Butler County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Butler County has 7 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 3,790 acres in all, 0.4% of the county's land. That ranks 62nd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. All 7 are open Sept. 1 to March 31.
Data updated October 2026. Walk-in: KDWP's Walk-In Hunting Access layer for 2026-27. Land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 and agency area maps.
KDWP landArmy Corps of EngineersState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Butler CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 7 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 3,790 (0.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 960, 960, 960, 470, 320 acres |
| Public land | 5,623 acres (0.6%) |
| Deer units | Unit 14 and Unit 15 |
| KDWP region | Region 3 |
| Towns | Andover, El Dorado, Augusta, Rose Hill, Benton and Douglass |
When are Butler County's walk-in tracts open?
Each WIHA tract is open to the public only during its lease period, shown on the sign at the tract and in KDWP's atlas. Butler County's 7 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to March 31 | 7 | 3,790 |
None of the county's tracts is marked archery and shotshell only. Tracts open until May 31 or March 31 cover the spring turkey season or late winter; tracts that close Jan. 31 do not.
Lease periods and the archery/shotshell mark: KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts (KDWP's legend codes, read against its 2026 contract list).
What does KDWP list on the tracts?
Species named in KDWP's tract records for Butler County, by number of tracts: prairie chicken 7, dove 7 and waterfowl 7. A tract with no species named is still open to all hunting in season during its lease period.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in Butler County?
The 7 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 960 | 4 mi southeast of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 960 | 5 mi southeast of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 960 | 4 mi southeast of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 470 | 5 mi east of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 320 | 6 mi east of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 80 | 6 mi east of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 40 | 5 mi east of Latham | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
Tracts: KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts; towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places. Use KDWP's Hunting Atlas or the Go Outdoors Kansas app to find each tract's signs and parking.
What public land is in Butler County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 5,623 acres of public land in the county, 0.6% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 3,790 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: El Dorado Wildlife Area (3,992 acres here) and Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (350 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 5,007 | 0.5% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 2,953 | 0.3% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 616 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the Census county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee and designation lands with open or restricted public access) and KDWP wildlife areas; the water of the larger reservoirs is left out.
Which deer units cover Butler County?
Butler County is split between 2 deer units. A deer hunter on a walk-in tract needs a permit valid in the unit the tract lies in.
| Deer unit | Share of the county | Deer harvested (whole unit) | WIHA acres (whole unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 14 | 59.1% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
| Unit 15 | 40.9% | 6,569 (2021) | 6,628 |
How does Butler County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Butler County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County | 12,207 | 35 | 0% |
| Chase County | 6,325 | 7 | 0.1% |
| Greenwood County | 2,520 | 7 | 2% |
| Cowley County | 1,320 | 4 | 0.6% |
| Harvey County | 467 | 2 | 0% |
| Sumner County | 316 | 3 | 0.1% |
| Marion County | 0 | 0 | 0.8% |
| Sedgwick County | 0 | 0 | 0.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Butler County, Kansas?
3,790 acres on 7 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.4% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Butler County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 14 and Unit 15). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Butler County?
5,623 acres, 0.6% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: El Dorado Wildlife Area and Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area.
Walk-in rules to know
- No access outside a tract's lease period; stay inside the tract's signed boundary.
- Walk-in only: park where it does not block roads, gates or driveways.
- No baiting, trail cameras or commercial guiding; trapping is not part of WIHA.
- iWIHA tracts need check-in and check-out in the Go Outdoors Kansas app.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 56 and page 7.
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Where these numbers come from
- Walk-in tracts: KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1. County line: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundary counties.
- Deer unit harvest: KDWP deer harvest by unit (2017 to 2021).
FilledTag is not part of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Tracts change every season; the sign on the tract is the final word.