Antelope hunting
The pronghorn is North America’s swiftest land mammal and one of the fastest in the world. Hunting them is one of Nebraska’s most challenging big game experiences.
The pronghorn is North America’s swiftest land mammal and one of the fastest in the world. Its speed, endurance and keen eyesight are well-adapted to the shortgrass prairies and gumbo badlands of the western United States. Although commonly called an antelope, the pronghorn technically is not an antelope but the sole species in a family found only in North America. Herds were at the brink of extinction in Nebraska by 1907 when all hunting seasons were closed. Slow expansion occurred for the next 50 years, and hunting seasons have been held every year since 1958.
Pronghorn occur primarily in northwestern Nebraska and provide hunting opportunity to archers and firearm hunters. Pronghorn hunting is one of Nebraska’s most challenging big game experiences.
About antelope permits
Nonresident opportunity is restricted to statewide archery permits, landowner permits and late doe/fawn, if available. See the Big Game Guide for information on permit drawing and special access permits.
Permit maximums
- Each person is allowed one antelope permit per year.
Permit drawing
- Persons age 12 (before the beginning of the season) and older are eligible to apply for antelope permits.
- All either-sex rifle and muzzleloader antelope permits are DRAW permits and available during the application period to residents, resident landowners and nonresident landowners.
- In lieu of participating in the draw, hunters may purchase one antelope preference point per year during the application period.
- Any forfeited permits may be made available to the next unsuccessful applicant(s), then may go on sale Aug. 6, 2025.
- The antelope drawing is a preference point-based system and those applicants that were unsuccessful are given a preference point toward future drawings, with the exception the nonresident landowners receive 0.9 preference points instead of 1.
- Permits are awarded to applicants with the highest number of points first until permit quota is filled.
- All points are lost once a permit is awarded during the drawing, whether first or second choice.
Unit maps
View and download 2026 antelope maps below. For additional details, view our Public Access Atlas.
Mandatory reporting of harvest
Antelope archers, muzzleloader and late-season hunters must use Telecheck to check in their harvest. The Nebraska Telecheck Program is available by telephone or online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, other than during the nine-day firearm deer season.
Related content
Hunting permits
Purchase hunting, big game and turkey permits, as well as supertags and combo lotteries.
Telecheck
The Nebraska Telecheck Program allows hunters to check deer or antelope by telephone or online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, other than during the nine-day firearm season.
Season dates
With a broad diversity of species and seasons, hunters in Nebraska can have a busy year. Find our comprehensive list of season dates by species.