2012 Upland Game Seasons

Forecast | Opening Dates and Application Periods

2012 UPLAND BIRDS

GROUSE (prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse)

East Zone:
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Jan. 31
Daily bag limit – 3 Possession limit – 3 Open area – east of U.S. Highway 81
Special grouse permits – They are required, along with a hunting permit, for hunting
grouse east of U.S. Highway 81; also:

• Requests are accepted at the Commission's headquarters in Lincoln beginning Aug. 1.
• They are limited in number to 400.
• They are free of charge.
• They are limited to one per hunter.
• They are available on a first-come basis.
• Requests are accepted by mail, phone at (402) 471-5597 or over the counter.
• To apply, send a postcard, including name, address and 2010 Nebraska Hunting Permit number or Lifetime Hunting Permit number after Aug. 1 to: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Attn: Grouse Permits, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503. Residents ages 12 to 15 must submit Hunter Education certification number. Those not required to purchase a Hunting Permit must provide documentation of such exemption (seniors, veterans, landowners, etc.).

West Zone:
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Jan. 31
Daily bag limit – 3 Possession limit – 12 Open area – west of U.S. Highway 81
Remarks – No special permit required.

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PHEASANT
Season dates – Oct. 29 – Jan. 31
Daily bag limit – 3 Possession limit – 12 Open area – statewide
Remarks – Only rooster pheasants may be harvested.

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QUAIL
Season dates – Oct. 29 – Jan. 31
Daily bag limit – 6 Possession limit – 24 Open area – statewide
Remarks – Quail must be shot while in flight.

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PARTRIDGE
Season dates – Oct. 29 – Jan. 31
Daily bag limit – 3 Possession limit – 12 Open area – statewide

2012 YOUTH PHEASANT, QUAIL AND PARTRIDGE

Season dates – Oct. 22 – 23
Daily bag limit – 2 of each Possession limit – 4 of each Open area – statewide
Remarks – Only rooster pheasants may be harvested; also:

• Birds taken during the youth season do not count against the youth's possession limit during the general hunting seasons.
• Hunters must be 15 years of age or younger.
• Resident youth hunters do not need a permit.
• Nonresident youths are required to have a 2011 nonresident youth hunting permit and Habitat Stamp.
• Adults accompanying youth hunters are not allowed to shoot pheasants, quail or partridge.

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2012 UPLAND GAME - SMALL GAME

SQUIRREL
Season dates – Aug. 1 – Jan. 31
Daily bag limit – 7 Possession limit – 28 Open area – statewide

COTTONTAIL
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Feb. 29
Daily bag limit – 7 Possession limit – 28 Open area – statewide

JACKRABBIT
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Feb. 29
Daily bag limit – 4 Possession limit – 16 Open area – west of U.S. Highway 81

MIGRATORY BIRDS
Migratory Upland Game Birds: Dove, snipe, rail, and woodcock
Requirements: HIP number is required, but a Nebraska Waterfowl Stamp is not.
Shotguns must be restricted to three shells or less.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regulations:

• For a summary of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regulations, visit:

• Outdoornebraska.ne.gov/hunting/pdf/usfws_regs.pdf
  For complete USFWS regulations, visit:Fws.gov/hunting/

DOVE
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Oct. 30

Euarasian Collared-Dove
Oct. 31 - Aug. -31

Daily bag limit – 15 Possession limit – 30 Open area – statewide
Remarks – Doves must be shot while in flight; HIP number required. Extended hunting dates for Eurasian collared-doves may be offered; check OutdoorNebraska.org for details.

Banding – Hunters who discover a band on a mourning dove should contact the USFWS banding office at (800) 327-BAND (2263) or at reportband.gov.
Wing study – Some hunters will be asked to save a wing from each dove during the first week of the season and mail the wings (postage free) to the USFWS. Hunters using public areas also may be asked to provide wings on-site. Data will be used to estimate annual productivity of the dove population.

SNIPE
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Dec. 16
Daily bag limit – 8 Possession limit – 16 Open area – statewide

VIRGINIA AND SORA RAIL
Season dates – Sept. 1 – Nov. 9
Daily bag limit – 10 Possession limit – 20 Open area – statewide

WOODCOCK
Season dates – Sept. 24 – Nov. 7
Daily bag limit – 3 Possession limit – 6 Open area – statewide

CROW

Season dates – Oct. 1 – Nov. 15 and Dec. 1– 21
Public Health Hazard – Nov. 16 – Jan. 19
Daily bag limit – none Possession limit – none Open area – statewide
Remarks – Crows may be hunted with any firearm or bow; electronic calls may be used; no HIP number required.

Special Public Health Hazard Season – The open area is Buffalo, Phelps, Harlan, Franklin, Kearney, Dawson, and Lincoln counties.