Hunting Seasons

• Archery: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023
• Special Landowner: Nov. 4 – Nov. 6, 2023
• November firearm: Nov. 11 – Nov. 19, 2023
• Muzzleloader: Dec. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023
• October River Antlerless Firearm: Oct. 1 – Oct. 15, 2023
• River Antlerless Late Firearm: Jan. 1 – Jan. 31, 2024
• Antlerless Only Season Choice: Sept. 1, 2023-Jan. 15, 2024
• Limited Landowner: Sept. 1, 2023-Jan. 15, 2024
• Late Antlerless Only Firearm: Jan. 1 – Jan. 15, 2024

Updated deer hunting regulations, check stations and restrictions will be available in summer of 2023.

• Archery: Aug. 20 – Dec. 31, 2023
• Muzzleloader: Sept. 16 – Oct. 1, 2023
• Firearm: Oct. 14 – Oct. 29, 2023
• November late doe/fawn: Nov. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024

• Archery bull: Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2023
• Firearm bull: Sept. 21 – Oct. 31, 2023
• Early Antlerless Aug. 1 – Oct. 31, 2023
• Late Antlerless Nov. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024

2023 Season Dates: Nov. 28 – Dec. 22, 2023

Nonresident spring turkey permits for 2023 are sold out.

Other changes this year include:

• Hunters now may purchase up to two spring permits instead of three.
• A hunter may harvest no more than one turkey per calendar day during the spring season.
• Starting with the spring season, all turkey harvests must be reported via Telecheck.

• Spring archery: March 25 – May 31, 2023
• Spring youth shotgun: April 8 – May 31, 2023
• Spring shotgun: April 15 – May 31, 2023
• Fall youth archery and shotgun: Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2023
• Fall archery and shotgun: Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2023

The 2023 mountain lion season in the Pine Ridge is currently closed after two females were harvested in January, 2023.

Find application and draw dates by species on our Big Game Permit and Application page. Landowners can find permit application and draw dates on our Landowner Permit page.

• Pheasant, quail, and partridge: Oct. 28, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
• Prairie Grouse: Sept. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
  • *special permit required east of U.S. 81
• Youth pheasant, quail and partridge: Oct. 21 – 22, 2023

• Mourning, white-winged, and Eurasian collared-doves (in aggregate): Sept. 1 – Oct. 30, 2023
• Eurasian collared-dove (only): Year-Round
• Snipe: Sept. 1 – Dec. 16, 2023
• Virginia and sora rail: Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2023
• Woodcock: Oct. 7 – Nov. 20, 2023
• Crow: Oct. 15 – Dec. 15, 2022; Jan. 13 – March 14, 2023

• Squirrel: Aug. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024
• Cottontail: Sept. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
• Jackrabbit: Sept. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
  • Allowed west of U.S. 81 only

• North central unit: Oct. 7, 2023 – Jan. 19, 2024
• Platte River unit: Oct. 28, 2023 – Feb. 9, 2024
• Niobrara unit: Oct. 28, 2023 – Feb. 9, 2024
• Daily bag limit: five; Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit.

• Statewide: Oct. 7, 2023 – Dec. 17, 2023; Jan. 25, 2024 – Feb. 9, 2024
• Daily bag limit: two; Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit.

• Statewide: Oct. 7, 2023, – Jan. 3, 2024; Jan. 25, 2023 – Feb. 9, 2024
• Daily bag limit: 50; Possession limit: None

• East zone: Feb. 10 – April 15, 2024
• West zone: Feb. 10 – April 5, 2024
• Rainwater Basin zone: Feb. 10 – April 5, 2024
• Daily bag limit: 50; Possession limit: None.

*For special regulations see the Waterfowl Guide

• Low plains: Sept. 2 – Sept. 17, 2023
• High plains: Sept. 2 – Sept. 10, 2023
• Daily bag limit: 6; Possession limit: Three times the daily bag.

• Zone 1: Oct. 14 – Dec. 26, 2023
• Zone 2
  • High Plains: Oct. 7 – Dec. 19, 2023, and Jan. 10 – 31, 2024
• Zone 3
  • High Plains: Oct. 28, 2023 – Jan. 9, 2024, and Jan. 10 – Jan. 31, 2024
• Zone 4: Oct. 28 – Jan. 9, 2024
• Daily bag
  • Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions;
  • Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex;
  • Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit

• Zone 1: Oct. 7 – 8, 2023
• Zone 2: Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2023
• Zone 3: Oct. 21 – 22, 2023
• Zone 4: Oct. 21 – 22, 2023
• Daily bag
  • Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions;
  • Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex;
  • Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit

• Concurrent with teal, youth and regular duck season dates, plus:
• Zone 1: Feb. 25 – March 10
• Zone 2
  • Low Plains: Feb. 25 – March 10
  • High Plains: Concurrent with all duck season dates in High Plains Zone
• Zone 3
  • Feb. 25 – March 10
  • High Plains: Concurrent with all duck season dates in High Plains Zone
• Zone 4: Feb. 25 – March 10

• Muskrat, beaver: Trap only: Nov. 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024
• Badger: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1. 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
• Mink: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1 , 2023– Feb. 29, 2024
• Bobcat
  • Hunt and trap: Dec. 1 , 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
  • Running; no harvest: March 1 , 2023 – Nov. 30, 2024
• Raccoon
  • Hunt only: Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2023
  • Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
  • Running, no harvest: March 1, 2023 – Aug. 18, 2023
• Virginia opossum
  • Hunt only: Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2023
  • Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
  • Running, no harvest: March 1 – Aug. 18, 2023
• Striped skunk: Hunt and trap: year-round
• Long-tailed weasel: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
• Red fox
  • Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
  • Running, no harvest: March 1, 2023 – Oct. 31, 2024
• Gray fox: Hunt and trap: Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
• River otter: Trap only: Nov. 1, 2023, though Feb. 29, 2024, or earlier; season closes three days after 125th otter has been harvested. Only one river otter may be harvested per season, per valid permit holder. Learn more.

• Spring youth shotgun: April 8 – May 31, 2023
• Fall youth archery and shotgun: Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2023

• Youth pheasant, quail and partridge: Oct. 21 – 22, 2023

• Zone 1: Oct. 7 – 8, 2023
• Zone 2: Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2023
• Zone 3: Oct. 21 – 22, 2023
• Zone 4: Oct. 21 – 22, 2023
• Daily bag
  • Tier 1: six ducks, with restrictions;
  • Tier II: three ducks, any species, any sex;
  • Possession limit: Three times the daily bag limit