The Complete Nebraska Pheasant Hunting Guide for 2026

Nebraska has been a pheasant hunting destination for decades, and for good reason. The combination of CRP grasslands, agricultural grain, shelter belt cover, and a climate that supports strong reproduction makes this state one of the best in the pheasant belt. Whether you are planning a buddy trip from out of state or hunting close to home, here is what you need to know.

Season Dates and Bag Limits

Nebraska's pheasant season typically opens on the last Saturday of October and runs through the end of January. The daily bag limit is three roosters with a possession limit of twelve. Only male birds with visible spurs or plumage may be taken — hens are protected.

Permits are straightforward. You need a Nebraska small game hunting license and a Habitat Stamp. Both residents and non-residents can purchase over the counter. Non-resident small game licenses are reasonably priced compared to neighboring states, making Nebraska an attractive option for traveling pheasant hunters.

Best Counties

The heart of Nebraska pheasant country is the southwest and south-central region of the state. Chase, Dundy, Hitchcock, Hayes, Frontier, Red Willow, and Furnas counties consistently produce the best bird numbers. This area has the ideal combination of CRP grasslands for nesting, crop fields for food, and shelter belts for winter cover.

The Platte River corridor through central Nebraska — particularly the counties surrounding Kearney, Holdrege, and McCook — also holds good pheasant numbers. The river bottom habitat mixed with irrigated agriculture creates reliable year-round conditions.

Further east, pheasant densities drop as the landscape shifts to row crops with less grass cover. But even eastern Nebraska can produce decent shooting in areas with quality habitat.

Public Land Options

Nebraska offers excellent public pheasant hunting access through Wildlife Management Areas and the Open Fields and Waters program. The OFWP program enrolls private land and opens it to public hunting access — there are hundreds of thousands of acres enrolled across the pheasant range.

Download the Nebraska Public Access Atlas from the Game and Parks website. It shows every WMA, OFWP parcel, and national grassland in the state. Some of the best public pheasant hunting in southwest Nebraska is on OFWP land that receives minimal pressure because hunters do not know it exists.

Swanson Reservoir WMA, Red Willow Reservoir WMA, and Medicine Creek Reservoir in the southwest are well-known destinations with large acreages of grassland and food plots managed specifically for upland birds.

Dog Breeds for Nebraska Pheasants

A good bird dog is not optional for serious pheasant hunting — it is essential. Nebraska's CRP fields, plum thickets, and shelter belts hold birds in dense cover, and a dog that can scent, point or flush, and retrieve is the difference between a full bag and watching roosters fly out the far end of the field.

Labrador Retrievers are the most popular pheasant dog in Nebraska. They are tough, handle cold weather well, and their flushing style keeps birds moving ahead of the walking line. German Shorthaired Pointers are excellent in open CRP country where their ranging ability and pointing instinct shine. Brittanys offer a smaller, versatile option that hunts close and works both cover and open ground effectively.

Whatever breed you run, make sure the dog is conditioned for the walking. Nebraska pheasant hunting means miles of grass in sometimes challenging terrain. An out-of-shape dog is a liability.

Walking Strategies for CRP and Shelter Belts

CRP fields hold the majority of Nebraska's pheasant population. Walk CRP with the wind in your face or quartering into it — this helps your dog work scent and prevents birds from running ahead and flushing wild out the back.

Push CRP strips toward corners and dead ends where possible. Pheasants prefer to run rather than fly, and driving them into a corner or against a road ditch gives them fewer escape options and forces flushes within range.

Shelter belts are linear and predictable. Walk the length of the shelter belt with blockers positioned at the far end. Birds will run the length of the trees ahead of the walkers and flush when they hit the blockers. Without blockers, expect birds to bail out the end at 60 yards.

Opening Day Tips

Opening day is the most exciting and the most crowded day of the season. Arrive early, have a plan, and know your public land options before you go. The best strategy is to avoid the obvious spots — the well-known WMAs that show up on every hunting forum — and instead hunt the smaller, less-publicized OFWP parcels that receive a fraction of the pressure.

By late season — December and January — pheasant hunting can be outstanding. Pressure has dropped off, birds are concentrated around remaining food and cover, and a fresh snow makes tracking and flushing birds more productive. Do not hang up the shotgun after Thanksgiving.