100th pheasant season opener is Oct. 31

Optimism is running high for much of the state leading up to the Oct. 31 opener for Nebraska’s 100^th pheasant season.

Statewide spring pheasant counts increased 11% from 2025 and saw increases in five of six pheasant management regions, according to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission surveys. Statewide counts also increased 36% during the summer compared to 2025. These results were above five- and 10-year averages.

The Northeast, Panhandle and Southwest pheasant regions should support the highest bird densities this fall. Pheasant counts were good across most of their range, but drought conditions could reduce available hunting cover, with the greatest impacts in the Panhandle.

View the complete survey results at OutdoorNebraska.gov by searching for “wildlife surveys,” or read the upland hunting forecast at OutdoorNebraska.gov/hunt/game/upland.

Nebraska’s diverse habitats and variety of opportunity continue to make the Oct. 31-Jan. 31statewide season for pheasant, quail and partridge attractive to hunters and set it apart from other states.

Hunters should be aware that emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program lands had been authorized in most of Nebraska’s 93 counties due to drought conditions. This could affect hunting opportunities on sites open to public walk-in hunting through Game and Parks’ Open Fields and Waters Program.

Those seeking places to hunt should view the 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, which displays more than 1.3 million acres of publicly accessible lands throughout Nebraska. In addition to state, federal and conservation partner lands, 466,000 acres of private lands are enrolled in Open Fields and Waters and are featured in the atlas.

For hunters pursuing upland birds in western and south-central Nebraska, the Stubble Access Guide displays tall wheat or milo stubble fields and adjacent habitats open to public hunting access.

Both publications are available at OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides-maps/public-access-atlas.

Hunters are reminded to obtain permission prior to accessing privately-owned (non-OFW) lands in Nebraska regardless of whether the property is posted or not.

Other reminders:

• The upland bird season is an opportunity to pursue an Upland Slam, a partnership between Game and Parks and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever of Nebraska. The Slam challenges hunters to harvest a pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and northern bobwhite in Nebraska during the season. Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Upland Slam” for more information. In honor of the 100^th pheasant season, all hunters who submit a pheasant entry in the Upland Slam will be entered into a separate drawing, sponsored by Game and Parks, Pheasants Forever and Meindl USA. 
• Grouse hunters are reminded of a required special permit to hunt in the East Zone (east of U.S. Highway 81). See the 2026-2027 Small Game and Waterfowl Guide at OutdoorNebraska.gov for details.

Game and Parks also remind hunters to do their part to prevent wildfires by taking the following precautions in areas where drought persists:

• Restrict driving to established roads and trails. Driving vehicles or parking on dry, tall grass is a primary threat. Grass can ignite within seconds of contacting a hot surface, such as a vehicle’s exhaust/catalytic converter systems.
• Dispose of cigarettes and other flammable objects appropriately.
• Ensure your vehicle, trailers, and other equipment are well-maintained.
• Make sure no chains are dragging from your vehicle.
• In the morning, before driving and while the exhaust/catalytic converter system is cool, inspect underside of vehicle to confirm no debris is clinging to exhaust system.
• Carry a fire extinguisher in your vehicle.