North River WMA: hunting, rules and access
North River WMA is 681 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 3 miles north of Hershey, in Lincoln County and the Platte deer unit. Atlas note: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landOpen Fields and WatersNorth River WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 681 (Game and Parks); 651 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SW, map sheet 18 |
| Atlas marks | No target shooting |
| County | Lincoln |
| Deer unit | Platte |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1980 |
What are the rules on North River WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period. The atlas marks it no target shooting.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 124).
Which deer unit is North River WMA in?
The Platte deer unit, 5,076 square miles, with 1,423 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Platte unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Platte unit in 2026: Platte 700 (1 AD2, sold out DRAW in 2025) and Platte WT 500 (1 WT, sold out Sept. 2 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 River WMA?
Within five miles: 1,175 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Muskrat Run WMA (3.3 mi), Hershey WMA (4.2 mi) and East Hershey 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: Lincoln County.
How do you get to North River WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: I-80 and US 30.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Hershey | 3 | south |
| Sutherland | 7 | west |
| North Platte | 12 | southeast |
| Paxton | 19 | west |
| Maxwell | 24 | southeast |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on North River WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period.
Where is North River WMA?
Its middle is about 3 miles north of Hershey, in Lincoln County and the Platte deer unit.
How big is North River WMA?
681 acres by Game and Parks' count; 651 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map.
Get a Nebraska hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Nebraska are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Nebraska included.
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.