JULY ROUNDUP

From pageants to rodeos, whatever your pleasure, this month has it

WILD BRONCS couldn't kick up more action than NEBRASKAland has rustled up for the slam-bang month of July. This month jumps straight up from the lap of summer to swing high and wide with ripsnorting rodeos, gay jubilees, and rousing celebrations. Call these 31 days long, call them hot, but whatever you do, don't call them lazy.

These are the days when rodeo hands throw open the chutes to light the fuse on a summer-long blitz across a land steeped rich in excitement. Rodeo, in fact, started in North Platte during this month way back in 1882. It was Independence Day and North Platte folks asked Buffalo Bill Cody to put on a show for the fourth of July. Bill agreed, and rodeo was born. Today, rodeo roars across NEBRASKAland with thrills and excitement aplenty and the best cowhands in the nation compete for heavy purses.

NEBRASKAland Waterways take on a glamorous flair this month as our hostess, Miss Kathie Glade, invites you to join her as she partakes of their pleasures. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Glade of Grand Island, Kathie is a 1963 graduate of Grand Island Senior High School and an art major at the University of Nebraska. A member of Delta Gamma Sorority, Miss Glade was 1963 Derby Day Queen, 1964 Delta Sigma Pi rose queen finalist, 1964 Cornhusker Beauty Queen finalist, and 1965 Miss "E" Week.

Twentieth Century rodeo and history buffs will have a chance to drink in some of the aura of that long ago yesterday, when Cody was in his prime. Dedication ceremonies were held at his North Platte home, Scouts Rest Ranch, last month. It is now officially open to the public as a State historical park. Even if you didn't make the dedication, Scouts Rest is eager for your visit.

Bill's home and barn have both been restored as museums and one part of the barn has been made into a theater for the showing of an original silent film of his famed Wild West Show. Restoration was begun in 1961 as part of the Nebraska Game Commission's 10-year park development program.

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Over $8,000 in prize money goes up for grabs July 25 in Ogallala when the nation's best cowboys scrap it out in   the National Steer Roping competition. Spearfishing shares the spotlight in Ogallala when world-wide attention focuses on Lake McConaughy for the First International Spearfishing Tourney, July 3 and 4.

In the Alice Blue Cloud pageant at Red Cloud on July 4, the story of the death of chief Red Cloud's daughter will be re-enacted. Residents of the town, named for the famed Sioux chief, will relate this engrossing tale. Meanwhile, 13 other towns in the state bust loose the same day with uproarious Independence Day shindigs and fireworks to burn.

Broken Bow gets into the act the first week in July with the big Central Nebraska Rodeo, then a week later Atkinson will stage one of the top quarter horse shows in the country.

Out in the panhandle, Gering will cut loose July 15 and 16 with their annual Oregon Trail Days celebration. This spectacle, held in country still bearing scars of the pioneer wagon wheels, dramatizes the courage of those who blazed a trail into the West for the sake of a dream.

Bushy beards and calico dresses will line every corner in Wausa, as natives whoop it up for their Diamond Jubilee July 23 through 25.

Thoroughbred horse racing caps off the blazing list of hoedowns and events for July. The state fairgrounds in Lincoln will host the jaunty speedsters beginning July 8 for a 23-day stand in the Capital City. The Lincoln meeting is the third on a seven-track program for the ponies and fans can cheer them on every day but Sunday and Monday. Post time is 3 p.m. weekdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays.

With all of the outdoor action, there will still be plenty of indoor activity as well. From July 22 through August 1, the Roller Skate Rink Operators of America will hit Lincoln with a variety of thrills. July 22 and 23, they will stage championship roller skate hockey. A spectacular roller skating exhibition will be presented on July 24, and the whole shebang will be climaxed by the national roller skating championships July 25 through August 1. All are scheduled for Pershing Auditorium in Lincoln.

Racing, rodeos, pageants, fishing, swimming, camping, and hiking—whatever your pleasure—you're certain to find it along with a lusty "Big Howdy" along the NEBRASKAland trail.

THE END SCHEDULE OF EVENTS May 7-July 5—Omaha Horse Racing, Ak-Sar-Ben Wednesdays during July and August—Omaha Symphony Starlight Pop Concert July 1—Lincoln All-State Orchestra, Band, and Chorus Festival 3-4—Crawford RCA Rodeo 3-4—Ogallala International Spearfishing Meet 3-4—Norfolk Sertoma Rodeo 4—Arapahoe Fourth of July Celebration 4—Big Springs Fourth of July Celebration 4—Bridgeport Morrill County Rodeo 4—Broken Bow Fourth of July Celebration and Stock Car Races 4—Comstock Fourth of July Celebration 4—Craig Fourth of July Celebration 4—Dunning 4-H Rodeo 4—Friend Burley Park Celebration 4—Gordon Old-Fashioned Fourth of July 4—Howells 31st Annual Fourth of July Celebration 6 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland 4—Humboldt Fireworks Display 4—Madison Fourth of July Celebration 4—Minden Fourth of July Celebration 4—Ord Annual Fireworks Display 4—Oshkosh Fourth of July Celebration A—Red Cloud Alice Blue Cloud Pageant 4—Stuart Old-Fashioned Fourth of July 4—Wayne Annual Wayne Saddle Club Celebration Fourth of July Week—Scottsbluff Horse Show First Week—Broken Bow Central Nebraska Rodeo 5-7—Petersburg Summer Festival 8-Aug. 7—Lincoln State Fairgrounds Horse Racing 8-10—Omaha Nebraska Bowling Proprietors 10-1 1—Dwight Czech Festival 10—Omaha Nebraska Navy Mothers Mid-July—Plattsmouth Cass County Rodeo Second Week—Atkinson Quarter Horse Show 13—Lincoln All-Star Wrestling 15—North Platte Scout's Rest Dedication 15-16—Gering Oregon Trail Days 16-17—Dakota City Dakota County Old Settlers Picnic 16-18—Omaha Nebraska American Legion 16-19—Lincoln Summer Opera Production, Pinewood Bowl 17-18—Tekamah Tekamah Rodeo 18—York Soap Box Derby 25—Ogallala National Steer Roping Championships 22-Aug. 1—Lincoln Roller Skate Rink Operators of America 23-25—Wausa Diamond Jubilee 26-28—Bertrand Bertrand Community Club Fair and Rodeo (rain date Aug. 2-4) 26—Friend Beaver Saddle Club Horse Show 27-28—Sutton Harvest Festival 30-Aug. 1—Omaha Midwest Regional Tournament of the American Water Ski Association 30-Aug. 1—Omaha Midwest Citizens Band Radio Convention 31-Aug. 1—Litchfield Old Settlers Picnic A Summer full of fun in OGALLALA NEBRASKAland's COWBOY CAPITAL JULY, 1965 7

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BIG DAY AT ROCK CREEK

Raw and lusty days of old Oregon Trail roar anew during Fairbury pageant

EVERY AUGUST a part of NEBRASKAland races back through the pages of history to re-live on one Sunday afternoon what took years of raw, unharnessed pioneer courage to fashion. Last year, people came from seven states to watch the outdoor spectactular "Echoes of the Oregon Trail". The Jefferson County Historical Society stages the colorful pageant on a shrubby hillside at the famous Pony Express Rock Creek Post Office site, 6V2 miles east and IV2 miles south of Fairbury.

Hair-raising tales, some related to bloody scalping parties and some not, blend with such events as a "shoot out" and Mormon handcart trek. Each recreates actual events that occurred on the deep-rutted Oregon Trail.

Storied characters from the West come to life again to re-enact their big moments in history. Wild Bill Hickok, Kit Carson, John Fremont, and Dave McCanles will all be there with their stories to tell.

This year a cast of close to 200 will turn out August 15 for the colorful presentation. No fancy curtains or bright lights are there to adorn their stage. The backdrop is as big as all outdoors. You won't find ushers, carpets, or whirling air-conditioners, either. It's the unbridled spirit men found in the "Go West" beacon that's on display here, not the comforts of the space age.

Each year, the close to 6,000 visitors bring blankets, folding chairs, or sit in their cars down in the valley to watch the pantomimed spectacle unfurl. The show normally lasts an hour and a half with the first act popping up from the back side of the hill at 2 o'clock sharp. An Indian dance kicks off the program, and is followed by the various stages of settlement until all progress is traced from July, 1861 to March, 1872.

The period portrayed tells of events from the time Wild Bill gunned down Dave McCanles at Rock Creek Station to the time a trainload of settlers pitched down the rails to establish the town of Diller, 12 miles east of Fairbury.

Of all the scenes on review, perhaps the "shoot out" is the most famed. Wild Bill started his career as a stock tender for the Rock Creek Station some time before 1861 and rubbed elbows with the McCanles boys during his work at the Pony Express stop. A bitter feud broke out between Hickok and McCanles with feelings growing more ragged with every sundown. Finally one day, just after McCanles had returned from Kansas City, Hickok drew his Navy Colt and killed his enemy. Although not regarded as outright abush, the fatal blast was in rapid contrast to Hickok's later episodes as he fanned his six-guns all along the western trail.

No less fascinating is the act of Jim Whitewater, the Otoe. Jim had vowed revenge on some white settlers who had killed a party of his Otoe brothers trapping in the eastern range of the white settlement in 1864. Otoe that he was, Jim was compelled by tribal rule to "get even". But several years passed and nothing happened. Then finally in 1871, seven years after the incident, 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland Jim slipped into town and murdered two men inside the settlement. He was later captured as an outlaw, brought to trial, and sentenced. He served his term at the State Penitentiary, and upon release, returned to his tribe to become representative for the Otoe tribe in Washington.

Spectators with children find it no easy task to curb the enthusiasm of the younger set for "getting into the act". Covered-wagon rides are offered to the kids in the morning. Coffee, pop, and sandwiches are hawked at noon before the pageant finally gets rolling at 2 o'clock.

Finances for this flashback to the pioneer past are drummed up by the Fairbury Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson County Historical Society, and the admission fee of 50 cents per adult at the pageant. Part of the money earned in the past has been kicked back into new props and settings used in the show. The procession on the prairie now sports seven covered wagons.

From buffalo hunters to mountain men, to rolling wagons, to warring Indians, the story of the "Big Country" is told every August in this colorful spectacle at Fairbury. It tells of a new land where a mighty sea of grass fades into the distant horizon and lonely graves of pioneers dot the rolling slopes. But most of all it tells of the Oregon Trail.

THE END JULY, 1965 9   10 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland

SPEAK UP

CARRIED WATER—"Your magazine is one of my favorites. You do a beautiful job with interesting stories and good photographs. Your recent article on Vise-Grip pliers reminds me that my pair, bought in 1941 or '42 is SILVER-plated. The war caused a chrome shortage.

"The article, 'Heller in Skirts' reminds me that as a kid in 1912 or thereabouts I saw a Wild West show in Chicago. I think Bill Cody, riding a white horse was the star and the act was Custer's Last Stand. I wonder if you can confirm this ancient memory of mine? I earned the ticket carrying water for the horses."—Ted Hill, Michigan Cily, Indiana.

Reader Hill is undoubtedly right about Buffalo Bill since the noted showman played Chicago often during his years with the Wild West Show. If Mr. Hill saw the show in 1912 or '13, Colonel Cody was associated with Pawnee Bill in what was known as the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and Pawnee Bill Far East Show. After the 1913 season Cody split off and joined the Sells-Floto Circus where his show was an important part of the circus. Our research does not uncover any information about an act based on the famous "Last Stand," however, Cody did stage "The Battle of Summit Springs" and this may be the one that Mr. Hill watched.—Editor.

FRIEND FROM AFAR—"It was a fine surprise to receive the December copy of your beautiful magazine, OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland, and very thoughtful of you to remember my interest for NEBRASKA, where the West begins! Thank you very much.

"I highly appreciate the interesting article by J. Greg Smith called 'The Man Called Crazy Horse'. It gave some particulars I did not know on this famous Sioux leader.

"It was a bright idea to make this issue a calendar. The pictures are fine, very fine (coyote, longhorns, butte in Pine Ridge, the Trenton Monument, Chimney Rock, Wildcat Hills, etc). Only a month ago I heard for the first time of a fierce battle, the last intertribal battle in Nebraska, between the Sioux and the Pawnees. It is good to have a picture of the shaft commemorating the fight and the Sioux beside it.

"I do hope that some day I shall have the money to cross the ocean and travel to the West to see these things with my own eyes, but it's a long way and a lot of money. So, for the time being, I shall have to be satisfied with what kind souls send me now and then."—Ab A. Jansen, Holland.

CELESTIAL HEIGHTS—"As an outdoor writer I have enjoyed OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland for a long time, but I think you reached celestial heights in the May issue. That color spread on the hand guns topped anything I have seen ANYWHERE, ANYTIME! You know I used to think of Nebraska as one of those places somewhere between where you started and where you were going. No more, friend, I'm really sold. Many thanks and. sincere appreciation."—Dick Hoffman, Corona Del Mar, California.

GOLDEN FAN—"I especially enjoyed the Golden Retriever article. Mr. Grimmond mentioned that at a national retriever's championship trial, 90 out of 100 dogs were Labradores. To me, this implies that the Lab is superior over the Golden and others. However, if the four classes had the same number of dogs, your Lab ratio to other retrievers wouldn't be nearly as high as you say. I have used my female Golden on rough terrain, and in frigid, choppy reservoir waters."—Ira L. Woiiaszewski, McCook.

JULY, 1965 11

BUFFALO TRAIL DRIVE

Even veteran cowpokes get the spooks when a ton-sized bison goes on the prod during the Fort Niobrara roundup

ROUNDUP IN the Sand Hills is hectic any time. But when the critters are ton-size buffalo braced by battering-ram humps and massive horns, the task can be a double shot of excitement rivaling the romance and risks of even the most storied trail drives.

Each spring and fall the buffalo herd at the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge near Valentine is rounded up. After wintering on the tablelands north of the Niobrara River, the herd is moved to summer pasture in the Sand Hills south of the river. In the spring this trek is generally a peaceful affair. The lumbering bison work their way south through strategically placed trap pens with periodic herding and wrangling by horse and pickup truck. But the fall drive is something else, bringing out challenges the trail riders of old would be hard tested to equal.

During the second big roundup the herd is run through pens and chutes for sorting, branding, inoculations, and culling before their return to winter pasture. It's not unusual for a disturbed bull to rear up in a holding pen and bounce splintered planks in all directions. Even young calves, lusty from their summer romps, have been known to drive through a board fence.

These docile animals may look harmless and even downright domesticated when grazing. But rounding them up and herding them into confinement brings out their real character. Although refuge manager Howard Woon and his workers minimize the risks involved, reports of perturbed bulls squaring off with a jeep or horse aren't unheard of. Refuge cowboys may have a special feeling for their four-legged friends, but they know better than to get into a chute or holding pen with a grouch bull.

The horses used in the roundups, even though well-trained steeds of the National Wildlife Service, aren't JULY, 1965 13   always a match for the buffalo. The rugged mounts have little trouble outrunning the buffalo, but turning them is something else. Many a fence or canyon-cornered buffalo has sought the direct way out by charging the wrangler. But usually the problem is one of getting to rather than away from. In the spring roundup, the bison have a lot of secluded country for hiding, and in the fall, open Sand Hills for scrambling.

BUFFALO TRAIL DRIVE continued

Last winter 218 buffalo were on the refuge. The big spread takes in over 19,000 acres. Included in the variety of wildlife found there are 150 head of Texas Lcnghorns and 40 elk. This picturesque tourist attraction bordered on the north and west by Highway 12 and just three miles from the junction of U.S. 83 and 20 is administered by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.

The area was once part of the Niobrara Military Reservation which had been established in 1879 to assist in the organization of Indian reservations in nearby South Dakota. The military post was abandoned in 1911 and later developed as a big game and upland-bird sanctuary. In the 1920's and 1930's fences were constructed to permit segregation and management of the herds. Many small ponds were built to provide watering sites. Some of these ponds are used cooperatively by the Game Commission for rearing fish.

A man from Friend can take credit for making the elk and buffalo herds reality. He donated 6 buffalo and 17 elk in 1913. The residents of Valentine and the North Western Railroad set up the first facilities. Through the years some bulls were added to the bison herd, imports from the National Bison Range in the state of Montana.

The twice-a-year roundups can take a few days or string out to over a week, depending on the disposition of the bison. Spring roundup has been relatively tame the last two years. The animals are squeezed down through a series of pens into big bunches for easy herding. However, there's usually a few mavericks that won't co-operate and that's where the rough riding comes in.

Some years as high as a dozen riders are used in the roundups. Just as they don't like to see the bulls get to battling each other with their flesh-gouging collisions, bureau employees don't like dust-rousing, hell-for-leather handling by the cowboys. This isn't because of personal hazards, but because it's hard on the animals.

"We don't like to run the animals too much," explains Forrest Brooks, refuge technician. "In the spring many of the buffalo are heavy with calf and it's not the best thing for them."

The spring roundup comes in the middle of the calving season. By April 1 the calves start coming and by July 1 the last is born. About 66 per cent of the eligible females give birth every year.

"It figures out to a cow calving twice every three years," says Brooks, who notes that it isn't too unusual to see a yearling calf still nursing, (continued on page 55)

STUMPING FOR CAT

by Gary Grimmond Ace Erb was teaching me a lesson in Lake McConaughy geography when a lunker hit. Five hours later we were still trying to call the class to order

ACE ERB of Lewellen was giving me a lesson in Lake McConaughy geography when the catfish hit. Caught between a description of the lake and the need to land the cavorting monster, Ace promptly dismissed the class to give his full attention to the weighty brawler that was arcing his rod into a dangerous bow.

I watched as the fish whipped back and forth beneath the surface, the 12-pound-test monofilament slicing the water. Playing it cool, Ace spooled in line at every opportunity, making the channel cat fight for every inch. This was the kind of fishing action I had come west for and it certainly looked like I wasn't going to be disappointed.

For a minute I didn't think Ace could hold the bruiser. Perhaps it is this feline ferocity as well as whisker-like barbels that give the catfish his name, I thought as Ace's line bent downward and then slanted sideways. The scrapper was trying a crash dive under the boat as if he meant to spin Ace overboard. But my husky fishing partner was a veteran of thousands of such encounters and he netted the four-pounder with an experienced swoop.

Thus began our Big Mac catfishing session on a sunny mid-April morning. Before it ended we had a dozen stout-bodied brawlers on the stringer and I was convinced that the catfish in Lake McConaughy were on a par with its famed walleyes and white bass.

Ace owns one of the resorts on the lake. He's alwavs ready to try fishing at the drop of a hook, even if it means letting his business slide for a day.

"I suppose I should finish getting in the rest of the Ponderosa pine," remarked Ace when I stopped by his bait shop and invited him. "But heck, if I don't 16 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland get in some fishing now I darn sure won't when the rush season starts."

In a matter of minutes Ace stowed his gear in the boat and we trailered to the lake in his jeep. Turning off at Omaha beach near the west end of the north shore, Ace backed the rig into the water and floated the 15-foot metal boat.

"There's all kinds of good catfishing spots around here, including the inlet, but that's my favorite," Ace said, as he pointed to an old stump sticking out of the water.

The stump was about 100 yards from shore, a mute reminder that Big Mac was once Platte Valley farm land. The water was around four or five feet deep. While Ace secured a line to the stump I started asking questions about the big artificial lake that has a national angling reputation. Ace was giving me the lowdown when the catfish got in the act.

We baited up with small shad and the gizzards from their bigger brethren to tempt the bottom-feeding catfish. I chose one of each for my two-hooked spinning outfit. Ace stuck to frozen shad which he had spread out on a boat seat to thaw. We were using dropper sinkers to keep the bait just off the bottom.

My first cast sent the silvery shad 20 feet beyond the plop of my sinker, and I learned that keeping one on the hook could be a problem. Ace hardly boated the big cat and was just getting back to the geography lesson when I felt a tug on my line. Instead of the steady draw of a catfish, this was a hit and miss kind of a take with the line going intermittently slack.

Annoyed with the in and out tactics of my prize I started reeling in. The fish came in readily until he reached the surface, then he decided to make a fight of it. My rod bowed into the water, but I had him in close enough to handle. Reaching out I lifted the scrapper aboard. Both Ace and I were surprised to see the glistening yellow body and black stripes of a sizeable perch.

"Hey. That's one of the nicest perch I've seen on this end of the lake," declared Ace, who has caught JULY, 1965 17   enough of them to know. "It's sure funny he took a shad. They usually go for live minnows." As an afterthought he added, "I guess they will pick a dead fish off the bottom."

STUMPING FOR CAT

As I strung the perch Ace was battling another catfish. The fiesty specimen really put on an underwater show as he tried to shake the hook. But he had to finish the performance in the bottom of the boat. Intent on getting his hooks back in production, Ace left the big cat to thump around instead of stringing him.

Just then I felt a bow-string tautness on the end of my 12-pound test line. The hefty pull told me I was in a pitched battle with a Big Mac cat. He fought for his life with arm-straining surges and power glide spurts. My prize didn't come easy, but he came and I had my first catfish of the day.

More followed with varying degrees of struggle during our five-hour fishing session. In between strikes, Ace gave me an on-the-spot commentary on the 35,000 surface-acre lake that claims most of the state's record catches. As a long-time resident of that area, he realizes the importance of farming but he couldn't help lamenting the demands of irrigation. This draws down the level of the reservoir, sometimes leaving freshly-spawned fish high and dry.

Our 20 to 30-pound string of catfish wasn't anchor enough to keep our boat from bouncing in the rough water. The wind was coming from the southeast and had the length of the lake to build up heavy swells that were slapping our craft around.

"I suppose we had better head for shore," suggested Ace, still reluctant to end the outing. "A storm can come up on Big Mac awfully fast and really catch a fellow," he added, reaching for the leather-encased walkie-talkie that keeps him in touch with his wife Irene at the lodge.

Extending the telescoped aerial, Ace rattled a "Mobile to base, mobile.to base." Amid a smattering of static his wife's voice came back, "Go ahead mobile."

"We're coming in now," he said. "It's getting a little rough."

"How did you do?" Irene asked.

"You just have your knife and skinning pliers all set to go when we get back," replied Ace, with an assumed tone of authority.

"Oh but we can't take any more, Ace," Irene said, "Our freezer is already filled with fish."

"That's the kind of problems you run into catfishing the Lake McConaughy way," he retorted.

"Every fisherman should have such problems," I remarked. As near as I could tell, Ace has got it made at his Big Mac fishing heaven.

THE END 18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland

THE SUBJECT of many stories since times immemorial, the red fox has been cussed and discussed. To the fox hunter, as an object of the chase, he is worthy of the highest esteem. On the other hand, many a poultry raiser and small-game hunter would rather see him done in. So the question remains, is he a hero or a low-down scoundrel?

Examination of the area surrounding fox dens will often produce evidence of a damning nature. Feathers or hide and bones of pheasants, chickens, and rabbits can be found. This would indicate that these form a substantial part of the fox's diet. Smaller items, such as rodents, fruit, and insects are easily overlooked.

Finding game or poultry remains does not necessarily mean that the fox was responsible for the demise of the luckless individual. A possum eating on a dead horse does not mean that it was responsible for the kill. In the Great Lake states, illegally killed deer, crippling losses, and viscera of dressed deer constitute a large portion of the fox's winter diet. The fox did not kill the deer. Instead he eats the carrion.

Reviled by some, hailed by others this crafty character is tough to peg. Here's the book on him and the judgement is yours to make by Karl Menzel Senior Biologist

Studies of food habits of the red fox have been conducted in a number of states. Although he is officially a carnivore, numerous items other than fresh red meat are consumed. In Iowa mammals constituted 38 per cent, birds 18 per cent, invertebrates 26 per cent, and plants 17 per cent of the diet. The most important mammals were mice and rabbits. In North Dakota, an eight-year study showed the following diet composition: rabbits and rodents, 50 per cent; carrion, 20 per cent; birds, 15 per cent; plants, 10 per cent; invertebrates, 4 per cent; and poultry, 1 per cent.

As far as diet goes, and within limits of preference, the fox is an opportunist. Mice and rabbits are easier 19   to catch than game birds and are heavily utilized. In season, fruits, grasshoppers, and other insects are eaten. Fresh carrion is welcome. An unprotected poultry flock is easy prey. On the other hand, certain animals are used only slightly, or are taken in proportion far below their availability. Shrews, moles, and snakes fall in this category.

One of the fox's favorite foods is meadow mice. Studies show that 1,000 meadow mice will consume 11 tons of hay per year. Populations of five mice per acre are not uncommon. Thus, the potential and real damage by these rodents is quite significant. The fox, hawk, and other predators are major factors in keeping them in check.

Fox furs, which were once worth $10 to $15 each, are no longer of any great value due to fashion changes. However, they have a certain trophy value to the hunter. Possibly fashions will change again and the real value will be more apparent. One of the least tangible assets is the fox's aesthetic value. Sighting and watching a red fox is a memorable occasion.

A major credit factor is the fox's sporting value. To the hound-and-horse hunter, shooting a fox is a crime of the lowest nature, as unsporting as shooting sitting birds or dynamiting fish. About half of the states presently afford the fox some sort of protection. In the remainder, he is unprotected and in some he has a price on his head.

Hunting takes a number of forms. The chase, on horseback and following hounds, is popular in the Old World and in the eastern United States. Predator calling is relatively new, but is gaining an increasing number of devotees. Other important methods include road hunting, den hunting, walking them up, drives, and airplanes. Trappers also take a considerable number.

In a recent article in "North Dakota Outdoors," the author states that "there is no question in my mind that fox hunting will soon be, if it is not already, North Dakota's No. 1 hunting recreation. . ." At present it does not appear that the fox will reach this high a status here. Certainly his recreational value is increasing.

Foxes aid in removing sick and diseased prey species, ensuring that only the fittest will survive. Wildness is one of the most important qualities of a game species, and this is helped considerably by the presence of predators.

But the fox does not wear a halo over his head. Occasionally he is an important carrier of rabies. Control in problem areas during such times will shorten the continuation of the outbreak. Around an uncooped poultry flock, he is definitely a nuisance and many cause significant economic loss. The best way to handle this is to take in poultry at night and control the fox problem where necessary.

One of the favorite theories of casual wildlife observers is that the fox and other predators are responsible for the periodic declines in game populations. Such declines can be noted in areas where no foxes are present. The only time that predation can become a serious factor is during extreme lows of prey, or when the habitat degenerates to such a degree that suitable escape cover is no longer available. Under the latter 20 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland condition, no amount of predator control can overcome the natural, or more commonly man-made, habitat destruction.

Controls of various sorts have been prescribed, including intensive poisoning, trapping, and bounties. Where such control is directed toward problem individuals around poultry farms it is justified, but as a method of increasing game populations, it is extremely wasteful.

In New York a study was conducted, controlling foxes on one area and directing no special controls to the other area. Pheasant populations remained about the same on both areas. There was no demonstrable benefit to pheasants on the area where foxes were reduced. Estimates of cost for maintenance trapping were at least $50 per year per square mile. For reducing the fox population, it was double that amount. Studies in Michigan showed that the fox accounted for less than two per cent of the winter loss of pheasants.

Millions of dollars have been spent on fox bounties, yet fox numbers remain about the same with periodic declines and increases. In those states with bounties, and those where foxes are afforded protection, numbers remain comparable. In a way, the fox bounty may be likened to currently proposed firearms legislation. It will not affect the problem individuals.

The fox is really neither a hero nor a villain. He has good and bad points. But one thing is sure, he'll be around for a long time to come. He's an animal that should be understood, utilized, and enjoyed in Nebraska.

THE END JULY, 1965

GEORGE NORRIS: THE FIGHTING NEBRASKAN

He was a rebel with a cause and his cause was a better America for all by Elizabeth Huff

THE REPRESENTATIVE in the baggy black suit and little shoestring tie leaped to his feet, demanding recognition from the chair. As the fiery young man from Nebraska received permission to speak, no one suspected the battle that would ensue.

George W. Norris had waited long years for this opportunity. It would be the first and one of the many successful fights by the controversial and dedicated Congressman from Nebraska. For 40 of his four score and three years, George Norris battled inequality, corruption, and party machines in the halls of Congress.

Fashion was unimportant to Norris. To him, it was the inner man that counted. Throughout his career, he stalked the nation's legislative chambers in his somewhat drab suits. Though the man and his ideas changed and matured with age, his taste in clothing did not. He remained partial to his plain conservative dress in spite of his increasingly flamboyant projects. But the string tie finally did make way for a bow.

Tutored in debate and parliamentary procedure early in life, Norris was highly respected by friend and foe alike. Physically, however, he was a pretty average man. Hard farm work as a lad stood him in good stead, although ill health plagued his last years.

At the time of his election to Congress in 1903, he was just beginning to gray and wore a neatly trimmed 22 mustache. His probing dark eyes were and remained his most arresting characteristic. Years and conflict took their toll. The mustache disappeared. Lines creased the smooth brow and etched even more strongly the positive set of his jaw. A quizzical cock of the eyebrows belied his undercurrents of deep thought and emotion.

Never a rich man, Norris managed to survive in politics, even when big money set out to unseat him in later years. Somehow he was able to reach those who really counted, for on election day, every man's vote is equal.

Born on a small farm in Ohio, George rose to the heights in true American fashion. He worked hard from early boyhood to complete his education as a lawyer before succumbing to the lure of the West. Ultimately the young lawyer-teacher hit Beaver City where he set up his practice and began the fine art of "politicking".

From his background came a staunch, rock-ribbed Republican philosophy and as a fledgling politician, Norris was a hard-core conservative. Friends urged him to run for prosecuting attorney on the GOP ticket. Caught in the Populist movement of the 1890's, he went down to defeat. In his next try for public office in 1895 he was elected district judge. Thus was launched nearly 50 years of dedicated service. Seven years later, with still a year of his second term as judge to serve, Norris sought and won a seat in the U. S. House of Representatives, a position he would hold for five terms. In Washington as a freshman congressman he began to realize that the evils he saw in the opposition party also ruled his own. His dissatisfaction and rebellion led to displeasure and reprimand by the GOP. Without strong party support he ran for the U. S. Senate in 1913 and was elected. Nebraska returned him to office for five straight terms.

His accomplishments in the face of fierce opposition are legion. The TVA, REA, agricultural reform, the Lame Duck Amendment, and abolition of the "yellow dog" contract were among the fights he fought and won. In Nebraska Norris spearheaded the drive for the Unicameral Legislature, achieved the "little TVA" for the Platte River Valley, and secured Homestead National Monument, to list but a few of his accomplishments here.

Considered by some of his admirers as a possible candidate for President, Norris rebuffed all attempts to lure him from congress. He had no aspirations for higher office, for he felt that he could best continue his battles for reform in the legislative halls.

Quick to finger evils wherever they existed, Norris was much more than a muckraker. He was a valuable ally to agriculture, the forests, and conservation in general. Many of his contests spanned more than a decade, but he fought them through. He compromised when necessary, but never when (continued on page 54)

THE SIGHTS OF SUMMER

When the sun is high and the air warm, NEBRASKAland roars to life with the season

WHEN THE SUN is high and the air warm, NEBRASKAland becomes a vast canvas of outdoor enchantment that inspires the eye and restores the spirit. This richly-contrasting state responds to Summer with a contagious enthusiasm that cannot be resisted. In a thousand different ways, NEBRASKAland urges resident and visitor alike to linger awhile and enjoy a season that has no equal in its endless variety.

From a sailboat skimming the blue waters of Lewis and Clark Lake in the east to the golden beauty of sunflowers nodding along the western trails there is much to see and do.

Those who take their summer fun, spectator fashion, are not forgotten in Nebraska with its season-long spread of rodeos, parades, festivals, and pioneer celebrations.

A NEBRASKAland Summer reserves its brightest smiles for lovers of nature. This is a place where the basic beauties of sky, earth, and water are recognized and appreciated, ready to be shared by all who are attuned to the magic of a season. From the restless surge of the Missouri River to the green mystery of the canyon country, nature is in the sunny spotlight.

Here, Summer runs the gamut from the high excitment of battling a voracious northern pike in the sparkling waters of a Sand Hill's lake to the quiet relaxation of a hammock in the shade. The invitation to try both is equally cordial.

 

AS THE years write their never-ending chapters in the book of k life, the most cherished pages are reserved for the youthful memories of Summer and its wonderous adventures. Only the young and the young in heart can appreciate the miracle of a warm day with all its freshness, its promise, its pure fun of discovery.

In NEBRASKAland it is possible for kids to sample the nostalgic delights of an older generation and still enjoy the marvelous fun providers of a more advanced era. This is the state where the best of the old and the best of the new are combined in an exhilarating blend of fun and frolic.

The delicious goodness of a watermelon is still available for full-mouthed enjoyment just as it was in Dad's day.

The ferris wheel has been replaced by a modern gadget called the flying saucer. Still the thrill of soaring high above the midway is here for the trying.

There are thousands of other adventures waiting. All it takes to discover them is a Summer in NEBRASKAland and a spirit that ages not.

26 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland      

MATERNAL MATRON, coquette, efficient business gal, Summer changes her mood to match the endless diversity of Nebraska. In the east she spreads a mantle of calm skies and sun washed days over the prairie.

As she travels toward the setting sun, Summer employs all of her feminine wiles to woo the somber Sand Hills.

In the Pine Ridge, Summer transforms this raw and rugged land into a cool, green retreat. A designer with a deadline, Summer clothes the Ridge in sensible green and then stands aside for others to admire her effort.

 

NO EYE FOR Summer beauty need go unfulfilled. The magic of the season touches every nook and cranny of this colorful state. Summer spreads her favors with a lavish hand, touching all with her special brand of beauty.

The efforts of man enhance the splendor of Summer in eastern Nebraska for this is the place of lush crops and richly-laden orchards. Here, Summer dips deep into her palette of color to paint vistas of vivid and exciting beauty. As the season edges toward Autumn, the land glows with the promise of a bountiful harvest.

In Nebraska, Summer and water fun is synonymous for there is wet stuff aplenty here. Sharing the summer spotlight with the huge and popular impoundments are hundreds of smaller charmers. Some are hidden deep in the Sand Hills. Others are next door to teeming cities.

Those who seek summer enjoyment amid calm and restful surroundings will find their eyes working overtime. Lakes and rivers here are in the midst of some of the most enchanting scenery in the West.

In fact, it is so inviting you'll never be satisfied just to look. Summer demands you to become a part of the scene.

34 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland JULY, 1965 35  

THE MAN who claims you can't do two things at once never summered in Nebraska.

Promise yourself a day of boating, fishing, and loafing and Lake McConaughy is just one of a hundred lakes where you will satisfy your three-in-one desires. The fish will be quick to co-operate, there's more than enough cruising room, and plenty of silence for some uninterrupted shuteye in between.

If you want to watch a colorful and pulse-quickening parade before taking a cooling dip, NEBRASKAland can serve it right up. Communities across the state cut loose with a Wild West array of pageants and festivals during the summer months. Many of these towns have a municipal pool or are only a hop, skip, and jump from a recreation area with its inviting "swimming hole".

As Summer weaves its magic spell NEBRASKAland is a package of pleasure, wrapped up and ready to be delivered to you.

Next month, OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland will attend an Indian pow-wow. One look at the exciting photographs in color and you, too, will hear the beat of tom-toms inviting you to the warrior dances of long ago.

36 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland

WRATH OF THE GODS

Iona Volcano long extinct but legend of terror flows on and on by Irma Foulks 38 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland

DEATH WOULD not be quick nor painless. The chief of the Arapahoe, Kahdachegha, led the trembling captives toward the sacrificial vault. As the procession made its way through the moonlit night, the great caverns loomed closer and closer while the "volcano" nearby seemed to beckon them into its fiery depths. Each agonizing step magnified the horror awaiting the captives.

At each full moon the fire-worshiping Arapahoe of long, long ago sacrificed their sick, aged, and infirm together with all prisoners of war to the fire god. These sacrifices would insure that the buffalo would come to the hunting grounds, the warriors would be mighty in battle and fruitful on the hunt, and the babes would ,erow into strong straight braves. To insure these things a maiden must die.

Wachepah, his brother, and their beloved sister were Arapahoe hostages. Kahdachegha had decreed that to save his brother's life, Wachepah must murder his sister as a sacrifice to the fire god of the volcano.

The terrified trio, guarded by their tormentors, entered the base of the rock and made their way along the natural passageways to the hidden altar chamber. The torches threw grotesque shadows on the porous walls as each step drew the captives closer to their impending doom. Suddenly the sacred cavern of death yawned before them.

Torches and ceremonial fires cast an eerie half-light across the vault, glinting on the knives and accenting the sharpened stakes which lined the room. A blood-stained slab in the center bespoke other grisly sacrifices. Here captives' eyes were gouged out, their legs severed with red-hot flint knives, and the skin flayed from their bodies before the eternal fire of the volcano brought merciful death.

Torn from the protection of her brothers, the terrified girl was secured to the rock. Gripping his knife, Wachepah edged toward his helpless sister. The sign given, he bent over the intended victim. With a lunge, he sprang past his fainting sister and plunged the blade deep into the chest of the chief. Quickly other captives sprang on their guards. In seconds the unholy shrine was red with the blood of the Arapahoes and their captives.

Even the rampant death and destruction in the temple could not appease the Great Spirit. The sound of thunder, a thousand times more fearful than ever heard before, echoed through the room and rumbled down the corridors. With a grinding crash the earth opened and swallowed both living and dead, leaving only a marsh where the ghastly temple stood.

Such is the legend of NEBRASKAland's lona Volcano. It has been passed from generation to generation of white and red men alike, often changed in the telling. But basically the tale remains the same.

There is some evidence that at least part of the story may be true. A smoking hill in Dixon County in northeast Nebraska is said to be the old temple site. While Volcano Hill, as it is called, no longer rumbles or belches fire, it still overlooks the Missouri River between Ponca and Newcastle. Each year visitors stop to see the once-famous "volcano", though the crater has eroded with time and is now an unimposing grass-covered slope.

Lewis and Clark were the first white men to see this smoking hill, as they made their way up the Missouri River in 1804. But, Indians knew about it for centuries. The explorers learned the legend while their Indian guides showed them the excavations and mounds of the Arapahoes' ancient settlement.

The story spread with time. As civilized people moved into the country the remains of the volcano excited passing interest. In the 1870's, puffing steamboats from Ponca and Sioux City made regular excursion trips up the river for curious sight-seers. Locals delighted the tourists by jabbing poles into the crater. In seconds the poles were charred by the intense heat.

For a few years the town of lona thrived at the foot of the hill, but the restless Missouri River changed course in 1878, forcing the inhabitants to move. Today only the cemetery remains as a reminder of the once-growing community.

Other colorful explanations have been given for the phenomenon. Perhaps one of the most imaginative is one told by the old-timers. They claimed a huge earth slide had covered a gigantic Indian campfire, and the flames still burned deep in the earth. Scientists offer a more plausable explanation. They claim the waters of melting snow and heavy rains combined with the sulfide in the clay and shale of the hill to cause a reaction. Any diversion of the channel may set the volcano off again.

Kahdachegha murders no more, and the lona Volcano with its Great Spirit is silent. The black magic of the smoking hill left it when the Arapahoe fire god rose up in his last awful wrath to destroy those who had violated his temple. Today only a grassy mound remains where volcanic fires once raged.

The memory of this incredible tale will not be silent for each generation passes on the legend of the lona Volcano. It is as much a part of NEBRASKAland as the bard-core history etched into the land by the likes of Crazy Horse and Buffalo Bill.

THE END JULY, 1965 39

OLD WEST TRAIL

From Omaha to Scottsbluff: Chimney Rock to Brownville, a highway of history beckons

LESS THAN a century ago endless lines of Conestogas (lumbered along the Old West Trail carving a colorful page into NEBRASKAland history. Today you can follow that same Old West Trail as it twists through Nebraska, Wyoming, the Dakotas, and Montana. In Nebraska much of the historic trail can be traced in a looping journey beginning and ending in Omaha.

Heading west from Omaha the modern traveler can follow the thousands upon thousands of white-topped prairie-schooners that once rolled through this rowdy jump-off point. Though the era of the creaking wagons is gone the sound and fury of pioneer days still echo through Omaha's busy streets. Among the reminders of a harsher past is the Mormon Cemetery. Here many of the unfortunate saints are buried, their hopes of a better life on earth unfulfilled.

Not all of Omaha is devoted to the Old West, however. Joslyn Art Museum portrays the new along with the old in its exhibits of frontier and contemporary art, while Father Flanagan's Boy's Town is lasting proof that the pioneer helpfulness of early NEBRASKAland is not dead.

War cries which once chilled the b]ood of the settler are still heard along the Old West Trai] but their original menace is long since gone. War whoops that once foretold the fate of many a white man are now confined to ceremonial dances held at nearby Omaha and Winnebago Indian Reservations.

Today modern luxury replaces the hardships that dogged the hardy pioneers on their westward trek. Ponca State Park and Gavins Point Dam offer a refreshing lift to the trail weary with camping facilities, picnic areas, exquisite scenery, top-notch fishing, boating, and water skiing.

As the trail sweeps through historic and picturesque country of the north and west it reaches the colorful Pine Ridge in northwest Nebraska before beginning its return lap to Omaha.

At Chadron the Museum of the Fur Trade brings the West of the pathfinding trapper to life with exhibits and displays of a bygone era. Here the savagery of the period is evident in the mementoes of these hardy mountain men. The majestic beauty of Nebraska's Badlands and Toadstool Park is unaltered from the day when they were first discovered by the restless rovers of old. Civilization has touched this rugged and beautiful land with a light hand and Sioux warriors of old would find little change in their traditional hunting grounds.

Imaginative ears can still hear the distant roll of drums and steady tramp of marching feet across the parade grounds of historic Fort Robinson. Today you can lodge in the officers' quarters which once housed the men who led bluecoated soldiers against the warring Indians.

Far to the west Scotts Bluff once watched the endless push of covered wagons. Now, a national monument, it looms above the new asphalt of the Old West Trail. Atop the monument you can see in a glance the vast country that pioneers took weeks to cross. The flame and spirit of the Old West still burns in the Overland Trail Museum at the base of the monument. Chimney Rock, near Bayard, is still a landmark for western travelers just as it was for the restless immigrants of nearly a century ago.

Returning on the eastern leg of his journey along the Old West Trail, the traveler will find that the early 41   freedom of the North Platte River has been harnessed by the modern generation. Mammoth Lake McConaughy with its 100 miles of shore line is but one of the impoundments along this river of history. This "valley of water" is spanned by the second largest earthen dam in the world and provides some of the best boating, fishing, and all-round water fun to be found.

Located only a few short miles south of "Big Mac" is Ogallala, Nebraska's Cowboy Capital. Here, all the rip-roaring action of this cowtown's lurid past lives again. Front Street with its Crystal Palace Saloon, Cowboy's Rest Hotel, and "the most substantial jail west of Omaha", combine with a legendary Boot Hill to keep this highlight on the Old West Trail ever bright.

At North Platte, Buffalo Bill Cody wintered his world renowned Wild West Show at Scouts Rest Ranch. Today this western show place has been restored to its one-time splendor. Posters that once advertised the show now adorn the barn while replicas of original western wallpaper grace the house. Coy had the original wall covering with its authentic western patterns designed and made in Germany. Today the footsteps of 42 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA this western great still echo around the spot he loved so well.

The saga of the West which the Pony Express brought to Nebraska still lives at Gothenburg, another must on the Old West Trail. Here, the original relay station used by the men and boys who rode to widespread fame is a top tourist draw. Where sun-burned riders of the past changed mounts the modern traveler can spend an afternoon browsing through relics of that daring and short-lived adventure.

Old Fort Kearny is on the Trail too. Once guardian of peace on the frontier, it is being reconstructed. When completed the fort will add another page to the drama of the early West.

At Minden the past and present are combined at Pioneer Village with a unique flair. An entire village is dedicated to the preservation and display of pioneer equipment. Pioneer Village houses over 30,000 items tracing American development (continued on page 49)

JULY, 1965 43

COOKING A NEBRASKAland STEAK

Follow these tips grilled from an expert and you'll never be on the pan as a backyard chef by Lou Ell

SINKING YOUR teeth into a NEBRASKAland steak should provide you with the taste treat of your life. If it doesn't, pardner, you've been cheated, and I, for one, am taking my shooting iron and going gunning for justice.

My Aunt Martha will be the first to go. In spite of her unparalleled culinary abilities with other viands, she thinks steak is any part of the cow above ground, and there's only one way to cook it, chip black! Next in line is a neighbor who selects the meat with much care, then promptly flings it into a mixture of beer, garlic powder, and sagebrush root to soak for 10 hours before holding it briefly over a smoky flame to "set the flavor".

I feel it's about time people were educated to just what is a NEBRASKAland steak, how to properly select one, and how to prepare it like a genuine NEBRASKAlander should. After researching the subject with beef buyers, supermarket meat cutters, steakhouse chefs, and two housewives, I found just the expert to write the rules. Me.

To be eligible, the beef must be of prime quality. This means that anything not born in the Nebraska Sand Hills, raised on native Nebraska grasses, and then fed out on Nebraska corn, isn't even in the running.

One must be sure the meat cutter is able to identify the loin, particularly the "head loin" or "loin butt". Both terms are synonomous. "Top sirloin" is a portion of the butt, and within this area is a hand-sized piece of meat almost completely free of membrane and fiber. This is the finest chunk of meat on the critter, and is the section from which genuine NEBRASKAland steaks are cut.

Each steak should be no less than 1 1/4 inches thick, and if you've invited the boss to dinner or want a special treat, make them iy2 inches thick. Have all but V4 to %-inch of the fat trimmed from the edge. Since this is extra prime beef, the lean part of the steak will be quite generously marbled with tiny pockets of fat. These are necessary if the meat is to be fork tender on the table. If it was a bad year in the Sand Hills and the grass was short, the steak should be treated with another product from the cow, but more on this later.

With the package safe in your own kitchen, don't be too anxious to light the charcoal. To be at its best, beef needs to be aged between slaughter and cooking for 16 days, at a carefully controlled 35-40° temperature. Meat from most markets has been slaughtered only a few days before being sold, so unwrap the meat, cover it loosely, and store it in the refrigerator for an extra five or six days before you cook it. The aging process breaks down the tougher fibers and produces a tenderness that Grandpa's china choppers, or his lack of them, can handle without difficulty. Beware of rushing things by using commercial tenderizers. The texture of a NEBRASKAland steak is part of its succulence, and artificial aging tends to destroy texture to a mushy state.

Stoke the back-yard grill with a good grade of charcoal, two briquets thick. Be sure every last briquet is fired. Smoking charcoal adds an off flavor to the meat.

If the steak is less marbled with fat than you like, now is the time to employ that other product from the cow. Melt a quarter pound of butter to a liquid state, and soak the steak in this for 10 or 15 minutes, keeping the butter warm.

Cut a large onion in half, and rub the steak well with the cut side. Trim a thin slice from the onion for a fresh surface for each side of the meat, then throw the onion away. Sprinkle the meat well with savor salt, and the merest whisper of garlic powder. This must always be done before the meat is placed on the grill, so the chemicals will cook into the steak.

Check the coal bed. If every briquet is glowing, with not a whisp of flame anywhere, raise the grill 44 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland place the steaks on it, and then run it down to within a couple inches of the coals. The intense heat quickly sears the surface and seals in the juices that must be retained within the cell structure. After 30 seconds or so, turn the meat over. You can use a fork here, but don't let it penetrate the meat and break the seal on the underside. From now on, it's preferable to handle the meat only with tongs. With the second side seared, run the grill stage to about four inches above the bed, and let the steak cook slowly. Most cooks use too much heat, and the outside burns before the inside is even warmed through. Slow cooking tends to dry the meat.

A steak IV4 inches thick will take about 10 minutes to the side for medium done, and no steak should ever be cooked more than this. Medium cooking allows some pink flesh in the center. If you prefer your steak rare, adjust the cooking time accordingly. No absolutely definite times can be recommended because coal beds and grills are infinitely diverse. At all costs avoid charring the meat.

Instead of charcoal grilling, you may want to broil the steak in your electric or gas range, or pan broil it on top of the stove. Initial preparation of the meat is the same. To range broil, preheat the broiler, and pop the steak in when maximum temperature is reached. For pan broiling, use a heavy iron skillet, and preheat it until a drop of water bounces around. This temperature will sear the steak rapidly. Reduce the heat for cooking, and leave the pan uncovered. No additional cooking oil or grease should ever be added to the frying pan.

Serve the meat piping hot, with side dishes of salad and potatoes of your choice. But, on peril of being gunned down by a real NEBRASKAlander, see that sauces, ketchups, and barbecue mixes are purposely absent. The mouth-watering goodness of a NEBRASKAland steak must not be contaminated with these foreign concoctions. If you insist on committing the crime, beware: After Aunt Martha and the neighbor, pardner, YOU'RE NEXT!

THE END JULY, 1965

the PRICE OF A SHOW

by Rusty Thorp Gordon, Nebr. A trio of daring novices pays a strange ransom to escape the deadly Snake

OUR CANOE trip on the wild Snake River was developing into a real swingeroo. Even though I was soaking wet and minus a shoe, I was glad we were making it. The Snake curls through some of the most primitive and seldom-seen geography in NEBRASKAland. My temporary discomfort was a very small price to pay for the eye-rich enchantment that waited around every bend of the wild river.

Emerging from its home in the Sand Hills, south and a bit east of Gordon, the Snake hisses its way to the Niobrara River, south of Valentine. As the water rolls along, it grows in strength and fury. Before it reaches the Niobrara, the river becomes a real rattler.

Dr. V. E. Johnson, a veterinarian, and his son, Kurt, were my companions on the outing. We started at Clifford Bridge, south of Merriman, and planned to lift out at Doughboy Bridge, south of Nenzel. Crow flight distance is about 21 miles but the kinks and turns of the roguish Snake added many more miles to our exciting trip.

We faced a real canoe course on our two-day cruise. None of us had ever manned a canoe before, but we were confident we could handle it, even with white water, submerged rocks, and plenty of portages facing us. At least four waterfalls had to be bypassed before we reached Nenzel, but we didn't worry about them. Our canoe was a durable Fiberglas job and responsive to paddle. We made the usual tyros' mistake of shipping too much gear, but all the stuff made comfortable camps a cinch.

Adventures began even before the canoe was launched. En route we spooked four antelope from a 46 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland tiny canyon and sneaked up on a napping fawn. The little fellow was so startled he tried to climb a sheer cliff when we interrupted his snooze. On the river, the wild ducks put on quite a show. The mallards were bringing off their broods and the antics of the anxious hens kept us spellbound.

The hens would hide their ducklings and then go into a realistic broken-wing act to lure us away from the nestlings. We enjoyed their fakery, even though we were hep to their tricks. A couple of times we followed the hens for a short distance until they suddenly recovered and took off on strong wings.

Enjoying the scenery, we were in no hurry to speed up the cruise. I am interested in Indian artifacts so every time we passed a likely looking spot we beached and searched for arrowheads. The banks were lined with wild currants and we ate them by the handfuls. They were delicious washed down with the cold, cold water of the river. Waterfalls were wonderful excuses to stop and fish but the trout were too smart for us, even when we tried the barefoot wading approach.

Our idyllic cruise almost ended in disaster when the Snake sprung its first trick. Absorbed in the beauty of our surroundings and lulled by the false serenity of the water, we didn't realize the river was pinching in between two high hills. Suddenly we rocketed through a chute and slammed into a submerged rock. I was in the bow and the added weight jammed our craft tight to the lurking killer. Before we got underway again we knew the Snake had fangs and was capable of using them on the unwary.

We had shipped some water and Kurt started bailing. In his excitement, he scooped up one of my shoes and tossed it overboard. It bobbed on the angry current for a second or two and then went down like McGinty. After that when we portaged I was careful to step on only one cactus at a time.

The afternoon was well along before we ran into another hairy experience. Again I was the goat. We were blocked by a low-slung fence that cut across the channel. Instead of beaching and lifting the bottom strand to let the craft slide under, we decided to duck and ride. Doc eased under, Kurt hunched, and I went low. Just as I did the bow swung wide. I had the split-second choice of rolling or being impaled by the sharp barbs. I rolled. It didn't take the Snake a second to accept the invitation to climb aboard as our craft tipped. Water poured in, soaking everything. Doc and Kurt immediately pegged me as a Jonah, as we gathered up our drenched gear.

With wet gear and the prospects of a clammy camp facing us, we decided to pick a campsite pronto and let the sun and wind work on our soggy equipment. By the time we stowed away beef stew, hot biscuits, and coffee, the stuff was dry. We spent a very comfortable night and the next day things went as smooth as silk.

We were novices at canoeing and we made plenty of miscues, but the experience wTas even more enjoyable because of the boo-boos. It isn't too often you can enjoy the primitive splendor of a wild and unspoiled land for the price of an old shoe and a couple of wettings. I have one regret. We had cameras along, but we didn't think of them while we were fighting the white water. These wild stretches offered plenty of chances for dramatic photos, but we were more interested in getting our canoe through the rapids.

Even though we lost the chance for some great shots we have them in our memories and they will never fade. It takes only the word, "Snake", to bring them flashing back.

THE END OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland proudly presents Hie stories of its readers themselves. Here is the opportunity so many have requested —a chance to tell their own outdoor tales. Hunting trips, the "big fish that got away", unforgettable characters, outdoor impressionsall have a place here. If you have a story to tell, jot it down and send it to Editor, OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland, State Capitol, Lincoln 68509. Send photographs, too, if any are available. JULY, 1965 47   48 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAIond

OLD WEST TRAIL

(continued from page 43)

since 1830. The 20 buildings and 10 acres of this tribute to the past form an exciting and educational stopover on the Old West Trail.

At Lincoln, Nebraska's State Capitol stands sentinel over the surrounding countryside. Ranked fourth among the architectural wonders of the world, it is a lasting symbol of a people's liberty. Other Lincoln greats include ''Elephant Hall" on the University of Nebraska campus where the fossilized remains of prehistoric beasts are displayed. Vivid exhibits in the Hall and at the State Historical Society Museum portray evolution in Nebraska from Ice Age to present.

Visitors seeking change of pace looking will find it in Fairview, the Lincoln home of William Jennings Bryan. For 15 years Bryan and his family sought and found retreat from the political limelight at this home in southeast Lincoln. The youngest man ever nominated for president and the victorious opponent of Clarence Darrow in the famed Scopes trial, Bryan wooed a nation with his oratory. Fairview is now a National Historic Landmark. Mementoes of Bryan's life and times are on display. The house is open to visitors during the summer months.

Free land was the cry in 1863 and today Homestead National Monument at Beatrice pays tribute to Daniel Freeman, the first to homestead in Nebraska. An original homesteader's cabin equipped with all the tools and utensils necessary for life on the plains stands on the site. A self-guiding trail leads to various points of interest including the graves of the first homesteading couple. A museum tells the story of homesteading in the West.

At Hallam a nuclear power plant rises above the prairies. This ultra-modern producer of electricity is a fitting symbol of Nebraska's progressive-minded philosophy.

In Brownville, a colorful river town of a bygone era, time stands still. The scenic Missouri River which flows past the community offers plenty of opportunities for "shutterbugs". Historians will find the number of restored homes and small museums well worth a visit.

Arbor Lodge near Nebraska City is the palatial mansion of J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day. The house is furnished in the style of its day. It is open to visitors during the summer. Horse drawn vehicles are on display in the carriage barn which is near the mansion. The grounds and rose garden are among the finest in the country.

Bellevue, Nebraska's first town, keeps its early origins alive with the oldest church in the state. Built by Presbyterian missionaries in 1805 the church neighbors the Bellevue Log Cabin. Originally on the banks of the Missouri River, the cabin was later moved to its present location as a tribute to the pioneers who settled the area in the early 1800's.

Today adventure awaits the modern pioneer. The dangers have subsided and the hardships are fewer, but the frontier still lives in the sights and sounds along the Old West Trail as it wends its way across NEBRASKAland.

THE END JULY, 1965 49

Offers the Midwest's most complete GUNSMITHING SERVICE HYDRO-COIL STOCKS All available models carried in stock and skillfully installed. VENTILATED RIB INSTALLATION Poly Choke Feather-Aire ribs installed on all popular shotguns. CHOKE INSTALLATION Poly-Choke, Lyman Choke and Cutts Compensators installed to correct barrel length and specifications. REBARRELING High grade Douglas barrels used for all installations. CHAMBERING Reamers for most popular calibers and some wildcat cartridges. REBLUEING Careful polishing and quality blueing, using Western Gun's own exclusive Deep Blue 15 formula. CUSTOM RIFLE CONVERSIONS Special ists on Springfield and Mausers. SCOPE INSTALLATION Drilling and tapping done on Forester jig to insure perfect alignment. Scopes aligned with a SweanySite-A-Line. STOCK WORK Quality Fajen stocks used exclusively, custom fitted and carefully inletted. RECOIL PAD INSTALLATION Pachmayr pad of correct type installed to exact length required. Dealers write for 221-page catalog of Gunsmithing and all shooting goods supplies. WESTERN GUN & SUPPLY CO. Dept. 07 3730 No. 56, Lincoln, Nebraska 68504

RECREATIONAL Roundup

Hitting the road instead of books best bet for this quiz MATCH THEM UP . . . Victoria Springs Scouts Rest Ranch Lewis and Clark Lake Dead Timber Old Fort Kearny Walgren Lake Harlan Reservoir Valentine Refuge Two Rivers Lake McConaughy Slolley Park

EACH YEAR thousands upon thousands of vacationers and weekend Huck Finns head for the wide open spaces and the pleasures that await them at NEBRASKAland's many recreation and historic areas. Fishing, boating, swimming, and water-skiing head up the list of fun-in-the-sun opportunities. This month OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland presents a number of these meccas for you to identify. Anyone familiar with these areas will have little or no trouble, but in case you do, we'll give you a few hints.

Lakes and reservoirs play an important part in many a NEBRASKAland outing. Lewis and Clark Lake got its name from the two famous explorers who shipped up the Missouri and left their indelible mark on history. Harlan may be either a man's first name or his last, but here it labels one of the prime fun spots in Nebraska. McConaughy, the king of them all, offers some of the best boating, swimming, and fishing to be found anywhere.

Pay trout fishing at Two Rivers draws thousands of eager anglers each year and yields bountiful catches. The hook-and-line devotee should watch his step at Walgren Lake nestled in the Sand Hills for it is rumored that it 50 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland harbors a monster with an appetite for anglers.

Early history is always just a few miles away. Old Fort Kearny guarded the wild frontier from the ravaging hordes of Sioux as they blazed their way across NEBRASKAland. Scouts Rest Ranch at North Platte was winter headquarters for Buffalo Bill's renowned Wild West Show. Here rodeo was born. Stolley Park is named for the German immigrant and his hardy band who settled Grand Island.

Victoria Springs is the site of a defunct health resort which its owners had hoped would reach wide-spread proportions. Though the spa is no longer active, fishing and vacationing pleasures are there in abundance. The Valentine Migratory Waterfowl Refuge near Valentine offers an abundance of scenic relaxation plus a chance to brush up on your bird lore. Dead Timber is one place the angler and sight-seer will not soon forget. Though the lakes are small, all-around enjoyments ar record breakers.

Now you're on your own. Your background in NEBRASKAland fun should stand you in good stead when you try matching the name with the right spot. Good luck. Don't peek, but you'll find the answers on page 55.

THE END YEAR 'ROUND FUN with your Beagle If you own a BEAGLE HOUND and are not acquainted with the sport of FIELD TRIAL BEAGLING, you are missing two-thirds of the fun of owning him. To become acquainted with this fast-growing sport, subscribe to HOUNDS & HUNTING, the largest single breed publication in the world devoted to BEAGLING and the BEAGLE HOUND. SPECIAL OFFER TO NEW SUBSCRIBERS—One Year $3.00; a saving of $1.00—Sample Copy $.25. HOUNDS & HUNTING, Dept. ON-2, Bradford, Pa. JULY, 1965 51

Role of THE VOLE

For these four-legged meal tickets, multiplication is the only solution to a constant problem of subtraction by Warren Spencer

IF YOU listen closely in the still of the night you may hear Nature's night shift hard at work. Thousands of tiny creatures are scampering through the undergrowth, eking out the necessities of life in a never-ending struggle for survival.

The vole, often called the meadow mouse, is one of the most prominent members of this active family that prowls the darkness. Voles are found in nearly every part of the country, from sea level to timberline. Plentiful in the extreme, these scampering mites furnish food for a host of winged and four-footed predators.

Life is short for the vole, usually lasting about 15 to 16 months. A vole who reaches this age is considered a doddering old-timer. For this reason childhood lasts only about two weeks. Born blind, deaf, and naked, the young are shapeless balls of wrinkled skin. This is soon remedied for their growth begins immediately and at an astonishing rate. For the first eight weeks they double their original size daily. Their skin soon begins to fill out, the youthful grey coats emerge, and the young are eating solids within six or seven days.

At the grand old age of two weeks the young vole is cast into the cruel world to make his own way. About the eighth or ninth week of his life, the vole exchanges his pale gray coat for the pepper-and-salt suit which he will wear through the remainder of his life.

Since new offspring arrive in naked state, the nest is water resistant and well insulated. It may be built either above or below ground, but the basic floor plan is the same. The nest is woven of grass, sedges, or any other similar material which is available on the site. Soft grass, bits of moss, or milkweed floss placed in the interior of the nest add comfort to the animal's tiny abode.

One or two doors in the nest lead the small voles to their life in the outside world. These exits connect to mazes and runways built by the other inhabitants of the rodent community. These minute routes to the feeding grounds are sheltered by dense foliage. The actual entrances to the underground tunnels are hidden under overlapping blades of grass and shrubs. In the passageways, both above and below ground, the earth is trampled into a hard pavement by the constant padding of thousands of small feet. Through these bantam subways the voles scurry about in constant activity.

The young vole does not know fear when he's born, but it isn't long before the age-old instinct to stay alive instills itself in him. He prefers to dine with a clump of grass or a rock at his back, affording a clear view of the surrounding countryside and a head start should an enemy threaten. Except when running for his life, the vole usually stays within 20 to 30 feet of 52 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland home. Though mating habits require more territory, the male will spend his entire life within one-half acre while the female will confine herself to half that space.

Though voles do not go out of their way to make enemies, they have an abundance of them. Death stalks the fields from every direction. Foxes, coyotes, raccoons, weasels, skunks, and many other four-footed predators are always ready to lunch on a careless rodent. Owls, hawks, crows, and magpies swoop from the sky as feathered dive bombers to rain death on them.

One of the most dangerous of the vole's enemies is the least weasel. At the first hint of trouble the wary vole will streak for the safety of a nearby tunnel, trying to escape the inevitable. Terror strikes again when the unfortunate little fellow realizes that his pursuer is still hot on his heels. Voles caught in this predicament generally become a tasty tidbit, but occasionally one will manage to give his assassin the slip and return to his hectic life in one piece.

Nature has not stacked all the cards against the vole. The small rodent has a fair share of intelligence, the speed of greased lightning, and a constitution of iron. Razor-sharp claws and teeth that can easily penetrate an enemy's coat or sever a claw with one bite add to his armament. A vole in trouble can run like lightning for 50 to 100 feet and may swim up to 90 feet. Running full tilt into the water, he will literally skim over the surface for about five feet. When necessary, he'll stand and fight. Combat between two voles will see both perched on their haunches, teeth clacking in rage, dealing deadly blows to each other with their front claws.

Voles multiply at an unbelievable rate in cycles of about four years. No one knows whether they think themselves into this population explosion or if it is something in their diet. Whatever the cause, the boom plays a very important role in the balance of nature. During these times entire crops may be leveled.

Although Nebraska has never had such problems, voles in abundance are quite destructive. Girdling trees by the hundreds, the enormous population will blight whole orchards in their quest for the cambium or inner bark. Alfalfa and other crops are clipped at ground level. A theoretical population of 100 per acre will consume 300 pounds of alfalfa per year or 96 tons per year per section. Because voles are not frugal, they waste at least twice as much as they take.

When food becomes scarce above ground, the small army burrows down to feed on the roots as deep as six or seven inches. Fortunately in these times of overpopulation, predators flock into feast on the critters. Though man employs every tactic possible to quell the onslaught, predation and disease finally stem the tide of the rodents and return the situation to nature's proper balance.

Because of the ravaging effect the vole has on crops and wild vegetation during times of abundance, his beneficial role in nature is often overlooked. Through his feeding habits and tunneling, he keeps the soil well cultivated, accelerating future plant growth. He determines to some extent the population trends of those that prey on him. Because the vole offers a common food supply for so many, he and his kind lessen predation of more desirable animals.

These tiny animals that inhabit Nebraska's fields and prairies are but one of nature's wonders. The voles' hectic life may be both a detriment and a benefit to man, but he plays an important role in nature's delicate balance.

THE END JULY, 1965 53

COLOR SLIDES BROWWVILLE

Entire set (20 slides) $6.30 Set of three slides .... 1.00 Each individual slide ... 350 Brownville, the noted frontier town of the 1850% is the subject of the third series in NEBRASKAland color slides. Visit this Village of Memories from the comfort of your favorite easy chair. This set contains 20 slides from the color section that appeared in the October, 1964 issue of OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland. Start your own valuable slide collection. Order this set and all previous sets today. Send for free catalogue of the State Capitol and the Badlands series ORDER HERE NEBRASKAland State Capitol, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509 Enclosed is my check or money order for $. Please send me the slides I have circled. NAME. ADDRESS. CITY STATE □ The entire set 83-84-85-86-87 88-89-90-91-92 93-94-95-96-97 98-99-100-101 102 □ Check here for your free catalogue

FIGHTING NEBRASKAN

(continued from page 23)

his main objective would be thwarted. Ever his own man, he acted always from strong moral convictions and what he thought was right. So violent were his conflicts with his own party, that ultimately the high brass of the Republican Party set out to defeat him in any way possible. Norris ran and won as an Independent in 1936.

In 1942, at the age of 81 he ran again as an Independent and was defeated for the first time in 47 years. The fighting politician retired to his home in McCook and spent his final years writing his autobiography, "The Fighting Liberal". He finished it eight weeks before his death.

Always unafraid of party powers, George W. Norris believed he owed explanations to no one save the voters who elected him. He was true to their trust, and they continued to return this scrappy rebel to Washington. As a lasting memorial, he was named to the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1961. A postage stamp was issued in his honor. One of the TVA dams bears his name.

Perhaps the greatest tribute to his personal and political integrity was inclusion among the select group of patriots in the late President John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize winning book, "Profiles in Courage".

George Norris was not what most people would envision as a battling liberal. He was a devoted family man, a Protestant, and a dry. But he followed his conscience and supported Al Smith (a Catholic and a wet) for President in 1928.

J. E. Lawrence, long-time personal friend who helped Norris prepare "The Fighting Liberal" pinpoints the man:

"Senator Norris in his 40 years in Congress demonstrated effectively that often the legislative branch of government lagged far behind the people it represented in political thought and action. Through two great wars . . . and through grave domestic strife and crisis, his eternally youthful vision, his courage, and his honesty gave strength, hope, and faith to millions.

"Virtually alone in the early 20's in one of the most conservative eras of American history, he carried on the discouraging battle which led to the ultimate establishment of TVA. That victory established a sound, inspiring pattern for the conservation of natural resources, which has withstood a hundred powerful attacks. Twelve years of congressional battle went into it."

Unlike most who start as political liberals and veer eventually to conservatism, Norris did just the opposite. He began as a conservative and his particular ideological path led him toward liberalism and reform.

The senator never knew what it was to play. Often he would work for 16 54 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland to 18 hours a day handling correspondence, the painstaking reading, the research, and preparation he felt necessary. He would refuse to discuss issues he did not have time to prepare, for his insatiable desire for accurate information could not be curtailed. Even so he spared precious hours to spend time with Mrs. Norris and their three daughters.

"In personal and public life," Lawrence points out, "simplicity, frugality, freedom from the restraints politics imposes upon most men, fairness and constancy are the qualities which have distinguished the man and the legislator."

Norris was not always right, for no man is perfect. But he fought as he felt he must, for it was in him to fight for a cause he felt was just. And this trait carved his place of honor, not only in NEBRASKAland, but in this nation's history.

THE END

BUFFALO DRIVE

(continued from page 15)

The big herd at Fort Niobrara is pretty much on its own except for the interruption of roundups. All that these proud monarchs require is a little salt and some mineral supplement.

The refuge buffalo are right in their natural environment, which accounts for their growing numbers. Once the herd reaches 300 it will be at the maximum carrying capacity of the available range.

The refuge is on land that once abounded with buffalo. This was before heavy settlement. Unlike the Indians who found food, shelter, clothing, fuel, and utensils in the bison herds, the white man was as hard on the land as he was deadly to the buffalo. In the pioneer days the heavily wooded and well-watered Niobrara Valley dividing the tablelands of the north and Sand Hills on the south was first-class real estate. An oasis to weary travelers in search of firewood and water on the dry plains, it also attracted many homesteaders. This diminished the original wilderness paradise. When the area was turned intoma refuge much of this natural cover had to be restored by tree plantingsmand grass reseeding.

Because of the inherent dangers, the visitors are discouraged from taking part in the roundups. Of course, tourists are welcome to refuge attractions any time of the year. In addition to the big-game herds, scenic trails, waterfalls, a museum, and recreation facilities are all open to the public.

There is little doubt that the white man was responsible for the decimation of this fine American mammal. It is fitting that areas like the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge have been provided for restoration, even if it means wild and woolly wrangling come roundup in the spring.

THE END REEL SALE! Johnson Laker— Push Button, Model 140, with 250 yards, 10 lb. line Johnson Century— Model 100-B, with 6 lb. line Johnson Centennial—Model 120-A, with 10 lb. line YOUR CHOKE VALUES TO $29.95 REELS Johnson Citation—Model 1 10-B, with 10 lb. line Johnson Sabra—Model 130-A, with 15 lb. line GARCIA MITCHELL "300" open face spinning reel with 2 spools ONLY $1995 *3550 PREPAID REGULAR PRICE CENTRAL GUN OPEN: 6 DAYS A WEEK. Or Order By Mail: We're Fast Becoming Nebraska's Largest Mail Order Sporting Goods Dealer. 544 North 48th St. Lincoln. Nebraska 68504 JULY, 1965 55

Murdered Fish. An estimated 1,350,000 fish died from pollution kills in Kansas in 1964. The largest single kill was estimated at 365,000 fish. Fifteen of the kills were believed to have been caused by wastes from commercial livestock feedlot operations. Eleven others were attributed to industrial operations, agricultural poisons, wastes originating from railroad transportation facilities, municipal wastes, and one from chlorine in water drained from a swimming pool. Cause of one kill was unknown.—Kansas.

Busy Beaver. A beaver, with the help of $388, has helped create a new 600-acre waterfowl marsh. The beaver plugged a 36-inch culvert under a forest trail. When high water threatened the road the county spent $388 to install two 18-inch culverts as an alternate overflow 400 feet from the original stream bed. This kept the road intact and enlarged the pond. Several wood ducks and mallards have already availed themselves of the new facilities.—Minnesota.

Point of View. With today's progress in transportation, there is no such thing as a distant relative.—Anonymous.

No Relation To Koala. Word of Hollywood's animal population is spreading. A request from Australia queried, after a long list of questions pertinent to several fish and animal species: ". . . and what is a Yogi bear?"—California.

Fishing For Birds. The hunter who goes everywhere well-equipped was ready when he brought down a dove in a farm pond last fall. In an effort to retrieve the bird he took his rod and reel out of the car and began casting for it. His first cast netted him a 2V2-pound bass; on the second, a one-pounder. The fishing was so good he never did get the dove.—Missouri.

Bass Beats Birdie. Golfer Dr. Harry Goldner tried for a birdie and got a fish. An attempted iron shot onto the seventh green landed in a lake, hitting a three-pound bass. The doctor lost his golf ball but gained a fish and had it baked for dinner.—Florida.

A Fine Question. While patrolling the Little Connoquenessing Creek at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, a warden arrested two men for fishing in the closed stream. After the men paid their fines, one of the men asked the officer why he wasn't in church at the time.—Pennsylvania.

Too Much Static. How can a man discover the myriad voices that can be heard at night in the woods, if he never turns off the radio long enough to listen?—A. Lee Maynard in West Virginia Conservation.

Bumper to Bumper. During 1963, the state parkways network was increased by 177 miles with 80 million pleasure cars using these modern scenic roads.—New York.

SCUBA Diver. There can be no disputing the ability of a common merganser's ability as a diver. A merganser was caught in one of the fishery crew's nets 29 feet below the surface of Lake Eucha.—Oklahoma.

NEBRASKAland TRADING POST

Classified Ads: 15 cents a word, minimum order $3 October Closing Dote, August 1 BOATING FIBERGLASS CANOES: Three exciting models. Easily assembled kits. $29.95 up (factory direct). Free literature. Riverside Canoes, 5803C Victoria Avenue, Riverside, California. GENUINE Northway Fiberglas Canoes, 9 sizes for complete selection. Direct Deal details free. Write to Northway Canoes, Hebron, Illinois. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE. Amazing new liquid plastic coating used on all types of surfaces interior or exterior. Eliminates waxing when applied on Asphalt Tile, Vinyl, Linoleum, Vinyl Asbestos, Hard Wood, and Furniture. Completely eliminates painting when applied to Wood, Metal, or Concrete surfaces. This finish is also recommended for boats and automobiles. No competition. As these are exclusive formulas in demand by all businesses, industry and homes. No franchise fee. Minimum investment—$300. Maximum investment—$7,000. Investment is secured by inventory. Factory trained personnel will help set up your business. For complete details and descriptive literature write: Chem-Plastics & Paint Corporation, 1828 Locust, St. Louis 3, Missouri. CAMPING EXCELLENT overnight parking. West Chadron, one block off Hiway 20. Clean, warm showers, restaurants. Laundry. Picnic ground. Mobil Manor Court. LIGHTWEIGHT camping equipment for summer or winter. We specialize in Down-clothing, Down-filled sleeping bags, tents, climbing equipment and a large selection of domestic and imported boots. Suppliers to expeditions, government and individuals. Send $.25 for catalog to the Ski Hut, Dept. NL, Box 309, Berkeley, California. CAMPING IS FUN When you use a Hoosier Tent, and inexpensive when you use our Easy Payment Plan. No Down Payment. 9x9 Umbrella Tent $.85 per month, 10x8 Cottage Tent $6.12 per month, 10 x 10 Cabin Tent $10.49 per month, 10 x 14 Cottage Tent $13.55 per month. See these wonderful tents on display. Lincoln Tent & Awning Company, 1616 O Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 432-1977. OUTDOOR CHEFS: Fyr Starter. Lifetime aluminum; 11" high; guaranteed to light charcoal in 5 minutes. Uses no fluid; carries everywhere. $2.50 postpaid. Box 78, Brecksville, Ohio 44141. DOGS VIZ SLA pups for sale, 4 and 5 months old. A.K.C. and F.D.S.B. registered. Wayne Hoskms, Enders, Nebraska, Telephone TU 2-4858. REGISTERED German Shorthair pups. Well marked. Out of good hunting stock. Reasonable prices Ed Weigel, c/o Lee Ranch, Amelia, Nebraska. Telephone 925-2411. AKC BLACK LABRADORS. Spring and summer pups, $50 up. Two fine dogs at stud Few started dogs. Best hunting and field trial bloodlines. Kewanee Retrievers, Valentine Nebraska, Telephone 402-376-2539 56 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER puppies. Whelped April 4, 1965, 3 males, 7 females. Sire: Champion Duisburg's Stormy Jim. Dam: Doc's Duchess Grosshoax (9 points). Available June 14, 1965. J. H. Dunlap, M.D., 814 South 9th Street, Norfolk, Nebraska, Telephone 371-2175. VIZSLA pups, started dogs, bred females, AKC—FDSB, perfect for home and field. Guaranteed. Imp. Ajax Olca at Stud. Jorgens Kennels, Clara City, Minnesota. FOR SALE: Weimaraner pups. Whelped January 1, 1965. Sire: Champion Royal Mystic King, R.D.S.D. Dam: Misty of Little Bear. Doug Bennett, LaGrange, Wyoming, 307-422-2714. FOR SALE: English Pointer pups, whelped January 26, 1965. Limmon Tick and Liver Tick. Bill Osborn, Route #2, Box 104, Scottsbluff, Nebraska. FISHING FOR SALE: Rainbow Trout fingerlings for stocking farm ponds and gravel pits. Dugout Creek Trout Hatchery, Ralph Wagoner, Broadwater, Nebraska. FISH BAIT MEALWORMS (Arkansas Giants), 300, $1. 1,000, $3. 3,000, $6.75. Selected breeders 100, $3. Jon Bait, Box 13, Marked Tree, Arkansas. FISHERMEN: Catch all the white bass you want and your limits of sauger, walleye and northern. Use a white or yellow SKITTER JIG. Send $1.00 and receive two V4-0Z. jigs postpaid. SKITTER PRODUCTS, 205 South 15th Street, Norfolk, Nebraska. SEINES, gills, twine, fishnets, hooks, commercial fishing supplies. Catalog. Nichols, 500 Layton, East Saint Louis, Illinois. GOLDEN Mealworms (extra large Grubs), millions of them. 1,000, $2. 3,000, $5. 5,000, $8.50. 10,000, $16. Guaranteed live delivery. Free Window Banners. Postage prepaid. Reel Bait Company, P. O. Box 4525, Compton, California. FISHERMEN. Try my hand-tied Nymphs. Deadly for Trout and all Panfish. Six postpaid, $1. Ken Knox, R.D. 6, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. FISHERMEN: Send $1 and receive fifteen "bait style" red luminous night crawlers postpaid. A full 5V2 inch fish killer. Bob's Worm Ranch, 2027 Central, Kearney, Nebraska. PROVEN Weedless Lures. Write for free illustrated brochure. Weedless Bait Company, Aitkin, Minnesota. 56431. NIGHTCRAWLERS free. Get hundreds with new trap. Plan $2. Harry Grounds, 1273 Central, Albany 5, New York. GUNS NEW, USED AND ANTIQUE GUNS, send for list including Browning O & U's, Weatherby, Winchester, Ithaca, Colt, Ruger and others in stock for sale or trade. Send large self-addressed 10£ stamped envelope or stop in, Bedlan's Sporting Goods, just off U.S. 136, Fairbury, Nebraska. NEW EUROPEAN Air Arms and Ammunition; astonishing performance. World's Finest at Discount. Catalog 5$. Air Rifle Headquarters, Grantsville, West Virginia. REBORING, Rebarreling, Chambering to all standard and wildcat cartridges. General gunsmithing. Prices sent on request. Hoffman Gun Shop, Bucklin, Kansas. GET MY booklet "Raising Redworms Successfully in the North". Grow them larger. Complete. $1.50 postpaid. John Strange, Route #1, Delton, Michigan. MISCELLANEOUS BE PREPARED—Repair now. Inexpensive, reliable service. Cameras, meters, binoculars. Send insured. Free estimate. Modern Technical Repairs, 550-C Westbury Avenue, Carle Place,, L. I., New York. 11514. STONEGROUND CORNMEAL. Most complete line Health Foods. Many processed daily. Come see us or write. Brownville Mills, Brownville, Nebraska. REPTILES: Reasonable prices. Catalogue only 35£. Reptile Sales, P. O. Box 267, Hacienda Heights, California. RESORT VACATION at Green Valley Farm near scenic Devil's Nest. Fishing and boating on Lewis and Clark Lake. Lodging and board. Telephone 373-4492. Ray and Rosanna Braunsroth, Bloomfield, Nebraska. FOR RENT: Cabins on Highway 385, one-half mile south of Chadron State Park. Write Parkway Cabins, Rt. #1, Box 39A, Chadron, Nebraska or call 432-3781 for reservations. SCUBA EQUIPMENT BOB-K'S AQUA SUPPLY, Nebraska's largest scuba dealer. U.S. Divers, Sportsways, Voit, Swimmaster, Scubrapro. Air Station, Regulator Repair. Telephone 553-0777. 5051 Leavenworth Street, Omaha, Nebraska. TRAPS COLLAPSIBLE Farm-Pond Fish-Traps: Animal Traps, postpaid. Free information, pictures. Shawnee, 3934-AX Buena Vista, Dallas 4, Texas. THE BIG WINNERS ARE.. OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland Classified Advertisers Because: • More than 50,000 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland readers form an active buying market for all types of products. From sporting equipment to health foods, all are sold through OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland classified ads. • OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland's reading audience keeps growing, but OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland's classified advertising rates remain LOW . . . only $.15 per word with a $3.00 minimum. # Classified advertising in OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland is attractively displayed so no advertisement is lost. The classified section consistently has high readership. # Most important, OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland classified advertising SELLS! So whatever you want to sell or buy, you'll hit the jackpot with OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland classified advertising. OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland of the Air SUNDAY 7:05 KTTT, Columbus (151$ kc) 7:30 KRGI; Grand Island (J430 kc) 7:40 KVSH, Valentine (94$ kc) 8:00 KXXX, Colby, Kan. (790 kc) 8:00 WJAG, Norfolk (780 kc) 8:15 KLMS, Lincoln (1480 kc) 9:05 KBRL, McCook (1300 kc) 9:45 KODY, North Platte (1240 kc) 10:45 KIMB, Kimball (1260 kc) 11:15 KM A, Shenandoah, Iowa (960 kc) 12:15 KOGA, Ogallala (930 kc) 12:30 KFOR, Lincoln (1240 kc) 12:45 KCNI, Broken Bow (1280 kc) 1:15 KMMJ, Grand Island (750 kc) 1:40 KUVR, Moldrege (1380 kc) 2:45 KHUB, Fremont (1340 kc) 4:40 KNCY, Nebraska City (1600 Ice) 5:00 KRVN, Lexington (T010 kc) 5:40 KTNC, Falls City (1230 kc) 5:45 MONDAY KGMT, Fairbury (1310 kc) KSID, Sidney (1340 kc) W&>NESDAY KJSK, Columbus (900 kc) KCOW, Alliance (1400 kc) "1:00 6:30 a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.n|. p.m. p.ni* p.m.^ p.m. p.m. 1:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. For Winning Results, Use OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland Classified Ads SATURDAY KCSR, Chadron (610 kc) 6:00 a.m.1 KOLT, Scottsbluff (1320 kc) 11:45 a.m. KAWL, York, (137a kc) KHAS, Hastings (1230 kc) 1:00 p.m. KRFS, Superior (1600 kc) 1:00 p.m. KWRV, McCook (1360 kc) 1:45 pirn. KBRX, O'Neill (1350 kc) 4:30 p.m. KMNS, Sioux City, Iowa (620 kc) 6:10 p:m. WOW, Omaha (590 kc) 9:30 p:nv. DIVISION CHIEFS Willard R. Barbee, assistant director Glen R. Foster, fisheries Dick K. Schaffer, information and tourism Richard J, Spady, land management Jack D. Strain, state parks Lloyd P. Vance, game CONSERVATION OFFICERS Chief: Cart E. Gettmann, Lincoln Ainsworth—Elvin Zimmerman, 387-2143 Albion—Wayne Craig, 395-2071 Alliance—Richard Furley, 762-.2024 Alliance—-Leonard Spoering, 7612-1547 Alma—William F. Bdnsall, 925-2313 Arapahoe^—Don Schaepler, 962-7818 Bassett—William O. Anderson,82941 Benkelman—H. Lee Bowers, 423-2893 Eridgepoft—Joe Ulrich, 100 Broken Bow—Gene Jeffries, 872-5953 Columbus—Lyman Wilkinson, .564-4375 Crawford—Cecil Aveyv 228 Crete—Roy E. Owens 826-2772 Crofton—John Schuckman, 388-4421 David City"—Lester H. Johnson, 367-4037 Dix—Marvin Bussinger, 682-20552 Fairbury—Larry Baumon, 1293 Falls City—Raymond f randsenj 281 7 Fremont—Andy Nielsen, 721-2482 Gering—Jim McCole, 436-2686 'Grand island—Fred Salak, 384-0582 Hastings-^Bruce Wiebe, 2-8317 Hay Springs—Larry D. Elston, 638-4051 Kearney—Ed Greving,. 237-575S Lexington—Robert D/'Sfrich, 324-2138 Lincoln—-Leroy Orvis, 488-1663 Lincoln—Norbert Kampsnider, 466-0971 Lincoln—Dale Bruha, 477-4258 Nebraska -City—Max Showdfter,-873-71 55 Norfolk—Robert,Downing, 371-1435 North Platte—Samuel Grasmick/ 532-9546 North Platte—Roger A, Guenther 0maha-4Dwight AJIbery, 558-2910 O'Neill—James J. Hurt, 336-2268 Ord—Gerald Woodgate, 728-5060 Oshkosh—Donald D. Hunty 772^3697 Ponca—Richard D. Tar pin, 2521 Stanton—Robert C. Oman, 439-^412 Tekomah~-Richard Elston, 278R2 Thedf ord—John Henderson, 645*-5351 Valentine—Jack Morgan, 376-2634 Va Hey—Dory I Earnest; 359-2332 York—Gail Woodside, 362-4120 JULY, 1965 57

WESTERN PAINTED TURTLE

notes o n Nebraska fauna ...

ONCE UPON a time, about 175 million years ago, there appeared on earth a creature destined to one day delight children and adults alike. He would be called turtle by the laymen and of the order Chelonia by the experts. This ancient reptile counted among his relatives such diverse animals as high-flying birds and lowly snakes. The turtle would not be caught up in this evolutionary parade, but would break up into families, one of which is the colorful western 58 OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland painted turtle so familiar to many of NEBRASKAland's streams, lakes, and ponds.

Don't underestimate this slowpoke of the sloughs. He's no great shakes as a lover but his tribe has been around for 775 million years by Leo H. Dawson Area Fisheries Manager

Because of his striking colors, Chrysemys picta bellii (Gray) is easy to identify. The legs and tail are marked with yellow stripes and the plastron or lower shell is reddish with large irregular areas of black in the center. On the side of his shell are brilliant red and black markings. The carapace or top shell is slightly flattened and is usually a shiny dark olive color. The rear margin is not deeply notched. Unlike some members of the turtle family who have a movable or hinged lower shell, the westerner has no movable plastron. The upper jaw is notched in front and its crushing surface is smooth and not ridged. The mouth is toothless.

This turtle tends to be small with his top shell usually less than seven inches long. However, some specimens as large as 10 inches are found.

Shallow, warm waters such as in oxbow lakes, backwaters from rivers, ponds, ditches, and still pools in rivers are likely places to find the western. Here, he may be seen sunning himself on partially submerged logs, rock, or even floating water plants. The gregarious critter is often found in groups.

Food consists of about half and half of plant and animal matter. The plant material is primarily algae and leaves. Animal matter includes insects, small fish, other aquatic organisms, and dead vertebrate animals. A scavenger, the painted turtle does not kill vertebrates.

Mating occurs in the spring and fall. The characteristic courting activity is more of an exercise in swimming ability than outright passion. The male swims backward in front of the female, facing her as she swims toward him. From time to time, he allows the female to approach closely. Then he stretches his front legs out and vibrates them rapidly on her chin and the sides of her snout.

However, the female is handy at digging with the claws of her hind legs when it comes egg-laying time in June and early July. From 4 to 10 eggs are in a clutch. These are whitish and about IV4 inches long and % of an inch in diameter. The female covers the eggs after digging the nest.

The eggs take about 72 days to hatch, although in some nests, eggs laid in one year may not hatch until the following. If hatching takes place late enough in the fall, the young may remain in the nest until spring. Young turtles instinctively head for water when they leave the nest. The painted turtle hibernates from October to April, selecting the bottom mud of ponds, lakes, and streams for his winter sleep.

The name, turtle, is common for members of the ancient order of reptiles which are characterized by having a shell enclosing the vital organs of the body. It also serves as a protective cover to the head and limbs and is actually a bony case covered by horny shields. The top portion of the turtle's shell is formed from enlarged, widened ribs.

Evolution of the turtle is one of the most remarkable of all the vertebrates. Members of this order, Chelonia, were numerous and had the primary turtle characteristics over 175 million years ago. Turtles have changed very little over the eons.

The general range of the westerner extends from the Mississippi River through Illinois and southern Wisconsin, northwest to Washington and British Columbia, and southwest into New Mexico and Texas. In Nebraska, he may usually be found wherever there is quiet water.

Although shy and not easily captured, the small critter can be tamed as a pet. Although feeding him in water is the usual method, he has been trained to eat from the fingers. When quite small, the turtle should be fed daily. Twice a week feeding is usually sufficient for adults. It is best to vary the diet since these armor plates have omnivorous feeding habits. Adults can live on artifical food that can be purchased at a pet shop, but they do better if it is supplemented with such natural foods as aquatic plants, lettuce, worms, insects, and raw fish.

In selecting a cage or area in which to keep the turtle, one should try to simulate its natural habitat as much as possible. A sand-filled wooden box and a pan of water make a simple and inexpensive cage. A board over the water or a half-submerged rock will provide a resting place for the turtle.

A partially filled aquarium makes a good home. Young turtles will often attack fish in an aquarium, so it's best to keep the slowpoke by himself. Captive turtles have lived for as long as 11 years.

Because he is so small, the painted turtle has no economic significance as food. The largest specimens, however, are edible and are as tasty as commercially prepared freshwater varieties.

As a quaint and well-known wildlife citizen who shows up each spring along NEBRASKAland's many waterways, the western painted turtle adds a dash of color that delights all.

JULY, 1965 59

Do something different . . . Have more fun HAVE A VACATION ON A

FARM

- Gather eggs, feed the chickens, drive a tractor, feed the calves, ride a hayrack, go fishing, row a boat, go swimming, feed the pigs, play with sheep, have a picnic, play croquet, harvest vegetables.

RANCH

-Ride a horse on a trail ride, cook outdoors, round up cattle, eat home cooking, go hiking, ride chuck wagon, ride a calf, build a camp fire, help feed livestock, help stack hay.

GO HUNTING

Attention Hunters- -A great many FARMERS are now being HOSTS to hunters in NEBRASKAland.

They will furnish lodging and meals; hunting privilege and some will hunt with you.

There is an abundance of wild life in Nebraska. Hunt grouse, prairie chicken, quail, deer, squirrel, ducks, geese, coons, rabbits, and coyotes.

SEE COWBOYS IN ACTION For further information write to: Mrs. Mary Fenwick, President, NEBRASKAland Ranch-Farm Vacation, Inc., Brule, Nebr. Dr. Glen Auble, President, Loup Valley United Chamber of Commerce, Ord, Nebr.; Stuart Community Club; Ogallala and Gordon Chambers of Commerce. HOSTS: Wayne & Ann Beck, Litchfield—LaVere & Mary Beam, Lewellen Dowse Riverview Vacation Ranch, Comstock—Gorton's Buffalo Spring Ranch, Lewellen Frank Hamilton Ranch, Gordon—J. Dean Hersh, Dunning—Mckeag lron-0—Stable, Ogallala Bob & Genon Kerby, Kearney—Bob & Betty McDowell, Arnold—Meismer Guest House, Paxton Newman's Guest Ranch, Stuart—George Perlinger, Jr., Elsie—Ross's Valley View Guest Ranch, Maxwell Lawrence L. Kentfield, Wilsonyille—Raymond Paustains, Bloomfield—Mottel Hunters Lodge, Arcadia Sizer's Guest Ranch, Flats—Bill Colwell Ranch, Hay Spring—Conner Hunting Lodge, Ord Golden Horseshoe Ranch, Ainsworth—Easterbrook Hunter's Lodge, Arcadia Rimrock Recreation Ranch, Crawford