The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved fee increases to several nonresident big game permits at its Oct. 13 meeting at Fort Robinson State Park.
The nonresident permit and their new fees, as of 2024, are: Deer, $332; Statewide Whitetail Buck, $747; Statewide Buck, $992; Restricted Statewide Buck, $792; Season Choice Antlerless Only, $92; Special Antlerless Only, $92; Landowner Deer, $166; Antelope, $232; Landowner Antelope, $116; Turkey, $140; and Landowner Turkey, $70.
The new fees will help offset the lost revenue from reducing the quota of nonresident deer, antelope and turkey permits. Money from the fees will be deposited into the Game Cash Fund, which supports the wildlife and fisheries divisions and their research, conservation and management efforts.
Commissioners also approved amendments to sportfishing orders regarding daily bag limits, possession limits, length limits and open areas. They include:
- changing the bag and length restriction to one channel catfish greater than 30 inches in length to statewide;
- amending bag and size limits on yellow perch and bluegill in several Sandhills lakes as follows:
- the daily bag limit for yellow perch shall include only five fish 10 inches or longer, of which only one fish may be 12 inches or longer, at Home Valley Lake, Rat and Beaver WMA, Blue Lake, Island Lake, Smith Lake (FWS), Frye Lake WMA, and Smith Lake WMA; and
- the daily bag limit for bluegill shall include only one fish 9 inches or longer at Duck Lake, Pelican Lake, Blue Lake, Island Lake, Smith Lake (FWS), Frye Lake WMA, and Smith Lake WMA.
- opening additional areas below Gavins Point Dam to archery fishing during archery paddlefish season; only the north wall of the spillway and immediately below the Gavins Point Dam powerhouse downstream to a line extending from the east end of the south cement wall of the discharge canal northwest to the east end of the north wall of the discharge canal would be closed; and
- adding Blue Lake, Crane Lake and Smith Lake to the lakes at Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge that allow fishing during daylight hours from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.
Commissioners also approved:
- a mid-biennium budget adjustment for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to accommodate programs in the budget;
- park fees for new cabins as follows: four-bedroom, two-bathroom, basement family room with foosball table and refrigerator at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park for $345; and four-bedroom, two-bathroom at Platte River State Park for $310;
- their 2024 meeting schedule as follows: Jan. 18-19, Lincoln; March 7-8, Hastings; April 25-26 (tentative), Ponca State Park; June 20-21, Ogallala; Aug. 15-16, Fort Robinson SP; Oct. 24-25, Broken, Bow; and
- a permanent easement request from Custer Public Power District for burying overhead power lines on Victoria Springs State Recreation Area in Custer County.
Luke Meduna, big game program manager, presented an update on a completed project that looked at the movements of collared antelope in the Panhandle.
Mike Morava, northwest regional park supervisor, gave an overview of Fort Robinson SP, including a look at visitation and construction projects.
Regional staff also gave an overview of happenings in the Northwest Region, including parks, fisheries, wildlife, and law enforcement.