The 2025 mountain lion hunting season in Nebraska’s Wildcat Hills Unit closed Jan. 5 after three mountain lions, two males and one female, were harvested.

Regulations require the unit to be closed once the annual harvest limit of three mountain lions — with a sublimit of two females — is reached.

The Pine Ridge Unit remains open, with three mountain lions harvested as of Jan. 5; they include two females and one male. The harvest limit for the unit is 12 mountain lions with a sublimit of six females.

The Niobrara Unit met its harvest limit Jan. 2 and closed on that date.

An auxiliary season would be March 15-31 for the Pine Ridge should the harvest limit or female sublimit not be reached during Season 1.

The limits for Nebraska’s three mountain lion hunting units were set to meet the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s objective to maintain resilient, healthy and socially acceptable mountain lion populations that are in balance with available habitat and other wildlife species over the long term.

The Wildcat Hills Unit was added to the mountain lion hunting season for the first time during the 2025 season. It encompasses parts of Scotts Bluff, Banner, Kimball, Morrill, Cheyenne and Garden counties.

This is the state’s eighth mountain lion harvest season; the first was in 2014.

Mountain lions are native to Nebraska but were extirpated from the state in the early 1900s. They moved back into the state from South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado as populations of prey species increased. Mountain lion presence in Nebraska was confirmed in the early 1990s, and in 1995 the state legislature classified them as game animals.

Since then, the cats have established reproducing populations in Nebraska’s most rugged terrain: the Pine Ridge, Wildcat Hills and Niobrara Valley with occasional confirmed presence in other parts of the state.

For more information about mountain lions in Nebraska, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for “Mountain Lions.”

 

Hunters may start buying spring turkey permits Jan. 13

Hunters may begin purchasing 2025 spring turkey season permits from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission beginning at 1 p.m. Central time Jan. 13.

Hunters are reminded they may harvest no more than one turkey per calendar day during the spring season. All harvests also must be reported via Telecheck at OutdoorNebraska.gov/Hunt/Telecheck or by phone at 844-279-4564.

Resident turkey permits, including issuing fee are $30; nonresident permits are $143. Landowner permits are $16.50 for residents and $73 for nonresidents. All youth turkey permits remain $8.

The spring archery season opens March 25, youth shotgun April 5, and the regular shotgun April 12. All spring turkey seasons close May 31.

Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov or a permitting office to purchase permits starting Jan. 13.

For more information on turkey hunting in Nebraska, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov.

 

Game and Parks offers top 8 ice safety tips

With the arrival of frigid temperatures across the state, Nebraska Game and Parks encourages people to be cautious and use the following safety tips while ice fishing:

1. Tell someone your plan. Whether you are fishing alone or in a group, tell someone where you will be fishing in case trouble arises.

2. Test the ice. The minimum thickness to support one person is 4 inches of clear ice; 7.5 inches will support a group weighing up to two tons or an all-terrain vehicle. Use an ice chisel or spud bar to strike the ice and evaluate conditions as you venture out.

• As winter progresses, ice changes. Cloudy ice of frozen slush is about half as strong as clear lake ice, so people should double the minimum thickness when encountering such conditions.

• Ice near shore may be weakened by heat from the ground, or thinner because of rising water levels. If temperatures are below freezing, but warm during the day, fish early and leave before ice melts near the shore.

• Be especially careful on any ice that has moving water below it. Water movement hinders freezing causing hard-to-detect thin spots.

• Materials embedded in ice, such as weeds or logs, also weaken ice. Large objects on the ice, such as duck blinds or ice shacks, can absorb the sun’s heat and melt ice.

3. Wear ice picks. If the ice breaks, picks help grip the ice to pull yourself out of the water.

4. Wear ice cleats. Avoid falls by wearing ice cleats to maintain traction.

5. Layer your clothing. Begin with a synthetic layer, such as thermal underwear or fleece, followed by a layer of wool. Wool provides excellent insulation and warmth even when damp. Outer layers may include sweatshirts and jackets covered by heavy parkas, bibs or coveralls. Carry at least a couple of pairs of gloves or mittens. Remove layers during periods of activity, such as manually drilling ice holes, to avoid sweating, and add layers during periods of inactivity.

6. Bring extra clothing. Keep a set of dry clothes in your vehicle in case you get wet.

7. Bring a long throw rope. A rope can be thrown from a safe location to retrieve a person who has fallen through the ice. A big loop on the end with a float attached will help the imperiled person grab it with their arms instead of cold fingers.

8. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can affect judgment and increase chances of hypothermia.

Purchase a 2025 fishing permit, find a water body near you, or discover additional fishing resources at OutdoorNebraska.gov/Fish.