Gage County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Gage County has 19 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1,933 acres in all, 0.4% of the county. That ranks 31st of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. OFW also opens 0.6 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 landOther publicOpen Fields and WatersGage CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 19 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 1,933 (0.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 207, 160, 158, 157, 156 acres |
| Public land | 1,293 acres (0.2%) |
| Deer units | Blue Southeast and Blue Northwest |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Beatrice, Wymore, Blue Springs, Adams, Clatonia and Odell |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Gage County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Gage County's 19 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 14 | 1,531 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 14 | 1,676 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | 2 | 223 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | 2 | 223 |
| Fishing Only | 2 | 9 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Gage 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 5 mi southeast of Pickrell | Blue Northwest | CRP | |
| 160 | 6 mi east of Blue Springs | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 158 | 3 mi southeast of Virginia | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 157 | 6 mi east of Odell | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 156 | 3 mi southwest of Virginia | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 156 | 2 mi north of Barneston | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 149 | 5 mi southeast of Adams | Blue Northwest | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 132 | 3 mi northwest of Crab Orchard | Blue Northwest | CRP | |
| 109 | 4 mi north of Liberty | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 90 | 3 mi northwest of Crab Orchard | Blue Northwest | CRP | |
| 81 | 2 mi west of Liberty | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 81 | 4 mi southeast of Adams | Blue Northwest | 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 Gage County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 1,293 acres of public land in the county, 0.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 1,933 acres. WMAs with a page: Arrowhead WMA (317 acres here) and Diamond Lake WMA (296 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 1,293 | 0.2% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 718 | 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 Gage County?
Gage 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Southeast | 53.3% | 4,558 (2025) | 15,605 |
| Blue Northwest | 46.7% | 3,105 (2025) | 3,992 |
How does Gage County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Gage County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 3,219 | 29 | 1% |
| Pawnee County | 1,995 | 17 | 1.2% |
| Jefferson County | 1,089 | 8 | 0.9% |
| Saline County | 946 | 4 | 0.1% |
| Otoe County | 791 | 20 | 0.5% |
| Lancaster County | 320 | 3 | 2.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Gage County, Nebraska?
1,933 acres on 19 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.4% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Gage County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Blue Southeast and Blue Northwest), 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 Gage County?
1,293 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: Arrowhead WMA and Diamond Lake 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 Blue Southeast Blue Northwest