Cheyenne County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Cheyenne County has 33 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 9,781 acres in all, 1.3% of the county. That ranks 11th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. The 2026-27 stubble list adds 1 field (78 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.
Open Fields and WatersCheyenne CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 33 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 9,781 (1.3% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,312, 789, 743, 648, 488 acres |
| Public land | None mapped |
| Deer units | Upper Platte |
| Game and Parks district | NW |
| Towns | Sidney, Potter, Lodgepole, Dalton and Gurley |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Cheyenne County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Cheyenne County's 33 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 29 | 7,660 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 14 | 5,171 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping (Closure during nine-day rifle deer season in November) | 1 | 256 |
Tall wheat and milo stubble fields join the program after the atlas is printed: 1 stubble field, 78 acres, valid through Jan. 31, 2027.
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027; Game and Parks small grain stubble tracts, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Cheyenne County?
The 12 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,312 | 10 mi southwest of Lodgepole | Upper Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 789 | 3 mi south of Potter | Upper Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 743 | 4 mi east of Potter | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 648 | 8 mi south of Potter | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 488 | 4 mi southwest of Potter | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 459 | 9 mi south of Lodgepole | Upper Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 332 | 10 mi north of Potter | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 328 | 6 mi east of Gurley | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 316 | 9 mi southwest of Gurley | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 308 | 8 mi southwest of Sidney | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 299 | 9 mi southwest of Sidney | Upper Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 286 | 6 mi southeast of Dalton | Upper Platte | 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 Cheyenne County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show no public land open to hunting in Cheyenne County, so the walk-in tracts are the county's public hunting ground.
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 Cheyenne County?
All of Cheyenne County is in the Upper Platte 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Platte | 100% | 930 (2025) | 48,068 |
How does Cheyenne County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Cheyenne County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimball County | 12,951 | 32 | 0% |
| Deuel County | 8,679 | 19 | 0.1% |
| Banner County | 5,282 | 11 | 1% |
| Morrill County | 3,874 | 13 | 0.1% |
| Garden County | 1,111 | 5 | 4.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Cheyenne County, Nebraska?
9,781 acres on 33 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1.3% of the county, plus 78 acres of stubble fields.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Cheyenne County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Upper Platte), 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 Cheyenne County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show no public land open to hunting in Cheyenne County; the walk-in tracts are the public ground.
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.
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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.