Keith County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Keith County has 25 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 17,843 acres in all, 2.5% of the county. That ranks 5th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. The 2026-27 stubble list adds 1 field (48 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 landState park or recreation areaOther publicOpen Fields and WatersKeith CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 25 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 17,843 (2.5% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 5,280, 2,861, 1,582, 1,308, 1,301 acres |
| Public land | 8,527 acres (1.2%) |
| Deer units | Platte and Plains |
| Game and Parks district | SW |
| Towns | Ogallala, Paxton and Brule |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Keith County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Keith County's 25 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 17 | 4,826 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 16 | 16,359 |
Tall wheat and milo stubble fields join the program after the atlas is printed: 1 stubble field, 48 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 Keith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,280 | 12 mi north of Paxton | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 2,861 | 16 mi north of Paxton | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,582 | 13 mi northwest of Sutherland | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,308 | 5 mi north of Paxton | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,301 | 18 mi north of Paxton | Platte | CRP | |
| 651 | 8 mi northwest of Brule | Platte | CRP | |
| 640 | 13 mi north of Paxton | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 640 | 7 mi north of Paxton | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 638 | 6 mi southeast of Big Springs | Platte | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 476 | 5 mi east of Lewellen | Plains | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 322 | 5 mi northeast of Big Springs | Platte | CRP | |
| 322 | 10 mi northwest of Brule | Platte | 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 Keith County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 8,527 acres of public land in the county, 1.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 17,843 acres. WMAs with a page: Clear Creek WMA (4,595 acres here) and Ogallala Strip WMA (461 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 8,527 | 1.2% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 328 | under 0.1% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 214 | 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 Keith County?
Keith 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platte | 88.9% | 1,423 (2025) | 52,128 |
| Plains | 11.1% | 1,158 (2025) | 38,662 |
How does Keith County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Keith County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur County | 26,700 | 3 | 0% |
| Lincoln County | 23,134 | 21 | 0.5% |
| Perkins County | 8,844 | 35 | 0% |
| Deuel County | 8,679 | 19 | 0.1% |
| Garden County | 1,111 | 5 | 4.4% |
| McPherson County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Keith County, Nebraska?
17,843 acres on 25 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 2.5% of the county, plus 48 acres of stubble fields.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Keith County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Platte and Plains), 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 Keith County?
8,527 acres, 1.2% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Clear Creek WMA and Ogallala Strip 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.