Landowner opportunity created as mountain lion lottery application period begins

New mountain lion hunting opportunities have been created in Nebraska for 2027 with the introduction of landowner permits.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept lottery applications for general and landowner mountain lion permits Nov. 2-Dec. 4, 2026, for the 2027 hunting season.

General and landowner permits are available only to Nebraska residents, who may have one permit per calendar year. The bag limit for each permit is one mountain lion of either sex.

Three units will be open to hunting: Pine Ridge Unit, Niobrara Unit and Wildcat Hills Unit.

Landowner permit applications must be received in person at either the Alliance (Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills units) or Bassett (Niobrara Unit) Game and Parks offices for each unit of residency by 5 p.m. local time by the close of the application period.

Season 1 in all three units will take place Jan. 2-Feb. 28, 2027. The season will end immediately in a unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit is reached. The Pine Ridge harvest limit is three mountain lions with a sub-limit of one female, the Niobrara limit is 10 mountain lions with a five-female sub-limit, and the Wildcat Hills limit is one mountain lion.

Game and Parks may issue 30 general and 20 landowner permits for each mountain lion in the harvest limit for each unit.

An auxiliary season that allows the use of dogs would take place in the Niobrara Unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit were not reached during Season 1. That season would be March 13-31, 2027, except it would end immediately if the harvest limit (remainder of the harvest limit from Season 1) or female sublimit is met.

Applications will be accepted from 10 a.m. Central time Nov. 2 through 5 p.m. (11:59 p.m. if applying online) Dec. 4. Starting Nov. 2, visit GoOutdoorsNE.com to apply online. To download an application, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Hunting Applications.” A nonrefundable application fee must be submitted with each application.

A person may submit one mountain lion permit application per calendar year. If a person submits more than one mountain lion application, all those applications will be excluded from the drawing and accompanying fees will be forfeited.

Mountain lion hunting in Nebraska is managed to provide sustainable harvest opportunities that maintain healthy mountain lion populations in balance with available habitat.

To read more mountain lion hunting regulations, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov; search “Mountain Lions.”