LINCOLN The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will conduct a prescribed burn at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park near Fort Calhoun to control intrusive woody plants and promote the growth of native grasses sometime in April when conditions are favorable. For further information contact the park at (402) 468-5611.

It's time to catch sturgeon on the Missouri River

GRETNA It's springtime in Nebraska, and anglers will soon be catching sturgeon on the Missouri River and the lower reaches of some of its tributaries.

In Nebraska there are three species of sturgeon found in the Missouri River system. Anglers should be aware that the shovelnose sturgeon is the only one that is legal to be taken by anglers.

The pallid sturgeon is listed as an endangered specie on the National Endangered Species list and therefore if caught must be returned to the water immediately.

The third is the lake sturgeon and is listed as a threatened species and also must be returned to the water immediately.

As a general rule, if the fish exceeds four pounds it probably is a pallid or lake sturgeon and cannot be kept by anglers.

Anglers can consult the 2008 Nebraska Fishing Guide or the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's Web site at www.OutdoorNebraska.org for additional information.

One of the favorite fishing spots for sturgeon is the Schilling Wildlife Management Area at Plattsmouth. To help fishery biologists track the pallid and lake sturgeon, anyone catching one of these fish should call the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium, (402) 332-3901, to report the catch. The information that the biologists will want is the date of catch, location, river mile, length and approximate weight of the fish and the bait used.

Mountain lion in e-mail not killed in Nebraska

LINCOLN - A large mountain lion pictured in a photo accompanying a widely-circulated e-mail claiming the animal was killed near Alda in Hall County was not killed in Nebraska, according to Sam Wilson, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's nongame mammal and furbearer program manager.

Wilson said Commission employees have received a flood of e-mails and calls about the photo. Several different versions of the e-mail claim it has been killed in various locations in several different states.

Snopes.com, a rumor-busting Web site, said the mountain lion was actually killed by a pickup truck in northern Arizona in November or December of 2007. The photo also shows an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer showing the size of the cat's paw.

Wilson suggests people see the mountain lion page on the Commission's Web site at www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/mountainlion.asp for the latest and most accurate information regarding mountain lions in Nebraska.

Fishing, turkey hunting featured in NEBRASKAland

LINCOLN - Whether you are an angler, turkey hunter, waterfowl hunter, nature lover or someone interested in what the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation is doing to benefit outdoor enthusiasts across the state, you'll find something interesting in the April issue of NEBRASKAland Magazine.

Yep, that is University of Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne on the cover casting a fly for farm pond bass and keeping his eye on 8-year-old grandson Christian Wilke and 9-year-old Josiah Brown, who Osborne works with in the TeamMates Mentoring Program. In Regional Editor Eric Fowler's article "Fishing with Tom," Osborne talks about several subjects, mostly about his love for fishing and the importance of getting children involved.

NEBRASKAland Associate Editor Jeff Kurrus presents an overview of how to hunt wild turkeys in the spring when it is legal to harvest both toms and hens. Nebraska's turkey numbers are higher than ever before and hunting them has become a favorite outdoor experience for many hunters.

Ever seen a "Camouflaged Looper?" Well, as the name implies, probably not. It is an inchworm that is also known as the "Wavy-lined Emerald," and it's unique coloring and ability to disguise itself by attaching pieces of plants to its back helps keep it safe from predators and the fingers of curious children alike. Nature Conservancy Ecologist Chris Helzer describes the inchworm and its habits in an article appropriately titled "The Camouflaged Looper."

Every fisherman knows that they can never have enough rods and reels, and all of them will be impressed with the collection amassed by the late Bill Horst of Arnold. For years Horst repaired rod and reels for people in exchange for their old "junker" reels, which he used for parts.