LandTrust Blog

Why Nebraska is the hunting destination trip you didn’t know you needed.

Written by Team LandTrust | Aug 6, 2021 6:11:54 PM

LandTrust is excited to partner with GoWild. 

GoWild is a free social media community and gear platform for outdoor enthusiasts. The team discusses the best gear, new tactics, and is always learning.

Did you know that in Nebraska, you can buy an over-the-counter rifle mule deer tag as a non-resident? There are plenty of other states that offer OTC archery mule deer tags, but these states follow the trend of crowded public lands and don’t provide the variety of hunting options you might be looking for.

Fall is quickly approaching and sportsmen and women are gearing up for a big season. Tree stands are being placed, blinds are getting set up, rifles and bows are dusted off and camo is pulled out from deep within the closet. But what happens when you have all the gear and nowhere to go? With over one million new sportsmen last year, the orange army is growing and public land is getting crowded.

LandTrust sportsman, Blake Mannion, seeking alternative opportunities last Fall.

LandTrust is the recreation access network that connects sportsmen who are looking for higher quality experiences on untapped land with farmers and ranchers throughout the country. LandTrust has listings across 38 states, but has recently seen rapid landowner growth in Nebraska, a state that consists of 97% private land. With over 200,000 acres of Nebraska land now available to sportsmen via LandTrust, the opportunities are endless! Specifically, for mule deer.

In Nebraska, there is a limited quota of rifle tags sold, but after going on sale on August 2nd of last year, they didn’t sell out until October 7th. That leaves plenty of time to plan a fall trip to the cornhusker state! For just $285, you can buy a non-resident tag that includes one mule deer or whitetail buck plus 1-2 whitetail doe’s.

LandTrust Listing: Lotton Ranch, 785 acres - Chadron, NE.

Not only does Nebraska have these opportunities for mule deer tags, but the likelihood of filling a tag is about as high as anywhere you will find in the entire USA. Overall, Nebraska had a 51% harvest success rate for deer in 2020. Better yet, focusing on the Nebraska region where a majority of LandTrust listings are, the Sandhills unit had a 64% harvest success rate for deer in 2020. This type of success rate along with the convenience of an OTC mule deer tag for non-residents creates ample opportunity for Fall 2021 to be your best season yet!

So, why don’t people know about these opportunities? Why isn’t Nebraska more sought after for hunting? When most sportsmen think about hunting out west, their minds jump to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming or Colorado. Why has Nebraska remained under the radar? Western Nebraska is very similar to these western states with regards to terrain, habitat and species populations. Without an abundance of public land in Nebraska, opportunities only become available to those who know someone or aren’t afraid of door-knocking, often leaving sportsmen feeling guilty or uncomfortable trying to navigate foreign land. 

Harvested on the Lovejoy Ranch, 6,500 acres - Valentine, NE.

LandTrust searches for quality land and works with trustworthy landowners so that it’s easier for you to book muley hunts in Nebraska. With access to private land through LandTrust, your fall just got a lot more convenient. Rather than needing to plan months in advance to ensure you have a safe and quality place to hunt in Nebraska, your timeline can adjust to weeks or even days of preparation before taking a hunting trip to the heart of this country.

LandTrust is excited to continue this conversation with GoWild about the endless opportunities available to sportsmen! In the meantime, we invite you to check out more of our Nebraska listings.

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