Mountain lion lottery application period is Nov. 3-Dec. 10

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will accept lottery applications for mountain lion permits Nov. 3-Dec. 10, 2025, for the 2026 hunting season.

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.

Season 1 in all three units will take place Jan. 2, 2026, through the end of February. 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 12 mountain lions with a sub-limit of six females, the Niobrara limit is six mountain lions with a three female sub-limit, and the Wildcat Hills limit is three mountain lions with a two female sub-limit.

An auxiliary season that allows the use of dogs would be March 14-31 if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit were not reached during Season 1 in that unit. The auxiliary season would end immediately in a unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit is reached before the end of March.

A number of permits equal to the number of lions remaining in the limit would be issued by lottery to unsuccessful permit holders from that unit who apply for the auxiliary season.

Applications will be accepted from 1 p.m. Central time Nov. 3 through 5 p.m. (11:59 p.m. if applying online) Dec. 10. Starting Nov. 3, 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.

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.”