Elk County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Elk County has 35 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 12,207 acres in all, 2.9% of the county's land. That ranks 32nd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (33 tracts). 8 tracts are archery and shotshell only.
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.
Walk-in (WIHA)Elk CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 35 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 12,207 (2.9% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 2,004, 1,311, 740, 690, 540 acres |
| Public land | None mapped |
| Deer units | Unit 12 and Unit 14 |
| KDWP region | Region 3 |
| Towns | Longton, Elk Falls, Howard, Grenola and Moline |
When are Elk 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. Elk County's 35 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 33 | 11,567 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 2 | 640 |
8 tracts (900 acres) are marked archery and shotshell only, so no rifle or slug hunting there. 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 Elk County, by number of tracts: deer 25, turkey 22, quail 20, furbearers 13, geese 10, waterfowl 8, dove 8, prairie chicken 6 and other 3. 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 Elk County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,004 | 4 mi northwest of Moline | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 1,311 | 3 mi southwest of Elk Falls | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, furbearers |
| 740 | 2 mi southwest of Longton | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, geese, furbearers |
| 690 | 1 mi north of Elk Falls | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 540 | 2 mi southeast of Grenola | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: quail |
| 538 | 1 mi south of Longton | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, waterfowl, geese, furbearers |
| 537 | 3 mi north of Moline | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 480 | 5 mi northwest of Moline | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: quail, dove |
| 480 | 6 mi west of Howard | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 443 | 1 mi east of Moline | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, furbearers, other |
| 412 | 5 mi northwest of Elk City | Unit 12 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, waterfowl, geese, furbearers |
| 410 | 2 mi northwest of Moline | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, waterfowl, geese |
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 Elk County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Elk County, so the walk-in tracts are the county's public hunting ground.
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 Elk County?
Elk 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 12 | 61.8% | 6,449 (2021) | 17,689 |
| Unit 14 | 38.2% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
How does Elk County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Elk County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chautauqua County | 7,394 | 22 | 0.1% |
| Butler County | 3,790 | 7 | 0.6% |
| Greenwood County | 2,520 | 7 | 2% |
| Montgomery County | 1,427 | 7 | 4.3% |
| Cowley County | 1,320 | 4 | 0.6% |
| Wilson County | 80 | 1 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Elk County, Kansas?
12,207 acres on 35 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2.9% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Elk County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 12 and Unit 14). 8 tracts are archery and shotshell only. WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Elk County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Elk County; the walk-in tracts are the public ground.
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.