Latest: 

• Chapter Board members Kyle Broadfoot and Loren Smith traveled to Curtis to meet with the NCORPE Board( https://www.ncorpe.org/) on May 20th. NCORPE is a joint project of four Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) that helps the State of Nebraska and NRDs meet interstate and intrastate water obligations. In 2012, the Upper Republican, Middle  Republican, Lower Republican, and Twin Platte NRDs purchased 19,500 acres between the Platte and Republican River Basins in southwest Nebraska. The wells on this previously irrigated ground can be used to augment stream flows into the Republican and Platte Rivers to meet flow requirements. Bow and shotgun hunting has long been permitted on portions of the NCORPE land, but at the May 20th meeting Nebraska BHA asked the NCORPE Board to consider allowing additional access. The NCORPE Board voted to allow access for archery and shotgun gun hunting on an additional 880 acres (green outlined area in the map)! NEBHA sincerely thanks the NCORPE Board and staff, and the four NRDs (Twin Platte, Upper Republican, Middle Republican, Lower Republican) for their continued support of Nebraska’s Outdoor Heritage!!!

• There were a couple of new developments in your Chapter Board in May. Long time board member Bill Grossnicklaus was elected to serve as Vice Chair. His leadership is key to the advancement of our chapter. In addition, Tim McAreavey of Omaha has been elected to the Board; among other things he will be helping the chapter with policy issues in the state. To learn more about these individuals see their profiles at 

    https://www.backcountryhunters.org/Get-Involved/Chapters/Nebraska/Chapter-Board

 

• Please remember our state Board is completely composed of volunteers, there are no paid members. Along those lines, we are seeking to fill  Board member slots from the northwestern portion of the state. We don’t have Board representation there now, so if you, or someone you know, might be willing to serve on the Board please email us!

 

ACTION NEEDED

• As noted in the last newsletter, the Chapter sent a letter to all the Central Platte Natural Resources District Board members asking them to open a piece of our public land (B1reservoir) to archery deer and shotgun turkey hunting. We have not received a response so we still need help. Please contact any or all of the directors, especially those in subdistrict 1, expressing your support for this public land access https://www.cpnrd.org/about/directors/  or better yet give them a call 3083808943 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Trashy Cat scheduled for May was cancelled. There will be a Pint Night on June 10th at a brew pub in Omaha, location and time to be announced. We will also have a Fence Removal effort in conjunction with Nebraska Bowhunters Association in July 30-August 2 at Halsey National Forest https://nebraskabowhunters.com/Jamboree23  Details for these events will be provided by email and social media. Please come out and support your chapter’s efforts!

 

REMINDERS

• Nominate a PUBLIC LANDS HERO!! The Nebraska Chapter’s “Public Lands Hero Award” is presented annually to an individual who has provided dedicated and sustained service towards improving access to, and/or increasing the amount of, public lands available for hunters and anglers in the state. Anyone who has demonstrated this effort can be nominated including, but not limited to, state, federal, local, and non-governmental agency personnel. Nominations can be made throughout the year by any member or supporter of the Nebraska BHA. Nominations can be sent to the Board at nebraska@backcountryhunters.org and should  include a detailed description of the nominee’s accomplishments. 

• Please spend a few minutes when you’re out on our public lands to clean up the area a bit. ANY public access lands are good! We certainly would encourage you to do so and send us a photo of the trash pickup and its location. Not only will this help the environment and improve the experience of future visitors to the site but also help with how adjacent landowners view public land and the people that use them. Volunteer Jim S. recently cleaned up East Sutherland WMA while out fishing!