NEBRASKA – What was once a premier pheasant hunting destination, simply isn’t anymore. However, the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission plans to change that.

If you are someone like me, you will be ecstatic to hear that the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission has approved and put a plan in motion to improve pheasant hunting throughout the state.

Growing up (and still to this day), it was not uncommon to hear my dad and uncles telling “back in the day” stories about how good the pheasant hunting use to be in Nebraska. Excellent pheasant hunting in Nebraska is something I have never had the privilege to experience.

After doing some research, I found that in the mid-1960’s and earlier there were over 1.4 million pheasants harvested each season by approximately 140,000 hunters in the state of Nebraska. Now the numbers are much, much lower. Coming in at 29,000 hunters harvesting around 131,000 pheasants.

What is the reason for such a big decrease? One of the reasons is that upland habitat is being converted to farmland because of commodity prices, another reason is the weather. Both of these things are out of the state’s control, so there is not much that can be done from that front, but fortunately for myself and other hunters around the state (and country) the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission has a developed a 5 year plan in hopes of turning Nebraska back into one of the best states for pheasant hunting.

The Nebraska Game and Parks 5 year conservation “Mega Plan” aims to improve pheasant hunting throughout the state and provide hunters with an unforgettable pheasant hunting experience.  The plan seeks to improve and manage pheasant populations, improve, enhance and create upland game habitat on more than 805,000 acres of land, increase public access to 122,000 more acres of hunting land, increase the number of hunters and help boost the rural economies throughout the state.

The estimated total cost of this plan over 5 years is $26.4 million—or $5.9 million a year. In turn, upland game hunting, lodging and all the other costs that come along with it amount to $47 million that goes to the local rural communities around Nebraska.

In order for this plan to work, it requires numerous public/private partnerships to increase the amount of pheasant hunting land in Nebraska.

In summary, please view the images from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission below:

To view the entire approved “Mega Plan” from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, Click Here

For more information on this topic, Click Here

This is fantastic news for the outdoorsman and the state of Nebraska. I am excited to see this plan put into action and put Nebraska back on the map as a great upland game hunting state.

– Scott Pawloski, National Land Realty