Home Hunt Game Mountain Lions

Mountain Lion Hunting

Our mountain lion management is focused on ensuring the species’ long-term sustainability, while allowing hunting opportunities when appropriate.

The Auxiliary Season, which began March 14, is now closed after two males were harvested, meeting the overall limit of 12 for the Pine Ridge Unit.

Mountain lions have recolonized three areas in Nebraska: the Pine Ridge, Niobrara River Valley and Wildcat Hills. To provide hunting opportunities, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved mountain lion hunting in the Pine Ridge area starting in 2014; it added a Niobrara Unit in 2024 and the first season in the Wildcat Hills in 2025.

Each season, hunters are randomly selected through draw application process. Our mountain lion management is focused on ensuring the species’ long-term sustainability, while allowing hunting opportunities when appropriate.

Pine Ridge Unit Auxiliary Season Results

An Auxiliary Season opened March 14 in the Pine Ridge Unit and closed March 16 when two males were harvested and the unit’s harvest limit of 12 was met. Harvest limits are combined with Season 1 harvest results.

Harvest limits & season status

Status: CLOSED
Limit (combined with Season 1): 12 total, with a sublimit of 6 females

Harvest results from Auxiliary Season: 2 males
Harvest results from Season 1: 5 males, 5 females

Applications

Applications to convert a Season 1 Pine Ridge Unit permit to an Auxiliary Season mountain lion hunting permit were accepted from 1 p.m. CST on March 2 through 11:59 p.m. on March 5, 2026. Only residents who held a 2026 Pine Ridge Unit mountain lion permit but did not harvest a mountain lion during Season 1 were eligible to apply for the Auxiliary Season. Applicants were notified of their draw status on March 6.

Season 1

Season 1, which is now closed, was held from Jan. 2-Feb. 28, 2026.

Season 1 in all three units is now closed.

Pine Ridge unit

Limit: 12 total, with a sublimit of 6 females
Harvest results: 5 males, 5 females

Niobrara unit

Limit: 6 total, with a sublimit of 3 females
Harvest results: 0 males, 3 females

Wildcat Hills unit

Limit: 3 total, with a sublimit of 2 females
Harvest results: 1 male, 2 females

Unit maps

Download unit maps

Hunting regulations

Hunters must check daily to ensure the season is still open by calling the 1-800 number on their permit or checking announcements on this page. Shooting hours are sunrise to sunset.
Collared or ear-tagged mountain lions may be harvested.
It is illegal to harvest: Mountain lions with a spotted coat (kittens) or a mountain lion accompanying another mountain lion (likely a family group).
Hunting with the aid of dogs is not allowed during Season 1.
Baiting and/or trapping is prohibited.

Reporting requirements

A harvested mountain lion must be reported within 8 hours of carcass recovery.
The animal must be checked in within 24 hours in the unit where it was harvested.
Proof of gender must remain naturally attached until tagged by the Commission.

Permit requirements

The bag limit for each permit is one mountain lion of either sex.

Auxiliary season

If the harvest limit is not reached in Season 1, an Auxiliary Season will be held allowing the use of dogs.
Unsuccessful permit holders from Season 1 may apply to convert their permit to an Auxiliary Season permit.
Applications must be received by the specified deadline.
The number of Auxiliary Season permits converted will equal the number of mountain lions remaining in the harvest limit for that sub-unit. For example: If two mountain lions remain in the harvest limit at the end of Season 1, two permits will be converted.

Download Complete Regulations