Upland bird hunting prospects optimistic

Surveys and field reports point toward an optimistic outlook for Nebraska upland bird hunting seasons this fall.

“Birds survived well into the breeding season due to a mild winter across most of the state,” said Bryan O’Connor, upland game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Timely rains in central and eastern Nebraska have maintained quality habitat, while western Nebraska has been affected by drought.

“It should be an excellent fall to experience upland bird hunting in Nebraska, with opportunities for hunters of all ages across the state.”

Pheasant

Statewide spring pheasant counts increased 11% from 2025 and saw increases in five of six pheasant management regions. 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.

Northern bobwhite

A mild winter in most of the bobwhite quail range resulted in more birds entering the summer breeding season. Statewide, survey results increased compared to 2025 and were above both the five- and 10-year averages. All regions except the East-Central saw stable or increased numbers.

The Southeast, East-Central and Republican regions support the state’s highest quail densities. However, average to above-average populations are likely across the entire Nebraska quail range.

Prairie grouse

Sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chickens overwintered well in the Southwest and eastern Sandhills and Loess Hills as observations this spring indicate increases from 2025. Quality nesting and brooding habitat were present this year. Habitat quality has been reduced further west in the Sandhills and Panhandle due to drought.

Prairie grouse production was good in the Southwest, eastern Sandhills and Loess Hills. Quality summer habitat and plentiful insects should provide good numbers of birds this fall and — depending on rainfall the remainder of the summer — good hunting cover. Drought has reduced hunting cover in the western Sandhills and Panhandle, where bird numbers may not be as high.

Hunters should be aware the U.S. Department of Agriculture has authorized emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program lands in most of Nebraska’s 93 counties due to drought conditions. This could affect hunting opportunities on CRP fields, including some open to public walk-in hunting through Game and Parks’ Open Fields and Waters Program. For more information, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Emergency Haying and Grazing.”

The Upland Outlook is based on field reports from biologists, surveys of game species abundance, regional habitat trends, and weather conditions. To view the complete outlook, survey results and other hunting information, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/hunt/game/upland.

To find places to hunt, pick up the 2026-27 Nebraska Public Access Atlas at a Game and Parks office or wherever permits are sold. This publication displays all the publicly accessible lands in Nebraska and is available in several online versions at OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides-maps/public-access-atlas.

The hunting season for pheasants, quail and partridge is Oct. 31 through Jan. 31, 2027. The prairie grouse season is Sept. 1 through Jan. 31, 2027.