Garden County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Garden County has 5 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1,111 acres in all, 0.1% of the county. That ranks 38th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. The 2026-27 stubble list adds 6 fields (3,171 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 landNational wildlife refuge or WPABLMState park or recreation areaOther publicOpen Fields and WatersGarden CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 5 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 1,111 (0.1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 642, 237, 79, 78, 75 acres |
| Public land | 48,638 acres (4.4%) |
| Deer units | Plains, Upper Platte and Platte |
| Game and Parks district | NW |
| Towns | Oshkosh and Lewellen |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Garden County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Garden County's 5 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 4 | 469 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 3 | 954 |
Tall wheat and milo stubble fields join the program after the atlas is printed: 6 stubble fields, 3,171 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 Garden County?
The 5 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 642 | 17 mi northwest of Arthur | Plains | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 237 | 4 mi northeast of Oshkosh | Plains | CRP | |
| 79 | 8 mi southwest of Lewellen | Platte | CRP | |
| 78 | 7 mi southwest of Oshkosh | Upper Platte | CRP | |
| 75 | 7 mi south of Lewellen | 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 Garden County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 48,638 acres of public land in the county, 4.4% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 1,111 acres. WMAs with a page: Clear Creek WMA (1,517 acres here) and Crescent Lake WMA (86 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge or WPA | 45,882 | 4.1% |
| Game and Parks land | 2,675 | 0.2% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 450 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 81 | under 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 2 | 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 Garden County?
Garden 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | 78.7% | 1,158 (2025) | 38,662 |
| Upper Platte | 13.3% | 930 (2025) | 48,068 |
| Platte | 8% | 1,423 (2025) | 52,128 |
How does Garden County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 7 counties that touch Garden County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur County | 26,700 | 3 | 0% |
| Keith County | 17,843 | 25 | 1.2% |
| Cheyenne County | 9,781 | 33 | 0% |
| Deuel County | 8,679 | 19 | 0.1% |
| Morrill County | 3,874 | 13 | 0.1% |
| Sheridan County | 1,507 | 5 | 0.2% |
| Grant County | 0 | 0 | 0.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Garden County, Nebraska?
1,111 acres on 5 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.1% of the county, plus 3,171 acres of stubble fields.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Garden County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Plains, Upper Platte 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 Garden County?
48,638 acres, 4.4% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly national wildlife refuge or WPA. WMAs here: Clear Creek WMA and Crescent 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.
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