Crawford, Neb. – James Milliken of Wayne took a trophy ram in Fort Robinsons Smiley Canyon on Dec. 3 to fill his 2005 Nebraska bighorn lottery permit.

Millikens name was drawn from a barrel containing 1,445 applications at a meeting of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Aug. 27 in Kearney.

Milliken took his near full-curl ram with a high-powered rifle.

Two bighorn permits, a lottery permit made available to Nebraska residents and an auction permit, were authorized by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners for the 2005 bighorn season. Funds raised by the sale of the permits are used for the Nebraska bighorn sheep management program.

Joe Glover of Sawyerville, Ala., purchased the auction permit with a bid of $83,000 at the Grand Slam/Ovis Annual Conference in Biloxi, Miss., last January. Glover took a full-curl ram Dec. 1 in Nebraskas Pine Ridge near Crawford.

For additional information on Nebraskas bighorn sheep, contact the Game and Parks Commissions district office in Alliance, Box 725, 299 Husker Rd., Alliance, NE 69301, call (308) 763-2940 or log on the Game and Parks Commissions award-winning web site at www.outdoornebraska.org.

Lincoln, Neb. -- Nebraska artists are reminded that their entries for the 2006 Habitat Stamp Art Contest, sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Omaha Fish and Wildlife Club, are due March 1, 2006.

Each year, the winning adult entry is used on the Nebraska Habitat Stamp for the following year and the artist receives $300 from the Omaha Fish and Wildlife Club. The stamp is required of all hunters ages 16 years and older. Money raised from the sale of stamps goes directly into the Habitat Fund, which is used to acquire and enhance habitat on state and private lands.

An oil painting of two bighorn sheep by Deb Gengler-Copple of Hubbard was selected as the adult winner of the 2005 Nebraska Habitat Stamp Contest. That artwork appears on the 2006 Nebraska Habitat Stamp.

In addition to the adult category, there are three student categories: elementary (K-4 grades), junior (5-8 grades) and senior (9-12 grades). Winners in the student categories receive cash awards of $100 and a subscription to NEBRASKAland Magazine. All runners-up receive subscriptions to NEBRASKAland. An exhibit of the top youth art is displayed at several communities during the year.

Entries must be 4 11/16 by 7 ˝ inches, and can be of any Nebraska wildlife species in suitable habitat except bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, elk, American widgeon ducks and western bluebird, which are ineligible this year. Designs must be original hand drawn creations and entries may be matted, although the mat may not exceed 7 inches by 10 inches. Only Nebraska residents are eligible for the contest. Entries should be sent to Habitat Stamp Art Contest, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370. Entries will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and proper postage. Entry forms are available at that address or on the Commission,s web site at www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/programs/habitat/habitatstamp.asp

Lincoln, Neb. – Nebraska deer hunters who would like to participate in Nebraskas archery and muzzleloader deer seasons are reminded there are unlimited numbers of permits available and that both seasons will be open through December 31.

Archery and muzzleloader permits allow the bearer to hunt statewide and both resident and nonresident hunting permits are available. Nebraska law allows a person to possess no more than two Nebraska permits each year that allow for the taking of antlered deer.

Resident deer hunting permits are $26, nonresident deer permits are $176. They are available online at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission web site at www.outdoornebraska.org and over the counter at Commission permitting offices at Ak-Sar- Ben Aquarium, Alliance, Bassett, Chadron State Park, Fort Robinson State Park, Kearney, Niobrara State Park, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, Lincoln, and Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area.