With Nebraska’s first installment of the current firearms season just over and the Kansas season opening this week, the deer are nervous. Motorists report seeing them at all times of the day.

Preliminary Nebraska deer check-in numbers indicate this year’s statewide harvest is down 3 percent compared to 2019 for the November firearm season. During the nine-day season, 42,024 deer were harvested, compared to 43,418 in 2019. Unlike prior years, the department does not yet have a harvest report by county.

While the statewide trend was comparable to previous years, regions of the state varied. Deer harvest in southeast Nebraska was up 7 percent from 2019, while southwest Nebraska was down 10 percent. The northwest and northeast districts were down slightly at 2 to 3 percent each.

Mule deer buck harvest decreased 17 percent, with 5,990 taken, compared to 7,201 in 2019. Whitetail buck harvest was down slightly, with 23,814 taken compared to 24,301 in 2019. Antlerless mule deer harvest was down 15 percent, while antlerless white-tailed deer harvest increased 5 percent compared to 2019.

“Many factors can be related to the variations in numbers of checked deer,” said Luke Meduna, big game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Considering the increases in antlerless harvest in the southwest because of depredation complaints over the past few years, it’s not surprising harvest numbers would start trending downward at some point. In contrast, deer numbers in southeast Nebraska have been inching upward in recent years, and we’re seeing that in our harvest.”

One major change for Nebraska’s 2020 November firearm season was the use of Telecheck for all deer harvested. (Archery, muzzleloader and late firearm hunters have used Telecheck for nearly 10 years.) Because of COVID-19-related concerns, Game and Parks did not operate in-person check stations this year.

“Our hunters adapted quickly and did a great job at utilizing the Telecheck system,” Meduna said. Game and Parks plans to go back to in-person check stations for the 2021 November firearm season.

Archery season closes Dec. 31, while muzzleloader season is Dec. 1-31. The late antlerless season will run Jan. 1-15.

Hunters are reminded that mule deer does are protected in many management units and public lands across the state.

Hunters wishing to donate venison can use the Deer Exchange program. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for more details.

For those hunting deer in Kansas, the general firearms season runs from Dec. 2 through the 13.