Ellis County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Ellis County has 69 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 18,222 acres in all, 3.2% of the county's land. That ranks 20th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 (33 tracts). 1 tract is 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.
Other publicWalk-in (WIHA)Ellis CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 69 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 18,222 (3.2% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,809, 1,180, 650, 640, 534 acres |
| Public land | None mapped |
| Deer units | Unit 3 and Unit 4 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Hays, Ellis, Victoria and Schoenchen |
When are Ellis 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. Ellis County's 69 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 33 | 6,724 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 27 | 8,789 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 9 | 2,709 |
1 tract (640 acres) is 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 Ellis County, by number of tracts: pheasant 49, quail 44, deer 42, dove 19, turkey 6, prairie chicken 3 and waterfowl 2. 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 Ellis County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,809 | 10 mi north of Hays | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, waterfowl |
| 1,180 | 10 mi northeast of Ellis | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 650 | 12 mi northwest of Gorham | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer |
| 640 | 8 mi west of Schoenchen | Unit 4 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, pheasant, dove |
| 534 | 9 mi south of Zurich | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail |
| 480 | 9 mi north of Ellis | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 480 | 7 mi north of Ellis | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 480 | 8 mi northeast of Ellis | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 480 | 9 mi south of Zurich | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail |
| 320 | 8 mi south of Zurich | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 320 | 9 mi southeast of Plainville | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, prairie chicken, dove |
| 320 | 10 mi southeast of Plainville | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
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 Ellis County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Ellis County, so the walk-in tracts are the county's public hunting ground.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 53 | 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 Ellis County?
Ellis 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 3 | 52.4% | 3,394 (2021) | 81,918 |
| Unit 4 | 47.6% | 2,752 (2021) | 29,342 |
How does Ellis County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Ellis County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trego County | 23,735 | 93 | 1.3% |
| Osborne County | 20,866 | 82 | 0.6% |
| Rush County | 19,674 | 95 | 0% |
| Rooks County | 16,061 | 57 | 1% |
| Ness County | 16,025 | 64 | 0% |
| Russell County | 15,514 | 59 | 2.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Ellis County, Kansas?
18,222 acres on 69 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 3.2% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Ellis County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 3 and Unit 4). 1 tract is archery and shotshell only. WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Ellis County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Ellis 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.