3 weeks Ago
OUTDOORS Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area offers a great public access area to hunt. Located near Lewellen the area is a short travel distance for those in central and southwest Nebraska. The Clear Creek special hunting area consists of about 300 acres and 10 pit blinds for waterfowl hunting.
The area is open to hunting waterfowl and other game species until the check station opens on the Monday before Thanksgiving to Feb. 1 or as otherwise posted. During the time the check station is open, hunters must check in at the check station office and can only hunt within the provided blinds.
Each morning there is a drawing to access blinds. The drawing determines the order of blind selection for each hunting party. Up to five blinds are available by reservation.
Hunters may apply for reservation dates during August and September. Reservation applications are available at the Clear Creek field office or at the district office in North Platte. If any advance reservation dates remain open after the drawing, hunters may call Clear Creek at 308-778-5486 to reserve one.
No more than two reservations are allowed per individual. Many weekdays there are not five blinds held by reservations, leaving plenty of room for hunters wishing to hunt waterfowl. All remaining blinds are allocated by a drawing.
All drawings are conducted 45 minutes before legal shooting hours for that day. Blinds not filled in the drawing and those vacated during the day will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters must check in at the check station 45 minutes before legal shooting hours to be eligible to draw for a blind.
Clear Creek WMA is in Mountain Time. Some of the blinds are walk-in making it easy for hunters and dogs to get in and out, with one blind that is handicapped accessible. Each blind has two dozen goose decoys available for use.
Seasoned hunters pack in additional decoys, heaters, waders and food for the day as some blinds have wetland areas around them. Hunters are also encouraged to use hunting dogs to retrieve downed birds from wetland areas and the river. Downed birds may be retrieved from the Clear Creek Seasonal Refuge, which sits just east of the special hunting area, which house the blinds.
Hunters may walk onto the refuge or send a dog to retrieve downed birds from the refuge, but no firearms are allowed on the refuge, which is designated by boundary signs. Hunters may hunt only with the group they registered with for the drawing. Resident hunters age 16 and older and all nonresidents must have a valid Nebraska Hunting Permit, Habitat Stamp, Nebraska Waterfowl Stamp, Federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamp and Harvest Information Program number.
Permits and stamps are not sold on the area, so purchase these required permits and stamps in advance. The migratory bird HIP number is required by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission regulations. HIP registration is free and is available 24 hours a day by going online to the Game and Parks webpage outdoornebraska.gov .
Firearm deer season Firearm deer hunters are reminded that the season wraps up 30 minutes after sunset this Sunday evening. Checking in deer is mandatory and hunters may choose to check in their deer at a check station or through Telecheck for the first time this nineday firearm season. Telecheck is a free service that allows hunters to check their deer from the field or at home, by telephone or online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The online option is strongly recommended for those who opt to Telecheck. It was introduced in Nebraska in 2010 to save time and fuel costs for hunters. It also was a faster way for Game and Parks to obtain harvest data.
Until now, it's only been used to report deer taken in seasons outside the November firearm season and for other species. For more information on Telecheck, to view a map of check stations, or to access the online reporting form, go to outdoornebraska. gov/hunt/telecheck.
A QR code has been added to deer permits to scan with a smartphone and take hunters directly to the Telecheck page. Deer taken during the November Firearm season must be delivered to a check station or checked via Telecheck no later than 1 p.m.
on the day following the close of the season. Deer taken outside the November Firearm season must be Telechecked within 48 hours of the kill and no later than 1 p.m.
the day after the season closes. Keep safe in the field by using these reminders: ■ Let someone know where you will be hunting and when you plan to return. ■ Dress for cold weather by layering clothing and bring plenty of snacks and water for the hunt.
■ Firearm and archery deer hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange on their head, chest and back during the nine-day firearm season. ■ Always maintain muzzle control — never allow the muzzle of a firearm or an arrow knocked in a bow to be pointed at something that you do not intend to shoot. ■ Know your target and what lies beyond that target.
If you are not sure of what is beyond a deer, do not take the shot. Get local news delivered to your inbox!.
