NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/736554
38 NEBRASKAland • NOVEMBER 2016 38 38 38 38 38 NE NE NE NE N BR BR BR BR BR BR B AS AS AS AS AS ASKA KA KA KA KAla la la land nd nd nd nd n • NO NO NO NOVE VE VE VEMB MB MB MB MBER ER ER ER E 201 01 01 01 01 016 varying stages of plant succession. For example, one could strip-disk one-third of a field each year for three successive years and then start back over in year four. Shrub thickets and other forms of functional woody cover created by edge-feathering represent another important habitat element for bobwhites that is especially important during the winter months. During this time, bobwhites do not stray far from woody cover, yet they continue to have very high energetic demands that force them to feed. Quail management often focuses on creating functional woody cover in close proximity to reliable food sources to help them survive extreme winter weather events. For one, you as a hunter should know that by buying a small game permit and habitat stamp you are already contributing towards habitat conservation in Nebraska. These funds are used to restore and improve habitat and also help support our public access programs. Another way to contribute is to volunteer with a local habitat organization such as Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, or the National Wild Turkey Federation, among others. Many of these organizations raise money to fund habitat projects and support youth mentor hunts, and provide an opportunity for you to give back to the resource. Another thing that hunters can do is to hunt responsibly. In my opinion, this goes well beyond any financial contribution hunters could ever make. If a landowner has a bad experience with a hunter on their property who didn't obey the rules, he likely won't think very highly of hunters. Acting irresponsibly in the field devalues not only hunters, but also the wildlife. I'm aware of some instances where landowners consider having certain wildlife species or a given hunting opportunity on their land as a burden because they don't want to attract that type of hunter ever again. Do your part – respect the land, follow the rules, and take time to thank a landowner for providing habitat and/or a place to hunt. We need landowners to value wildlife and the hunting opportunities their land provides – don't give them a reason not to. This will be dependent upon the availability of pheasant habitat in Nebraska, which at the landscape scale is driven largely by commodity prices and federal Farm Bill policies. Right now we have low commodity prices, and landowner interest in CRP is very high. With promotion, interest in CRP could be even higher, but the current acreage limit is hampering enrollment. Big decisions will be made in the next Farm Bill (2018), and these will have huge implications on the availability of pheasant habitat as well as the future of pheasant hunting in Nebraska. If the amount of habitat increases and Mother Nature helps us out along the way, pheasant hunting should improve. I mainly hunt close to home in south-central Nebraska. I hunt quail periodically on our family farm Nebraska Q: From a personal standpoint, where do you hunt? Q: Even though we can't predict the weather, where do we see Nebraska's pheasant hunting going in the next five years? Ten years? b b i Q: What can a hunter do to help increase upland bird numbers?