37-448 Special deer depredation season; extension of existing deer hunting season; permit; issuance; fee; free permits; when issued.
37-448. Special deer depredationseason; extension of existingdeer hunting season; permit; issuance; fee; free permits; when issued.(1)Subject to rules and regulations adopted and promulgated by the commission,the secretary of the commission may designate special deer depredation seasons or extensions of existing deer huntingseasons by executive order. The secretary may designate a depredationseason or an extension of anexisting deer hunting season whenever he or she determines thatdeer are causing excessive property damage. The secretary shall specify thenumber of permits to be issued, thespecies of deer allowed to be taken, the bag limit for such species, the beginningand ending dates for the depredation season or hunting season extension, shootinghours, the length of the depredation season orhunting season extension, and the geographic area in which huntingwill be permitted. Huntingduring a special depredation season orhunting season extension shall be limited to residents, and the rules and regulations shall allow use of any weapon permissiblefor use during the regular deer season.(2) The depredation season may commence not less than five days afterthe first public announcement that the depredation season has been established.Permits shall be issued in an impartial manner at a locationdetermined by the secretary. The commission shall, pursuant to section 37-327,establish and charge a fee of not more than twenty-five dollars for a specialdepredation season permit. The commission shall use the income fromthe sale of special depredation season permits for abatement of damage causedby deer. The commission shall also provide for an unlimited number of freepermits for the taking of antlerless deer upon request to any person owningor operating at least twenty acres of farm or ranch land within the geographicarea in which hunting will be permitted and to any member of the immediatefamily of any such person as defined in subdivision (2)(a) of section 37-455.A free permit shall be valid only within such area and only during the designateddeer depredation season. Receipt of a depredation season permitshall not in any way affect a person's eligibility for a regular season permit. SourceLaws 1998, LB 922, § 158; Laws 2008, LB1162, § 4; Laws 2010, LB836, § 2.Effective Date: July 15, 2010