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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1232
Introduced by Strommen, 47; Andersen, 49; Clements, 2; Dorn, 30; Hardin,
48; Ibach, 44; Jacobson, 42; Lippincott, 34; Lonowski, 33;
Sanders, 45; Sorrentino, 39; Storer, 43.
Read first time January 21, 2026
Committee: Natural Resources
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Game Law; to amend section 37-456,1
Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2024, and section 37-455,2
Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025; to provide for the issuance of3
limited mountain lion permits; and to repeal the original sections.4
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,5
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Section 1. Section 37-455, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025, is1
amended to read: 2
37-455 (1) The commission may issue a limited permit for deer,3
antelope, wild turkey, or elk, or mountain lion to a person who is a4
qualifying landowner or leaseholder or a member of such person's5
immediate family as described in this section. The commission may issue6
nonresident landowner limited permits after preference has been given for7
the issuance of resident permits as provided in rules and regulations8
adopted and promulgated by the commission. Except as provided in9
subsection (4) of this section, a permit shall be valid during the10
predetermined period established by the commission pursuant to sections11
37-447 to 37-450, 37-452, 37-456, or 37-457. Upon receipt of an12
application in proper form as prescribed by the rules and regulations of13
the commission, the commission may issue (a) a limited deer, antelope, or14
wild turkey permit valid for hunting on all of the land which is owned or15
leased by the qualifying landowner or leaseholder if such lands are16
identified in the application or (b) a limited elk or mountain lion17
permit valid for hunting on the entire elk or mountain lion management18
unit of which the land of the qualifying landowner or leaseholder19
included in the application is a part. 20
(2)(a) The commission shall adopt and promulgate rules and21
regulations prescribing procedures and forms and create requirements for22
documentation by an applicant or permittee to determine whether the23
applicant or permittee is a Nebraska resident and is a qualifying24
landowner or leaseholder of the described property or is a member of the25
immediate family of such qualifying landowner or leaseholder. The26
commission may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations that create27
requirements for documentation to designate one qualifying landowner28
among partners of a partnership or officers or shareholders of a29
corporation that owns or leases eighty acres or more of farm or ranch30
land for agricultural purposes and among beneficiaries of a trust that31
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owns or leases eighty acres or more of farm or ranch land for1
agricultural purposes. Only a person who is a qualifying landowner or2
leaseholder or a member of such person's immediate family may apply for a3
limited permit. An applicant may apply for no more than one permit per4
species per year except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this5
section and the rules and regulations of the commission. For purposes of6
this section, member of a person's immediate family means and is limited7
to the spouse of such person, any child or stepchild of such person or of8
the spouse of such person, any spouse of any such child or stepchild, any9
grandchild or stepgrandchild of such person or of the spouse of such10
person, any spouse of such grandchild or stepgrandchild, any sibling of11
such person sharing ownership in the property, and any spouse of any such12
sibling. 13
(b) The conditions applicable to permits issued pursuant to sections14
37-447 to 37-450, 37-452, 37-456, or 37-457, whichever is appropriate,15
shall apply to limited permits issued pursuant to this section, except16
that the commission may pass commission orders for species harvest17
allocation pertaining to the sex and age of the species harvested which18
are different for a limited permit than for other hunting permits. For19
purposes of this section, white-tailed deer and mule deer shall be20
treated as one species. 21
(3)(a) To qualify for a limited permit to hunt deer or antelope, the22
applicant shall be a Nebraska resident who (i) owns or leases eighty23
acres or more of farm or ranch land for agricultural purposes or a member24
of such person's immediate family or (ii) is the partner, officer,25
shareholder, or beneficiary designated as the qualifying landowner by a26
partnership, corporation, or trust as provided in the rules and27
regulations under subdivision (2)(a) of this section or a member of the28
immediate family of the partner, officer, shareholder, or beneficiary.29
The number of limited permits issued annually per species for each farm30
or ranch shall not exceed the total acreage of the farm or ranch divided31
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by eighty. The fee for a limited permit to hunt deer or antelope shall be1
one-half the fee for the regular permit for such species.2
(b) A nonresident of Nebraska who owns three hundred twenty acres or3
more of farm or ranch land in the State of Nebraska for agricultural4
purposes or a member of such person's immediate family may apply for a5
limited deer or antelope permit. The number of limited permits issued6
annually per species for each farm or ranch shall not exceed the total7
acreage of the farm or ranch divided by three hundred twenty. The fee for8
such a permit to hunt deer or antelope shall be one-half the fee for a9
nonresident permit to hunt such species. 10
(c) The commission may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations11
providing for the issuance of an additional limited deer permit to a12
qualified individual for the taking of a deer without antlers at a fee13
equal to or less than the fee for the original limited permit.14
(4)(a) In addition to any limited permit to hunt deer issued to a15
qualifying landowner under subsection (3) of this section, the commission16
shall issue up to eight limited permits to hunt deer during the three17
days of Saturday through Monday immediately preceding the opening day of18
firearm deer hunting season to any qualifying landowner meeting the19
requirements of subdivision (b) of this subsection and designated members20
of his or her immediate family. The fee for each permit issued under this21
subsection shall be five dollars. Permits shall be issued subject to the22
following: 23
(i) No more than eight permits may be issued per qualifying24
landowner to the landowner or designated members of his or her immediate25
family, except that no more than one permit shall be issued per person26
for the qualifying landowner or any designated member of his or her27
immediate family; 28
(ii) Of the eight permits that may be issued, no more than six29
permits may be issued to persons who are younger than nineteen years of30
age and no more than two permits may be issued to persons who are31
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nineteen years of age or older; and 1
(iii) For a Nebraska resident landowner, the number of permits2
issued shall not exceed the total acreage of the farm or ranch divided by3
eighty, and for a nonresident landowner, the number of permits issued4
shall not exceed the total acreage of the farm or ranch divided by three5
hundred twenty. 6
(b) For purposes of this subsection, the qualifying criteria for a7
Nebraska resident described in subdivisions (3)(a)(i) and (ii) of this8
section and the ownership criteria for a nonresident of Nebraska9
described in subdivision (3)(b) of this section apply.10
(c) The commission may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to11
carry out this subsection. 12
(5)(a) To qualify for a limited permit to hunt wild turkey, the13
applicant shall be a Nebraska resident who (i) owns or leases eighty14
acres or more of farm or ranch land for agricultural purposes or a member15
of such person's immediate family or (ii) is the partner, officer,16
shareholder, or beneficiary designated as the qualifying landowner by a17
partnership, corporation, or trust as provided in the rules and18
regulations under subdivision (2)(a) of this section or a member of the19
immediate family of the partner, officer, shareholder, or beneficiary.20
The number of limited permits issued annually per season for each farm or21
ranch shall not exceed the total acreage of the farm or ranch divided by22
eighty. An applicant may apply for no more than one limited permit per23
season. The fee for a limited permit to hunt wild turkey shall be one-24
half the fee for the regular permit to hunt wild turkey.25
(b) A nonresident of Nebraska who owns three hundred twenty acres or26
more of farm or ranch land in the State of Nebraska for agricultural27
purposes or a member of such person's immediate family may apply for a28
limited permit to hunt wild turkey. Only one limited wild turkey permit29
per three hundred twenty acres may be issued annually for each wild30
turkey season under this subdivision. The fee for such a permit to hunt31
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shall be one-half the fee for a nonresident permit to hunt wild turkey.1
(6)(a) To qualify for a limited permit to hunt elk, (i) the2
applicant shall be (A) a Nebraska resident who owns three hundred twenty3
acres or more of farm or ranch land for agricultural purposes, or is the4
partner, officer, shareholder, or beneficiary designated as the5
qualifying landowner by a partnership, corporation, or trust as provided6
in the rules and regulations under subdivision (2)(a) of this section,7
(B) a Nebraska resident who leases six hundred forty acres or more of8
farm or ranch land for agricultural purposes or has a combined total of9
six hundred forty leased and owned acres of farm or ranch land used for10
agricultural purposes, or is the partner, officer, shareholder, or11
beneficiary designated as the qualifying landowner by a partnership,12
corporation, or trust as provided in the rules and regulations under13
subdivision (2)(a) of this section, (C) a nonresident of Nebraska who14
owns at least one thousand two hundred eighty acres of farm or ranch land15
for agricultural purposes, or is the partner, officer, shareholder, or16
beneficiary designated as the qualifying landowner by a partnership,17
corporation, or trust as provided in the rules and regulations under18
subdivision (2)(a) of this section, or (D) a member of such owner's or19
lessee's immediate family and (ii) the qualifying farm or ranch land of20
the applicant shall be within an area designated as an elk management21
zone by the commission in its rules and regulations.22
(b) An applicant shall not be issued a limited bull elk permit more23
than once every three years, and the commission may give preference to a24
person who did not receive a limited elk permit or a specified type of25
limited elk permit during the previous years. 26
(c) The fee for a resident landowner limited permit to hunt elk27
shall not exceed one-half the fee for the regular permit to hunt elk. The28
fee for a nonresident landowner limited permit to hunt elk shall not29
exceed three times the cost of a resident elk permit.30
(d) The number of applications allowed for limited elk permits for31
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each farm or ranch shall not exceed the total acreage of the farm or1
ranch divided by the minimum acreage requirements established for the2
property. No more than one person may qualify for the same described3
property. 4
(7)(a) To qualify for a limited permit to hunt mountain lions, (i)5
the applicant shall be (A) a Nebraska resident who owns three hundred6
twenty acres or more of farm or ranch land for agricultural purposes, or7
is the partner, officer, shareholder, or beneficiary designated as the8
qualifying landowner by a partnership, corporation, or trust as provided9
in the rules and regulations under subdivision (2)(a) of this section,10
(B) a Nebraska resident who leases six hundred forty acres or more of11
farm or ranch land for agricultural purposes or has a combined total of12
six hundred forty leased and owned acres of farm or ranch land used for13
agricultural purposes, or is the partner, officer, shareholder, or14
beneficiary designated as the qualifying landowner by a partnership,15
corporation, or trust as provided in the rules and regulations under16
subdivision (2)(a) of this section, or (C) a member of such owner's or17
lessee's immediate family and (ii) the qualifying farm or ranch land of18
the applicant shall be within an area designated as a mountain lion19
management zone by the commission in its rules and regulations.20
(b) The commission may give preference to a person who did not21
receive a limited mountain lion permit during the previous years.22
(c) The application fee for a resident landowner limited permit to23
hunt mountain lions shall not exceed one-half the application fee for the24
regular permit to hunt mountain lions. 25
(d) The number of applications allowed for limited mountain lion26
permits for each farm or ranch shall not exceed the total acreage of the27
farm or ranch divided by the minimum acreage requirements established for28
the property. No more than one person may qualify for the same described29
property. 30
Sec. 2. Section 37-456, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,31
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2024, is amended to read: 1
37-456 The issuance of limited antelope permits pursuant to section2
37-455 in any management unit shall not exceed seventy-five percent of3
the regular permits authorized for such antelope management unit. The4
issuance of limited elk permits pursuant to section 37-455 in any5
management unit shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the regular6
permits authorized for such elk management unit. The issuance of limited7
mountain lion permits pursuant to section 37-455 in any management unit8
shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the regular permits authorized9
for such mountain lion management unit. 10
Sec. 3. Original section 37-456, Revised Statutes Cumulative11
Supplement, 2024, and section 37-455, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025,12
are repealed. 13
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