The Cornhusker State proudly hosts a variety of wildlife. Deer, turkey, waterfowl, and upland game birds are among the favorites. Whether you’re an expert marksman or just starting your hunting journey, thorough planning is crucial for a rewarding and secure season.
Next, we’ll dig into simple but important info for an exciting Nebraska pursuit in 2025. We’ll discuss important rules about hunting, dates to remember, and helpful resources for your hunt. Plus, we’ll explore best spots, helping you shape your adventure to your chosen location.
Game Schedule for Nebraska
Nebraska Hunting Seasons Guide
🦌 White-tailed Deer
- Archery: Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2025
- November Firearm: Nov 15 – 23, 2025
- Muzzleloader: Dec 1 – 31, 2025
- Special Landowner: Nov 8 – 10, 2025
- October River Antlerless Firearm: Oct 1 – 15, 2025
- River Antlerless Late Firearm: Jan 1 – 15, 2026
- Antlerless Only Choice: Sep 1, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026
- Limited Landowner: Sep 1, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026
🏃♂️ Pronghorn Antelope
- Archery: Aug 20 – Dec 31, 2025
- Muzzleloader: Sep 20 – Oct 5, 2025
- Firearm: Oct 11 – 26, 2025
- November Late Doe/Fawn: Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
🦬 Elk
- Archery Bull: Sep 1 – Oct 31, 2025
- Firearm Bull: Sep 21 – Oct 31, 2025
- Early Antlerless: Aug 1 – Oct 31, 2025
- Late Antlerless: Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
🐏 Bighorn Sheep
- Management Lottery: Mar 1 – 31, 2025
- Regular Lottery: Dec 2 – 22, 2025
🐾 Mountain Lion
- Pine Ridge/Niobrara/Wildcat Hills: Jan 2 – 19, 2025
- Auxiliary with Dogs: Mar 15 – 31, 2025 (if quota unmet)
🦃 Turkey Seasons
Spring
- Archery: Mar 25 – May 31, 2025
- Youth Shotgun: Apr 5 – May 31, 2025
- Shotgun: Apr 12 – May 31, 2025
Fall
- Youth Archery/Shotgun: Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2025
- Archery/Shotgun: Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2025
🦊 Furbearer Seasons
- Muskrat/Beaver (trap): Nov 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026
- Badger/Mink (hunt/trap): Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Bobcat (hunt/trap): Dec 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Raccoon/Opossum:
- Hunt only: Sep 1 – Oct 31, 2025
- Hunt/trap: Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Striped Skunk: Year-round
- Long-tailed Weasel: Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Red/Gray Fox: Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- River Otter (trap): Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026 (1 per permit)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, Quail & Partridge
- Regular: Oct 25, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
- Youth Weekend: Oct 18 – 19, 2025
Prairie Grouse
- Statewide: Sep 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
- East of US 81: Permit required
🐇 Small Game
- Squirrel: Aug 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
- Cottontail Rabbit: Sep 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Jackrabbit: Sep 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026 (west of US 81)
🕊️ Other Birds
- Mourning Dove: Sep 1 – Oct 30, 2025
- Eurasian Collared-Dove: Year-round
- Snipe: Sep 1 – Dec 16, 2025
- Rail (Virginia/Sora): Sep 1 – Nov 9, 2025
- Woodcock: Oct 4 – Nov 17, 2025
- Crow:
- Oct 11 – Dec 11, 2025
- Jan 10 – Mar 12, 2026
🦆 Waterfowl
Early Teal
- Low & High Plains: Sep 6 – 14, 2025
Ducks & Coots
- Zone 1: Oct 11 – Dec 23, 2025
- Zone 2: Oct 4 – Dec 16, 2025 & Jan 7 – 28, 2026
- Zone 3 (High Plains): Oct 25, 2025 – Jan 6, 2026 & Jan 7 – 28, 2026
- Zone 4: Oct 25, 2025 – Jan 6, 2026
Geese
- Dark Goose (North Central): Oct 4, 2025 – Jan 16, 2026
- Dark Goose (Platte/Niobrara): Oct 28, 2025 – Feb 9, 2026
- White-fronted Goose: Oct 4 – Dec 14, 2025 & Jan 25 – Feb 9, 2026
- Light Goose: Oct 4 – Dec 31, 2025 & Jan 25 – Feb 9, 2026
🎯 Year-Round Game
- Coyote
- Porcupine
- Prairie Dog
- Woodchuck
(All dates subject to regulations. Check Nebraska Game & Parks for updates.)
Navigating the Regulations
General Regulations:
- Permits: You need these to hunt, and there are special rules for young hunters. If you’re 10, you can hunt deer.
- Habitat Stamp: If you’re 16 or older, live here, or just visiting and want to hunt big games, you need this.
- Safety: Hunting from moving cars, using fake light, or telling others about your game using technology is not allowed. You need to ask before you hunt on private land.
- Hunter Education: Some age groups are required to take this.
- Drones: These are not allowed for hunting.
- Ethical Take: Selling deer meat, using certain electronic gadgets, or hunting close to homes without asking is not okay. Hunter Orange: You have to wear this during certain seasons.
Deer Regulations:
- Permitted Arms: The law allows the use of rifles, handguns, muzzleloaders, muskets, and shotguns that fulfill particular requirements for the firearms. Bows and spears can be used during the archery game.
- Hunting Hours: Your game is authorized from half an hour prior to sunrise till half an hour past sunset. Bait Restrictions: It’s a rule, don’t hunt within a 200-yard radius of places where bait has been laid out.
- Telechecking: If you’ve hunted a deer outside of November’s regular firearm, telecheck is mandated.
- Tag Rules: Follow specific norms for tagging and having the deer you’ve hunted.
- Limits: Be aware, in firearm period, there are restrictions on hunting other animals with some weapons.
Turkey Regulations:
- Permit Count: Each hunter can have a maximum of two permits for the spring. We restrict non-residents to 10,000 spring permits.
- Baiting Rules: It’s against the rules to set up baited areas on lands controlled by the Commission.
- Gears: There are specific equipment rules for shotgun and archery.
- Shooting Time: You can hunt from half an hour before sunrise until sunset in the spring.
- Education Requirement: For hunters between 12-29 using firearms, hunter education is a must.
- Tag Application: You must tag turkeys right after you hunt them and keep the tag with the bird.
Other Regulations:
- Gray Wolves: They’re safeguarded by the Endangered Species Act.
- Trapping: The traps need regular checking and immediate animal removal. On U.S. Forest Service lands, body-gripping traps have restrictions.
- River Otter: The game stops in February or when the harvest quota has been hit.
- Waterfowl: Specific areas require nontoxic shot for shotguns. There are also special rules for blinds, reporting leg bands, depredation, and game transportation.
- Hunter Orange: Upgraded games recommend it but it’s not a requirement.
- Methods of Take: Based on the game bird, the restrictions on firearms vary.
.
Unearthing Nebraska’s Top Hunting Locations
Nebraska’s varied terrain is a fortunate home for a wide range of game species. Let’s explore notable pursuing sites for each:
- Pheasants: Public Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are popular spot for pheasants, particularly Oak Ridge WMA in Knox County and Ponca State Park WMA in Dixon County are worth a visit.
- Waterfowl: The Rainwater Basin is a favorite among waterfowl hunters. Its unique network of wetlands and lakes has features that are really special. Public areas like the Rainwater Basin Wildlife Management Area and Rowe Sanctuary are known for ducks, geese, and other waterfowl.
- Deer: The Pine Ridge area in the northwest is quite a treat. Locations like the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge and the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest offer public hunting.
- Antelope: The Nebraska Sandhills, with their boundless grasslands, are perfect for antelope. Sites like the Crescent Lake WMA and the Valentine State Fish Hatchery WMA offer public hunting in the Sandhills.
- Elk: Elks are not plentiful, so a lottery permit is needed. The Pine Ridge area in the northwest is the top choice. Public hunting sites such as Soldier Creek Wilderness Area and Fort Robinson State Park are popular among tag winners.
You can get a detailed picture of the state location through the map guide provided by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Demystifying the Costs: Licenses and Permits
License/Permit | Resident Cost | Non-Resident Cost |
---|---|---|
Small Game License | $29 | $100 |
Habitat Stamp (required for all small game licenses) | $10.50 | $10.50 |
Waterfowl Stamp (required for waterfowl) | $15.50 | $15.50 |
Fishing License (optional for hunters who also plan to fish) | $29 | $100 |
Deer Permit (lottery system) | $36 | $200+ (varies depending on deer type) |
Antelope Permit (lottery system) | $80 (lottery permit) | $600+ (varies depending on antelope hunt unit) |
Elk Permit (lottery system) | $80 (lottery permit) | $600+ (varies depending on elk hunt unit) |
Turkey Permit | $21-36 | $100-200+ (varies depending on turkey season) |
Purchasing Licenses and Permits:
Getting Licenses and Permits: You can buy licenses and permits online. Use the Outdoor Nebraska website. Or, you can visit approved sellers throughout the state.
- Texas Hunting: Your 2025-2026 Essential Guide to New Seasons and Top Locations - July 19, 2025
- 2025-2026 Tennessee Hunting Dates: TWRA Season Regulations - July 18, 2025
- Oklahoma Hunting: 2025-2026 Key Season Dates and Rules - July 17, 2025