Saunders County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Saunders County has 5 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 576 acres in all, 0.1% of the county. That ranks 52nd 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 landState park or recreation areaOther publicOpen Fields and WatersSaunders CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 5 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 576 (0.1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 160, 158, 155, 80, 23 acres |
| Public land | 2,005 acres (0.4%) |
| Deer units | Wahoo |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Wahoo, Ashland, Mead, Yutan, Valparaiso and Ceresco |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Saunders County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Saunders County's 5 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 3 | 393 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 3 | 393 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | 2 | 183 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | 2 | 183 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Saunders County?
The 5 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | 2 mi southeast of Prague | Wahoo | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | |
| 158 | 4 mi east of Valparaiso | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 155 | 3 mi north of Valparaiso | Wahoo | CRP | |
| 80 | 6 mi west of Weston | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 23 | 3 mi north of Prague | Wahoo | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) |
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 Saunders County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 2,005 acres of public land in the county, 0.4% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 576 acres. WMAs with a page: Jack Sinn Memorial WMA (471 acres here), Larkspur WMA (158 acres here), Memphis Lake WMA (106 acres here), Bramble WMA (71 acres here) and Two Rivers WMA (11 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 2,005 | 0.4% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 645 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 12 | 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 Saunders County?
All of Saunders County is in the Wahoo 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wahoo | 100% | 4,544 (2025) | 2,809 |
How does Saunders County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Saunders County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County | 1,153 | 9 | 0.1% |
| Lancaster County | 320 | 3 | 2.6% |
| Cass County | 0 | 0 | 1.7% |
| Dodge County | 0 | 0 | 0.3% |
| Douglas County | 0 | 0 | 1.6% |
| Sarpy County | 0 | 0 | 1.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Saunders County, Nebraska?
576 acres on 5 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.1% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Saunders County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (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 Saunders County?
2,005 acres, 0.4% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Jack Sinn Memorial WMA, Larkspur WMA, Memphis Lake WMA, Bramble WMA and Two Rivers 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.