Have you ever struggled to find areas to hunt? Especially in Nebraska, where over 97% of the state is privately owned land, access to hunting can be difficult to come by. We know from previous research that a lack of access is also a top reason why people stop hunting or don't start at all. But public access programs like Open Fields and Waters and the Nebraska Community Access Partnership are tackling this issue head-on. For any hunter interested, these programs provide access to quality private lands to hunt; for landowners, it's another way to bring in a little extra income. This month we are joined by Adam Kester, Access Program Manager at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and Addie Piernicky, NCAP Coordinating Wildlife Biologist at Pheasants Forever, to learn all about how these programs are transforming hunting access in Nebraska and beyond.

Resources:

• Nebraska Community Access Partnership

• Open Fields & Waters (website)

• Open Fields and Waters: Expanding Hunter Opportunity (via YouTube)

• Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Offices: Alliance: 308-763-2940, Bassett: 402-684-2921, Kearney: 308-865-5310, Lincoln: 402-471-5561, Norfolk: 402-370-3374, North Platte: 308-535-8025

Addie Piernicky [website]

Adam Kester [website]

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc]

Nathan Pflueger [website]

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab]

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne]

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Music by Humans Win

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin