Holt County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Holt County has 11 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 13,656 acres in all, 0.9% of the county. That ranks 7th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW 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 landBLMState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersHolt CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 11 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 13,656 (0.9% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 3,315, 2,430, 2,076, 1,066, 960 acres |
| Public land | 1,340 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Calamus East, Keya Paha, Missouri and Calamus West |
| Game and Parks district | NE |
| Towns | O'Neill, Atkinson, Stuart, Chambers, Ewing and Inman |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Holt County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Holt County's 11 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 9 | 12,035 |
| CRP | 5 | 7,000 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | 1 | 762 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | 1 | 762 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Holt County?
The 11 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,315 | 8 mi southwest of Inman | Calamus East | CRP | |
| 2,430 | 16 mi west of Chambers | Calamus West | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 2,076 | 5 mi southwest of Chambers | Calamus East | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,066 | 5 mi southwest of Inman | Calamus East | CRP | |
| 960 | 6 mi south of Inman | Calamus East | CRP | |
| 940 | 7 mi north of Stuart | Keya Paha | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 859 | 6 mi south of Spencer | Keya Paha | CRP | |
| 799 | 5 mi west of Inman | Calamus East | CRP | |
| 762 | 8 mi southwest of Stuart | Calamus West | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | |
| 240 | 4 mi northwest of Ewing | Calamus East | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 209 | 13 mi southwest of Chambers | Calamus East | 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 Holt County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 1,340 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 13,656 acres. WMAs with a page: Redbird WMA (431 acres here), Goose Lake WMA (330 acres here) and Dry Creek WMA (319 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 1,047 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 293 | under 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 55 | 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 Holt County?
Holt County is split between 4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calamus East | 33.7% | 628 (2025) | 19,388 |
| Keya Paha | 27.4% | 1,859 (2025) | 8,300 |
| Missouri | 20.8% | 2,242 (2025) | 5,936 |
| Calamus West | 18.2% | 1,108 (2025) | 16,790 |
How does Holt County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Holt County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock County | 6,733 | 3 | 0.6% |
| Wheeler County | 6,318 | 7 | 0% |
| Garfield County | 2,827 | 2 | 0.3% |
| Knox County | 2,434 | 24 | 3.9% |
| Loup County | 867 | 1 | 1.6% |
| Antelope County | 779 | 17 | 0.5% |
| Boyd County | 20 | 1 | 0.2% |
| Keya Paha County | 0 | 0 | 0.3% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Holt County, Nebraska?
13,656 acres on 11 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.9% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Holt County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Calamus East, Keya Paha, Missouri and Calamus West), 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 Holt County?
1,340 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Redbird WMA, Goose Lake WMA and Dry Creek 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 Calamus East Keya Paha Missouri Calamus West