The Nebraska Game and Parks Commmission conducted their quarterly meeting at Kearney’s Yanney Park on Friday mornining.
District #2 Commissioner Donna Kush of Omaha presided over the meeting.
Game and Parks Director Tim McCoy opened his report with a recognition of the Nebraska Big Game Society for its financial support of wildlife conservation efforts across the state. He presented the organization with a special Award of Excellence, as the Big Game Society announced a $100,000 donation to support bighorn sheep conservation and a new bighorn sheep holding facility in Nebraska’s Pine Ridge. McCoy said the organization has now raised and donated $1.1 million to the agency. He added that the Big Game Society’s contributions have also helped provide ultrasound equipment, tracking collars for mule deer and aerial surveys used to monitor Nebraska’s big game herds. McCoy described the organization as unique, saying its fundraising is focused on raising money in Nebraska for Nebraska.
Director Tim McCoy(left), members of Nebraska Big Game Society and NG&P Commissioner Donna Kush(far right). (KRVN Radio)
Director McCoy says fall is bringing a wide range of outdoor opportunities across the state. McCoy said the October 24-25 statewide youth pheasant season will give hunters age 15 and younger an opportunity to get into the field. Game and Parks will release rooster pheasants at special youth hunt locations on 18 wildlife management areas.
The regular pheasant season begins October 31 and will mark Nebraska’s 100th pheasant season. McCoy said statewide pheasant counts have increased more than 10 percent from last year, with increases in five of six management regions. Pheasant season runs through January 31, 2027. McCoy encouraged experienced hunters to take a young or returning hunter with them and pointed to the agency’s public access atlas and stubble guide for additional walk-in hunting opportunities.
McCoy also recognized Game and Parks Agriculture Program Manager Jenny Predisil for receiving a Special Recognition Award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. He noted several other fall activities, including rainbow trout stocking at 70 public and community waters, Halloween events at Nebraska state parks and the NebraskaLand Magazine photo contest, which is accepting entries through October 31 for possible publication in its January-February 2027 issue.
The Commission also recognized several individuals with milestones in their involvement with Game and Parks’ Hunter Education courses. Hunter Education Coordinator Kyle Gaston presented the 50-year award to Marlin Seeman of Aurora. Forty-year awards were presented to Sharon Dahl of St. Paul, Mick Vogt of Madison, Jim Starry of Omaha, Clifford Jorgensen of Alma and the late Martin ‘Yogi’ Ogden, Jr. of Fremont. Gaston noted that they have trained thousands of students while making a very large impact on their communities and the hunting community across the state.
Fellow Commissioners recognized District 4 Commissioner John Hoggatt of Kearney for his service on the Commission since 2019. Hoggatt’s term ends in mid-January and Friday was his last Commissioner meeting.
Director McCoy described Hoggatt as an enthusiastic and passionate supporter of the Agency and representative of sportsmen and sportswomen. Hoggatt responded that he will supporter of Game and Parks for the rest of his life.
The Commission approved changes to sportfishing orders regarding daily bag limits, possession limits and open areas.
The amendments to sportfishing orders are:
- establish statewide regulations on Open Fields and Waters program lakes and ponds with the black bass 21-inch length limit and one-fish daily bag limit remaining and changing the panfish daily bag limit to five fish unless otherwise posted;
- add language to implement catch and release only at select OFW lakes and ponds; and
- prohibit shovelnose sturgeon from being taken by archery in inland and Missouri River waters.
Commissioners also approved:
- proposed fee increases for park lodging, rental facilities, camping and other miscellaneous fees; and
- the 2027 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission meeting schedule: Jan. 14-15 in Lincoln, March 18-19 in Grand Island, April 8-9 at a state park to be determined, June 10-11 at Scottsbluff/Gering, Aug. 19-20 in Valentine, and Oct. 14-15 in Omaha.
Staff presented the commissioners with the following updates:
- Bighorn Sheep Risk of Contact Model and Bighorn Sheep Restoration Facility – The model is a tool used to estimate the likelihood and frequency of contact between bighorn sheep and domestic sheep or goats. The Bighorn Sheep Restoration Facility recently began construction. The Bighorn Sheep Restoration Facility Plan, approved by the Commission in 2025, is a plan to build a series of pens to hold bighorn sheep to test and monitor for disease so that healthy sheep can eventually be moved back to the wild.
- Managed Access Program and Open Fields and Waters – The new Managed Access Program is a reservation-based hunting system designed to provide controlled access to hunting lands while promoting wildlife conservation. Open Fields and Waters offers financial incentives to landowners who allow public walk-in access for hunting, fishing and trapping. More than 466,000 acres currently are enrolled across the state.
- Interstate 80 Lakes fisheries management – An overview was given on how the lakes were created, how Nebraska Game and Parks became involved, and recent aquatic habitat and angler access projects; and
- Berggren Plan for Pheasants – This plan seeks to improve the pheasant hunting experience in Nebraska, with an emphasis on improving habitat and increasing public access in key areas.
Former conservation officer questions Elk damage-control permits
A former Nebraska conservation officer is urging the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to consider changes to how elk damage-control permits are handled. Owen Johnson told commissioners that hunters can apply for years for a highly sought-after elk permit, and raised concerns about a case in which he said a nonresident landowner who had restricted access to regular bull-elk hunters was later authorized to kill three bulls because of damage concerns.
Johnson said he understands that elk can cause property damage and that damage-control permits may sometimes be necessary. However, he suggested the commission create a system allowing those hunting opportunities to go to Nebraskans, potentially including veterans, youths, older hunters or hunters with disabilities, rather than allowing highly sought-after animals to be taken solely through a damage-control permit.
Backcountry Hunters ask Game and Parks to consider limited hunts
A Nebraska hunting and conservation organization is pushing for more public hunting opportunities in southwest Nebraska. Bill Grossniklaus of Oxford, representing Backcountry Hunters and Anglers of Nebraska, asked the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to explore limited hunting at the Hansen Memorial Reserve State Wildlife Management Area near Curtis and Wanamaker State Wildlife Management Area near Imperial. Grossniklaus said the group does not want to interfere with the properties’ current management as refuges, but believes carefully controlled opportunities, including youth, archery or limited-date hunts, could provide additional public access.
Grossniklaus told commissioners his organization is also willing to help care for the properties if hunting opportunities are expanded. He pointed to previous volunteer projects involving trash cleanup, fence removal and signage on public lands across Nebraska, and said the organization wants to contribute rather than simply ask for greater access. He also argued that Nebraska’s limited amount of public land makes it important for the state to examine opportunities to expand hunting and other outdoor recreation where appropriate.
This story includes information from Nebraska Game and Parks news release.
