Pawnee Slough WMA: hunting, rules and access
Pawnee Slough WMA is 70 acres of Game and Parks land, centered just northwest of Maxwell, in Lincoln County and the Platte deer unit. Atlas note: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period. No ATVs or snowmobiles allowed on ice.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landBLMOther publicOpen Fields and WatersPawnee Slough WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 70 (Game and Parks); 70 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 | 1987 |
What are the rules on Pawnee Slough WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period. No ATVs or snowmobiles allowed on ice. 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 Pawnee Slough 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 Pawnee Slough WMA?
Within five miles: 367 acres of other public and 119 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Platte WMA (5.2 mi) and Chester Island WMA (9.3 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 Pawnee Slough WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: I-80 and US 30.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Maxwell | under 1 | southeast |
| Brady | 9 | southeast |
| North Platte | 11 | west |
| Gothenburg | 22 | southeast |
| Hershey | 24 | west |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Pawnee Slough WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Camping limited to three consecutive nights in a six-day consecutive period. No ATVs or snowmobiles allowed on ice.
Where is Pawnee Slough WMA?
Its middle is just northwest of Maxwell, in Lincoln County and the Platte deer unit.
How big is Pawnee Slough WMA?
70 acres by Game and Parks' count; 70 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.