With a broad diversity of species and seasons, all hunters in Nebraska can have a busy year. Following is a comprehensive list of season dates and applications periods by species. For detailed information about each season check out the annual hunting guides. Complete regulations and Commission orders can be found on the regulations page.
Big game seasons
Download printable season dates card
Deer
2023 Season Dates
Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023
Special Landowner: Nov. 4 – Nov. 6, 2023
November firearm: Nov. 11 – Nov. 19, 2023
Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023
October River Antlerless Firearm: Oct. 1 – Oct. 15, 2023
River Antlerless Late Firearm: Jan. 1 – Jan. 31, 2024
Antlerless Only Season Choice: Sept. 1, 2023-Jan. 15, 2024
Limited Landowner: Sept. 1, 2023-Jan. 15, 2024
Late Antlerless Only Firearm: Jan. 1 – Jan. 15, 2024
Deer permits & applications
All permits go on sale at 1 p.m. CST on their release date.
Permit requirements
Deer hunters in Nebraska are required to have a Statewide or Unit Deer Permit and a Habitat stamp. (view big game guide for exceptions)
Deer permits are issued as Draw units or Buy units. Draw units are determined by overall demand and may be applied for during the draw unit application period. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission provides information on the previous year’s draw results. Buy units (over-the-counter permits) are issued on a first-come, first served basis. Additionally, youth permits are available to youth under the age of 16. (See the Big Game Guide for more on permits, unit names, species of deer and bag limits.)
Read our harvest reports for information on Nebraska big game harvest results and season structure.
Draw permit application dates
June 12-23 – Residents and nonresidents may apply for a preference point or one deer permit in Platte Mule Deer Conservation Area or Frenchman MDDCA draw units.
Results of the draw will be available July 7. Successful applicants will have until July 21 to complete the purchase of their awarded permits. Awarded but unpaid permits will result in the applicant losing preference points and forfeiting the permit. Forfeited permits may be made available to the next unsuccessful applicant, then go to the periods 7 and 8.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission provides information on the previous year’s draw results.
Permit sale dates
Unlimited quota permits
July 10 – Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may begin purchasing unlimited quota Nebraska deer permits.
Unlimited quota deer permits are resident statewide archery, resident statewide muzzleloader, youth, youth whitetail, nonresident restricted youth, limited landowner and special landowner.
Limited quota permits
Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners will have staggered purchase dates for the remaining limited deer permits:
July 11 – Residents may buy any limited quota deer permits.
July 24 – Nonresidents may buy any limited deer permits.
Aug. 7 – Residents and nonresidents may buy any remaining draw unit deer permits.
Permits will be available through the close of the hunting season or until the quota sells out.
Applications for special hunt participation at Gifford Point WMA will be accepted in the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Lincoln and Omaha offices during the period beginning August 1 through August 15.
How to purchase
Purchases may be made online, in person at a Game and Parks office, or via mail: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE, 68503.
Applications
Download the Nebraska Big Game application
Download the Nebraska Landowner Big Game application
Nebraska Special Landowner Deer permit application
Deer regulations and restrictions
Updated deer hunting regulations, check stations and restrictions will be available in summer of 2023.
Big Game Check-In (Telecheck)
The Nebraska Telecheck Program allows hunters to check deer or antelope by telephone or online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Learn more and access Telecheck
Antelope
2023 Season Dates
Archery: Aug. 20 – Dec. 31, 2023
Muzzleloader: Sept. 16 – Oct. 1, 2023
Firearm: Oct. 14 – Oct. 29, 2023
November late doe/fawn: Nov. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
Antelope permits & applications
All permits go on sale at 1 p.m. CST on their release date.
Draw permit application dates
June 12-23 – Residents and nonresidents may apply for a preference point or one antelope permit in Banner North, Banner South, Box Butte East, Box Butte West, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dismal, Eastern Sandhills Garden, North Sioux, Prairie Muzzleloader and North Sioux Muzzleloader draw units.
Results of the draw will be available July 7. Successful applicants will have until July 21 to complete the purchase of their awarded permits. Awarded but unpaid permits will result in the applicant losing preference points and forfeiting the permit. Forfeited permits may be made available to the next unsuccessful applicant, then go to the periods 7 and 8.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission provides information on the previous year’s draw results.
Permit sale dates
Unlimited quota permits
July 10 – Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may begin purchasing unlimited quota Nebraska antelope permits.
Unlimited quota antelope permits are resident statewide archery and youth archery.
Limited quota permits
July 12 – Residents may buy any limited antelope permits.
July 25 – Nonresidents may buy any limited antelope permits.
Aug. 8 – Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may buy any remaining draw unit antelope permits. Nonresident Antelope Archery permits are limited to 250. Resident antelope archery permits are unlimited in quantity (all units).
How to Purchase
Purchases may be made online, in person at a Game and Parks office, or via mail: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE, 68503.
Applications
Nebraska Landowner Big Game Application
Big Game Check-In (Telecheck)
The Nebraska Telecheck Program allows hunters to check deer or antelope by telephone or online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Learn more and access Telecheck
Elk
2023 Season Dates
Archery bull: Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2023
Firearm bull: Sept. 21 – Oct. 31, 2023
Early Antlerless Aug. 1 – Oct. 31, 2023
Late Antlerless Nov. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
Draw permit application dates
All permits and applications become available at 1 p.m. CST on the date of their release.
Landowner
May 15, 2023 – June 2, 2023
Limited Landowner elk permits and preference points.
Resident
June 12, 2023 – June 23, 2023
Residents application period for bull and antlerless elk permits and preference points. Application and application fee to be delivered to specific Commission district offices depending on unit. See Big Game Guide for additional information.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission provides information on the previous year’s draw results.
Applications
Nebraska Landowner Big Game Application
Permit sale dates
Aug. 9, 2023 after 1:00 pm CST – close of season
Remaining elk permits available to eligible residents and landowners.
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Bighorn sheep
Bighorn sheep lottery
This once-in-a-lifetime hunt includes up to four days of guide service from Nebraska Game and Parks staff and up to four nights of meal and lodging at Fort Robinson State Park. Proceeds from the lottery provide support for the management of this historic species in five areas of Nebraska’s panhandle region.
Season dates
2023 Season Dates: Nov. 28 – Dec. 22, 2023
2023 permit application dates (after 1:00pm CST)
April 17, 2023 after 1:00 pm CST – Aug. 4, 2023
Residents can apply for the bighorn sheep lottery during this period.
Turkey
2023-2024 Season dates & regulations
Spring archery: March 25 – May 31, 2023
Spring youth shotgun: April 8 – May 31, 2023
Spring shotgun: April 15 – May 31, 2023
Fall youth archery and shotgun: Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2023
Fall archery and shotgun: Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2023
Permit application & sale dates
SPRING: Jan. 9 after 1:00 pm CST – May 31, 2023
Hunters may purchase up to two spring permits in 2023.
FALL: Aug. 14 after 1:00 pm CST – Nov. 30, 2023
Hunters may purchase one fall permit in 2023.
Download turkey application
Download turkey landowner application
Mountain lion
Season dates & permit application
The 2023 mountain lion season in the Pine Ridge is currently closed after two females were harvested in January, 2023.
- Applications for lottery permits shall be accepted from 1 p.m. CST on the first Monday in November through the second Wednesday in December prior to each open season. Mail applications must be received in the Commission’s Lincoln headquarters office by 5 p.m. CST, and internet applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST. It shall be unlawful to submit more than one application per calendar year for a mountain lion permit.
- A harvest season will be held only for the Pine Ridge area, which has an established population that can sustain a harvest.
- The season will allow up to four mountain lions to be harvested, with up to two of those being females.
- Once four mountain lions, or two females, have been harvested, the season will close.
- The harvest will take place in the Pine Ridge Unit. Public lands are open.
- If the limit and/or sub-limit has not been reached by Feb. 28, then a limited number (equal to the animals remaining in the limit) of permittees will be allowed to hunt with the aid of dogs in an auxiliary season in the Pine Ridge. Permits for the auxiliary season will be granted to unsuccessful permittees from the initial season via a lottery. If the auxiliary season occurs, it will take place from March 11-31, 2023 or until the harvest limit is met.
Multispecies lottery permits
Nebraska offers two big game multi species lotteries for resident and nonresident hunters. One permit in each lottery is awarded annually. The application period for the lotteries generally starts in January and ends in early July. Permits become available after 1 p.m. CST on the initial sale date.
2023 Super Tag application dates: Jan. 2 – July 7, 2023
Buy/apply onlineSmall game seasons
Upland game birds
Pheasant, quail, and partridge
Oct. 28, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
Prairie Grouse
Sept. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
*special permit required east of U.S. 81
Youth pheasant, quail and partridge
Oct. 21 – 22, 2023
Webless migratory birds
Mourning, white-winged, and Eurasian collared-doves (in aggregate)
Sept. 1 – Oct. 30, 2023
Eurasian collared-dove (only)
Year-Round
Snipe
Sept. 1 – Dec. 16, 2023
Virginia and sora rail
Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2023
Woodcock
Oct. 7 – Nov. 20, 2023
Crow
Oct. 15 – Dec. 15, 2022; Jan. 13 – March 14, 2023
Other small game
Squirrel
Aug. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
Cottontail
Sept. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
Jackrabbit
Allowed west of U.S. 81 only
Sept. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
For additional information and other regulations, find the Small Game and Waterfowl Guide here
Waterfowl seasons
Waterfowl seasons
For the 2023-2024 seasons, the Zone 3 and Zone 4 duck seasons will open a week later than last year with Youth Hunt dates the weekend prior. Other season dates are calendar date adjustments.
Early Teal
Low Plains – Sept. 2-17
High Plains – Sept. 2-10
Daily bag limit – six; Possession limit – 18
Youth Hunt
Zone 1 – Oct. 7-8
Zone 2 – Sept. 30-Oct. 1
Zone 3 – Oct. 21-22
Zone 4 – Oct. 21-22
Daily bag – Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions; Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex; Possession limit – three times the daily bag limit
Duck and Coot
Zone 1 – Oct. 14-Dec. 26
Zone 2 – Oct. 7-Dec. 19 and Jan. 10-31 (High Plains)
Zone 3 – Oct. 28-Jan. 9 and Jan. 10-31 (High Plains)
Zone 4 – Oct. 28-Jan. 9
Daily bag – Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions; Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex; Possession limit – three times the daily bag limit
Dark Goose
Platte River Unit – Oct. 28-Feb. 9
Niobrara Unit – Oct. 28-Feb. 9
North Central Unit – Oct. 7-Jan. 19
Daily bag limit – five; Possession limit – 15
White-fronted Goose
Statewide – Oct. 7-Dec. 17 and Jan. 25-Feb. 9
Daily bag limit – two; Possession limit – six
Light Goose Regular Season
Statewide – Oct. 7-Jan. 3 and Jan. 25-Feb. 9
Daily bag limit – 50; Possession limit – none
Light Goose Conservation Order
East Zone – Feb. 10-April 15
West Zone – Feb. 10-April 5
Rainwater Basin Zone – Feb. 10-April 5
Daily bag and possession limits – none
Crow
Statewide – Oct. 14-Dec. 14 and Jan. 13-March 14
Daily bag and possession limits – none
Falconry
Concurrent with teal, youth and regular duck season dates, plus,
Zone 1 – Feb. 25-March 10
Zone 2 – Low Plains: Feb. 25-March 10; High Plains: Concurrent with all duck season dates in High Plains Zone
Zone 3 – High Plains: Concurrent with all duck season dates in High Plains Zone
Zone 4 – Feb. 25-March 10
Furbearer seasons
Furbearer seasons
Muskrat, beaver
Trap only: Nov. 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023
Badger
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1. 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
Mink
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1 , 2022– Feb. 28, 2023
Bobcat
Hunt and trap: Dec. 1 , 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
Running; no harvest: March 1 , 2022 – Nov. 30, 2022
Raccoon
Hunt only: Sept. 1, 2022 – Oct. 31, 2022
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
Running, no harvest: March 1, 2022 – Aug. 17, 2022
Virginia opossum
Hunt only: Sept. 1, 2022 – Oct. 31, 2022
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
Running, no harvest: March 1, 2022 – Aug. 17, 2022
Striped skunk
Hunt and trap: year-round
Long-tailed weasel
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
Red fox
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
Running, no harvest: March 1, 2022 – Oct. 31, 2022
Gray fox
Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023
River otter
Trap only: Nov. 1, 2022, though Feb. 28, 2023, or earlier; season closes three days after 125th otter has been harvested
Permits are valid only for species-specific season, weapon and unit/area for which was issued.
Permits are not transferable, refundable and cannot be exchanged for another.
