Clear Creek WMA: 3,200 Acres of Prime Hunting Near Lake McConaughy

Clear Creek WMA is one of the most versatile Wildlife Management Areas in Nebraska. Covering over 3,200 acres in Keith County near Lake McConaughy, this area offers a mix of riparian woodlands, wetlands, river channel habitat, and upland grasslands that support an impressive variety of game. Whether you are after whitetail, mule deer, turkey, pheasant, or dove, Clear Creek has habitat for all of them — and the sheer acreage means you can find your own space to hunt.

Location and Habitat

Clear Creek WMA sits just south of Lake McConaughy, Nebraska's largest reservoir, along the North Platte River corridor. The North Platte River and its associated creek channels wind through the property, creating ribbons of mature cottonwood and willow timber surrounded by grassland and wetland habitat. This riparian corridor is a biological highway — game moves along it, nests in it, and feeds along its edges.

The property also includes upland grassland areas, some with CRP-type cover, that extend away from the timber and waterways. This diversity of habitat types is what makes Clear Creek special. You can hunt timber bottoms for deer in the morning and walk grassland edges for pheasants in the afternoon.

Whitetail and Mule Deer at Clear Creek

Whitetail deer are the primary big-game species and the habitat is ideal. The cottonwood bottoms along the river and creek channels provide bedding cover, and the surrounding agricultural fields and grasslands provide food sources year-round. Whitetails here behave like classic river-bottom deer — they bed in the thick timber and brush during the day and move to field edges to feed in the evening.

Mule deer are also present, particularly on the grassland ridges and in the more open areas away from the thick timber. The overlap zone where muleys and whitetails share space creates interesting hunting, especially during the November rut when both species are actively moving.

For deer hunting, focus on the creek channels and timber fingers that extend from the main river corridor into the grasslands. These are natural travel routes and become especially productive during the rut. Portable stands placed along timber edges overlooking trail intersections or creek crossings will put you in position.

Turkey Hunting

The river bottom timber provides excellent roosting habitat, and wild turkey numbers at Clear Creek are strong. Spring turkey hunting is particularly good — birds roost in the tall cottonwoods along the river and fly down to strut in the open meadows and grassland clearings. Set up near a known roost on the edge of an opening and let the toms come to your calls.

Upland Birds and Dove

Pheasant hunting on the grassland and CRP portions of Clear Creek can be productive, especially early in the season before birds have been pressured. Walk the thicker grass along drainage edges and field borders. Having a dog with you makes a significant difference in the taller cover.

Dove hunting is excellent in early September. The combination of water, trees, and agricultural fields creates textbook dove habitat. Set up along flight lines between roosting trees and feeding fields during the afternoon for fast shooting.

Access and Lake McConaughy Area

Ogallala is the nearest full-service town, about 10 miles east, with motels, restaurants, gas, and outdoor supply stores. Lake McConaughy itself draws a summer tourism crowd, but the area is quiet during hunting season. Multiple parking areas and walk-in access points serve the WMA.

Best Times

Dove: early September. Archery deer: September through October for early season patterns. November for the rut. Turkey: late April through May. Pheasant: late October through November.

Clear Creek WMA is a cornerstone public land hunting destination in western Nebraska. The habitat diversity, large acreage, and proximity to Lake McConaughy make it a trip worth planning around.