The weather Saturday should be comfortable for hunters in deer stands, but it will also create some urgency in processing animals.
That’s if hunters are able to fill their firearm permits.
The harvest is expected to again be lower due to a smaller herd in Nebraska.
A white-tailed deer on private land in Cass County. The size of Nebraska's herd has dropped in recent years.
Highs in the low 60s are forecast in the east with the 50s out west, as close to 50,000 hunters take to the field Saturday for the state's deer opener. The morning will start with low 40s in the east and upper 20s to around 30 in the panhandle. Wind gusts are expected up to 25 mph. The wind will shift to the northwest Sunday with highs around 50 for throughout the state.
“It’s a tradeoff,†said Luke Meduna, big-game program manager for Nebraska Game and Parks. “It’s much more pleasant to sit out there when it’s 40 degrees than 7. If it’s really warm, the deer may not move as much.â€
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Harvested deer must be taken to a processor or boned out and put on ice in a cooler or refrigerator so the meat doesn’t spoil in warmer conditions.
Meduna said harvest numbers for the season, which closes Nov. 24, should be similar to last year though trailing those from five years ago. Just under 40,000 deer were killed in 2024, down a third from 60,000 in 2020.
The drought has hurt numbers, he said, since there is less food available in the landscape.
Requests from landowners to reduce deer populations five years ago created a jump in antlerless permits, trimming the herd more than expected. Hemorrhagic disease also hit some populations, especially in the northeast.
Whitetail deer numbers are down about a third from 2020 and mule deer totals are about half of what they were seven years ago at their peak.
“That’s why we have made pretty aggressive changes with our antlerless permits to build those populations back up,†Meduna said. “They definitely declined faster and more than we anticipated.â€
This fall, 48,000 antlerless tags were allocated compared to 111,000 in 2021. Buck permits are down almost 20% from 2020.
About 50% of hunters haven’t harvested a deer in recent years, and Meduna doesn’t expect that to change in the coming days.
“That’s not to say there aren't still going to be a lot of successful hunters out there. It will be a mix,†Meduna said. “I think overall people will be a little frustrated this year with numbers being down with what people have seen and expected the past 10 years.â€
Meduna reminds hunters that they can bring their deer to a check station or use Telecheck, a free service that allows hunters to check in their deer harvest online or by phone. It's available 24 hours, seven days a week.
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Top Journal Star photos for November 2024
Iris Gonnerman, 8 (from right), her brother Oliver, 6, and cousin Noreen Milana, 9, wave flags while watching Veterans Parade outside the state Capitol on Sunday.
Nebraska's Connor Essegian scores against Bethune-Cookma on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Lincoln Lutheran players embrace one another as threy celebrate defeating Thayer Central in four sets to win the Class C-2 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Covered by a canopy of changing leaves, a car cruises along A street in a neighborhood north of Downtown Lincoln on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Mild temperatures continue into the mid weeks of November. Wednesday calls for a chance of rain showers before noon with gusty winds. Most days this week are expected to be accompanied by mostly sunny skies and consistent breezes.
Norris' Anna Jelinek (left) lifts the the Class B championship trophy alongside Rya Borer on Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Superior players celebrate their three set win over EMF during the Class D-1 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Reflected in a ceiling beam, Leyton takes on Shelton in the first set of the Class D-2 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Omaha Skutt's Nicole Ott (left) and Addison West react after a point in the second set during a Class B semifinal match Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Hasan Khalil, owner of Golden Scissors, trims the beard of Vitaliy Martynyuk on Friday at his barbershop in Lincoln.
Southwest fans Kylea Stritt (from left), Peg Rice, and Stacey Wilson cheer on their team as the "horsemen" during a Class D-1 first-round match Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Millard West players dogpile on the floor after defeating Lincoln Southwest in five set match during a Class A first-round match Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Lincoln Southwest's Shelby Harding dives to save the ball from hitting the ground in the first set during a Class A first-round match Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Second graders Eli Gonzalez (left) and Shrutoshome Datta look at drawings that first and second grade students made at the Monster Jam Art Show on Wednesday at Elliott Elementary School. The elementary school students made drawings of monsters to be turned into different types of art by Lincoln High School students.
Norris players celebrate a point against Lincoln Pius X in a Class B state volleyball tournament match, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (right) talks with supporters, including Darlene Starman of Lincoln, at her campaign office on Tuesday in Lincoln.
A cutout of Jesus watches over voters on Tuesday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lincoln.
Katie Goeling (left) fills out her ballot while her son Gunner, 4, holds her hand during Election Day on Tuesday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Malcolm.
Abigail Webb votes on Tuesday at F Street Community Center.
Nebraska's Rollie Worster (24) shoots a layup while defended by Texas Rio Grande Valley's Marshal Destremau (left) and Trey Miller (right) during the first half of the game on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska's Allison Weidner (left) autographs a poster for Freeman Public Schools student Godwil Muthiani, 12 (center), after the game against UNO on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Muthiani's sign says, "#3 Allison Weinder is the GOAT! Sorry I'm only 12."
Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule speaks to an official after a targeting call on Nebraska during the first quarter of the game against UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. The call was overturned after review.
Nebraska's Dante Dowdell scores against UCLA in the fourth quarter on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Cadet Elena Burgwald (left) and Cadet Mason Beck look up as a B-1B Lancer flies over Memorial Stadium before the UCLA game against Nebraska on Saturday.
UCLA's K.J. Wallace (7) defends Nebraska's Jacory Barney (17) as he makes a diving 40-yard catch in the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Memorial Stadium.
Lincoln Southeast quarterback Tre Bollen (left) and Tate Sandman react after losing a Class A football playoff game against Millard North on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Seacrest Field. Millard North won 10-3.
After the field clears, Norris' Jarrett Behrends (17) kicks his helmet after the Titans fell to Waverly 16-17 in a Class B football playoff game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Waverly High School.
A line of people waiting to vote has been normal at the Lancaster County Election Commission Office at 601 N. 46th St., as it was Friday afternoon. The office will be open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to allow voters to cast an early ballot. If they wait until Election Day, they will need to go to their precinct or drop off their ballots at one of five drop boxes across the city. For more stories about about Tuesday's election, go to .
