Nebraskaland

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015 • NEBRASKAland 21 NEBRASKAland Visitor and Last issue's winner of the Visitor drawing was Millie Simcox of Wolbach, Nebraska, who found the walkingstick on page 29. Readers are encouraged to contact NEBRASKAland within 10 days after this issue's publication with the correct page number and name of this issue's "Visitor" – a critter found in Nebraska. We will then gather the correct entries and draw one to win a NEBRASKAland mug. To enter each month, write: NEBRASKAland Visitor 2200 North 33rd Street, Lincoln, NE 68503. Or e-mail: Tim.Reigert@Nebraska.gov with "Visitor" in the subject line of the message. HINT: This issue's visitor is not on pages 1, 4, 12, 21, or 36-40. Walkingsticks are large, elusive insects that get their name from the strange appearance of their bodies; they literally look like sticks. This appearance acts as a camouflage, making it difficult for predators such as birds and other insects to see them. Walkingsticks can be found in a variety of habitats in Nebraska, from forests to prairies. The walkingstick hidden in last month's issue is a short-horned walkingstick, Parabacillus species, usually found in prairies. Short-horned refers to the very short antennae of this genus, as compared to other walking sticks that have much longer antennae. Walkingsticks are herbivores, feeding on plant leaves, and are most active at night. One notable skill: Nymphs (immatures) have the ability to regenerate a lost leg, which is handy since they can easily break off, especially when grabbed by a predator. Bugguide.net is a popular site for identification. Special thanks to Julie Van Meter, State Entomologist, Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Photo from Thinkstock. Thank You, Perry Myers By Jeff Kurrus Perry Myers's dad was an advocate of gun safety. When Perry, now living in Omaha, was young, gun safety was paramount in the field. "Dad would let me carry a gun when I started hunting, but it couldn't be loaded," he said. "Slowly we could shoot a little." When he found out through friend and Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioner Mick Jensen that Mick was heavily involved with teaching gun safety, it was a no-brainer what Perry wanted to do with two of his father's guns. "I knew my father would rather they be donated than sold," he said, and followed through with this notion by donating them to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The shotguns, a Mossberg model 183, .410 bolt action and a Remington model 11-48, 28 gauge semi-automatic, will now be used to support the Nebraska hunter education program, said Commission Education Manager Jeff Rawlinson. "Each year more than 8,000 kids learn the principles of safe gun handling and responsibility," he said. "These firearms will be used as training aids in these classrooms." ■ How Does HIP Help? By Dr. Mark Vrtiska The Harvest Information Program (HIP) has been in place since 1999. Prior to that time, estimating U.S. harvest for migratory birds such as doves and waterfowl was problematic. Each state had some sort of estimate, but all methods differed. Thus, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), in cooperation with state wildlife agencies, developed HIP to provide a consistent, nation-wide sampling frame of migratory bird hunters to estimate harvest of all hunted, migratory birds. Not having reliable and consistent harvest estimates could possibly jeopardize hunting seasons if those opposed to hunting take the USFWS – or possibly states – to court on the basis that hunting is having an effect on a population. Having those estimates solidifies that hunting seasons are not imposed on species in a "haphazard" manner, and allows migratory bird managers to make observations and decisions about regulations. When individuals sign up for HIP – which they are required to do in every state they hunt migratory birds – they are providing a stratified (based on the number of particular migratory birds they harvested) sampling frame for estimating harvest. Most people are confused and believe harvest is estimated from the questions they have to answer, and that's incorrect. They are simply stratified into two or more groups. The USFWS then samples hunters from each of these groups to estimate harvest. HIP data also have been used to provide sampling for various surveys that have asked hunters their preferences and opinions regarding hunting seasons and other regulation matters. So, it's been invaluable from that standpoint as well. While HIP is required legally, it's an extremely important program that the USFWS and states use to better manage and maintain migratory bird hunting seasons. ■ efers f e o o mu st n p e Ny ity ch ly Meter, State of other uch ticks plant at ymphs hs ty to h is y M S Director Jim Douglas (left) accepts gift on behalf of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission from Perry Myers at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS

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