Warm temperatures to add new wrinkle, caution as rifle deer season begins

LINCOLN, Neb. - As rifle deer season is set to begin this weekend, there's a few new wrinkles to take note of.

Despite a reductions in antler-less deer permits, Nebraska Game and Parks Big Game Program Manager Luke Meduna says hunting should still improve.

“We’re definitely in a building phase, but I’d expect this year to be a hair better than last year”

An added wrinkle tot his weekends opener - warmer weather. With forecasts showing 70 degree temps for some areas of Nebraska, Meduna says to be urgent with processing your harvest.

“Hunters can tele check it and then get all the meat into a cooler that way,” Meduna said. “Otherwise, if you’re going to go the standard route of field dress, get it in the truck, get it into town to get into the locker. Don’t drive around with it in your truck all weekend, it won’t be any good by Sunday evening.”

While deer are known to move more during cooler temperatures, as we get further into the rut, Meduna says the warm weather shouldn’t slow down movement. 

“The rut is still the rut,” Meduna said. “They’re going to move a bunch ant ants typical of the time of the year. The bucks will be chasing and the does will be running from the bucks. We’ve had several warm openers over the last 10 years and each one has been pretty similar to the year before.”