52 Nebraskaland • November 2024
MIXED BAG
Winter is an ideal time for upland hunting. Some hunters
don't want to battle the cold and snow, leaving many public
areas wide open for you to chase pheasants, quail and prairie
grouse.
Although hunting in the early mornings can mean cold
temperatures and sometimes snow and wind, hunters can
play the elements in their favor.
On cold early mornings, birds may sit a little tighter, and
will move a little slower to get into fi elds to feed. Add snow
and wind into that mix, and you'll have a tight-sitting bird,
half-tamed by the cold until they are triggered by the fl ush.
Keep your dog a little closer to help fi nd snow-ridden birds.
Hunters should try walking in a zig-zag pattern across the
fi eld to cover more area. If hunting with a partner, keep the
distance between each other a little closer than you normally
would to help fi nd sitting birds. Always abide by safe zones
of fi re when shooting (with two hunters, each zone-of-fi re is
about 45 degrees directly in front of them).
Use the wind to your advantage, and let it mask the noise
you make by walking into the wind. Be quiet when pushing
through a fi eld. Minimal talking or yelling at dogs will help
keep birds sitting tight.
Hunt areas where there are agricultural crops, natural
grasses, forbs, brush and wildlife plantings. Many public
hunting areas off er these features. Open Fields and Waters
sites have many excellent areas for walk-in hunting — from
corn or wheat stubble to rolling hills. Wildlife management
areas, managed by Nebraska Game and Parks, have habitat
specifi cally for wildlife and are walk-in accessible to hunters.
Here's my list of WMAs to hunt upland birds this winter:
•
Sherman Reservoir WMA, Sherman County - 3,180 acres
•
Davis Creek WMA, Valley and Greeley counties - 2,450
acres
•
Sacramento-Wilcox WMA, Phelps County - 2,320 acres
•
Medicine Creek WMA, Frontier County - 7,487 acres
•
Red Willow WMA, Frontier and Red Willow counties -
5,278 acres
•
Pressey WMA, Custer County - 1,579 acres
For a complete listing of all public
walk-in areas, including WMAs, Open
Fields and Waters sites and more, pick
up a copy of the Public Access Atlas,
available online at OutdoorNebraska.
gov, at sporting goods vendors or Game
and Parks offi ces.
UPLAND BIRD HUNTING THIS WINTER
By Julie Geiser
For those willing to contend with the cold, snow and wind, many public areas are wide open for pheasants, quail and prairie
grouse hunting in the winter. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
