Shell Lake WMA: hunting, rules and access
Shell Lake WMA is 380 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 12 miles northeast of Gordon, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit. Atlas note: 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 landOpen Fields and WatersShell Lake WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 380 (Game and Parks); 380 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 9 |
| Atlas marks | Nontoxic shot only |
| County | Cherry |
| Deer unit | Sandhills |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1992 |
What are the rules on Shell Lake WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice. The atlas marks it nontoxic shot only.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 126).
Which deer unit is Shell 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 Shell Lake WMA?
Within five miles: 230 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land.
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
How do you get to Shell Lake WMA?
No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Gordon | 11 | southwest |
| Merriman | 16 | east |
| Clinton | 19 | southwest |
| Rushville | 26 | southwest |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Shell Lake WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice.
Where is Shell Lake WMA?
Its middle is about 12 miles northeast of Gordon, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit.
How big is Shell Lake WMA?
380 acres by Game and Parks' count; 380 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.