The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved recommendations for 2023 deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons at its meeting April 19 in Fremont.
Commissioners approved staff recommendations that will help the agency manage big game populations at socially acceptable levels.
Adopted changes to Commission orders pertaining to big game hunting include:
* removing 70 either-sex and 282 doe/fawn antelope permits,
* including archery season on all Mule Deer Conservation Area permits, making them valid for all open seasons,
* prohibiting antlerless mule deer harvest statewide on all lands open to public hunting, except land in the Open Fields and Water Program,
* reducing the nonresident either-sex and buck only deer permit quota to 10,000, excluding landowner and youth permits,
* reducing the nonresident archery deer permit quota to 3,000 and make it not valid for mule deer in the MDCA,
* reducing the nonresident muzzleloader deer permit quota to 1,000,
* creating a new Plains Whitetail firearm deer permit,
* reducing available November Firearm permits by 5.9% and Antlerless Only Season Choice permits by 7.4%,
* setting the nonresident quota at 15% for the Calamus West, Plains, Sandhills and Upper Platte November Firearm and the Frenchman MDCA permits,
* restructuring of the elk management units,
* adding 39 bull elk permits and 214 antlerless elk permits,
* minor adjustments on other deer, elk and antelope permits to meet management objectives.
The commissioners also approved a Board Resolution to apply for Transportation Alternatives Program grant funding through the Nebraska Department of Transportation to surface with limestone 24.6 miles of Cowboy Trail from Rushville west to mile marker 400.