Hunting

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept lottery applications for mountain lion permits Nov. 7 – Dec. 14, 2022, for the 2023 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. The 2023 Season 1 in the Pine Ridge Unit will be Jan. 2-Feb. 28. Before Feb. 28, the season will close immediately if either the annual harvest …

Nebraska’s pheasant, quail and partridge seasons are quickly approaching. The youth season is Oct. 22-23, and the general season opens Oct. 29. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds upland hunters to keep the following safety tips top of mind when they hit the fields this fall: Treat every firearm as if it is loaded, and never assume it isn’t. Always point the muzzle of your shotgun in a safe direction, away from people, structures, vehicles, roadways and any direction …

Someone once said: “Deer hunting is a lot about nothing.” “Nothing,” seriously? In my view, that statement is so far from the truth. It is the time of year for archery deer hunters and soon, firearm deer hunters, to be on their stands or in their blinds all day long, up to 12 hours … alone. During part of a day off, Nebraska Conservation Officer Rich Berggren of Waterloo allows a photo to be taken before he enters his firearm …

A road repair project at Burchard Lake Wildlife Management Area in Pawnee County is scheduled to begin Oct. 17. Access to roads, the campground and boat ramp may be closed temporarily. The north campground will be closed during this project, but the south campground will be accessible. Users should know asphalt may be sitting on some of the roads on the WMA and they should be aware of construction traffic during this project. This project, which should last roughly 20 days, …

Work is set to begin the week of Oct. 17 on a project at Memphis Wildlife Management Area in Saunders County. Users of the area should know some activities may be interrupted during construction. The dirt work will begin to prepare the site for construction of a new shop complex. This shop will serve as a field office for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Wildlife Division. The WMA is located directly north of Memphis State Recreation Area. Construction will …

Nebraska offers long seasons and abundant opportunities to harvest furbearers and coyotes throughout the state. These animals are common in Nebraska, and most are found statewide. Regulated harvest of these mammals is an important management tool for controlling populations to reduce problems they can cause people and property. Hunting and trapping seasons typically are designed to allow the harvest of furbearers during the fall and winter, when the pelts are prime, and the animals are less likely to have dependent …

The deer harvested by a hunter prompted celebration but other hunters on social media certainly did not think so. You see, it was a smaller, younger white-tailed buck. It was a beautiful animal and a great photo of the proud hunter and his deer. I was one of the initial people to “like” the post on Facebook. However, it did not take long for the naysayers to chastise and ridicule the individual for shooting a basket-racked buck. Seriously? A trophy …

Hunters are advised to be cautious and avoid heavy equipment performing wetland enhancement work at Straightwater Wildlife Management Area in Seward County in the coming weeks. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges the public to stay at least 200 yards from all equipment on the area for their and the equipment operator’s safety. Equipment will be using 378 Road, so hunters are advised to park within existing parking areas. This project, which is expected to be brief, will improve …

Wheat and milo stubble left tall following harvest provides excellent cover and hunting opportunities for pheasants and other wildlife. The 2022-2023 Stubble Access Guide displays these and other adjacent habitats open to public, walk-in hunting across portions of western Nebraska. Through the Open Fields and Waters program, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission works with landowners to increase public hunting, trapping and/or fishing access on private lands. Tall wheat and milo stubble fields are enrolled in Open Fields and Waters …

Hunters will have a chance to pursue deer at three state park areas along the lower Platte River this fall and winter. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering special antlerless deer hunting opportunities within Eugene T. Mahoney and Platte River state parks and Schramm Park State Recreation Area. Successful applicants will be issued a special access permit that allows them to hunt antlerless deer in designated areas of a park on certain dates, using specific equipment. Successful applicants …