Waterfowl Regulations
New for 2022
Ducks – The merganser bag limit has been combined with the duck bag limit for Tier I hunters. There also no longer is a hooded merganserrestriction.
Gray wolves – These regained protection under the federal Endangered Species Act following a February court order and are listed as anendangered species in Nebraska.
Checking traps – Animals must be removed from traps whenever they are checked.
Body-gripping traps – U.S. Forest Service properties have restrictions on body-gripping traps like wildlife management areas and otherpublic lands.
River otters – The season closes at the end of February or three days after 125 otters have been harvested.
Nontoxic Shot Lethality Table
Proven Nontoxic Shot Loads for Waterfowl, Doves and Upland Game Birds (Load velocity: 1,225 to 1,700 FPS) | Observed Hunters’ Typical Shooting Range During Activity (Yards) | Most Effective Nontoxic Shot Sizes | Minimal Load Weight (Ounces) | Minimal Pellet Hits Needed on Lethal Areas for Clean Kills | Minimum Pattern Count Needed at Any Distance for Clean Kills (pellets in 30-in circle) | Most Effective Chokes at Distance (in yards) |
Activity | ||||||
Large Geese at Long Range (Giant, Western, Atlantic and Interior Canadas) | 50-65 | Steel BBB to T | 1-1/4 | 1-2 | 50-55 | Improved Modified |
50-70 | HEVI-Shot 2 to B | 1-1/2 | Improved Modified, Full | |||
Large Geese Over Decoys | 35-50 | Steel BB to BBB | 1-1/4 | 1-2 | 50-55 | Improved Cylinder, Modified |
HEVI-Shot 2 to B | 1-1/2 | |||||
Medium/Small Geese at Long Range (Snow, White- fronted, Lesser Canadas) | 50-65 | Steel BB to BBB | 1-1/4 | 1-2 | 60-65 | Improved Modified |
HEVI-Shot 2 | 1-1/2 | Improved Modified, Full | ||||
Medium/Small Geese Over Decoys | 35-50 | Steel 2 to BB | 1-1/8 | 1-2 | 60-65 | Light Modified,Modified |
HEVI-Shot 4 to 2 | 1-1/4 | Improved Cylinder, Modified | ||||
Large Ducks at Long Range (Mallard, Black, Pintail, Goldeneye, Gadwall) | 45-65 | Steel 2 to 1 | 1-1/8 | 1-2 | 85-90 | Improved Modified, Full |
HEVI-Shot 4 | 1-1/4 | |||||
Large Ducks Over Decoys | 20-45 | Steel 6 to 2 | 3/4 - 1 | 1-2 | 85-90 | Improved Cylinder (20- 35), Modified (35-45) |
HEVI-Shot 6 to 4 | 1-1/8 | |||||
Medium Ducks Over Decoys (Wigeon, Scaup, Shoveler) | 20-45 | Steel 6 to 3 | 1 | 1-2 | 115-120 | Improved Cylinder (20- 35), Modified (35-45) |
HEVI-Shot 6 to 4 | 1-1/8 | |||||
Small Ducks Over Decoys (Teal, Ruddy, Bufflehead) | 20-45 | Steel 6 to 4 | 1 | 1-2 | 135-145 | Modified (20-35), Full (35-45) |
HEVI-Shot 6 | 1-1/8 | |||||
Ring-necked Pheasants | 20-50 | Steel 3 to 2 | 1 | 2-3 | 90-95 | Improved Cylinder (20- 30), Modified (30-50) |
HEVI-Shot 6 to 4 | 1-1/8 | |||||
Turkeys (Head and neck shots) | 20-40 | Steel 4 | 1-1/4 | 3-4 | 210-230 | Full or Extra Full |
Mourning Doves | 20-45 | Steel 8 to 7 | 5/8-3/4 | 1-2 | 200-210 | Improved Cylinder 8s/ Light Modified 7s (20-30), Modified (more than 30) |
HEVI-Shot 7 1/2 | 3/4 | Improved Cylinder (20-30), Light Modified (30-45) | ||||
Northern Bobwhite Quail | 20-30 | Steel 7 | 5/8-3/4 | 1-2 | 200-210 | Improved Cylinder, Light Modified |
Swatter Loads for Wounded Birds | 20-30 | Steel 7 to 6 | 1 | 1 | 175 | Improved Modified, Full |
Copyright 2016 by Tom Roster | ||||||
General Information
HUNTER ORANGE
- Wearing hunter orange is not required for upland game hunting or trapping but is strongly encouraged, especially during the November firearmdeer and January late deer seasons.
- Camouflage hunter orange patterns are legal if the required minimum of 400 square inches of hunter orange material displayed on a hunter’shead, chest and back is met.
HUNTER EDUCATION
Firearm hunter education is required in Nebraska for all hunters ages 12 through 29 who:
- hunt any game species with a firearm or air gun. Must carry proof of successful completion while hunting.
Bowhunter education is required in Nebraska for all hunters ages 12 through 29 who:
- hunt deer, elk, antelope or mountain (bighorn) sheep with bow and arrow or crossbow. Must carry proof of successful completion whilehunting.
Certification Options
For hunters ages 11-15:
- Online course followed by participation in a two-hour Hunt Safe Session – Fee paid to online vendor
- Traditional 10-hour classroom course – No cost
For hunters ages 16 and older:
- Online course with no other requirements – Fee paid to online vendor
- Traditional 10-hour classroom course – No cost
For more information or to find courses, visit HuntSafeNebraska.org. Those who have not completed a hunter education course may obtainan Apprentice Hunter Education Exemption Certificate.
APPRENTICE HUNTER EDUCATION EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE
The $5 Apprentice Hunter Education Exemption Certificate provides the novice hunter age 12 and older an opportunity to try hunting and receivetraining from an experienced hunter before completing Hunter Education. A hunter using this certificate must be accompanied* at all times while hunting. This certificate may be obtained once in eachperson’s lifetime, expires on Dec. 31 and may be renewed once for a consecutive year. It may be purchased at OutdoorNebraska.org.
*Accompanied is defined as: in the presence of a licensed, experienced hunter age 19 or older. There may be no more than two hunters using thecertificate accompanied by the experienced hunter at any time and the experienced hunter must at all times be in unaided visual and verbalcommunication with the child under age 12 and/or the apprentice hunter ages 12 through 29. The experienced hunter must, if age 19-29, becertified in hunter education.
FIREARM RESTRICTIONS
- During the November firearm deer season, it is unlawful to hunt wildlife other than deer with a centerfire rifle or centerfire handgun. EXCEPTION: This does not apply to a holder of a valid unfilled firearm deer permit while hunting in the unit for which the permit was issued. It alsodoes not apply to a bona fide farmer or rancher who owns, leases, or resides upon such farm or ranch land or a member of the immediate family of suchfarmer or rancher while hunting on such farm or ranch land.
NOTE: It is illegal to have or carry a loaded shotgun in or on any vehicle on any highway or roadway. A shotgun is considered loaded if there is ashell or shells in the chamber, receiver or magazine.
METHODS OF TAKE
Upland Game and Migratory Game Birds:
- Shotgun – Only 10 gauge or smaller may be used for all game birds. For waterfowl and other migratory game birds, including doves,shotguns must be plugged to limit shell capacity to no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined. No plug is requiredfor upland game birds. No plug or gauge restriction exists for cottontail rabbits and squirrels.
- Rifle or Pistol – Illegal for all game birds
- Archery – Legal for migratory game birds, rabbits, squirrels and upland game birds. Crossbow – Legal for rabbits, squirrels and upland gamebirds. NOT legal for migratory game birds.
- Trapping – Legal for furbearers, cottontails, jackrabbits and squirrels during open seasons.
- Electronic Call – Prohibited for all waterfowl hunting during the fall seasons. May be used for crows.
NONTOXIC SHOT
Nontoxic shot is required for all shotgun hunting on waterfowl production areas, national wildlife refuges, some state wildlife management areas, asposted, and other lands as listed in the Public Access Atlas.
It is unlawful to use or possess shotgun shells loaded with or containing shot other than nontoxic shot while hunting, taking or attempting to takewaterfowl.
Legal Nontoxic Shot
Bismuth-tin | Tungsten-matrix |
Iron (steel) | Tungsten-polymer |
Iron-tungsten | Tungsten-tin-iron |
Iron-tungsten-nickel | Tungsten-tin-bismuth |
Tungsten-bronze | Tungsten-tin-iron-nickel |
Tungsten-iron-copper-nickel | Tungsten-iron-polymer |
WATERFOWL BLINDS
All blinds must be removed daily from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission state recreation areas and wildlife management areas, except thatseasonal blinds may be built on the WMA portions of Calamus, Elwood, Enders (the nonrefuge portion), Lake McConaughy, Medicine Creek, Merritt,Red Willow, Sherman and Swanson. Such blinds must be removed at the end of the waterfowl season. Use of these blinds is on a first-come,first-served basis.
LEG BANDS
Report U.S. Geological Survey leg bands recovered from migratory game birds at ReportBand.gov.
DEPREDATION
Any farmer or rancher owning or operating a farm or ranch may destroy or have destroyed any badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, long-tailed weasel,mink, opossum, raccoon, red fox or skunk preying on livestock or poultry or causing other agricultural depredation on land owned or controlled by himor her without
a permit issued by the Commission. No hunt or fur harvest permit is required. Furbearers harvested for depredation control may be sold orpossessed only by individuals with a fur harvest permit and if the take occurred during the harvest season.
TRANSPORTING AND POSSESSING GAME
- Pheasants and prairie grouse must have head or one leg attached for identification purposes while in the field or returning home. Allmigratory game birds, except doves, must have one fully feathered wing or head plumage attached when in transport.
- If en route, no tags are required if licensee accompanies the game.
