Deer Hunting Regulations
New for 2023
DEER
Mule Deer Conservation Area – Archery season is included on all Mule Deer Conservation Area permits, making them valid during the archery, November firearm and muzzleloader seasons.
Antlerless mule deer restriction – Antlerless mule deer harvest is prohibited statewide on all lands open to public hunting, except land in the Open Fields and Waters Program.
Nonresident permit quotas – Nonresidents will be limited to 10,000 either-sex or buck-only permits; landowner and youth permits are excluded. Nonresidents now will be limited to 15% of the total permit allocations for Calamus West, Plains, Sandhills and Upper Platte November Firearm and Frenchman MDCA permits.
Nonresident Statewide Archery – The permit quota is reduced to 3,000, and the permit no longer is valid for mule deer in the Mule Deer Conservation Area.
Nonresident Statewide Muzzleloader – The permit quota is reduced to 1,000.
Pine Ridge MDCA – This has been changed to a "draw" permit. Interested hunters should apply during the June application period. See page 6.
LANDOWNER PERMITS
New Permit System – There are significant changes within the permit system that affect landowner permits. Lands and Immediate Family are associated with each Qualifying Landowner and listed only on the Qualifying Landowner’s profile. Land also will be identified through Parcel Number instead of legal descriptions. See OutdoorNebraska.gov and search "landowner permits" for details.
Special Landowner Deer – The Special Landowner Deer permit will be available to be purchased online through the new permit system starting in 2023.
NIGHT-VISION SCOPES
It is unlawful to possess night-vision scopes while hunting game animals and game birds.
2023 FORECAST
2022 saw significant declines in whitetail and mule deer harvests. Statewide, mule deer buck harvest in 2022 was the lowest since 1981. There havebeen significant reductions in permit quotas and bag limits across much of the state. Read the permit details so you are aware of these changes aheadof your hunting season.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF DEER
- Buck – A deer having at least one antler 6 inches or more in length.
- Antlerless – A deer with no antlers or antlers less than 6 inches in length.
PERMIT MAXIMUMS
Individuals may only have two permits that allow the harvest of a buck per year. Beyond unit quotas, there is no individual limit to the number ofantlerless permits.
“SEASON CHOICE” EXPLAINED
Many permits utilize a “season choice” format. These permits are valid for the entire season and the method of take is open to the legal method of thecurrent open season, which includes Archery, November Firearm, Muzzleloader and may include Late Firearm Antlerless. Landowner, Youth, Statewide Whitetail Buck, Antlerless Only and River Antlerless permits all follow this format of allowing hunters their choice of weapon based on theopen season. The Special Landowner Season is not considered an "open" season for permits of this format. Follow the season dates on the permit.
PERMIT DRAWING
- Frenchman MDCA, Pine Ridge MDCA and Platte MDCA permits are DRAW units and available during the application period.
- The deer drawing is a preference point-based system, and those applicants who were unsuccessful are given a preference point towardfuture drawings.
- In lieu of participating in the draw, hunters may purchase one deer preference point per year during the application period.
- Permits are awarded to applicants with the highest number of points first until the permit quota is filled.
- All points are lost once a permit is awarded during the drawing, whether first or second choice.
- Draw results from previous years can be found at OutdoorNebraska.gov.
- Any forfeited permits may be made available to the next unsuccessful applicant(s), then may go on sale Aug. 7, 2023.
NONRESIDENT EITHER-SEX/BUCK-ONLY PERMIT QUOTA
Nonresidents will be limited to 10,000 either-sex or buck-only permits; landowner and youth permits are excluded. No more than 3,000 Archeryand 1,000 Muzzleloader permits will be sold to nonresidents.
STATEWIDE DEER | |||||
Statewide permits are valid statewide for the bag limit and season dates listed. Restrictions are noted. | |||||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Season Dates | Special Unit Restrictions | Permit Fee (R/NR) |
Statewide Archery | R - UNL | 1 AD | Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 | Yes, see page 18 | $37/$285 |
NR - 3,000 | 1 AD* | ||||
Statewide Muzzleloader | R - UNL | 1 AD* | Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 | Yes, see page 18 | $37/$285 |
NR - 1,000 | |||||
Statewide Whitetail Buck | 8,000 | 1 WT Buck | Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 Firearm: Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 | No | $88/$707 |
Restricted Statewide Buck | 1,000 | 1 Buck | Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 | Not valid for MD in MDCA | $128/$698 |
Statewide Buck | R - 70 | 1 Buck | Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 | No | $173/$938 |
NR - 30 | |||||
* a mule deer may not be taken in the Mule Deer Conservation Area Antlerless mule deer may not be taken on lands open to public hunting, except Open Fields andWaters lands. |
YOUTH DEER | ||||
Youth permits are valid statewide for the bag limit and season dates listed. Restrictions are noted. | ||||
Permit Fee | Resident: $8 Nonresident: $8 | |||
Season Dates | Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 November Firearm: Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 Late Firearm Antlerless: Jan. 1 – 15, 2024 (antlerless only) | |||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | |
Resident Youth | UNL | 1 AD | Yes, see page 18 | |
NR Restricted Youth | UNL | 1 AD | Yes, see page 18; Not valid in Frenchman, Pine Ridge orPlatte units. | |
Youth Whitetail | UNL | 1 WT | Yes, see page 18 | |
RESTRICTIONS:
Permit Limit: Youth may have two permits, but only one may allow the harvest of a mule deer. Habitat Stamp: Required for nonresident youth. NR Restricted Youth is not valid in Frenchman, Pine Ridge or Platte management units.
|
NOVEMBER FIREARM | |||||
November Firearm season permits are issued on a management unit basis and are valid for the bag limit and season dates listed. Restrictions are noted. | |||||
Permit Fee | Resident: $37 Nonresident: $285 | ||||
Season Dates | November Firearm: Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 | ||||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | 2022 Sell-Out Date | |
Blue Northwest | 2,400 | 1 AD | No | Nov. 2, 2022 | |
Blue Southeast | 3,700 | 1 AD | No | Nov. 7, 2022 | |
Buffalo WT | 1,800 | 1 WT | No | Nov. 12, 2022 | |
Calamus East | 1,200 | 1 AD2 | No | DNS | |
Calamus West * | 1,600 | 1 AD2, 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Nov. 11, 2022 | |
Elkhorn | 2,700 | 1 AD | No | Nov. 1, 2022 | |
Frenchman WT | 1,000 | 1 WT | Yes, see page 18 | Oct. 26, 2022 | |
Keya Paha | 2,500 | 1 AD2, 2 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Loup East | 3,000 | 1 AD2, 2 AOWT | No | Nov. 12, 2022 | |
Loup West | 1,000 | 1 AD2 | No | Oct. 31, 2022 | |
Loup West WT | 800 | 1 WT | No | DNS | |
Missouri | 3,200 | 1 AD | No | Nov. 11, 2022 | |
Pine Ridge WT | 1,000 | 1 WT | No | Nov. 7, 2022 | |
Plains * | 1,000 | 1 AD2, 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Nov. 12, 2022 | |
Plains WT | 300 | 1 WT, 2 AOWT | No | New in 2023 | |
Platte WT | 900 | 1 WT | No | Nov. 11, 2022 | |
Republican WT | 2,500 | 1 WT | No | Nov. 3, 2022 | |
Sandhills * | 1,500 | 1 AD2, 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Sept. 10, 2022 | |
Sandhills WT | 500 | 1 WT, 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Nov. 16, 2022 | |
Upper Platte * | 1,000 | 1 AD2 | No | Oct. 19, 2022 | |
Wahoo | 3,800 | 1 AD | No | Nov. 6, 2022 | |
RESTRICTIONS: See page 18 for special unit restrictions. See page 30 for special access permit areas and the Public Access Atlas for access details.
* 15% nonresident permit allocation |
TABLE ABBREVIATIONS:
R – Resident
AD – Any deer/any mule deer or whitetail
NR – Nonresident
AO – Antlerless Only
AD2 – Any deer except antlerless mule deer
AOSC – Antlerless Only Season Choice
MDCA – Mule Deer Conservation Area
WT – Whitetail Deer
AOWT – Antlerless Only Whitetail
MD – Mule Deer
DNS – Did Not Sell Out
UNL – Unlimited
ANTLERLESS ONLY SEASON CHOICE | |||||
These permits are issued on a management unit basis and valid for the bag limit and season dates listed. | |||||
Permit Fee | Resident: $37 Nonresident: $82 | ||||
Season Dates | Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 November Firearm: Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 Late Firearm Antlerless: Jan. 1 – 15, 2024 | ||||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | 2022 Sell-Out Date | |
Blue NW AOSC | 2,200 | 1 AOWT | No | Dec. 31, 2022 | |
Blue SE AOSC | 2,400 | 1 AOWT | No | Dec. 12, 2022 | |
Buffalo AOSC | 1,000 | 2 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Buffalo North AOSC | 50 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | No | Nov. 19, 2022 | |
Calamus East AOSC | 200 | 1 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Calamus West AOSC | 200 | 3 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | DNS | |
Elkhorn AOSC | 250 | 1 AOWT | No | Aug. 11, 2022 | |
Elkhorn West AOSC | 350 | 1 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Frenchman AOSC | 75 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | July 13, 2022 | |
Frenchman No. WT AOSC | 500 | 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Dec. 12, 2022 | |
Frenchman So. WT AOSC | 200 | 1 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Nov. 9, 2022 | |
Frenchman West AOSC | 250 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Sept. 8, 2022 | |
Southwest Res. AOSC | 100 | 1 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Keya Paha AOSC | 500 | 3 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Loup East AOSC | 1,500 | 3 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Loup West AOSC | 100 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | No | Nov. 11, 2022 | |
Loup West WT AOSC | 300 | 2 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Missouri AOSC | 1,000 | 1 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Pine Ridge AOSC | 100 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Aug. 21, 2022 | |
Pine Ridge WT AOSC | 600 | 2 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Plains AOSC | 100 | 1 AO, 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | Nov. 7, 2022 | |
Plains WT AOSC | 300 | 3 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Platte AOSC | 100 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | No | Aug. 12, 2022 | |
Platte WT AOSC | 400 | 2 AOWT | No | Dec. 7, 2022 | |
Platte North AOSC | 200 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | No | Oct. 27, 2022 | |
Republican AOSC | 1,200 | 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | DNS | |
Harlan County Res. AOSC | 100 | 2 AOWT | No | Aug. 1, 2022 | |
Sandhills AOSC | 100 | 1 AO, 2 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | DNS | |
Sandhills WT AOSC | 300 | 3 AOWT | Yes, see page 18 | DNS | |
Upper Platte AOSC | 100 | 1 AO, 1 AOWT | No | Sept. 2, 2022 | |
Upper Platte WT AOSC | 200 | 2 AOWT | No | DNS | |
Wahoo AOSC | 1,900 | 1 AOWT | No | Nov. 16, 2022 | |
RESTRICTIONS:
Antlerless mule deer may not be taken on lands open to public hunting, except Open Fields and Waters lands.
|
MULE DEER CONSERVATION AREA | ||||
Mule deer populations have declined in some units due to habitat conversion to row crops andbrainworm disease. Those issues and increased demand for mule deer permits required achange to permit structure in 2012. The Mule Deer Conservation Area comprises the Buffalo,Frenchman, Platte, Pine Ridge and Republican deer management units. | ||||
Permit Fee | Resident: $44* Nonresident: $292* *Includes $7 nonrefundable application fee for draw permits | |||
Season Dates | Firearm: Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 | |||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | 2022 Sell-Out Date |
Buffalo MDCA | 1,000 | 1 AD2, 1 AOWT | Yes, see below | Aug. 1, 2022 |
Frenchman MDCA | 1,400 | 1 AD2 1 AOWT | Yes, see below | Draw |
Pine Ridge MDCA | 1,200 | 1 AD2 | Yes, see below | Draw |
Platte MDCA | 900 | 1 AD2, 1 AOWT | Yes, see below | Draw |
Republican MD Buck | 50 | 1 MD Buck | Yes, see below | Nov. 3, 2022 |
RESTRICTIONS:
|
RIVER ANTLERLESS PRIVATE LAND ONLY | ||||
The River Antlerless Deer Permit is issued for the unit defined below and is valid on private landonly for the bag limit and season dates listed. Restrictions are noted. | ||||
Permit Fee | Resident: $14 Nonresident: $82 | |||
Season Dates | Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 Firearm: Oct. 1 – 15, 2023; Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 Late River Antlerless: Jan. 1 – 31, 2024 | |||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | 2022 Sell-Out Date |
River Antlerless | 12,000 | 2 AOWT | No | DNS |
RESTRICTIONS:
Closed Area: All federal and state lands.
3 miles of the landward banks of the following portions of Nebraska rivers:
The Republican River from the Nebraska-Kansas line to Nebraska Hwy. 89. From the mouth of Plum Creek in Brown County to U.S. Hwy. 20. The South Loup River from the mouth to U.S. Hwy. 83. The Niobrara River from the mouth to Nebraska Hwy. 27. The Elkhorn River from the mouth to the Rock County line. The south fork of the Elkhorn River from the mouth to Nebraska Hwy. 11. The North Loup River from the mouth to Nebraska Hwy. 97. The Cedar River from the mouth to Nebraska Hwy. 11. The Middle Loup River from the mouth to Nebraska Hwy. 61.
The Little Blue River from U.S. Hwy. 81 to U.S. Hwy. 281. Eagle Creek in Holt County from the mouth to 483rd Ave. Bazile Creek in Knox County from the mouth to the Antelope County line.
Warbonnet Creek to the source, Chadron Creek to the Chadron Creek WMAboundary and Hat Creek to East Hat Creek Road. Lodgepole Creek from the mouth to the Nebraska-Wyoming state line. |
LIMITED LANDOWNER | ||||
Limited Landowner deer permits are issued statewide and are valid for the agricultural land listed on the landowner's permit profile for the bag limit and season dates listed. See page 8 for definitions and minimum qualifications. Additional restrictions are noted. | ||||
Permit Fee | Resident: $20 Nonresident: $144 | |||
Season Dates | Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 November Firearm: Nov. 11 – 19, 2023 Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – 31, 2023 Late Firearm Antlerless: Jan. 1 – 15, 2024 (antlerless only) | |||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | |
Limited Landowner Deer | Unlimited | 1 AD, 1 AO | No | |
RESTRICTIONS: One permit allowed per person.
Jan. 1 – 15, 2024, is antlerless only.
|
SPECIAL LANDOWNER | ||||
A qualifying landowner may purchase as many as eight Special Landowner Deer Permits todesignate themselves or immediate family to hunt on his or her property on the Saturday,Sunday and Monday before the opening of the November firearm deer season. They are validstatewide for any legal weapons. | ||||
Permit Fee | Resident: | $8 | Nonresident: $8 | |
Season Dates | Nov. 4 – 6, 2023 | |||
Permit Name | Quota | Bag Limit | Special Unit Restrictions | |
Special Landowner Deer | Unlimited | 1 AD | No | |
RESTRICTIONS:
No person may apply for or obtain more than one Special Landowner Deer Permit per year.
This permit counts against the two antlered deer permit maximum. This permit may be purchased at Game and Parks district offices, by mail to the Lincoln office oronline.
See OutdoorNebraska.gov and search "landowner permits" for permit application and moredetails. |
SPECIAL UNIT RESTRICTIONS | |
Look at the unit in which you hunt to see if any restrictions apply to your permit, the land or the unitin which you hunt. Regulations apply to statewide permits within specific management units. | |
Management Unit | Special Unit Restrictions |
All Units |
|
Buffalo |
|
Calamus West |
|
Elkhorn |
|
Frenchman |
|
Pine Ridge |
|
Plains | No antlerless mule deer harvest is allowed on Crescent Lake NWR. |
Platte |
|
Republican |
|
Sandhills |
|
November Firearm and Antlerless Only Season Choice Units

Additional Antlerless Only Season Choice Units

River Antlerless Private Land Only Unit
