Hickory Ridge WMA: hunting, rules and access
Hickory Ridge WMA is 564 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 3 miles southeast of Crab Orchard, in Johnson County and the Blue Southeast deer unit. Species listed: deer, dove, pheasant, quail, rabbit, squirrel, turkey.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landOpen Fields and WatersHickory Ridge WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 564 (Game and Parks); 557 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SE, map sheet 44 |
| Species Game and Parks lists | deer, dove, pheasant, quail, rabbit, squirrel and turkey |
| County | Johnson |
| Deer unit | Blue Southeast |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 2009 |
Which deer unit is Hickory Ridge WMA in?
The Blue Southeast deer unit, 3,283 square miles, with 4,558 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Blue Southeast unit in 2026: Blue Southeast 3,500 (1 AD, sold out Oct. 28 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 Hickory Ridge WMA?
Within five miles: 574 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and 1,992 acres of OFW walk-in land on 22 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 240 acres 4.9 miles northwest (CRP), 156 acres 4.1 miles southwest (CRP), 153 acres 2.6 miles southwest (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping) and 150 acres 3.7 miles west (CRP). Nearest WMAs: Mayberry WMA (5.8 mi), Osage WMA (8.5 mi) and Burchard WMA (9.4 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Johnson County.
How do you get to Hickory Ridge WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 136 and N-4.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Crab Orchard | 3 | northwest |
| Lewiston | 5 | southwest |
| Virginia | 8 | southwest |
| Filley | 8 | west |
| Tecumseh | 9 | northeast |
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on Hickory Ridge WMA?
Game and Parks lists deer, dove, pheasant, quail, rabbit, squirrel and turkey. Deer follow the permits for the Blue Southeast deer unit.
Where is Hickory Ridge WMA?
Its middle is about 3 miles southeast of Crab Orchard, in Johnson County and the Blue Southeast deer unit.
How big is Hickory Ridge WMA?
564 acres by Game and Parks' count; 557 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.