Rat and Beaver Lake WMA: hunting, rules and access
Rat and Beaver Lake WMA is 243 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 25 miles southwest of Wood Lake, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit. Atlas note: Limited access across private land. Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice.
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 WatersRat and Beaver Lake WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 243 (Game and Parks); 242 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 16 |
| County | Cherry |
| Deer unit | Sandhills |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1925 |
What are the rules on Rat and Beaver Lake WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Limited access across private land. Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 125).
Which deer unit is Rat and Beaver Lake WMA in?
The Sandhills deer unit, 7,806 square miles, with 1,812 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Sandhills unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Sandhills unit in 2026: Sandhills 1,200 (1 AD2, sold out R - Nov. 11, NR - DRAW in 2025), Private Land Sandhills 200 (1 AD2, sold out July 29 in 2025) and Sandhills WT 300 (1 WT, sold out Nov. 12 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 Rat and Beaver Lake WMA?
Within five miles: 20,333 acres of national wildlife refuge or WPA and 242 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Ballards Marsh WMA (9.5 mi), Big Alkali Lake WMA (10.9 mi) and Merritt Reservoir WMA (13.5 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 Rat and Beaver Lake WMA?
No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Lake | 24 | northeast |
| Valentine | 29 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Rat and Beaver Lake WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Limited access across private land. Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice.
Where is Rat and Beaver Lake WMA?
Its middle is about 25 miles southwest of Wood Lake, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit.
How big is Rat and Beaver Lake WMA?
243 acres by Game and Parks' count; 242 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.