Nebraska DIY Whitetail, Mule Deer Hunt near Lewellen in Unit 23

This is a 5 day DIY but the landowner will assist if requested to some degree.

There is a river bottom whitetail hunt and a 2,500 trophy mule deer hunt at different locations around Lewellen, Nebraska.

(Plains Unit Garden County Unit 23)

WHITETAIL: This makes a great Father and Son DIY on private ground,  300 or so private acres out of near Scottsbluff Nebraska containing woodlands, creek, and agricultural property with alfalfa and a maximum of 2 hunters per year. The whitetails are in the creek bottom and come out to feed in the alfalfa. Hunting is from the top of large hay stacks along the river bottom. Owner will provide hunters with a map of the fence lines and the location of the hay stacks along with show them the property.

Licenses are usually available late in the summer for whitetail. Most hunting is from blinds with some spot and stalk. A spotting scope is handy to provide a better view of antlers at a distance. No 4 wheelers are needed or allowed because it just spooks the deer. The deer taken are usually 4x4 & 5x5 whitetails, on the south ranch.

MULE DEER: This is a high rack Mule Deer hunt with a low price. You will have 4 1 mile x 1 mile or 4 square miles over 2,500 acres to hunt mule deer. This habitat has rocky cliffs that flatten out to pasture land with water tanks within a mile of any location. In the center is 80 acres or so of this rugged ground that holds big muleys for the 1 on 1 trophy hunter. You can bring another person to assist but you can only take a total of 1 deer. This is a trophy area and although there are no limitations as to size of buck that you shoot there is only a total of 1 muley harvested off this 2,500 acres per year and it has not been hunted this year.

The opportunity and kill rate for both Mule and Whitetail Deer has been 99, 9% in the past. The number of hunters has been limited to two per year on the whitetail and 1 per year on the Muley property to keep the quality up. This is known by the Nebraska Game and Fish as a Trophy Unit, the Plains Unit or Area 23 in Garden County.

Licenses are usually available late in the summer for mule deer. Most hunting is spot and stalk.

A spotting scope is handy to provide a better view of antlers at a distance.

No 4 wheelers are needed or allowed because it just spooks the deer.

The deer taken are usually 4x4 and 5x5 Muleys.

Lodging is Optional and provided at the Ranch headquarters at $100 per day per person, with meals steak and wine affair no need for sleeping bags or cots, Camping Trailers are allowed. Since this is a semi-guided hunt Skinning/caping deer is the hunter’s responsibility. Also meat processing is also available in town.

Licenses are $230 with habitat stamp.

Some Special points of interest for hunters or non-hunters in the area: Winery, Coffee roaster, Art gallery, Historical sites.       

Hunting either the South for whitetails on the south property is $ 1295 or on the trophy mule deer property $1395

Season dates are 11/12/11-11/22/11 for rifle and December 1-31 for muzzleloader.

Archery is 11/23-12/31

Whenever 1 Muley is taken off of the North ranch or 3 whitetails off of the south Ranch we will book no other hunters for the year.

One small buck was taken off the south ranch by an archer so there is only two left to be taken.

A whitetail doe is available for the whitetail hunters for an additional $100.

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Booking requires 50% down and the balance is due 30 days before the hunt.

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Licensing Detail:

This is in the special Mule Deer Conservation area.

The mule deer buck tag is available for 12 hours over the internet when the draw begins at 1PM Central time on July 7 usually(An update is available in June on the exact time and date). This is a good license because you can shoot a Mule Deer Buck, a whitetail buck, or a whitetail Doe on that license.

When they run out you can get a whitetail buck license which is good for a whitetail buck or doe. They are usually available for days after the draw begins. I recommend that you get the Mule deer Buck license so that you can shoot either a mule deer or a whitetail buck that you see. More details on this can be found on the Nebraska Game & Parks Office. 

Nebraska is making it easier than ever to pass on the gift of hunting to our young people.

 With your leadership and knowledge, bonds will be strengthened and a first-time hunter will become a lifetime hunter.  Make a connection like nowhere else on earth. Take a youth hunting. Nebraska provides youth the opportunity to purchase up to two youth permits valid for the harvesting of either sex deer in any unit of the state using the appropriate harvest method for that season.

•Youth Deer Permits are now just $5

•Youth age 10 or older may hunt deer in Nebraska

•Youth ages 15 or younger must hunt with a licensed adult

Application Age: Youth age 16 may get a youth permit if they purchase before turning 16.

 A 17 year old must purchase an adult license and Conservation stamp.

Youth may apply before reaching legal age if legal age is reached before season opens

Habitat Stamp: Required of nonresident youth only.

Hunter’s ages 12 through 29 must have completed firearm hunter education when hunting ANYTHING with a firearm or crossbow.

•Firearm or crossbow hunters under age 12 and those using the exemption certificate can never hunt alone and must be accompanied when hunting anything with a firearm or crossbow. The accompanying person, must be age 19 or older, a licensed hunter and if age 19-29, must be certified in hunter education. Accompanied means you must be in unaided verbal and visual communications at all times 

Minimum Age

 •No minimum age 

License Requirement

 •Resident (15 years old or younger)•Do not need any license or habitat stamp

•Hunter Education (if age 12 or older) 

•Nonresident (15 years old or younger)•Hunt permit

•Habitat Stamp=•Hunter Education (if age 12 or older)

•All hunters age 16 or older must have valid Nebraska hunting license and habitat stamp

 Hunter Orange -- Any persons hunting deer under the authority of a firearm permit during an authorized Forearm season must display on his or her head, chest and back at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/biggamegallery_ngpc/pool/show/

Nebraska Game & Parks Division 2200 N. 33rd St. Lincoln, NE 68503 - (402) 471-0641 

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/

Or the Local District office in North Platte, 301 East State Farm Road, 308-535-8025

Hunt ID: NE-WMDeer-All-Lewellen-17-Bruce

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