Nebraska Game and Parks
Mountain Lion Permit Lottery
Nebraska Game and Parks LINCOLN, Neb.
Deer Exchange
Nebraskans who want to donate or receive harvested deer can participate in the Deer Exchange.
This program is designed to accommodate the additional harvest of deer. It brings together hunters who have a surplus of deer with recipients willing to accept the deer meat.
The Deer Exchange, which is available annually from Sept. 1 through March 1, allows hunters and potential venison recipients to join a database and search for other participating parties in their area. Parties will work out the details of the transfer. While the venison cannot be sold, recipients may pay for the processing or butchering of the meat. Donors and recipients can register online for free.
Recipients will have the choice of accepting whole field dressed deer, skinned and boned deer, wrapped and frozen deer or processed meat. Donors are responsible for properly field dressing and checking deer at a check station before transfer.
When transferring game animals, the hunter must provide the following information on a transfer tag: name, phone number, permit number or seal number, estimated weight of meat (in pounds), species of animal, date taken, signature of donor and name of recipient. A transfer tag is available on page 36 of the 2020 Big Game Guide. Go to OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides.
To join the Deer Exchange or view participants, visit OutdoorNebraska. gov/ deer exchange program. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is accepting lottery applications for mountain lion permits Nov. 2 – Dec. 9, 2020, for the 2021 hunting season.
Permits are available only to Nebraska residents, who may have one permit per calendar year. The bag limit for each permit is one mountain lion of either sex.
The 2021 Season 1 in the Pine Ridge Unit, which no longer is divided into subunits, will be Jan. 2-Feb. 28. Before Feb. 28, the season will close immediately if either the annual harvest limit of four mountain lions or sublimit of two female mountain lions is reached. There will be 320 permits issued and hunting with dogs will not be allowed.
If the harvest limit is not reached in Season 1, an Auxiliary Season will be held March 13-31. The season will close immediately if either the harvest limit or sublimit is reached. Unsuccessful Season 1 hunters may apply to convert the permit to an Auxiliary Season permit. There will be one permit issued for each mountain lion remaining in the harvest limit. Hunting with dogs will be allowed.
Applications will be accepted from 1 p.m. Central time Nov. 2 through 5 p.m. (11:59 p.m. if applying online) Dec. 9. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org to apply online or download an application at OutdoorNebraska.gov/mountainlionhunting. A $15 nonrefundable application fee must be submitted with each application.
A harvest will allow the mountain lion population to remain resilient and healthy, while halting growth or moderately reducing the population size. This will reduce the population density in the Pine Ridge to one similar to that of other states that allow mountain lion hunting.
To read more mountain lion hunting regulations, go to OutdoorNebraska. gov/mountainlionhunting.
November firearm deer harvest slightly lower than last year
Preliminary Nebraska deer check-in numbers indicate statewide harvest is down 3 percent compared to 2019 for the November firearm season. During the nine-day season, 42,024 deer were harvested, compared to 43,418 in 2019.
While the statewide trend was comparable to previous years, regions of the state varied. Deer harvest in southeast Nebraska was up 7percent from 2019, while southwest Nebraska was down 10percent. The northwest and northeast districts were down slightly at 2percent to 3percent each.
Mule deer buck harvest decreased 17percent, with 5,990 taken, compared to 7,201 in 2019. Whitetail buck harvest was down slightly, with 23,814 taken compared to 24,301 in 2019. Antlerless mule deer harvest was down 15percent, while antlerless white-tailed deer harvest increased 5percent compared to 2019.
“Many factors can be related to the variations in numbers of checked deer,” said Luke Meduna, big game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Considering the increases in antlerless harvest in the southwest due to depredation complaints over the past few years, it’s not surprising harvest numbers would start trending downward at some point. In contrast, deer numbers in southeast Nebraska have been inching upward in recent years, and we’re seeing that in our harvest.”
One major change for the 2020 November firearm season was the use of Telecheck for all deer harvested. (Archery, muzzleloader and late firearm hunters have used Telecheck for nearly 10 years.) Due to COVID-19-related concerns, Game and Parks did not operate in-person check stations this year.
“Our hunters adapted quickly and did a great job at utilizing the Telecheck system,” Meduna said. Game and Parks plans to go back to in-person check stations for the 2021 November firearm season.
Archery season closes Dec. 31, while muzzleloader season is Dec. 1-31. The late antlerless season will run Jan. 1-15.
Hunters are reminded that mule deer does are protected in many management units and public lands across the state. Refer to the 2020 Big Game Guide for details or view it at Outdoor-Nebraska/ org/guides.
Hunters wishing to donate venison can use the Deer Exchange program. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for more details.
Virtual big game presentations
Join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in December for a virtual discussion on big game management via Zoom. Presentations will be held for the northeast district on Dec. 15, southeast on Dec. 16, southwest on Dec. 17 and northwest on Dec. 18. All times will be Central, except the northwest will be Mountain. Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/ deer to register.