CLAY CENTER, NE, August 29, 2011—Ducks Unlimited's Verona Complex in Nebraska's Rainwater Basin offers excellent hunting opportunities for the public. With hunting seasons rapidly approaching, DU Lands Manager Tim Horst reports good habitat conditions and is optimistic about prospects for an above-average hunting season. 

"Waterfowl production in the prairie pothole region was outstanding this year. We expect to see large numbers of ducks migrating through the Rainwater Basin," Horst said. "Hopefully we will get some late summer and early fall rains to fill the wetlands and attract ducks to stop here." 

The Verona Complex (see map and rules) is also a favorite destination for pheasant hunters, providing a large block of intact grassland in the heart of farm country. Good nesting cover and favorable weather conditions should have produced a healthy number of pheasants in 2011. 

Hundreds of thousands of migratory waterfowl each spring and fall visit the 1,000-acre property. The complex, which DU acquired and restored, includes the 120-acre Wolf North Tract, where only youth are allowed to hunt. Adults are encouraged to bring their younger hunters to the Wolf North Tract, but are not allowed to carry a gun themselves. The remainder of the vast complex, including the adjacent waterfowl production area owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is open to hunting for everyone. The Verona Complex is located two miles north and 4 miles east of Clay Center.  

The youth tract features a duck hunting blind in the wetland (available on a first-come, first-served basis) and an observation tower in the parking area for less strenuous wildlife viewing. Also located on this tract is the "Fallen Heroes Memorial." This monument commemorates those service men and women from Nebraska who have fallen in post 9-11 conflicts.