Butler County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Butler County has 9 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1,153 acres in all, 0.3% of the county. That ranks 37th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres.
Data updated October 2026. Walk-in: Game and Parks' Open Fields and Waters layer for 2026-27. Land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 and agency area maps.
Game and Parks landOther publicOpen Fields and WatersButler CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 9 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 1,153 (0.3% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 316, 168, 153, 133, 130 acres |
| Public land | 330 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Wahoo |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | David City, Surprise, Linwood, Rising City, Brainard and Bruno |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Butler County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Butler County's 9 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 7 | 852 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 7 | 999 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Butler County?
The 9 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 316 | 5 mi east of Dwight | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 168 | 3 mi northeast of Rising City | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 153 | 5 mi southwest of Valparaiso | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 133 | 2 mi northwest of Ulysses | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 130 | 3 mi south of Bellwood | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 80 | 3 mi east of Brainard | Wahoo | CRP | |
| 80 | 3 mi east of Brainard | Wahoo | CRP | |
| 75 | 4 mi northeast of Bellwood | Wahoo | CRP | |
| 18 | 3 mi east of Brainard | Wahoo | CRP |
Tracts: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027; towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places. Use Game and Parks' Public Access Atlas to find each tract's signs and parking.
What public land is in Butler County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 330 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 1,153 acres. WMAs with a page: Redtail WMA (317 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 427 | 0.1% |
| Game and Parks land | 330 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the Census county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee and designation lands with open or restricted public access) and Game and Parks properties (WMAs, recreation areas, parks) and Game and Parks other public recreation lands; the water of the larger reservoirs is left out.
Which deer units cover Butler County?
All of Butler County is in the Wahoo unit. A deer hunter on a walk-in tract needs a permit valid in the unit the tract lies in.
| Deer unit | Share of the county | Deer harvested (whole unit) | OFW acres (whole unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wahoo | 100% | 4,544 (2025) | 2,809 |
How does Butler County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Butler County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seward County | 800 | 5 | 0.9% |
| Saunders County | 576 | 5 | 0.4% |
| Platte County | 323 | 3 | 0.4% |
| Lancaster County | 320 | 3 | 2.6% |
| Polk County | 271 | 2 | 0% |
| Colfax County | 140 | 2 | 0.1% |
| York County | 78 | 1 | 0.7% |
| Dodge County | 0 | 0 | 0.3% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Butler County, Nebraska?
1,153 acres on 9 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.3% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Butler County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Wahoo), unless the site's sign limits it (some close during the November firearm season). Antlerless mule deer may be taken on OFW land, unlike other land open to public hunting.
Is there public land in Butler County?
330 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Redtail WMA.
Walk-in rules to know
- Walk-in only: driving on enrolled land is prohibited.
- Hunting, trapping and fishing only; no camping, target shooting or scouting before the season.
- Some sites close during the nine-day November firearm deer season or allow only certain uses: read the sign.
- Portable tree stands are not allowed Feb. 1 to Aug. 31.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, page 8.
Get a Nebraska hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Nebraska are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Nebraska included.
Where these numbers come from
- Walk-in tracts: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1. County line: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundary counties.
- Deer unit harvest: Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Recommendations.
FilledTag is not part of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Tracts change every season; the sign on the tract is the final word.