Grove Lake WMA: hunting, rules and access
Grove Lake WMA is 1,985 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 2 miles northeast of Royal, in Antelope County and the Missouri deer unit. Atlas note: Multiple tracts.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landOpen Fields and WatersGrove Lake WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 1,985 (Game and Parks); 1,896 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NE, map sheet 34 |
| County | Antelope |
| Deer unit | Missouri |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1993 |
What are the rules on Grove Lake WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Multiple tracts.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 120).
Which deer unit is Grove Lake WMA in?
The Missouri deer unit, 3,159 square miles, with 2,242 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Missouri unit in 2026: Missouri 2,600 (1 AD, sold out Nov. 7 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 Grove Lake WMA?
Within five miles: 2,352 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and 261 acres of OFW walk-in land on 9 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 192 acres 1.2 miles northeast (CRP), 70 acres 4.3 miles west (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping), 32 acres 2 miles east (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping) and 26 acres 3.3 miles west (CRP). Nearest WMAs: Red Wing WMA (12.8 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Antelope County.
How do you get to Grove Lake WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 20 and N-14.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Royal | under 1 | southwest |
| Brunswick | 5 | east |
| Orchard | 6 | west |
| Creighton | 12 | northeast |
| Winnetoon | 12 | northeast |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Grove Lake WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Multiple tracts.
Where is Grove Lake WMA?
Its middle is about 2 miles northeast of Royal, in Antelope County and the Missouri deer unit.
How big is Grove Lake WMA?
1,985 acres by Game and Parks' count; 1,896 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map, in 2 pieces.
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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.