CONTACT: Jerry Kane
Public Information Officer | jerry.kane@nebraska.gov | 402.471.5008

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved 2022-2023 waterfowl hunting season recommendations at its March 23 meeting in Nebraska City.

Staff recommended opening duck season in zones 2 and 4 a week earlier than the 2021-2022 season. Waterfowl recommendations are developed balancing hunter preferences with chronology of migration, hunter harvest, and hunter participation. Goose hunting dates in the North Central Unit start concurrently with duck season, which was strongly preferred by waterfowl hunters in Zone 2.

The full approved 2022-2023 Nebraska waterfowl orders are:

Early Teal:

Low Plains – Sept. 3-18

High Plains – Sept. 3-11

Daily bag limit – six; Possession limit – 18

Youth Hunt:

Zone 1 – Oct. 8-9

Zone 2 – Sept. 24-25

Zone 3 – Oct. 15-16

Zone 4 – Oct. 15-16

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. 15-Dec. 27

Zone 2 – Oct. 1-Dec. 13 and Jan. 4-25 (High Plains)

Zone 3 – Oct. 22-Jan. 3 and Jan. 4-25 (High Plains)

Zone 4 – Oct. 22-Jan. 3

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. 1-Jan. 13

Daily bag limit – five; Possession limit – 15

White-fronted Goose:

Statewide – Oct. 1-Dec. 11 and Jan. 25-Feb. 9

Daily bag limit – two; Possession limit – six

Light Goose Regular Season:

Statewide – Oct. 1-Dec. 28 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. 15-Dec. 15 and Jan. 13-March 14

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

The commissioners also amended wildlife regulations to create additional purchase periods for big game permits. The result allows resident hunters to buy deer and antelope permits in non-draw management units before nonresidents, giving residents preference over nonresidents.

Staff also gave a report on the state’s first river otter harvest season, which closed in January. The season, which only allows trapping, opened last Nov. 1. It closed three days after the 75th otter was harvested, per Commission order.

Game and Parks’ goal is to manage and maintain healthy, thriving wildlife populations for the long term. The pilot season will provide data about statewide river otter distribution, while continuing to allow the population to expand.

Staff members Gene Hunt of the Parks Division and Mike Remund of the Wildlife Division received 50- and 45-year service awards, respectively, in recognition for their years of service to the State of Nebraska.

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Jerry Kane Public Information Officer | jerry.kane@nebraska.gov | 402.471.5008

Change gives resident deer, antelope hunters preference over nonresidents A regulation change made by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission allows Nebraska hunters to buy deer and antelope permits in non-draw management units before nonresidents. The commissioners, at their March 23 meeting in Nebraska City, amended wildlife regulations to create additional purchase periods for big game permits. The result gives residents preference over nonresidents. Pending final approval by the state, the 2022 big game permit and preference point purchase periods are: Period 1: June 13-24 – Residents and nonresidents may apply for a preference point or one deer permit in the following draw units: Platte Mule Deer Conservation Area, Frenchman MDCA. Residents and eligible landowners may apply for a preference point or one antelope permit in the following draw units: Banner North, Banner South, Box Butte East, Box Butte West, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dismal, Eastern Sandhills Garden, North Sioux, Prairie Muzzleloader and North Sioux Muzzleloader. Results of the draw will be available by July 1. Successful applicants will have until July 15 to complete the purchase of their awarded permits. Awarded but unpaid permits will result in the applicant losing preference points and forfeiting the permit. Forfeited permits may be made available to the next unsuccessful applicant, then go to periods 7 and 8. Period 2: July 11-Close of seasons – Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may buy any unlimited deer and antelope permits. Period 3: July 12-Close of seasons – Residents may buy any limited deer permits. Period 4: July 13-Close of seasons – Residents may buy any limited antelope permits. Period 5: July 25-Close of seasons – Nonresidents may buy any limited deer permits. Period 6: July 26-Close of seasons – Nonresidents may buy any limited antelope permits. Period 7: Aug. 1-Close of seasons – Residents and nonresidents may buy any remaining draw unit deer permits. Period 8: Aug. 2-Close of seasons – Residents, nonresidents and eligible landowners may buy any remaining draw unit antelope permits. Elk permits have separate dates and remain unaffected by this change. All applications begin on the first day of each period at 1 p.m. CDT.