Lancaster County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Lancaster County has 3 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 320 acres in all, 0.1% of the county. That ranks 59th 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 landArmy Corps of EngineersState park or recreation areaOther publicOpen Fields and WatersLancaster CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 3 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 320 (0.1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 238, 43, 39 acres |
| Public land | 13,935 acres (2.6%) |
| Deer units | Blue Northwest and Wahoo |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Lincoln, Waverly, Hickman, Bennet, Firth and Panama |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Lancaster County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Lancaster County's 3 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 3 | 320 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 2 | 281 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Lancaster County?
The 3 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 238 | 5 mi northwest of Raymond | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 43 | 3 mi south of Hickman | Blue Northwest | CRP | |
| 39 | 3 mi south of Valparaiso | Wahoo | 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 Lancaster County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 13,935 acres of public land in the county, 2.6% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 320 acres. WMAs with a page: Branched Oak WMA (2,820 acres here), Jack Sinn Memorial WMA (1,161 acres here), Yankee Hill WMA (928 acres here), Pawnee Lake WMA (668 acres here), Wildwood WMA (484 acres here), Wagon Train WMA (456 acres here), Conestoga Lake WMA (394 acres here), Olive Creek WMA (363 acres here), Bluestem WMA (362 acres here), Little Salt Creek WMA (255 acres here), Stagecoach Lake WMA (206 acres here), Teal WMA (90 acres here) and Killdeer WMA (89 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 10,358 | 1.9% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 3,577 | 0.7% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 1,294 | 0.2% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 19 | 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 Lancaster County?
Lancaster 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Northwest | 61.6% | 3,105 (2025) | 3,992 |
| Wahoo | 38.4% | 4,544 (2025) | 2,809 |
How does Lancaster County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Lancaster County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 3,219 | 29 | 1% |
| Gage County | 1,933 | 19 | 0.2% |
| Butler County | 1,153 | 9 | 0.1% |
| Saline County | 946 | 4 | 0.1% |
| Seward County | 800 | 5 | 0.9% |
| Otoe County | 791 | 20 | 0.5% |
| Saunders County | 576 | 5 | 0.4% |
| Cass County | 0 | 0 | 1.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Lancaster County, Nebraska?
320 acres on 3 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.1% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Lancaster County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Blue Northwest and Wahoo), 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 Lancaster County?
13,935 acres, 2.6% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Branched Oak WMA, Jack Sinn Memorial WMA, Yankee Hill WMA, Pawnee Lake WMA, Wildwood WMA, Wagon Train WMA, Conestoga Lake WMA, Olive Creek WMA, Bluestem WMA, Little Salt Creek WMA, Stagecoach Lake WMA, Teal WMA and Killdeer 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.