Sioux County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Sioux County has 18 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 13,729 acres in all, 1% of the county. That ranks 6th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. OFW also opens 8.6 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 forest or grasslandBLMOther publicOpen Fields and WatersSioux CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 18 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 13,729 (1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 3,347, 2,613, 1,396, 953, 656 acres |
| Public land | 108,733 acres (8.2%) |
| Deer units | Plains and Pine Ridge |
| Game and Parks district | NW |
| Towns | Harrison |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Sioux County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Sioux County's 18 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 15 | 13,729 |
| Fishing Only | 3 | 0 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Sioux 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,347 | 20 mi northwest of Whitney | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 2,613 | 14 mi north of Crawford | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 1,396 | 6 mi northwest of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 953 | 13 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 656 | 14 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 637 | 15 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 633 | 11 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 631 | 13 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 630 | 15 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 587 | 12 mi north of Crawford | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 470 | 14 mi north of Crawford | Pine Ridge | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 353 | 11 mi southeast of Harrison | Pine Ridge | 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 Sioux County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 108,733 acres of public land in the county, 8.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 13,729 acres. WMAs with a page: Peterson WMA (4,209 acres here), Gilbert-Baker WMA (2,439 acres here) and Fort Robinson WMA (637 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| National forest or grassland | 85,217 | 6.4% |
| Game and Parks land | 21,756 | 1.6% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 2,253 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 1,760 | 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 Sioux County?
Sioux 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | 50% | 1,158 (2025) | 38,662 |
| Pine Ridge | 50% | 1,556 (2025) | 29,929 |
How does Sioux County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 3 counties that touch Sioux County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawes County | 4,015 | 6 | 9% |
| Box Butte County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Scotts Bluff County | 0 | 0 | 1.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Sioux County, Nebraska?
13,729 acres on 18 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Sioux County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Plains and Pine Ridge), 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 Sioux County?
108,733 acres, 8.2% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps, mostly national forest or grassland. WMAs here: Peterson WMA, Gilbert-Baker WMA and Fort Robinson 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.