Nebraska Hunting 2025

Nebraska has migrated some of their over-the-counter hunting permits to a draw for non-residents. Nebraska applications may be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline day of June 1st. Over-the-counter first-come, first-serve permits are available beginning on July 23rd. Draw results will be available on or before June 21st.

Nebraska Hunting Draw Details

Nebraska runs a pure preference point system. First and second choices are considered on an application before moving on to the next applicant during the draw. All points are lost once a permit is awarded during the draw. Permits not paid for and claimed by the successful applicant may be offered to the next applicant in the draw order. Any permits undrawn may carry over to the open purchase periods.

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Nebraska Hunting Fees

To apply for the draw deer or antelope permits, non-residents must pay the non-refundable application fee. If successful in the draw, a habitat stamp and associated permit fee must be paid to claim the permit. Applicants who do not claim their permit will forfeit their preference points and the permit will be offered to an alternate. Permits must be claimed by July 8th or they will be forfeited.

Nebraska Hunter Requirements

Hunter education is required in Nebraska for all hunters ages 12-29 who hunt any game species with a firearm. They must carry proof of successful completion of the course while hunting. Bowhunter education is required in Nebraska for all hunters ages 12-29 who hunt big game with a bow or crossbow, and they must carry proof of completion of the course while hunting. Habitat stamps are required for all non-resident hunters, youth and adults.

Hunter orange is required for all rifle and muzzleloader hunters. It is also required to be worn by all archery hunters hunting during the open firearm seasons.

Nebraska Hunting Age Restrictions

The minimum age to hunt is 10 years old for a deer permit and 12 years old for an antelope permit. Hunters who are 15 years old or younger must be accompanied by a licensed hunter who is 19 years or older. Youth may apply for a draw unit permit at age 9 as long as they turn 10 by the start of the season. Youth age 15 may hunt with over-the-counter permits as long as they are 15 years old when they apply and are still 15 years old on September 1st.

Nebraska Hunting Point Structure

Nebraska uses a pure preference point system for all of the draw permits offered to non-residents. All of the available permits will be drawn by those with the most points from the highest level applicant who applied to the bottom level until all permits have been awarded. Points are never purged.

Nebraska Hunting Draw Odds

The draw odds listed in this section are based on the preference point draw at a specific point level. Those applicants with more points than listed in the draw odds column would have had 100% draw odds.

Party Applications

Party (buddy) applications are allowed with a maximum size of six. Residents and non-residents cannot apply together. The application is given the preference point number of the lowest member in the group. Nebraska will not over-allocate permits.

Nebraska Hunting Youth Information

Resident and non-resident youth hunters ages 10-15 are eligible for the youth whitetail deer permit and restricted deer permit. Both permits allow hunters to hunt statewide, but the non-resident restricted youth permits are not valid in the Frenchman or Platte units. Youth can use them in the archery, muzzleloader, and rifle seasons and can harvest one buck of either sex. All resident and non-resident youth deer permits are only $8. Youth ages 12-15 are eligible for youth archery antelope permits, which only cost $8. This permit allows hunters to hunt statewide during the archery antelope season dates.

Nebraska Hunting Weapon Restrictions

During archery season, no extra authorization is required to use crossbows with a 125 lb. minimum draw weight. All broadheads must have a blade width at least a 7/16-inch radius cutting diameter. For muzzleloader hunts, all muzzleloading rifles are legal for deer and antelope, providing they are at least .44 caliber. Magnifying and variable power scopes are legal.

Refunds/Returns/Transfers

Permits may not be transferred or exchanged, and they are non-refundable.

Harvest Reporting

Harvest reporting is mandatory in Nebraska and can be done at a check-in location or via Telecheck. Seal numbers will be provided and must be attached to the antlers and the carcass. All deer and antelope must be checked before the carcass leaves the state. For more information about checking your animals, see the 2025 Nebraska Big Game Guide.

Access

Most of the public land is USFS land along with other public access areas that are open to hunting in the form of walk-in hunting and state wildlife management areas. Certain restrictions apply to these lands and can be reviewed on Nebraska’s website at http://outdoornebraska.gov/wheretohunt/.

Nebraska offers a Public Access Atlas list on their website that lists more than 300 publicly owned areas. All State Parks, Reserves, and state refuges are closed to hunting unless otherwise posted as open.

Nebraska also offers an Open Fields and Waters Program that has over 380,000 acres of private land enrolled to walk-in hunting access across the state. Some wildlife refuges, state parks, and wildlife management areas have their own special access permits and details in the 2025 Big Game Guide for more information.