Youth Lifetime Permits and Half-Price Drawings
In an effort to reverse the declining sales of hunting and fishing permits, the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation established its Youth Lifetime Half Price Permit Program. A series of drawings are held at special events and banquets across the state, as well as an annual online drawing. Winners can purchase a lifetime hunting or fishing permit for a Nebraska residents aged 15 or younger at half price. The Foundation, with support from Cabela’s, the Dorothy B. Davis Foundation, and the Hawkins Family, pays the other half of the permit costs.
*NOTE – Lifetime permits do NOT authorize:
- The hunting of big game (deer, antelope, elk, bighorn sheep or wild turkey)
- Commercial fishing
- The taking of any species of fish or game for which the open season is limited to a restricted number of permits
- The taking of any species of fish or game for which the open season is limited to special permits for a restricted area or management unit
Permit types and pricing
| Permit type | Half-price amount for ages 0-15 |
|---|---|
| Lifetime Hunt | $130 (full price: $260) |
| Lifetime Fish | $308 (full price: $616) |
| Lifetime Hunt/Fish | $429 (full price: $859) |
| Lifetime Habitat Stamp | $250 (full price: $500) |
| Lifetime Waterfowl Stamp | $100 (full price: $200) |
| Lifetime Fur Harvest | $110.50 (full price: $221) |
Drawing information
Please see the program rules, permit pricing and FAQs for more information.
Drawing rules
- Drawings are only open to Nebraska residents, age 15 and under.
- Winners can only win one half-priced permit or stamp per drawing.
- You have two weeks from the date of your event to send us the winner’s claim form and payment.
- Unborn children are not eligible. The winner must have a valid Social Security Number at the time of the event.
- Only one child may be entered, per entry form. Youth may enter themselves into a drawing.
- Children of Nebraska Game and Parks employees are eligible.
- Winners’ names will NOT be released to the media or published on the Game and Parks website.
- Youth may enter other lifetime permit drawings at multiple events throughout the year.
- Drawing entry fees are allowed for fundraising purposes.
- There is no purchase necessary to hold a drawing or win.
PLEASE NOTE: If you do not use your permit(s) for any reason, please notify Kristine Wolfe ASAP so they can be reallocated.
2026 Youth Lifetime Permit Drawings
Some 2026 events are still to be determined, and this page will be updated once we have more information. Events listed are also subject to change.
| Event | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Deer & Game Expo | Sandhills Global Event Center, Lincoln | Jan. 16-18 |
| Omaha Boat, Sport and Travel Show | CHI Health Center, Omaha | Feb. 19-22 |
| Cornhusker Trap Shoot *Drawing only open to registered shooters age 15 and under. | Doniphan, NE | May 1-3 |
| Go Fishing Fest | Fort Kearny SRA, Kearney | May 16 |
| Online Choice Drawing | online | Aug. 7-16 |
| Nebraska State Fair | Fairgrounds, Grand Island | Aug. 28-Sept. 7 |
| Missouri River Outdoor Expo | Ponca State Park, Ponca | Sept. 19-20 |
Host a drawing
If your organization is interested in holding a drawing at your event please complete the request form below. Conservation groups or events that are based around outdoor recreation such as hunting, fishing, archery and camping are welcome to apply for this program. The program goal is to increase youth participation in hunting and fishing.
Your request to participate in the program must be received and approved prior to your event. You will receive a confirmation email upon completion of the online request form.
Combo permit drawing FAQs
View frequently asked questions for the Lifetime Hunt/Fish Combo permit below.
You will receive a phone call or email within a few days of the drawing close date. Our Permits staff will contact you at the phone number or email that you included on your entry form.
If your child’s name is not drawn, you will not be contacted. We only contact the winners drawn.
If our Permits staff contacts you as a winner, they will provide the winner claim form and the date that payment is expected to be received (payment is usually expected to be received within two weeks after contact). We accept checks and credit cards for payment.
We cannot by law, post a list of winner names since this is private information of a minor child. If you are chosen as a winner, you will be directly contacted within a week of the drawing ending date.
This online drawing is only for the Lifetime Hunt/Fish Permit – no other permits or stamps are available during this special drawing.
You may enter your child once, but you may also have any other adult enter for your child as well (grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc.). You may also enter multiple children from your family.
Please re-enter your child with the correct information. Game and Parks staff cannot see your entry until the drawing closes (to ensure fairness, we cannot access your entry to edit it). If contacted as winner, our Permits staff will verify all information at that time.
If your entry was successful, you will receive a confirmation email stating we have received your entry. If you have not received a confirmation email, first check your spam folder. If you still do not see an email from Game and Parks staff, please enter once again.
Yes, their permit will always be valid even if they move. So, whether they return as a visitor or move back to Nebraska, their permit will always be valid.
Only one Lifetime Hunt/Fish permit may be purchased at half price.
Contact
For questions or comments regarding youth lifetime permit drawings, please contact Kristine Wolfe.
