Game law update amended, advanced
A bill updating Nebraska’s Game Law advanced to the final round of debate March 6 after it was amended to allow the state Game and Parks Commission to issue resident landowner limited permits to hunt mountain lions and award turkey permits via a draw.
LB979, introduced by Plymouth Sen. Tom Brandt, would increase fee caps for various hunting and fishing licenses, permits and applications, among several other changes.
Brandt introduced an amendment on select file that would authorize the commission to charge an application fee of no more than $9 for turkey permits awarded on the basis of a random drawing.
He said the commission may need to use a draw system for nonresident turkey permits beginning next year after all 10,000 permits for 2026 sold out within two hours of being made available.
The amendment, adopted 34-0, also would increase fee caps for turkey permits and allow the commission to charge fees for the issuance of a preference point.
Sen. Paul Strommen of Sidney introduced another amendment, adopted 34-0, to include provisions of his LB1232. They would allow the commission to issue limited permits to hunt mountain lions to qualifying landowners or leaseholders or a member of their immediate family.
Strommen said the measure is intended to help control mountain lion populations in certain areas, reducing livestock depredation that causes financial losses for farmers and ranchers.
Under the proposal, an applicant’s qualifying farm or ranch land would have to be within a designated mountain lion management zone. The number of limited permits in any management unit could not exceed 75% of the regular permits authorized for that unit.
The application fee for the resident landowner limited permit could not exceed one-half the application fee for the regular mountain lion permit, and the number of applications for each farm or ranch would be capped based on certain acreage requirements.
After adoption of the amendments, lawmakers advanced LB979 to final reading by voice vote.
