Chat Canyon WMA: hunting, rules and access
Chat Canyon WMA is 438 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 10 miles south of Nenzel, in Cherry County and the Sandhills 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 WatersChat Canyon WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 438 (Game and Parks); 451 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 15 |
| County | Cherry |
| Deer unit | Sandhills |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 2016 |
What are the rules on Chat Canyon WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Special Restrictions Apply - Open to youth hunting by reservation only through the Managed Access Program (MAP). Site also open to elk hunting for those holding valid permits. Call area manager at 402-376-5908 or Alliance NGPC office at 308-763-2940 for more information.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 118).
Which deer unit is Chat Canyon WMA in?
The Sandhills deer unit, 7,806 square miles, with 1,812 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Sandhills unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Sandhills unit in 2026: Sandhills 1,200 (1 AD2, sold out R - Nov. 11, NR - DRAW in 2025), Private Land Sandhills 200 (1 AD2, sold out July 29 in 2025) and Sandhills WT 300 (1 WT, sold out Nov. 12 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 Chat Canyon WMA?
Within five miles: 29,101 acres of national forest or grassland and 458 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Merritt Reservoir WMA (11.7 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
How do you get to Chat Canyon WMA?
No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Nenzel | 9 | north |
| Kilgore | 11 | northeast |
| Cody | 13 | northwest |
| Crookston | 17 | northeast |
| Valentine | 26 | east |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Chat Canyon WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Special Restrictions Apply - Open to youth hunting by reservation only through the Managed Access Program (MAP). Site also open to elk hunting for those holding valid permits. Call area manager at 402-376-5908 or Alliance NGPC office at 308-763-2940 for more information.
Where is Chat Canyon WMA?
Its middle is about 10 miles south of Nenzel, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit.
How big is Chat Canyon WMA?
438 acres by Game and Parks' count; 451 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map.
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.
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.