Otoe County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Otoe County has 20 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 791 acres in all, 0.2% of the county. That ranks 48th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. OFW also opens 7.5 miles of stream here.
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 areaOpen Fields and WatersOtoe CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 20 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 791 (0.2% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 171, 165, 156, 90, 88 acres |
| Public land | 1,864 acres (0.5%) |
| Deer units | Blue Southeast and Blue Northwest |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Nebraska City, Syracuse, Palmyra, Unadilla, Dunbar and Douglas |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Otoe County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Otoe County's 20 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing Only | 15 | 121 |
| CRP | 4 | 580 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | 3 | 343 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | 3 | 343 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 2 | 326 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Otoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 171 | 3 mi northeast of Palmyra | Blue Northwest | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 165 | 2 mi northwest of Unadilla | Blue Northwest | CRP | |
| 156 | 2 mi northwest of Douglas | Blue Northwest | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 90 | 1 mi southeast of Dunbar | Blue Southeast | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | |
| 88 | 4 mi north of Cook | Blue Southeast | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | |
| 20 | 2 mi northeast of Lorton | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 19 | 2 mi east of Dunbar | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 18 | 1 mi northwest of Lorton | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 17 | 1 mi northwest of Lorton | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 15 | 4 mi southeast of Syracuse | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 13 | 3 mi southwest of Dunbar | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 10 | 2 mi southeast of Dunbar | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only |
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 Otoe County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 1,864 acres of public land in the county, 0.5% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 791 acres. WMAs with a page: Triple Creek WMA (79 acres here) and Wilson Creek WMA (42 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Army Corps of Engineers | 1,542 | 0.4% |
| Game and Parks land | 322 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 13 | 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 Otoe County?
Otoe 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 Southeast | 56.5% | 4,558 (2025) | 15,605 |
| Blue Northwest | 43.5% | 3,105 (2025) | 3,992 |
How does Otoe County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Otoe County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 3,219 | 29 | 1% |
| Nemaha County | 3,204 | 28 | 2.2% |
| Gage County | 1,933 | 19 | 0.2% |
| Lancaster County | 320 | 3 | 2.6% |
| Cass County | 0 | 0 | 1.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Otoe County, Nebraska?
791 acres on 20 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.2% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Otoe County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Blue Southeast and Blue Northwest), 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 Otoe County?
1,864 acres, 0.5% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Army Corps of Engineers. WMAs here: Triple Creek WMA and Wilson 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 Blue Southeast Blue Northwest