County guide · Nebraska · NE WPAs

Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Seward County, NE

Seward County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 286 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.

WPAs here are managed by the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).

The county covers about 575 square miles and has roughly 17,609 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.

County mapAll 1 WPAsDownload KML
1named WPAs
286acres of WPA land
286largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts

Map of WPAs in Seward County

Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — federally owned public land. Land outside them is almost always private. Switch to satellite to check water conditions and cover, and click any tract for coordinates.

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Waterfowl Production Area (public)County lineRefuge / station Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take every tract with you:KML (Google Earth / onX)GPX waypoints

All Waterfowl Production Areas in Seward County

WPAAcresNearest townGPSGo
Tamora WPA
279 deeded ac		 286 28 mi W of Lincoln 40.88643, -97.22070 Map · Directions

Acreage from USFWS realty GIS polygons. Coordinates are a point inside each tract — not necessarily a parking area. Look for designated parking and boundary signs on the ground.

Hunting WPAs in Seward County: rules & tips

Typically allowed

  • Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Nebraska regulations
  • Walk-in access from roads and designated parking areas
  • Fishing and trapping where state and district rules allow
  • Wildlife watching, photography and dog training outside restricted periods

Common restrictions

  • No camping, fires or overnight use on most tracts
  • Motor vehicles only on designated roads and parking areas
  • Blinds and portable stands usually removed at the end of each day
  • Nontoxic shot required for waterfowl; many districts require it for all shotgun hunting
  • Some tracts have closed areas, refuge-style rules or seasonal restrictions

Getting to Seward County

Distances below are straight-line from the center of the county. Most WPAs are reached by county and township gravel roads — download the GPX file and load it into your phone or GPS before you lose cell coverage.

  • Lincoln, NE23 mi — county center is W of town
  • Grand Island, NE63 mi — county center is E of town
  • Omaha, NE68 mi — county center is SW of town
  • Council Bluffs, IA72 mi — county center is W of town

Shooting hours in Seward County

Today at Seward County

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM8:03 PM13h 09m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM7:39 PM12h 32m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:53 AM7:23 AM7:12 PM11h 49m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:08 AM7:38 AM6:49 PM11h 12m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM5:26 PM10h 28m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM5:11 PM9h 57m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:03 AM7:33 AM5:02 PM9h 29m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:15 AM7:45 AM5:01 PM9h 16m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:10 PM9h 17m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM5:23 PM9h 32m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:09 AM7:39 AM5:43 PM10h 04m

Computed for 40.872, -97.134 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast for Seward County

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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Refuges & districts with land in Seward County

Rainwater Basin WMD

Phelps County, NE

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

24.9K huntable acres

Neighboring counties with WPAs

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.