Chadron Creek Ranch WMA: hunting, rules and access
Chadron Creek Ranch WMA is 2,529 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 11 miles south of Chadron, in Dawes County and the Pine Ridge deer unit.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landNational forest or grasslandOpen Fields and WatersChadron Creek Ranch WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 2,529 (Game and Parks); 2,417 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 5 |
| Atlas marks | No target shooting |
| County | Dawes |
| Deer unit | Pine Ridge |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 2016 |
What are the rules on Chadron Creek Ranch WMA?
The atlas marks it no target shooting.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 118).
Which deer unit is Chadron Creek Ranch WMA in?
The Pine Ridge deer unit, 3,323 square miles, with 1,556 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Pine Ridge unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Pine Ridge unit in 2026: Pine Ridge 900 (1 AD2, sold out R - July 15, NR - DRAW in 2025), Private Land Pine Ridge 150 (1 AD2, sold out Aug. 3 in 2025) and Pine Ridge WT 900 (1 WT, 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 Chadron Creek Ranch WMA?
Within five miles: 20,311 acres of national forest or grassland and 3,406 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Bordeaux WMA (8.3 mi), Bighorn WMA (8.5 mi) and Ponderosa WMA (11.9 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 Chadron Creek Ranch WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 385.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Chadron | 10 | north |
| Whitney | 13 | northwest |
| Hay Springs | 15 | east |
| Crawford | 19 | west |
| Hemingford | 23 | south |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Chadron Creek Ranch WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas marks it no target shooting.
Where is Chadron Creek Ranch WMA?
Its middle is about 11 miles south of Chadron, in Dawes County and the Pine Ridge deer unit.
How big is Chadron Creek Ranch WMA?
2,529 acres by Game and Parks' count; 2,417 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' 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.