Hitchcock County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Hitchcock County has 31 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 7,085 acres in all, 1.5% of the county. That ranks 14th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. The 2026-27 stubble list adds 18 fields (7,454 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 landBureau of ReclamationBLMState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersHitchcock CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 31 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 7,085 (1.5% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,444, 748, 478, 475, 441 acres |
| Public land | 5,045 acres (1.1%) |
| Deer units | Frenchman |
| Game and Parks district | SW |
| Towns | Culbertson, Trenton, Stratton and Palisade |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Hitchcock County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Hitchcock County's 31 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 30 | 6,865 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 23 | 6,349 |
| Small Grain Stubble Management | 3 | 2,042 |
Tall wheat and milo stubble fields join the program after the atlas is printed: 18 stubble fields, 7,454 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 Hitchcock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,444 | 5 mi southeast of Palisade | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 748 | 1 mi northwest of Trenton | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 478 | 3 mi southeast of Palisade | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 475 | 6 mi northwest of Trenton | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 441 | 5 mi west of Culbertson | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 391 | 1 mi east of Trenton | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 384 | 5 mi east of Trenton | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 263 | 3 mi south of Stratton | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 246 | 3 mi southwest of Culbertson | Frenchman | CRP | |
| 231 | 10 mi south of Trenton | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 219 | 12 mi south of Culbertson | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 198 | 6 mi southwest of Stratton | 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 Hitchcock County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 5,045 acres of public land in the county, 1.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 7,085 acres. WMAs with a page: Swanson Reservoir WMA (8,059 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 4,055 | 0.9% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 949 | 0.2% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 331 | 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 Hitchcock County?
All of Hitchcock 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 Hitchcock County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 4 counties that touch Hitchcock County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes County | 12,676 | 37 | 0.1% |
| Dundy County | 1,400 | 10 | 0% |
| Frontier County | 376 | 3 | 1.8% |
| Red Willow County | 0 | 0 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Hitchcock County, Nebraska?
7,085 acres on 31 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1.5% of the county, plus 7,454 acres of stubble fields.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Hitchcock 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 Hitchcock County?
5,045 acres, 1.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Swanson Reservoir 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.