Box Butte Reservoir WMA: hunting, rules and access
Box Butte Reservoir WMA is 2,004 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 9 miles north of Hemingford, in Dawes County and the Plains deer unit.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landBureau of ReclamationState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersBox Butte Reservoir WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 2,004 (Game and Parks); 2,001 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 2 & 6 |
| County | Dawes |
| Deer unit | Plains |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1964 |
Which deer unit is Box Butte Reservoir WMA in?
The Plains deer unit, 6,377 square miles, with 1,158 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Plains unit in 2026: Plains 1,000 (1 AD2, 1 AOWT, sold out R - Nov. 10, NR - DRAW in 2025) and Plains WT 200 (1 WT, 1 AOWT, sold out Nov. 14 in 2025) (Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Guide, page 13).
Harvest: Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Recommendations.
What public and walk-in land is near Box Butte Reservoir WMA?
Within five miles: 755 acres of Game and Parks land, 166 acres of state park or recreation area and 85 acres of Bureau of Reclamation (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Ponderosa WMA (12.9 mi), Chadron Creek Ranch WMA (13.2 mi) and Bighorn WMA (13.4 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Dawes County.
How do you get to Box Butte Reservoir WMA?
No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Hemingford | 9 | south |
| Crawford | 20 | northwest |
| Whitney | 23 | north |
| Hay Springs | 25 | northeast |
| Chadron | 25 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Box Butte Reservoir WMA?
Its middle is about 9 miles north of Hemingford, in Dawes County and the Plains deer unit.
How big is Box Butte Reservoir WMA?
2,004 acres by Game and Parks' count; 2,001 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map.
Is there walk-in land near Box Butte Reservoir WMA?
Not within five miles on Game and Parks' 2026-27 OFW map.
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Sources: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas; Game and Parks properties (WMAs, recreation areas, parks); USGS PAD-US 4.1; Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027; Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Recommendations. General WMA rules: all WMAs. FilledTag is not part of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.