Laws To Trap And Hunt Squirrels In Nebraska [Latest Laws To Follow]

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All states of America have squirrels. So does Nebraska. Squirrels are furry rodents, and they are cute to look at. However, they can cause nuisance and damage your property. That is why you must know Nebraska’s laws to trap and hunt squirrels.

You can hunt and shoot grey and black squirrels by following certain rules and regulations of Nebraska State, however, other species of squirrels are not legal to hunt.

In this blog, you will discuss various types of squirrels in Nebraska. This article will also inform you about the hunting code and requirements for getting a license in Nebraska.

Squirrel Types Found In Nebraska

There are many types of squirrels in Nebraska. This article is going to let you know about two of them:

Eastern Grey Squirrels

The Eastern Grey Squirrels are 16.6 to 21.6 inches long and weigh about 14 to 21 pounds. Adult squirrels can live up to six years. However, if the predators do not eat them, these squirrels can live up to 12 years. Moreover, Eastern Grey Squirrels are quite common in Nebraska. 

Red Fox Squirrels 

The Red fox squirrels do not survive for long. They usually die in the first after they are born. Still, 20 percent of the babies can endure and live up to a maximum of eight years. The predators can eat these red fox squirrels. Still, these squirrels are widespread across Nebraska and are easy to spot

The authors cannot hunt every type of squirrel. 

  1. The hunters can hunt Eastern Grey Squirrels in Nebraska.
  2. The authorities also allow the hunting of black squirrels in Nebraska. They are a hybrid of grey squirrels as well as fox squirrels. 
  3. The hunters can also hunt red fox squirrels in Nebraska.
  4. It is not legal to hunt flying squirrels in Nebraska. 
  5. It is also not permissible to hunt ground squirrels. 
  6. The hunters cannot hunt a specie of their choice on private property. 

Squirrels Hunting Season In Nebraska

Like every other state, there is a particular hunting season in Nebraska. During this season, the hunters can hunt down squirrels openly. This hunting season starts in August. At this time, the summer season prevails in Nebraska. The hunting season extends till January 31st. From February onwards, the hunters cannot hunt inside Nebraska. 

Hunters usually get their hunting permits online in Nebraska. The state of Nebraska encourages hunting; The hunters also hunt other animals like a dove, cottontail, snipes, etc, in their respective hunting seasons.

Laws Governing Trapping Of Squirrels In Nebraska

Many laws govern the trapping of squirrels in Nebraska. The following laws are mentioned below.

  1. People who possess a valid wildlife damage control permit can trap squirrels in Nebraska.
  2. The state of Nebraska encourages the use of live traps. 
  3. People who possess a wildlife damage control permit can euthanize the fox squirrels after trapping them
  4. It is unlawful to use snares during the upland gaming season in Nebraska. 
  5. The state of Nebraska does not permit using body-gripping traps with less than 8 inches of jaw spread. 

Laws Governing Shooting And Hunting Of Squirrels In Nebraska

Many laws govern the shooting and hunting of squirrels in Nebraska. The laws are as follows:

  1. The state of Nebraska issues an annual hunting permit to hunters. 
  2. People over 16 can hunt game species like squirrels in the open season.
  3. The residents of Nebraska all need a hunting license before they go out hunting.
  4. The state of Nebraska does not allow the release of squirrels 100 yards from where they were captured. 
  5. The hunting license is free, and there is no fee for it. The hunters can also obtain it online. 

How Can You Shoot And Hunt Squirrels In Nebraska?

There are many visits to shoot squirrels. Here is how you can do it: 

  1. The daily bag limit of squirrels is seven days.
  2. The authorities allow squirrel hunting 30 minutes before sunrise till sunset. 
  3. There are two common ways to hunt squirrels. It is done through still pursuing. The hunters walk with periodic pauses in between. This method involves the scanning of squirrels in the forest.
  4. The second method is stand hunting. In this, the hunter or a group of hunters shoot the squirrels in the forest by standing in a particular space. 

Yes, shooting squirrels with a pellet gun in Nebraska is legal. Hunters can use a 0.25 caliber air rifle for killing with a lead pellet of 800. The other pellet gun is Swarm Maxxim, which can shoot ten bullets in one go before reloading. 

To purchase a pellet gun, the hunters must be at least 18 or over 18. Moreover, hunters cannot shoot near residential areas. Also, hunting is not permissible during the closed season. Additionally, the hunters must register their weapons or firearm for hunting on an annual basis.

Yes, it is legal to shoot squirrels on private property in Nebraska. However, the owner should give permission for it first.  This permission is to be in written form. Furthermore, hunting is not permissible on government or federal lands. The authorities do not permit this.

The residents of Nebraska can only hunt on private property during the open season and not otherwise. Furthermore, if squirrels are causing damage, it is legal to kill them there and then.

Wrapping It Up

On the whole, there are many laws to trap and hunt squirrels in Nebraska. The hunters can read through the rules and obey them. The hunters first need to know about the legal squirrels to hunt and which are not. Furthermore, the hunters can only hunt in the open season.

The hunters can also use multiple weapons like pellet guns and BB guns to shoot squirrels. There are specific laws about the relocation and trapping of squirrels too. Hence, the hunters must abide by them to avoid any stringent action by the authorities.

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