Hunters will have the opportunity to hunt deer in three state park areas along the lower Platte River this fall and winter.
The Nebraska Parks and Game Commission offers special antlerless deer hunting opportunities within Eugene T. Mahoney and Platte River State Parks and Schramm Park State Recreation Area.
Selected applicants will receive a special access permit that will allow them to hunt antlerless deer in designated areas of a park on certain dates, using specific equipment. Selected applicants and interested alternates must attend an orientation session before receiving permission to access.
Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted until 5 pm on October 31. If more applications are received than can be accommodated, a drawing will be held on November 4th.
Hunters can obtain an application at OutdoorNebraska.org or by calling Mahoney SP at 402-944-2523, ext. 7122, Platte River SP at 402-234-2217, Schramm Education Center at 402-332-3901, or the Southeast District Parks and Games office at 402-471-5431. Individual, mentor and peer applications are available.
Legal equipment at Mahoney and Platte River State Parks are archery and muzzleloaders. The legal team at Schramm Park SRA is Archery.
Hunters must have an appropriate deer permit, habitat stamp, and access permit. Every vehicle entering the parks must have a park entry permit. The following are the hunting opportunities, with park, legal equipment and dates:
- Mahoney SP and Platte River SP, archery, from November 28 to December 28. December 1, 5-8, December 12-15 and December 19-22
- Mahoney SP and Platte River SP, muzzleloaders, January 2-5 and January 9-12
- Schramm Park SRA, Archery, Nov. 28-Dec. December 1, 5-8, December 12-15, December 19-22, January 2-5 and January 9-12
Selected applicants will be assigned a hunting period in a park, based on their preference. Hunting sites for disabled hunters will be available in Mahoney SP. Only antlerless deer will be allowed. Appropriate deer permits for archery hunters are: Statewide Archery, Seasonal Choice Wahoo Antlerless Only, or Statewide Youth. Muzzleloader hunters must have a hornless-only seasonal choice Wahoo or a state youth permit. Some permits are limited and may run out before these park hunts.
Orientation sessions will be on November 22 for archers and December 12 for muzzleloaders. Orientations will be in the Schramm Education Center classroom. Both sessions begin at 7 pm For more information, contact the Southeast District Office or one of the parks listed above.