Geography

• The highest concentrations of whitetail deer in Nebraska can be found in the river bottoms and surrounding agricultural fields. Nebraska Game and Parks controls the deer population by splitting the state into deer management units. Each deer management has a specific quota intended to manage the overall population and quality of bucks.
  
  

Regulations

• Nebraska whitetail hunting seasons open on September 15 with an archery season, followed by several management hunts in October. The management hunts, taking place between October 2 and 11, allow you to harvest antler-less deer with any weapon. An eight-day firearm season occurs in November with a muzzleloader season taking place during the entire month of December. Before hunting a specific season, you must purchase the appropriate deer permit, habitat stamp and have proof of hunter education.
  
  

Considerations

• The rut, or breeding period, typically takes place during the November firearms season and is one of your best opportunities for shooting a deer. Be ready to use a variety of hunting methods based on the time of year, weapon and surrounding terrain. Use a tree stand or ground blind positioned along travel routes or feeding areas during the early archery season. During the muzzleloader season in December, the deer will be focused on feeding after the rut to prepare for the winter. Look for deer to enter the agricultural fields as they feed.
  
  

Public Land

• If you are interested in a do-it-yourself hunt, Nebraska offers several public land hunting opportunities, however, less than two percent of the state is available for public use. The most productive public areas are wildlife management areas and walk-in areas. Current maps can be obtained through the Nebraska Game and Parks.
  
  

Potential

• Realtree, a camouflage and hunting company, ranked Nebraska as the ninth best whitetail hunting state for a record book buck. Seven of the top 10 counties--Gage, Sarpy, Lancaster, Douglas, Cass, Nemaha and Pawnee--are all in the southeast corner. The other three counties include Dakota, Lincoln and Clay.