Lincoln County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Lincoln County has 21 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 23,134 acres in all, 1.4% of the county. That ranks 4th 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 areaOther publicOpen Fields and WatersLincoln CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 21 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 23,134 (1.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 3,265, 3,150, 2,750, 2,250, 2,043 acres |
| Public land | 8,521 acres (0.5%) |
| Deer units | Platte and Frenchman |
| Game and Parks district | SW |
| Towns | North Platte, Sutherland, Hershey, Wallace, Maxwell and Brady |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Lincoln County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Lincoln County's 21 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | 12 | 18,614 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 6 | 4,121 |
| CRP | 5 | 1,196 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,265 | 12 mi north of Moorefield | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 3,150 | 9 mi southwest of Maxwell | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 2,750 | 10 mi north of Moorefield | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 2,250 | 9 mi northeast of Wellfleet | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 2,043 | 10 mi northeast of Wellfleet | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 2,000 | 10 mi northwest of Wellfleet | Frenchman | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 945 | 9 mi southwest of Gothenburg | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 915 | 11 mi south of Brady | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 776 | 11 mi southwest of Brady | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 770 | 9 mi south of Brady | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 753 | 9 mi southwest of Maxwell | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & Trapping | |
| 640 | 10 mi southwest of Brady | Platte | Canyon Access Initiative - All Hunting Seasons & 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 Lincoln County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 8,521 acres of public land in the county, 0.5% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 23,134 acres. WMAs with a page: Wapiti WMA (1,863 acres here), Cedar Valley WMA (868 acres here), North River WMA (651 acres here), Platte WMA (233 acres here), Muskrat Run WMA (223 acres here), Hershey WMA (133 acres here), Chester Island WMA (94 acres here), Pawnee Slough WMA (70 acres here), West Gothenburg WMA (44 acres here) and East Hershey WMA (40 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 8,516 | 0.5% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 8,036 | 0.5% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 69 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 5 | 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 Lincoln County?
Lincoln 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 | 90.5% | 1,423 (2025) | 52,128 |
| Frenchman | 9.5% | 1,985 (2025) | 136,087 |
How does Lincoln County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Lincoln County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keith County | 17,843 | 25 | 1.2% |
| Hayes County | 12,676 | 37 | 0.1% |
| Custer County | 11,464 | 15 | 0.2% |
| Perkins County | 8,844 | 35 | 0% |
| Dawson County | 3,060 | 6 | 0.3% |
| Frontier County | 376 | 3 | 1.8% |
| Logan County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| McPherson County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Lincoln County, Nebraska?
23,134 acres on 21 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1.4% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Lincoln County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Platte and 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 Lincoln County?
8,521 acres, 0.5% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Wapiti WMA, Cedar Valley WMA, North River WMA, Platte WMA, Muskrat Run WMA, Hershey WMA, Chester Island WMA, Pawnee Slough WMA, West Gothenburg WMA and East Hershey 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.