Deer hunters will see an increase in antlerless deer permits by a significant number to help control population numbers on private lands during the 2015 season.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission made changes to the 2015 big game regulations March 20 at a meeting in Lexington.

Most significant of the big game changes is an increase in the River Antlerless Unit deer permit quota from 7,000 to 12,000. This is expected to maintain hunting pressure on white-tailed deer in prime habitat on private land, where high deer herd numbers can develop the fastest. The permit allows for the harvest of two antlerless white-tailed deer with weapons legal for each season. The unit comprises land along many of Nebraska’s major rivers.

Other changes to deer regulations are:

The Nonresident Restricted Statewide Buck permit is reinstated.

Frenchman Unit: 100 Mule Deer Conservation Area permits added; 400 Antlerless Only Season Choice permits removed; 100 Antlerless Only Season Choice Frenchman West permits added.

Keya Paha Unit: 250 permits added; antlerless whitetail bonus tag added to permit.

Loup East Unit: antlerless whitetail bonus tag added to permit; 250 Antlerless Only Season Choice permits added.

Loup West: 150 Antlerless Only Season Choice Whitetail permits added.

Missouri Unit: 750 Antlerless Only Season Choice permits added; antlerless whitetail bonus tag added to Antlerless Only Season Choice permit.

Republican Unit: antlerless whitetail bonus tag removed from Antlerless Only Season Choice permit.

Sandhills Unit: 500 permits removed; no antlerless mule deer harvest allowed; all Antlerless Only Season Choice permits removed.

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge: a December late season with 100 antlerless permits is added.

Additional deer hunting dates are added at Garden County, DeSoto and Boyer Chute refuges.

In addition, another regulation change creates a system of preference points for draw unit deer permit applicants.

The next Commission meeting will be May 15 in Ogallala.

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