Cozad WMA: hunting, rules and access
Cozad WMA is 198 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 2 miles south of Cozad, in Dawson County and the Buffalo deer unit. Atlas note: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersCozad WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 198 (Game and Parks); 192 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SW, map sheet 25 |
| County | Dawson |
| Deer unit | Buffalo |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1972 |
What are the rules on Cozad WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 118).
Which deer unit is Cozad WMA in?
The Buffalo deer unit, 4,996 square miles, with 2,363 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Buffalo unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Buffalo unit in 2026: Buffalo 800 (1 AD2, sold out July 11 in 2025) and Buffalo WT 1,200 (1 WT, sold out Oct. 5 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 Cozad WMA?
Within five miles: 1,124 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Darr Strip WMA (2 mi) and Willow Island WMA (4.3 mi).
Close by and named here instead of on a page of its own: West Cozad WMA (48 acres).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Dawson County.
How do you get to Cozad WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: I-80, US 30 and N-21.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Cozad | under 1 | north |
| Gothenburg | 10 | northwest |
| Eustis | 12 | south |
| Lexington | 13 | east |
| Farnam | 15 | southwest |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Cozad WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period.
Where is Cozad WMA?
Its middle is about 2 miles south of Cozad, in Dawson County and the Buffalo deer unit.
How big is Cozad WMA?
198 acres by Game and Parks' count; 192 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.