W. Nebraska public land?

[myshootinstinks]

We have lots of hunting opportunities here in Wyo, a nice variety of game and lots of public land.  There is nothing like being in the mountains in September.
  The only downside is that our bow seasons here are ridiculously short and they all happen at the same time.
  Ne has a more generous deer season and we see a lot of deer when we're there, my buddy and I are considering a late-in-the-year venture.
  Any tips on public land?

[Pete McMiller]

My memory might be faulty but don't you need to apply in advance for NE deer?

[smoke]

I think hunting pressure is pretty light in the Pine Ridge area - nice and close to Wyoming.  The rifle season opens the 2nd Saturday in November so I'd recommend that you get out before then.   Good luck!

[dan ferguson]

You can buy archery tags online anytime, One public area that is always overlooked is in Custer co. Nebraska. Called (Pressy Park)I think around 6000 acres, camping availible there, foot or horseback only, If you do alittle homework there is alot of private close that will allow you on with just asking,Its located south of Broken Bow Ne. With the purchase of an archery tag you will also get an bonus tag for a whitetail doe, good country and good people

[myshootinstinks]

Good info guys, thanks.  Yes as I understand it a nonresident can buy tags over-the-counter until they are all gone.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Anything west of North Platte, you will encounter more CO and WY hunters than you will NE.. Most of the reservoirs are great..

The only time the archery permits are gone is when season is closed.

[Jack Skinner]

What about the state wildlife areas. I cant remember what they called them. But they have areas where all can hunt, and most of them have an individual that cares for the property. Making food plots and impoving water access. There was one near Crawford NE, and Ft. Robinson I think it was called the Ponderosa WMA (wildlife management unit?). I used to hunt turkeys there and it had good numbers of deer as well.

[mwosborn]

Several places around the Crawford - Chadron area.  Check it out...

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/hunting/where_2_hunt.asp

[myshootinstinks]

Mitch,  Great link, thanks.

[bowslinger]

Fort Robinson State Park butts up against the Soldier Creek Wilderness Area (federal).  Both are foot traffic or horse back only.  No game carts allowed on federal wilderness property so be prepeared to drag or carry your deer out of Soldier Creek.  I had a 4-mile drag last year on a buck, and a 2.5-mile drag on a whitetail doe.

Other nearby areas include Ponderosa WMA, Gilbert-Baker north of Harrison (west of Crawford), East Ash Creek, Bordeaux Creek (east Of Chardron), and Chadron State Park (south of Chadron).  There are other areas as well.

These areas get a lot of traffic during the rifle season, but not so much during bow season.  Fort Rob has elk, bighorn sheep, turkey, porcupines, lots of coyotes, not to mention whitetails and muleys.  They do do have  few moutain lions running around, but have not heard of anyone being pestered.

Cabins (especially the Adobes) are great.  There are primitive campgrounds on State property with public showers and three or four camping areas with camper pads and electrical hook-ups.  There is limited primitive camping at trailhead of Soldier Creek, with outhouses and hand pumps for drinking water.

I have hunted Fort Rob nearly every year since 1993, moslty rifle but a few bowhunting trips for deer and turkey, and a few flyfishing trips for brookies, browns and rainbows.

[Hedgewood]

Originally posted by bowslinger:
Fort Robinson State Park butts up against the Soldier Creek Wilderness Area (federal).  Both are foot traffic or horse back only.  No game carts allowed on federal wilderness property so be prepeared to drag or carry your deer out of Soldier Creek.  I had a 4-mile drag last year on a buck, and a 2.5-mile drag on a whitetail doe.

Other nearby areas include Ponderosa WMA, Gilbert-Baker north of Harrison (west of Crawford), East Ash Creek, Bordeaux Creek (east Of Chardron), and Chadron State Park (south of Chadron).  There are other areas as well.

These areas get a lot of traffic during the rifle season, but not so much during bow season.  Fort Rob has elk, bighorn sheep, turkey, porcupines, lots of coyotes, not to mention whitetails and muleys.  They do do have  few moutain lions running around, but have not heard of anyone being pestered.

Cabins (especially the Adobes) are great.  There are primitive campgrounds on State property with public showers and three or four camping areas with camper pads and electrical hook-ups.  There is limited primitive camping at trailhead of Soldier Creek, with outhouses and hand pumps for drinking water.

I have hunted Fort Rob nearly every year since 1993, moslty rifle but a few bowhunting trips for deer and turkey, and a few flyfishing trips for brookies, browns and rainbows.

[Hedgewood]

Bowslinger,

I ran across your post last night while doing some research for next year's hunting trip.  3 years ago I spent a week and hiked nearly 40 miles in Fort Rob on a solo early season bowhunt for Mule Deer.  My wife's family is from NE Iowa so I get up that way at least once or twice a year.  Anyway as I'm getting older I changing focuses from deer to coyotes, which seem to be more of a challenge.  The reason for posting is I saw where you said Fort Rob was full of coyotes.  I don't know if I was too focused on Mule Deer when I was there but I didn't see hardly any coyote sign nor did I see any in the morning or evening glassing.  I chalked it up to rumors that mange and a cold winter had wiped a lot of them out.  Please tell me I'm wrong in my assessment and that I may have been looking in the wrong place because I would love to plan another trip back for both a Mule Deer hunt either bow or rifle and definitely a long range coyote hunt, preferably more early fall or spring.

[huntnmuleys]

I haven't hunted it in over a decade, but some of the small public sections outside of whitney (between chadron and Crawford) used to have some big mulies.  all of the rest of the info already given here is good too, from what I remember.