Red Willow Reservoir WMA: hunting, rules and access
Red Willow Reservoir WMA is 5,222 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 12 miles northeast of Culbertson, in Frontier and Red Willow counties and the Frenchman deer unit.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landBureau of ReclamationBLMState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersRed Willow Reservoir WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 5,222 (Game and Parks); 5,217 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SW, map sheet 20 |
| County | Frontier and Red Willow |
| Deer unit | Frenchman |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1964 |
Which deer unit is Red Willow Reservoir WMA in?
The Frenchman deer unit, 6,013 square miles, with 1,985 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Frenchman unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Frenchman unit in 2026: Frenchman 1,000 (1 Buck, sold out R - DRAW, NR - DRAW in 2025) and Frenchman WT 500 (1 WT Buck, sold out July 23 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 Red Willow Reservoir WMA?
Within five miles: 3,762 acres of Game and Parks land, 423 acres of Bureau of Reclamation, 400 acres of state park or recreation area and 144 acres of BLM (this area included), and 434 acres of OFW walk-in land on 2 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 385 acres 1.5 miles southwest (CRP) and 50 acres 4.3 miles west (CRP).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Frontier County.
How do you get to Red Willow Reservoir WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 83.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| McCook | 10 | south |
| Culbertson | 11 | southwest |
| Indianola | 15 | southeast |
| Hayes Center | 16 | northwest |
| Stockville | 17 | northeast |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Red Willow Reservoir WMA?
Its middle is about 12 miles northeast of Culbertson, in Frontier and Red Willow counties and the Frenchman deer unit.
How big is Red Willow Reservoir WMA?
5,222 acres by Game and Parks' count; 5,217 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map.
Is there walk-in land near Red Willow Reservoir WMA?
Yes: 434 acres of OFW land on 2 tracts within five miles, on Game and Parks' 2026-27 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.