OutdoorNebraska

OutdoorNebraska.org | 21 Travel on U.S. Forest Service Land The U.S. Forest Service restricts motorized travel on the Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands to designated roads or trails. Routes are designated "open" or "closed" for motorized travel. Cross-country or off-road uses of motorized vehicles are prohibited, unless routes or areas are designated open. Motor vehicle use for big game retrieval and dispersed camping is allowed within 300 feet of most roads and trails that are designated open. Areas in Nebraska include Bessey Ranger District near Halsey, McKelvie National Forest near Valentine, Pine Ridge Ranger District near Chadron, and Oglala National Grasslands near Crawford. Refer to the Motor Vehicle Use Maps issued by the U.S. Forest Service. They may be obtained at all Forest Service District offices, by request at U.S. Forest Service, 125 N. Main St, Chadron, NE 69337, 308-432-0300 or by visiting fs.fed.us/r2/nebraska. Natural Resources District (NRD) • These are local government entities, and special regulations may apply. • Some NRD-owned lands are managed by the NRDs and some are managed by Nebraska Game and Parks as WMAs. • Some NRD lands are included in the Guide to Public Hunting Lands, but others may be available; contact the nearest NRD office. PRIVATE LAND WITH PUBLIC ACCESS Most hunting and trapping in Nebraska is done on private land where trespassing is prohibited by law. Hunters and trappers must get permission before hunting or trapping on private land. Private lands enrolled in public access programs are published in the Nebraska Public Access Atlas. CLOSED LANDS You may not hunt in, unless otherwise posted, state wayside areas, hatcheries, reserves, state refuges or any roadway or highway, including the right-of-way. OPEN FIELDS AND WATERS PROGRAM The Open Fields and Waters (OFW) provides financial incentives for allowing public walk-in access and the opportunity for private landowners to work with Game and Parks biologists to improve wildlife habitat. These programs have opened 317,000 acres of private land to hunting and fishing and more than 41 miles of river to the public in Nebraska. PUBLIC ACCESS ATLAS The Nebraska Public Access Atlas is published each summer to provide hunters, trappers and anglers a guide to publicly accessible land statewide. It is printed in hard-copy form and is available in digital and interactive versions. The atlas details private lands available to public access, as well as other public lands. The detailed maps reveal locations of sites and a table in the back of the access provides information about the sites, such as special regulations. Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides/ to view the atlas or pick up a free copy wherever hunting, fishing and fur harvest permits are sold. RED PAINT MARKS: CLOSED TO HUNTING The landowner or tenant who is the principal operator of a farm or ranch may post such property to allow for hunting, by written permission only, by placing identifying red paint marks on trees or posts in the following manner: • The marks shall be vertical lines of at least 8 inches in length and 3 inches in width on trees or on any post that is not metal. If metal posts are used, the marks shall completely surround the post and extend down at least 8 inches from the top of the metal post. The bottom edge of the identifying red paint marks shall be not less than 3 feet and not more than 5 feet off the ground; • The marks shall be readily visible to any person approaching the property; and • The marks shall be placed at each field entrance and shall not be more than 100 yards apart.

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