Pawnee County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Pawnee County has 17 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1,995 acres in all, 0.7% of the county. That ranks 29th 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 landOpen Fields and WatersPawnee CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 17 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 1,995 (0.7% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 241, 239, 232, 172, 155 acres |
| Public land | 3,195 acres (1.2%) |
| Deer units | Blue Southeast |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Pawnee City, Table Rock, Du Bois, Burchard, Steinauer and Lewiston |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Pawnee County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Pawnee County's 17 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 14 | 1,692 |
| CRP | 7 | 936 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | 2 | 290 |
| Fishing Only | 2 | 131 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | 1 | 172 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Pawnee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241 | 4 mi west of Table Rock | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 239 | 2 mi southwest of Lewiston | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 232 | 2 mi southeast of Pawnee City | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 172 | 7 mi southeast of Liberty | Blue Southeast | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | |
| 155 | 3 mi southwest of Table Rock | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 138 | 4 mi south of Pawnee City | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 132 | 5 mi southwest of Lewiston | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 123 | 6 mi south of Virginia | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 118 | 1 mi southwest of Steinauer | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 118 | 6 mi east of Liberty | Blue Southeast | Fishing Only | |
| 80 | 4 mi northeast of Table Rock | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 76 | 5 mi north of Liberty | Blue Southeast | 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 Pawnee County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 3,195 acres of public land in the county, 1.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 1,995 acres. WMAs with a page: Pawnee Prairie WMA (1,119 acres here), Burchard WMA (558 acres here), Table Rock WMA (420 acres here), Bowwood WMA (320 acres here), Taylor's Branch WMA (240 acres here), Mayberry WMA (201 acres here), Lores Branch WMA (130 acres here) and Prairie Knoll WMA (120 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 3,195 | 1.2% |
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 Pawnee County?
All of Pawnee County is in the Blue Southeast unit. 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 | 99.9% | 4,558 (2025) | 15,605 |
How does Pawnee County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 4 counties that touch Pawnee County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richardson County | 4,595 | 31 | 0.9% |
| Johnson County | 3,219 | 29 | 1% |
| Nemaha County | 3,204 | 28 | 2.2% |
| Gage County | 1,933 | 19 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Pawnee County, Nebraska?
1,995 acres on 17 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.7% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Pawnee County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Blue Southeast), 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 Pawnee County?
3,195 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: Pawnee Prairie WMA, Burchard WMA, Table Rock WMA, Bowwood WMA, Taylor's Branch WMA, Mayberry WMA, Lores Branch WMA and Prairie Knoll 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.