Furnas County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Furnas County has 56 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 27,461 acres in all, 6% of the county. That ranks 2nd of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. The 2026-27 stubble list adds 4 fields (817 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 landOpen Fields and WatersFurnas CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 56 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 27,461 (6% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 3,099, 1,874, 1,726, 1,367, 1,303 acres |
| Public land | 144 acres (under 0.1%) |
| Deer units | Frenchman and Republican |
| Game and Parks district | SC |
| Towns | Cambridge, Arapahoe, Oxford, Beaver City, Edison and Wilsonville |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Furnas County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Furnas County's 56 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 51 | 26,666 |
| CRP | 38 | 15,489 |
| Small Grain Stubble Management | 10 | 10,253 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping (Closure during nine-day rifle deer season in November) | 1 | 691 |
Tall wheat and milo stubble fields join the program after the atlas is printed: 4 stubble fields, 817 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 Furnas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,099 | 2 mi west of Hendley | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,874 | 4 mi west of Holbrook | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 1,726 | 4 mi east of Lebanon | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,367 | 5 mi east of Lebanon | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,303 | 6 mi south of Beaver City | Republican | CRP | |
| 1,178 | 5 mi northwest of Wilsonville | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,148 | 5 mi south of Oxford | Republican | CRP | |
| 1,010 | 5 mi southeast of Beaver City | Republican | CRP | |
| 1,004 | 2 mi north of Hendley | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 997 | 5 mi northeast of Lebanon | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 828 | 4 mi east of Wilsonville | Frenchman | Small Grain Stubble Management | |
| 809 | 7 mi southwest of Stamford | Republican | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping |
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 Furnas County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 144 acres of public land in the county, under 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 27,461 acres. WMAs with a page: Burton's Bend WMA (44 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 144 | 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 Furnas County?
Furnas County is split between 2 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frenchman | 53.2% | 1,985 (2025) | 136,087 |
| Republican | 46.8% | 2,565 (2025) | 21,381 |
How does Furnas County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Furnas County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan County | 2,031 | 13 | 4.8% |
| Gosper County | 915 | 7 | 1.2% |
| Frontier County | 376 | 3 | 1.8% |
| Phelps County | 0 | 0 | 2.2% |
| Red Willow County | 0 | 0 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Furnas County, Nebraska?
27,461 acres on 56 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 6% of the county, plus 817 acres of stubble fields.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Furnas County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Frenchman and Republican), 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 Furnas County?
144 acres, 0% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Burton's Bend 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.