Williams Gap WMA: hunting, rules and access
Williams Gap WMA is 1,829 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 6 miles southwest of McGrew, in Banner County and the Upper Platte deer unit.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landOpen Fields and WatersWilliams Gap WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 1,829 (Game and Parks); 2,432 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 3 |
| Atlas marks | No target shooting |
| County | Banner |
| Deer unit | Upper Platte |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 2017 |
What are the rules on Williams Gap WMA?
The atlas marks it no target shooting.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 128).
Which deer unit is Williams Gap WMA in?
The Upper Platte deer unit, 4,406 square miles, with 930 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. No antlerless mule deer here.
Unit Buck permits for the Upper Platte unit in 2026: Upper Platte 800 (1 AD2, sold out R - Sept. 21, NR - DRAW 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 Williams Gap WMA?
Within five miles: 5,110 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and 2,540 acres of OFW walk-in land on 9 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 1,477 acres 4.4 miles northwest (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping), 1,234 acres 3.7 miles northwest (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping), 853 acres 4 miles southwest (All Hunting Seasons and Trapping) and 549 acres 4.9 miles northwest (CRP). Nearest WMAs: Buffalo Creek WMA (2.8 mi), Chet and Jane Fliesbach WMA (8.4 mi) and Cedar Canyon WMA (14.4 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027. County walk-in totals: Banner County.
How do you get to Williams Gap WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: N-88 and N-92.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| McGrew | 5 | northeast |
| Melbeta | 8 | north |
| Bayard | 8 | northeast |
| Minatare | 10 | north |
| Gering | 14 | northwest |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Williams Gap WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas marks it no target shooting.
Where is Williams Gap WMA?
Its middle is about 6 miles southwest of McGrew, in Banner County and the Upper Platte deer unit.
How big is Williams Gap WMA?
1,829 acres by Game and Parks' count; 2,432 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map.
Get a Nebraska hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Nebraska are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Nebraska included.
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.