Commissioners approve 2026 mountain lion season

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved a 2026 mountain lion hunting season at its Aug. 22 meeting in McCook.

Commissioners approved a season in three hunting units, increasing the harvest limit in one unit while keeping them the same in the other two.

The harvest limit in the Niobrara Unit will be a maximum of six mountain lions, with a sublimit of three females, up from four lions and a sublimit of two females the previous season. The maximum harvest in the Wildcat Hills Unit will remain at three, with a sublimit of two females; and the harvest limit in the Pine Ridge Unit will remain at 12 with a sublimit of six females.

The increased harvest limit for the Niobrara population is based on information showing the population is likely expanding. The Wildcat Hills population is likely significantly reduced compared to the previous season due to a high number of documented mortalities from various causes in that unit, with the limit remaining unchanged due to input from local landowners received by the Commission at the June meeting.

The objective for the Pine Ridge and Niobrara units is to provide a harvest opportunity for mountain lions that allows the population to remain resilient and healthy, while reducing the population in the Pine Ridge and keeping the population stable or slowing growth in the Niobrara Valley. The objective for the Wildcat Hills is to provide a harvest opportunity for mountain lions that will reduce the population.

Season 1 in all three units would take place Jan. 2, 2026, through the end of February. The season would end immediately in a unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit were reached.

Up to 960 permits could be issued by lottery in the Pine Ridge Unit, up to 480 permits in the Niobrara Unit, and up to 240 permits in the Wildcat Hills Unit. Permits are available to residents only.

An auxiliary season that allows the use of dogs would be March 14-31, 2026, if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit were not reached during Season 1 in that unit, and would close immediately if either the limit or female sublimit for the unit is met. A number of permits equal to the number of lions remaining in the limit would be issued by lottery to unsuccessful permit holders from that unit who apply for the auxiliary season.

The commissioners also approved a 2026 bighorn sheep regular hunting season, authorizing one lottery and one auction permit for the Dec. 1-22, 2026, season.

Also, commissioners approved fee increases that include resident and nonresident hunt and fish permits, paddlefish, youth, multiyear, combination, big game, and lottery, application fees, and nonresident aquatic invasive species stamp.

In other business, commissioners:

• approved hunting in some state parks and state historical parks for the 2025 seasons; a list may be found at OutdoorNebraska.gov by searching “state park hunting”;
• renamed the 703-acre Twin Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Rock County the Nick Lyman Wildlife Management Area in honor of the former Game and Parks waterfowl biologist for his 40 years of service to waterfowl conservation and management;
• approved the Bighorn Sheep Restoration Facility Plan, a plan to construct a series of pens to hold bighorn sheep to test and monitor for disease so that healthy sheep can eventually be moved back to the wild; and
• approved the third edition of the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan, the state’s wildlife action plan, to conserve species of greatest conservation need and keep common species common.

Staff also gave the following updates:

• Fisheries Division staff gave an update on partnerships and collaborations for fisheries management of Nebraska’s public water bodies and on outreach in urban and rural communities;
• introduced the southwest district south subdistrict law enforcement team, including Sgt. Kelsey Glodowski, Sophia Gobber, Tyler Adelman, and Bryce Streger, who were in attendance; and
• an overview of events commemorating the 30^th anniversary of the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail.

Carol Schlegel, of McCook/Red Willow County Visitors Bureau, was presented with a Prominent Partner Award for her exceptional contributions to ecotourism, outdoor recreation and conservation.