Hunting seasons

• Archery: Sept. 1-Dec. 31, 2026
• Special Landowner: Nov. 7-9, 2026
• November firearm: Nov. 14-22, 2026
• Muzzleloader: Dec. 1-31, 2026
• October River Antlerless Firearm: Oct. 1-15, 2026
• River Antlerless Late Firearm: Jan. 1-15, 2027
• Antlerless Only Season Choice: Sept. 1, 2026-Jan. 15, 2027
• Limited Landowner: Sept. 1, 2026-Jan. 15, 2027
• Late Antlerless Only Firearm: Jan. 1-15, 2027

• Archery: Aug. 20-Dec. 31, 2026
• Muzzleloader: Sept. 19-Oct. 4, 2026
• Firearm: Oct. 10-25, 2026
• November late doe/fawn: Nov. 1, 2026-Jan. 31, 2027

• Archery bull: Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2026
• Firearm bull: Sept. 21-Oct. 31, 2026
• Early Antlerless: Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2026
• Late Antlerless: Nov. 1, 2026-Jan. 31, 2027

• Regular lottery season dates: Dec. 1-22, 2026

• Spring archery: March 25-May 31, 2026
• Spring youth shotgun: April 11-May 31, 2026
• Spring shotgun: April 18-May 31, 2026
• Fall youth archery and shotgun: Oct. 1-Nov. 30, 2026
• Fall archery and shotgun: Oct. 1-Nov. 30, 2026

Reminders

• Hunters may purchase up to two spring permits.
• A hunter may harvest no more than one turkey per calendar day during the spring season.
• Hunters may purchase up to one fall permit.
• All turkey harvests must be reported via Telecheck.

Season 1 in all three units began on Jan. 2, 2026 and ended Feb. 28, 2026. The season shall immediately close if either the season harvest limit or female sublimit is reached before Feb. 28, 2026.

An auxiliary season was held in the Pine Ridge Unit March 14 and ended March 16, 2026 when the unit limit was reached.

Find application and draw dates by species on our Big Game Permit and Application page. Landowners can find permit application and draw dates on our Landowner Permit page.

• Pheasant, quail and partridge: Oct. 31, 2026-Jan. 31, 2027
• Prairie grouse: Sept. 1, 2026-Jan. 31, 2027
  • *special permit required east of U.S. 81
• Youth pheasant, quail and partridge: Oct. 24-25, 2026

• Dove (incudes mourning, white-winged, and Eurasian collared-doves): Sept. 1-Oct. 30, 2026
• Eurasian collared-dove (not including mourning and white-winged): Year-round
• Snipe: Sept. 1-Dec. 16, 2026
• Rail (includes Virginia and sora rail): Sept. 1-Nov. 9, 2026
• Woodcock: Oct. 3-Nov. 16, 2026
• Crow: Oct. 10-Dec. 10, 2026; Jan. 9-March 11, 2027

• Squirrel: Aug. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
• Cottontail: Sept. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
• Jackrabbit: Sept. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
  • Allowed west of U.S. 81 only

• North Central unit: Oct. 3, 2026-Jan. 15, 2027
• Platte River unit: Oct. 28, 2026-Feb. 9, 2027
• Niobrara unit: Oct. 28, 2026-Feb. 9, 2027
• Daily bag limit: 5; possession limit: 15

• Statewide: Oct. 17-Dec. 27, 2026; Jan. 25-Feb. 9, 2027
• Daily bag limit: 2; possession limit: 6

• Statewide: Oct. 3-Dec. 30, 2026; Jan. 25-Feb. 9, 2027
• Daily bag limit: 50; possession limit: none

• East zone: Feb. 10-April 15, 2027
• West zone: Feb. 10-April 5, 2027
• Rainwater Basin zone: Feb. 10-April 5, 2027
• Daily bag & possession limits: none

*For special regulations see the Waterfowl Guide

• Low plains: Sept. 5-13, 2026
• High plains: Sept. 5-13, 2026
• Daily bag limit: 6; possession limit: 18

• Zone 1: Oct. 24-Dec. 6, 2026 and Dec. 19, 2026-Jan. 17, 2027 
• Zone 2: Oct. 3-Dec. 15, 2026; and Jan. 6-27, 2027 (High Plains)
• Zone 3: (High Plains) Oct. 24, 2026-Jan. 5, 2027 and Jan. 6-27, 2027
• Daily bag
  • Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions;
  • Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex;
  • Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit

• Zone 1: Oct. 17-18, 2026
• Zone 2: Sept. 26-27, 2026
• Zones 3: Oct. 17-18, 2026

Daily bag limits:

• Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions;
• Tier 2: three ducks, any species, any sex;
• Possession limit: three times the daily bag limit

• Zone 1: Oct. 17-18, 2026
• Zone 2: Sept. 26-27, 2026
• Zones 3: Oct. 17-18, 2026

Daily bag limits:

• Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions;
• Tier 2: three ducks, any species, any sex;
• Possession limit: three times the daily bag limit

Concurrent with teal, youth and regular duck season dates, plus:

• Zone 1: Feb. 25-March 10, 2027
• Zone 2:
  • Low Plains: Feb. 25-March 10, 2027
  • 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

• Muskrat, beaver: Trap only: Nov. 1, 2026-March 31, 2027
• Badger: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
• Mink: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
• Bobcat:
  • Hunt and trap: Dec. 1 , 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
  • Running; no harvest: March 1, 2026-Nov. 30, 2027
• Raccoon:
  • Hunt only: Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2026
  • Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
  • Running, no harvest: March 1-Aug. 17, 2026
• Virginia opossum:
  • Hunt only: Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2026
  • Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
  • Running, no harvest: March 1-Aug. 17, 2026
• Striped skunk: Hunt and trap: year-round
• Long-tailed weasel: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
• Red fox:
  • Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
  • Running, no harvest: March 1-Oct. 31, 2026
• Gray fox: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027
• River otter: Trap only: Nov. 1, 2026, though Feb. 28, 2027. Only one river otter may be harvested per season, per valid permit holder.

The following nongame species may be hunted statewide, year-round in Nebraska with no bag or possession limits:

• Coyotes
• Porcupines
• Prairie dogs
• Woodchucks

NOTE: Residents do not need a permit to hunt these species, but nonresidents must have a hunt (small game) permit. A Habitat Stamp is not required.