Below is a news release from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved recommendations for 2025 deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons at its meeting April 18 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park.
Commissioners approved staff recommendations that will help the agency meet management goals for big game populations. Management goals take into consideration population and harvest data, as well as input from hunters, landowners, and the public, with the goal of maintaining long-term opportunities and access for hunters.
Adopted changes to Commission orders pertaining to big game hunting include:
- reducing 10 general either-sex and 30 general doe/fawn antelope permits overall,
- reducing eight bull and 44 antlerless elk permits overall,
- reducing available November Firearm permits by 2% and Antlerless Only Season Choice permits by 4% overall,
- reducing River Antlerless permits by 33% and reducing the area open for hunting with River Antlerless permits by 45%,
- correcting the boundary description for Elk Management Unit 4.
The approved 2025 big game season dates are:
Elk:
Archery bull – Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2025; Firearm bull – Sept. 21-Oct. 31, 2025; Antlerless – Aug. 1-Jan. 31, 2026; Antlerless, Private Land Only – Aug. 1-Sept. 20, 2025; Early General Antlerless – Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2025; Late General Antlerless – Nov. 1-Jan. 31, 2026
Deer:
Archery – Sept. 1-Dec. 31, 2025; November Firearm – Nov. 15-23 (nine consecutive days starting on the Saturday closest to Nov. 13), 2025; Muzzleloader – Dec. 1-31, 2025; Late Antlerless Only Firearm – Jan. 1-15, 2026; October River Antlerless Firearm – Oct. 1-15, 2025
Antelope:
Archery – Aug. 20-Dec. 31, 2025; Muzzleloader – Sept. 20-Oct. 4, 2025; Firearm – Oct. 11-26, 2025; Late doe/fawn – Nov. 1, 2025-Jan. 31, 2026
(Photo credit: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission)