Cowley County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Cowley County has 4 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 1,320 acres in all, 0.2% of the county's land. That ranks 84th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. All 4 are open Sept. 1 to May 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 landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Cowley CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 4 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 1,320 (0.2% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 480, 440, 240, 160 acres |
| Public land | 4,640 acres (0.6%) |
| Deer units | Unit 13, Unit 14, Unit 12 and Unit 15 |
| KDWP region | Region 3 |
| Towns | Winfield, Arkansas City, Parkerfield, Udall, Burden and Atlanta |
When are Cowley 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. Cowley County's 4 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 4 | 1,320 |
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 Cowley County, by number of tracts: turkey 4, deer 4, quail 4 and furbearers 4. 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 Cowley County?
The 4 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480 | 9 mi southwest of Grenola | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, furbearers |
| 440 | 7 mi north of Cedar Vale | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, furbearers |
| 240 | 7 mi north of Cedar Vale | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, furbearers |
| 160 | 6 mi north of Cedar Vale | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, furbearers |
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 Cowley County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 4,640 acres of public land in the county, 0.6% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 1,320 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Kaw Wildlife Area (4,309 acres here) and Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (136 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 4,640 | 0.6% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 59 | under 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 Cowley County?
Cowley County is split between 4 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 13 | 45.7% | 1,603 (2021) | 222 |
| Unit 14 | 30.6% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
| Unit 12 | 19.8% | 6,449 (2021) | 17,689 |
| Unit 15 | 3.9% | 6,569 (2021) | 6,628 |
How does Cowley County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Cowley County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County | 12,207 | 35 | 0% |
| Chautauqua County | 7,394 | 22 | 0.1% |
| Butler County | 3,790 | 7 | 0.6% |
| Sumner County | 316 | 3 | 0.1% |
| Sedgwick County | 0 | 0 | 0.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Cowley County, Kansas?
1,320 acres on 4 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.2% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Cowley County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 13, Unit 14, Unit 12 and Unit 15). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Cowley County?
4,640 acres, 0.6% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Kaw Wildlife Area and Cowley 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.
Get a Kansas hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Kansas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Kansas included.
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.
Kansas hunting Every county's WIHA Unit 13 Unit 14 Unit 12 Unit 15