Sheridan County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Sheridan County has 5 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1,507 acres in all, 0.1% of the county. That ranks 34th 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 landBLMOpen Fields and WatersSheridan CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 5 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 1,507 (0.1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 627, 398, 195, 186, 100 acres |
| Public land | 3,932 acres (0.2%) |
| Deer units | Plains, Pine Ridge and Sandhills |
| Game and Parks district | NW |
| Towns | Rushville, Gordon, Hay Springs and Clinton |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Sheridan County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Sheridan County's 5 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 3 | 779 |
| CRP | 3 | 922 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Sheridan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 627 | 6 mi southeast of Clinton | Pine Ridge | CRP | |
| 398 | 9 mi north of Hay Springs | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 195 | 13 mi south of Rushville | Plains | CRP | |
| 186 | 2 mi north of Clinton | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 100 | 3 mi north of Clinton | Pine Ridge | CRP |
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 Sheridan County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 3,932 acres of public land in the county, 0.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 1,507 acres. WMAs with a page: Metcalf WMA (3,272 acres here) and Smith Lake WMA (659 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 3,892 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 40 | 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 Sheridan County?
Sheridan County is split between 3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | 41% | 1,158 (2025) | 38,662 |
| Pine Ridge | 37.1% | 1,556 (2025) | 29,929 |
| Sandhills | 21.9% | 1,812 (2025) | 8,433 |
How does Sheridan County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Sheridan County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawes County | 4,015 | 6 | 9% |
| Morrill County | 3,874 | 13 | 0.1% |
| Garden County | 1,111 | 5 | 4.4% |
| Cherry County | 171 | 1 | 5.7% |
| Box Butte County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Grant County | 0 | 0 | 0.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Sheridan County, Nebraska?
1,507 acres on 5 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.1% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Sheridan County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Plains, Pine Ridge and Sandhills), 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 Sheridan County?
3,932 acres, 0.2% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly Game and Parks land. WMAs here: Metcalf WMA and Smith Lake 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.
Get a Nebraska hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Nebraska are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Nebraska included.
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 Plains Pine Ridge Sandhills