How to apply in Nebraska

Hunters ages 12 through 29 must carry proof of successful completion of firearm hunter education while hunting with a firearm or air gun.

Hunters ages 12 through 29 who have not completed firearm and/or bow hunter education may obtain an Apprentice Hunter Education Exemption Certificate.

A Nebraska hunt (small game) permit is not required for big game.

Big game hunters are required to have a Nebraska Habitat Stamp, except for landowners who are hunting on their own ground and residents younger than age 16.

Drawings: Bighorn Sheep, Multispecies Combo, Multispecies Super Tag, Landowner Antlerless Elk & General Antlerless Elk In lottery drawings, each application has one chance in the drawing, so all applications have the same chance of being drawn.

Drawings: Deer, General Pronghorn, Landowner Pronghorn & Landowner Bull Elk In preference point drawings, unsuccessful applicants receive a preference point for each year that they are unsuccessful in the permit drawing.

During the draw application period, applicants may purchase a preference or bonus point in lieu of participating in the drawings for antelope, deer or elk permits. Purchasing a point does not enter you in the draw.

Purchase Point instead of entering draw

Drawing: General Bull Elk In bonus point drawings, applicants receive a bonus point for each year that they are unsuccessful beginning with the implementation of the bonus point process. Bonus points began in 2014 for general bull elk permits. Each applicant has n + 1 applications in the drawing, where n = the number of bonus points.

The antelope drawing is a preference point-based system and those applicants that were unsuccessful are given a preference point toward future drawings, with the exception the nonresident landowners receive 0.9 preference points instead of 1.

The deer drawing is a preference point-based system, and those applicants who are unsuccessful are given a preference point toward future drawings.

General Antlerless permits are drawn on a lottery system following the completion of the Bull permit drawing from the same application. Applicants have one chance in the antlerless drawing.

General Bull permits are drawn based on a bonus-point squared system. Unsuccessful applicants are given a point, which is applied to future drawings.

Landowner Bull permits are drawn on a preference point-based system. Unsuccessful applicants are given a point that is applied to future drawings; nonresident landowners receive 0.9 points instead of 1.

bonus_squared

Nonresident Preference Point ..............................$57

Nonresident Preference Point ...............................$57

Resident Bonus Point ................................................$26

Resident Preference Point .....................................$22

Resident Preference Point ......................................$22

Nonresident Antelope Preference Point $57*

Resident Antelope Preference Point $22*

Nonresident Deer Preference Point $57*

Resident Deer Preference Point $22*

Resident Elk Bonus Point $26*

Nonresident LO Elk Preference Point $61*

Resident LO Elk Preference Point $26*

Nonresidents limited to 9,000 either-sex or buck-only permits (excluding landowner and youth permits); no more than 3,000 archery and 1,000 muzzleloader permits sold to nonresidents

Nonresident opportunity restricted to statewide archery permits, landowner permits and late doe/fawn, if available

“Buddy” applications are treated as one application in the drawing. Also: • The preference and bonus point level used will be determined by the lowest point total of the party (e.g. Applicant A has 3 points and Applicant B has 4 points, the application will be credited with 3 points). • Buddy applications are limited to six applicants. • All applicants must have the same residency status.

These “buddy” applications are treated as one application in the drawing. Buddy applications are limited to two applicants. The preference or bonus point level used will be determined by the lowest point total of the party

Buddy applications are limited to six applicants.

All applicants must have the same residency status.

The preference and bonus point level used will be determined by the lowest point total of the party

Individuals may have one elk permit per year and may submit one application per year. • General Cow: No more than one in five years. • General Bull: No more than one in five years; bull harvest limit of once in a lifetime. • Landowner Cow: One per year. • Landowner Bull: No more than one in three years.

An applicant will not be issued an antlerless elk permit more than once every five years.

once in a lifetime

email (to the address on the application); applicants without a valid email monitor their status online in their permit system profile

NONRESIDENT PERMIT PURCHASE PERIOD: July 22, 2026-Close of seasons Nonresidents may buy any limited antelope and deer permits in any unit subject to availability and within permit limits.

REMAINING PERMIT PURCHASE PERIOD: Aug. 5, 2026-Close of seasons Any remaining permits from the previous periods may be purchased in any unit subject to availability and within permit limits.

RESIDENT PERMIT PURCHASE PERIOD: July 8, 2026-Close of seasons Residents may buy any elk, deer and antelope permits in any unit subject to availability and within permit limits.

Nonresident permit sale dates July 22, 2026 – close of seasons

Remaining permit sale dates Aug. 5, 2026 – close of seasons

Resident & resident landowner permit sale dates July 8, 2026 – close of seasons

Antelope $7

Deer $7

Elk $11

Nonrefundable permit application fees are: Deer, $7; Antelope, $7; Elk, $11.

The lottery application fee is a nonrefundable $34.

All valid applications accompanied by the required fee of $18.50 shall be considered equally in a random drawing (Administration Regulations, Chapter 1, Section 006).