Crescent Lake WMA: hunting, rules and access
Crescent Lake WMA is 86 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 21 miles north of Oshkosh, in Garden County and the Plains deer unit. Atlas note: Concrete boat ramp provides access to Crescent Lake; WMA rules apply; contact Alliance NGPC office at 308-763-2940 for more information.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landNational wildlife refuge or WPAOpen Fields and WatersCrescent Lake WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 86 (Game and Parks); 86 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 7 |
| County | Garden |
| Deer unit | Plains |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 2009 |
What are the rules on Crescent Lake WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Concrete boat ramp provides access to Crescent Lake; WMA rules apply; contact 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 Crescent Lake 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 Crescent Lake WMA?
Within five miles: 18,175 acres of national wildlife refuge or WPA and 68 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land.
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Garden County.
How do you get to Crescent Lake WMA?
No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh | 21 | south |
| Broadwater | 24 | west |
| Lewellen | 29 | southeast |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Crescent Lake WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Concrete boat ramp provides access to Crescent Lake; WMA rules apply; contact Alliance NGPC office at 308-763-2940 for more information.
Where is Crescent Lake WMA?
Its middle is about 21 miles north of Oshkosh, in Garden County and the Plains deer unit.
How big is Crescent Lake WMA?
86 acres by Game and Parks' count; 86 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.