Ford County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Ford County has 37 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 7,692 acres in all, 1.1% of the county's land. That ranks 38th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (24 tracts).
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 landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Ford CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 37 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 7,692 (1.1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 480, 470, 400, 400, 332 acres |
| Public land | 1,036 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 17, Unit 18 and Unit 16 |
| KDWP region | Region 4 |
| Towns | Dodge City, Spearville, Bucklin and Ford |
When are Ford 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. Ford County's 37 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 24 | 5,153 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 13 | 2,539 |
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 Ford County, by number of tracts: pheasant 29, deer 16, dove 6, quail 2 and waterfowl 1. 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 Ford County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480 | 7 mi north of Ensign | Unit 17 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 470 | 7 mi south of Spearville | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 400 | 5 mi northwest of Minneola | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 400 | 5 mi west of Spearville | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, dove |
| 332 | 9 mi northeast of Minneola | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 323 | 9 mi southwest of Ford | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 320 | 7 mi southwest of Ford | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, dove |
| 320 | 9 mi northeast of Minneola | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 320 | 6 mi west of Spearville | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 320 | 7 mi northeast of Ensign | Unit 17 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 240 | 12 mi northeast of Cimarron | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 170 | 7 mi southwest of Ford | Unit 17 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
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 Ford County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 1,036 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 7,692 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Herron Playa Wildlife Area (687 acres here), Wild Turkey Playa Wildlife Area (153 acres here), Stein Playa Wildlife Area (119 acres here) and Hain State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (78 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 1,036 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 4 | 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 Ford County?
Ford County is split between 3 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 17 | 76.6% | 2,405 (2021) | 117,037 |
| Unit 18 | 16% | 587 (2021) | 56,254 |
| Unit 16 | 7.4% | 3,218 (2021) | 24,639 |
How does Ford County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Ford County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgeman County | 26,340 | 89 | 0.1% |
| Clark County | 20,090 | 24 | 0.2% |
| Edwards County | 12,491 | 24 | 0% |
| Kiowa County | 4,106 | 23 | 0% |
| Meade County | 2,889 | 15 | 0.1% |
| Gray County | 2,604 | 15 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Ford County, Kansas?
7,692 acres on 37 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 1.1% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Ford County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 17, Unit 18 and Unit 16). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Ford County?
1,036 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Herron Playa Wildlife Area, Wild Turkey Playa Wildlife Area, Stein Playa Wildlife Area and Hain 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.