Nebraska Outdoor Trailers
To help encourage more outdoor time, Game and Parks' event trailers provide schools, community groups or scouting troops with a free, ready-to-go trailer filled with outdoor activities.
Whether its fishing, bird watching or geocaching, both children and adults need time outside. Research proves that people who spend time in nature experience less stress and fewer health issues. To help encourage more outdoor time, Game and Parks’ event trailers provide schools, community groups or scouting troops with a free, ready-to-go trailer filled with 12 outdoor recreation activities to use during festivals and events.
Trailer activities include bean bag toss, binoculars for bird watching, skulls and pelts of Nebraska mammals, GPS and geocaching, casting poles, turkey calls, fish printing and track stamps. Together, these activities allow groups to help engage Nebraskans of all ages in fun, family-friendly outdoor and conservation education.
Trailer contents
Most supplies for each of the 12 activities are provided with the trailer — a few consumable items will need to be purchased by the group using the trailer. Check the individual activity direction sheets below to determine needed supplies.
Trailer locations
There are four trailers located throughout Nebraska – Lincoln, Norfolk, North Platte and Scottsbluff.
Every effort is made to reserve the trailer closest to your event. If the closest trailer is already reserved for your event date, you are welcome to use another trailer if available. Please be advised, the group checking-out the trailer is responsible for both pick-up and return of the trailer.
Cost
There is no fee for using the trailer.
Reserving a trailer
1. Call or email to see if the trailer is available on your desired dates:
Lincoln Trailer: Brianna Nugent 402-471-5456
Norfolk Trailer: Jamie Bachmann 402-370-3374
North Platte Trailer: Julie Geiser 308-660-6955
Scottsbluff Trailer: Delanie Bruce 308-633-1013
2. Download the registration form.
3. Send the registration form to:
Brianna Nugent
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
2200 N. 33rd St.
Lincoln, NE 68503
NOTE: Your reservation is not official until we receive your registration form.
4. Gather volunteers to run each activity.
Most stations require one to three volunteers. If you wish, you can use the volunteer registration form to help recruit and keep track of volunteers. Also, purchase supplies required for some activities.
5. Advertise your event in local newspapers, radio shows and TV.
6. As the day of your event approaches, make arrangements to pick up the trailer.
Trailer activities
Bean Bag Toss
Participants practice their aiming skills using bean bags and a wildlife-related target.
Binoculars & Bird Watching
Participants learn how to use binoculars, then go out into the field to look for Nebraska birds
Casting
Participants learn the basics of casting, knot tying and fish identification.
CSI (Critter Scene Investigations)
Participants learn about animal tracking and engage in a series of “who done it” scenes to determine which animals are involved and what happened.
Fish Printing
Participants partake in a Japanese art known as gyotaku or fish printing. Traditionally done with real fish, this activity will use rubber fish.
GPS and Geocaching
Participants learn the basics of GPS and geocaching, then try to find hidden caches using GPS units.
Mud Ball Planting
Kids make a mud ball filled with prairie seeds to take home and plant.
Nebraska Wildlife Jeopardy
Participants take part in a Jeopardy-style game about Nebraska’s mammal, amphibian, bird, fish and reptile species.
Scavenger Hunt
Participants, individually or in groups, work to find every item on a scavenger hunt.
Tracks and Pelts and Skulls, Oh My!
Participants learn about mammals of Nebraska through their skulls, pelts and track replicas.
Turkey Calls
Participants investigate the different kinds of turkey calls and practice using each of them.
Wildlife Tracks
Participants make a book and then fill it with track stamps of Nebraska wildlife species.
*EACH ACTIVITY CONTAINS MOST OF THE NEEDED SUPPLIES. SOME SUPPLIES WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GROUP CHECKING-OUT THE TRAILER TO OBTAIN.
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About Nebraska Game & Parks
We’re a family of passionate, innovative professionals who work together to connect people to the natural world and support conservation in Nebraska.