by NTV News Thu, June 13th 2024 at 3:11 PM
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The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will review proposals for a 2025 mountain lion hunting season during its meeting on June 21.
According to a news release from the Nebraska Games and Parks, the session will commence at 8 a.m. Mountain time at the Petrified Wood Gallery, located at 418 E. 1st St. A significant proposal on the agenda is the introduction of a mountain lion hunting season in the Wildcat Hills for the first time.
If approved, this new unit will join the existing Pine Ridge and Niobrara units, allowing regulated mountain lion harvests. The Wildcat Hills Unit would cover areas within Scotts Bluff, Morrill, Cheyenne, Garden, Kimball, and Banner counties.
Recent genetic surveys by Game and Parks estimate the Pine Ridge mountain lion population at 70, a notable increase from 33 in 2021. Surveys to estimate populations in the Niobrara and Wildcat Hills regions are currently underway. In 2023, 27 mountain lions were recorded in the Niobrara Valley and 24 in the Wildcat Hills.
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The proposed hunting season for all three units is set from Jan. 2, 2025, to the end of February.
The season will close in any unit once the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit is reached. The proposed limits are 12 mountain lions (six females) for Pine Ridge, four mountain lions (two females) for Niobrara, and three mountain lions (two females) for Wildcat Hills.
Permits will be issued by lottery and are available only to Nebraska residents. The Pine Ridge Unit could issue up to 960 permits, the Niobrara Unit up to 320 permits, and the Wildcat Hills Unit up to 240 permits. An auxiliary season, allowing the use of dogs will run from March 15 to the end of March if the primary season limits are not met.
Additional Agenda Items
- Create a $5 Active-Duty Military vehicle park entry permit for active-duty military personnel stationed in Nebraska. The permit would be for vehicles registered in or out of the state and would be available only as an annual permit.
- Allow the director of Game and Parks to authorize the replacement of any Nebraska Resident Disabled American Veteran lifetime permit.
- Update language for state recreation trails, including encroachments on right-of-ways.
- Allow the use of Class I electronic bikes in state parks, state historical parks, state recreation areas, and state recreation trails on designated trails unless otherwise posted. Class II and Class III e-bikes would be permitted as posted.
- Commissioners also will consider these fishing regulation changes:
- The removal of the no-live baitfish restriction will be recommended for Lake Wanahoo.
- At Two Rivers State Recreation Area Lake No. 5, also known as the trout lake, a recommendation would shorten the time a trout tag is required to fish the lake by one month. It also would remove the tag display requirement and allow anglers to release any caught trout.
- In addition, there will be staff recommendations to:
- Approve the transfer of approximately 88 acres of land in Hall County adjacent to Mormon Island SRA from the Federal Highway Administration to Game and Parks; and
- Approve permitting hunting in some state parks and state historical parks for the 2024 season.
They also said that staff will present the results of a survey on Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala, a report on Lake McConaughy, and an update on outreach efforts in west-central Nebraska.
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For a complete agenda, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for public notices. To view proposed changes to Commission regulations and orders, search for regulations.
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