Speak Up

Where's My Answer?

Sir / In June, after yet another in what seems to be a continuing series of ill-founded criticisms of modern agricultural techniques by the Nebraska Game and Parks department I wrote to "Speak Up". I pointed out that the techniques which the department habitually criticizes have enabled the modern farmer to feed 3 times as many people as he could in 1946. And I wondered if the efficiercy of the Nebraska Game and Parks department had kept pace.

I asked that the figures be published on the number of Game and Parks department employees 1946 versus 1974, and the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold those same years.

Apparently mine wasn't the type of speaking up sought by the editor of the column; I remain unenlightened as to the answers to my queries.

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to provide those answers by return mail; I certainly wouldn't want to go around thinking that agricultural efficiency had perhaps increased much faster than that of the Game and Parks department, and that the department is in no position to be critical of the efficiency of others.

The editorial staff of NEBRASKAland may ignore this query as it did my earlier one if it chooses—in which case I'll ask the questions via the Omaha World-Herald.

Randall Adams Primrose, Nebraska

Firstly, I would like to say that we don't make it a habit to persecute farmers, as many of us are also engaged in that profession. And, with all your boasting on production, I wonder exactly how many of the ''agricultural techniques" you personally have developed that you are so proud of them ?

We don't sit around inventing fantasies, but make every effort to get top authorities to speak in their field, and we have only discussed the same things that are coming to be known as major problems in the U.S., the heavy pollution (both agricultural and industrial) because of increased production. People are getting cancer and other related diseases at accelerating rates, much of which is caused by chemicals leaching into water supplies, and residues remaining in food. Many of these materials are directly tied to agricultural practices, and have already led to banning of several, and more are on the chopping block. We have merely suggested that alternate ways of growing food should be found now, rather than before most people are killed, and before the total ban of chemicals comes to throw agriculture into a serious setback.

What correlation there is between agricultural production and number of fishing permits seems rather obtuse, but for your edification, our annual reports show that in 1946 there were 261,219 permits and in 1974, 354,713. Now if you want to compare park usage, we are now handling more than 20 times the people on state areas than in 1946, while the budget has grown comparatively little. But, we don't take credit for the increase —we merely have more people now, and they have more mobility. Staffwise, we had 71 in 1946, and now, 360. And, to explain duties, funding, etc. would take about 100 pages. You can now ask the World-Herald about their growth. (Editor)

Toughen Laws

Sir / In reference to Mrs. Griffith's letter from Carleton, Nebraska (Speak Up, October 1975) I can fully appreciate the problems they are having from individuals that pick up a gun, take to the field, shoot everything moving and litter every place they go. You will notice I did not call them sportsmen, for it is evident they never took a hunter safety course, or for that matter, probably never heard of one.

It is through these actions that each year more and more areas are closed that might have been open to the hunter if only a little more co-operation with the landowner had been present. I personally have carried a sack in my vehicle and picked up empty cans, bottles, etc. after others have hunted days before me. On returning the next year, it is the same thing all over again. No wonder landowners close the door to us.

Perhaps it would be a good policy if and when those individuals who were caught in the act of littering or similar misdeeds, would be "sentenced" to spend one or two day* on the property picking up all the refuse until the owner is satisfied. Of course if they chose not to do this, they could spend their next week in a quiet little room that each county court house has available.

This might not cure the problem, but it would be good experience for those who seem to disregard every one else around them without any thought of their own carelessness.

Bob Lewis Lander, Wyo.

We occasionally get letters asking for information on commercial fish farming, an activity which appears to be of growing interest. A publication is available on just this subject, and we hereby pass along the address for all those interested. It is "The Commercial Fish Farmer", 620 Fast 6th Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72202. Details on this magazine can be obtained from them. (Editor)

Not Grouchy

Sir / Several months ago there was a letter in your magazine which pictured the people of Nebraska as grouchy and uncooperative and that they wouldn't allow hunting on their lands, etc. I would like to give you my version on this subject.

First, I don't blame farmers for being uncooperative when hunters barge in and act as if they own the place, and they are owed a place to hunt. Many hunters are not considerate of other's property, including stock and buildings. I live in northern Minnesota and have found this same fault in many deer hunters.

I have been hunting in Nebraska for the past six years and so far have not been denied a place to hunt. When I see a spot which I think might be good hunting, I go and ask the farmer if he cares to have hunting. He may not be too enthusiastic to begin with, but after I visit with him for awhile, he usually tells me it is OK, and sometimes he goes with me to show the choice spots.

Get acquainted with the farmer and show him you are reliable. Let him know you do not want to sneak around his fields, and that you are not an outlaw. I keep an address book of people who have allowed me to hunt, and I go back each year to visit. When I return home, we write notes of thanks to those who let us hunt. In this way I have made some very fine friends.

Alvern James Bovey, MN NFBRASKAland Magazine invites all readers to submit their comments, suggestions, and gripes to Speak Up. Fach month the magazine will publish as many letters as space permits. Pictures are welcome. NFBRASKAland reserves the right to edit and condense letters. — Editor. 4 NEBRASKAland THE ST. LOUIS FOOTBALL CARDINALS THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE ART EXCHANGE THE ST. LOUIS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Respectfully offer you the opportunity to obtain a FULL COLOR fine art collector print (prepaid — $23.50) of "Cardinals in Winter" by one of America's foremost wildlife artists — Ron Jenkins of Arlee, Montana. The original painting is from the collection of the St. Louis Football Cardinals. The National Wildlife Art Exchange of Vero Beach, Fla., in conjunction wifri the St. Louis Football Cardinals, have designated that $9.00 from the sale of each collector print shall be donated to the St. Louis Children's Hospital (not for profit) to enable them to maintain and provide additional medical services to all deserving children, regardless of their color or creed. Your help is earnestly solicited. The "Cardinals in Winter" fine art collector prints shall be available for a limited time only (through July 4, 1976). The FULL COLOR prints are printed on watermarked museum paper (100% rag) in a size of 16" x 20". They are shipped flat and guaranteed to arrive in original issue condition. On multiple orders, add $20.50 for each additional print which is to be shipped in the same package to one address. This new work represents an opportunity for collectors to secure a magnificent cardinal print of great beauty with potential for significant appreciation in value. The prints make excellent gifts for both the office and home and are available only in this one time limited edition. Each print is individually numbered and signed by the artist in pencil. To be assured of receiving your collector cardinal print and simultaneously help a worthy cause — Mail your check ($23.50) TODAY to: NWAE/ST. LOUIS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL DRAWER 3385 VERO BEACH, FLORIDA 32960 NATIONAL WILDLIFE ART EXCHANGE, INC 1975 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FEBRUARY 1976 5

A TIME FOR EAGLES

Photos and text by Greg Beaumont

WHEN WINTER CLENCHES Nebraska in its sharp talons, only the wind gives voice to the songless land. Meadowlarks sit silent, their pale plumages fluffed against the blowing snow. Above the huddled quail, starlings and sparrows sift through the branches of sheltered places —restless, noiseless pacings of this cheerless season, which the deer and coyote must also abide.

Most life now is hibernating, between cycles, or gone south to escape the white severity of a mid-continent winter. But what Nebraska in winter loses in songbirds, shore-birds and waterfowl, it gains in the soaring shapes of some 150 bald eagles.

As the approaching winter shuts down northern rivers and lakes, bald eagles wander south in search of open water, congregating at available sites. The Platte River in mid-state offers an ideal hunting area for the fish-eating birds. Up and down the many miles of open channels the eagles patrol, scanning the shallows for exposed or stranded fish.

Feeding primarily in mornings and late afternoons, the birds loaf on lofty tree perches during the day. The white heads and tails of the adults, augmented by the bright yellow of beak and feet, make the 34-inch-tall birds highly conspicuous to passing interstate motorists. With an 80-inch wingspan, the slow, circular soaring or methodical wingbeat of a flying eagle is difficult to miss.

Downstream from the Canaday steam plant near Lexington —where the warm discharge keeps the water ice-free all winter —scores of eagles can sometimes be counted. Reservoirs, such as Harlan County, Jeffrey, McConaughy and Lewis and Clark, are also choice locations, since fish passing through the dams are stunned and provide easy targets. In addition, large reservoirs usually hold concentrations of waterfowl, an alternate prey source.

Bald eagles seldom take healthy waterfowl, preferring instead the leisure of picking off sick or wounded birds as the opportunity presents itself. The immense concentrations of fall-migrating ducks and geese at Desoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge and Plattsmouth Waterfowl Area on the Missouri River invariably draw inspections by eagles.

Unlike golden eagles, year-round Nebraska natives which prefer to capture their prey alive, bald eagles are not averse to scavenging. Carrion fish, mammals or waterfowl are readily accepted. This habit, along with the propensity for stealing the catches of other eagles and bullying the prey from ospreys, led Benjamin Franklin to argue against the bald eagle as a national emblem.

Despite these predilections, the bald eagle is shy and sociable, and stories of its rapacity and ferocity are unfounded. The terrifying stare perpetually fixed in its eyes, and the habitual panic of waterfowl when it stoops nearby, are misleading. Although it is most certainly a superbly adapted predator, the sight of a glowering eagle, splashing about in the shallows gamely trying to snatch passing fish, is less than majestic. Once in a while a fish is too large to lift from the water; then, following a spectacular dive and marksman-like catch, the performance abruptly ends with a wet eagle swimming ignominously to shore, rowing its wings like oars.

Unlike other birds of prey, bald eagles are gregarious. When roosting, they display definite social instincts. During the nesting season, they defend only a cone-shaped airspace above the nest, in contrast to golden eagles, which, owing to a limited terrestrial food supply, must defend a territory up to 40 miles square.

Pairs remain mated for life. Devoted parents, bald eagles raise one or two young per year under ideal conditions, utilizing the same nest year after year. Since the nest is enlarged

6 NEBRASKAland FEBRUARY 1976 7   NEBRASKAland

each season, some reach gigantic proportions. A record eyrie measured 20 feet deep and 9 feet in diameter, weighing several hundred pounds.

Once widespread over North America, the bald eagle has been extirpated over most of its natural range. Development, shooting, and pesticide poisoning continually conspire to undo this species. The spectacular retreat of the bald eagle, like the wilderness it needs to survive, is a sorry comment on the ecological "manifest destiny" of the nation the eagle was chosen to symbolize.

But the blowing snow does not care. Along the Platte it has already filled in forever the sharp prints of grizzly, wolf, bison and cougar.

This day grows late. From my blind I see seven adult eagles, strung upstream along the river's trees like bright lanterns to light the growing gloom. They are sitting silent and motionless, stoic in this cold season, waiting out this last month of winter as they have done here for countless centuries of winters before, while the wilderness of their summers ever disappears. The gathering granite-cold greyness of this February sky settles down swiftly now. Silently, gently, it erases from this riverscape eye, beak and claw; these sharp remnants of a vast, recent, vanished American wilderness. ft

FEBRUARY 1976 9

FAMOUS CHIEFS

Text and illustration by Chuck Elley 10 NEBRASKAland

Crazy Bear, left, of the Standing Rock Sioux, was a peaceful man but did have a reputation as a formidable warrior in his younger days. As the plains and West became more populated by white settlers, and more of the tribes were settled on reservations, he became a strong advocate of peace at the councils. It is believed that once Red Cloud and Sitting Bull resigned themselves to reservations, Crazy Bear also laid down his arms and gave up his ponies. His remaining days were spent on the Pine Ridge reservation.

The Kiowas, led by Chief Satanta (White Bear), above, were a peaceful people until moved to a reservation at Ft. Larned, Kansas. The tribe had not been there long before they escaped, stole the army's horses and rode off to resume their old way of life. Satanta become one of the government's most troublesome antagonists. He was a very touchy man, a fierce warrior and one of the most skilled orators of the southern plains. Commissioners sent to council with him found it most difficult to answer his simple arguments. In the spring of 1871, Satanta and three other chiefs were sent to Jacksboro, Texas to stand trial for murder following an attack on a wagon train. He was then over 60 years old. Though sentenced to die, President Crant interceded and they were sent to prison for life. After two years he was released, but was later returned to prison. He finally gained his freedom in 1876 by plunging through a second story window to his death.

NEBRASKA ARTIST Chuck Elley retired from military service in 1967 after more than 20 years and settled in Lincoln where he hung out his art studio shingle in 1971. His interest in the life and leaders of the Plains and Western Indians came about naturally as a fusion of his college background in history and his new life on the land of the continent's great native tribes. With his military background, it was only fitting that his interest should be piqued by the strategic genious of the great chiefs, like Joseph. The portraits of famous chiefs on these pages have been exhibited locally and will be shown in states from Missouri to the West Coast. Presently he is illustrating two books on Indian lore and settlement of the Bighorn area of Wyoming and Montana. In his spare moments, he consumes volumes of literature on the life and times of the American Indian. During the coming months he plans to attend religious ceremonies, pow wows and conclaves across the western United States in preparation for his next assignment—a series of drawings and paintings of Indian life as it is today and has been for many hundreds of years.

FEBRUARY 1976 11  

Geronimo, above left, became chief of the Apache after the death of their fierce leader, Cochise. Cochise had become embittered when some of his warriors were slaughtered by whites under a flag of truce. He was known to never take prisoners or show mercy to his enemies. It was this reputation that young Geronimo was expected to maintain when he became chief. After years of fighting for his people in Mexico and the United States, he agreed to settle on a reservation in the Oklahoma Territory.

Red Cloud, chief of the Oglala Sioux, was the first and only Indian leader to win a war with the United States government when he successfully closed the Bozeman Trail leading to the gold fields across Montana. His greatest exploits were his defense of the Sioux country in Wyoming and Montana. At the early age of fifteen, he accompanied a war party which killed eighty Pawnees. Before going to war he would rub his medicine, a little deerskin bag, over his body. This tribe regarded his medicine as very potent. He gained great fame as a leader in 1866 when he killed eighty soldiers at Ft. Phil Kearney in Wyoming. A year later he lead another attack against the same fort but was repulsed by troops armed with repeating rifles. He eventually forced the abandonment of Ft. Kearney which he burned as a victory celebration. His camp was later disarmed and he agreed to sign a peace treaty in 1868.

Chief Gall of the Hunkpappa Sioux, right, was the chief lieutenant of Sitting Bull. In nearly all of the councils he had the reputation of favoring a fight. It was his force that spearheaded the attack on Custer's troops, and his tactics were the deciding factor in winning the battle at Little Big Horn. After this battle he joined Sitting Bull north of the Yellowstone in victory celebrations and later fled to the Grandmother Land of Canada.

12 NEBRASKAland FEBRUARY 1976 13   14 NEBRASKAland

Perhaps the best known leader of the northwestern tribes, Chief Joseph, left, had the reputation of a peace-loving man. In his youth he was called Thunder-Rolling-in-the-Mountain. When his father died, he adopted his name of Joseph and became the tribal leader. Young Joseph is credited with engineering the remarkable strategic movement of his people from Idaho to Montana in an attempt to settle with the Crows in Canada. He was within thirty miles of the border when captured by General Miles. His evasive tactics were so skillful that they were later taught at the United States Military Academy at West Point. His tribe was settled on a reservation in eastern Washington. He died, after repeated unsuccessful trips to Washington in hope of regaining his tribal lands in the Wallowa Valley of Oregon.

Sitting Bull, above right, was the leader of the vast Sioux nation, a visionary, warrior and medicine man who exerted great power over his followers. Probably the event that most incensed Sitting Bull was the breaking of the treaty designating the Black Hills of South Dakota and other land as the Sioux Reservation. The Indians considered this land holy. When gold was discovered there, the region swarmed with whites. War, and the defeat of Custer's forces, followed. Sitting Bull and 109 lodges of Sioux fled to Canada where they remained for the next five years. In 1881 he was persuaded to return. Instead of the pardon he had been promised, though, he was sent to the Hunkpappa reservation in North Dakota, and later imprisoned at Ft. Randall, South Dakota. In 1890 a contingent of Army-trained Sioux policemen was sent to bring him to reservation headquarters. As he was led from his house, he was taunted as being a coward by his seventeen-year-old son. Sitting Bull abruptly refused to go and was shot fatally by the policemen.

After the battle on the Little Big Horn, the Cheyenne decided to make peace with the whites. Chief Dull Knife, right, and Crazy Horse of the Oglala Sioux surrendered at Fort Robinson, Nebraska in 1877. They had hopes of joining Red Cloud on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, but instead they were ordered to join the Southern Cheyenne in Oklahoma. There, Dull Knife and his followers found the living conditions deplorable. Malaria and measles took a heavy toll each day. They fled north, pursued by soldiers and civilians. All were recaptured north of the Platte River and were confined at Fort Robinson for five days without heat or food. Using rifle parts they had hidden on their bodies, they escaped. Most were hunted down, but Dull Knife and fifteen others made it to the Pine Ridge. After months of haggling, he was allowed to rejoin the rest of his people in Montana.

FEBRUARY 1976 15

16 NEBRASKAland

SKI NEBRASKA

It's not all downhill, but the going is still pretty easy by Duane Westerholt

NOWADAYS, there seems to be a constant and endless struggle between us and our environment. If it doesn't fit our moods, needs or habits, we go to great lengths and expense to change it. Previous generations, which didn't possess the technology of today, had a simpler and less costly solution: they learned to adapt to the cycles of nature; to enjoy the environment no matter what the conditions. The result was many happy and memorable hours of entertainment with little, if any, environmental disruptions or impact.

Winter can provide many hours of pleasure and be less of a hassle if we also learn to enjoy it. Over the past few years, cross-country skiing has filled a large winter void for millions of people. It's pollution free, and is one of the outdoor winter sports that is physically beneficial, yet is fun.

Cross-country skiing is not like its counterpart Alpine skiing, which is strictly downhill running. Instead, cross-country skiing offers you the chance to go up as well as down hill, and also provides an amazing amount of mobility even in the deepest of winter snows.

Skiing is one of the oldest sports around being 4,000 to 5,000 years. Developing from the snowshoe, the first ski specimens appeared a great deal like canoe paddles with the toes curled slightly upward. Strapping it to the foot prevented the individual using it from becoming mired neck deep in snow. The smooth surface allowed the wearer to almost skate across the snow. The width of this early ski limited the distance one could glide on each kick, and soon a longer narrower ski developed, much more like the one in use today. The first traces of this new development came in northern Europe and western Asia. There, cave drawings depict little stick-shaped men gliding along on stylized skis.

Records show that the Vikings utilized the ski in the 10th and 11th Centuries. The Norsemen adopted it into their mythology, with UN being the ski god and Skade the ski goddess. It eventually became a necessity of life in northern regions, as without it, hunting, travel and the herding of caribou would have been next to impossible.

Records show that the Vikings utilized the ski in the 10th and 11th Centuries. The Norsemen adopted it into their mythology, with UN being the ski god and Skade the ski goddess. It eventually became a necessity of life in northern regions, as without it, hunting, travel and the herding of caribou would have been next to impossible.

With the passing of time, the cross-country ski has evolved into a unique tool. But with all the restyling, new synthetic products and new techniques, the end results did not change much. A narrow channel runs the length of the skis to keep them on track. A built-in camber or bow from tip to tail is designed to distribute weight evenly over the entire ski.

The ski is attached only to the toe of the boot and the foot can thus pivot up or down at that point. This allows the foot to kick the ski forward, then you glide on that foot. Soon a skating motion develops. This is the basic technique of cross-country skiing on normal terrain. When the countryside turns hilly, other techniques become necessary.

Ski poles assist in maintaining balance and provide extra forward push. When the right foot is kicked forward, the left ski pole is planted and used to push forward. When the left foot is kicked forward, the right ski pole does the work.

Naturally, the skis are the most important piece of equipment, The type of ski you select should depend on what you will be doing. There are skis for racing, for following prepared tracks, traveling unprepared tracks and for carrying heavy (Continued on page 44)

Ponds for Nebraskans EC 75-1427

It is estimated that Nebraska now has over 55,000 farm ponds totaling more than 80,000 surface acres of water. In a time of ever dwindling wildlife habitat, these areas are meccas for sport fish, waterfowl, upland birds and furbearers. It follows that ponds and adjacent areas would also be attractive to the sportsman and nature lover. Even though these areas are under private ownership, they are heavily used by fishermen and hunters. About 48 percent of all largemouth bass weighing over five pounds that are caught and reported to the Game and Parks Commission, come from farm ponds. During the autumn months, duck hunters and trappers frequent them. Even though access to the state's private ponds is not wide open, few go unusued, and that is one of their most important values — they absorb some of the pressure for outdoor recreation that would otherwise fall entirely on public lakes and hunting areas. The result is more of that precious commodity, elbow room. The 16-page special that follows explains how to plan a farm pond and enhance it for wildlife and for man

18 NEBRASKAland   Extension work in "Agriculture, Home Economics and Subjects relating thereto The Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture Leo E. Lucas, Director

NEBRASKANS construct ponds for a variety of reasons. Early ponds were usually constructed to provide water for livestock. Today they are for soil and water conservation, livestock water supply, and recreational activities such as fishing, hunting and picnicking. The trend is to design ponds for multiple use and benefit.

Well managed ponds and adjacent areas provide hideaways to escape the pressures of today's intense farming. Hunters, fishermen and nature lovers can all find retreat there.

Wildlife, like domestic livestock and crops, is a product of the land. For this reason, the manner in which farmers and ranchers manage their land affects wild animal populations as well as the yields from their fields. Wild creatures respond favorably to things done in their behalf. Noticeable changes in populations are possible even when relatively small areas are enhanced.

Ponds can also be financial assets. They increase property values and provide water for livestock. Properly located ponds control erosion and gully formation. Pond areas are often ideal for bee colonies, since many wildflowers, vines and shrubs growing near ponds are nectar producers. User fees may provide income during spring, summer and autumn months. Fur-bearing animals that can be harvested for extra earnings may also be attracted to ponds.

There are, however, requirements that must be met if a multi-purpose pond is to be successful. The pond has to be properly constructed; vegetation should be established but properly controlled in and around the pond; a reasonable combination of fish should be stocked; and owner interest must be maintained to insure continued management.

Assistance in designing a pond and information about cost-sharing programs may be obtained from the Soil Conservation Service. Information about developing wildlife cover around ponds is available from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Soil Conservation Service, and the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service or County Extension Agents. Plants may be purchased from local seed dealers and private nurseries, or ordered from county extension agents, Natural Resource Districts and the Game and Parks Commission. Technical assistance in managing ponds for fish and some fish for stocking are available from the Game and ParksCommission. Fish may also be purchased for stocking from private fish hatcheries.

This bulletin was written to help design a functional pond to supply farm needs, and at the same time provide a pleasant place to relax.

Farm Ponds Where and How to Build

SELECTING the proper site is an important first step in building a useful multi-purpose pond. The area being considered should have a dependable, but not excessive, water supply. Landowners should consult with their local Soil Conservation Service to determine the proper watershed size for their pond. In some instances, springs, artesian wells or even run-off from irrigated fields will supply adequate amounts of pond water. Terraces can often be used to increase or decrease the size of the watershed by directing drainage.

Topography of the site should permit construction with a minimum of earth movement to save on costs. Suitable sites can often be found where hills come close together in the headwaters of smail streams.

To provide good habitat for game fish, a pond should cover one-half surface acre or more and have a stable water level. The pond should be at least 10 feet deep over one quarter of its area, and additional depth is desirable. Deep water is necessary to retain sufficient water to prevent winterkilling of fish and to withstand evaporation and seepage losses.

Ponds constructed on dry watersheds impounding 15 or more acre feet of water (an acre foot is water one foot deep covering one acre) in permanent   or gated storage must be registered with the Nebraska Department of Water Resources and must be constructed under a permit issued by that department. Construction of ponds, regardless of size, on flowing streams must also be approved by the Nebraska Department of Water Resources.

The best soils for a pond bottom are clay, clay and sand loam, and loam. When compacted and moistened, particles in these soils enlarge and thus reduce seepage. Sand and/or limestone areas with shallow soils should be avoided because of their "o provide good habitat for game fish, a pond should cover one-half surface acre or more poor water-holding qualities. The best type of pond for sandy areas such as the Sand Hills is one dug below the water table to hold groundwater.

The watershed should be free of contamination from industrial and chemical wastes or domestic livestock. In like manner, the pond itself should be located in an area where it will not be exposed to excessive siltation. Siltation resulting from soil disturbances during construction can, usually be controlled by establishing vegetation on the site immediately after the work is completed. A woodland or grassland watershed is desirable to reduce silt run-off. Grasses are especially valuable in this regard because they catch and hold about twice as much water as woody vegetation.

Before dam construction, soil depth at the pond site should be checked. If the soil is 20 feet or more deep, the dam material may be removed from the pond area to increase the depth of the pond. If the soil is shallow, less than 15 feet, fill should not be removed because there is danger of cutting through the water-holding layer of soil, causing leakage. When soils are shallow, fill material for the dam should be obtained from a nearby area. In areas where soils are porous and seepage is a potential problem, construction of the dam should include a center section of impervious material such as clay. It may be necessary to seal the floor of the pond with soda ash or bentonite, or by packing the bottom with heavy equipment. If soil examinations indicate seepage is likely, perhaps a more suitable site could be found. The top of the dam should be at least 10 feet wide to protect it from burrowing animals such as muskrats.

Faces of dams should generally be built with a 2V2 to 1 slope on both the upstream and downstream sides. These slopes meet Soil Conservation Service standards for most silt and clay soils, but may need to be modified for local soil conditions.

A spillway is needed for overflow during heavy rains. The floor of the spillway should be at least 3 feet below the top of the dam. It is important to maintain a good sod cover in spillways to prevent washout during floods. An overflow pipe large enough to handle normal run-off is also desirable. Screens and/or trash racks on spillways are not recommended since they may become plugged with debris. Excessive water buildup can occur, thus increasing the possibility of the dam being washed out.

Ponds should have a drainpipe installed to permit complete draining. Such drains are invaluable when removing undesirable fish. The drain intake pipe should be placed at the lowest point in the pond. A 4-inch drain will empty a one-acre pond having an average depth of 6 to 8 feet in about 120 hours. A 6-inch drain requiries about half that time and a 12-inch pipe will empty the pond in 13 to 14 hours. Additional time will be required if water is running into the pond while it is being drained.

The drainpipe should have a 1-foot drop for every 100 linear feet. Several types of pipe are suitable: asbestos-cement, cast iron, galvanized or plastic. Regardless of pipe used, care should be taken to insure tight connecting joints. Concrete cut-off collars, 10 to 15 feet apart, will prevent loss of water along the pipe.

Ideally, in areas near the dam, pond banks should be on a 3 to 1 slope at normal water line, with this grade extending 10 feet below the waterline. A steep slope near the water's edge limits growth of aquatic vegetation. It may be desirable to have one or two shal low arms in the pond where aquatic vegetation is permitted to grow for waterfowl and small-game cover.

Impounding run-off water on some Great Plains soils may be difficult. In ponds where the water level drops 12 to 18 inches in a period of 3 to 4 weeks, there is probably a seepage problem. Evaporation also removes water, but at a much slower rate.

Seepage can usually be corrected bytheapplicationof soda ash (sodium carbonate) or bentonite. The general procedure is to drain the pond (a drainpipe helps the process) and allow the soil in the bottom to dry so it can be worked. All holes and irregular ditches should be filled to make the pond bottom smooth, Remove all debris from the bottom. Disc or plow the basin up to the permanent waterline. Bentonite or soda ash should then be spread carefully and evenly over the area to be treated. Usually the application of one pound of bentonite for every square foot of area in the pond will be sufficient. One pound of soda ash is applied to five square feet of pond bottom. Disc or rake the area to a depth of 3 to 4 inches to incorporate the material into the soil. Then use a sheepsfoot or roller to compact the soil.

If previous recommendations concerning construction and watershed management have been followed and turbidity persists, it may be due to fine clay particles which settle out very slowly. Muddiness may keep sunlight from penetrating the water, reducing desirable plant growth.

To settle out the minute clay particles, loose prairie hay, alfalfa or straw can be scattered evenly over the surface of the pond on a calm day. Approximately one ton of dry vegetation should be applied for every surface acre of water. A weak acid is produced during the rotting process, which will cause the silt particles to gather together and settle out. This should result in considerable clearing in three to six weeks. No controls should be applied after July 1. &

Farm Ponds Wildlife Planting and Erosion Control

SOUND conservation practices are needed to insure and maintain high quality pond water and desirable wildlife cover. Fences around the pond and dam are especially important in this regard. A fenced strip with a good vegetative cover extending 20 to 50 feet beyond the high water mark is desirable. The vegetation serves as a silt filter for water running into the pond from plowed fields, and provides good wildlife cover.

Fencing prevents overgrazing, silt run-off, and keeps cattle from bogging down in mud or falling through weak ice. Fences also prevent destruction of fish spawning areas by wading livestock. Complete fencing with a tank below the dam for watering livestock is ideal (see diagram on previous page). This protects the pond area while providing a fresh supply of water for livestock. An alternate plan is to fence the pond and dam but permit livestock to drink from the pond through a gap in the fence.

Fencing also helps prevent the spread of livestock diseases such as leptospirosis, footrot and mastitis. Pond water becomes very warm during the summer months and provides afavorableenvironmentforthegrowth of bacteria, fungi and other organisms.

Control of Water Plants

Algae —Primitive plants without true leaves or flowers. When excessive, water appears soupy green or brown. Filamentous forms may cause scum over pond. Advanced forms grow from bottom in long branching strains. Floating plants-Not attached to the bottom and floating on the water surface. Duckweed is a common type that forms a green blanket on the pond. Submersed rooted plants - Rooted to the bottom and growing to or near the surface, often called "moss, "'"sea weed," or "water grass." Common examples are pondweed, coontail, elodea, and water buttercup. Emersed rooted plants — Extend above water in shallow areas and along shorelines. Common examples include cattail, water lily, and smartweed, CONTROL Sprinkle copper sulfate crystals (Blue Stone) on algae beds, V2 to 2 pounds per surface acre of water treated. Liquid Aquathol or Aquathol Plus at 1 gallon per acre foot of water. Light film of kerosene or diesel fuel may be effective. Aquathol or Aquathol Plus at 1 gallon per acre foot of water, Diquat at 1 to 3 gallons per surface acre of water. 2-4-D (40 percent) at 2 to 4 pounds active ingredients sprayed on foliage per surface acre, Diquat at 1 to 3 gallons per surface acre of water treated.

Wildlife Plants for Farm Ponds

Tall Grasses and Legumes Indiangrass Big Bluestem Switchgrass Alfalfa Sweet Clover Medium Grasses and Legumes Intermediate Wheatgrass Western Wheatgrass Little Bluestem Alfalfa Birdsfoot Trefoil Short Grasses and Legumes Blue Grama Buffalograss Kentucky Bluegrass Red Clover White Clover Shrubs and Trees Choke Cherry Autumn Olive Red Cedar Plum Cottonwood Walnut Oaks PERCENT OF AREA 30% 30% 15% 25% APPROXIMATE HEIGHT 3 to 6 feet 2 to 3 feet 1 to 2 feet 10 to 75 feet MAJOR WILDLIFE USES Roosting, loafing, brooding, feeding, winter protection, escape Nesting, brooding, feeding, escape Nesting, loafing Nesting, feeding, loafing, winter protection, escape

Farm Pond Design

Large trees (1) Small coniferous trees (2) Small deciduous trees (3-) Shrubs (4) Herbaceous plants (5) Recommended Species Walnut, bur oak, ash, black cherry, hackberry, pines Rocky Mountain juniper or Eastern red cedar Russian mulberry, Russian olive, osage orange, amur maple, crab apple Cotoneaster, honeysuckle, American plum, chokecherry, silver buffaloberry, skunkbush sumac, dogwood, bush junipers, elderberry, raspberry Alfalfa, hairy vetch, birdsfoot trefoil, other clovers and grasses as suited to planting site

Bare areas of the watershed and dam should be seeded to grasses and legumes to prevent erosion and provide wildlife cover. Choose varieties that are adapted to your particular area. Permanent watershed plantings should include a mixture of shrubs and trees. Native species of trees are most apt to survive. Short belts of trees can be used to shelter a pond from the prevailing wind and the eroding wave action it creates. Large deciduous trees can be grouped to make a private recreation spot for picnics or camping. Avoid planting trees on the dam; roots may cause seepage

Water-tolerant grasses such as reed canarygrass, switchgrass, orchardgrass and big bluestem provide ideal shoreline cover. Species that develop dense stands or mats such as bulrushes, reeds and smartweed are also valuable for wildlife cover and food. In shallow arms of the pond, marsh plants such as cattail, bulrush and horsetail may provide important waterflowl brood habitat and feeding areas. Well-managed ponds in Nebraska can produce two to four young ducks per acre of water each year and provide habitat for native fur bearers.

Marsh plants are widely distributed and will often establish themselves in new ponds. Desirable species may be obtained with landowner permission from local streams and established ponds. They should be planted during the early spring.

Bare areas of the watershed and dam should be seeded to grasses and legumes as soon after construction as possible to retard erosion and to provide wildlife cover. Most mammals and all ground-nesting birds require a variety of cover for nesting, brooding, feeding, protection from winter weather and escape. Grasses, legumes, and early succession plants such as foxtail, cheatgrass, ragweed and sunflower are preferred cover plants. Trees and shrubs increase habitat diversity.

Many planting options are available; the main consideration should be landowner preference for the wilchlife species that he wishes to attract. Select a desirable mixture of grasses and legumes choosing those varieties best adapted to the pond locality. Use certified seed for best results. Varieties of big bluestem, switchgrass, little bluestem, Indiangrass, blue grama, buffalograss, and others are available from seed dealers.

 

To prepare a seedbed, use methods similar to those for establishing a pasture. If possible, allow a residue of old plant material to remain on the surface of the soil as protection for new grasses and legumes. A special grass drill is recommended for seeding, especially when native grasses with fluffy seeds are included in the mixture. In most localities, such grass drills can be rented from Natural Resource Districts, through county extension agents or from local seeding contractors.

Permanent watershed plantings should include a mixture of shrubs and trees. Clarke-McNary trees are available at a nominal cost from the Extension Forester, Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service. Tree and shrub species for wildlife are available from the Game and Parks Commission. Fruit trees, ornamentals and many common trees are also available from private nurseries. Stocks of woody plants suitable for the pond area are often found growing wild on farms. In moving seedlings, it is important that their roots be kept moist during the entire period of handling. Seeds of some woody plants, such as walnuts and acorns, may be planted directly on the pond site or within the protection of a vegetable garden and then transplanted after 1 or 2 years.

Care should be exercised in planting trees. Each seedling should be put in a hole deep enough to enable the roots to extend straight down, and wide enough to prevent crowding of the roots. The earth should be firmly packed and tamped. Shrubs and vines may be spaced from 1 to 6 feet apart. Trees generally require a spacing of 6 to 15 feet. Trees may require watering to get them started. It is unwise to plant trees on dams because their roots may eventually cause seepage.

As a rule, cover plantings should be made in fairly dense clumps to obtain effective cover quickly. Food plantings of woody species should be spread farther apart, 6 to 15 feet, to allow maximum growth of individual plants. It is best to plant woody species during fall or early spring when plants are dormant.

Eroded gullies are sometimes found around the pond and require special care. Planting several rows of shrubs in belts across gullies, with more widely spaced trees and a good grass cover, will normally control erosion. Gully banks may be planted in belts parallel with the bottom, or plants may be scattered wherever a planting site affords opportunity for growth. Vines planted at the foot or top of steep banks are especially helpful.

As indicated, a reasonable amount of aquatic plants is beneficial, but a surplus means trouble. Excessive vegetation interferes with angling and prevents adequate cropping of bluegills by Iargemouth bass. In this situation, bluegill numbers increase dramatically while their average size decreases and they become unacceptable to anglers. Mosquito larvae and other tiny animals important in the diet of small fishes may also be afforded too much protection by large mats of aquatic vegetation.

Uncontrolled aquatic plants affect game populations as well. For example, heavily vegetated shores offer few loafing sites for ducks. As a rule of thumb, there is probably too much vegetation if the plants cover more than 25 percent of the pond surface. Common water plants and methods of contolling them are listed in the table on page 26.

The treatment of aquatic vegetation is a never-ending cycle. If algae are the problem, their removal will permit sunlight to penetrate to the bottom of the pond allowing growth of rooted plants. If the rooted plants are treated, algae will usually take their place. Usually two treatments are required per year, one for rooted plants and one for algae.

Copper sulfate may kill a few small fish if used along the shoreline. Continued heavy use of copper sulphate will decrease fish food production. Aquathol and Diquat are safe to fish, but they are expensive. The application of these chemicals is to be done by the landowner, with technical assistance furnished by the Game and Parks Commission.

All listed chemicals are either toxic or irritating to human beings and should be applied according to manufacturer's recommendations. Contact with the chemical should be avoided. Goggles, respirator, rubber gloves and protective clothing should be worn by the applicator. After treating vegetation, cattle and other animals should not be allowed to drink water from the pond for approximately three weeks. A 2-4-D spray can be expected to give fish an ''off-flavor" for some time after treatment.

Lowering the water level of the pond is not recommended for vegetation control. Largemouth bass and bluegill utilize the pond's shallow edges for spawning, and if the water is lowered before July 1, all of that year's fish production may be lost.

In summary, aquatic weed treatment is not a sure thing and is expensive. It is usually recommended that weeds be removed mechanically from small spots to allow fishing. In coming years, research should provide more positive and inexpensive methods of weed control.

Farm Ponds Managing for Sport Fishing

WHEN THE preceding construction requirements are met, the pond will qualify for stocking. However, a Game and Parks Commission fishery manager will consult with the pond owner before approving the state stocking application.

Fish for stocking Nebraska ponds are available from either the Game and Parks Commission or private fish culturists. A list of private culturists in Nebraska may be obtained by contacting a Game and Parks Commission office. Priority of state hatchery production is given to Nebraska public waters, and the demand may be so great at times that applications for private ponds cannot be filled. A copy of the Game and Parks Commission policy on private pond stocking may be obtained upon request. Fish furnished for stocking by the state are fingerlings, 1 to 2 inches long. These fish are hatched in May and June and stocked in late summer of the same year.

The Game and Parks Commission recognizes that a pond qualifying for and receiving fish from the State of Nebraska is subject to the control of the landowner under Nebraska trespass laws. However, a balanced yearly harvest of fish is strongly encouraged because this is the best means of sustaining high quality angling year after year.

Largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish are the fishes most often recommended for stocking Nebraska warm-water ponds because they furnish a good quality fishery appealing to all age groups. Stocking rates and ratios are determined by Game and ^wks fishery managers. A typical stocking includes 100 largemouth bass, 500 bluegills and 100 channel catfish per surface acre of water.

Occasionally, fathead minnows are stocked along with largemouth bass and channel catfish. In these ponds, the fatheads rather than bluegills serve as forage for bass. This combination, however, does not provide the all-around fishery available when bluegills are present.

In unfenced ponds or ponds where silt does not settle out, channel catfish-only stockings (200 per surface acre of water) may be recommended. Channel catfish are especially adapted for life in turbid water because their barbels (whiskers), which lend them their feline appearance, are sensory aids for locating food. Largemouth bass and bluegills, on the other hand, are sight feeders and as such do best in fairly clear water.

Some pond owners request that northern pike and walleye be included in initial stockings. In most instances, reproduction is not sufficient to maintain a continuing population. It is not practical to restock northern pike or walleye in established ponds because resident bass, bluegill and other fishes devour the fingerlings. This makes restocking expensive and wasteful.

Most sandpits or spring-fed ponds in southeastern and south-central Nebraska will not support trout because of high summer water temperatures. However, in northern and western Nebraska, many spring-fed ponds are suitable for trout. The rainbow trout is the most popular species, although both brook and brown trout have been stocked experimentally. Natural reproduction will not occur in ponds or sandpits. Advice on restocking may be obtained from a Game and Parks Commission fishery manager.

Bluegills are stocked to provide food for bass and recreation for anglers. Sustained yields of both species depend mostly upon the ability of largemouth bass toconsumeenough bluegills to keep their numbers in check. Problems arise when bluegills become too numerous. A "stunted" population of many small bluegills and few if any large ones, is the result. In addition to annoying anglers, small bluegills disrupt the largemouth bass population by harassing spawning fish and eating their eggs. In a short time, few bass remain and quality angling is only a memory.

Regulated angling helps maintain the proper balance between largemouth bass and bluegills in new ponds. Bluegills must be cropped starting the summer after they are stocked, when they begin spawning. Angling for largemouth bass should not begin until one year later when they reproduce for the first time. By then, unless bluegill numbers are controlled, large-mouth bass reproduction may be seriously limited.

For every pound of bass removed, four or more pounds of bluegills should be taken out. A fish crop is produced every year and the surplus should be harvested. A reasonable amount of fishing will not be harmful if this balanced harvest is maintained. Well-managed ponds may contain 50 pounds of largemouth bass per surface acre of water. Approximately 40 percent or 20 pounds of largemouth bass per surface acre may be harvested each year. Additional harvest of largemouth bass will upset the balance between bass and bluegills.

Channel catfish provide an additional bonus to farm pond anglers when stocked with largemouth bass and bluegills. They are not serious competitors for food or space with either species, and they provide a different variety of sport fishing. Channel catfish must have an enclosed place or chamber for nest building and egg deposition. In many ponds, such habitat must be provided by the landowner before spawning can occur. Sewer tile, 6 to 8 inches in diameter with one end plugged, or 10-gallon cream cans, placed horizontal to the bottom in 2 to 6 feet of water, make excellent artificial spawning chambers. Spawning chambers need not be placed in ponds until two years after channel catfish are stocked. Channel cats are not sexually mature until three years old. In some instances, tree roots and stumps left in the upper end of the pond may provide natural spawning sites. Self-sustaining populations of channel catfish do not occur in all ponds, even though adequate spawning habitat is available. Maintenance   stockings of 4 to 6-inch channel catfish may be necessary.

Growth rates vary a great deal from pond to pond throughout the state as shown in table on page 33. The upper limits for bass, bluegill and catfish at one year of age would indicate a good well-managed pond. The lower limits show the influence of a muddy or poorly managed pond. Usually, growth of fish in new ponds is quite rapid for two or three years after they are stocked. Later, as the expanding fish population stabilizes, growth rates slow down.

Fertilization is not recommended or needed for most Nebraska ponds. In addition to being expensive, fertilization may also cause problems such as excessive growth of algae or "pond scum". The water in ponds reflects the fertility of the land from which it drains, and in Nebraska the soils are quite fertile. Furthermore, the natural fertility of the watersheds of many ponds is enhanced by the application of agricultural fertilizers during the growing season. Thus, additional nutrients to encourage the growth of natural foods for fish production are not needed.

Just as in the fertilization of land, water fertilization is expected to give an added yield in return for the investment. This added production in relation to cost will not be obtained in most Nebraska waters. Exceptions would be a newly pumped sandpit or a pond with little or no drainage area. Before any fertilization program is started, the landowner should contact a Game and Parks Commission fishery manager.

Artifical feeding, using a prepared fish food or waste grain, is also not recommended unless the pond is used for commercial fish production. If a pond is well constructed and well managed, natural foods such as insect larvae, snails and worms will be abundant.

Bullheads, carp, crappie, green sunfish, white perch and yellow perch are found in many Nebraska ponds. These species rarely provide satisfactory fishing because of overpopulation and stunting. Carp and bullheads are also troublesome because their bottom-feeding activities cause the water to become cloudy. Under no circumstances should any of these fishes be introduced into a well-managed pond.

Their presence results from stocking by well-meaning but uninformed anglers, or from waters above or below the pond. Anglers should never dump minnows or any other kind of fish into a pond. Probably more Nebraska ponds have been ruined by unintentional and misguided stockings than by any other factor. A large watershed containing ponds contaminated with undesirable fishes presents a serious threat to the landowner wishing to enjoy quality fishing.

Once established, undesirable fish populations are difficult to control. Seining or partial removal of fish using chemicals offers only temporary relief and must be done annually. Draining the pond to a low level in the fall so winterkill may reduce the population provides similar results. Restocking is not the answer because fingerling largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish are subject to predation and competition for food and space from the existing population. For this reason, ponds should not be stocked when other fish are present.

Pond owners having problems with unwanted fishes should contact a Game and Parks Commission fishery manager. He will provide technical assistance and suggest a program to bring the pond back to desirable fishing standards. In most cases his recommendation includes removal of all fish followed by restocking with desirable species.

GROWTH RATES OF STOCKED FISH SPECIES Largemouth bass Bluegill Channel catfish LENGTH WHEN STOCKED MINIMUM

Ponds that can be completely drained are especially easy to rehabilitate. Subject to approval by the Game and Parks Commission, rotenone may be used to kill fish in ponds that cannot be drained. This chemical is useful because it does not affect warm-blooded animals. Assistance in applying the chemical may be provided by the Game and Parks Commission. Landowners pay only for the cost of the rotenone.

A fish kill may occur in some Nebraska ponds during hot summer months. Excessive fertility and cloudy weather can cause the dissolved oxygen content of the water to become too low for fish. A pond receiving feedlot drainage is especially subject to this condition. In addition, a few species of algae when present in large amounts are toxic to fish during hot weather.

Winter periodically takes its toll of fish populations in many ponds. Winterkill is caused by insufficient amounts of dissolved oxygen in water under cloudy ice and/or snow cover. This cover prevents addition of oxygen to the water from the air. Ice and snow prevent sunlight penetration into the water, limiting oxygen production by aquatic plants. Under normal day-light conditions, oxygen is produced and liberated into the water where it becomes available to fish. Under darkened conditions, the plants cease oxygen production. Shallow ponds, less than 10 feet deep, and ponds with excessive amounts of vegetation, are especially prone to winterkilling.

Preventing winterkill is a difficult task. Chopping holes in the ice is wasted effort because there is little aeration or circulation of the surface water. In sdme locales, irrigation wells have been used to replenish dissolved oxygen supplies. Complete or partial removal of snow from ice is effective because sunlight penetration starts oxygen production. Wind-driven pond mills which circulate water and keep at least a portion of the surface free of ice and snow have also proven useful.

In recent years, chemicals have been used extensively in controlling agricultural pests in Nebraska. Many of these chemicals are lethal in minute quantities to fish and wildlife. Careless use of pesticides has caused serious fish kills in some Nebraska ponds and will undoubtedly continue to be a major problem in pond management.

Landowners should follow the directions on labels and should use extreme caution when applying agricultural chemicals in pond watersheds. Organo-phosphates in particular, along with other insecticides used for insect control near ponds, may kill fish. Any fish loss where chemicals are involved should be immediately reported to the nearest Game and Parks Commission fishery manager or conservation officer.

Fishes may be raised and sold for human consumption, stocking, and bait with a permit issued by the Game and Parks Commission. A variety of species are grown to satisfy these needs.

Commercial production involves much more than ownership or control of one or more ponds. Hatch houses, raceways and additional facilities may be needed. Ponds must be constructed to facilitate harvest of the fish crop. A thorough understanding of fish culture, including prevention and treatment of disease, is required.

Pond owners thinking of starting a fish farm should first visit a private or state hatchery and become familiar with its operation. Then as their knowledge increases, they may decide whether or not to proceed.

The use of proper angling methods helps insure an adequate yearly harvest of fishes. In order to be effective, anglers should be familiar with the food habits of the fish they are trying to catch. Bluegills, largemouth bass and trout feed by sight while channel catfish use their barbels to locate food.

To catch pond fish offer baits of their normal foods or imitations. Bluegills and trout feed primarily on insects. Worms, grasshoppers, small flies and poppers are effective on bluegill while artificial flies that "match the hatch" will catch trout. Small spinners and spoons will also take trout.

Largemouth bass feed primarily on small fish, crayfish and insects. The best bass fishing is in the spring and fall or during morning and evening hours in the summer. Small plugs, plastic worms, and spinners are popular offerings. Casting with artificial lures is productive at night.

Channel catfish are bottom feeders that can best be caught at night on crayfish, dead or live minnows, chicken entrails and prepared baits.

Anglers should present the bait or lure they are using in a natural manner. Large hooks and heavy sinkers are not good tools for harvesting a fish crop.

A Game and Parks Commission Publication Text by Philip S. Gipson, Extension Wildlife Specialist; Darrell E. Feit, Commercial Fisheries Specialist; and Jerry W. Morris, Fisheries Research Supervisor.

Ponds for Nebraskans is a contribution of Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration, Project FW-14-T Nebraska, in conjunction with the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The Cooperative Extension Service provides information and educational programs to all peopie without regard to race, color or national origin. Additional copies available from county agents, the University of Nebr. and the Game and Parks Commission

FLAGS UP!

Photos and text by Steve O'Hare My introduction to ice fishing involved pushing sled through snowdrifts and such fun, then it got hot, then cold. I'm not hooked, but interested

THERE'S A FLAG UP," Ross cried out, as he somehow crossed some 75 feet of slick ice in a matter of seconds. The wind was whipping the flag, hopefully signalling a fish on the lower end, but when Ross reached for the line, it was slack. While gently pulling up, there was suddenly an explosion of action and the line flew back into the darkness of water. Moving with more agility he began to haul the fish upwards. Without any more fight, it seemed to give up and was pulled through the ice. The bass was nice and fat and must have been a terror to the smaller fish.

Grinning broadly, Ross commented on the fact that the rest of us hadn't caught anything to speak of. Don Erie just shrugged his shoulders as his son went on, knowing he was right, but consoling himself with the knowledge that if there were fish to catch today Ross would catch the biggest one. As many times as we three have gone fishing together, Ross always catches the biggest fish between us. He might not catch the most but he sure likes to catch the biggest.

Earlier in the morning we had left Don's house to pick up Lloyd Racek and then headed toward Olive Creek, also known as Kramer Lake. Lloyd had talked of fishing there during the summer and having good success on walleye, crappie and bluegill. Lloyd and I had never been ice fishing before, so we went prepared for a new experience, hoping that things hadn't changed too much and the fish would still be where Lloyd had found them.

The weather was trying to make amends for last weekend's blizzard, With the sun shining down, bringing the temperature into the forties. Even if the fish didn't cooperate we were going to enjoy ourselves in this rare reprieve from winter's icy grip.

The four of us left Don's truck together, but soon parted as Ross and I were left behind pulling and pushing a reluctant, overloaded sled. The parking lot had drifted over, so we were forced to park the truck on the access road and hike in. Plowing our way through drifts up to our knees, we struggled with the sled which was ready to capsize at any moment. Making it through the last drift, we turned around only to be confronted with the steep slope of the dam. At this point, while having another breather, we discussed the possibility of someone else pulling the sled back to the truck when leaving tonight. After reaching the peak of the dam, we looked out across the frozen valley of water where we could see the silhouettes of other fishermen in the distance,

FEBRUARY 1976 35   People were everywhere, and they seemed friendly and helpful. There was plenty of time for talking during long lulls in fishing activity 36 NEBRASKAland FEBRUARY 1976 37   38 NEBRASKAland Action came in spurts. There would be nothing, then everyone would have fish on. Everyone, that is, except me. And then it really started to get cold, and there was a long sled pull to the car

with Don and Lloyd moving across to where they hoped the fish would be. Down the other side we went, like a run-away team, with the sled nipping at our heels as we tried to keep ahead. Having worked up a sweat, we slid on over to where Don and Lloyd had proceeded to auger their way through the ice and were beginning to setup residence.

After asking about our trip, the tackle was handed out and various questions asked on what each of us was going to use as bait. Baiting his teardrop with a wax worm and pinching the other end of the worm, on Don's advice, Lloyd dropped his line into the darkness of the hole. It no more than hit the water when his bobber disappeared. Not knowing if his weight was too heavy or if a fish was on the other end, he waited. When his bobber didn't return, he pulled up.

"Hey!" Lloyed shouted. "There's a fish on it."

Using his rod like a cane pole, he yanked a nice bluegill out onto the ice.

"Just can't believe it. I never thought ice fishing would be so easy," was all he could say for awhile.

By now we decided wax worms would be okay and that fishing was going to be hot. Everyone was trying to use the auger at once but somehow we managed to get holes drilled for our poles while also getting some ready for the tipups. Minnows were used on some, hoping for crappie and walleye. After rigging up our sets, we returned to our poles ready to outdo Lloyd's catch. Don's bobber was the next to disappear, and suddenly it looked like we were going to catch fish. However, our thoughts jumped the gun and for the next couple of hours the fishing was as cold as the terrain around us. Time didn't weigh heavily, as past expeditions were brought to mind and maybe even exaggerated just a little. With the sun bearing down, it was nice to sit and talk of the summer past, or the one to come. Just then another flag went up and Ross brought in his bass. Once again our hopes went up.

Other fishermen began to drift in, and the lake's surface began to look like a social function. With the pleasant temperature and the "cold spell" in fishing, everyone was walking around visiting. People would go from one group to another asking how they were doing and being asked themselves. Once in a while someone would get up and run toward a distant flag, their voices floating across the ice. "Wow, look at the size of that crappie!" or "That darn fish got my minnow again," plus all the other small talk which only a fisherman would utter or understand. Soon all the action seemed to slow again and they became just dark, silent shapes on the ice, moving once in a while to rearrange a seat.

The coffee and hot chocolate didn't go over very well but the water sure went fast. The sun had a dehydrating effect just like the desert, even with all that water and ice. Around two o'clock fishing picked up again with Don, Ross and Lloyd each catching a bluegill worth keeping and then two more in a matter of minutes. I still was jinxed with not catching anything. In fact, I didn't have a bite all day, even though I was fishing not more than a couple of feet from the others. A lot of kidding was passed around about this with me on the receiving end.

Don and Ross had been watcning a tipup for several minutes when each asked the other what was going on. The tipup was homemade with a lead weight for counterbalance. When a fish bites it pulls the lead off balance and the flag is thrown into the air. This flag would raise a few inches and then drop back down. His curiosity finally won and Ross went over to investigate. Pulling a little on the slack line produced a commotion on the other end which he wasn't expecting. Something hit the bait and then took off, pulling line as it went. The fish stopped after a couple of feet and Ross pulled him in with no further resistance. Apparently the crappie had been playing with the minnow and when Ross checked the line he must have thought he was losing it so he ate and ran.

As if by magic, others began ;o catch fish, several two-and-a-quarter-pound crappie werecaught, northerns and some bass, along with bluegill. They all seemed to get the urge to feed at once. All around the lake fish were being caught, not a lot at once or in one place, just scattered around evenly.

A fast moving cloud bank began to hide the sun and the temperature dropped rapidly. Forgotten parkas and stocking caps were put back on as winter returned to remind that he was still around. Once again the fish stopped and this time it wasn't as comfortable to sit around and wait. Not much discussion was needed to convince us to leave as the cold had now become dominating. Picking up the tipups, which still had the minnows on, only reminded us of the fish we didn't catch.

The sun had melted quite a lot of the snow so the return trip with the sled went easier, but we reached the truck ready to head for home.

FEBRUARY 1976 39

40 NEBRASKAland

Wind on the Hill

A generation or two ago, generation of electricity was a big event for rural folks. But, it brought problems as well as bright light by Lois Allen

WE DID NOT have electricity on that Nebraska farm when we were children. I believe there is an REA line there now, but the farm is vacant and there is no one there to use it. In those days we had kerosene lamps; smelly, dangerous things which gave very poor light. If the wick was not adjusted properly, the flame would grow too high and coat the inside of the glass chimney with smoke. The lamps had to be cleaned and filled often. For some reason we did not have the gasoline-burning pressure type lanterns which gave a much brighter light, perhaps because they were too expensive to operate. At any rate, we did not have one, nor did my grandparents who lived in the big house.

One spring my father bought a contraption called a wind charger. It looked like a little airplane propeller mounted on a small metal frame, and somehow it generated electricity and stored it in a battery. It must have cost quite a lot. I am sure our budget did not allow for such non-essentials, and probably my father pinched a bit somewhere else to pay for it.

I do not know what financial arrangements had been made between my father and his father, and even now I would not presume to ask, for such things were not my concern.

The farm was fairly prosperous — we grew fine vegetables, apples, melons and several kinds of berries. These were taken in my grandfather's car to nearby towns and sold for cash to buy the necessities which could not be produced on the farm. Each fall there was livestock to sell; we raised chickens and sold eggs; we had a few pigs, and quite a number of cows on which we could rely for the weekly "cream check". The cows were milked by hand twice a day and, except for what was needed for our own use, the milk was put through the separator, a machine which, as its name implies, separated the cream from the milk. I can remember being allowed to turn the big wooden handle sometimes, and how I liked the whirring, musical sound it made as it spun the milk from the shiny metal bowl at the top. On a recent trip to the Midwest I learned that these old separator bowls are in demand for use as lawn planters. In Wisconsin I saw one of the heavy iron frames standing prominently in someone's backyard. To me they are not the least bit decorative, and I cannot imagine any farm wife who had the miserable task of cleaning them twice a day wanting to look at one from her kitchen window. They were sturdy, functional machines and very durable. There must be hundreds of them standing unused in barns and sheds now, and I can offer no advice as to what should be done with them except possibly to melt them all down and make wrought-iron fences, which I love to look at.

The large cream can was kept in a cool place, and when it was full, about once a week, it was taken to town and the contents sold at the creamery. But there were so many of us that I am sure my father's share was never more than barely enough. Five children would wear out lots of shoes.

My mother bought a sewing machine and learned to use it very well. She has it still, in good condition, and uses it now to mend my father's clothes and make patchwork quilts for her grandchildren. My grandmother had a sister, a school teacher in Omaha, who was married to a successful business man. They had no children and were quite well-to-do, and she often sent boxes of clothing that they did not want. My mother spent long hours altering and remaking things for us and for herself. We were as well clothed as most farm children in those depression years, and much better than many who were less fortunate.

The wind charger was erected on a high hill directly above our little house, and my father bought electric cord —I remember it was a lime green color—and tacked it up the wall and across the ceiling to the center of each room where it hung down to a single bare light bulb. It was beautiful; it was wonderful; and it was magic; for when the battery was finally charged and connected, it gave forth a brilliant light which chased the gloom from every corner. (Continued on page 48)

CAMP COOKERY

Whether in winter or summer, the ability to prepare decent mealts outdoors is key to comfort

by Lowell Johnson

CAMPING and other forms of outdoor recreation have become so popular in recent years that family cooks now find themselves spending a lot of time preparing menus for the times when they will be far away from the conveniences of modern kitchens.

Much outdoor cooking is done on portable gas stoves or units built into campers, so the old-fashioned campfire is actually used very little any more. This is partly because weather conditions make it an unpredictable proposition. But there are certain delights not to be found anywhere except beside a pot of stew brewing or bread baking over an open fire.

Hikers and tent campers often restrict themselves—needlessly—to dried foods and cold snacks because, they believe, everything else is too bulky. Not true. There are methods of cooking which do not require a set of pots and pans or temperature-controlled equipment. Voyageurs from days long past developed some mighty fine meals using simple utensils from nature, such as sticks, clay and rocks.

The modern shish kebab, for example, evolved from the campfire trick of pushing meat and vegetables onto a green stick suspended over a bed of hot coals. Actually, old-timers claim there is nothing that can be cooked at home which cannot be prepared outside, and the flavor of food cooked outdoors is better because things are done slower. In fact, many dishes prepared outdoors are never considered at home, and that's a shame. Many antique recipes are almost forgotten. Take bannock. This bisquit-like concoction serves as a sturdy, longlasting bread or as a dessert with the addition of a few fresh berries or pieces of fruit. It is made by blending together about one cup of flour, a quarter of a teaspoon salt, four or five teaspoons of sugar, and one of lard or shortening. These ingredients must be mixed thoroughly before adding any liquid, which may be water, milk, sour milk, buttermilk, or diluted condensed milk. Liquid is added in small amounts until the dough forms a slightly dry ball.

The dough is then flattened to about an inch-thick slab on a floured plate so that it fits neatly into a greased pan of any dimensions. The pan is placed onto glowing coals in the campfire and left to bake for about 20 minutes. Then the bannock is turned to bake another 10 or 15 minutes until a stick poked in comes out completely dry. It is now ready to eat, but any leftovers will keep for more than a week.

An almost identical mixture —one cup of flour, a third of a cup of lard, half a teaspoon baking powder, and half a teaspoon salt —can be mixed to make a pie crust. When served as a sandwich with a bunch of fresh berries inside, plus a little sugar, it is a delicacy not to be found in any bakery. An even simpler technique is to cook the berries in a pot, then top them with a healthy layer of crust. The pot is loosely covered and the dish is cooked until the crust is done. This is messier, but it tastes just as good.

Another simple creation is corn pone, but these cakes require enough grease for deep-fat frying. They are made from a stiff mass made up of a cup of cornmeal, half a teaspoon salt, and enough scalding water to moisten the mixture. Formed into teaspoon-size cakes, corn pone is deep-fat fried and served with butter and syrup.

For a delectable meat treat, try cooking with clay. Very simple, the method is suitable for almost any bird or animal small enough to handle easily. Merely draw the entrails and wash the inside well. Mix a batch of sticky clay and pack it all around the outside of the bird or animal to a thickness of three inches, then deposit this messy package into hot coals and cover it with them. As the coals burn down, repeat the process for about an hour, or a little longer if the animal is large. Then, remove the large brick from the fire, break open the clay container with a hatchet, and the feathers or fur will come away with the clay, leaving a tasty, well-done, clean dinner. Ducks are especially appropriate.

There are many ways of cooking fish outdoors over an open fire. Techniques range from only gutting them and laying them in the coals to bake, to exotic recipes using cream sauces. Boiling is a simple method, and they can be eaten simply by dipping them in butter. They can be cut up and added to scrambled eggs. A sauce can be prepared to put over them, or they can be added to a stew. Filleted fish can be rolled in flour or cornmeal and pan fried as easily outdoors as at home.

Virtually all cooking (except soups) can be done with nothing more than a bunch of sticks. Meat or fish can be pinioned to a stick roasting spit or placed on a racket of woven branches. Even bread can be baked by placing it on a stick with several little branches close together to hold the dough.

Nowadays, when campers usually cook fairly close to a vehicle, there is little need to worry about weight and bulk, so a collection of cooking utensils can usually be used. But even if a camp stove is handy, a few items can be prepared over the fire or coals just for fun. Anyone with experience over the charcoal grill at home will have little difficulty over an open fire. A metal grill can be taken on most trips. When propped over the fire with rocks or sticks, it is a convenience far outweighing any disadvantages of bulk.

Several foodstuffs are necessities for any kind of cooking, and should be included on the shopping list before an outdoor excursion. Flour, salt and pepper, some type of shortening, baking powder, sugar, canned or dried milk, and butter or margarine are high in priority. Canned foods are convenient, but they seldom match their freshly prepared counterparts. Dried or dehydrated products also have their advantages, but they are expensive and somewhat limited in variety. A long list of food could be prepared, but the basics include onions, dried or fresh potatoes, eggs, rice, beans, dried soups, and favorite fresh or dried fruits, vegetables and meats. A cooler vastly expands the diversity of the list, although fast-spoiling foods should always be used first.

Perhaps the back-to-nature movement has been enhanced by incorporating some new with some old practices. Doing everything in a primitive way is fun for a while, but some modern innovations make rustic camping easier. How simply or elaborately things are done is up to each individual. Practicing a few basics, however, is interesting and enjoyable. Many camp recipes can be tried in the kitchen beforehand, with conditions at their best; various cookbooks include outdoor recipes and cooking techniques. Once you try a few good ones, you'll be hooked.

42 NEBRASKAland FEBRUARY 1976 43   Browning Our EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT PLAN on all BROWNING products will save you up to 20%. This includes guns, ammunition, archery, clothing, boots, tents, gun cases, rifle scopes and fishing equipment. Inquire ... it will save you $$$. Big discounts on other sporting goods. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Weekdays and Saturdays- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday - 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. frinB Phone: (402) 643-3303 P.O. Box 243 - Seward, Nebraska 68434 NEW SLEEPING COMFORT Provides soothing, relaxing warmth from below. Why use up vital body energy warming a cold, damp bed? Electro-Warmth will stop this waste and you'll feel a big improvement the very first night. Completely automatic patented. Makes electric blankets obso. 5 year warranty. Send for FREE details now. New auto seat warmers available, and also 12v. battery operated bunk warmers for trailers, campers and sleeper cabs. postpaid and lete Model Rating 165w, 115v C-60 165w. 115v C-76 165w, 115v C-24M 60w. 115v Size Std 54 x 40 Queen 60 x 54 King 76 x 54 Bunk 60 x 24 List Price $2495 $29 95 $34 95 $2495 Send for free additional information. THE ELECTRO-WARMTH CO. 4115 Aspen St., Washington, DC 20015 Don't Be a Drop-In! Plan ahead. Call ahead before you visit friends or business acquaintances, stop at a motel, hotel or lodge. Call, confirm your welcome with people and places at low station rate. THE LINCOLN TELEPHONE CO.

SKI NEBRASKA

(Continued from page 17)

backpacks. The racing skis are thin and light. The others gradually become larger and stronger, as with the heavy touring skis used for backpacking into winter wilderness.

After deciding on the type of skiing one will do, the next step is to decide on the use of a wax ski or a waxless type. This decision depends on the amount of skiing you plan to do. For a beginner, the waxless type ski is best because you can develop your skiing techniques and never worry or bother about when to wax. After learning the basics and becoming confident and proficient on skis, a waxable-base ski could be used. Waxing involves a great deal of knowledge about snow conditions and types of snow. Wet snow (above 32 degrees) requires a stickier wax known as klister-waxes. Dry snow (below 32 degrees) requires harder wax. Properly waxed skis will give better gripping ability and long, effortless glides.

A waxed ski grips the small irregularities in the snow surface when the ski is stationary. When the ski is forced across the snow, a thin layer of water forms from friction, and you ride on that layer of water.

Altogether the waxable skis will give better preformance in kick and glide when properly waxed. For someone who intends to ski only occasionally and doesn't wish to mess with the extra equipment and time that waxing requires/ the waxless ski is ideal.

The waxless skis produced today use various techniques to grip the snow. The most popular are the step-patterned base, the fish-scale pattern, and the mohair. The step base is small, 1/2-inch by 3-foot inserts located directly below the bindings on the skis. They resemble stair steps that point to the rear of the ski. This allows a glide in one direction and grip in the other.

The fish-scale pattern base is precisely that. A fish-scale pattern covers two thirds of the base of the ski, and it works like the step base but covers more area of the ski. A drawback with the textured skis seems to be the strange noise they make as they travel across the snow. This whine may be very annoying to some, while others find it only a minor irritation.

The mohair base incorporates a technique that the first skier used when the uphill going became difficult for him: he would wrap fur around the skis. Then the skis could grip into the snow and hill climbing becomes possible. Today, mohair is used in small, thin strips. This mohair lays in the direction of the toe, and when the skis slide back, the hair grips into the snow. On a forward glide, the mohair lies flush with the ski again.

The overall length of the ski depends on one's weight. The surface area of the ski needs to be great enough to support the weight of the skier on top of the snow. One method of determining ski length is to stretch the arm above the head and measure the distance from the palm to the ground. This may be correct, but unfortunately, some of us are much heavier than we should be. This method would then leave us with skis that are too short.

Skis are connected to the boots by peg or cable bindings. Peg bindings or toe-clamp bindings are simply three small pegs that protrude upward and plug into recessed 44 NEBRASKAland holes in the toe of the shoes. A mouse trap-like clamp then secures the toe snugly to the ski. Cable bindings are used more for heavy touring, where larger, mountain-type boots would be used. They consist basically of a flexible steel cable that wraps around the back of the heel of the boot and connects to the ski toward the front of the boot. A toe plate prevents the boot from leaving the ski.

When fitting shoes, always keep them on the loose side. The best way to get a good fit is to wear two pairs of wool socks when trying on boots. Lace them up all the way and do a deep knee bend. Your toes should not be actually touching the front of the shoes.

After equipment selection is made and the time comes to test your skis, some consideration should be given to clothing. In Alpine skiing, dressing warm for those long trips up the ski lift is a necessity. The same holds true for snowmobiling. In both cases, moving in the cold without physical exertion occurs, so insulation is necessary. In cross-country skiing, as in hiking, your legs, arms and torso are in constant motion. Your body burns carbohydrates and fats, giving off heat. If dressed like the snowmobiler, it would take only a few minutes to become drenched in sweat. The alternative is to allow moisture to evaporate slowly to the atmosphere, keeping you dry.

Certain fabrics allow moisture to "wick" away, yet still retain heat. Wool is by far the best. Other considerations for light, durable material are poplin and stretch-knit nylons.

Air is the best insulator. Use several layers of lighter clothing, thus creating air pockets to insulate. The warmer you get, the more clothing you shed. The opposite holds true as you become colder. When stopping for lunch or rest, it also may become necessary to apply more layers.

In strong winds, a pullover nylon or cotton outer shell will stop the wind from penetrating to your inner clothing.

Keeping dry is very important. Water-repellent clothing will allow body moisture to wick away and keep snow from penetrating to your insulating layers. Waterproof-type clothing will retain body perspiration and should not be used.

It's also important to brush snow off clothing as soon as possible after a fall. Snow melts fast on warm clothing, and the body has to work harder to keep warm if clothing is wet.

With proper preparations, cross-country skiing can be a most memorable pastime. Developing physical fitness and experiencing nature in winter are the two main rewards. With a little imagination, almost everyone could discover a functional reason forcross-country skiing. And, Nebraska has many ideal locations to enjoy this age-old outdoor recreation.

POLLUTION IS A DIRTY WORD! FEBRUARY 1976 45   The Commonwealth now pays even higher interest rates! 6.25. Passbook Savings 6.54 Annual Yield Comp. Daily 6.75 1 Yr. Cert. 7.08 Annual Yield Comp. Daily 7.00 2 Yr. Cert. 7.35 Annual Yield Comp. Daily 7.25 3 Yr. Cert. 7.62 Annual Yield Comp. Daily 8.00 4 Yr. Cert. 8.45 Annual Yield Comp. Daily A substantial interest penalty, as required by law, will be imposed for early withdrawal. THE IBIMSALT BHHL compai H COMPANY 126 North 11th Street / Lincoln, NE 68508 / 402-432-2746 Chartered and Supervised by the Nebraska State Department of Banking HY-GAIN CB Antennas ( ION-026-HC2 ) - - Hellcat 2 Roof Mount Antenna. ( 3 lbs. ) $18.88 ( #ON 026 HC4 ) - - Hellcat 4 Trunk Lip Antenna. ( 3 lbs. ) $22.99 heIIcat HY-GAIN Hellcat antennas are designed for top performance. Extra heavy duty stainless steel whips. Complete with coax cable and connector. Choose the Hellcat 2 for rooftop mounting. It mounts easily and securely with the exclusive, patented Hellclaw. For trunk lip mounting use Hellcat 4. It mounts on the lip of your auto trunk and requires no holes. BY MAIL- OR IN OUR STORE Use Your Master Charge or BankAmericard. Your authorizing signature on your order plus your BAC or MC account number and "Good Thru" date and address is all we need for mail orders. HY-GAIN 23-Channel Mobile CB Transceiver $119.95 ( #ON 026 HGT ) - - HY-GAIN Model 670-B. 23-channel mobile transceiver has full, legal ( 5-watts ) power to give you full punch and reach for reliable, long-reaching communications. All crystals are furnished, no others to buy. Features include continuous Delta tuning, illuminated channel selector, illuminated S/RF meter, ANL with switch, automatic modulation control, built-in mike preamp, external speaker jack. Operates on pos. or neg. ground. Complete with plug-in mike, mike holder and mobile bracket. Shpg. wt. 6 lbs. When you buy a HY-GAIN rig you are buying from a locally owned company. You also get local, direct factory warranty and repair service. 6-Ch., 5-Watt Walkie-Talkie ( ION-026-PWT ) Professional quality, full 5-watts legal power. Comes with Ch. 11 crystals. Accepts any 6 of 23 CB channels. Operates on 12-VDC with self-contained penlite cells ( not furnished ). Carrying case included. ( 4 lbs. ) Re9. $7» M $69.95 23-Channel, 5-Watt CB Mobile Transceiver $139.95 ( #ON-026-MCB )- - HY-GAIN Model 671 -B "Hy-Range II" mobile transceiver is packed with more features than other units in its price class. Full, legal ( 5-watts ) power with crystals furnished to operate on all 23 channels. No extra crystals to buy. Features include continuous Delta tune, illuminated RF/S meter, squelch control, ANL with switch, built-in mike preamp, built-in AMC, external speaker jack. Operates on 12-VDC pos. or neg. ground. Complete with plug-in mike with stretch cord, mobile mounting bracket ( 6 lbs. ). Coaxial Cable RG58/u cable with PL-259 fittings on each end. For connecting CB rig to antenna. ( Wt. 1 V4 and 3 lbs. ) 20 ft. $4.25 soft $7.50 ( #ON 026 CO 20 ) ( #ON-026 CO 50 ) MAIL ORDER CUSTOMERS PLEASE READ Be sure to include enough money for postage and insurance to avoid collection fees. This saves you at least 85 cents. We refund any excess immediately. If you request C.O.D. shipment, you must remit at least 30% of your total order. 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 "0" St. ( Phone 435-4366 ). 23-Channel, 5-Watt CB Base Station $188.95 ( 15 lbs. ) ( ITEM #ON 026 HGB ) - - HY-GAIN 673A "Hy-Range IV" base station operates on all 23 CB channels. AM crystals are supplied, no extra crystals to buy. Tops in beauty and performance. Woodgrain side panels and tasteful design of front panel will make you proud of this beauty. • It's loaded with features such as continuous delta tune, ANL with switch, built-in mike preamp, TVI filter, illuminated channel selector, illuminated S/RF meter, variable antenna tune and load controls, plug-in mike on coil cord. Full, legal ( 5-watts ) power gives the punch you need for excellent clarity and long-reaching communications. Operates on 115-VAC. Base Station CB Antenna ( ION-026-BSA ) First and still most powerful colinear base station antenna for CBers. Omnidirectional pattern, 4 db gain in all directions. Designed to with stand winds to 100 MPH. $34.95 WORLD FAMOUS HY-GAIN CLR2 12 55 WATTS TALK POWER ELECTRICALLY EXTENDEO 5/8 WAVELENGTH RADIATOR SURPLUS CENTER Dept. ON-026 Lincoln, Ne. 68501

the Rise, Fall and Future of the Ringneck Pheasant

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Washington, D.C. 20005

The fortunes of the pheasant have risen and fallen since their introduction in North America years ago. Changing farming practices have had a drastic effect on pheasants but there are ways their numbers can be increased

In their new home, pheasants found the good life in countless grassy patches, marshes and cornfields. With superb habitat available, they multiplied rapidly, numbering in the tens of millions by the mid 1940's

Then came new farm machines, chemicals, drainage and methods causing a technological revolution. Emphasis was on ultra clean farming

Pheasant habitat could be restoreo and improved if cover were planted on 'retired' acres...lands which the federal government has been paying farmers each year not to till in order to reduce crop surpluses

This simple but essential change would produce more pheasants and other wildlife. It would also produce more recreation, increase income for rural areas, and protect the farmer's basic resource...his soil

FEBRUARY 1976 47  

WIND ON THE HILL

(Continued from page 41)

Then, for the first time, the world of radio came into our house and we sat spellbound and starry eyed listening to the voices from the make-believe land of Ma Perkins, One Man's Family, Amos and Andy, Lux Radio Theater. Was there ever a voice like that of Cecil B. DeMille saying: "Goodnight to you from Hollywood/' I am sure my father listened to news, weather and market reports, but these were of no interest to me at the age of 10. We scanned the skies in the evenings, dreading the clouds which would bring lightning, and the static that drowned out our programs and left us straining to catch just a few of the words, sometimes giving up and turning it off in disappointment.

The electricity in the battery would last for several days, perhaps a week; then the lights would grow dim and my father would take the battery back up to the charger to be revitalized. It was a steep climb, and as he carried the heavy thing up and down he must have had second thoughts about his project, proud though he was of our new lifestyle. The old kerosene lamps were stored away.

Except for rare quiet days, there is a wind that blows across Nebraska, summer, winter, spring and fall. In summer it blows dry and hot, and after a long day of it, one becomes tired and worn. In winter it cuts like a cold knife through the heaviest clothing. I well remember the bite of it as we walked to and from school; and how, on our way home, we hurried to escape down the path into the trees below the rim of the -hill. Most of the homes along the river valley were built, like ours, below the bluffs so that they were sheltered from the wind. I remember only one, the house of our neighbors to the east, which was built on the benchland that ran parallel to the river, and though the sandhills rose gently beyond, they were too low and far away to afford any protection. The howling wind must have caused them great discomfort on cold winter nights as it forced its way through every crack. Their garden was in good bottomland soil below the bluffs, and to tend it they had to walk down a long hill and back. One advantage to living on the hill would have been the cooling breezes on summer evenings which we did not have. I would now choose to live on the hill where I could see the river and the pine-dotted hills on the other side, the dawns and the sunsets, and the great storms rolling down from the west. Like theirs, my house would be set low and snug against the earth, but mine would be well insulated, with a furnace connected to a faithful thermostat which would tell it when to get busy and drive out the cold. Their house was already old when I was a child, and must be in ruin now from the long years of emptiness and wind and weather. The old parents and even some of their children are sleeping in quiet cemeteries. But one thing remains, certain and unchanged: the timeless wind still sweeps across their land, driving the snow in winter and bending the grass in summer.

The wind was an ever-present part of our environment, and on most days we did not notice it, but of course there were days when it blew harder than others. On such a day, my brothers and I were playing in what we called our play house, a small wooden structure built originally for chickens I think, but it had been unused for many years except for storage and it was an ideal place to play. It was near our house but far enough out from the hill so that we could see the top of it and the little wind charger sitting there. On other days when the wind blew hard, my father had gone up and turned it off so it would not be damaged, but on that day he was either away from the farm or too busy to come and take care of it. We did not dare to go up to do it, even if we had known how, because of the danger of the whirling blade.

As the wind gusted harder and harder it began to make a tortured, booming sound, until suddenly, as we watched, it seemed to explode, the little broken propeller flying into the sky. We were horrified, and rushed to the house to tell my mother. If she was upset about it I cannot recall that she showed it. I suppose she thought my father could fix it. But he never did.

Last year in December, I read of a family that has made a tradition of not using the electricity in their house during the week of Christmas because they love the firelight and the soft glow of candles and kerosene lamps; and I agree it is lovely. But on the day we lost our wonderful wind charger, I would not have had the faintest idea what they meant. fi

NEBRASKAland proudly presents the stories of its readers. Here is the opportunity so many have requested —a chance to tell their own outdoor tales. Hunting trips, the "big fish that got away", unforgettable characters, outdoor impressions—all have a place here. If you have a story to tell, jot it down and send it to Editor, NEBRASKAland, Box 30370, Lincoln, Nebr. 68503. Send photographs, black and white or color, too, if any are available. 48 NEBRASKAland

Trading Post

Acceptance of advertising implies no endorsement of products or services. Classified Ads: 20 cents a word, minimum order $4.00. April 1976 closing date, February8. Send classified ads to: Trading Post, NEBRASKAland, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, Nebraska 68503, P.O. Box 30370. DOGS GERMAN Wirehair Pointers. Pups, started dogs, stud service. Sagamore Kennels, 501 Jeffrey Drive, Lincoln. Nebraska 68505 (402) 466-7986. FOR SALE: AKC Reg. German Shorthaired Point- ers and AKC Reg. Saint Bernards. Puppies and Adults. WURST'S SAINTS, 308 5th Street, Mil- ford, NE 68405. Telephone 402-761-2813. GUN DOG TRAINING, retrievers and all point- ing breeds. Individual concrete runs. Retrievers worked on pigeons and ducks; bird dogs on pigeons and pen raised birds. Platte Valley Kennels, 925 E. Capitol Ave., Grand Island, NE 68801, (308) 382-9126. MISCELLANEOUS SUEDE LEATHER drycleaned. Write for mailing instructions Fur & Leather Cleaning, P. O. Box 427, Bloomfield, Nebr. 68718. 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. 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. GUNS—Browning, Winchester, Remington, others, Hi-powers, shotguns, new, used, antiques. Want Pre-1964 Winchesters. Buy-Sell-Trade. Ph. (402) 729-2888. Bedlan's Sports, Fairbury, NE 68352. LIMITED supply of Exon, "Biography of a Gover- nor": Intimate family story of 243 pages. Also, "Dr. Graham, Sandhills doctor"; humorous and compassionate Nebraskan, 260 pages. Also, water- color and pencil notes of Nebraska. Foundation Books, Box 29229, Lincoln, NE 68529. "WORK AT HOME: $300/THOUSAND stuffing en- velopes. Complete assistance. Rush stamped, self- addressed envelope to N. B. Carlson Enterprises, Box 671, Omaha, NE 68101." WAX WORMS: 500-$8.00; 1,000-$14.00. Post Paid —Add 2Y2% sales tax—No C.O.D.'s. Malicky Bros. Burwell, NE 68823. NEED PHYSICAN: MODERN HOSPITAL NEED DENTIST: CLINIC SPACE AVAILABLE Bassett is an active community in the North Cen- tral Sandhill Area of Nebraska. Ranching, irriga- tion and year-round sports for all. You are invited to visit us and make a very thorough inspection. Everyone in the family will be happy,—clear skies, no crime rate and a three minute drive to the office. Please contact: Ted Blake, Rock County Hospital Administor, Bassett, NE, 68714. Phone (402) 684-3366 or 684-3662. BURN-EASY Lifetime Camp Stove. Versatile stove for cottage, hunting camp, shop, garage, storage building or wherever emergency heat is needed. Trash burning is complete and clean. Write Ord Manufacturing Company, Inc. P.O. Box 58, Ord, NE 68862. WANTED . . . Group Sponsor-Promoters for quality canoe-camping trips in Nebraska. Reward . . . Free trip credit.. For details, write, Wilson Outfitters, 6211 Sdnrise Rd., Lincoln, NE 68510. TAXIDERMY CREATIVE Taxidermy. Modern methods and life- like workmanship on all fish and game since 1935, also tanning, rugs, and deerskin products. Joe Voges, Naturecrafts and Gift Shop, 925 4th Corso, Nebraska City, Nebraska 68410. Phone (402) 873- 5491. 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*4 miles west of Scottsbluff on High- way 26. Phone (308) 635-3013. TAXIDERMY and tanning instructions. Learn to mount fish, birds, animals. 160 pages . . . illus- trated! $7.95 postpaid. Satisfaction guaranteed. Glenn Smith Enterprises, Box 1513, Akron, Ohio 44309. 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, Dept. A., Omaha, Nebraska 68102. FOR SALE: Buffalo robes or rugs, lined or un- lined. Buffalo feet lamps, buffalo horn—placques mounted, mounted buffalo heads. All limited quantity. Order right away. We will hold for late winter delivery. Write to: Gordon Johnson, Three Eagles Guest Ranch, O'Neill, Nebr. 68763 Ph. 336-2039. FEBRUARY 1976 49

NOTES ON NEBRASKA FAUNA... CANVASBACK DUCK

by James Nissen Art by Ed Wards

THE CANVASBACK has a dim future. Its numbers, productivity, and distribution are limited. It requires a diversity of environmental conditions in a time of shrinking diversity; solitude in a time of overcrowding; and it is just not adaptable enough in a time of rapid change.

Canvasback populations are among the lowest of any migratory duck in North America. Since the mid 1950s, their numbers have been steadily dedining. Hopefully,»the-"all-time low was reached in 1972/when estimates based on the winter waterfowl inventory conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, indicated that the canvasback population had dropped below the 200,000 level. The 1973 and 1974 figures, determined by the same method, listed the population at 215,000 and 226,500, respectively. Tragically, these figures do not represent one specific flyway in the U.S. —rather, this is the entire continental population!

One activity sometimes seen on the wintering areas is an elaborate courtship display that ultimately leads to pair formation. The theoretical sex ratio is 50:50, although a characteristic of most North American duck populations is "surplus" males. This disparity occurs even to a greater extent in the canvasback population. Observations on a major wintering area at Chesapeake Bay in 1972-73 noted that males outnumbered females 4 to 1.

The canvasback possesses rigid and specialized habitat requirements to meet its reproductive needs. Because of this, a variety of wetlands are used. For example, pairs utilize the larger and deeper ponds for their various daily activities. Nesting females use smaller, shallower sloughs or ponds with an abundance of emergent vegetation required by this over-water nesting species. Hens with broods favor ponds intermediate in size. Two requirements of these brood waters are a large supply of protein-rich invertebrates for the growing ducklings, and abundant vegetation for brood concealment.

The first birds to return to the breeding grounds in late April are pairs comprised of older, experienced females. These are followed in early May by pairs consisting of yearling hens and later by the unpaired drakes. The unpaired or bachelor males then move from the breeding grounds to molting areas. Upon their return, the pairs begin searching for a suitable nest site. Once this is completed, the hen begins laying an average of 7 to 9 greenish colored eggs. The 27- to 28-day incubation period begins after the last egg of a clutch is laid.

During this phase of the canvasback's life cycle, a relatively new menace to the scene makes its presence known —the raccoon. Before 1954, raccoons were never seen in the pothole country of Manitoba. By 1957, they were becoming more common, and by 1964, they were abundant. The raccoons pose a serious threat because of their ability to swim out to the canvasback's nest and destroy either the incubating female, the eggs, or both. Before the raccoons began moving north, the canvasback rarely faced an aquatic predator and never developed defenses against them.

Drought, the periodic enemy of the prairie duck population, greatly affects the canvasback because its entire life cycle is centered around water. For example, unlike many other species of waterfowl which feed on improved cropland, the canvas-back will not and is dependent on marsh feeding. It nests over water and rarely if ever on land. In fact, the female will abandon a nest if the water evel recedes too far. The female canvasback has a strong homing tendency and will return to past breeding areas despite the fact that they are dry.

The short-term effects normally produced by a drought can be disastrous. Witness southwest Manitoba in 1973. During that year, an intensive aerial and ground search covering approximately 100 square miles yielded only five canvasback broods with fewer than 15 ducklings.

With the onset of fall on the Canadian prairies and parkland, the canvasbacks begin their journey south. This migration starts as a trickle of birds, but progresses to a major movement with the frosts and freezes of September and October. First birds to leave are the immatures and adult females. The adult males, facing the final freeze-up in November, are the last to leave.

The canvasback has always been a favorite of hunters and has been called "the gold standard against which all other ducks must be compared; the real glory of duck hunting". In addition, the canvasback is highly vulnerable to hunting because it possesses certain behavioral peculiarities. These include the tendency to concentrate in large numbers on a few staging areas; discrete migration routes; narrow, unchanging flight patterns (for example, over certain points or bays); and migration according to sex and age. Early, in the hunting season, a greater percentage of immatures and adult females are harvested, while aduit males comprise the bulk of the bag in the latter half of the season.

During the market-hunting era, shooting was blamed for a large proportion of canvasback deaths. However, enlightened management in the form of 11 restricted or closed seasons has been the rule since 1958. These controls have been an effective management tool and may yet be improved upon. Hunting restraints alone cannot, however, prevent canvasback population declines. The main thrust of protective efforts must be directed at the basic causes of the canvasback's present predicament: wetland drainage, pollution, human encroachment and predation. ft

The original painting of the canvasback was done by a Nebraska artist specializing in game birds. For information about buying this or other art, contact: C. Edwards, c/o NEBRASKAland, P.O. box 30370, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503. 50 NEBRASKAland