Box Butte Reservoir WMA: Panhandle Public Land Hunting Near Alliance

Box Butte Reservoir WMA sits in the Nebraska panhandle near Alliance, offering a mix of grassland, reservoir-edge habitat, and agricultural transition zones that attract a solid variety of game. It does not get the attention that Pine Ridge areas pull, and that is part of what makes it worth hunting. Lower pressure, decent habitat, and a location that puts you in the middle of panhandle hunting country.

The Box Butte Area

Box Butte Reservoir is an irrigation reservoir on the Niobrara River in Box Butte County. The surrounding WMA land includes native grasslands, CRP fields, and scattered brush along the reservoir edges and tributary drainages. The terrain is gently rolling — not the dramatic canyon country of the Pine Ridge 60 miles north, but open enough to glass and diverse enough to hold multiple species.

The reservoir itself covers roughly 1,600 surface acres when full, and the surrounding WMA acreage adds walk-in hunting access on the grasslands and shoreline habitat.

What You Can Hunt at Box Butte

Mule deer are the primary big-game species in this area. The open grasslands and agricultural fields surrounding the reservoir provide feeding habitat, while the brushy draws and reservoir breaks offer bedding cover. Spot-and-stalk hunting works well here — the terrain is open enough to glass at distance but broken enough to plan an approach using draws and terrain folds.

Waterfowl hunting picks up during fall migration as the reservoir attracts ducks and geese moving through the Central Flyway. Set up on the reservoir edges or in the shallow bays with decoys during October and November for the best action. Check current water levels before your trip, as drawdowns can concentrate birds in specific areas.

Pheasant hunting is available in the surrounding grasslands and CRP habitat. The panhandle does not carry the bird numbers of the southwest or south-central parts of the state, but there are roosters here for hunters willing to cover ground. Work the thicker grass along field edges and drainage ditches.

Access and Logistics

Alliance is the nearest town, about 10 miles south, and has everything you need for a hunting trip — motels, restaurants, gas, and a Walmart for last-minute supplies. The reservoir has established parking areas and boat ramps that also serve as walk-in access points for hunters.

The WMA land is open to the public without any special permits beyond your standard Nebraska hunting license and habitat stamp. Check the Public Access Atlas for exact boundaries, as some adjacent land is private.

Hunting Tips for Box Butte

For mule deer, hunt the transitional edges. Where grassland meets brushy draws or where CRP butts up against irrigated crop fields — these are the spots deer use to move between cover and food. Early mornings, glass from the higher ground south of the reservoir and watch deer filter back toward bedding cover.

For waterfowl, scout the reservoir the afternoon before your hunt. Watch where birds are landing and feeding, then set up in that zone before dawn. Wind direction matters — set your decoy spread so incoming birds approach with the wind at their back and your blind is downwind.

Best Times to Visit

Archery deer season opens September 1, but the best mule deer action comes in November during the rut and the rifle season. Waterfowl peaks in late October through November. Pheasant season opens late October and the first two weeks generally offer the best shooting before birds get educated.

Box Butte Reservoir WMA is a solid option for panhandle hunters looking for a multi-species day on public land. It will not make any magazine covers, but it produces year after year for hunters who show up prepared.