Antelope and Elk Seasons
April 1st, 2006 by Administrator
Nebraska Sets Antelope and Elk SeasonsFrom the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners set the dates for the 2006 antelope hunting seasons, and set buck-only seasons in all units except the archery season again this year.
Kit Hams, the Commission’s big game program manager, said surveys indicate antelope numbers “continue to be stable but low in all units in spite of little doe harvest the previous three years. Hunter success and the number of adult bucks - those 2.5 years and older, is low in several units.”
During the 2005 antelope firearm hunting season hunter success was 63 percent, muzzleloader success was 59 percent, archery success was 13 percent.
2006 ANTELOPE SEASONS :
Archery Antelope Season: Aug. 20 - Nov. 10 and Nov. 20 - Dec. 31, but closed during firearm antelope season in all areas open to firearm antelope hunting. The archery season is open statewide. The archery permit will allow the bowhunter to take one antelope of either sex, except only antelope with horns longer than its ears may be taken on the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest.
Muzzleloader Antelope Season: Sept. 16 - Oct.1. The statewide muzzleloader permit has been replaced with the North Sioux muzzleloader and Prairie muzzleloader permits. The Prairie Unit includes all areas of the state except the North Sioux Unit and the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest in Blaine and Thomas counties. There will be 35 buck only permits available in the North Sioux Muzzleloader Unit and 65 buck only permits in the Prairie Muzzleloader Unit.
Firearm Antelope Season: Oct. 14 - 29.
2006 Nebraska Firearm Antelope Units and Permits Available:
Banner North, 75 buck only permits
Banner South, 35 buck only permits
Box Butte East, 25 buck only permits
Box Butte West, 35 buck only permits
Cherry, 55 buck only permits
Cheyenne, 15 buck only permits
Dismal, 15 buck only permits
Garden, 35 buck only permits
North Sioux, 90 buck only permits
Residents or resident landowners may apply for an antelope April 17 - May 5. Residents, nonresidents and resident landowners may apply for remaining antelope permits beginning June 12.
2006 ELK SEASONS
Permit sales and harvest for 2005 elk hunting season were the highest on record, according to Kit Hams, the Commission’s big game program manager. The hunter success rate overall was 40 percent, with 59 elk taken by 149 Nebraska permit holders. The harvest consisted of 30 bulls, 27 cows and two calves. Many of the bulls harvested were mature animals with 6×6 or larger antlers. Success ranged from seven percent in the Boyd Unit to 67 percent in the new North Platte River Unit. Success by holders of either sex permits was 77 percent, while success by hunters with antlerless only permits was 26 percent.
“This year elk zones have been expanded to give more landowners an opportunity to apply for a landowner permit,” Hams said.
The Commissioners authorized 21 permits in the Ash Creek Unit. There will be four either-sex permits, ten antlerless-only permits and seven landowner permits (two either-sex and five antlerless-only permits). The hunting season will be Sept. 30 - Oct. 29.
There will be a total of 60 permits for the Bordeaux Unit. There will be eight either-sex permits, 32 antlerless-only permits and 20 landowner permits (four either-sex permits and 16 antlerless-only permits). The hunting season will be Sept. 30 - Oct. 29.
There will be 60 permits in the Hat Creek Unit. There will be eight either-sex permits, 32 antlerless-only permits and 20 landowner permits (four either-sex and 16 antlerless-only permits). The hunting season will be Sept. 30 - Oct. 29.
There will be six permits in the Box Elder Unit. There will be two either-sex permits, two antlerless-only permits and two landowner permits (one either-sex and one antlerless-only permit). The hunting season will be Sept. 30 - Oct. 29.
There will be15 permits in the Boyd Unit. There will be two either-sex permits, eight antlerless-only permits and five landowner permits (one either-sex and four antlerless-only permits). The hunting season will be Aug. 15 - Nov. 10 and Nov. 20 - Dec. 31. Boyd Unit elk permit holders will be permitted to hunt in a designated portion of Gregory County, S.D., and will receive information on the area. If hunting in South Dakota, hunters must conform to South Dakotas laws and regulations, which will be provided with the permit.
The North Platte River Elk Management Unit will have 27 permits this year, four either sex permits, 14 antlerless-only permits and nine landowner permits (two either sex permit and seven antlerless-only permits). The hunting season will be Sept. 30 - Oct. 29.
Resident or resident landowners may apply for an elk permit April 17 - May 5. The second application period will begin June 12, when remaining elk permits will be available to residents and resident landowners.