Custer County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Custer County has 15 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 11,464 acres in all, 0.7% of the county. That ranks 10th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. OFW also opens 3.4 miles of stream here.
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 landBLMState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersCuster CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 15 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 11,464 (0.7% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,880, 1,787, 1,715, 1,216, 1,134 acres |
| Public land | 3,439 acres (0.2%) |
| Deer units | Loup West, Buffalo and Platte |
| Game and Parks district | SC |
| Towns | Broken Bow, Sargent, Callaway, Arnold, Ansley and Merna |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Custer County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Custer County's 15 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | 8 | 9,515 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 5 | 1,849 |
| CRP | 4 | 1,953 |
| Fishing Only | 1 | 0 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Custer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,880 | 4 mi northeast of Eddyville | Buffalo | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 1,787 | 5 mi north of Oconto | Buffalo | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 1,715 | 2 mi north of Oconto | Buffalo | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 1,216 | 9 mi west of Sargent | Loup West | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 1,134 | 12 mi west of Callaway | Buffalo | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 1,015 | 14 mi north of Arnold | Loup West | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 676 | 4 mi southwest of Taylor | Loup West | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 640 | 6 mi north of Oconto | Buffalo | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 589 | 12 mi south of Arnold | Buffalo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 468 | 2 mi northeast of Comstock | Loup West | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 118 | 6 mi northeast of Arnold | Loup West | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 100 | 2 mi northeast of Anselmo | Loup West | 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 Custer County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 3,439 acres of public land in the county, 0.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 11,464 acres. WMAs with a page: Pressey WMA (1,650 acres here), Arcadia Diversion Dam WMA (884 acres here) and Myrtle E. Hall WMA (614 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 3,428 | 0.2% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 46 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 11 | under 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 Custer County?
Custer County is split between 3 deer units. 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loup West | 50.2% | 1,023 (2025) | 5,401 |
| Buffalo | 47.5% | 2,363 (2025) | 9,594 |
| Platte | 2.3% | 1,423 (2025) | 52,128 |
How does Custer County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 9 counties that touch Custer County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 23,134 | 21 | 0.5% |
| Dawson County | 3,060 | 6 | 0.3% |
| Garfield County | 2,827 | 2 | 0.3% |
| Loup County | 867 | 1 | 1.6% |
| Buffalo County | 700 | 3 | 0.4% |
| Sherman County | 328 | 3 | 1.1% |
| Blaine County | 0 | 0 | 2.5% |
| Logan County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Valley County | 0 | 0 | 0.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Custer County, Nebraska?
11,464 acres on 15 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.7% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Custer County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Loup West, Buffalo and 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 Custer County?
3,439 acres, 0.2% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Pressey WMA, Arcadia Diversion Dam WMA and Myrtle E. Hall 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.
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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.
Nebraska hunting Every county's OFW Loup West Buffalo Platte