Eager hunters will take to the fields Oct. 26 for Nebraska’s pheasant season opener.

Field reports and surveys from earlier this year give an optimistic outlook for upland bird hunting this fall.

Statewide, pheasant counts were up 19% during this year’s July rural mail carrier surveys compared to last year and were near or exceeding five-year averages in all areas except the Sandhills.

Pheasant habitat is more isolated in eastern Nebraska, but where quality cover exists, hunters should find good bird numbers, according to Bryan O’Connor, upland game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Portions of the Panhandle and southwest continue to support some of the highest pheasant numbers, but populations remain variable because of drought in recent years.

“Excitement builds toward the start of pheasant season every year as hunters look forward to going afield, watching their dogs work and experiencing Nebraska’s great upland hunting opportunities,” O’Connor said. “Nebraska’s diversity of habitats is what makes it attractive to hunters and sets it apart from other states.”

The hunting season for pheasant, quail and partridge is Oct. 26 through Jan. 31, 2025.

Last year’s relatively mild winter benefited quail populations across much of the state, and numbers increased in five of six management regions. According to surveys, southeastern and south-central regions support some of the state’s highest quail densities and should provide quality hunting opportunities.

View the full upland hunting forecast at OutdoorNebraska.gov/hunt/game/upland.

Preseason scouting is recommended as dry conditions have triggered emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program lands in 50 of Nebraska’s 93 counties this summer and fall. This likely will affect cover on some CRP fields in approved counties, including some Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters Program sites. For more information, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Haying and Grazing.”

Due to dry conditions, Game and Parks reminds hunters to act responsibly in the field and do their part in the prevention of wildfires. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln drought monitor (droughtmonitor.unl.edu), 83% of the state is experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions. Game and Parks urges hunters to take the following precautions:

  • Restrict driving to established roads and trails.
  • Avoid parking vehicles in tall vegetation.
  • Dispose of cigarettes and other flammable objects appropriately.
  • Ensure your vehicle, trailers, and other equipment are well-maintained.
  • Make sure no chains are dragging from your vehicle.
  • In the morning, before driving and while the exhaust/catalytic converter system is cool, inspect it to see no debris is clinging to it.
  • Carry a fire extinguisher in the vehicle.

Driving vehicles or parking on dry, tall grass is a primary threat. Grass can ignite within seconds of contacting a hot surface, such as a vehicle’s exhaust/catalytic converter systems.

Game and Parks has implemented a temporary ban on campfires at all Nebraska wildlife management areas and state park areas until further notice.

Other reminders:

  • Hunters seeking places to hunt should view the 2024-25 Public Access Atlas, which displays more than 1.2 million acres of publicly accessible lands throughout Nebraska. In addition to state, federal and conservation partner lands, more than 409,000 acres of private lands are enrolled in Open Fields and Waters and featured in the atlas. For hunters pursuing upland birds in western and south-central Nebraska, the Stubble Access Guide displays an additional 41,500 acres of tall wheat or milo stubble fields and adjacent habitats open to public hunting access. Both publications are available at OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides-maps/public-access-atlas.
  • Hunters must obtain permission prior to accessing privately-owned (non-OFW) lands in Nebraska regardless of whether the property is posted or not.
  • The upland bird season is an opportunity for hunters to pursue an Upland Slam, a partnership between Game and Parks and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever of Nebraska. The Slam challenges hunters to harvest a pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and quail in Nebraska during the season. Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Upland Slam” for more information.
  • Grouse hunters are reminded of a required special permit to hunt in the East Zone (east of U.S. Highway 81).  See the 2024-2025 Small Game and Waterfowl Guide at OutdoorNebraska.gov for details.

Nebraska resident veterans may get a free Veterans Day hunt permit

Nebraska residents who are honorably discharged veterans may receive a one-day permit, Habitat Stamp, and Nebraska Migratory Waterfowl Stamp for free to hunt on Veterans Day.

They would be required to buy a Federal Duck Stamp if they intend to hunt waterfowl. They also need to register with the Harvest Information Program if they plan to hunt any migratory birds.

Veterans Day is observed annually on Nov. 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. The free permit and stamps are valid only on Nov. 11 of the year they are issued.

Not all resident veterans desiring to hunt on Veterans Day would need this one-day permit, as they already may have valid permits for that day. Those permits would be annual hunt, annual hunt/fish combo, annual veteran hunt/fish/fur harvest combo, senior hunt/fish/fur harvest combo, deployed military hunt/fish/fur harvest combo, 3-year hunt, 3-year hunt/fish combo, 5-year hunt, 5-year hunt/fish combo, lifetime hunt, and lifetime hunt/fish combo permits.

The permit is available at GoOutdoorsNE.com or at any Game and Parks permitting office. Find them at OutdoorNebraska.gov/about/our-locations.

The Veterans Day permit is based on LB867, which was passed by the 108th Legislature and approved by the governor in April.

Mountain lion lottery application period is Nov. 4 – Dec. 11

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept lottery applications for mountain lion permits Nov. 4 – Dec. 11, 2024, for the 2025 hunting season.

Permits are available only to Nebraska residents, who may have one permit per calendar year. The bag limit for each permit is one mountain lion of either sex.

Hunting will take place in three units: Pine Ridge Unit, Niobrara Unit and Wildcat Hills Unit. The Wildcat Hills Unit, created earlier in the year, encompasses parts of Scotts Bluff, Morrill, Cheyenne, Garden, Kimball, and Banner counties. The Wildcat Hills Unit has the same boundaries as elk management unit No. 4.

The eastern boundary of the Niobrara Unit also has been expanded to U.S. Highway 281.

Season 1 in all three units will take place Jan. 2, 2025, through the end of February. The season will end immediately in a unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit is reached. The Pine Ridge harvest limit is 12 mountain lions with a sub-limit of six females, the Niobrara limit is four mountain lions with a two female sub-limit, and the Wildcat Hills limit is three mountain lions with a two female sub-limit.

Up to 960 permits could be issued by lottery in the Pine Ridge Unit, up to 320 permits in the Niobrara Unit, and up to 240 permits in the Wildcat Hills Unit.

An auxiliary season that allows the use of dogs would be March 15 through the end of March if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit were not reached during Season 1 in that unit. A number of permits equal to the number of lions remaining in the limit would be issued by lottery to unsuccessful permit holders from that unit who apply for the auxiliary season.

Applications will be accepted from 1 p.m. Central Time Nov. 4 through 5 p.m. (11:59 p.m. if applying online) Dec. 11. Starting Nov. 4, visit GoOutdoorsNE.com to apply online. To download an application, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Hunting Applications.” A $15 nonrefundable application fee must be submitted with each application. 

This is a sustainable harvest that will maintain healthy mountain lion populations in balance with available habitat.

Game and Parks’ genetic surveys in 2023 estimate there were 70 mountain lions in the Pine Ridge, up from the previous estimate of 33 in 2021. Surveys that will allow population estimates for the Niobrara and Wildcat Hills were completed this summer with results expected in a few months. Twenty-seven mountain lions were documented in the Niobrara Valley during 2023, and 24 were documented in the Wildcat Hills.

To read more mountain lion hunting regulations, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov; search “Mountain Lions.”

Commissioners approve sportfishing orders

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved changes to sportfishing orders at its meeting Oct. 25 in Broken Bow. These orders regard daily bag limits, possession limits and open areas.

The amendments to sportfishing orders are:

  • include statewide restrictions on rainbow/cutthroat hybrid trout;
  • change the bag limit and size restriction for black bass as follows:
  • no more than one fish 18 inches or longer in the five-fish daily bag limit at Frye Lake Wildlife Management Area;
  • the five-fish limit has a protected slot of 15-18 inches with no more than one fish 18 inches or longer in the daily bag at Prairie View Lake, Wagon Train State Recreation Area/WMA, Duck Creek Recreation Area and Prairie Queen Recreation Area;
  • Patriot Park Lake is added and Prairie View Recreation Area, Pawnee SRA/WMA, Duck Creek Recreation Area and Prairie Queen Recreation Area are removed from lakes that have a 21-inch minimum length limit;
  • change the bag limit and size restriction for northern pike as follows:
  • the three-fish limit has a protected slot of 24-34 inches with no more than one fish 34 inches or longer in the daily bag limit at Clear Lake, Dewey Lake, Hackberry Lake and Pelican Lake;
  • Smith Lake WMA is added to the lakes that have a daily bag limit exception of three of the 10 fish in the bag can be over 22 inches and one can be over 34 inches;
  • Lake Wanahoo is removed from the lakes where no harvest is allowed;
  • change the size restriction on striped bass, white bass and wiper statewide – increasing the length limit to 18 inches or longer in which the daily bag limit may include one fish, in inland waters;
  • revert Branched Oak Lake to statewide restrictions on walleye, sauger and saugeye;
  • remove the size restriction on channel catfish from the Missouri River; and
  • change the start date when anglers will be allowed to fish Two Rivers SRA Lake Trout Lake without a trout tag to June 1.

These changes will be published in the 2025 Fishing Guide in January.

The commissioners also amended orders to create a bighorn sheep management hunt for March 1-31, 2025. Two resident lottery permits are authorized, with a bag limit of one male bighorn sheep that is half curl or less. The goal of the hunt, which will take place in portions of Scotts Bluff and Banner counties, is to adjust the ram-ewe ratio.

To view orders, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Orders.”

In other business, commissioners approved:

  • fisheries regulations regarding rules relating to bait collection by anglers and bait dealers, including listing of legal bait species, harvest methods and limits;
  • wildlife regulations regarding threatened and endangered species to reflect state statute changes;
  • fisheries regulations relating to aquatic invasive species, including listing invasive species, inspections, decontamination, impoundments and restrictions; and
  • wildlife regulations to address changes in Nebraska statutes and update regulations to mirror the Federal Endangered Species Act consultation process, improve clarity, add efficiencies, address new technology and its use in the consultation process, and reduce restrictions.

See regulations at OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Regulations.”

Commissioners also approved a staff recommendation to enter into a supplemental agreement for Transportation Alternatives Funding to surface the Cowboy Trail from Rushville to mile marker 400 near Chadron.

The board also approved the agency Recreation Road Program’s 1- and 5-Year Plan. Commissioners also passed recommended fee increases for park activities, lodging and rental facilities. Fee increases support the needed long-term care, maintenance, and investments in Nebraska’s state parks system.

Nebraska Hunter Education Coordinator Kyle Gaston gave an overview of the 50-year history of the program in the state, as well as the 30 years of Bowhunter Education. In that time, more than 5,000 volunteer instructors have trained more than 340,000 students.

Cousins David and Kent Zeller of Ravenna were presented 50-Year Service Awards from the Hunter Education Program. Other instructors recognized, but not present, for their 50 years in the program, were Joseph Bober of Omaha, Dennis Bridge of Royal and Gaylan Steele of Alma. Also, William Kucera of Ravenna earned the status of Heritage Instructor.

Staff also presented a review of the state parks summer activities.

The commissioners set their 2025 meeting schedule.

Game and Parks closed for customer service on Veterans Day

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, including customer service offices, will be closed on Veterans Day.

Offices that will be closed Monday, Nov. 11 include Game and Parks’ headquarters in Lincoln, district offices in Norfolk, North Platte, Kearney and Alliance, and service centers in Omaha and Bassett.

For hunters looking to purchase deer permits for the November firearm season, the offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Nov. 12.

Permits also may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.gov 24-hours a day, seven days a week. A customer support team for the site is available for extended business hours to help with permit purchases or technical support. Call 888-531-1198, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Saturday and Sunday.

The 2024 firearm deer season is Nov. 16-24.