Access digital copies of guides and regulations publications from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Issue link: http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1499706
OutdoorNebraska.org | 5 Planning Your Hunt Big game in Nebraska primarily are managed through selective hunting harvest; species-specific permits allow a harvest that often is limited to the sex of the animal within a given location. Social and biological tolerances are the basis for permit allocations, and permits are issued through Game and Parks' public process. Take a look at the following questions and answers to help you understand Nebraska's big game permitting system and process. What species do you want to hunt? Nebraska has five big game species: white-tailed deer, mule deer, antelope, elk and bighorn sheep. This guide addresses seasons for those them. Turkeys have their own guide. See Turkey Guide details at OutdoorNebraska.gov. Search for "hunting guides." Where do you want to hunt? Each of Nebraska's big game species has specific permits and management units with permit quotas and specific regulations. Each species section has maps detailing management units. Nebraska is 97% privately owned and landowner permission is required to hunt on private land. For details on public lands, see our Public Access Atlas at OutdoorNebraska.gov. When do you want to hunt? Each permit has specific season dates, so please take care to follow those dates. Some seasons, like archery, are long in duration and allow a lot of opportunity to be in the field, while others can last only a few days to a week. With which method would you like to hunt? Each permit has specific methods (firearm, archery, muzzleloader) that are allowed to be used for the take of an animal under that permit. Some permits allow only one method, some allow all. Each method (firearm, archery, muzzleloader) has specific minimums, and those details may be found in the table on page 35. How are big game permits distributed? Some permits are distributed in a drawing; some are available for purchase over the counter. Some permit quotas are unlimited, but many have limited quotas to the total available. Once those limited permits sell out, no more are available for the hunting season. There also are personal limits to the numbers of permits individual hunters may have per year: • two deer permits that allow the harvest of a buck • one elk permit • one antelope permit Additional details follow in each species section. What are the other requirements? Hunter education, blaze orange requirements, permit carrying, method-of-take restrictions and mandatory check-in of all harvested big game animals are covered in detail in this guide. Read this guide WIth these questions in mind, use this guide to choose a permit(s) to apply for and help you prepare for your hunt.