Nebraska fall turkey hunters have it all this year
Tom Keith

Lincoln, Neb. -- Nebraska has everything fall turkey hunters can hope for this year. Good hunting spots with large and steadily increasing turkey populations and little competition are tough to find, but that’s exactly what awaits hunters across the state this fall.

Statewide fall turkey archery and shotgun hunting permits will be available to both Nebraska resident and nonresident hunters beginning at 1 p.m. on August 14.

Nebraska’s turkey population is excellent again this year. In fact, if preliminary information gathered by the July rural mail carrier survey is correct, there will be record numbers of turkeys available for the statewide archery and shotgun seasons this fall.

Scott Taylor, assistant administrator of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s wildlife division, says “the preliminary July rural mail carrier index is running more than 70 percent above 2005, and more than 90 percent above the previous five-year average,” he said.

Most turkey hunters participate only in the spring seasons, which they perceive as being higher quality hunts. In the spring hunters are restricted to taking only tom turkeys and they have the chance to setup their decoys and call love-sick gobblers within shooting range.

Actually, fewer turkey hunters in the field during the October-December period reduces competition for birds and hunting spots and makes it a perfect time for those who have never hunted turkeys to learn the skills and techniques required to bag a bird.

Another advantage is the length of the Nebraska’s fall seasons. Fall turkey archery and shotgun hunting seasons will extend through the end of December this year, 31 days longer than in 2005. Both seasons will be closed during the nine-day November firearm deer hunting season, Nov. 11-19. The 2006 fall archery turkey season will be 83 days, Oct. 1 - Nov. 10 and Nov. 20 - Dec. 31. The fall shotgun season will be 70 days, Oct. 14 - Nov. 10 and Nov. 20 - Dec. 31.

Although turkeys are well distributed across the state, the hunter’s best chances of taking a bird are in areas with timber. Wooded rivers and streams are always good choices, as are areas that have timbered hills such as the Pine Ridge, Missouri River area and cedar woodlands in central Nebraska.

An unlimited number of permits is available for both the archery and shotgun fall turkey seasons. Permits cost $21 for residents and $86 for nonresidents. A Habitat Stamp ($13) is required for all resident turkey hunters age 16 and older and for all nonresident hunters regardless of age. Hunters can obtain no more than two permits, which may include two shotgun permits, two archery permits or one of each.

Fall turkey permits will be available over the counter at Commission offices in Alliance, Bassett, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, Lincoln and the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium, as well as on the Commission’s web site at www.OutdoorNebraska.org. Mailed applications should be sent to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503.