Public hunting & fishing · No lotteries

Your next hunt. Your next fishing spot.

Find named public hunting areas, lakes, ponds and fishing access with ordinary-license or directly purchased entry. Explore official maps, permits and local restrictions before you go.

417 hunting areas901 fishing opportunities50 states represented
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5 reviewed official opportunities in this selection · Showing 1–5

Public land & waterNo lottery

NM · Grants / Cibola area · Fishing

Bluewater Lake State Park

Tiger muskie

Public state-park reservoir fishing.

Open access · Check seasons and closures

Licenses, access and what to check

Fishing license and applicable habitat stamps/validations; park entry fee.

Special tiger muskie limits apply; check water levels and ramp availability.

Why this is included: Agency-listed public day-use fishing with directly purchased ordinary licenses. This eligibility assessment excludes tournaments, special harvest permits and reserved campsites.

Source checked 2026-10-07. Agency entry or reservation; no Back40 booking fee.

Public land & waterNo lottery

NM · Eagle Nest / Colfax County · Fishing

Eagle Nest Lake State Park

Trout, salmon, northern pike & yellow perch

Public reservoir bank and boat fishing.

Open access · Check seasons and closures

Licenses, access and what to check

Fishing license and applicable habitat stamps/validations; park entry fee.

Check lake-specific pike rules, dam restrictions and safe seasonal access.

Why this is included: Agency-listed public day-use fishing with directly purchased ordinary licenses. This eligibility assessment excludes tournaments, special harvest permits and reserved campsites.

Source checked 2026-10-07. Agency entry or reservation; no Back40 booking fee.

Public land & waterNo lottery

NM · Elephant Butte / Sierra County · Fishing

Elephant Butte Lake State Park

Striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye & catfish

Public reservoir shore and boat access.

Open access · Check seasons and closures

Licenses, access and what to check

Fishing license and applicable habitat stamps/validations; park entry fee.

Low water can limit ramps and shoreline travel; check current conditions.

Why this is included: Agency-listed public day-use fishing with directly purchased ordinary licenses. This eligibility assessment excludes tournaments, special harvest permits and reserved campsites.

Source checked 2026-10-07. Agency entry or reservation; no Back40 booking fee.

Public land & waterNo lottery

NM · Jemez Springs / Sandoval County · Fishing

Fenton Lake State Park

Rainbow trout & brown trout

Public mountain lake with bank fishing.

Open access · Check seasons and closures

Licenses, access and what to check

Fishing license and applicable habitat stamps/validations; park entry fee.

No gasoline motors or swimming; check park hours and seasonal conditions.

Why this is included: Agency-listed public day-use fishing with directly purchased ordinary licenses. This eligibility assessment excludes tournaments, special harvest permits and reserved campsites.

Source checked 2026-10-07. Agency entry or reservation; no Back40 booking fee.

Public land & waterNo lottery

NM · Navajo Dam / San Juan County · Fishing

San Juan River — Navajo Lake State Park quality waters

Trout

Public state-park access to the river below Navajo Dam.

Open access · Check seasons and closures

Licenses, access and what to check

Fishing license and applicable habitat stamps/validations; park entry fee.

First 3.5 miles below dam are catch-and-release; special tackle rules apply.

Why this is included: Agency-listed public day-use fishing with directly purchased ordinary licenses. This eligibility assessment excludes tournaments, special harvest permits and reserved campsites.

Source checked 2026-10-07. Agency entry or reservation; no Back40 booking fee.

What “no lottery” means. It applies to the species and access described, not every hunt on that property. Seasons, licenses, check-in, closures and capacity still apply. Public access does not reserve an exclusive spot. Check the agency’s current rules before travel. Back40 does not sell public-land access.
How we build this database

We match named agency areas and maps with ordinary-license species rules and area-specific exceptions. Each record has a source-check date. Records requiring an access or species drawing, unresolved access, and reviews older than 90 days stay out of search. This is a trip-planning database, not a live availability feed.

Broad program directories are separate research tools and are not counted as hunting areas: Minnesota grouse trail finder · Wisconsin public-access parcels.

Download reviewed records (CSV) · View structured data (JSON)

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