CRAWFORD, Neb. — Nebraska’s deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons are set for this fall.
The State Game and Parks Commission approved staff recommendations for the seasons during its Thursday meeting at Fort Robinson State Park. Among the changes from last year:
Deer
1,550 buck permits added in the Calamus East, Frenchman, Keya Paha, Loup East, Loup West, Plains, Platte and Sandhills units.
700 buck permits removed from the Blue Northwest and Wahoo units.
750 any-deer permits removed and 550 whitetail permits added in the Pine Ridge Unit.
855 doe permits added in the Buffalo, Calamus East, Calamus West, Frenchman, Plains, Platte, Sandhills and Upper Platte units.
1,200 doe permits removed from the Blue Northwest, Elkhorn and Wahoo units.
Antelope
Seven either-sex and 80 doe/fawn antelope permits added.
Increased doe/fawn permits in Banner North Late (30 permits), Cheyenne (30) and North Sioux Late (20) units.
Expanded Cheyenne Late season to entire unit.
Elk
350 elk permits authorized (119 bull and 231 cow).
12 cow elk permits added and three bull elk permits removed in the North Platte River Unit.
Six cow elk and three bull elk permits added in the Niobrara Unit.
Three bull elk permits added in the Box Elder Unit.
The 2018 big game season dates:
Deer: archery, Sept. 1-Dec. 31; firearm, Nov. 10-18; muzzleloader, Dec. 1-31; antlerless late season, Jan. 1-15, 2019; DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge muzzleloader, Oct. 27-28 and Dec. 8-9; Mule Deer Conservation Area, Nov. 10-18 and Dec. 1-31; Season Choice Antlerless, Sept. 1-Jan. 15, 2019; River Antlerless, Sept. 1-Jan. 15, 2019; youth, Sept. 1-Jan. 15, 2019; landowner, Sept. 1-Jan. 15, 2019.
Antelope: archery, Aug. 20-Dec. 31; muzzleloader, Sept. 15-30; firearm, Oct. 13-28; doe/fawn late season, Nov. 1-Jan. 31, 2019.
Elk: archery bull, Sept. 1-Oct. 31; firearm bull, Sept. 21-Oct. 31; private land cow, Aug. 15-Oct. 31 and Dec. 1-Jan. 15, 2019; public land cow, Sept. 21-Oct. 31 and Dec. 1-Jan. 15, 2019.
Regulations in a first step for a future peregrine falcon trapping season were created. Licensed falconers have the opportunity to capture a limited number of migrant juvenile peregrines during a short period in fall. Captured birds would be trained and used in falconry.
