Antlerless elk season opened August 1

The antlerless elk season opened Aug. 1 on private land in all seven elk management units in Nebraska.

“Crop damage from elk can be a serious issue for many landowners, particularly in corn,” said Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Director Jim Douglas. “We understand this and want to help landowners resolve this problem.”

Game and Parks believes the best way to manage big game populations is through hunting. To help manage elk, in 2020, Game and Parks increased antlerless permits by 40% and expanded the antlerless hunting season by 31 days, starting 15 days earlier and ending Jan. 31, 2021.

The earlier season gives landowners through hunters the opportunity to put pressure on elk, reducing damage impacts and elk populations that directly cause damage.

Landowners experiencing wildlife damage should contact their district Game and Parks office; a list of offices is available at OutdoorNebraska.org/locations. Wildlife managers can help connect landowners with antlerless elk hunters.

Landowners, hunters and the agency working together are the driving force for wildlife conservation in Nebraska. Landowners provide habitat and hunting access while hunters fund conservation by buying permits and stamps. Those funds are invested back into programs for private landowners that benefit wildlife and provide access for recreational opportunities, big game research, and maintenance of 289 wildlife management areas encompassing 190,884 acres across the state.

Game and Parks, through state statute, is charged with managing all wildlife in the state. The agency strives to find a balance between healthy wildlife populations, hunting opportunities, and keeping elk and all game populations at socially acceptable levels.

Hunting has an $848 million annual economic impact in Nebraska and supports nearly 9,000 jobs.