Dry Sandy WMA: hunting, rules and access
Dry Sandy WMA is 201 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 3 miles east of Bruning, in Thayer County and the Blue Northwest deer unit. Species listed: deer, dove, pheasant, quail, rabbit, turkey.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landOther publicOpen Fields and WatersDry Sandy WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 201 (Game and Parks); 192 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SE, map sheet 38 |
| Species Game and Parks lists | deer, dove, pheasant, quail, rabbit and turkey |
| County | Thayer |
| Deer unit | Blue Northwest |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1996 |
Which deer unit is Dry Sandy WMA in?
The Blue Northwest deer unit, 2,834 square miles, with 3,105 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Blue Northwest unit in 2026: Blue Northwest 2,200 (1 AD, sold out Oct. 27 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 Dry Sandy WMA?
Within five miles: 238 acres of other public and 221 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Father Hupp WMA (4.9 mi), Sora WMA (7.3 mi) and Alexandria WMA (10.1 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Thayer County.
How do you get to Dry Sandy WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 81 and N-4.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Bruning | 3 | west |
| Ohiowa | 5 | northeast |
| Strang | 6 | northwest |
| Belvidere | 7 | southwest |
| Alexandria | 9 | southeast |
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on Dry Sandy WMA?
Game and Parks lists deer, dove, pheasant, quail, rabbit and turkey. Deer follow the permits for the Blue Northwest deer unit.
Where is Dry Sandy WMA?
Its middle is about 3 miles east of Bruning, in Thayer County and the Blue Northwest deer unit.
How big is Dry Sandy WMA?
201 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.