is an experience you won't soon forget. Don't plan on a cushion-ride hunt. These are the birds of the open grasslands. You'll be in big country, the kind of area that beckons the gunner who's looking for room to roam.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 21

 

DEER FOR CHOOSING

Whether white-tail or mule deer, bragging bucks are in abundance

NEBRASKA SPORTSMEN are among the nation's fortunate few who can pick and choose their kind of deer. If the hunter aspires to a bragging-size whitetail, the eastern half of the state offers him the chance to come up with a potential Boone and Crockett trophy. And if he's after a mule deer with rocking-chair ivory between his ears, western Nebraska and the Sand Hills are the places to roam.

The outlook for Nebraska deer hunters is excellent. Surveys taken earlier in the year show deer herds at or above the levels of last season. Then 8,849 deer were killed during the nine-day season. The Pine Ridge area led the state with 1,079 reported kills, followed by the Keya Paha area in north-central Nebraska with a harvest of 1,078.

This year for the first time Nebraska hunters will have the opportunity to take two deer if they buy the necessary permits. After October 1, bow hunters may apply for a firearms permit to take game in any deer-management unit in which there are unsold permits.

The rifleman is not forgotten in the two-deer bonanza. After the first of October, he may apply for another firearms permit to take a deer in any of the areas that are not sold out. However, he cannot apply for a second permit in the same unit.

North-south U.S. Highway 83 is the rough dividing line between the two species. Whitetails claim the rolling country east of the highway; the wide-open range land of the west is the mule deer's bailiwick.

The central areas of Keya Paha, Calamus, Loup, Buffalo, and Republican are overlap regions with sizeable populations of both mule and white-tailed deer. Keya Paha has an either-sex season this year OCTOBER, 1963 23   and early reports indicate a growing population of whitetails there. Last season this species made up 23 per cent of the kill. Another anticipated hot spot is the Loup Area where the No. 31 listing in the Boone and Crockett whitetail records was taken.

DEER FOR CHOOSING continued

Whitetails are animals of civilization. Once close to extinction here, the species has made a remarkable comeback, thanks largely to their adaptation to man and his works and wise management.

This prized animal is a creature of the cultivated fields, wooded river bottoms, and alfalfa meadows. As the whitetail grows older, he grows wiser, and big bucks seldom make mistakes. A good trophy is a true test of the hunter's skill.

Nebraska's whitetail hunters will have the best opportunities in the Missouri, Elkhorn, Wahoo, and Blue units with limited permits offered in Omaha, Nemaha, and special regulations in the DeSoto Bend area which abuts Iowa. Omaha and Nemaha offer either-sex shooting throughout the season.

While the whitetail thrives in the country of plow and harvester, the mule deer prefers the wide-open range where he can doze out the midday hours in some secluded cranny. Here he depends on his big ears and his ancient ally, the wind, to warn of approaching two-legged trouble. Does and young bucks will frequent the wooded slopes, but the old fellows will hang out in the buttes and draws.

Six hunting areas in Nebraska are predominatly mule deer country. The panhandle areas of Pine Ridge, Plains, Upper Platte, Sand Hills, Platte, and Frenchman have good populations of mule deer. Each offers an any-deer hunt on November 10, the last day of the 1963 season.

Both varieties have distinguishing characteristics which make it easy for the novice hunter to identify his target. The whitetail's antlers branch out from a heavy central beam while the mule deer's horns branch out in a series of Y's that extend outward and upward. Deer for deer, the mule will run bolder than his warier cousin. The only predictable characteristic of the whitetail is his unpredictableness.

A mule deer runs with a peculiar pogo-stick, all-four-legs-on-and-off-the-ground gait that is very 24 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   difficult to estimate. The whitetail raises his tail and goes away from danger under full throttle. Not curious, the smaller whitetail is only interested in putting distance bet ween, himself and his peril. The mule will bound away for 200 yards or so, then stop to see what all the fuss was about. But as he gets older, he gets wiser, and old gray-muzzled bucks usually stifle their curiosity and continue their bouncing getaway until they are out of range.

Chivalry is not a characteristic of either species. Both prefer that a doe investigate potential trouble spots before exposing their own precious hides. In a herd, the best and largest buck will often be the last in the string. And if he thinks better of the idea, he'll often flare off, letting his harem face the music.

The actions of a doe can be a tip-off to the location of a good buck, especially in heavy cover. Watch the fringe areas of a small opening when a doe steps out and hesitates before crossing. Many times she is scouting for her lord and master before he risks his tawny hide away from the protection of the thicket. A doe that keeps looking back or retraces her steps after crossing an opening is often flirting with a buck that is interested but cautious about getting better acquainted with the lady.

Deer can be killed with almost anything from a well-placed rock to an African double rifle, but for OCTOBER, 1963   a whitetail who frequents the dense cover, a heavy bullet of medium speed is probably the most effective. High-speed, flat-trajectory bullets are often deflected by brush, where the heavier, slower-moving slug will bore through with a minimum of disturbance until it finds its target. Since most whitetails are killed at close range, a fast-handling, short-barreled rifle with a large aperture receiver sight is an ideal combination. Plenty of whitetails have been killed with the time tested .30/30 and its heavy 170-grain cartridge.

DEER FOR CHOOSING continued

For the man who wants a more elaborate outfit, the .270 or .30/06 with a 2% to 3X telescope fits to a "T". The telescope's small magnification and wide field of view gives the hunter an opportunity to score on the occasional long shot that comes up in whitetail hunting, and at the same time, gives him an excellent opportunity to pick up a running animal in the sights.

Mule deer hunters are faced with a different set of circumstances. Here a flat-shooting, high-speed rifle is needed to score on the animals that are way out yonder. Ranges in the west are generally long with little concealment or obstruction, and many of the shots will be at 200 yards or more. A .30/06, .308, or .270 equipped with a 4X scope and a shooting sling makes a fine plains combination.

The skill of the hunter is more important than the caliber of the rifle. Deer can be wounded and lost by poor shooting with a .375 Magnum as well as the illegal .22.

A mule deer hunter will be wise to sight in his rifle to print his targets three inches high at 100 yards. In medium-caliber loadings, this gives point-of-aim accuracy at 200 to 225 yards and a drop of seven inches at 300 yards, ample accuracy for practical hunting ranges. Nebraska's firearm requirements are liberal. Any rifle delivering 900 or more 26 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards is legal as well as muzzle-loading rifles of .40 caliber or above.

Archers who enjoy a longer season in Nebraska than in any other state found their best luck in Buffalo County last year. There 21 deer were taken with the bow and arrow, 18 of them whitetails. With an archery season extending from September 21 until December 31, the disciples of William Tell have ample opportunity to get their deer the hard way. The archery season is interrupted during the nine-day rifle season which begins November 2.

Archers must use a bow with a minimum of 40 pounds and a 28-inch draw. A sharp-bladed hunting arrow with a head of at least 7/16-inch radius from the center of the shaft and not more than 12/16-inch radius from center of the shaft, and total cutting edge of at least three inches is permitted in the state.

Still-hunting and stalking are the most effective techniques for successful deer hunting in NEBRASKAland, whether you're toting a rifle or a bow. Early in the season when practically every deer hunter in the state is out trying for his buck, still-hunting is probably the best.

Few men can sit or stand quietly for the hours on end that it takes to wait out a deer. But if he can smother his impatience and keep still, his chances for success are greatly improved over those of the man who blunders through the thickets like a deranged bronc, frightening every deer within shooting range.

As the number of hunters decline, the patient stalker who can read the wind and knows the tricks of pussyfooting through the cover with long waits and short steps will come into his own. A tracking snow helps immeasurably.

"Do a little walking, a lot of watching, and some good shooting when the moment of truth arrives," is about the best advice the hunt-them-up-on-his-own hunter can follow.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 27

 

DUCKS AND GEESE BY THE NUMBERS

Prospects point to upswing in waterfowl, giving promise for an outstanding season

IT IS UNFORTUNATE that waterfowl hunters haven't been immortalized by an Izaak Walton, for they, too, are noble men. If they weren't, how could they put up with the countless privations of their honorable sport?

To be a waterfowl hunter you need the patience of a saint so as to put up with the hours of scanning empty skies. You need the cunning of a fox to conceal yourself from your quarry, and the strength of Goliath for carrying decoys, guns, and all other equipment so necessary for six-month safaris and one-day duck hunts. Put these qualities together and you can see why the waterfowl hunter is different from other men.

The equipment available is endless and is limited only by an individual's bankroll and his ability to transport the gear around. Guns, decoys, clothing, boats, and other specialized provisions, enough to put a full army division in the field, are available in a never-ending array for the well-outfitted waterfowl hunter.

Probably the most important single piece of equipment is the shotgun. Double-barrels, pumps, and automatics are the most popular, with single-shot and bolt-action weapons counted out by most.

Since waterfowl, particularly geese, are harder to bring down than most game, Nos. 4 and 6 shot are most popular, with No. 2's often used on geese and cripples. The heavier shot has more shocking power than lighter-pelleted shells. It takes about three No. IWs to equal the power of one No. 4. According to experts, the striking energy of one No. 2 shot at 40 yards is about 8y2-foot pounds. The effect of this on a two-or-three pound duck is about the same produced on an average-size man by the impact of a heavy-caliber revolver bullet.

The lighter shot has the advantage of more pellets and a denser pattern. There are 437 pellets in a No. 29 OCTOBER, 1963   7% 12-gauge shell compared to 169 in a No. 4 and 281 in a No. 6. Beyond 40 yards the lighter pellets are more easily affected by air resistance and drop off rapidly in velocity and killing power.

Before the advent of fast-burning powder, long-barreled guns were necessary for maximum velocity. For some strange reason waterfowl hunters still stick to this theory and generally use guns with 28 to 30-inch tubes. In modern ammunition, the powder is completely burned after it has traveled 22 to 24 inches. The added barrel length has only the negligible value of providing a longer sighting plane.

With waterfowl taken at greater distances than other game, full and modified-choke guns work best. At 40 yards, a full-choke gun fired at a 30-inch circle will place about 70 per cent of its pellets within the target. A modified choke registers about 50 per cent, improved-cylinder about 40 per cent, and open around 30 per cent.

Decoys have come a long way since Indians began using crude imitations made from reeds. Today they are available in a variety of materials, ranging from the traditional cedar and cork blocks to fibreglass and styrofoam. Cedar decoys have the advantage of riding well in rough water but at three to four pounds each, get heavy after lugging them from the car to the blind. Lightest of all are inflatable rubber decoys. These can be folded up and carried in your pocket like a handkerchief.

DOCKS GEESE BY THE NUMBERS continued

There are many theories on the proper placement of decoys. A good rule to go by is to place them so the farthest decoy away from the blind is within effective gun range. This will help to avoid taking long shots. Don't bunch the blocks up. Leave enough room for the real ones to drop in. A half-dozen phonies are sufficient for puddlers when hunting in small lakes and rivers. Divers call for upward of 100 decoys. Some use oversize decoys away from their main spread to attract high flyers.

Blinds can vary from the skimpiest of cover to elaborate affairs. In river shooting, an overhanging branch is adequate if the hunter doesn't move around. Pits are popular with goose hunters, particularly in and near cornfields. Drab clothing is the order of the day and a long-billed cap is important to shield the whiteness of the hunter's face.

Ducks and goose calls can be simply summed up with this advice—if you know how to use one properly, bring it along; if not, leave it home. A call in the hands of a tyro sounds more like a sick New Year's Eve horn than a duck or goose and should be used exclusively for that purpose.

30 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA    

Nebraska contributes a significant number of ducks to the Central Flyway. These ducks make up the bulk of the early season shooting. After winter storms begin, the big build-up of ducks comes down from Canada, giving hunters a real bonanza. The eastern half of Nebraska dominates early season goose shooting, with the majority taken in October. Through the remainder of the hunt, the western half of the state enjoys peak shooting.

Production in the Sand Hills is up considerably from 1962, with blue-winged teal and mallards making up the largest numbers. The estimated 115,000 ducks who nested in the Sand Hills this year are expected to provide prime early-season hunting opportunities. The rain-water basin area in south-central Nebraska, although down in production last spring, annually lures migrants for good shooting. The rest of the Central Flyway, which includes the Dakotas, Minnesota, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta, has also shown increased production, giving promise of more ducks than the past few years for eager hunters.

DOCKS GEESE BY THE NUMBERS continued

Mallards make up the bulk of the duck kill here every season. Even with the restrictive hunt in 1962, 32 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   greenheads made up half of the 62,420 duck harvest. In other years the mallard kill has run as high as 80 per cent. Teal, both green-winged and blue-winged, made up 27 per cent of last year's harvest, with scaup, pintail, gadwall, baldpate, and shoveler accounting for the remainder.

Potholes, lakes, rivers, and streams hold good numbers for hunters from late summer through the season. Though ducks are found on and around almost any body of water in the state, experienced hunters make a beeline for the Sand Hills lakes for early season shooting. When colder weather moves in, they head for the Platte, Missouri, and Republican rivers. Big reservoirs on these waterways host good concentrations. Although many river sites are leased out, hunters still have the opportunity of renting blinds or getting permission from local landowners.

The Game Commission allows hunting on all special-use areas, except at designated refuges. In addition there are 36 recreation areas located in prime hunting country that are open to the public.

Because of access, pass and jump shooting plays an important part in Nebraska hunting. In pass shooting, gunners station themselves at an area where waterfowl wing by during the morning and afternoon hours on their way to feed. Other hunters jump the birds in marshes.

A tight V of Canadas or wavy, uneven formation of blues, snows, and whitefronts are a familiar sight every fall and stir the blood in all self-respecting goose hunters. Hunter success for Canadas is distributed state-wide, with the largest harvest coming from the Missouri River and in the panhandle. The kill of blue and snow geese is heaviest in the eastern part of the state. Last year's state-wide 10,510 goose kill was made up of 4,740 blues and snows, 4,604 Canadas, and 1,072 whitefronts.

Hunters who have seen a flight of mallards approach a set of decoys, or the pulsating rhythm of geese making their way across the sky, can appreciate the thrill to waterfowl hunting.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963

 

THANKSGIVING TURKEY FROM THE WILD

Shotgunning thrills ride on whirring wings of Merriam's

REMEMBER THAT old picture of the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving; that brass-buckled and booted gentleman with his bell-mouthed musket and the wild turkey slung over his shoulder? Flip the calendar to 1963 and substitute a red-shirted Nebraska hunter with a 12-gauge shotgun and you've got a Twentieth Century re-enactment of the scene.

Nebraska's November 9 through 17 season is the second in modern history here. The big gobblers have thrived so well in their new home in the Pine Ridge that the number of permits has doubled from 500 to 1,000.

The return of the wild turkey is a success story that far exceeded the most optimistic hopes of those who conceived and executed the re-introduction of the species here. Today's flock of approximately 4,000 birds grew from a transplant of 28 Merriam's turkeys in 1959. The wild-trapped adult gobblers were released at two sites in the remote Pine Ridge area. One release of 3 toms and 17 hens was made along Cottonwood Creek, northwest of Chadron. The remaining eight birds were freed near Deadhorse Creek, south of Chadron.

The transplants took to their new environment like the Children of Israel to the Promised Land. From the original 28, the Merriam's increased to 125 birds during their first production season, 300 plus the next, and 1,000 to 1,500 birds in 1961. Last year OCTOBER, 1963 35   the Merriam's boomed to an estimated 3,000 and were approaching the carrying capacity of their range. The Game Commission declared a limited season on the birds and issued 500 special permits.

Nebraska sportsmen were eager to hunt this new and relatively unknown bird that reaches weights of 26 pounds and averages about 12 pounds run-of-the-shotgun. The 500 permits were taken up in short order. Better than half, some 281 hunters, scored with the bulk of their success coming in the first three days of the season.

The Merriam's were on the naive side when the shotguns first started blasting away. But the surviving birds soon wised up and by the tag end of the season Nebraska hunters were learning that the wild turkey was living up to his press agentry as a hard-to-come-by customer.

Early season hunters depended upon ranchers and range hands to guide them into concentrations. The heaviest kill came the first morning before the gobblers were broken up and scattered. On opening day some were taken with little effort at only 10 to 12 yards.

With the first season under their belts, both hunters and turkeys are expected to do better this year. Inherent instinct for survival plus last year's hunting experience is expected to scatter the birds over a wider locale. The total take should be greater in 1963, but hunter success may be lower.

TURKEY FROM THE WILD continued

Shotguns from 10 to 20 gauge are the only legal firearms for turkey hunting here, with shot sizes from Nos. 2 to 6 permitted. No. 4 is a good compromise load. It has a dense pattern plus sufficient weight to insure good penetration into the well-feathered birds.

A turkey takes a lot of killing before he reaches the Thanksgiving platter. Head and neck shots are reliable killers, but such pinpoint centering is not always possible. Four or more pellets reaching into the vital front half of the bird are usually enough to ground him and lock him there until he can be recovered.

Rounding up a wounded torn can be a real chore. He can run like a branded cat, hide under two blades of buffalo grass, and melt into the ground like a homesick gopher. The gunner can sometimes find a wounded bird by marking the spot where he went down and then make a series of concentric circles, poking and prodding every conceivable bit of cover and watching for a running bird. Some close-range 36 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   shooting and careful accuracy will eliminate all of this trouble.

A runner instead of a flyer, a turkey uses his legs more than his wings to make his escape. When hard pressed, he'll take to the air like a climbing jet. His big wings flail the air until he levels off and goes into a swift glide that soon puts big chunks of atmosphere between him and the startled gunner.

The turkey leaves ample traces of his passage along the forest floor, as he prospects for mast and bugs. Droppings, loose feathers, tracks, and dusting pits are good indexes of a locality's turkey population. He roosts on a high limb during the dark hours, often returning to the same perch night after night until disturbed or driven away from the area by hunger or hunting pressure. The bird usually leaves his roost tree by dawn or shortly after and returns by deep dusk. Ambushes set up in his flight path from roost to feeding and resting grounds can pay dividends to the hunter who takes time to study the bird's flight and feeding patterns.

Daytime stalking is often a frustrating and exhausting ordeal. Unless the birds are hard pressed, they'll sneak through the cover, keeping just far enough ahead to tantalize the hunter but never allowing him to get a shot. Instead of stalking, select a spot between two openings and let the turkeys feed into the edging between the cover.

The best time to intercept turkeys is in the early morning as they leave the roost and late afternoon as they feed toward their roosting trees. In arid country or during periods of extended drought, water holes are often productive.

Gregarious by nature, a lost or separated turkey will "whet" or gobble at intervals to regain contact with his flock. This noisy trait is often used by the hunter who calls the scattered bird toward him, using a commercial or homemade call.

Although individual techniques vary, callers usually select a spot that gives them a good view of the surrounding country and at the same time breaks their silhouette. They call briskly for several seconds and then pause for a 15 to 20-minute interval to wait for an answer. After the turkey responds, remain quiet to await the bird's approach. The critical period comes when the turkey is close but still out of sight. A sudden move or an impatient note on the call will send the suspicious bird scurrying away. You can bet he won't be fooled again.

Techniques for hunting Merriam's in Nebraska are yet to be perfected and subjected to the acid test of success or failure. This won't be long in coming as 1,000 eager hunters hit the Pine Ridge area, all eager to put a bronze feather in their Stetson the hard way.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 37

 

SMALL GAME BONUS

Name your pleasure and this duo will oblige with exciting action

TAILOR-MADE to the whims of everybody, cottontail and squirrel hunting is ever-interesting in its endless variations. Depending upon your mood, it can be as challenging as stalking a whitetail, as rugged as duck shooting in December, as exacting as outwitting an antelope, or as relaxing as strolling along an autumn lane.

Bunny and bushytail hunting is a sport for young and old, where a youngster begins and an old-timer quits. It can be dressed up with elaborate frills or stripped down to essentials but it's still sport and continues long after the seasons on more sought after game are but a memory.

Rifles, shotguns, handguns, and bows are all brought into play in this ever-changing game. If running shots are your dish, try a zigzagging rabbit or a streaking squirrel as he darts through the branches. If pinpoint shooting brings your kicks, try plinking a cottontail as he crouches in his form or a squirrel hidden high on a leafy limb. For the hunter who likes to walk while he hunts, there's plenty of cover to kick and stomp for cottontails. And a lot of squirrels have been put in the stew by the man who waits patiently for his game. No matter how you hunt, Nebraska's small-game combination will do their best to oblige.

Nebraska's cottontails are found from the panhandle to the Missouri. Squirrels are concentrated in the eastern third along the timbered watercourses.

Rabbits have no particular pattern, being found in all types of cover and terrain. Shelter belts, edgings between cropland, brush piles, and wood lots OCTOBER, 1963 39   are all good producers. In mild weather, old fluffytail loves to sun himself on the sheltered slopes or in the short grass of the meadows. In raw weather he seeks shelter in the dense thickets along the river bottoms. His distinctive inverted triangle of tracks can be found everywhere.

SMALL GAME BONUS continued

Beagles and bassets add a lot of enjoyment to cottontail hunting. A hound-routed rabbit usually takes off in a flash to gain some leeway on the dogs before tangling up his trail and lighting out for home territory. Experienced hunters wait for the bunny to circle back to his starting place as the hounds unravel the trail.

The kicking-out method requires quick reflexes and fast gun handling. Never far from protection, a kicked-out rabbit immediately heads for concealment in the surrounding brush. A short-barrelled, fast-handling shotgun loaded with Nos. 6 or 7% shot makes an ideal snap-shooting combination. In open country, riflemen depend upon a light-caliber rifle or handgun to shoot their rabbits on the run. A semi-automatic or slide-action .22 makes a fine firearm for blasting at bunnies on the bounce.

Squirrels follow a definite routine of feeding, resting, and feeding during the day. They leave 40 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   their dens about dawn and forage for several hours before returning home to loaf out the midday hours. Late in the afternoon, they resume their foraging and return to their dens about dusk. Shells of walnuts, hickory nuts, or other mast found on stumps or logs as well as trees spotted with nests are signs.

Bushytails and corn go together like a horse and saddle. Polished cobs and scattered husks along the edge of a field reveal their daily raids. A waiting hunter who conceals himself between cornfield and wood lot is well on his way to gathering the main ingredients for fried squirrel. A small caliber rifle, equipped with a 4X telescope, is an excellent combination for squirrel sniping. Others place their faith in a full-choked shotgun loaded with Nos. 5 or 6.

When stalking squirrels through the crackling autumn woods, the hunter should learn to move slowly and silently. Scanning the trees and branches above him, he watches for movement along the high branches or suspicious "bumps" and other unnatural objects in the trees to reveal his targets.

Squirrels are highly skilled at circling a tree to hide from a hunter. Sometimes they can be duped into exposing themselves for a quick snap shot by tossing a branch or clod on the opposite side of the tree. Startled by the racket, the bushytail will whirl around the tree to the hunter's side where a quick shot will often tumble him.

Easily spooked, squirrels will plunge into their dens like a red streak. However, they forget their fright after 10 to 20 minutes and will emerge after a cautious look around and resume foraging. Patient hunters often let this curiosity work for them, waiting out the animal until he gets away from his den.

Weather plays an important part in squirrel hunting. The animals love the mild calm days of autumn and are very active when the temperatures range between 50 and 70 degrees. Extreme heat or cold sends them to their dens to wait until the elements moderate. Look for targets after a shower.

Plentiful in numbers and widely distributed, cottontails and squirrels offer hunters an added bonus in Nebraska.

THE END

 

VARMINTS FOR FUN

Varied menu of exciting targets keeps hunters busy in year-round bonus action

EVEN THE nation's longest pheasant season comes to an end eventually. When it does, it's time to get in on NEBRASKAland's year-round varmint-hunting bonus. Coyotes, crows, jack rabbits, prairie dogs, bobcats, and a host of other targets are in plentiful supply, and promise exciting action.

Different from each other as these varmints are, there is one characteristic that puts them all in the same wildlife family—cunning. Although hunted year-round, these crafty varmints always come back for more and lead even the most experienced hunters a merry chase.

Coyotes do more than just howl at the moon. These cagey critters provide top-notch hunting pleasure. Smart as a whip, the prairie ghosts will take on hunters singly or in groups. Even when a pack of hounds is used, they often come away from the fray scot free. Coyotes are found state-wide, generally in open range country.

There are three major methods of hunting coyotes —calling singles, round-up hunting, and working behind hounds. The most popular is the round-up. Here anywhere from four to more than four dozen hunters cruise around an area until a coyote is spotted. Then the group breaks up, surrounding the square-mile section. From there they move slowly toward the center in an effort to box in the shifty coyote.

Unless the area is pool-table flat, the coyote has better than an even chance of getting away unscathed. He can pick out the thinnest cover imagined to make good his escape. He'll tease you along, giving OCTOBER, 1963 43   the impression he hasn't a chance, only to suddenly disappear before your eyes. When successfully done, the round-up usually ends up with each hunter getting off a number of shots before the coyote goes down.

VARMINTS FOR FUN continued

In recent years chase dogs have come into their own. The tactics used are similar to those in round-up hunting, with the hounds piling out of cars and trucks and high tailing it across fields after their quarry. The coyote is a worthy adversary as any veteran hound can prove by his scars. Hunters either shoot the critter or let the dogs have him.

Calling has also come into its own here. The call, which sounds like the bleating of a wounded rabbit, lures in even the smartest of coyotes. Since you never know from what direction the curious critter will come from, pick out a stand that gives a good view of the surrounding country. The coyote will be less cautious when responding to a call.

Everything from .22's on up to big-game rifles are used. As with other varmints, any weapon is legal. Most hunters prefer the rifle, with the .270 considered a good all-around weapon.

Some hunters call the crow "the coyote on wings". This black bandit shows no fear of man, yet has the 44 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   uncanny ability to stay just far enough away to be out of range. The familiar cawing is heard throughout Nebraska and any spot that has a good stand of timber is prime crow country.

Calls are almost a must to bring these wary critters in range. Decoys make the job that much easier. A phony owl is a great crow getter, the birds always eager to zero in on their arch-enemy. Downed crows are also great. Just throw their carcasses into the branches and you've got a natural come-on. Your best bet is to pick out a spot near a heavy concentration of birds and stay out of sight. Camouflage clothing helps.

Spring and fall are the best times to kill crows. They mass together in age-old roosts then and are more easily approached. Pick out some heavy cover near a corn or milo field for best luck in the winter.

A shotgun is the most popular crow getter. Size isn't too important although most hunters go for the 16 or 12-gauge shotguns. Loads are usually on the smaller size, with Nos. 6 and IV2 preferred by most.

The jack rabbit is a versatile animal from the standpoint of the hunter, for here is a chance to brush up on both shotgun and rifle shooting. Both weapons are used with success.

Jacks take off like greased lightning and it takes fast shooting to bring them down. Unlike the cottontail, jack rabbits take off in a straight course when startled and reach speeds of 35 to 40 miles an hour as they zip across the open plains. Nebraska has two types of jacks. The whitetail, which reaches weights of up to nine pounds, is found across the north, northeast, and in the Sand Hills. Blacktails are most abundant in other areas of the state and average four pounds.

When hunting jacks, look first for the kind of plants they feed on and then get ready for action. Rabbits prefer cereal crops, alfalfa, and barley. They can be found in harvested corn and milo fields as well as pasture and open range land.

Hunting methods are similar to scaring up cottontails. Move slowly through a choice area, hesitating occasionally to force old "long ears" out of cover. Jacks have a habit of stopping for a look around after galloping off 50 yards or so to see what bothered them. This is your chance to get off a well-aimed shot. Young jacks can sometimes be stopped in their tracks with a long shrill whistle. The .22 is adequate, but it's better to move up to the .243. Shotguns are good only at ranges of 50 yards and under.

The bobcat, like his domestic cousin, believes in the old adage that haste makes waste. He pussyfoots his way toward the call of a bleating rabbit instead of rushing pell-mell to it like other predators. When calling, wait at least 30 minutes.

Nebraska bobcat range is in the west and north-central portions of the state. Bobcats go for rugged canyon country where there is a variety of small rodents and ground-nesting birds for food. Most of their hunting is done between dusk and daylight. During the day they hole up in rocky, brushy areas.

Fresh, soft snow plays a key roll when hunting bobcats with hounds. The usual method is to cruise an area where cats are known to inhabit. Once tracks are spotted, the hounds are turned loose and the hunters follow on foot. It's rugged hunting, sliding down one side of a canyon and clawing back up another, but it's worth the effort when the bobcat is treed. A .22 is sufficient for these close-up shots.

Hunting raccoons is as rugged a sport. Crashing through the heavy underbrush after a bawling pack of hounds in the dark of night is a real chore. These critters are found throughout Nebraska along water-courses, particularly those close to farm land. Walkers, black and tans, blue ticks, and other hounds are vital in this type of hunting.

Prairie dog towns are scattered throughout much of mid-Nebraska and offer the tops in long-range varmint shooting. Dogs can't be approached closer than 100 yards so scope-rigged, flat-shooting, high-powered rifles are a must.

It's almost impossible to approach a prairie dog town without being seen. Set up your gun with a sandbag rest and wait until the varmints get curious and start poking their heads up again. Shoot fast as it won't last long. Center-fire .22's up to bull Magnum's are used by shooters. The .22 is more than enough under most conditions, with the large calibers used mostly to sight-in for big-game conditions.

Name your sport and NEBRASKAland has everything you want. Whether it's keeping in shooting-trim for a big-game season or experiencing the thrills of off-beat hunting, there's plenty of year-round action.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 45

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

There are no sad shooting stories when targets tell tales

YOUR BEST insurance for shooting success is preseason practice with the rifle, shotgun, or bow that you'll be using in the hunting fields. The most discouraging reason for missing game is not knowing what your firearm or bow can do. Every year, hundreds of hunters return empty-handed with the lame explanation, "The gun was off," or "The arrow went right under him."

The time to sight in a rifle, pattern a shotgun, or check out a bow is now. Obvious faults and defects can be corrected while there's still time instead of waiting until the chips are down and you gamble on losing game the hard way.

Sighting in a rifle or patterning a shotgun is not difficult. Either can be done by anyone who understands the rudiments of shooting and has the ability to diagnose and correct defects. You'll need a couple of sandbags for a steady rest, and a supply of ammunition used for hunting. Testing should be done on a regular range or some spot that provides a safe backstop to prevent strays or ricochets.

To sight in a rifle with factory or "iron" sights, prepare a target at least two feet square with a three-inch bulls-eye in the center. Place the target a measured 12 V2 yards away. Rest the rifle over the sandbags and with a good sight picture, carefully squeeze off a round. Examine the point of impact in relation to the bullseye and adjust the sights accordingly. Remember the basic rule to move the rear sight in the direction of the desired bullet strike and the front sight in the opposite direction. Also keep in mind that any error at I2V2 yards will be magnified eight times at 100 yards. That's more than enough to make you miss game.

If the rifle is shooting low, the rear sight can be moved up another notch on the step ramp. If it shoots high and the rear sight is as low as it can go, the V-notch can be deepened with a file to allow a 46 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   finer bead. In extreme cases a new front sight may be needed.

Windage or right and left adjustments with iron sights are difficult since very few rifles have open sights that are laterally adjustable. Drifting the sight base a tiny fraction of an inch at a time is probably the most practical. After each adjustment the rifle should be fired and the result checked out.

When the rifle is holding on the nose at 12x/2 yards, move back to 100 yards for the final adjustments. Fire at least a five-shot pattern to make sure the rifle is shooting where it's aimed. One or two rounds on the button might be freaks but a consistent group right where you want it is proof the rifle is on.

Practical hunting accuracy can be worked out for the iron-sighted rifle by adjusting point of impact three inches above point of aim for rifles in the .30/06 class with the popular 150-grain bullet. Such a rifle will throw its bullets 3V2 inches high at 125 yards, on the button at 200 to 225, and about six inches low at 300, a practical limit for open-sight shooting. Since a deer has a vital target area of approximately 14 inches from back to belly line, point-blank holding will be OK for any range from 75 to 300 yards.

Sighting in a micrometer or telescopic-sight-equipped rifle is a snap compared to open sights. Both types have precise adjustments for windage and elevation, with dials to measure the number of clicks or graduations to move the aperture or reticule into proper alignment. Each click or graduation represents a quarter minute, half minute, or full minute of angle. This is defined as one inch at 100 yards, two inches at 200 yards, and so on up in direct ratio.

Al Mart, noted gunsmith and big-game hunter of Lincoln, recommends that scope-sighted rifles of the .30/06 class be sighted in to hit on the nose at 100 yards.

"With the higher mounting of the scope above the bore of the rifle, the line of sight from rifle to target is naturally higher," says Mart. "Therefore, a rifle sighted in at 100 yards will throw its bullet high at 200 yards, on the button at about 225 and between three and four inches low at 300 yards."

Although his theory does not agree with those of some other outstanding marksmen, Al's ideas have apparently paid off where it counts. He has won some 1,500 trophies for his shooting prowess and bagged numerous deer, elk, moose, and antelope.

"Most hunters have a tendency to overestimate distances and hold high when they shoot at an animal," explains Mart. "Often they shoot over their game instead of putting a bullet into the chest area. With a line of sight already higher than usual, the idea of zeroing in a rifle to shoot three or four inches high at 100 yards increases the margin of error and can cause misses at medium ranges. Even I have a tendency to hold over on game, and I've been hunting for 40 years or more."

Mart recommends plenty of preseason practice before setting out to hunt big game. During his career as a hunter, the Lincoln sportsman has killed antelope at more than 400 yards and moose at more than 300 yards, all clean, one-shot kills. He stresses that familiarity with the rifle and a thorough knowledge of its capabilities are as important as the rifle itself. Mart believes that most (continued on page 54)

OCTOBER, 1963 47

TIPS TO HUNTERS

WEATHER

NEBRASKA WEATHER is generally unpredictable, but typically pheasant opening day is dry, hot, and windy. Later hunters can expect milder weather that will become cooler as the season progresses. The real bad storms usually hold off until January or later.

Temperatures for two widely separated spots in Nebraska will indicate how many clothes to bring:

For Normal Normal Average Lincoln: Maximum Minimum Sept. 79.5 56.7 68.1 Oct. 67.9 44.9 56.4 Nov. 50.1 30.4 40.3 Dec. 37.9 20.3 29.1 For North Platte: Sept. 78.2 49.3 63.8 Oct. 66.9 36.5 51.7 Nov. 50.5 23.1 36.8 Dec. 39.5 14.9 27.2 CLOTHING

TOO MUCH clothing and needless protection can be as bad as too little. Common sense, realistic planning for each trip, and a wise choice of garb make all the difference between a miserable outing and a comfortable, invigorating day afield. It's as simple as that.

It's usually chilly and wet in Nebraska in the morning, but hot by noon in the early fall. Lightweight under-clothing is best for early fall hunting. In case the weather turns bad have long Johns ready. There's normally no need for fancy insulated underwear. It just doesn't get that cold in Nebraska.

After this ''firm foundation" comes a variety of outer garments and accessories. A light wool shirt is probably your best bet. Because it is porous, it provides warmth in the morning and is comfortable during the noon hours.

For early fall hunting you may be content with a vest, with roomy game pockets. On warm days it gives you protection yet allows your body warmth to keep at a comfortable level. Or, if you think you'll really be running after game morning and night, you may want to check into unlined, non-insulated but water-resistant coats.

For pants, consider trousers lined with rubber in front. During early morning tramping, these keep the frost and dew from sinking into your bones. Experience in the field has proved the durability of all smooth-finish materials to stand up in rough going and to resist snagging or ripping on barbs apd bush.

Selection of the right foot gear is important. Boots should fit just right—loose enough to assure insulation, but tight enough to prevent blisters. When hunting pheasants, grouse, quail, turkey, and deer you'll really be pounding the bushes.

Make sure that your boots are rugged enough to take a beating through field and brush piles, high enough to protect your legs, and light enough so that at the end of the day they don't feel like they weigh a ton. If hunting later in the season when snow is apt to be on the ground, you'll want to be sure your foot gear is waterproof and lined for comfort. In fact, many Nebraska gunners prefer to use rubber boots throughout the season.

You'll need a good pair of gloves for those cold early-morning hours and later in the season. Just make sure that they are made in such a way that your shooting finger can get to the trigger. Have a couple of pair of both lightweight and heavy socks, both to wear and for a change. Lightweight silk socks when combined with heavier cottons assure warmth on the coldest of days.

A wardrobe of sportswear chosen wisely for your individual needs is the guarantee of a long, happy, and comfortable action afield.

DOGS

BRING A health certificate showing the dog has been vaccinated for rabies in the past two years. This will prove valuable in case the dog bites someone while here. According to the Nebraska Motel Association, many operators will allow hunters to keep their dogs at motels. All airlines have facilities for transporting dogs at a nominal fee. If you bring your dog in your car, stop occasionally to allow him to loosen his limbs. It is probably best not to feed your dog before embarking.

ROADS

SPORTSMEN WON'T have any difficulty getting to the hunting fields in NEBRASKAland. The state is laced with thousands of miles of all-weather roads and highways. Some 7,284 miles of state, federal, and county highways are hard-surfaced. Interstate 80 is also making a dramatic push through the state, and 132 miles are now completed.

A whopping 87,825 miles of county roads cobweb the state. Of this total, 1,431 miles are hard-surfaced, 47,205 miles in gravel, and the balance everything from improved dirt roads to trails. You'll run into many of these latter roads in the Sand Hills off the main highways. Many are not recommended for passenger cars. The best bet is to contact local residents.

COMMERCIAL AIRLINES F_Frontier; U — United; N-C — North Central; B—Braniff; O—Ozark. Alliance (F), Chadron (F), Grand Island (F), Hastings (F), Kearney (F), Lincoln— Municipal (F, U), McCook (F), Norfolk (N-C), North Platte (F)# Omaha—Eppley (F, U, B, O, N-C), Scottsbluff (F), Sidney (F). AIRFIELDS

STRATEGICALLY located throughout Nebraska are 279 public and private landing strips for sportsmen who prefer to fly in to do their hunting. Of the total, 69 fields have lighted runways and 49 feature paved landing strips.

For additional information about flying, write to the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, State Capitol, Lincoln 9, Nebraska. This agency can furnish an aeronautical chart that covers the entire state for $1.75 each. They also offer free radio facility data cards and a most comprehensive directory of Nebraska airfields that sells for $2 per copy.

Following is a list of municipal and commercial airports:

Ainsworth, Alliance, Arapahoe, Arthur, Ashland, Atkinson, Auburn, Bassett, Bayard, Beatrice, Benkelman, Blair, Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Broken Bow, Bruning (Bruning State Airport, Hawks Field), Burwell, Cambridge (Cambridge Municipal, Medicine Creek Dam airports), Central City.

Chadron, Chambers, Columbus, Cozad, Creighton, Crete, Curtis, David City, Enders (Enders Dam Airport), Fairbury, Fairmont (Fairmont State Airport), Falls City, Fremont, Gordon, Gothenburg, Grand Island (Grand Island Municipal, Roush airports), Grant, Harrison, Hartington, Harvard, Hastings, Hay Springs.

Hebron, Hemingford, Holdrege, Humboldt, Hyannis, Imperial, Kearney, Kimball, Laurel, Lexington, Lincoln (Union, Arrow airports, Lincoln A.F.B.), Lodgepole, McCook (McCook Municipal, McCook State airports), Merriman, Minden, Mitchell, Mullen, Nebraska City (Grundman Airport), Neligh, Nelson, Norfolk, North Platte, Ogallala (Lake McConaughy State, Searle Field).

Omaha (Eppley Airfield, Flightland, North Omaha, South Omaha airports), O'Neill, Ord, Oshkosh, Oxford, Potter, Red Cloud, Republican City, Rushville, Sargent, Scotia, Scottsbluff, Scribner, Sidney, South Sioux City, Springview, Stromsburg, Stuart, Superior, Tecumseh, Thedford, Trenton, Valentine, Wahoo, Wallace, Wayne, Weeping Water, Wilber, and York.

CAR RENTAL Avis Rent-A-Car Service — Lincoln, Omaha, and Norfolk. Hertz Rent-A-Car Service—Grand Island, Hastings, Kimball, Lincoln, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, Scottsbluff, and Sidney. National Car Rental System—Beatrice, Grand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha. 48 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

GUIDE TO FIELD CARE

Proper dressing is key to turning this year's hunt into a sumptuous banquet   PHEASANT 50 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   RABBIT SQUIRREL OCTOBER, 1963 51   DEER 52 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   DUCK GOOSE OCTOBER, 1963 53

FOR THE FASTEST ROUTE TO THE BEST OF NEBRASKAland's HUHTIN6 GO VIA U.S. HIGHWAY 30 Take your gun and head for U.S. Highway 30. Many towns along U.S. Highway 30 provide the best hunting in NEBRASKAland. From upland birds to big game, Highway 30 takes you there fast. Modern lodgings, variety of hunting-supply stores, and friendly hospitality all await you along U.S. Highway 30. Take the best route west. Go via U.S. 30 to the best of NEBRASKAland's hunting. Write or stop in the following chambers of commerce for more information on where to hunt: Blair, Schuyler, Columbus, Cozad, North Platte, Sidney, Kimball, Fremont, Grand Island, Kearney, Lexington, Gothenburg, Ogallala. The Best Route West Highway 30 Association

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

(continued from page 47)

hunters are inclined to doubt the flat-trajectory potentials of modern ammunition.

Patterning a shotgun should be done at 40 yards. This is the accepted optimum distance for efficient dispersion of the shot charge and sufficient penetration to insure clean kills. Squares of paper, six-by-six feet, are ideal for testing out shotguns. The shooter should walk diagonally toward the targets which should have some sort of aiming mark on them. At the 40-yard mark, he should pull up and shoot without careful aiming to simulate actual shooting at a flushing pheasant or a darting rabbit. Examination of the target will reveal sortie interesting facts about his shotgun's accuracy.

Accurate shooting with a shotgun is essentially the result of pointing, as contrasted to the precise aiming of the rifle. It's largely a matter of action and reaction without the time to consciously adjust the muzzle of the firearm in relation to the target. Also, targets for shotguns are usually moving in a horizontal and vertical plane at the same time, requiring a rapid consideration of both factors before the target is beyond the limited range of the shotgun.

Unless the shot charge travels in a direct line from the muzzle of the gun to the intended target, inexplicable misses often occur. This is especially true at close range before the charge has spread out enough to nick the object with the speeding pellets. Patterning a shotgun on paper targets before the season opens gives the shooter a true picture of his gun's actual performance rather than what he thinks it is doing. Add to the characteristics of the individual gun such variables as wind, shooting stance, shooter's attitude, and target behavior and it's easy to see why accurate shotgunning becomes a complex and inexact science for the average hunter.

Ideally, the shotgun's point of impact should be to the center of an imaginary line drawn from the muzzle of the firearm to the target. This seldom happens unless a shotgun is fitted to the physical characteristics of its owner or the owner adapts himself to his gun.

Unfortunately, shotguns are mass produced for the "average" man. The arms makers have used their slide rules to come up with a composite statistic which is supposed to represent all of us rolled into one. As a result, the majority of shotguns are compromises. In many instances the shooter adapts himself to his shotgun rather than adapting the shotgun to himself.

Shotgun shooting errors are in four broad classifications—too low, too high, and too much right or left in relation to line of sight from muzzle to target. Fortunately most of these major faults can be inexpensively corrected by any competent gunsmith or by the shooter himself if he understands the cause and can eliminate it.

Shooting high is an indication that the stock is too straight, the comb too high, or the heel of the 54 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   butt too short in relation to the toe. By the same token, a toe that is too long will also throw the shot charge above the point of aim. Shooting low is evidence that the stock has too much drop or down pitch for the shooter's physical make-up.

A shotgun that consistently shoots to the left may have a bent barrel. It's more likely that the shooter is committing a physical error in mounting his gun. A gun that is constantly throwing the pattern far to the right may have the same defect as the southpaw tosser, but again it's more likely to be caused by a shooter's miscue. The length of stock or length of pull may cause the shooter to unconsciously make the mistakes that throw his patterns awry and need correcting.

Long stocks can be shortened to proper fit by the cut-and-try method. This prevents excessive shortening and an exasperating rebuild up to the desired length. Thin slabs of stock should be removed and the shotgun patterned after every cut until it reaches the desired point of impact. High combs can be shaved down and the stock refinished, while a short stock can be lengthened by adding a recoil pad or installing a slip-over boot. Low combs can be built up by gluing and doweling blocks of walnut to the original stock or by using a foam-rubber lace-on boot which is easily obtainable. Pitch can be altered either way by the addition of a different butt plate or the use of various spacers or shims under the recoil pad.

Extremely ill-fitting shotguns can be brought around by a gunsmith. He has the equipment and the skill to actually bend the stock or, if necessary, offset the stock if the shooter is right-handed and left-eyed or vice versa.

When patterning a shotgun, actual hunting conditions should be duplicated as much as possible. Fire at least five rounds with each brand of shell or shot size before a true estimate of the gun's characteristics is reached. Shell performance varys from manufacturer to manufacturer and even from lot to lot. Weather conditions and shooter's garb also influence a gun's behavior.

Sighting in a bow is relatively simple. Hunters who use a sight should check it out to make sure it hasn't got out of kilter since the previous hunt. Those who are instinctive shooters get in plenty of practice on archery ranges. Bowmen are more inclined than their shotgun and rifle brethren to keep up shooting throughout the year. Archers who use sights merely set them at the desired range, sight the target, and pull back on the bow the same way for any shot, whether it be five or 200 yards. Continued practice puts the archer on the money.

Chasing the gremlins out of your guns before they can cause fits makes good sense. There are side benefits, too. It gets you away from such things as putting up storm windows and painting porches, to say nothing of minding the kids. Besides there isn't any better way to catch a good case of hunting fever than to take "Old Betsey" out for a trial run or two.

THE END OCTOBER, 1963 55

WHERE TO HUNT

State and Federal Areas In season from October 1 through March 1 Oglala Grassland (U.S. Forest Service). Antelope. (Extreme northwestern corner of Nebraska above U.S. 20 between Harrison and Crawford) Gilbert Baker Special Use Area. Deer, Turkey. UYi miles north of Harrison—U.S. 20) Peterson Special Use Area. Deer, Turkey. (10 miles west of Crawford—U.S. 20) Pine Ridge (U.S. Forest Service). Deer, Turkey, (south of U.S. 20 between Chadron and Crawford) Metcalf Special Use Area. Deer, Turkey. (7 miles north of Hay Springs—U.S. 20) Smith Lake Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Pheasant*. (22 miles north of Lakeside—Nebr. 2) Shell Lake Special Use Area. Waterfowl. (15 miles northeast of Gordon—U.S. 20, Nebr. 27) Cottonwood Lake Recreation Area. Waterfowl. (1 mile southeast of Merriman—U.S. 20) Nebraska National Forest, both divisions. Grouse, Deer. (1 mile west of Halsey—Nebr. 2, and 19 miles south of Nenzel—U.S. 20) Schlagel Creek Special Use Area. Grouse, Deer*. (14 miles southwest of Valentine—U.S. 83) Big Alkali Lake Special Use Area. Waterfowl. (17 miles south, 4 miles west of Valentine—U.S. 83 or Nebr. 483) Bollards Marsh Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Pheasant. (20 miles south of Valentine—U.S. 83) Long Lake Recreation Area. Waterfowl. (34 miles southwest of Ainsworth—Nebr. 7) McConaughy Reservoir Special Use Area. Pheasant, Waterfowl, Quail*. (8 miles north of Ogallala—Nebr. 61) Lake Ogallala Recreation Area. Waterfowl. %(9 miles northeast of Ogallala—Nebr. 61) Sutherland Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Pheasant*, Quail*. (6 miles southwest of Sutherland—U.S. 30) Moloney Recreation Area. Waterfowl*. (6 miles south of North Platte—U.S. 83) Wellfleet Special Use Area. Waterfowl*, Pheasant. (Wellfleet—U.S. 83 or Nebr. 23) Hayes Center Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Pheasant, Quail. (12 miles northeast of Hayes Center—Nebr. 17) Enders Reservoir Special Use Area. Pheasant, Waterfowl. (8 miles southeast of Imperial—U.S. 6 or Nebr. 61) Swanson Reservoir Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Pheasant. (3 miles west of Trenton—U.S. 34) Medicine Creek Reservoir Special Use Area. Pheasant, Waterfowl, Quail. (2 miles west, 7 miles north of Cambridge—U.S. 6 or 34) Jeffrey Canyon Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Deer. (5 miles southwest of Brady—U.S. 30) Gallagher Canyon Recreation Area. Pheasant, Waterfowl. (9 miles south of Cozad—U.S. 30 or Nebr. 21) Johnson Lake Recreation Area. Waterfowl, Pheasant. (7 miles southwest of Lexington—U.S. 30 or Nebr. 283) Harlan County Reservoir. Pheasant, Waterfowl, Quail. (Alma—Nebr. 3) Sacramento Special Use Area. Pheasant, Waterfowl. (2]/2 miles west of Wilcox—U.S. 6, Nebr. 183, or 383) Pressy Special Use Area. Pheasant, Squirrel, Quail*. (5 miles north of Oconto—Nebr. 21) Milburn Diversion Dam Special Use Area. Waterfowl*, Grouse*, Pheasant*. (20 miles north of Broken Bow—Nebr. 2) Atkinson Lake Recreation Area. Waterfowl*. O/2 mile west of Atkinson—U.S. 20 or Nebr. 11) Hull Lake Special Use Area. Waterfowl*. (3 miles south, 2 miles west of Butte—U.S. 281 or Nebr. 1 1) Lewis and Clark Recreation Areas. Waterfowl, Quail, Squirrel, Pheasant*. (5 miles southwest of Yankton, S.D.—U.S. 81) Grove Lake Special Use Area. Quail, Squirrel, Deer, Pheasant*, Waterfowl*. (2 miles north of Royal—U.S. 20) Goose Lake Special Use Area. Waterfowl, Grouse. (25 miles south of O'Neill—U.S. 281) Rowells Lake Special Use Area. Pheasant*. (7 miles north of Tilden—U.S. 275, Nebr. 39) Sioux Strip Special Use Area. Pheasant, Quail*. (3 miles southeast of Randolph—U.S. 20) Two Rivers Recreation Area. Waterfowl, controlled hunting. (1 mile south, 1 mile west of Venice—Nebr. 92 or U.S. 30A) Gifford-Fontenelle Refuge. Waterfowl*, controlled hunting. (4 miles south of Omaha—U.S. 73-75) Alexandria Lakes Recreation Area. Quail, Waterfowl. (4 miles east of Alexandria—U.S. 81, 136, or Nebr. 4) Alexandria Lakes Special Use Area. Pheasant, Quail, Squirrel. (4 miles east of Alexandria—U.S. 81, 136, or Nebr. 4) Asterisk (*) denotes limited hunting. All areas generally have good rabbit populations although not listed among species available. 56 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   YOU MAY HUNT ON PRIVATE LANDS, PROVIDED YOU FIRST REQUEST AND RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM THE LANDOWNER OR HIS AGENT GUIDES ACCOMMODATIONS MEALS Except when otherwise indicated, charges listed are daily charges SF—sleeping facilities M—meals G—guide service PS—package service (sleeping, meals, and guide service) AINSWORTH—(ducks, pheasants, prairie chicken, deer)—Gerald A. Skinner, 215 South Main, Phone 116, SF $4-$6 ALBION—Beef Line Hotel and Cafe, 345 Church, Phone 395-2041, SF singles and doubles, $2.75-$7.50; M available ALBION—Downtown Motel, 127 North 4th, Phone 395-6513, SF singles, $5, doubles, $10 ALBION—Hi-Way Hotel and Cafe, 541 West Main, Phone 395-8084, SF singles $2, doubles $3; M in hotel cafe ALMA—(pheasants, quail)—Bill Greer, Route 2, 2 miles south, V2 mile west of Ragan, Phone Ragan 567-3516; SF & M together, $10 ARAPAHOE—W. D. Westfall, Main Street, Phone 962-7645. SF $1 ASHTON—Richard Wrehe, 1 mile west, % mile south, Phone Re8-2159. SF, M AUBURN—(quail, pheasants)—Auburn Hotel, 1 block east of stop light, Phone 274-3138. SF $2.50 up; M in Coffee Shop BARTLEY—(pheasants, quail, cottontails)—Max Nelms, 7 miles north, IY4 miles west, Phone 692-3278. SF and M together, $10 for 2 hunters, includes freezing game birds BENKELMAN — Richard Anderson, Circle B Motel, Phone 423-2922. SF for 25 hunters, $4 up (continued) OCTOBER, 1963   Have OUTDOOR Nebraska Delivered to your Door see page 50 for subscription order blank Lodging-Meals-Guides for hunters Dean Stone Republican City, Nebr. Write or call: Route No. 1 — Phone 799-2877 McCOOK VFW CLUB Hunters food and guide service Country-style breakfast from 4:30-8 a.m. every week-end during the season. Herm Schmidt, club manager and former game warden, guarantees fine hunting. We'll clean them. Hunting licenses, package goods and accessories. LAKEVIEW LODGE Open All Year For Your Fall Fishing & Hunting CAFE CABINS GUIDE LANDING STRIP TRAILER & CAMPING AREA LAKE McCONAUGHY NORTH SHORE On Lake McConaughy Open to Serve Hunters Cafe—Cabins—Guide LEE & JACKIE BURMOOD

WHERE TO HUNT continued from page 57

BENKELMAN—(quail, pheasants) — N. C. Brunt, Phone 423-2582. G available

BENKELMAN — (pheasants, quail) —Leon E. Ketler, Phone 423-2592. G available. 1,000 acres river and cornfields available

BENKELMAN—(deer, pheasant, quail) —T. E. Maranville, Phone 423-2291. PS, $10, can accommodate 6 hunters. 640 acres of river land

BENKELMAN — George A. Wilkens, Van Hotel, Phone 423-2319. SF for 25, $2.50 and up

BENKELMAN—(deer, pheasants, quail) —Mary Williams, Riverside Ranch, 12 miles west of Benkelman on U. S. Highway 34, Phone 423-2880. PS, $9, can accommodate 15-20 hunters, 4,500 acres available

BIG SPRING S—(pheasants, duck, quail, geese, deer)—Mrs. Marvin Steward, Phone 889-3457. SF & M together, $8; G part-time; PS, $10. 2,500 acres, 3 miles of river

BLOOMFIELD—(pheasants, rabbits)—Lender Eliasson, 6 miles east, 4 north, and lA mile west of Bloomfield, Route 1, Phone 5-F12, Crofton. SF, M, and G, donations. Unlimited acres available

BLOOMFIELD—(pheasants, rabbits)—Pete Meyer, Route 1, Phone 35F15. SF, M, and G, donations. Unlimited acres available

BROWNVILLE—(geese, ducks)—R. C. Moore, west edge of Brownville. SF Motel, M restaurant; G, $10. Missouri River

BROWNVILLE—(quail, ducks, geese) —Frank Oldfield and Son, Phone 825-2731. Guide available. Missouri River blinds, decoys, other equipment furnished including transportation from Brownville to blinds. One of the hotspots still left to hunters on Missouri River

BROWNVILLE—(quail, ducks)—Seven Hills Motel, Highway 136, Phone 825-2171. SF, $5; M available

BRULE—(ducks, geese, pheasant, deer) —Lake View Lodge, Herbert D. Anderson, Route 2, 10 miles north of Ogallala on US Highway 26, access road 18, Phone 284-3500. SF, $2.50; M, $4. Will freeze game at no charge. Acres available at Lake McConaughy

BURWELL—Anderson Apartments, 2 blocks west of square, Phone 346-6875. SF, $2 up

BURWELL—Burwell Hotel, southeast side of square, Phone 346-6585. SF, $3 up

BURWELL—Rodeo Motel, east side of town, State Highway 11, Phone 346-3115. SF, $4 up

CAMBRIDGE—(pheasants, quail, cottontail, deer)—Corky's Place on Strunk Lake, 2V2 miles west, IV2 miles north and two miles west of Cambridge, Phone 697-3774. SF, M, and G, minimum of 4 hunters, $12 or $3; PS, $8. 8,700 acres land and water

CENTER—(deer)—Larry Koenig, Phone 527. SF, $3; G, $10

CROFTON—(pheasants, rabbits, deer) —Bogner's Steak House and Motel, Phone 92. SF, $3.50; M available; G available at no charge. Acres of land and water available unlimited

CURTIS—George Tiller, Route 1, 15 miles south of Curtis. SF and M for 4, $10

CUSTER GAMELAND — (pheasants, deer, quail, grouse)—Anselmo, Ansley, Arnold, Berwyn, Broken Bow, Cornstock, Gates, Milburn, Oconto, Sargent, Weissert, Westerville. Contact or write: Custer Gameland offices in the mentioned towns. No additional address is needed. $1 per hunter per farm or ranch. M, SF, and some G available. Approximately one-half million acres

DUNNING—Jack and Jill Store, Main Street, Phone 538-6221. Hunting information; G (Deer) $5 to $10

ELYRIA — Duck Inn, Main Street, Phone 728-5438. M available 8 am to 6 pm, 7 days per week; 2 G available, $5

ENDERS—(pheasants, quail, ducks)—Wayne Hoskins. SF, M, G; $10. Can accommodate 20 hunters. 1,500 acres

GREELEY — Questover Motel, Phone 428-2405. SF singles and doubles, $5 to $10

HALSEY—(deer, grouse) — H i g g i n s Texaco Service, Jim Higgins. Hunting Information; SF by reservation. Halsey National Forest

HAY SPRINGS — (deer, pheasants) —Norman Bark, Peters Route, Box 193, Phone ME8-5611. SF, $5; M, $1; G, $5; PS, $10. 1 section

HAY SPRINGS—(deer, grouse, pheasants) — Arthur Klemm, Box 102. M available, $2; G available, $5; PS, $10. 2 ranches in the Pine Ridge, 4 farms near Hay Springs

HAY SPRING S—(deer, antelope)—Gene M. Scott, 3 miles southwest of Hay Springs, Phone 638-5616. PS reasonable. Acres unlimited (Jeep furnished)

HOWELLS — (pheasants, rabbits)—Howells Chamber of Commerce, Phone 7101 or 9321. Hunting Information; SF, $5; M, $3.50; G available

LEWELLEN—(deer, pheasants, ducks, geese) — Erbs Lodge, 8 miles east of Lewellen on north lake road. Hunting information; SF, $3; M available. Lake McConaughy

LITCHFIELD—Ross Kieborz, IV2 miles west and 2 south of Litchfield. G available and hunting dog. Fair-sized acreage

McCOOK—(pheasants, quail, cottontail rabbits)—Richard Lenneman, Route 2, Phone 345-5249. SF, M and G at farm home

MILLS—(deer, prairie wolf, hare, raccoon)—Martin Peterson, Deer Antlers Lodge, Phone 12F20. SF and M together, $6, cabin for 6 on Niobrara River. Keya Paha Deer Hunting Area, $10 per season

McCOOK—VFW Club, 1011 East 5th St., Phone 345-6366. Breakfast early morning on week ends

58 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

NEBRASKA CITY—Otoe Motel, 709 So. 11th, Phone 1175. Hunting permits available. SF, $4 to $6; M sandwiches and short orders

NEWMAN GROVE—Bob's Motel, Phone 3113. SF, 8 units, reserve early, reasonable

NEWMAN GROVE — Mike Norskov, City Cafe. SF reasonable; M available

NEWPORT—(deer)—Manfred Peterson, 22 miles north of Newport on State Highway 137, Phone 832-5185, Naper. G, $10 per party; PS, $25. Will dress deer free. 30-40,000 acres of deer hunting

NORFOLK — Beckers Motel, 407 No. 13th, Phone 371-9660. SF, $3.50 to $5 with TV

NORFOLK—Madison Hotel, 110 No. 4th St., Phone 371-5920. SF, $3 to $5.75; M from menu

NORTH LOUP—Mrs. Grace Jensen. SF for 9; M available

ORD—Chamber of Commerce, northwest corner of square, Phone 728-5061. Hunting Information; G available, cost reasonable

ORD—Dobrovsky Cafe, southwest corner of square, Phone 728-9919. M available, cost nominal

ORD — Hillcrest Motel, Highway 11, Phone 728-3267. SF, $6 for 2 ORD—Hotel Ord, across the street from the northeast corner of square, Phone 728-3247. SF, cost nominal; M, cost nominal

ORD—New Cafe, across the street from the northeast corner of the square, Phone 728-3316. M available, .95 to $2.25 per meal

ORD—Park View Motel, State Highway 11, Phone 728-5596. SF, $8 for 4

PLAINVIEW — (pheasants, rabbits) —Plains Motel, Phone 106. SF, $5 and up, (rates for parties); M Mary's Cafe, 24 hours

PONCA—Jon Schulke, Bighill Camp, 1 mile north and V2 east of Ponca, Phone 9F12. G, $10; PS, $20

RANDOLPH — (pheasants, rabbits) —Cedar Motel, Phone 340. SF, $5 and up

REPUBLICAN CITY—(pheasants, quail)—Max Barker, Phone 799-2761. PS, $15

REPUBLICAN CITY—(pheasants, quail, ducks) — Dean Stone, Route 1, Phone 799-2877. 8 miles south and west on main road across Harlan County Dam. PS, $25 in group of 4. 10,000 acres

REPUBLICAN CITY—(pheasant, quail, ducks)—Jack and Bill Taylor, Phone 799-2015. G available $10

RUSHVILLE—(deer)—Bennie Myffler, 12 miles north. M available $10; G available. Land in Pine Ridge

SOUTH YANKTON—(pheasant, rabbit, quail)—Kennys 24 Hour Service, 1 mile south of Yankton, South Dakota on US Highway 81. SF, $2; M, $4; G, $10. Will freeze game free. Phone 5-3542

SPRINGVIEW—(deer)—Marvin Blake, 14 miles west of Springview, Phone 497-3976. Accommodations for 4; PS, $20. 480 acres available

SPRINGVIEW—(deer)—Henry Propst, 8 miles west, \xk south of Springview. Daily accommodations for 4; PS, $20

SPRINGVIEW — (deer) — Don Rossenbach, Norden Rur Station, 13A miles east of Norden and 1% south, Phone 497-3476. Daily accommodations for 4; PS, $20

SPRINGVIEW—(deer)—Kenneth Searby, 1 mile west of Norden, 2 south, V2 west through gate and follow road about IV2 miles, Phone 497-3470. Daily accommodations for 8; PS, $20

SPRINGVIEW—(deer)—Roland Serr, 11 miles straight west from Springview, Phone 497-3755. Daily accommodations for 4; PS, $20. 1,400 acres

SPRINGVIEW—(deer) — Gerald Swim, 12 miles west of Springview, Phone 497-3846. Accommodations for 4 daily; PS, $20. 1,200 acres

SPRINGVIEW—(deer)—John Tomasek, 6 miles straight west from Springview, Phone 497-3633. Daily accommodations for 4; PS, $20

SPRINGVIEW — (deer) — Robert Williams, 14 miles straight west of Springview, Phone 497-3975. PS, $20. 520 acres

TABLE ROCK—(quail)—Howell Hotel and Mertes Cafe, Phone 839-2231. SF, M, and G. Keep hunting dogs in basement of hotel. Undetermined amount of acres

TAYLOR—(deer, pheasant, grouse, quail, cottontail, ducks, geese)—Crest Motel, 1 mile south of Taylor, U. S. Highway 183, Phone 942-3245. Hunting information; SF, $4; G, $5

TECUMSEH—(quail, pheasants) — Ace Motel and Restaurant, northeast of Tecumseh, 1 mile on junction U.S. Highway 136 and State Highway 50, Phone 308. SF, $4; M, reasonable; PS. Undetermined amount of acres

TEKAMAH — (ducks, geese) — Ralph Hanneman, Jr., 116 I St., Phone 785. G, $15. Heated blinds, transportation to and from. 20 acres

TEKAMAH — (ducks, geese) — Ralph Kohler, 315 S. 14th, Phone 863 or 481. G, $15. Heated blinds, transportation to and from blinds. 40 acres available.

VALENTINE—(deer, ducks, grouse)—Corkys Bait Shop, Corky Thornton, Box 575, Phone 409. G for deer (rifle only), ducks, grouse

VALENTINE — (deer, grouse) — Les Kime, 22 miles southwest Valentine on blacktop road, Phone 7F2. PS, $20. Transportation furnished, horses available. Trailer Park at ranch, $2. 32,000 acres

WAYNE — (pheasants, rabbits)—Hotel Morrison, Phone 375-3300. SF, $2.75 up; M, hotel Coffee Shop; G, available. Acres unlimited

WEST POINT—(pheasants, deer, rabbits)—Hotel Ortmeier, Phone DR2-2457. SF, $2.50 to $4.50; M, hotel Coffee Shop

WISNER—(pheasants, deer, rabbits)—Midwest Motel, Phone 5951. SF, $4

WISNER—(deer, pheasants, rabbits)—Sunset Motel, Phone 278. SF, $5 single, $7 double

THE END Duck and Goose Hunting Man-made private hunting spot Gas-Heated Blinds RALPH KOHLER Tekamah, Nebraska CIRCLE B MOTOR LODGE On U.S. Highway 34 Dining room and service station Benkelman, Nebraska Phone 423-2922 Ready to serve hunters all season CORKYS PLACE On Beautiful Strunk Lake (Medicine Creek Dam) For a successful hunting trip come to Corky's place; many acres to hunt, modern motel units, plus the enjoyment of home-cooked meals. To serve you better we provide guide service plus cleaning and freezing birds. Come by car or use the landing strip nearby. Cambridge, Nebr. Phone: 697-3774 DEER ANTLERS LODGE ON NIOBRARA RIVER Cabin for hunters who hunt in the Keya Paha area. Excellent for mule deer, prairie wolf, and coon hunting. Can accommodate one to six hunters for a season of hunting thrills. Rates: $10 per hunter, per season, for controlled deer hunting, under the auspices of The Four Corners Rod & Gun Club. Board and room, $6 per day. Write to: Martin A. Peterson DEER ANTLERS LODGE Mills, Nebraska OCTOBER, 1963 59

GAME PROCESSORS

THE FOLLOWING people, when contacted this summer, indicated their willingness to dress and freeze game for hunters. If addresses are not given, the towns are likely small, and a minimum of effort should locate them.

ALBION—Peterson's Locker, 129 West Church, Phone 395-2619, dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $10

ALLIANCE—Ideal Frozen Food Locker, 1003 West 3rd, Phone 200, freeze game birds .02 per lb.; dress, wrap, and freeze deer and antelope, $2 skinning and .08 per lb. processing; minimum skinning and processing, $5

ALLIANCE — Panhandle Packing Co., Phone 813, dress, cut, and wrap deer or antelope, $10

ALMA—Mrs. John Arens, Phone 928-2576, dress game, .50

ANSLEY—Fox Locker, Phone 935-3191, dress and freeze deer; freeze pheasant; prices nominal

ARAPAHOE —W. D. Westfall, Main Street, Phone 962-7645, dress and freeze game birds, .50; will keep birds until hunter ready; birds frozen in containers

ARNOLD —Koubek Lockers, Main, Phone 80, dress and freeze ducks, pheasants, and deer, .06 per lb.; freeze only, .02 per lb.; dress deer, process, $10

AUBURN—Auburn Hotel, One block east of stop light, Phone 274-3138, dress and freeze game

AUBURN—Kings Locker, V2 block west of stop light, dress deer, $2.50; dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $10

BASSETT—Mrs. Pete Iverson, Phone 103-W, dress game, .25 to .35

BASSETT—McCartney's Locker, Phone 165, freeze game, .10 bird; dress and freeze deer, $8

BAYARD — Smith Locker, dress and freeze ducks, pheasants, and grouse, .35; dress and freeze geese, $1; big game processed

BIG SPRINGS—Mrs. Marvin Steward, Phone 889-3457, dress game, .25 to .35; freeze game, .25 to .35; dress and freeze game, .35

BLOOMFIELD—Bloomfield Creamery, Phone 85, dress deer and skin, $2, cut and wrap, .06 per lb.; dress squirrel and rabbit, .50; dress and freeze geese, .75; pheasants, .25; ducks, .50

BLOOMFIELD — Johnson Lockers, Phone 11, dress deer and skin, $4; cut and wrap, .06 per lb.; dress rabbits and pheasants, .40; ducks .75; geese, .85

BLOOMFIELD — L e n d e r Eliasson, Route 1, Phone Crofton 5-F12

BRIDGEPORT — Frozen Food Center, freeze birds, .10; big game processed

BRIDGEPORT—Roberts Produce, dress ducks, pheasants, grouse, .25; geese, $1

BROADWATER—Mrs. Claude Carlson, dress ducks, pheasants, and grouse, .30; geese, $1

BROADWATER — Stopher Locker, Phone 489-3451, freeze birds, .10; process big game

BROKEN BOW—Broken Bow Packing Co., Phone 872-2331, dress and freeze deer and pheasants; prices nominal

BROKEN BOW—Doty Packing, Phone 872-2833, dress and freeze deer and pheasants; prices nominal

BROKEN BOW—Edith Bendowsky, 605 South C, Phone 872-2936, dress birds, .35 to .50

BROWNVILLE — R. C. Moore, west edge, Phone 825-2291, dress game

BURWELL — Burwell Butter Factory, one block north of square, freeze game, .01 per lb.

BURWELL—Grunkemeyers Meat Market, southwest side of square, Phone 346-6145, dress and freeze game

BUSHNELL — Brauer Packing Co., Phone 673-2331, dress big game, $2.50; dress and freeze and cut wrap big game, $10; freeze birds, .10; smoke deer and antelope, .10 per lb.

CALLAWAY—Leo's Market, Phone 67, dress and freeze deer; freeze pheasant

CAMBRIDGE—Corky's Place on Strunk Lake, 2V2 miles west, 7V2 miles north, 2 miles west Cambridge, Phone 697-3774, dress and freeze birds, .35

60 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

CEDAR RAPIDS—Cedar Lockers and Processing, Phone 3241, dress, wrap, and freeze pheasant, .50; dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $15

CENTER —Larry Koenig, Phone 527, hog-dress game, $5

CHADRON—Don and Bill's, 173 Main, Phone HE 2-5313, dress, freeze, and process, $10

CHAPPELL — Brauer Packing, Phone 874-1802, freeze small game, .10; dress and freeze deer and antelope, $10

COMSTOCK — Copps Thriftway, on Main Street, Phone 628-2345, dress and freeze all game, .08 per lb.

COMSTOCK — Mrs. Walter Gitchel, dress game, .25 to .35

COMSTOCK — Mrs. Ed Klapal, dress game, .25 to .35

COMSTOCK—Mrs. Clayton Sheppard, Phone 628-2815, dress game, .25 to .35

COMSTOCK—Mrs. Anna Tvrdik, dress game, .25 to .35

CRAWFORD — Mrs. Cecil Avey, 519 Fourth, Phone 228, dress pheasants, .50

CRAWFORD —Crawford Dairy, 207 Third, Phone 354, dress, freeze, and process deer or antelope, $10

CRAWFORD—Norgard Locker Plant, 105 Pine, Phone 11W, dress, freeze, and process deer or antelope, $10

CROFTON—Bogner's Steak House and Motel, Phone 92, dress and freeze game DALTON—Brestel Brothers Locker, Phone 376-2444, freeze birds, .10; process big game

DECATUR —Decatur Locker Plant, Phone 2211, dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $10

DUNNING—Jack and Jill Store, Main, Phone 538-6221, dress and freeze deer or antelope, $9

ELGIN —Elgin Lockers, Phone 843-5415, dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $10

ERICSON —Ericson Lockers, Phone 653-2235, wrap and freeze prairie chicken and grouse, .15; dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $12

GURLEY—Brauer Packing Co., dress big game, $2.50; processing big game, $10; freeze birds, .10; smoke deer and antelope, .10 per lb.

HARRISON — Harrison Locker Plant, Phone 4021, dress deer and antelope, $2; dress and freeze deer and antelope, $4

HARTINGTON—Ferris Locker, Phone AL 4-3848, dress and freeze deer and pheasant; nominal fee

HASTINGS—Hastings Produce Co., 135 South Burlington St., Phone 2-5415, dress quail, .15; pheasant, .25; duck, .35; geese, .50

HASTINGS—Ray's Feed and Produce, 817 West 1st, Phone 2-5615, dress quail, .25; pheasant, .35; duck, .35; geese, $1, freezing can be arranged at extra cost

HASTINGS — Mrs. Gerald True, 2501 West 9th St., Phone 3-1862, dress and freeze quail, .15; pheasant, .40; duck, .45; geese, $1, cottontail, .30

HAY SPRINGS—Osborn's IGA Store, Phone 638-3421, dress and freeze deer, $7; antelope, $5

HEMINGFORD—Co-op Locker, Phone 216, freeze pheasants, .01 per lb.; artificial ice available for transportation of game

HOWELLS—Faltin Market, Phone 7101, dress deer, approximately $10; freeze pheasants and small game, .10 per bird

INDIANOLA — Verling Lockers, Main Street, Phone 364-2715, freeze and wrap game birds, .25; 8 am to 6 pm; week days only

KIMBALL—Kimball Locker Plant, 108 S. Howard, Phone 235-3951, process big game

LYNCH — Mulhair Motor Co., Phone LO-9-2701, hunting information; cool game

McCOOK —Fishers Produce, 306V2 Ninth West, Phone 345-1717, dress game birds

McCOOK—McCook Lockers, 211 West B, Phone 345-5029, wrap and freeze game birds, .25; cut, wrap, and freeze deer and antelope; hours 8 to 6

MORRILL—Lewis Locker and Processing Plant, Route 1, Home Phone 247-2323, Office 247-2401, dress and cool antelope or deer, $2; freeze and cool antelope or deer, $2; dress, package, freeze antelope or deer, $7.50; freeze ducks, pheasants, no charge

NEBRASKA CITY—City Locker Plant, 303 Central Ave., Phone 488, dress deer continued

  The HAROLD WARP PIONEER VILIAGE ONE OF THE TOP 20 U. S. ATTRACTIONS 66-Unit Motel & Restaurant Adjoining YOU CAN'T MISS TOWN A COUNTRY SHOOTING PRESERVE PLENTIFUL BIRDS DOG-TRAINING GROUNDS CONTROLLED SHOOTING NONRESIDENT HUNTS Phone 434-2636 Lincoln, Nebraska

PROCESSORS

continued from page 61

and antelope, $2.50; freeze deer and antelope, .01 per lb.; dress and freeze deer or antelope, $10

NEBRASKA CITY — Kreifels Poultry Processing, 808 South 8th, Phone 1542, pheasants, quail, ducks, and geese, dress, .30; freeze, .05 per bird

NELIGH—Neligh Lockers, 105 East 4th, Phone 887-4708, dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $10 minimum, over 135 lbs., .06 per lb.; dress, wrap, and freeze pheasants, .50

NEWMAN GROVE —Walter Wurdeman, Meat Center, Phone 4011, dress, wrap, and freeze pheasants, .40 per bird; freeze, dress, skin, cut, and wrap deer, $10; dress and wrap pheasants, .35; sausage and drying meat extra per order

NORFOLK—Frozen Food Center, 811 South 1st, Phone 371-0512, freeze upland game and birds, cost nominal; skin, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, $10

NORFOLK—Miller Produce, 312 North 7th, Phone 371-4780, dress pheasants, .35 per bird; dress, freeze, and bag pheasants, .40 per bird

NORTH LOUP —Mrs. Grace Jensen, dress pheasants OAKLAND—Oakland Locker Service, 329 North Main St., dress and freeze deer, approximately $10

OCONTO—M and L Department Store, Phone 2-251, process and freeze deer (don't skin); dress and freeze pheasant and duck; prices nominal

ORD—Dobrovsky Cafe, southwest corner of square, Phone 728-9919, freeze birds; cost nominal

ORD—Hotel Ord, Across from northeast corner of square, Phone 728-3247, freeze birds; cost nominal

ORD — New Cafe, Across the street from the northeast corner of the square, Phone 728-3316, freeze birds; cost nominal

ORD—Ord Cold Storage, south of light plant, Phone 728-5816, dress and freeze all game; cost nominal

62 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

Reloading is for everyone —especially you, Mr. Average Hunter. The DL-110 makes it really practical for you to reload your own 12-gauge shells. It costs only $34.95, and it's the first reloader to be built with the lasting precision of similar tools used by professional shooters.

You'll be loading your own shells shortly after you take your DL-110 out of the box. With a little practice you can turn out more than 100 loads an hour—at a savings of over $1.50 a box! And it can even be converted to load plastic cases at very little extra.

What about those plans you've made to teach your boy how to shoot; to interest your wife in hunting; to get together with your neighbor and keep your aim sharpened up. The DL-110 is the practical route to all this outdoor pleasure.

Your dealer will be glad to demonstrate the DL-110. If there isn't a dealer near you, order direct —send cash, check or money order. ($34.95 prepaid.)

PACIFIC GUNSIGHT COMPANY DEPT. ON-10 BOX 4495 LINCOLN, NEBR.

OSHKOSH —Rich and Cliffs Frozen Food, Avenue D, Phone 772-3531; freeze small game, .10; dress and freeze deer or antelope, $10

PETERSBURG—Petersburg Lockers, Phone 93, dress, cut, wrap, and freeze big game, $12.50

PLAINVIEW—Plains Motel, Phone 106, wrap, dress, and freeze game, .40 per bird (Butterfield Locker)

PLATTSMOUTH—Plattsmouth Lockers, Phone 5110, dress and freeze deer; nominal fee

PONCA—Bobs Locker, Phone 30, dress and freeze big game

PONCA —Mrs. Elmer Hall, Phone 138W, dress fowl

POTTER—Potter Cold Storage, Phone 879-4481, freeze birds, .10, process big game

RANDOLPH—Cedar Motel, Phone 340, wrap, dress, and freeze game, .50 per bird

REPUBLICAN CITY—Dean Stone, 8 miles south and west on main road across Harlan County Dam, Phone 799-2877, dress and freeze, .50 per bird

REPUBLICAN CITY —Jack and Bill Taylor, Phone 799-2015, dress and freeze game, .50 a bird

RUSHVILLE—Holstien Packing, Phone 7-2182, cool deer and antelope, $1; dress and freeze deer and antelope, $6-$12; make salami out of trimming adding pork at .15 lb. gross of salami

RUSHVILLE—Ideal Market, Phone 7-2497, cool deer, .50 per day; cut and wrap deer, $7.50

RUSHVILLE — Hattie Ross, Phone 7-2196, dress pheasant, .25; larger birds extra

SARGENT—Peterson Thriftway Grocery and Locker, Phone 527-2116, dress and freeze deer; freeze pheasant; ice for sale; prices nominal

SCHUYLER—Dworak Brothers Locker, Phone 2-2231, dress big game, approximately $12.50; freeze small game and package, .04 per lb.

SCHUYLER — Mrs. James Koci, 520 East 14th, Phone 352-3294, dress pheasants, .25; dress wild duck, .30

SIDNEY—Farmers Produce, 1003 Hickory, dress ducks, pheasants, grouse, .30; dress geese, $1

SIDNEY—Rudy's Ag Market, 2245 Illinois Street, Phone 2112, freeze birds, .10

SPALDING — Spalding Creamery and Lockers, Phone 497-2216, freeze pheasants, .15; dress, cut, wrap, and freeze deer, .04 per lb.; skin, $3

STANTON — Stanton Locker, Phone 4392-248, dress, freeze, and wrap deer, $8

STROMSBURG —J and L Produce, north side square, Phone 764-3311 dress ducks, .30; pheasants, .25; geese, .75; dress from 7 am to 6 pm

TABLE ROCK —Howell Hotel and Mertes Cafe, Phone 839-2231, freeze quail, .10; freeze pheasants, .25; game dressed and stored for those staying at hotel continued

OCTOBER, 1963 63   CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS 15 cents a word: minimum order $3 November closing date, October 5 DOGS AKC LABRADORS: Excellent field-trial pedigrees. Few young dogs, some field-champion sired. Four litters for fall delivery, $50 up. Kewanee Retrievers, Valentine, Nebraska. Telephone 26W3. AMERICAN WATER SPANIELS: Fine hunters, retrievers. Choice puppies. AKC registered. John Scofield, Jonesburg, Missouri. LITTER OF registered German short-hair pointers. Ready for delivery October 1. Bourn's Game Farm, Box 275, Overton, Nebraska. VIZSLA PUPS. Started dogs, stud service, national field-trial-champion bloodlines, fully registered. Mile High Vizsla's, Box 177, Englewood, Colorado. AKC IRISH SETTER pups. Champion bloodlines, natural hunting instincts. All shots, will ship. Males $75, Females $50. Write Linda Whitaker, Horse Creek, Wyoming. Phone 632-5405. FISHING RESEARCH PROVES That Fish Have Six Senses. Evaluated knowledge of all six senses is vital to fishermen in their luring efforts. Fish don't reason—they respond to sense-organ stimulus. For authoritative facts, get "Fishtips on the Fish's Six Senses." Send $1 to Fishtips, Department LN, Box 83, Sioux City, Iowa. CHANNEL CATFISH, Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Bullfrog tadpoles. Truck delivery or express. Live delivery guaranteed up to 800 miles. Hartley Fish Farms, Kingman, Kansas. SMOKE FISH, GAME. Build inexpensive electric smoker. Instructions, drawing, recipes. $1. Make summer sausage, salami, jerky from game. Instructions, recipes. $1. Oldtimer John, Kootenai, Idaho. 83840 LIVE WORMS without digging. Bring worms out of ground like magic. Just pick them up. Mix Worm Lure with water, sprinkle ground —out come the worms. Will not harm lawns, tender plants, or worms. Package covers nine square feet. $1 for three packages. Continental Sales Company, Box 1323 Downtown Station, Omaha, Nebraska. 68101 GUNS NEW, USED, AND ANTIQUE GUNS —Weatherby, Browning, Winchester, Ithaca, Colt, Ruger, and many others in stock. Buy, sell, or trade. Write us or stop in. Also live bait. Bedlan's Sporting Goods, just off U.S. 136, Fairbury, Nebraska. MAUSER MODEL 98, K2.5 scope, sling, and sporter stock, $75. Springfield—.30-06, sporter stock, like new, $75. DL 100—16-gauge reloader with crimp starter, $40. Wood turning lathe, 14" x 36", motor, stand, and tools, $50. William M. Van Housen, Syracuse, Nebraska. TAXIDERMY GAME HEADS MOUNTED—Satisfaction guaranteed, fifteen years in the same location. Also send us your hides for tanning, glove and jacket making. Write for prices. Livingston Taxidermy, Mitchell, Nebraska. HAVE YOUR DEERSKINS made into gloves, jackets, etc. Very reasonable. Write for folder. Johnson's Market, Tilden, Nebraska. EXPERT TAXIDERMY. Trophies mounted true to nature, reasonable prices. John Reigert, Jr., 924 South 39th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Telephone 489-3042. HUNTING CAMPS HUNTERS WANTED. Antelope, Box Butte area. Deer, Pine Ridge area. Also turkey. All from same camp. Guide furnished. Very reasonable. For information contact: Ron Magnuson, 1315 Adams Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Telephone 435-5403. HUNTERS: Good pheasant hunting, lodging and food. Reservations and information write to: Riverside Ranch, Mary Williams, Parks, Nebraska. Telephone Benkelman 423-2880. MISCELLANEOUS FOR KITCHEN OR CAMP: The Hungry Sportsman's Fish and Game Cookbook. Big game, small game, wildfowl, all fresh-water fish, frogs, turtles, mushrooms, etc. $1 post-paid. Eddie Meier, Box 3030, Scottsdale, Arizona. NEBRASKA BRED and reared bobwhite quail and ringneck pheasants—Custom gunstocking. Bourn's Game Farm, Box 275, Overton, Nebraska. HUNTING PERMITS and Upland Game Bird Stamps: On sale now at 1,200 agents throughout the state. "1963 Guide to NEBRASKAland Hunting" also available. Get yours now. THE SMART SHOPPER knows there are bargains galore in OUTDOOR Nebraska's classified pages. FOR FOR FOR FOR FOR FOR FOR FOR FOR FOR SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE They meet in OUTDOOR Nebraska's Classified Pages Only OUTDOOR Nebraska offers you a sfate-wide active, buying audience. More than 27,000 OUTDOOR Nebraska readers make your ad work overtime. At 15 cents per word, $3 minimum, it is the most economical way to advertise yet. For Fast Results Use OUTDOOR Nebraska's Classified Page WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY TO BUY Guns Ammunition Scopes Reloaders Fishing tackle Rod and reel Gun repair One of the most complete selections of hunting and fishing supplies. Make Bud & Nick's Gun & Tackle Shop your hunting and fishing headquarters. See our large selection of quality supplies. Hunting and fishing permits available BUD & NICK'S Gun & Tackle Shop 402 South Street McCook, Nebraska In the heart of southwest Nebraska's best hunting and fishing country. For Finest Workmanship in: General gunsmithing Bath and acid bluing Gun repairs of all types Customer Satisfaction Is Our Guarantee ADNEY'S ROD & GUN 8316 Maple Street OMAHA, NEBRASKA 64 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   BIG MEN FREE CATALOG! SIZES 44-66 mbiilKlb Now, you can choose the shirt style you really want from our tremendous selection! Dress shirts, sport shirts, BUM Ifl a^ngrS— knit shirts, flannel shirts, work shirts . . . each in a variety of styles. Tab collars, button-down Ivys, regular collar styles. Neck sizes to 22, sleeves to 38". Also suits, topcoats, sport coats . . . slacks, sweaters, jackets, work clothes, underwear. . . shoes to size 16. Finest quality, perfect fit at amazingly low prices. Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. Write for FREE CATALOG! JERRY LEONARD dept.y-i 1419 Farnam Omaha, Nebr.

PROCESSORS

continued from page 63

TABLE ROCK—Langs Locker Plant, west end of Main Street, Phone 839-4631; dress and make sausage with pork added to deer; also cut and wrap; price depending on amount of pork added

TAYLOR —Mrs. Clarence Sarnowski, Phone 942-6712, dress pheasants, grouse, and ducks, .25 and .35

TAYLOR—Taylor Lockers, Main Street, Phone 942-6275, freeze game, .01 per lb.

TECUMSEH—Ace Motel and Restaurant, northeast of Tecumseh, 1 mile on junction US 136 and Highway 50, Phone 308, freeze game; ice available for transporting game

TEKAMAH — Mrs. Allen Schmidt, Phone 483-W, dress and freeze ducks and pheasants, .35; dress and freeze geese, $1

TEKAMAH — Tekamah Locker Plant, Phone 136, dress deer, cut, wrap and freeze, $7.50 (approximately)

THEDFORD — Butlers Lockers, dress deer, $10; dress grouse

TILDEN—Johnson IGA Market, Main Street, Phone 368-5503, freeze and wrap pheasant, .10; dress, freeze, skin, wrap, and cut deer, $10

VALENTINE—Mrs. Bill Roe, 639 North Cherry, Phone 124, dress ducks, grouse, pheasants

VALENTINE—Wilma Rysehon, North Valentine, Phone 139J, dress ducks, grouse, pheasants

VALENTINE—Valentine Lockers, west Highway 20, Phone 64, process big game, dress and freeze

WAHOO—Wahoo Locker Plant, Phone 443-4051, freeze small game, .10; process large game, .08 per lb.; skin, $3

WAYNE—Mrs. Walter Ulrich, 212 Windom, dress birds, .25; freeze birds, .10

WISNER—Sunset Motel, Phone 278, freeze birds, .10

WISNER—Wisner Locker Service, Phone 239, freeze pheasants, .10; dress and freeze deer, $10

YORK—Mrs. John Hoffman, 88 Nebraska Avenue, Phone 362-4062, dress

YORK—York Cold Storage, 12th Division, Phone 362-5563, freeze $1 minimum charge, open 7 am to 10 pm

OCTOBER, 1963 65

SPORTSMEN ASK PERMISSION BEFORE YOU HUNT CONGRESS GREAT PLAINS 27th and "O" Street Capital City's Finest Motels 56 UNITS BEAUTIFULLY FURNISHED AIR CONDITIONED MUSIC - T.V. - TELEPHONES RESTAURANT SWIMMING POOL GOLF COURSE Business Meeting Facilities C^-xotic (JSamooo fcoom Party Rooms Call LINCOLN American Express Diners and Carte Blanche Credit Cards 56th & Cornhusker Hiway

WHO TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION

AINSWORTH—Gerald A. Skinner, 215 South Main, Phone 116

ALLIANCE — Chamber of Commerce, Bob Gaston, Manager, 224 Box Butte Avenue, Phone 57

ALLIANCE—Nebraska Game Commission Office, Good Samaritan Village, Phone 412

ARNOLD — Koubek Lockers, Main, Phone 80

ATKINSON — Atkinson Chamber of Commerce

BURWELL—K. J. Kovanda, V2 Block south square, Phone 346-7645; Malicky Standard Service, south edge of town, Phone 346-3475; Wranglers Club

CHADRON — Chadron Chamber of Commerce

CLAY CENTER—Farmers Co-op Service, Phone 5425

CRAWFORD — Crawford Chamber of Commerce, Phone 52 or 459-W; Fort Robinson State Park, John C. Kurtz, Phone 71-R2

DUNNING—Jack and Jill Store, Main, Phone 538-6221

FULLERTON—Fullerton J.C.'s, Donald Treadway

GENOA—Chamber of Commerce

GREELEY—Walter Lund, Lund Produce, Phone 428-2761

HALSEY—Higgins Texaco Service, Jim Higgins

HASTINGS—Sportings Goods Inc., 232 North Lincoln Street, Phone 2-6132

HAY SPRINGS—Peters Mobile Service, 20th and Main, Phone ME8-3321

HOWELLS — Chamber of Commerce, Phone 7101 or 9321

LEWELLEN—Erbs Lodge, 8 Miles East of Lewellen on North Lake Road

MASKELL—Melvin Neilson

O'NEILL — O'Neill Chamber of Commerce, Gilbert Poese, President, Phone 120

ORD—Chamber of Commerce, northwest corner of square, Phone 728-5061

PONCA—Milo D. Anderson, 4 Miles East of Ponca on State Highway 12; Commercial Club; Paul Pack, Phone 147

RED CLOUD—Olson Standard Service

RUSHVILLE—Tonys Humble Service, 20th and Main, Phone 7-9696

SOUTH SIOUX CITY —Chamber of Commerce, 1908 Dakota Avenue, Phone 4-1626; Wayne Ross, 2800 Third Avenue, Phone 4-1036

SUPERIOR — Nielsen Conoco Service, 6th and Bloom

TAYLOR—Crest Motel, 1 mile south of Taylor on U.S. Highway 183, Phone 942-3245

WAHOO —Bob Banghardt, Bobs Gun Shop, City Route, U.S. Highway 30A

STATE-WIDE—See page 2 for complete listing of Game Commission officers and offices.

LAWS AND PERMITS

Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing Permit $ 4.00 Resident Annual Small-Game Hunting Permit 2.50 Nonresident Annual Small-Game Hunting Permit 15.00 Resident Deer Permit 10.00 Nonresident Deer Permit 25.00 Resident Antelope Permit (Sold out) 10.00 Nonresident Antelope Permit (Sold out) 25.00 Resident Wild Turkey Permit (Sold out) 5.00 Nonresident Wild Turkey Permit (Sold out) 15.00 Upland Game Bird Stamp 1.00

RESIDENT OR nonresident, you are permitted the same hunting opportunities in Nebraska. There is no season limit on birds, only daily bag and possession limits. You may return to hunt as many times as you wish during the open season provided you don't exceed the possession limit at any time. And in Nebraska, hunting is permitted seven days a week.

All nonresident hunters, regardless of age or sex, are required to possess a permit to hunt. And in addition to the general hunting permit, you are required to have an upland-game stamp when hunting pheasants, grouse, or quail. It can be purchased for $1.

If you do not buy a permit before coming to hunt, you will find them at most sporting goods, drug, and hardware stores. All county clerks also issue permits.

GUNS

LAW REQUIRES game-bird hunters to use a shotgun capable of holding no more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. For pheasants, shotguns run the gamut of personal taste with the majority leaning toward the 12 gauge.

SHOOTING HOURS

IN NEBRASKA, hunters are permitted to hunt the full day. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset for small game, upland game, and waterfowl. Deer, antelope, and turkey hours are % hour before sunrise to V2 hour after sunset. Hunters may go out at any hour during that time.

66 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

OCTOBER, 1963 67

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