Thayer County Open Fields and Waters walk-in hunting: Nebraska 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Thayer County has 8 Open Fields and Waters contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 1,294 acres in all, 0.4% of the county. That ranks 36th of Nebraska's 93 counties for OFW acres. OFW also opens 0.5 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 landOpen Fields and WatersThayer CountyWMALakeHighway
| OFW tracts, 2026-27 | 8 |
|---|---|
| OFW acres | 1,294 (0.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 418, 286, 151, 145, 134 acres |
| Public land | 1,291 acres (0.4%) |
| Deer units | Republican, Blue Southeast and Blue Northwest |
| Game and Parks district | SE |
| Towns | Hebron, Carleton, Davenport, Chester, Deshler and Belvidere |
What kinds of Open Fields and Waters land are in Thayer County?
Game and Parks enrolls each site for a purpose, shown on its sign and in the atlas. Thayer County's 8 contracts by program (a contract can carry more than one):
| OFW program | Contracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | 7 | 1,294 |
| CRP | 2 | 231 |
| Fishing Only | 1 | 0 |
Programs and acres: Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Thayer County?
The 8 largest sites on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Program | Stubble or other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 418 | 5 mi southeast of Deshler | Republican | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 286 | 3 mi south of Gilead | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 151 | 2 mi southwest of Alexandria | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 145 | 1 mi northeast of Gilead | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 134 | 1 mi south of Gilead | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 80 | 5 mi east of Hebron | Blue Southeast | All Hunting Seasons and Trapping | |
| 79 | 4 mi northwest of Hubbell | Blue Southeast | CRP | |
| 0 | 1 mi southwest of Hebron | Republican | Fishing Only |
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 Thayer County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks area maps show 1,291 acres of public land in the county, 0.4% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 1,294 acres. WMAs with a page: Meridian WMA (403 acres here), Little Blue WMA (295 acres here), Dry Sandy WMA (192 acres here) and Father Hupp WMA (159 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Game and Parks land | 1,291 | 0.4% |
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 Thayer County?
Thayer 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 51% | 2,565 (2025) | 21,381 |
| Blue Southeast | 45.1% | 4,558 (2025) | 15,605 |
| Blue Northwest | 3.8% | 3,105 (2025) | 3,992 |
How does Thayer County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 4 counties that touch Thayer County, most walk-in land first:
| County | OFW acres | OFW tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 1,089 | 8 | 0.9% |
| Saline County | 946 | 4 | 0.1% |
| Nuckolls County | 176 | 2 | 0.1% |
| Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | 1.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many Open Fields and Waters acres are in Thayer County, Nebraska?
1,294 acres on 8 contracts on Game and Parks' 2026-27 map, 0.4% of the county.
Can you hunt deer on OFW land in Thayer County?
Yes, in season, with the permit for the deer unit the site is in (Republican, Blue Southeast and Blue Northwest), 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 Thayer County?
1,291 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: Meridian WMA, Little Blue WMA, Dry Sandy WMA and Father Hupp 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.
Nebraska hunting Every county's OFW Republican Blue Southeast Blue Northwest