Governor's Pheasant Hunt 'brings back good memories' on Saturday

Men and women trudged through tall CRP grass on Saturday morning hunting pheasants for the Governor's Pheasant Hunt in Gage County.

Volunteer Rick Clabaugh said there were 18 teams with five members. Each team had a guide and a dog handler. Most teams were hunting CRP acres that farmers volunteer for the hunt.

"We have had some of the hunters that have been here most of the around 24 years that we've organized the event," he said.

Clabaugh said he grew up hunting.

"I grew up in Nelson. I had two brothers, and that's what we did. When I was 10 I got to carry a single-shot .410 shotgun, but I didn't get any shells. The next year I got one shell and then if I shot I had to ask for another one. When we were 12, each of the brothers got a 12-gauge shotgun. It was a rite of passage in our family."

Volunteer Jacob May has been helping with the hunt for 13 years, but grew up hunting.

"I've been hunting all my life," he said. "I have an older brother and my dad actually raised quail and pheasants. We had some family land which was the best hunting in Lancaster County."

Hunting brings back good memories.

"It's a perfect morning. Sen. Tom Brewer laid it out really nicely last night at the supper. He said, 'You get out there and there is dew on the grass, smell of gun powder, and it just all brings back good memories.' It's just nice. I love the outdoors," he said.

Tucker Timmerman said he had been serving as a guide for three years.

"I've been helping my dad with the birds and as a guide for about 9-10 years," he said. "I remember holding the flashlight, going along and staying safe by walking behind the hunters when I was younger. It's a weekend I always look forward to, for sure. My grandpa and my dad loved hunting. Being out in the morning, getting ready for the hunt is the best. Experiencing nature and the cool, brisk mornings is incredible."

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts said his dad hunted when he was a kid, but he didn't get involved until he was older.

"My cousin actually got me into it," he said. "We were both in college. We hunted turkeys, pheasants, ducks and deer. We have so many natural resources in Nebraska and so much accessible land. It's a great place to be and enjoy the outdoors."

Ricketts said the hunt was something he tried to support every year.

"I love the beautiful scenery, but also the community of Beatrice," he said.

The annual event is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for Main Street Beatrice.

Clabaugh said he felt like there was a great base of volunteers every year. This year that included six local eighth graders.

The Armstong Rentals team won the competition with a score of 77. They hunted on the Greg Thomas land near Liberty. The team was made up of Joe Armstrong, Zac Carpenter, Jason Carpenter, Erich Tiemann, and Rob Schlichtman.