August-September 2025 • Nebraskaland 29
What to Do in August and September
Experience the fi rst waterfowl
season of the fall
Early teal season is Sept. 6-14 | Statewide
If you enjoy watching wetlands and waterways come alive in the
morning, teal season is for you, whether you harvest a bird or
not, said Hunter Education Coordinator Kyle Gaston. Nebraska
is a popular fl yway and sees large fl ocks of teal land on public
hunting areas, he said. Gaston recommends dressing in thin layers,
practicing with your shotgun, and scouting the area before the
season starts, as water levels can change quickly.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
Celebrate the Cowboy
Trail atop an iconic
landmark
Sept. 5, 7-8:30 p.m. | Meet at the Cowboy
Trail parking lot, just east of Valentine on
Highway 20
Enjoy panoramic views of the Niobrara River,
while helping celebrate 30 years of the Cowboy
Trail. Earlier that day, you can join other outdoor
enthusiasts for a fundraising bike ride and dinner,
capped with a free Bridge Social in the evening.
Cowboy Trail fans will gather atop an iconic former
railroad bridge, enjoying spectacular views while
sipping drinks, chatting and watching the sun set.
Learn more at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.
CHRISTY FIRESTONE
Watch biologists banding
wild birds
Typically late August to early October, around
sunrise, from Tuesday to Saturday | Wildcat
Hills State Recreation Area and Chadron State
Park
Want to see beautiful, and perhaps uncommon, wild
birds up close? The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
operates bird banding stations each fall at Chadron
State Park and Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area. If
conditions allow, biologists use fi ne mist nets to capture
their subjects. After recording measurements, they fi t
each bird's leg with a tiny metal band. You're welcome to
watch! If a banding is canceled due to weather, you can
still enjoy great birding on the trails. Contact each park
for more information.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
