Nebraska’s fall wild turkey season kicks off on September 15, when hunters will head out into the woods and fields for a chance to catch some birds.
The fall season is a great opportunity to get outdoors, whether on a solo hunt or with family and friends.
Fall 2022 permits can be purchased without a prescription, are unlimited in quantity, and are valid statewide. Youth permits for hunters under the age of 15 are $8. Fall hunters may purchase up to two turkey permits. Qualifying landowners are also eligible for a reduced price landowner’s permit.
Fall permits allow hunters the option to harvest with a bow or shotgun. The bag limit for a drop permit is two bucks of either sex. Purchase permits at OutdoorNebraska.org.
Turkey hunting areas are plentiful in Nebraska, with more than 280 wildlife management areas and nearly 382,000 acres of walk-in public access to private land in the Open Range and Water Program. Find more than 1.2 million acres of publicly accessible land in Nebraska in the 2022-2023 Public Access Atlas, available at Nebraska Game and Park Commission offices and service centers and wherever they are sold hunting and fishing permits. It is also available online at OutdoorNebraska.org/PublicAccessAtlas.
Visit Outdoornebraska.gov/wildturkey or see the 2022 Turkey Guide at Outdoornebraska.gov/guides for more information on hunting wild turkeys in Nebraska and where to hunt them.
When hunters go out into the field, safety must also be on their minds.
“In the fall, you can expect to see other hunters out in the field on public hunting grounds, especially during the opening season and on weekends,” said Hunter Nikolai, coordinator of Hunter Education for the Game and Parks Commission. from Nebraska. “Be aware of this, and always make sure of your target, what is beyond it, and what is in front of it before you shoot.”
While hunting remains one of the safest recreational activities, it is important to practice safe firearm handling on the way to the range and while hunting. Nikolai has these additional safety reminders:
- Treat every firearm as if it were loaded, from the moment you draw it to the moment you put it away for the day.
- Always point your mouth in a safe direction and maintain control of your mouth. Keep the arrows pointing in a safe direction too.
- “Stalking” or “harvesting” turkeys is becoming a more common hunting technique. Before moving or picking up lures, check your surroundings to make sure another hunter isn’t stalking your lures.
- If you meet another person in the field, stand still and speak loudly and clearly to announce your presence. Never make movements to indicate your presence.
- When hunting turkeys in the woods, select a tree or stump wider than your shoulders and higher than your head to sit on.
- Carry lures or captured birds in a bag when you go in and out of the forest. Even better, throw on an orange deerstalker hat or vest when you’re on the go. Hunters must display at least 400 square inches of hunter orange on the head, chest and back while hunting turkeys during the November firearm deer season.
The fall season runs through January 31, 2023.
Fall turkey hunting can be one of the best times in the woods. Playing it safe and using smart tactics can make it even more enjoyable.