Nebraskaland Magazine
LINCOLN, Neb. – Applications for an auxiliary mountain lion hunting season will be accepted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission from March 1-6.
Up to four permits will be drawn for the auxiliary season in the North Subunit of Nebraska’s Pine Ridge, which is March 15-31. Only hunters who held a North Subunit permit but did not harvest a mountain lion during the earlier North Subunit season may apply.
From 1 p.m. Central Time on March 1 through 11:59 p.m. on March 6, eligible North Subunit permit holders may apply for the auxiliary season permit drawing at OutdoorNebraska.gov/mountainliondraw. The bag limit for each permit is one mountain lion. Applicants will be notified of their draw status on March 9.
The auxiliary season will close once up to four mountain lions, or two females, are harvested. The number of permits to be drawn will be equal to the auxiliary season’s harvest quota, which cannot exceed four. The quota will be determined following the Feb. 29 close of the North Subunit season.
The North Subunit is the area of the Pine Ridge north of Highway 20 and west of Highway 27. Hunting with dogs is allowed during the auxiliary season. All other mountain lion hunting rules remain the same.
Once open, the status of the season will be posted on Game and Parks’ mountain lion harvest season webpage (OutdoorNebraska.gov/mountainlionhunting) and 1-800 number that hunters are required to check before hunting mountain lions each day.
No more than eight mountain lions will be harvested in Nebraska this year. Three males and one female lion already have been taken during the South Subunit season.
A harvest will allow the mountain lion population to remain resilient and healthy, while halting growth or moderately reducing the population size. This will reduce the population density in the Pine Ridge to one similar to that of other states that allow mountain lion hunting.
To read more mountain lion hunting regulations, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov/mountainlionhunting.
