Stagecoach Lake WMA: hunting, rules and access
Stagecoach Lake WMA is 607 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 3 miles south of Hickman, in Lancaster County and the Blue Northwest deer unit. Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, rabbit, squirrel, turkey. Atlas note: Target shooting prohibited north of Panama Road and the portion east of the creek south of Panama Road.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landArmy Corps of EngineersState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersStagecoach Lake WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 607 (Game and Parks); 206 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SE, map sheet 43 |
| Species Game and Parks lists | deer, pheasant, quail, rabbit, squirrel and turkey |
| County | Lancaster |
| Deer unit | Blue Northwest |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1965 |
What are the rules on Stagecoach Lake WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Target shooting prohibited north of Panama Road and the portion east of the creek south of Panama Road.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 127).
Which deer unit is Stagecoach Lake WMA in?
The Blue Northwest deer unit, 2,834 square miles, with 3,105 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Blue Northwest unit in 2026: Blue Northwest 2,200 (1 AD, sold out Oct. 27 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 Stagecoach Lake WMA?
Within five miles: 1,034 acres of Game and Parks land and 436 acres of Army Corps of Engineers (this area included), and 42 acres of OFW walk-in land on 1 tract. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 43 acres 1.5 miles east (CRP). Nearest WMAs: Wagon Train WMA (3.3 mi), Bluestem WMA (6.9 mi) and Killdeer WMA (7.4 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Lancaster County.
How do you get to Stagecoach Lake WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 77 and N-33.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Hickman | 2 | north |
| Roca | 4 | north |
| Firth | 4 | southeast |
| Sprague | 5 | northwest |
| Cortland | 6 | southwest |
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on Stagecoach Lake WMA?
Game and Parks lists deer, pheasant, quail, rabbit, squirrel and turkey. Deer follow the permits for the Blue Northwest deer unit.
Are there special rules on Stagecoach Lake WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Target shooting prohibited north of Panama Road and the portion east of the creek south of Panama Road.
Where is Stagecoach Lake WMA?
Its middle is about 3 miles south of Hickman, in Lancaster County and the Blue Northwest deer unit.
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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.