Bighorn Sheep Lottery
The bighorn sheep lotteries, open only to Nebraska residents, offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a bighorn sheep ram.
Since Game and Parks began making permits available, approximately $1.4 million has been raised from the permit auctions and lottery permits. These proceeds are critical to the continued success of bighorn sheep conservation efforts in Nebraska and made it possible to return bighorn sheep to some of their native ranges in the Panhandle.
Management season lottery
New in 2025, this hunt is intended to balance the current ram-ewe ratio and provide Nebraska residents with additional hunting opportunity. Two permits will be issued to Nebraska residents for the March 1-31, 2025, season, which will take place in portions of Scotts Bluff and Banner counties. A pre-hunt orientation is required. Guide service will be provided by Game and Parks. The need for a season will be evaluated annually following the hunt, when recommendations would be made.
The bag limit is one male bighorn sheep that is half curl or less. Half curl is defined as having at least one “unbroomed” horn that does not extend past an imaginary line beginning at the point on the animal’s forehead where the front of the horn base joins the skull and continuing down and in a rear direction through the back edge of the eye. A “broomed” horn is defined as a sheep horn that has been broken, splintered, frayed or rubbed in the wild, thus shortening its length and disrupting its natural taper.
Application information
- Applications will be accepted between Dec. 31, 2024, after 1 p.m. CT and Jan. 13, 2025, before 11:59 p.m. CT.
- Applications can be submitted through the online permit system, at any Game and Parks district office locations, or over the phone at 402-471-1985 (until 5 p.m. CT on Jan. 13), during the application period.
- All applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable lottery application fee of $29.
- Hunters drawn for the permit would not be able to apply for another bighorn sheep lottery permit again in their lifetime.
- The permit is not transferable.
- Only Nebraska residents 12 years and older are eligible to apply.
Regular season lottery
The regular bighorn sheep lottery season, which occurs in December, offers Nebraska residents the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a full-curl ram. The winner of the lottery permit will receive up to four days of free guide service from Game and Parks staff and up to four days and nights of meals and lodging at Fort Robinson State Park.
Application information
- Application for the upcoming regular season will be accepted in the Lincoln office or via the online permit system between April 21, 2025, after 1 p.m. CST and Aug. 1, 2025, before 5 p.m. CST.
- Only one application per calendar year may be submitted.
- All applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable lottery application fee of $29.
- Only Nebraska residents are eligible to apply.
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