Kiowa WMA: hunting, rules and access
Kiowa WMA is 505 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 3 miles south of Morrill, in Scotts Bluff County and the Upper Platte deer unit. Atlas note: 326-acre refuge north of the canal, closed to all access from Oct. 1 through the close of dark goose hunting season.
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 WatersKiowa WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 505 (Game and Parks); 521 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 3 |
| Atlas marks | Nontoxic shot only |
| County | Scotts Bluff |
| Deer unit | Upper Platte |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1994 |
What are the rules on Kiowa WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: 326-acre refuge north of the canal, closed to all access from Oct. 1 through the close of dark goose hunting season. The atlas marks it nontoxic shot only.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 122).
Part of the area lies in a state game refuge: Kiowa Refuge (001.11A That portion of the Kiowa Wildlife Management Area in Scotts Bluff County that is located in Section 33 and north of the Mitchell and Gering Canal shall be closed to all activities and all access from October 1 until the close of the Dark Goose Hunting Season each year.)
Source: Nebraska game refuge boundaries.
Which deer unit is Kiowa WMA in?
The Upper Platte deer unit, 4,406 square miles, with 930 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Upper Platte unit in 2026: Upper Platte 800 (1 AD2, sold out R - Sept. 21, NR - DRAW 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 Kiowa WMA?
Within five miles: 1,118 acres of other public and 522 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and 127 acres of OFW walk-in land on 2 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 70 acres 2 miles west (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping) and 69 acres 3.9 miles north (CRP). Nearest WMAs: Montz Point WMA (9.4 mi) and Cedar Canyon WMA (12.5 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
How do you get to Kiowa WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 26.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Morrill | 2 | north |
| Lyman | 5 | west |
| Mitchell | 6 | east |
| Henry | 7 | northwest |
| Scottsbluff | 14 | east |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Kiowa WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: 326-acre refuge north of the canal, closed to all access from Oct. 1 through the close of dark goose hunting season.
Where is Kiowa WMA?
Its middle is about 3 miles south of Morrill, in Scotts Bluff County and the Upper Platte deer unit.
How big is Kiowa WMA?
505 acres by Game and Parks' count; 521 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.