North Lake Basin WMA: hunting, rules and access
North Lake Basin WMA is 364 acres of Game and Parks land, centered just north of Utica, in Seward County and the Wahoo deer unit. Species listed: dove, pheasant, waterfowl.
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 WatersNorth Lake Basin WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 364 (Game and Parks); 362 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SE, map sheet 37 |
| Species Game and Parks lists | dove, pheasant and waterfowl |
| Atlas marks | Nontoxic shot only |
| County | Seward |
| Deer unit | Wahoo |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1987 |
What are the rules on North Lake Basin WMA?
The atlas marks it nontoxic shot only.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 124).
Which deer unit is North Lake Basin WMA in?
The Wahoo deer unit, 4,144 square miles, with 4,544 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Wahoo unit in 2026: Wahoo 3,000 (1 AD, sold out Nov. 5 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 North Lake Basin WMA?
Within five miles: 677 acres of Game and Parks land and 350 acres of national wildlife refuge or WPA (this area included), and 79 acres of OFW walk-in land on 1 tract. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 78 acres 4.1 miles southwest (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping). Nearest WMAs: Shypoke WMA (1.4 mi), Marsh Duck WMA (3.8 mi) and Straight Water WMA (5.8 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Seward County.
How do you get to North Lake Basin WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 34 and N-69.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Utica | under 1 | south |
| Waco | 6 | west |
| Gresham | 8 | north |
| Goehner | 8 | southeast |
| Thayer | 8 | northwest |
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on North Lake Basin WMA?
Game and Parks lists dove, pheasant and waterfowl. Deer follow the permits for the Wahoo deer unit.
Are there special rules on North Lake Basin WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas marks it nontoxic shot only.
Where is North Lake Basin WMA?
Its middle is just north of Utica, in Seward County and the Wahoo deer unit.
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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.