Swanson Reservoir WMA: hunting, rules and access
Swanson Reservoir WMA is 8,059 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 5 miles east of Stratton, in Hitchcock County 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 ReclamationState park or recreation areaOpen Fields and WatersSwanson Reservoir WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 8,059 (Game and Parks); 8,059 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | SW, map sheet 14 & 20 |
| County | Hitchcock |
| Deer unit | Frenchman |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1964 |
Which deer unit is Swanson 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 Swanson Reservoir WMA?
Within five miles: 4,055 acres of Game and Parks land, 949 acres of Bureau of Reclamation and 331 acres of state park or recreation area (this area included), and 1,953 acres of OFW walk-in land on 9 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 748 acres 1.4 miles northeast (CRP), 475 acres 1.6 miles north (CRP), 391 acres 2.5 miles east (CRP) and 263 acres 1.7 miles southwest (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Hitchcock County.
How do you get to Swanson Reservoir WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 34 and N-25.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Stratton | under 1 | west |
| Trenton | 2 | east |
| Palisade | 11 | north |
| Culbertson | 12 | east |
| Hamlet | 15 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Swanson Reservoir WMA?
Its middle is about 5 miles east of Stratton, in Hitchcock County and the Frenchman deer unit.
How big is Swanson Reservoir WMA?
8,059 acres by Game and Parks' count; 8,059 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map, in 4 pieces.
Is there walk-in land near Swanson Reservoir WMA?
Yes: 1,953 acres of OFW land on 9 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.