Best public access areas for pheasant hunting in Nebraska, according to AI

Here are the best public access areas for pheasant hunting in Nebraska:

1. Southwest Nebraska

• The McCook area, particularly:
  • Red Willow Wildlife Management Area (WMA)
  • Medicine Creek WMA
  • Swanson Reservoir WMA These areas have good CRP land and crop field edges.

2. South Central Region

• Rainwater Basin region, especially:
  • Sacramento-Wilcox WMA in Phelps County
  • Harvard WMA in Clay County
  • McMurtrey Marsh in Clay County These areas combine wetlands with upland habitat.

3. Northeast Nebraska:

• Knox County area:
  • Oak Valley WMA
  • Bohemia Prairie WMA
• The Lewis & Clark Lake area

Key tips for Nebraska hunting:

• Focus on edges between CRP grasslands and crop fields
• Look for Open Fields and Waters (OFW) Program lands, which are private lands opened to public hunting
• Public access is more limited than South Dakota, so consider the Nebraska Public Access Atlas essential
• Best hunting is often near water sources and thick cover
• Later season can be better as crops are harvested

Remember that pheasant populations in Nebraska are generally lower than South Dakota, but these areas consistently produce birds.