Seward County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Seward County has 5 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 800 acres in all, 0.2% of the county. That ranks 47th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. OFW also opens 1.6 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 landNational wildlife refuge or WPAArmy Corps of EngineersOther publicOpen Fields and WatersSeward CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 5 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 800 (0.2% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 305, 239, 142, 68, 47 acres |
| Public land | 3,462 acres (0.9%) |
| Deer units | Blue Northwest and Wahoo |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Seward, Milford, Beaver Crossing, Utica, Bee and Cordova |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Seward County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Seward County's 5 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| CRP | 3 | 514 |
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 3 | 514 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | 2 | 286 |
| All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Lands) | 2 | 286 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Seward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 305 | 2 mi west of Bee | Wahoo | CRP | |
| 239 | 3 mi west of Beaver Crossing | Blue Northwest | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) | |
| 142 | 5 mi southeast of Dwight | Wahoo | CRP | |
| 68 | 5 mi southeast of Dwight | Wahoo | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 47 | 1 mi west of Beaver Crossing | All Huntings Seasons, Trapping and Fishing (Waters) |
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 Seward County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 3,462 acres of public land in the county, 0.9% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 800 acres. WMAs with a page: Twin Lakes WMA (1,224 acres here), Oak Glen WMA (635 acres here), North Lake Basin WMA (362 acres here), Straight Water WMA (238 acres here), Shypoke WMA (160 acres here), Bur Oak WMA (139 acres here) and Branched Oak WMA (49 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 2,675 | 0.7% |
| National wildlife refuge or WPA | 478 | 0.1% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 350 | 0.1% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 309 | 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 Seward County?
Seward 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 | 57.8% | 3,105 (2025) | 3,992 |
| Wahoo | 42.2% | 4,544 (2025) | 2,809 |
How does Seward County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Seward County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County | 1,153 | 9 | 0.1% |
| Saline County | 946 | 4 | 0.1% |
| Lancaster County | 320 | 3 | 2.6% |
| Polk County | 271 | 2 | 0% |
| York County | 78 | 1 | 0.7% |
| Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | 1.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Seward County, Nebraska?
800 acres on 5 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.2% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Seward 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 Seward County?
3,462 acres, 0.9% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Twin Lakes WMA, Oak Glen WMA, North Lake Basin WMA, Straight Water WMA, Shypoke WMA, Bur Oak WMA and Branched Oak 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.