Gove County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Gove County has 58 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 23,266 acres in all, 3.4% of the county's land. That ranks 11th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (29 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.
KDWP landWalk-in (WIHA)Gove CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 58 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 23,266 (3.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 2,015, 1,832, 1,306, 1,240, 1,240 acres |
| Public land | 18 acres (under 0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 2 and Unit 1 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Quinter, Grinnell, Grainfield, Park and Gove City |
When are Gove 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. Gove County's 58 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 29 | 12,197 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 25 | 8,719 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 4 | 2,350 |
1 tract (2,015 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 Gove County, by number of tracts: pheasant 49, deer 48, prairie chicken 3 and other 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 Gove County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,015 | 8 mi south of Quinter | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 1,832 | 13 mi south of Gove City | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 1,306 | 17 mi southwest of Gove City | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer |
| 1,240 | 13 mi south of Gove City | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 1,240 | 10 mi northwest of Utica | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 960 | 12 mi southwest of Gove City | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 789 | 10 mi northwest of Utica | Unit 2 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 16 mi west of Gove City | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 2 mi east of Park | Unit 1 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 6 mi east of Gove City | Unit 2 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 12 mi west of Gove City | Unit 2 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 6 mi southwest of Quinter | Unit 2 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: 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 Gove County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 18 acres of public land in the county, under 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 23,266 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 18 | 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 Gove County?
Gove 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 2 | 91.1% | 1,540 (2021) | 157,235 |
| Unit 1 | 8.9% | 1,830 (2021) | 170,924 |
How does Gove County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Gove County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas County | 32,327 | 98 | 0% |
| Graham County | 29,209 | 111 | 0% |
| Trego County | 23,735 | 93 | 1.3% |
| Logan County | 19,583 | 47 | 0.1% |
| Sheridan County | 19,325 | 63 | 0.1% |
| Lane County | 18,462 | 80 | 0.1% |
| Ness County | 16,025 | 64 | 0% |
| Scott County | 2,240 | 1 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Gove County, Kansas?
23,266 acres on 58 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 3.4% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Gove County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 2 and Unit 1). 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 Gove County?
18 acres, 0% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land.
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.