Special deer hunts at Mahoney SP, Platte River SP, Schramm Park SRA

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering special antlerless deer hunting opportunities within Eugene T. Mahoney and Platte River state parks, as well as Schramm Park State Recreation Area.

Successful applicants will be issued a special access permit that allows them to hunt antlerless deer in designated areas of a park on certain dates using specific equipment. Successful applicants and interested alternates must attend an orientation session to receive the access permit.

Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted through 5 p.m. Oct. 31. If more applications are received than can be accommodated, a drawing will be held Nov. 4.

Hunters may obtain an application at OutdoorNebraska.org or by calling Mahoney State Park at 402-944-2523, ext. 7122, Platte River State Park at 402-234-2217, Schramm Education Center at 402-332-3901, or Game and Parks’ Southeast District office at 402-471-5431. Individual, mentor and buddy applications are available.

Legal equipment at Mahoney and Platte River state parks are archery and muzzleloaders. The legal equipment at Schramm Park is archery.

In addition to the appropriate deer permit and habitat stamp, hunters must have the access permit, as well as a park entry permit for each vehicle entering the park.

The following are the hunting opportunities, with park, legal equipment, and dates:

Mahoney, Platte River state parks – archery, Nov. 29 – Dec. 2, Dec. 6-9, Dec. 13-16, Dec. 20-23

Mahoney, Platte River state parks – muzzleloader, Jan. 3-6, Jan. 10-13

Schramm Park – archery, Nov. 29 – Dec. 2, Dec. 6-9, Dec. 13-16, Dec. 20-23, Jan. 3-6, Jan. 10-13

Successful applicants will be assigned a hunting period at a park, according to their preference. Hunting sites for the disabled hunters will be available at Mahoney.

Only antlerless deer will be allowed for harvest. Appropriate deer permits for archery hunters are: Statewide Archery, Antlerless-Only Season Choice Wahoo or Statewide Youth. Muzzleloader hunters must have either an Antlerless-Only Season Choice Wahoo or a Statewide Youth Permit. Some permits are limited and may sell out prior to these park hunts.

Orientation sessions will be Nov. 23 at the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center for archers and Dec. 14 for muzzleloaders. Both begin at 7 p.m. Face masks are recommended. For more information, contact the Southeast District Office or the parks.