NEBRASKAland

VOL. 53 / NO. 7/ JULY 1975 Published monthly by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Fifty cents per copy. Subscription rates $5 for one year, $9 for two years. Send subscription orders to NEBRASKAland, Box 30370, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503. commission Chairman: jack D. Obbink, Lincoln Southeast District (402) 488-3862 Vice Chairman: Arthur D. Brown, Omaha Douglas-Sarpy District, (402) 553-9625 2nd Vice Chairman: Kenneth W. Zimmerman, Loup City North-Central District, (308) 745-1694 Don O. Bridge, Norfolk Northeast District, (402) 371-1473 William G. Lindeken, Chadron Northwest District, (308) 432-3755 Gerald R. (Bud) Campbell, Ravenna South-central District, (308) 452-3800 H. B. "Tod" Kuntzelman, North Platte Southwest District, (308) 532-2982 Director: Willard R. Barbee Assistant Director: William j. Bailey, Jr. Assistant Director: Dale R. Bree staff Editor: Lowell Johnson Editorial Assistants: jon Farrar Greg Beaumont, Ken Bouc, Steve O'Hare Contributing Editors: Bob Grier Faye Musil, Tim Hergenrader, Roland Hoffmann Layout Design: Michele Angle Farrar Illustration: Duane Westerholt Advertising: Cliff Griffin Circulation: Juanita Stefkovich Copyright Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 1975. All rights reserved. Postmaster: if undeliverable, send notice by form 3579 to Nebraska Came and Parks Commission, Box 30370, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503. Second class postage paid at Lincoln, Nebraska Contents FEATURES DRAGONFLIES An 8-page color special of those interesting and misunderstood residents of pond and marsh BREAD DAY Featuring some tasty and wholesome recipes for breads certain to delight any food fan HISTORIC WEBSTER COUNTY A special 18-page study of Catherland, with points of interest, tours, historic sites and a study of the people, past and present. ASK ANY KID FISHING ON THE RIVER 6 14 18 36 38 DEPARTMENTS SPEAK UP TRADING POST 49 COVER: Smith Falls, Nebraska's highest waterfall, is located on tribu tary to the Niobrara River in Cherry County, and hosts some of the few birch trees found in the state. Photo by Lou Ell. OPPOSITE: By July, Nebraska's marshlands are crowded with cattails and rushes. The chattering flocks of migrating shorebirds have passed on to the north to nest, and only the summer residents remain to patrol the shallows and rear young. Photo by Bob Grier.

Speak up

Air the Fish

Sir / I read with interest Warren Myers' "Too Rich Too Soon" in the August NE BRASKAIand.

I would like to present my idea of a possible solution to the problem of oxygen deficiency which inhibits trout in Lake McConaughy. My idea basically is to lay weighted, perforated plastic pipe at intervals across the lake bottom. Pumped air would be distributed through the holes in the pipes; as the bubbles rise, they would be cooled by the bottom water, thus aerating and cooling the water above, enlarging the trout habitat while still benefiting from the increased productivity of a fertilized lake.

I remember a fishing trip to Lake McConaughy while still living in Nebraska in 1950. We caught a few large carp, but the exceptional clarity of the water stands out in my mind.

Martin Messing Edmonds, Wash.

Our fisheries people say aeration is impractical (highly so because of extensive costs) and possibly detrimental on two counts. The aeration could actually back fire, lessening the amount of water suit able for trout because of the increase in temperature in the level of water they use, and also that it might further enhance algae bloom, thus defeating the purpose. No estimates on the cost, but it would be mildly phenomenal. (Editor)

Turkey Spotter

Sir / I have been reading your magazine for about three years and enjoy it very much. Sometimes I find articles and pictures about the area I came from, Sheridan County. It was in 1915 when my mother inherited a farm about a mile northwest of Rushville. After high school (1933) I joined the C.C.C. and was sent to Fort Robinson. After spending a few months at the main post we were sent to a new camp area about eight miles northwest of the post. We cut our own logs for mess hall and barracks. My job was teamster, and I drove and cared for a team of Army mules.

So much for the history. I have just finished reading about the wild turkey in Nebraska, and it mentioned that there were no turkeys after about 1915. But, while I was working and at times hiking in the woods of Fort Robinson, I saw quite a number of wild turkey. The most I ever saw at one time was 10 or 12. I thought this information might be interesting.

Oh yes, last summer I made a trip back home—it had been 40 years since I left— and old Fort Robinson looked just the same.

Ernest Britt Ephrata, Wash. Timely Trends

Sir/1 would like to comment on the article in the December 1974 issue on Trends in Land Use by Oren Long.

I think this is a very timely subject to explore at this time, since we see so much destruction and pollution all around us. The day has passed when we can do as we please just because we hold title to a piece of land. We should be thinking of making our country a more fit place to live for people and wildlife in general.

Keep up the good work and hope to see more articles in your wonderful magazine.

Ralph Reichman La Crescenta, Cal. Good Reception

Sir / Having just read Speak Up in the May issue, I felt I must write. Two years ago a group of us, four Oakies to be exact, came to Nebraska to do some pheasant hunting. We asked for permission to hunt on every place we hunted, and were never turned down. Those people were kind enough to let us strangers tramp across their land and enjoy ourselves at the greatest of all sports, hunting. I do not own but one acre of land and I would be fighting mad if someone came on my place and used it for what ever purpose they enjoyed without acquiring my permission. I do not feel that it is too much to ask the landowner for permission to hunt on their land.

When a hard working farm family sees someone tramping across their land with a gun, they first think "If those fools have nothing better to do, why don't they stay home?" Then they think that if they supported some of the firearm legislation, there wouldn't be so many of them tres passing.

I feel we must surely guard our own actions and preserve our privilege to hunt. You have a very fine state with exception ally nice people. I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful time we each enjoyed.

Garry Johnson Sallisaw, Okla.

Asking permission certainly is the logical first step in hunting. We must remember that the more land a person has, the more investment he has, and this makes him more, not less, concerned about trespass, etc. We are perhaps drifting more to the European concept, where hunters are a carefully controlled select group. Only by our behavior can this be avoided. (Editor)

Carp Canner

Sir / I sure would like to hear from some fine Bohunk gal who has a recipe for canned carp. Being a Bohunk myself, and one who fishes for and likes carp, I would like to can some. I have a home at the lake near Ogallala, and the carp are very good — and a lot of them. Besides, they should be fished very heavily so the game fish could live in peace. If any of you nice gals have a recipe, please write to me.

Howard Smersh Box 1954 Estes Park, Colo. 80517 Conservation Booster

Sir / Just finished reading the April issue of NEBRASKAland. Most excellent articles on the deer. I'm not a deer hunter, how ever the story of their habits, etc. is very clear. I'm especially interested in the state's control and conservation efforts to assure productive hunting in the years ahead.

For years I have been flying back to hunt pheasants around the North Platte area. What a thrill to me knowing I will soon be in my old home state. I have personally found the ranchers and farmers very friendly and cooperative.

The article by Bill McClurg (Money Well Spent) said it better than I can...I go all the way with his ideas. We all know farming is big business and the natural habitat is growing smaller; I hope before it is too late, some of the fish and game .money can get back to the rancher, so it will make it worth his while to spare an odd corner or low production area where birds could have winter cover and nesting room. I get more pure joy tramping a Nebraska cornfield all day, for a bird or two, than shooting a coop-liberated bird. I gladly spend the money and am very content and happy if I can bring back two or three native pheasants.

Seems that the Nebraska Game Commission could benefit greatly with some air time on a farm radio station. Through NEBRASKAland a station like this, seems should create a better relation between hunters, ranchers and farmers.

Enjoy NEBRASKAland the mostest! See you in November.

H. C. Latimer Modesto, Calif.

Thank you sir, and I am sure you are a welcome hunter on the land. I agree we must make every effort to improve relations between landowners and hunters, and every suggestion is welcome. Of course, if all hunters were considerate and care ful, there would probably be no problem, so that is the ultimate goal. It is the egomaniac and vandal who feel they are above regulations and common decency who have caused 99 percent of the ill feel ings. Probably denying licenses after any conviction for such types of violations is the only way to weed them out. We have already waited too long for common sense to prevail. Anyway, good luck in November. (Editor)

Bird Saver

Sir / In reference to the Save the Birds let ter in March 1975 Speak Up, I have been a hunter and fisherman all of my life (almost) and I could not agree with your answer more! However, you "lost your cool" and did not answer the dear soul as to whether or not you would print the pictures of a robin that she asked about! For that, it is decreed that you will suffer 100 lashes with a wet noodle!

The dear lady must be a vegetarian from birth. How else could she not know of the wondrous bountiful gifts from the God Almighty that he entrusts to the good care of Mother Nature. Be generous and print the pics.

William Pool Colorado Springs, Colo.

It is unfortunate that people confuse hunt ing with killing, yet slaughter of some animals as a humane and acceptable process of providing them food. Killing is a purely natural and necessary thing —only the degree is different: whether it be plant or animal, or animal or human. Statistics prove that hunters are virtually at the opposite end of the social spectrum from criminals —much farther than many other interest groups. And, we will continue to publish as many songbird photos as possible. (Editor)

NEBRASKAland Magazine invites all readers to submit their comments, sugges tions, and gripes to Speak Up. Each month the magazine will publish as many letters as space permits. Pictures are welcome. NEBRASKAland reserves the right to edit and condense letters. — Editor.

Wildlife PORTFOLIOS No. 1 $5 per set plus sales tax Readers asked for them. So, here they are! Full-color reproductions of Bud Pritchard's wildlife art. The 8V2 x 11 pictures are printed on high quality, 11 Vi by 15 paper suitable for framing or decoupage. Portfolio No. 1 features selections from Bud's popular winter songbird series. No. 2 includes six of his favorites from the Fauna series. Both sets are sent in attractive presentation folders. No. 2 $5 per set plus sales tax by C.G. "Bud" Pritchard Please send me set(s) of Bud Pritchard's wildlife prints as indi cated below. I have enclosed $5 per set plus sales tax. set(s) of Portfolio No. 1 set(s) of Portfolio No. 2 Send order to: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503 Name Street City State Zip Amount enclosed (Send check or money order. No cash, please.)

Dragonflies

Photographs and Text by Jon Farrar

DAWN SWEEPS OVER the pond. The gentle hum of insect swarms swell in wind-brushed rushes. Frogs and turtles clamber out of the night chilled shallows to soak in the day's warmth. Water birds probe for snails. This is the realm of the dragonflies.

To the entomologist, there are three groups of dragonflies; two are found in North America and are recognizable to the layman. The most conspicuous are the true dragonflies—the devil's darn ing needles, or horse stingers, of folklore. These robust, stout-bodied insects are colored in irides cent blues and greens, brilliant reds, or strikingly marked earth colors. After emergence to adult hood, they are recognizable by their trait of resting with wings spread.

The more delicate damselflies are smaller, have slender bodies and display an array of irides cent and metallic colors. They are always seen with wings folded back along their bodies.

All dragonflies, including the damselflies, be gin their life as aquatic predators. The newly hatched nymphs, or naiads, are nourished for the first few days by yolk from their egg, but soon be gin to prey on protozoa. As they grow, larger prey is taken. Most are cannibalistic when the opportunity presents itself. In fact, a naiad's life is largely one of feeding and avoiding being fed upon. Small fish, predatory beetles and those of their own kind would make meals of them.

The green or brown coloration of the naiads conceals them from most predators, but when discovered, many true dragonflies expel jets of water from their abdomen and shoot into the safety of shoreline vegetation or muddy bottom. Some species of dragonflies are even known to feign death by pressing their legs tight to their body and temporarily collapsing in place.

The propulsion of water from the abdomen of true dragonflies not only helps them elude attack ers but aids in respiration. The inner surface of the rectum is richly supplied with trachea that extract oxygen from water as it is pumped in and out. Damselfly naiads have fin-like "caudal gills" on the tail that absorb oxygen for respiration as well as aiding in propulsion and navigation.

After weeks or years of aquatic life, depending on the species, and numerous molts of the exoskeleton to accommodate a growing insect, the naiads are ready for the transformation into winged adults. Dragonfly species that live in temporary ponds necessarily spend the shortest time in the aquatic stage; those of permanent waters the longest. As their time approaches, it is a rise in water temperature that triggers the naiads' movements onto emergent vegetation to metamorphose.

Slowly they climb the stalks of rushes, cattails or arrowhead, often pausing for hours or even a day just below the surface of the water. The timing must be precise, as the delicate procedure of changing from a gill-breathing aquarian to an air breather must coincide exactly with the switch in respiratory apparatus. The process of shedding the old exoskeleton and drying the wings may take an hour or two. During this time the soft-bodied dragonflies are extremely vulnerable to insectivorous birds. Because of this risk, most species emerge shortly after dark or just before sunrise. After a couple of days the dragonfly's new body has hard ened. For the remainder of the season they will be occupied with feeding and mating.

Almost immediately, large male dragonflies establish a territory where they court females and eventually mate. Smaller damselflies are less aggressive and tolerate more crowded conditions. Most dragonflies copulate on the wing, and damselfly males even remain coupled with the female as she deposits her fertile eggs on vegetation submerged just under the water surface. Females of some species back down the stems of emergent vegetation, meticulously depositing eggs as they disappear under the water.

Soon after the effort of breeding, most dragon flies die. A few survive until frost, but their radiant colors dull and their aggressiveness abates. The hardy naiads spend the winter burrowed down into the mud, awaiting ice out and their time to flash across the surface of ponds and streams.

NEBRASKAland JULY 1975   8 NEBRASKAland JULY 1975   10 NEBRASKAland JULY 1975 11

HISTORIC WEBSTER COUNTY

THEN AND NOW

 

JUST BARELY A CENTURY ago, the south central portion of Nebraska that is now Webster County was a land of treeless, endless prairie. It was a land of buffalo by the millions and sacred hunting grounds for the Pawnee, Otoe and Omaha Indians.

The Pawnee dominated the land, and defended it in frequent bloody skirmishes against the Sioux. The low-lying valley lands of the Republican and Blue Rivers, rich in wild game and fresh water, afforded some protection against the elements, and were favored wintering grounds for the Indians.

The strong Indian influence on the area is exemplified in the Republican River, which was named for the type of government used by the Indians living in the area.

Of course, the historical clock dates back millions of years. Some 120 million years ago Webster County was part of a tropical sea. Resulting marine fossils are well exposed in many chalk bank sites south of the Republican River and include sea lizards, sharks, numerable fish and sea serpents. Dating back about 10 million years the county was a land dominated by lumbering mastodons, rhinoceros, sabre-toothed cats, and dozens of other prehistoric life species. Paleontologic finds of this era include a four tusk mastodon. During the last few hundred thousand years, the environment underwent the Ice Age and the resident in habitants included musk oxen, hairy mastodons, and wooly mammoths.

Situated somewhere near the center of what was once the world's largest natural grasslands, it would take a people of strong wills, strong backs and strong hearts to open this land to civilization. These were the basic ingredients of the American pioneers.

The beginnings of Webster County go back to the establishment of the Guide Rock settlement in 1869. The Republican River Valley had strong appeal to settlers, and the next year another settle ment was begun some 10 miles west of Guide Rock, up the Republican River. It was named Red Cloud as a namesake of the famed Sioux chieftain, Red Cloud.

Scarcity of wood forced the early settlers to mold homes from the sticky clay banks of the river valley. Stockades were constructed for protection from warring Indians.

With rich bottomlands and gently rolling hills, the area settled quickly. Soon, a drive was under way to form a county, with Red Cloud as the county seat. The vote was affirmative. The new county —24 miles square —took its name from pre-Civil War statesman Daniel Webster.

By 1874 most of the good Webster County land was taken. It was, however, that same year that a summer-long drought drove many of the settlers on west toward a more promising land, or back east from whence they came.

In 1875 the county's leading citizen, Captain Silas Garber, was seated as the third governor of the young State of Nebraska. Garber served two terms before returning to Red Cloud in 1879.

The hardships of the drought were but temporary, and by 1878 Webster County again witnessed rapid population growth; to a total of over 7,000 that year. Transportation needs were heightened, and the Burlington Railroad responded with a line from Hastings, which was completed in 1879.

On the far north edge of the county, not far south from the great Oregon Trail, the town of Blue Hill was surveyed and platted in 1878 by A. B. Smith of the Burlington Railroad. The town site, just one mile south of the Adams County line, was owned by an easterner who gave the railroad half interest in the lots if it would survey the town and establish a station there.

The town was originally named Belmont, but another town in the state already claimed that name, so it was changed to Blue Hill, a name derived from the town's location on the hills above the Blue River. Today, it is a city of beautiful, well groomed homes and an important shipping point.

On the northwestern border of the county is the town of Bladen, platted by the Lincoln Land Company in June of 1886 and named for Ellen Bladen Gere, daughter of the founder of the Lincoln State Journal and friend of Willa Cather. It is the present day setting of the Webster County Fair.

Clinging to bare threads of survival are the Web ster County towns of Inavale, Cowles and Rose mont. Once bustling communities, all have largely given way to a new era.

Photo courtesy Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial  

IN A MILLION WAYS, Webster County is just like any other stretch of prairie: patient, quiet, sleepy in appearance. Yet, in a million other ways it is extraordinarily unique.

Perhaps it is the atmosphere of this bit of Nebraska that makes the greatest difference. Atmosphere is intangible, yet, it is substantial. For, it is the people who live here in combination with the land itself that makes the atmosphere. And, it is one of warmth and friendliness.

Webster County is not the biggest, best, fastest growing, most scenic or most important place in the world. And, what's beautiful is that it doesn't claim to be.

"We're not trying to say we're something that we're not," say the county fathers. And, it's believable. The feeling is one of simplicity and sincerity. However, there is no hesitancy to say those things that the community feels they definitely are. History runs away with first place in the county's offering, with relaxing life-style and outdoor recreation fun following up.

History buffs fall into a yesteryear gold mine. They can stroll through the lands where Spanish Conquistadors confronted the native Indians and stand on the site of the first Webster County Stock ade; visit a bank built in 1889; retrace the years of pioneer progress of both farm and town life; and much, much more. Artifact hunting is open season the year-round.

Visitors are always welcome, and there's some thing for everyone. They may spend a day, a week end, month, even a lifetime. They can rest and relax, visit the childhood home of WillaCather, go antiquing, shop, bicycle, fish, swim, hunt, go to a stock-car race, picnic, hike...just do what they want to do.

There is room to roam and to grow throughout the area. And, for those in search of a quiet, comfortable place to retire, the room is there and the welcome mat out.

Whether it's golfing, swimming, hunting or fish ing, or enjoying the thundering thrills of the annual Speed Bowl Auto Race Track in Red Cloud, there's a niche for everyone in the fun and recreation department of Webster County.

Children delight in the annual Easter egg hunt, where they find not only delightful eggs, but also win valuable prizes from generous city merchants. The annual Red Cloud kite flying contest pulls participants from around the country each spring, and in the promoter's own words, "Everyone wins".

The annual Lions Club antique auction is a two day extravaganza drawing collectors and dealers. And old-timers take over the musical sound waves at the Old Time Music Festival each August. The quaintest of happenings is the "Trick-Or-Treat" costume parade, when from pre-schoolers up, residents don imaginative costumes and flaunt their scary selves in a downtown parade.

WEBSTER COUNTY is dependent upon its people...and the people upon the land. The land is rich and productive, versatile and manageable.

Irrigation and modern farming methodology, coupled with sophisticated agricultural machinery, have helped alleviate many of the natural calamities of sod-buster days. Several thousand acres of Webster County are presently under irrigation, and with the popularization of pivot watering systems, that acreage figure is rapidly expanding. This is the heartland of America; the breadbasket of the world.

Today, waves of golden wheat, grain sorghums, corn and alfalfa have largely replaced the undulating seas of tall red grasses and wildflowers of the native prairie. And, beef and milk cattle range where once the craggy buffalo was supreme.

A present-day leader in soil and water conservation, records show that Webster County was hurt worse in the "dirty thirties" than any other county in Nebraska. Now, the area farmers pride themselves in sound, modern, soil and water conservation management. Over one thousand miles of terracing ribs the gently rolling hills to prevent erosion and hold the precious soil intact. Just 24 miles square, the county has over a thousand farm ponds, and much of the prairie originally broken and found unsuitable for grain-crop production, has today been replanted to native grasses.

WEBSTER COUNTY HISTORICAL ROUTE

THE SPIRIT OF historical awareness and appreciation is in high gear in Webster County, a strong, surging spirit of respect, responsibility and accountability.

The Webster County Historical Society is at the helm of a growing interest to capture, remember and display with pride the mementoes of yesteryear. It is actively involved in historical sites throughout the county. All structures and areas of historic significance have been located, charted on a tour map, and restoration has been done where possible.

A drive-it-yourself historical tour of the county precisely pinpoints sites of historic interest. The Webster County historical tour deepens and compliments the Catherland and Red Cloud tours. The tour begins with the Red Cloud Centennial State Historical Marker at the City Park on U.S. Highway 281 and 3rd Avenue.

Site two is the Starke Barn, located AV2 miles east on U.S. Highway 136. After a right turn just before the railroad tracks, the barn is in view. It is of circular frame design, the largest of its type in the nation, and was constructed in 1902. It is 130 feet in diameter, three stories tall, and has no nails, spikes or pegs to hold it together—sheer tension does it. The barn is still in use today, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

(?) The Amboy Milling Company can be seen upon leaving, directly on the north side of the highway. A 3y2-mile drive on east, on U.S. Highway 136, finds the Republican Valley State Wayside Area for a picnic or overnight stay.

(?) Next site on the tour is Pike's Rifle Pits; depressions in the earth which were huge holes dug by Lieutenant Zebulon Pike's soldiers to ward off an anticipated attack by Pawnee Indians in 1806. From site four, proceed 1 mile south off 136, 2% miles right (west), across Willow Creek, drive past the farmstead, turn right (west) and look to the bluff on the right.

A quarter-mile east, and a right turn brings up Pawnee Lake.

(?) Then, back to the county road, turn right V2 mile and witness the biggest specimen of Nebraska's state tree and the state's 1967 Centennial cotton wood tree. It has a girth measurement of 26 feet, 9 inches.

(7) Proceeding east 1 Vi miles brings up a State His torical Marker noting the Pike Pawnee Site at the intersection of Highway 78 in Guide Rock.

(?) Another 1V2 miles east will put you at the site of the first Webster County Stockade built in 1870. I) Turn right (south) on Highway 78 for 1V2 miles. Cross the Republican River and turn left (east) on the first country road. Drive V2-mile east, where you'll see the large rocky bluff known as Pa-Hur. Trappers and Indians used the bluff as a guide, and it became known as the "Guide Rock".

Return to Highway 78, jog left about 300 feet to follow the river road west. Proceed 2.9 miles west on the county road. Turn a sharp right at the sign on the iron gate for a pleasant drive through natural grasses to Bostwick Diversion Dam on the Republican. Excellent catfishing, camping and relaxation await you.

Back to the county road, the next stop is 3/4-mile west on a corner—the Pike-Pawnee Village of 1806-a registered National Historic Landmark. The village had a population estimated at nearly 2,000 in some 44 lodges, and was quite contemporary. The village stretches for the next mile, then it's a leisurely 9.3 miles to U.S. Highway 281.

Next stop is now after a left turn and three miles south on U.S. 281 to the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie, a 610-acre tract of native grassland set aside as a memorial to the famous writer.

Now, return the three miles north and turn west on the river road, proceed 300 feet and turn up a steep, dirt road which takes you to a high bluff overlooking the Republican River Valley and Red Cloud.

Cross the river going north on U.S. Highway 281, just over a mile, then turn left at the first intersection. On your right is the red 1897 restored Burlington & Missouri depot.

Turn right 1 mile, cross the railroad tracks and proceed north y2-mile to the restored Little Red School House, where pioneer youngsters learned their "three R's". Built in 1885, the one-roomer was once District No. 37.

Proceed on north 1/2-mile past the Red Cloud airport to U.S. Highway 136. Turn right 1/2-mile to the Webster County Museum at 721 West Fourth Avenue to complete the Webster County Historical Tour.

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S museum is an impressive, eye-opening, mind-boggling mansion of Greek revival architecture. It stands astride beautiful grounds on the west edge of town. The striking, beige brick home was custom built in 1905 for Dr. Robert Dammerell, an area physician. It contains 21 rooms on four floors, three woodbuming fireplaces and a ballroom.

Growing pains are a common but generally welcome stress for organizations on the move. The need for more space to house old-time farm machinery and assorted pioneer articles from the farm and home has recently necessitated the construction of a new steel building on the museum grounds.

One of the most appreciated and touching as pects of the museum and the Historical Society is their recognition and acceptance of all phases of history. Virtually everything and anything that represents the past is welcome and displayed.

Items run the gamut from photographs of base ball greats Cy Young, Dazzy Vance and Clarence Mitchell, to tiny, obscure homekeeping items of the early day soddies and dugouts.

Tickets to a Red Cloud opera staged in 1885, children's toys, men's guns, Indian artifacts, a natural science display, war relics from five conflicts, a pioneer religious exhibit, and thousands of other items on display vault the visitor back in time to the days of pioneer Nebraska.

The Community spirit of togetherness is exemplified in the Webster County Historical Society. The museum mansion and grounds, and the new machinery and equipment building, were purchased for the Historical Society by the Red Cloud Lions Club. The museum is supported by a county tax levy, many hours of volunteer work, gifts of donors, and a most modest admission fee. The museum is open from 1-5 p.m. in the summer months and by appointment the year-round.

In recognition of the county's conceptual aware ness and total involvement, Webster County was named Nebraska's Centennial County in 1967 concurrently with Nebraska's Centennial celebration. It was the first time a county has been awarded the recognition.

Rich in history, Webster County has responded appropriately and adeptly to the responsibility and challenge in preserving, protecting and honoring the treasures of yesterday for the generations of tomorrow.

THE YEARS by themselves do not make a place historic or memorable. History's heaviest imprints on a community seem afforded by its personalities, which are left behind for future generations to emulate, perpetuate, love and respect.

Willa Cather was that personality in Red Cloud. She immortalized the western prairie, the days of the pioneers, and the town of Red Cloud in her many novels which are read around the world. Willa Cather is Red Cloud's most celebrated daughter.

Born in Winchester, Virginia on December 7, 1873, Willa Cather was brought to Nebraska at the tender age of nine. Her family homesteaded here and moved young Willa from Virginia's gentle climate to a shocking, raw, new land. In diametric contrast to the rolling, wooded hills and plush greenery of Virginia, the Nebraska prairies lay flat, barren of trees, and nearly waterless.

In essence, however, Willa Cather was born on the American prairie. And, in essence, she died here. Her love, her poignant portrayal of even the simplist aspects of pioneer prairie life, and her loyalty for her childhood homeland, stayed with her forever.

For, it was Miss Cather herself who said that the formative years of a writer's lifespan are those of 8 to 15. She was a Red Cloud resident from 1884 to 1896.

The Germans, Norwegians, Bohemians, Swedes — their incessant struggling to coax a living from the sweeping prairies that knew no mercy —fascinated Willa Cather.

Miss Cather left Red Cloud in 1890 for the Lincoln State University. She graduated at the age of 22 and pursued the journalist's trade and taught high school in Pittsburgh, and later in New York City she became an editor at McClures Magazine. Her first novel, Alexander's Bridge, was published in 1912. Then followed perhaps her most endear ing memorial to the Nebraska prairies, O'Pioneers, in 1913.

So began a writing career that brought Miss Cather to the fore as America's leading woman author. Among many awards and accomplishments she received was the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1923. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1944, and in 1963 was elected to the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

Willa Cather's Nebraska works, O'Pioneers, and My Antonia, were biographies not only of the char acters they contained, but of the land itself. Her gift to his land and its indebtedness thereof, will never be forgotten.

Willa Cather died in New York City on April 24, 1947, leaving behind a written memorial to her self and to her adopted homeland. Her writings, which included novels, poetry, short stories and essays, have been translated into many languages around the world.

 

WILLA CATHER LOVED Red Cloud, but the community was somewhat slow to recognize and appreciate her genius. It wasn't until March of 1955 that Cather enthusiast Mildred R. Bennett, took a long-time idea and with the help of interested friends and relatives of Willa Cather, created the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation.

Longtime Red Cloud resident and the world's leading authority on Willa Cather, Mildred Bennett has spearheaded the foundation from dream to reality. In 1951 Mrs. Bennett published The World of Willa Cather. She was well prepared to do so, as she had taken an immediate interest in Miss Cather upon arriving in Webster County in 1932. Mrs. Bennett has interviewed several of Miss Cather's closest personal friends and many of the families of which she wrote.

Today, the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial reaches around the world from grade schoolers to graduate scholars in the perpetuation, understand ing and appreciation of Willa Cather's work.

The major aims of the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation include:

to secure the bonding, insurance and housing of a permanent art, literary and historical collection relating to the life, time and work of Willa Cather.

to identify and restore to their original condition, places made famous by the writings of Willa Cather.

to provide for Willa Cather a living memorial by encouraging and assisting scholarship in the field of the humanities.

to perpetuate an interest throughout the world in the work of Willa Cather.

The Cather childhood home (now a National Historic Landmark), the Garber Bank Building, Burlington depot, Episcopal Church and the St. Juliana Church are among buildings reclaimed by the Foundation's efforts.

The former Farmer's and Merchant's Bank building in Red Cloud, which was constructed in 1889 by Captain Silas Garber, is now the permanent headquarters for the Foundation, its library and museum. Many original Willa Cather letters, manuscripts, first issue books and papers are among the collection.

Other major interests of the Foundation include the Catherland tours, which afford Cather enthusiasts a real opportunity to acquaint them selves with the Willa Cather period through visiting those places of which she wrote. The one-hour, town tour includes 30 marked historic places in Red Cloud, while the 50-mile county tour in cludes 25 historic sites in Webster County. Guided tours are available at modest cost—by appoint ment only.

In 1965 the Nebraska State Legislature and the Governor proclaimed the western half of Webster County as CATHERLAND. And, in 1964 the first international chapter of the Foundation was established in Tokyo. In 1969 the Cather childhood home was listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.

The Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial Foundation continues to thrive in its purpose of perpetuating the knowledge and appreciation of the world of America's foremost woman novelist. Many of the completed projects have been made possible by donations from charitable foundations and individuals. Future hopes and plans for the Foundation are energetic and aggressive. Tomorrow's plans call for the expansion of the educational facilities to include a lecture hall, a formal library, and study and reference rooms, all in a new modern-day facility.

The Foundation is most enthusiastic to increase publicity, particularly in the opportunity of interesting young students in Willa Cather and the land that was hers.

The acuteness of Willa Cather's awareness and her close relationship to the prairie has forever been remembered in the "Willa Cather Memorial Prairie", a 610-acre tract of native prairie set aside as a memorial to the famous writer. The vast prairies —the undulating seas of tall grasses and the ever-changing wildflowers that played such important roles in her writings—will be preserved for posterity in the prairie tract which lies five miles south of Red Cloud.

The foundation publishes a quarterly newsletter available by subscription. More information concerning the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial can be obtained by writing: Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial, Red Cloud, Nebraska 68970.

 

THE GOOD LIFE of Nebraska is magnified by the wholesome life in the healthy environment of Webster and surrounding counties. This is fact, not fiction. Only truth and not boast ing. Documented scientific studies by the United States Government have statistically shown that the healthiest people in the nation live in a handful of south-central Nebraska counties. Clean air, clean water and long, happy lives are realities of today in Webster County.

Webster County is wealthy in natural life-supporting resources. Rich lands, a high water table and many creeks and streams. The water is good.

The Republican River rides through the breadth of the county, and although it has in times past defied its banks, created fear, taken life and wreaked havoc on the valley lands, it is now harnessed and tame. It is a gently flowing stream. Fishing, hunting, swimming, water for thirsty crops and scenic hideaways are now its prime attributes. The Little Blue River cuts through the northwest corner of the county.

Whether for hunters or naturalists, wildlife variety and density are important resources to a community. The area offers excellent upland game-bird shooting in pheasants and quail, and affords big-game archery and firearm-deer hunt ing and small-game challenges in squirrel and rabbit.

Wildlife is not forgotten in community planning. Recent aggressive demands on the land have destroyed much of the native and man-made wildlife habitat in the county. The Webster County Natural Resources Conservation Foundation has responded to help default this habitat destruction with a project to encourage the planting of shrubs and trees for wildlife habitat on farmlands throughout the county. Wild animals share in the good times and the stress of the bad. They, too, are dependent upon the land for survival, and upon man, who manipulates the land.

Farm pond and sandpit fishing lead the angling scene with the Republican River not far behind. Big bass and panfish opportunities are plentiful. Bracketed by big, fun water, Harlan County Reser voir, Nebraska's third largest impoundment, is just 40 miles west up the Republican, while Lovewell Reservoir is located a short 40 miles southeast of Red Cloud. Both water havens are blank checks to outdoor excitement—camping, boating, swim ming, fishing.

The countryside awaits patiently those who want to discover its subtle beauty and possessions. Wild chokecherries, currants, elderberries and plums dot the roadsides and fencerows, amid wild grasses of the native prairie. The preciousness of tiny wildflowers scattered here and there, become treasures to those who seek and find these intricate works of nature's hand.

Swaying cotton woods, stately oaks, and the hardy ash are but a sampling of the tree family representation. Clumping together in the country side and lining the creeks and streams, trees are beautiful and welcome sights in the expansive land. The natural science of the area is diverse and colorful. It beckons challenge.

 

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S museum is an impressive, eye-opening, mind-boggling mansion of Greek revival architecture. It stands astride beautiful grounds on the west edge of town. The striking, beige brick home was custom built in 1905 for Dr. Robert Dammerell, an area physician. It contains 21 rooms on four floors, three woodbuming fireplaces and a ballroom.

Growing pains are a common but generally welcome stress for organizations on the move. The need for more space to house old-time farm machinery and assorted pioneer articles from the farm and home has recently necessitated the construction of a new steel building on the museum grounds.

One of the most appreciated and touching as pects of the museum and the Historical Society is their recognition and acceptance of all phases of history. Virtually everything and anything that represents the past is welcome and displayed.

Items run the gamut from photographs of base ball greats Cy Young, Dazzy Vance and Clarence Mitchell, to tiny, obscure homekeeping items of the early day soddies and dugouts.

Tickets to a Red Cloud opera staged in 1885, children's toys, men's guns, Indian artifacts, a natural science display, war relics from five conflicts, a pioneer religious exhibit, and thousands of other items on display vault the visitor back in time to the days of pioneer Nebraska.

The Community spirit of togetherness is exemplified in the Webster County Historical Society. The museum mansion and grounds, and the new machinery and equipment building, were purchased for the Historical Society by the Red Cloud Lions Club. The museum is supported by a county tax levy, many hours of volunteer work, gifts of donors, and a most modest admission fee. The museum is open from 1-5 p.m. in the summer months and by appointment the year-round.

In recognition of the county's conceptual aware ness and total involvement, Webster County was named Nebraska's Centennial County in 1967 concurrently with Nebraska's Centennial celebration. It was the first time a county has been awarded the recognition.

Rich in history, Webster County has responded appropriately and adeptly to the responsibility and challenge in preserving, protecting and honoring the treasures of yesterday for the generations of tomorrow.

THE YEARS by themselves do not make a place historic or memorable. History's heaviest imprints on a community seem af forded by its personalities, which are left behind for future generations to emulate, perpetuate, love and respect.

Willa Cather was that personality in Red Cloud. She immortalized the western prairie, the days of the pioneers, and the town of Red Cloud in her many novels which are read around the world. Willa Cather is Red Cloud's most celebrated daughter.

Born in Winchester, Virginia on December 7, 1873, Willa Cather was brought to Nebraska at the tender age of nine. Her family homesteaded here and moved young Willa from Virginia's gentle climate to a shocking, raw, new land. In diametric contrast to the rolling, wooded hills and plush greenery of Virginia, the Nebraska prairies lay flat, barren of trees, and nearly waterless.

In essence, however, Willa Cather was born on the American prairie. And, in essence, she died here. Her love, her poignant portrayal of even the simplist aspects of pioneer prairie life, and her loyalty for her childhood homeland, stayed with her forever.

For, it was Miss Cather herself who said that the formative years of a writer's lifespan are those of 8 to 15. She was a Red Cloud resident from 1884 to 1896.

The Germans, Norwegians, Bohemians, Swedes — their incessant struggling to coax a living from the sweeping prairies that knew no mercy —fascinated Willa Cather.

Miss Cather left Red Cloud in 1890 for the Lincoln State University. She graduated at the age of 22 and pursued the journalist's trade and taught high school in Pittsburgh, and later in New York City she became an editor at McClures Magazine. Her first novel, Alexander's Bridge, was published in 1912. Then followed perhaps her most endearing memorial to the Nebraska prairies, O'Pioneers, in 1913.

So began a writing career that brought Miss Cather to the fore as America's leading woman author. Among many awards and accomplishments she received was the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1923. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1944, and in 1963 was elected to the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

Willa Cather's Nebraska works, O'Pioneers, and My Antonia, were biographies not only of the characters they contained, but of the land itself. Her gift to his land and its indebtedness thereof, will never be forgotten.

Willa Cather died in New York City on April 24, 1947, leaving behind a written memorial to herself and to her adopted homeland. Her writings, which included novels, poetry, short stories and essays, have been translated into many languages around the world.

 

WILLA GATHER LOVED Red Cloud, but the community was somewhat slow to recognize and appreciate her genius. It wasn't until March of 1955 that Cather enthusiast Mildred R. Bennett, took a long-time idea and with the help of interested friends and relatives of Willa Cather, created the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation.

Longtime Red Cloud resident and the world's leading authority on Willa Cather, Mildred Bennett has spearheaded the foundation from dream to reality. In 1951 Mrs. Bennett published The World of Willa Cather. She was well prepared to do so, as she had taken an immediate interest in Miss Cather upon arriving in Webster County in 1932. Mrs. Bennett has interviewed several of Miss Cather's closest personal friends and many of the families of which she wrote.

Today, the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial reaches around the world from grade schoolers to graduate scholars in the perpetuation, understand ing and appreciation of Willa Cather's work.

The major aims of the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation include:

to secure the bonding, insurance and housing of a permanent art, literary and historical collection relating to the life, time and work of Willa Cather.

to identify and restore to their original condition, places made famous by the writings of Willa Cather.

to provide for Willa Cather a living memorial by encouraging and assisting scholarship in the field of the humanities.

to perpetuate an interest throughout the world in the work of Willa Cather.

The Cather childhood home (now a National Historic Landmark), the Garber Bank Building, Burlington depot, Episcopal Church and the St. Juliana Church are among buildings reclaimed by the Foundation's efforts.

The former Farmer's and Merchant's Bank building in Red Cloud, which was constructed in 1889 by Captain Silas Garber, is now the permanent headquarters for the Foundation, its library and museum. Many original Willa Cather letters, manuscripts, first issue books and papers are among the collection.

Other major interests of the Foundation include the Catherland tours, which afford Cather enthusiasts a real opportunity to acquaint them selves with the Willa Cather period through visiting those places of which she wrote. The one-hour, town tour includes 30 marked historic places in Red Cloud, while the 50-mile county tour in cludes 25 historic sites in Webster County. Guided tours are available at modest cost—by appointment only.

In 1965 the Nebraska State Legislature and the Governor proclaimed the western half of Webster County as CATHERLAND. And, in 1964 the first international chapter of the Foundation was established in Tokyo. In 1969 the Cather childhood home was listed in the National Register of His toric Places by the National Park Service.

The Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial Foundation continues to thrive in its purpose of perpetuating the knowledge and appreciation of the world of America's foremost woman novelist. Many of the completed projects have been made possible by donations from charitable foundations and individuals. Future hopes and plans for the Foundation are energetic and aggressive. Tomorrow's plans call for the expansion of the educational facilities to include a lecture hall, a formal library, and study and reference rooms, all in a new modern-day facility.

The Foundation is most enthusiastic to increase publicity, particularly in the opportunity of interesting young students in Willa Cather and the land that was hers.

The acuteness of Willa Cather's awareness and her close relationship to the prairie has forever been remembered in the "Willa Cather Memorial Prairie", a 610-acre tract of native prairie set aside as a memorial to the famous writer. The vast prairies —the undulating seas of tall grasses and the ever-changing wildflowers that played such important roles in her writings—will be preserved for posterity in the prairie tract which lies five miles south of Red Cloud.

The foundation publishes a quarterly newsletter available by subscription. More information concerning the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial can be obtained by writing: Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial, Red Cloud, Nebraska 68970.

 

THE GOOD LIFE of Nebraska is magnified by the wholesome life in the healthy environment of Webster and surrounding counties. This is fact, not fiction. Only truth and not boast ing. Documented scientific studies by the United States Government have statistically shown that the healthiest people in the nation live in a handful of south-central Nebraska counties. Clean air, clean water and long, happy lives are realities of today in Webster County.

Webster County is wealthy in natural life-supporting resources. Rich lands, a high water table and many creeks and streams. The water is good.

The Republican River rides through the breadth of the county, and although it has in times past defied its banks, created fear, taken life and wreaked havoc on the valley lands, it is now harnessed and tame. It is a gently flowing stream. Fishing, hunting, swimming, water for thirsty crops and scenic hideaways are now its prime attributes. The Little Blue River cuts through the northwest corner of the county.

Whether for hunters or naturalists, wildlife variety and density are important resources to a community. The area offers excellent upland game-bird shooting in pheasants and quail, and affords big-game archery and firearm-deer hunting and small-game challenges in squirrel and rabbit.

Wildlife is not forgotten in community planning. Recent aggressive demands on the land have destroyed much of the native and man-made wildlife habitat in the county. The Webster County Natural Resources Conservation Foundation has responded to help default this habitat destruction with a project to encourage the planting of shrubs and trees for wildlife habitat on farmlands throughout the county. Wild animals share in the good times and the stress of the bad. They, too, are dependent upon the land for survival, and upon man, who manipulates the land.

Farm pond and sandpit fishing lead the angling scene with the Republican River not far behind. Big bass and panfish opportunities are plentiful. Bracketed by big, fun water, Harlan County Reser voir, Nebraska's third largest impoundment, is just 40 miles west up the Republican, while Lovewell Reservoir is located a short 40 miles southeast of Red Cloud. Both water havens are blank checks to outdoor excitement—camping, boating, swim ming, fishing.

The countryside awaits patiently those who want to discover its subtle beauty and possessions. Wild chokecherries, currants, elderberries and plums dot the roadsides and fencerows, amid wild grasses of the native prairie. The preciousness of tiny wildflowers scattered here and there, become treasures to those who seek and find these intri cate works of nature's hand.

Swaying cotton woods, stately oaks, and the hardy ash are but a sampling of the tree family representation. Clumping together in the country side and lining the creeks and streams, trees are beautiful and welcome sights in the expansive land. The natural science of the area is diverse and colorful. It beckons challenge.

I here in the sheltered draw-bbttom the wind did not blow very hard, but I could hear it singing its humming tune up on the level, and I could see the tall grasses wave. The earth was warm under me, and warm as I crumbled it through my fingers. Queer little red bugs came out and moved in slow squadrons around me. Their backs were pol- ished vermillion, with black spots. I kept as still as I could. Nothing happened. I did not expect anything to happen. I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins, and I did not want to be anything more. I was entirely happy. Perhaps we feel like that when we die and become a part of something entire, whether it is sun and air, or goodness and knowledge. At any rate, that is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep.

Willa Cather My Antonia

When the road began to climb the first long swells of the Divide, Alexandra hummed an old Swedish hymn, and Emil wondered why his sister looked so happy. Her face was so radiant that he felt shy about asking her. For the first time, perhaps, since that land emerged from the waters of geologic ages, a human face was set toward it with love and yearning. It seemed beautiful to her, rich and strong and glorious. Her eyes drank in the breadth of it, until her tears blinded her. Then the Genius of the Divide, the great, free spirit which breathes across it, must have bent lower than it ever bent to a human before. The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.

Willa Cather O Pioneers! This brochure is made available by Webster County. Additional copies can be obtained by writing the Red Cloud Chamber of Commerce, the Webster County His- torical Society, or the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial, all at Red Cloud, Nebraska 68970. prepared by W. Rex Amack

ASK ANY KID

Research was wasted on that ditch, as local youngsters knew. There were fish, and they were ready to be caught

by Rocky Hoffman

ACCORDING TO any skinned-knee, bike-riding kid in Fremont, Nebraska, Aquarium Farms spent a lot of unnecessary biological research to determine if the "hot-water ditch" east of town would support catfish. All they had to do was ask. Why, that narrow little road side ditch has been bolstering the ego and blood pressure of after-school Curt Gowdy's for years.

The water is warmed as it passes by generators at the city power plant. This is a major reason that Aquarium Farms chose to intercept the stream; the power company heats the water to a perfect feeding temperature for catfish quite by accident, and with no expense to Aquarium Farms. Planning to raise over one million pounds of fish per year, they also felt that the water's environment would provide a good feed-conversion ratio. Marketing the fish after a little over one year from fingerlings to pound-size fish, has verified their theory and allows the kids to jibe: "told you so".

The fish farm accidentally did more than its share for the fishermen in the hot-water ditch and eventually the fishermen in the Elkhorn River. Commercial catfish building up against a restraining net, proved to be too much for its designed functional strength. The net, giving way, provided a sizeable stocking of channel cat fish to the tailwaters of their complex.

Leaving the farm, the stream runs east heading for the Elkhorn River. Its journey, for the first seven miles to the river, is short and fast because there is no meander ing uncertainty to its course; no doubling back to search out low spots of the topography or to lazily avoid a high spot in its path. Its course was predetermined by a dredging operation to form a ditch; its banks not lined by whistling pines typical of some white-water streams, but by rows of corn, butted so closely to its high bank that only the school kids who have not yet found their full growth can find room to maneuver their bike-bruised-bottoms and operate a cane pole. To say the least, there's little to say about the beauty of its presence, but don't let any kid in Fremont hear you say that.

That bike they climb onto after school turns into a well disciplined trail horse that leads them along a treacherous mountain pass to wild trout streams. The unimaginative sees only a straight, country section road; a means to cross patterned cropland without stepping on the neighbor's corn.

Once there, our proficient angler's fantasies are enforced by the thrill of the immediacy of action. The "perfect spot" along the bank is selected, not through the science of structure fishing, but by the old "last one in's a rotten egg" method.

Young hearts pound with the first strike, and dreams of a record rainbow make the clumsiest of cane poles assume the prestige of a perfect, split-bamboo fly rod. The realization that the Master Angler's rainbow award is actually a frantic carp is not all that disappointing.

The stream is fertile and alive with fish, and rumored to contain a variety of species including northern pike. The warmth provided year-round by the generators promotes early spawning of carp, which can be found 36 wallowing in the stream early in spring when they become illusive but attractive targets for young archers. The current bubbling over chunked concrete keeps the water well oxygenated and provides a perfect feeding environment, which is especially important in cold weather.

The stream's protection and incubating temperatures are excellent for rearing minnows, and the evening or morning sun reveals their presence as large flashing schools reflect the sun's rays similar to the techniques of three dimensional advertising. Unwanted advertising, however, from the viewpoint of the shiner minnow. This fish, dubbed by mother nature as a live model for many artificial lure manufacturers, becomes a major food source for game fish, and his name on the menu is promoted by the shining flash for which he was named. The shiner is probably another important factor in the abundance of catfish in the stream.

Large snapping turtles also find their way from the river, up the narrow creek, and lay in the muck to steal liver from the hooks of unsuspecting chaps sleeping barefoot on the banks. Occasionally an old warty snapper becomes as careless as the equally toad-warted hands holding the rod attached to the liver. The battle that ensues is generally won by the turtle, if age has made him ugly enough to persuade the young fisherman to relinquish his bait, hook, and about 10 feet of line, feeling lucky that he got away with his rod and reel and all of his fingers.

Very large creek chub minnows are among the many species of fish that inhabit this stream. The larger ones measure up to 10 inches in length and take liver like catfish. Veteran fishermen would become annoyed by the persistence of their appetite, but the young enjoy the continuous action, and some of the very young go there for the specific purpose of catching chubs.

Old anglers also frequent the stream, to gather large creek chubs for river throwlines, and to tease the kids, who pay little or no attention to their remarks. After all, they haven't got time to bicker with these intruders. Fishing time is limited after school, and in order to peddle back to town before dark, all energy is focused on filling the stringer quickly. Being late might jeopardize the privilege of making the daily trips with school chums. Besides, making the ride back to town in daylight is not only safer, but earns the stares and envy of passing motorists. Pride in the catch is being learned early by these young roadside anglers of Fremont's hot-water ditch.

NEBRASKAland

FISHING ON THE RIVER

by Ken Bouc

MANY FISHERMEN dread the hot days of July, writing them off as "dog days" and abandoning all angling as wasted effort. But when the mercury soars, a breed of Nebraska fishermen different from all the others, begins to shine.

These are our catfishermen, practicing a form of angling that has been familiar to the plains states since the time of the first settlers.

The best of these are recognized locally as "river rats", and carry the title with a degree of secret pride even though they might outwardly object to such a moniker. They're a widely divergent lot in terms of appearance, attitude and technique. But, they're much alike in one respect —they know their rivers and they know how to catch the fish in them.

The most successful river fishermen develop techniques and equipment tailored to their needs. If the top catfishermen in Nebraska were to gather in one spot to compare methods and gear, chances are there would be no two rigs the same, and no two of the fishermen would agree exactly on how to use them.

In the course of more than a few years on the Platte River near his home, Frank Benedict of Bellwood has picked up the knack for scoring on channel catfish. Like a lot of the fishermen in that area, he likes to wade right out into the river. Thus, he is able to follow the wander ing channels and fish any hole between the river's two banks in places where the river might be a half-mile or more wide.

He might wear store-bought waders in the spring when the water is cold, but by the time summer rolls around, he's wearing the traditional river-running garb of the Platte —old tennis shoes and some beat-up britches. Benedict and many others in his locality are especially partial to bib overalls, because the pockets up front provide a place to keep extra tackle, billfold, tobacco and other miscellaneous items high, dry, and handy while on the river.

Benedict likes to sneak up quietly on likely looking holes, working downstream most of the time. He carries a 12-foot telescoping fiberglass pole, which he uses to swing the bait out and ease it quietly into the water. The reel is used only to store line, which he begins paying out as the bait drifts through the hole. He seldom casts.

His favorite bait is a frog, but he also uses minnows on occasion. According to Benedict, the catfish don't seem to care if the bait is alive or dead, so he lays in a supply in the freezer whenever frogs are plentiful.

But, he also likes to present them to catfish in a natural manner, so he has devised a special rig to hold the frogs in the right position as they drift through the hole. He uses a snap swivel at the very end of his line, into which he clips both an extra-long shanked hook and a shorter one. The longer hook holds the frog's hindquarters, while the shorter one goes through the lips. This not only holds the frog better, but reduces the fish's 38 chances of escaping the barbs. The smallest weight that will take the bait down completes his terminal tackle. The only other equipment he needs is an extra-long stringer to keep his bait bucket and any subdued cats in tow.

Knowing just where in the wide Platte to work a bait is probably the most important part of the game. Frank's favorite spot is the deep, quiet water just below a bar or riffle. Some logs or debris seem to make such areas even more likely to hold catfish, and those close to the bank where the water is shaded or where tree roots offer cover, are best in the heat of the summer. Occasionally, the faster water of the channel produces fish, but these are generally quite small.

He usually starts fishing at daybreak, choosing the early start to accommodate man's habits rather than those of the fish. The stretch of river Benedict fishes is below the outlet of the Loup Power System at Columbus. He has to get his fishing in before the morning release of water raises the river level and clouds the water enough to obscure the holes and make it tough to wade.

"Before they built that Loup Power System, we had a real river here. But the daily river fluctuations kill so many minnows and young catfish now that it produces only a fraction of what it used to. We don't have as many fish now as we did when I was young, and because of the low water, we don't have any of the big fish we used to get.

"I never bother to seine minnows. All you have to do to get bait is watch the birds working the bars at low water. The crows and gulls have a feast on minnows trapped in shallow pools each day, and all you have to do is walk over and collect what you need. And, I don't know how many thousands of young catfish I've found trapped like that, and tossed back into the river. Things like that may not have seemed important when they built the Loup System, but I hope they mean something to new generations when more plans are proposed to change the river," Benedict said.

While most of Frank Benedict's fish run in the 16 to 18-inch range, another Platte River angler farther downstream has been working on bigger game. Jack Williams of Ashland lives near a stretch of the river still capable of supporting big fish, and he has apparently learned how to take them. The big fish he seeks are blue cats that move into the lower Platte from the Missouri River, and his 1974 record included specimens of 43, 41, 38, 28, and 24 pounds, plus two channel cats of about 10 pounds each.

He also tied into a monster of about 60 inches that he estimates topped 100 pounds, but lost the fish as he tried to land it when the gaff collapsed under the strain. Williams' approach to catfishing is altogether different than Benedict's. He, too, believes in covering lots of river rather than playing the waiting game on the bank. But his river-running gear is a bit more complicated

NEBRASKAland JULY 1975 39   FISHING... ON THE RIVER

than that of his upstream counterpart, featuring the power and speed typical of Platte River airboats. With his contraption, Williams is able to cover any part of his favorite river from Venice to Louisville.

He might use minnows or shrimp in the spring when smaller fish are his game, but when going after the big ones in the heat of summer, Williams swears by big crawdads. He's not exactly dainty in the way he baits his 5/0 hook, starting the hook in the tail and bringing it out at the head. But he is particular about the amount of weight he uses —none if at all possible, and a small slip sinker otherwise.

Williams' tackle consists of a light, saltwater spinning rig loaded with lots of 15 to 20-pound-test line. He needs the reel's large line capacity in his method of fish ing, which sometimes sees him with several hundred feet of line strung out into the river.

He anchors his airboat at the upper end of a hole, then lets his bait drift down to any catfish lurking below.

"I've found that the size of the bait has a lot to do with the size of fish you catch. Big crawdads, two or three times the size you'd normally consider for bait, are what I use when I'm after the big ones, and I never catch a smaller fish on those large baits. But, I enjoy catching the smaller catfish too, so I use a second rod and fish with smaller bait for average size fish.

"I've also noticed that some crawdads seem to appeal to catfish much more than others, although I've never been able to discover what makes the difference. But I know that you can drift one crawdad down the same hole several times without a hit, but be in business in the same place just seconds after putting on another crawdad. So, if I have plenty of bait, I change it often if I'm not having any luck," says Williams.

Of course, the Platte River does not have a monopoly on catfish or on the fishermen that go after them. Southeast Nebraska's Blue rivers and Turkey Creek, and the Republican River farther west are the haunts of John Dietz of Lincoln, who has taken more than a few cats from those waters in his time.

Some of his tactics are similar to those of Frank Benedict, but Dietz has figured for himself what makes catfish tick and goes after them accordingly.

His fishing pole is a stout flyrod, which he uses to dip, swing, or lob his bait to likely looking holes. He never really casts, so a single-action fly reel works just fine to store the 15-pound-test line. Dietz swears by the flyrod both in presenting the bait and in playing the fish. Its extra length allows him to set the hook quickly, gives him good control of the fish and puts plenty of pressure on the big ones to tire them in short order. On top of all this, the flyrod is more fun, says Dietz.

Dietz is a member of the messy bait school of catfishing, working on the theory that, since catfish feed primarily by smell, smelly baits, or baits that disperse rapidly through the water, should attract them best. And the bait that seems to do this most effectively for him is beef brains.

His bait is of rather loose consistency and would wash or fall off most ordinary hooks rather easily. Dietz gets around this by using No. 6 treble hooks, and affixes the bait to them with small rubber bands.

Where to fish is at least as important as the bait, in Dietz' opinion. In the spring, slow, deep water below sharp dropoffs produces for him, but by the time hot summer days come along, brush, logs or some kind of overhead cover to provide shade become necessary features of productive catfish holes.

His favorite spots are three to seven feet deep, with a log or some other obstruction. Deeper holes usually provide much slower action. Dietz says that such waters are usually occupied by just a few of the bigger, more sluggish fish in the river, and they run the smaller ones out. Also, water in such holes moves much slower and does not allow the scent of bait to circulate well enough to attract fish. On occasion, however, some average size catfish can be taken from the upper end of such holes, where they apparently lay in wait for food to wash in, then dart out to grab it before it reaches the big ones.

Dietz likes to move along the bank whenever he can, but he has nothing against wading into or across the river if he sees a good hole on the other side. There fore, he wears the tennis shoes and old pants common to a lot of catfishermen.

He moves often, too, figuring that 10 or 15 minutes in one spot without a fish is long enough. Most of the time, a hole is good for only one or two fish before the others spook or get lockjaw. Dietz emphasizes that cat fish can be quite wary, so he walks softly and stays low around a hole to avoid alerting the fish.

Of course, there are a lot more good catfishermen around than Frank Benedict, Jack Williams and John Dietz, and they have a lot of other interesting catfish ing schemes up their sleeves. But, it seems that there's at least one thing that most of the good river fishermen agree on. It's a lot better to keep moving and cover lots of holes than to plant the seat of your britches on one piece of river bank and play the waiting game.

On thing that it would be hard to get catfishermen to agree on is the best bait. The frogs, crawdads and beef brains discussed earlier obviously work well. But other baits also produce and enjoy popularity.

For example, minnows seem to be the favorite of fishermen along much of the central Platte Valley where canais or power plants empty into the river. Southwest Nebraska reservoir anglers and those of the North Platte Valley seem partial to chunks of shad or shad gizzards.

Other common baits include several commercial concoctions with high-octane aromas, home-made and store-bought blood brews, liver, chicken entrails, various cheese combinations, and even chunks of old-fashioned laundry soap cakes.

The wide variety of baits and techniques tells some thing about the men who ply Nebraska's rivers for their catfish. For the most part, they are an independent, colorful and ingenious lot who have developed the tactics necessary to succeed on their rivers.

They obviously had to be outdoorsmen of some stature to have observed their rivers, learned their secrets, and used the knowledge to catch fish. Undoubtedly, they learned more about wildlife than rivers and catfish in the hundreds of hours out there. It just might be that these "river rats" are the last of Nebraska's self-taught outdoorsmen.

Without a doubt, these fishermen have mastered a complex and challenging sport, and it pays off for them in the hot summer months when most other anglers in Nebraska are out of business.

a binder designed to get you out of a bind NEBRASKAland is a keeper. But, the question is often just where and how. Here's the answer...a sturdy, red vinyl binder designed just for NEBRASKAland Magazine. Easy-to-insert metal rods hold each issue securely in place. only *3.75 plus sales tax Send order to: NEBRASKAland Magazine P.O. Box 30370 Lincoln, Nebr. 68503 Check Money Order Name Street City State Zip WHITE STAG "Wildwood" 12' x 9' DELUXE CABIN TENT Reg. Sale $139.95 $129.95 Shpg. wt. 53 lbs. • ( #ON-075-WCT ) - - WHITE STAG "Wild- wood" #20041 features an outside suspension frame that eliminates inside poles to give full use of the interior without obstructions. Two large screened windows and screened door provide excellent cross-ventilation. • Sleeps 6-persons. 6.15 oz. flame retardant tent canvas, sewed-in double coated water-proof floor, storm flaps on door and windows. Reflective roof helps keep tent cool. Height at ridge is 8 ft., height at eaves if 5 ft. WHITE STAG "Aquarius 2-MAN BACK PACKER'S TENT WHITE STAG "Alpine II" 2-Man Bock Pack Tent $59.95 Reg. Sale $47.95 $42.95 • ( #ON-075-ABP ) - - WHITE STAG "Aquarius" #24011 is a big 6' x 7' two-man tent that can actually sleep three persons. Outside "A" frame dispenses with center pole at the door and rear. Designed for fast set-up and easy entry and exit. • Tent fabric is polyester and cotton. Waterproof nylon floor extends 6" up the sides. Triangular screen door zips across two sides. Inside zip rear vent window. Center height 3'-6". Furnished with stuff sack. Pack weight 5 lbs., 7 oz. Shpg. wt. 8 lbs. Sportsmans SPACE Blanket SPACE. sportsmans blanker • ( #ON-075-ALP ) - - WHITE STAG "Alpine II" #24028 is a 5' x 7'-6" tent with breathable nylon tent fabric. Comes with a separate nylon fly that "floats" over the tent. The fly helps eliminate condensation in the tent and aiso provides extra protection in wet weather. In fair weather the fly can be used separately for extra shaded area for gear or sleeping. • Waterproof nylon sewed-in floor, screened rear vent window with zip flap, 3-way zipper screened door, telescoping aluminum frame, center height 3'-6". Furnished with stuff sack. Pack weight 5 lbs., 11 oz. Shpg. wt. 8 lbs. 8-Power Binoculars Empire Treasure Hunter Mineral Locators By jeico FOR ROCK HOUNDS PROSPECTORS HOBBYISTS COLLECTORS • Vacation time is a great time to go prospecting for buried treasures, artifacts, etc., in old buildings, beaches, ghost town areas, anywhere. Treasure finding has become a national craze and one that the whole family can take part in. • Units shown here all employ latest design, soiid state circuitry, vernier tuning, waterproof search coil, adjustable stem, equipped with view meter ( except Mod. 550 ). have audible tone signal, 5-year warranty. Rated to sensitivity in detecting buried penny. • ( #ON 075-SSB ) - - SPACE ® blanket by THERMOS evolved from super-insulation used in NASA/APOLLO program. Usable as heat reflective cover, heat retaining cover, ground cloth, shelter, stadium blanket, waterproof cover, shock blanket, picnic blanket, windbreak, etc. Very light, folds flat. 84" x 56" size. With plastic carry pouch. ( 2 lbs. ) BY MAIL- OR IN OUR STORE Use Your Master Charge or Bank American!. Reg. Sale $22.88 $19.88 • ( #ON-075-CFB )--MERCURY #1110 bi- noculars by Jason-Empire are compact, light-weight and ideal for vacation, bird watching, general use. 8 x 30 center focus, precision coated optics, bright and clear image. Complete with carrying case and neck strap. ( 2Vi lbs. ) • ( #ON-075-SML ) - - JETC0 Mod. 550. Will detect penny buried 6" deep. Shpg. wt. 5 lbs. • ( #ON-075-HML ) - - JETCO Mod. 776. Will detect penny buried 7" deep. Shpg. wt. 6 lbs. • ( #ON-075-THL ) - - JETCO Mod. 990. Will detect penny buried 8" deep or more. Shpg. wt. 7 lbs. $59.95 $79.95 $97.50 MAIL ORDER CUSTOMERS • PLEASE READ • Be sure to include enough money for postage and insurance to avoid collection fees. For C.O.D. orders you must remit at least 25% of your total order. We refund excess remittance immediately. NEBRASKA CUSTOMERS must include the NEBRASKA SALES TAX! • To expedite your mail order be sure to include the item number. When you visit Lincoln, we are at 1000 West "O" St. ( Phone 435-4366 ) SURPLUS CENTER Dept. ON-075 Lincoln, Ne. 68501 42 NEBRASKAland NATIVE WILDLIFE Raccoon Gadwall Ducks Common Snipe Small Mouthed Bass Blue-Winged Teal Redear Sunfish Gray Squirrel COLOR PRINTS for your home or office... ideal lor gilts too! YOUR CHOICE OF MOUNTINGS 1. FRAMED AND MATTED, READY TO HANG ... 8" x 10" wooden frame finished in rich black and gold. Mat color blends with print subject. 2. MATTED ONLY . . . 9" x 12" backing cardboard with print between board and 9" x 12" mat. Hang "as is" or frame to suit your decor. Mat color blends with print subject. If more than one print ordered, prints will be in one package to one address. If more than one gift shipment wanted, please enclose names and addresses on separate paper with this order. Be sure to include sales tax if applicable IMPORTANT: Residents of Nebraska must add 2y2% sales tax, and residents of Omaha and Lincoln must add an additional 1% of the purchase price for sales tax. Date TO: Nebraskaland P.O. Box 27342 Omaha, Nebraska 68127 Gentlemen: Please ship me postpaid (U.S. only) the print/s specified below. A limited quantity of prints avail- able personally signed and numbered by the artist —only 250 of any one kind. FRAMED MATTED NATIVE WILDLIFE prints prints N 474 Raccoon n $8.95 $4.95 N-574 Redear Sunfish 8.95 4.95 N-674 Gadwall Ducks *n 8.95 4.95 N-774 Gray Squirrel n 8.95 □ 4.95 N-874 Common Snipe 8.95 4.95 N-974 Sharp-tailed Grouse 8.95 4.95 N-1074 Redhead Ducks 8.95 4.95 N-1174 White-tailed Deer 8.95 4.95 N-1274 Blue-winged Teal 8.95 4.95 N-175 Merriam's Turkey D 8.95 4.95 N-275 Snow Goose 895 4.95 N-375 Smallmouth Bass 8.95 4.95 Add $6.00 each for signed and numbered prints $ $ Deduct 10% from total if three, or more, ordered $ $ TOTAL AMOUNT OF THIS ORDER: $ $. My check is enclosed Money order enclosed Charge my Bankamericard Master Char Re CREDIT CARD NO. MASTER CHARGE ALSO GIVE 4 DIGITS BELOW YOUR ACCOUNT NO. SIGNATURE: EXPIRATION DATE PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY NAME ADDRESS CITY. STATE ZIP.   NORTH SIDE OF LAKE MCCONAUGHY Modern Units Cooking Facilities • Air Conditioning Store Gas Tackle Bait Boat & Motor Rental Guides 7 MILES WEST L R- and "Monte" Samuelson ON HWY. 92 Phone 355-2321 Lemoyne, Nebr. For Boating Fun and Fishing, Come To... NORTH SHORE LODGE on Lake McConaughy — everything close to the water CABINS - CAFE - BEER - ICE - TACKLE - FISHING LICENSE TRAILER PARKING BY YEAR - OVERNIGHT CAMPING - CAR & BOAT GAS - BOAT LAUNCHING SERVICE - FLOATING MARINA 12 miles N.E. Ogallala, Nebr. Jet. Hwy. 61 & 92 then west to Gate 5 All Inquiries Welcome WRITE TO: Box 16, Lemoyne, Nebr. 69746 or Call Lon Martin-Mgr. 355-2222 WELCOME TO WASHINGTON COUNTY MUSEUM On Hwy. 73 at Fort Calhoun, Neb. Displays of prehistoric, Fort Atkinson, and pioneer relics. Open Sun., Wed., Fri., Sat., 1:30-4:30 Tours by appointment: Phone (402) 468-5740 Ecology for tomorrow's sake WATER POLLUTION CONTROL Blue Ribbon CONTRACTING ST. PAUL, NEBR. REMOVE: SEDIMENTATION MUCK WEEDS SILT SAND SLUDGE INDUSTRIAL WASTE HYDRAULIC FILLS NO JOB TOO LARGE OR SMALL 381-1223 GRAND ISLAND BIDS- GIVEN 754-5211 ST PAUL WILDLIFE IS A PRODUCT OF THE LAND. YOU CAN HELP THE LAND PRODUCE. If you don't own land, let NEBRASKAland ACRES FOR WILDLIFE be your guide. NAFW invites youth to join as Cover Agents. Enroll an acre of cover and help the landowner save that cover. There Is no age limit. You are only as old as you feel. Anyone can enroll. Ask for your enrollment form and your copy of How You Can Add An Acre. NAFW invites adults to serve as Volunteer Sponsors by actively recruiting Cover Agents in the local community. Ask for the NAFW Sponsor's application kit. Win your certification and be equipped with tools for the task. Write to: ACRES FOR WILDLIFE Box 30370 Lincoln 68503 Relive Nebraska's colorful past! Stuiir TMusfcum Tion£ er Indoors, climb the spiral staircase and step into the 1880s, where you'll see the tools, garments and gad gets of yesteryear. Outdoors, stroll the boardwalks of the fascinating RAILROAD TOWN OF THE PRAIRIE PIONEER. Lose yourself among authentically restored homes, business places and vintage rail stock. Browse through the Midwest's finest collection of antique cars, trucks and farm machinery. A MUST FOR SUMMER SIGHTSEEING! BRING YOUR FAMILY OR GROUP Summer hours 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays; 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. Admission: Adults $1, Students 50^, children 35^ Outdoor Exhibits open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Write for free brochure and tour information to Stuhr Museum, Route #2, Box 24, Grand Island, Nebraska 68801. STUHR MUSEUM OF THE PRAIRIE PIONEER U.S. Highway 34-281 Junction, Grand Island, Nebraska 68801 44 NEBRASKAland JULY 1975 45   a Big I Bicentennial Travelgram BUFFALO BILL RANCH STATE HISTORICAL PARK Turn the historical clock back to the days of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody at the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park in North Platte. Wintering here after tours with his famous Wild West Show, his house and barn are filled with Cody memorabilia. YOUR/ Insurance, Independent kGENT MRVCS VOU FIRST ...this message brought to you by the NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS I need a subscription to NEBRASKAland plus the monthly Afield and Afloat newspaper. Name Address Town State Zip one-year $5 two-year $9 New Renewal If gift subscription, card should be signed: Gift from: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Box 30370 Lincoln, Nebr. 68503 LAKE VIEW FISHING CAMP CABINS CAFE MODERN CAMPING MARINA Center-South Side Lake McConaughy Everything for the Fisherman •Pontoon, Boat and Motor Rentals The Van Borkum's-Home of Nebraska's No. 1 Walleye RR Brule, Nebraska 69127 For Information Call 284-4965 Ogallala J'S OTTER CREEK MARINA NORTH SIDE LAKE McCONAUGHY HWY. 92-OPEN YEAR AROUND ALL MODERN MOTEL CAFE BAIT TACKLE GAS BOAT RENTALS HUNTING & FISHING LICENSES CHRYSLER BOATS MOTORS SALES SERVICE ON & OFF SALE BEER PHONE LEMOYNE 308-355-2341 P.O. LEWELLEN, NEBR. 69147 JAY & JULIE PETERSON INLAND SHORES MARINAS, INC. Located on the North Shore of Branched Oak Lake-One-Stop Service Restaurant-Ice-Groceries-Fishing Tackle -Live Bait-Boat Rentals-Public Boat Ramp-Slip Rentals-Public Docking- Boating Equipment - Gas - Oil - Light Marine Service - Jobber - Wholesale-Retail FINE LAKESIDE FACILITIES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT P.O. Box 80806, Lincoln, NB. 68501 Phone: 783-3311 Why call back home when you travel?...because it's so nice that someone notices when you're away. THE LINCOLN TELEPHONE CO, Browning Our EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT PLAN on all BROWNING products will save you up to 20%. This includes guns, ammunition, archery, cloth- ing, boots, tents, canoes, gun cases, rifle scopes and fishing equipment. Inquire ... it will save you $$$. Big discounts on other sporting goods. nun creek PHONE: 643-3303 P. O. BOX 243 SEWARD, NEBRASKA 68434 LIVE-CATCH ALL-PURPOSE TRAPS Writ* tor FREE CATALOG Low at $4.95 Traps without injury squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, mink, fox rac- coons, stray animals, pests, etc. Sizes for every need. Also traps for snakes, sparrows, pigeons, crabs, turtles, quail, etc. Save on our low factory prices. Send no money. Free catalog and trapping secrets. MUSTANG MFG. CO., Dept. N-34, Box IO88O, Houston, Tex. 77018 46 NEBRASKAland Please: Help prevent forest fires* SPORTSMEN'S COMPLEX, Inc. ONE-STOP SERVICE LODGING-GROCERIES-ICE-BAIT-TACKLE SCUBA DIVING SHOP TRAILER PARKING - SNACK SHOP - DUMPING STATION EVINRUDE MOTORS & REPAIRS BOX 136 KEYSTONE, NEBR. 69144 AT HIWAY JCT. 61 & 92 - 12 MILES NE OGALLALA, NEBR. AT MARTIN BAY 308-726-2521 FORT KEARNEY MUSEUM Over 100 years of world-wide collecting have produced this unique and unusual visit with the past. Over 10,000 items from all parts of the world. TO KEARNEY Phone: (308) 234-5200 Write for brochure: 315 So. Central Ave. Kearney, Nebr. 68847 FORT KEARNEY MUSEUM GLASS-BOTTOM BOAT RIDES A crystal-clear, spring-fed Nebraska lake filled with thousands of fish, over 14 different varieties in all for you to see. And we do mean see! Our boat has a 2 x 12 foot picture window and will comfortably seat up to 24 people. the Admiral's Cove Formerly "French's Paradise' Bev The McCown's Modern Motel and Apartments • Cafe • Boats • Tackle Located on the north shore of Lake McConaughy, 7 miles west of dam. Permits, boat and motor rental —everything for the angler and vacationer. Stop by and see us whenever you're in the area. Complete line of bait, gas, oil, beer, pop, candy, ice, etc. A public boat ramp located nearby. Lemoyne, Nebraska 69146 Ph. 308/355-2102 JULY 1975 47   Ignoring environmental problems won't make them go away

Trading Post

Acceptance of advertising implies no endorse ment of products or services.

Classified Ads: 20 cents a word, minimum or der $4.00. July 1975 closing date, May 8. Send classified ads to: Trading Post, NEBRAS KAland, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, Nebraska 68503, P.O. Box 30370.

MISCELLANEOUS

CANOE THE NIOBRARA1 3 tours daily. Overnight canoe, camping, and backpack trips available. Family and group rates. Write: Niobrara Canyon Canoe Tours, Inc. Box 654 Valentine, Nebraska 69201

CENTRAL Ontario—Choice 640 acre sportsmen's paradise still available—$20.00 plus $6.50 taxes yearly. Maps, pictures, $2.00 (refundable). In formation Bureau, Norval 70, Ontario, Canada.

LAKE McConaughy, MacKenzie Subdivision. Lots for sale on south side. Owner will finance. Box 224, Brule, Nebraska 69127.

TROUT for stocking your pond. All sizes available. Order now for spring delivery. Write: Fish, Inc., Box 7N, Lyman, Nebraska 69352.

PREPARE for driver's test. 100 questions and answers based on the latest Nebraska driver's manual. $1.75. W. Keenan, Box 295, Fairbury, Nebraska 68352.

MOSQUITO FISH — Control mosquitoes with no spraying. Lives in nearly any water. Limited sup ply available for 1975. Approved by Game and Fish and Health Departments. Write Fish, Inc., Box 7N, Lyman, Nebraska 69352.

FISH FOR SALE: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout and minnows for pond and lake stocking. Contact the Pleasant Valley Fish Farm, Route 1, McCook, Nebraska 69001. Phone 308-345-6599.

BROWNING Trap & Skeet; Pre-64 Winchester Model 12s; over 500 new and used guns. Year's subscription (8 lists) $2. Write-stop-call. Ph. 402 729-2888. Bedlan's Sporting Goods, Fairbury, Ne braska 68352.

FAIRFIELD CAMPGROUNDS—Save energy, spend your vacation in Nebraska—camping, hiking, trail rides, canoeing. We can help with equipment. Canoe rental, car shuttle your canoes, river in formation. Located along Niobrara River on Norden Road, Reservations helpful. The Kuhre's, Johnstown, Nebraska 69214. Phone 402-387-1521 Evenings.

DUCK HUNTERS: Learn how, make quality, solid plastic, waterfowl decoys. We're originators of famous system. Send $.50, colorful catalog. Decoys Unlimited, Clinton, Iowa 52732.

GOVERNMENT LANDS DIGEST ... A monthly re view of Government Real Estate offerings through out the U.S.A. . . . Send $2.00 for 3 month trial subscription . . . DIGEST, Box 25561-NL, Seattle, Washington 98125.

JULY 1975

LAKE MCCONAUGHY—Lakeview lots. Vacation or retirement homesites. $4,500/up. Terms: Write Emma Robertson, Arthur, Nebraska 69121.

NIOBRARA RIVER HUNTING AND WILDLIFE PRESERVE. About 230 acres, % mile river front, Knox County. Deer, turkey, birds and fish. Trees and meadow. RE A. All weather road. Farmhouse with indoor plumbing. On contract by owner. T-Lazy-P-Ranch, 13220 Montclair Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

FLY FSHERMAN1 Excellently tied flies, sensibly priced. Send for a free list. Write Wally Nelson, Box 305, Albion, Nebraska 68620.

OREGON TRAIL BUS TOURS FOR GROUPS by Wilson Outfitters! Trip descriptions, complete map portfolio, and historical bibliography furnished to each participant. Two-day (Steele City to Fort Kearny) and six-day (Steele City to Fort Lara mie) tours available. Primitive camping on short tours. Group sizes 10-39 persons. Blend of primi tive camping and motel lodging on longer tours. Chuck wagon cuisine. Interpretive guides for bus and campfire programs. Separate physical arrange ments crew with equipment truck. Methods provide for your time to be spent in quality. Write Wilson Outfitters, 6211 Sunrise Road, Lincoln, Nebraska 68510.

TAXIDERMY

BIG Bear Taxidermy, Rt. 2, Mitchell, Nebraska 69357. We specialize in all big game from Alaska to Nebraska, also birds and fish. Hair on and hair off tanning. 4% miles west of Scottsbluff on High way 26. Phone (308) 635-3013.

TAXIDERMY work—big game heads, fish-and-bird mounting; rug making, hide tanning, 36 years ex perience. Visitors welcome. Floyd Houser, Suther land, Nebraska 69165. Phone (308) 386-4780

KARL Schwarz Master Taxidermists. Mounting of game heads — birds — fish — animals — fur rugs — robes — tanning buckskin. Since 1910. 424 South 13th Street, Deot. A., Omaha, Nebraska 68102.

OTTER CREEK LODGE Cabins Cafe General Store Camper Hook-ups Floating Marina Boat and Motor Rentals Everything for the fisherman Owned by: JIM and MARY CALLEN Lewellen, Neb. 69147 Phone: (308) 355-9441 ATTENTION BOWHUNTERS The Original Allen Compound Bow in stock and ready for Immediate Delivery. Prices start at $100.00. We also stock a full line of equipment to meet all your bowhunting needs. KLEIN HARDWARE Adams, Nebr. 68301 Ph. 402-988-2975 GUN DOG TRAINING All Sporting Breeds Each dog trained on both native game and pen-reared birds. Ducks for retrievers. All dogs worked individually. Field Champion-sired labrador pups for sale. Midwest's finest facilities. WILDERNESS KENNELS Henry Sader-Roca. Nb. (402)435-4212 68430 National Hunting & Fishing Day September 274975 NHF DAY PLANNING IS EASIER WITH NEW 50-PIECE AIDS KIT by Bob Delf ay Sportsmen's clubs and conservation groups planning National Hunting and Fishing Day activities for Sept. 27 will find their organizational efforts much easier and more successful with the help of the new NHF Day aids kit. The comprehensive aids package in cludes 50 separate items to help make the job of organizing an NHF Day observance a little easier. These pro fessionally prepared materials include sample press releases, sample radio an nouncements, sample advertisements, posters, bumper stickers, signs, invita tions, stickers and—above all—instruc tions on how to use all these materials to maximum advantage. Even the least promotion-oriented sportsman can or ganize his NHF Day program like a pro with the aid of this packet. In nearly all cases, NHF Day activi ties are organized by volunteers on a part-time basis, and there is little time to write releases, draft proclamations, design posters, etc. With this new aids packet, it is all done beforehand by by NHF Day headquarters. Clubs obtaining the kit will also re ceive information on how to order ad ditional quantities of all NHF Day promotional materials at reduced prices. NHF Day is not far off, and clubs are urged to order their kits as soon as possible. All orders are shipped same day received. The kits are available for $3.00 from National Hunting and Fish ing Day, 1075 Post Road, Riverside, Connecticut 06878.

NOTES ON NEBRASKA FAUNA... BULLFROG

by Lee Rupp Art by Ed Wards

THE BULLFROG, Rana catesbiana, is an amphibian familiar to most Nebraskans. At least a few reside around nearly every shallow or brushy slough, marsh, pond or lake in the state. They are also frequently found near flowing streams, in the shallower portions of reservoirs, and around irrigation projects. Bullfrogs are considered to be native to Nebraska and all states east, and were widely intro duced in all states west of the Rockies in the late 1900s.

Identification of this important game species is not difficult. It is our largest frog, with adults attaining a body length of up to seven inches, and weights of up to one pound. The bullfrog's broad, stout body and legs are usually olive to dark green on the back, with brown to black spots or splotches. The underside is a yellow ish-white. A bullfrog's sex can be de termined by the large tympanum, or ear-drum, which is larger than the eye in the male, smaller than the eye in the female.

Strictly aquatic in nature, bullfrogs are seldom found far from water except for occasional individuals that may change ponds on rainy nights. The presence of bullfrogs in a pond is quickly determined on almost any warm June night. The sonorous bass tones from the powerful vocal sacs of the males may be heard up to several miles. The deep, bellow-like call sounds like the words "jug-o-rum". The call serves both as an attraction for spawning females and as a territorial indicator to other males. The croak of the female is similar but less forceful.

Breeding begins when water temperature reaches about 70°, usually in mid June in Nebraska. Males become somewhat territorial at this time and establish "croaking posts" from 5 to 20 feet from shore, usually on floating debris or emergent vegetation. These positions are defended against intruding males and the fight between bullfrogs can best be de scribed as a type of "wrestling".

It is during this breeding period that a great deal of calling is heard. Females remain near shore until they are ready to spawn. When "ripe", they move to the male's position and deposit as many as 10,000 to 20,000 eggs in a large, disc-shaped film on the water surface. After fertilization by the male, these egg mats begin 50 breaking up and floating until contact is made with brush, sticks, bull rush, etc. The eggs' jelly-like covering then causes them to adhere until hatching about 23 days later.

The tadpole or larvae stage is next in the bullfrog's developmental cycle. In Nebraska, two winters are spent in this tadpole stage. The number of winters spent as a tadpole is determined by the length of the growing season, ranging from one in the Gulf states to three in the northern part of the bullfrog's range. Bullfrog tadpoles may therefore be found during any month of the year.

Bullfrog tadpoles are much larger than those of other frogs. They range from four to six inches in length and are olive colored. These soft, cartilaginous creatures are basically vegetarians, but may also become scavengers and feed on dead fish. Their major defense is camouflage, and they blend well with a muddy, leaf-covered lake bottom.

The process of maturing from tadpole to frog, called metamorphosis, causes gradual changes in the organism. The tadpole begins to surface more for air as the three sets of gills gradually lose their function in favor of lungs. The tail likewise loses its importance in swimming as the back legs develop. The obsolete gills and tail are then resorbed, literally feeding the developing frog by a migration of cells.

During the first year as a small bullfrog, its diet consists almost exclusive ly of insects. Once frogs reach maturity, however, they become voracious carnivores.

There are recorded observations of bullfrogs eating mice, snakes, smaller bullfrogs, ducklings and small turtles. The major staples of its diet, however, are crayfish, small fish, snails and large insects and their larvae. The numerous small, uniform teeth in the bullfrog's upper jaw are well suited to seizing and holding prey, but are not used for chewing. All prey is swallowed whole.

The bullfrog is well-equipped for its aquatic environment. The nostrils close tightly when it dives under water; it has no outer ear to hinder swimming; even the large eyes, that protrude from the head while out of water, sink into sockets that project downward into the roof of the mouth. A powerful swimmer, its webbed feet fold shut on the "front stroke" and fan out on the backward thrust.

Both tadpoles and adult frogs move to mud bottoms in deep water areas and hibernate over winter, emerging in late May. Their many natural enemies include snapping turtles, fish, snakes, and birds such as hawks, owls and blue herons.

The legs of the bullfrog are truly a gourmet's delight. Although feeding of confined bullfrogs has never proven feasible, a significant commercial activity in southern states involves con trolled cropping of bullfrogs from ponds specifically managed for that purpose.

In Nebraska, they are an important game species and may be harvested by hand, hand-net, gig, hook and line or bow and arrow. The season runs from July 15 through October 31, and bag and possession limit is 8 bullfrogs per person. Regulations restricting bullfrog harvest in Nebraska were adopted in 1957.

The bullfrog is a character with a lot of personality and is an important part of the outdoor scene. A warm June night near a pond or marsh would not be the same without its serenade.

The original painting of the bullfrog was done by a Nebraska artist special izing in game birds. For information about art on a commission basis, con tact: C Edwards, c/o NEBRASKAland, Lincoln, Nebr. 68503

For an Easy Travel, Family Fun Vacation Stay as many days as you want on one admission fee. Motel and meals for as little as $10 per adult (double occupancy), $4 per child per day. Camping $2 per day. For room reservations at Pioneer Motel, write or phone 308/832-2750. See How America THE HAROLD WARP 12 Miles Straight South of onNebr. 10, U.S. 6 & U.S. 34 MINDEN, NEBR. 68959 Adults-only $2.00 Minors 6 to 16-75? Little Tots Free 30,000 HISTORIC ITEMS IN 24 BUILDINGS Pioneer Village Airport, Vi mile North. 4. Pioneer Motel, 66 units. Pioneer Village Camp Ground, 125 5. Nebraska Highway No. 10, campsites. 12 miles North to I-80. Pioneer Restaurant, seats 350 people. 6. U.S. Highway No. 6 and No. 34. NEBRASKA'S TOP ATTRACTION on the WEST TRAIL Everything Americans have used since 1830-at work, at play, in the home. Two hundred fifty antique autos, 100 tractors, locomotives, airplanes, fine china, home furnishings, paintings, sculpture, much more. Twenty-four buildings include Indian Stockade, Pony Express Station, Pioneer Church, Sod House, People's Store, Land Office, Pioneer Depot. You can see it all in chronological order by walking less than a mile, but it will absorb you for hours, or for days. Write for FREE Picture Folder- Also information on special rates for tour groups - NEARLY THREE MILLION DELIGHTED VISITORS -