Hunting

Because vendors were unable to provide birds, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will not be releasing pen-reared pheasants before the youth pheasant season and Thanksgiving holiday this year. The statewide youth season still will take place Oct. 22-23, but only youth ages 15 and younger will be allowed to hunt. “It’s very unfortunate the Commission was unable to purchase birds to release for the special season this year,” said Alicia Hardin, the agency’s Wildlife Division administrator. “Two separate requests …

Nebraska landowners are reminded of a new program beginning this fall that could provide them a free elk permit. In the Free-earned Landowner Elk Permit Program, a person who owns or leases at least 80 acres of farm- or ranchland for agricultural purposes qualifies for an either-sex elk permit following the verification of 10 general antlerless elk harvests. A landowner’s immediate family members are eligible for the permit. The free-earned landowner elk permit was created during the 2021 Legislative Session. …

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, along with AKRS Equipment Solutions, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Heartland DSC, is launching its fourth annual Take ’em Hunting challenge to hunters starting Sept. 1. Participants are encouraged to introduce someone new to hunting during the 2022-2023 hunting seasons, and then upload a photo of their trip to the Game and Parks website. Those who do will be registered to win prizes, including the grand prize …

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds landowners of three changes made to the Special Landowner Deer Season. This season, entering its second year this fall, gives a qualifying landowner a three-day season on his or her property preceding the regular firearm deer season. The $8 Special Landowner Deer Permit is valid only for the three-day season: Nov. 5-7, 2022. It is not valid for the November firearm season and it may not be used as a Limited Landowner Permit. …

It won’t be long. The first of the duck seasons almost is upon us. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Ducks Unlimited are proud to bring back the popular Nebraska Duck Slam, a challenge for duck hunters to take advantage of Nebraska’s great duck hunting opportunities. The Duck Slam challenges hunters to harvest a teal (blue-winged or green-winged) of either sex, as well as drakes of three other species: an American wigeon, a mallard and a northern pintail. All …

There are more than a million acres of publicly accessible lands throughout Nebraska. The recently published 2022-2023 Public Access Atlas identifies and consolidates these public access resources for the benefit of Nebraska’s hunters, trappers and anglers. Printed copies of this year’s atlas are available at Nebraska Game and Parks Commission headquarters and soon will be available in its district offices and service centers, as well as wherever hunt and fish permits are sold. The Public Access Atlas also is available …

The Passing Along the Heritage program mentored youth hunting sites may be reserved now in advance of upcoming hunting seasons this fall. PATH is an online reservation-based program that provides Nebraska youth and their mentors access to hunt on private lands and selected public lands. Only youth under the age of 18 are allowed to hunt on PATH lands. “Through the PATH program, mentors can reserve a site for the day so they can provide both a safe and high-quality …

Hunters may enter a lottery to gain deer hunting access to Platte River Recreation Access lands in the Central Platte River Valley, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Fifty-one hunters will be chosen from a random drawing in early September and allowed to hunt deer on designated PRRA lands Nov. 16-20, 2022. Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted by mail or Dropbox at the Game and Parks service center in Kearney through Aug. 31 at …

Story by Angie Kokes Photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Dove hunting offers generous bag limits and opportunities statewide. Although these birds can be hunted in almost every corner of the world, one of the most serene destinations to do so is in the Sandhills of Nebraska. If you can hear the melancholy tune of an old windmill creaking, you have found the ideal location to try your hand at bringing these tasty morsels out of the sky, while marveling in magnificent …

With the annual dove season opener on Sept. 1, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has some reminders for hunters, as well as recommendations for areas to hunt. Doves are abundant statewide and, with generous bag limits, provide excellent wing-shooting opportunities. Doves may be hunted statewide Sept. 1 – Oct. 30, 2022, with daily bag and possession limits of 15 and 45, respectively. Bag and possession limits are for mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared-doves in aggregate. Shooting hours are 30 …