Hayes County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Hayes County has 37 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 12,676 acres in all, 2.8% of the county. That ranks 9th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. The 2026-27 stubble list adds 1 field (45 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 landBLMOpen Fields and WatersHayes CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 37 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 12,676 (2.8% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 2,357, 1,052, 939, 874, 839 acres |
| Public land | 317 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Frenchman |
| Game and Parks district | SW |
| Towns | Hamlet and Hayes Center |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Hayes County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Hayes County's 37 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 35 | 9,267 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 21 | 10,306 |
Tall wheat and milo stubble fields join the program after the atlas is printed: 1 stubble field, 45 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 Hayes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,357 | 14 mi south of Elsie | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,052 | 10 mi west of Hayes Center | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 939 | 10 mi north of Hayes Center | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 874 | 11 mi northeast of Hayes Center | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 839 | 13 mi south of Elsie | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 750 | 5 mi north of Hayes Center | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 605 | 10 mi northeast of Hayes Center | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 589 | 10 mi east of Hayes Center | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 363 | 11 mi southwest of Maywood | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 345 | 7 mi west of Hayes Center | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 320 | 8 mi west of Hayes Center | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 296 | 11 mi southwest of Maywood | Frenchman | 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 Hayes County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 317 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 12,676 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 276 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 41 | 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 Hayes County?
All of Hayes County is in the Frenchman 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frenchman | 100% | 1,985 (2025) | 136,087 |
How does Hayes County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Hayes County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase County | 46,557 | 48 | 0.7% |
| Lincoln County | 23,134 | 21 | 0.5% |
| Perkins County | 8,844 | 35 | 0% |
| Hitchcock County | 7,085 | 31 | 1.1% |
| Dundy County | 1,400 | 10 | 0% |
| Frontier County | 376 | 3 | 1.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Hayes County, Nebraska?
12,676 acres on 37 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 2.8% of the county, plus 45 acres of stubble fields.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Hayes County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Frenchman), 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 Hayes County?
317 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land.
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.