Commissioners to consider 2024-2025 waterfowl recommendations

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider 2024-2025 waterfowl hunting season recommendations at its March 8 meeting in Hastings.

The meeting begins at 8 a.m. at the Hastings Convention Center, 2205 Osborne Drive E.

Staff will recommend creating a Veteran and Active-Duty Military waterfowl hunting season that would run concurrently with the Youth Hunting season. Participants would include veterans as defined in Section 101 of Title 38, United States Code, and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training).

The 2024-2025 Nebraska waterfowl recommendations are:

Early Teal:

Low Plains – Sept. 7-22

High Plains – Sept. 7-15

Daily bag limit – six; Possession limit – 18

Youth Hunt:

Zone 1 – Oct. 5-6

Zone 2 – Sept. 28-29

Zone 3 – Oct. 19-20

Zone 4 – Oct. 12-13

Daily bag – Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions; Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex; Possession limit – three times the daily bag limit

Veteran and Active-Duty Military:

Zone 1 – Oct. 5-6

Zone 2 – Sept. 28-29

Zone 3 – Oct. 19-20

Zone 4 – Oct. 12-13

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. 12-Dec. 24

Zone 2 – Oct. 5-Dec. 17 and Jan. 8-29 (High Plains)

Zone 3 – Oct. 26-Jan. 7 and Jan. 8-29 (High Plains)

Zone 4 – Oct. 19-Dec. 31

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. 5-Jan. 17

Daily bag limit – five; Possession limit – 15

White-fronted Goose:

Statewide – Oct. 5-Dec. 15 and Jan. 25-Feb. 9

Daily bag limit – two; Possession limit – six

Light Goose Regular Season:

Statewide – Oct. 5-Jan. 1 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. 12-Dec. 12 and Jan. 11-March 13

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

In other business, commissioners will consider:

• wildlife regulation changes regarding threatened and endangered species, to reflect the changes in federal listing status to the interior least tern, northern long-eared bat, Colorado butterfly plant, eastern black rail, and American burying beetle;
• a staff recommendation to approve a Board Resolution to sign the project agreement for the Transportation Alternatives Program, which would fund the surfacing of the Cowboy Trail from Rushville in Sheridan County to mile marker 400 near Chadron; and
• a staff recommendation to approve the acquisition of 11 acres in Holt County as an addition to the O. Johnson Emerson Wildlife Management Area.

In addition, commissioners will hear reports on a Lake McConaughy creel survey and Game and Parks permit sales for 2023.

To view a complete agenda, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for Public Notices.