Hamilton County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Hamilton County has 117 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 33,613 acres in all, 5.3% of the county's land. That ranks 4th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (109 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 landBLMState park or recreation areaOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Hamilton CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 117 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 33,613 (5.3% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,600, 800, 650, 640, 640 acres |
| Public land | 710 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 17 |
| KDWP region | Region 4 |
| Towns | Syracuse and Coolidge |
When are Hamilton 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. Hamilton County's 117 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 109 | 31,362 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 7 | 1,931 |
| Sept. 1 to March 31 | 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 Hamilton County, by number of tracts: pheasant 107, deer 78, furbearers 35, quail 20, dove 17, other 9 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 Hamilton County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,600 | 10 mi east of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 800 | 9 mi east of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, furbearers |
| 650 | 9 mi north of Coolidge | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, furbearers |
| 640 | 6 mi south of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, furbearers |
| 640 | 10 mi west of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 640 | 10 mi southwest of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 640 | 6 mi southwest of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 640 | 5 mi southwest of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 11 mi southwest of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 6 mi northeast of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, furbearers |
| 625 | 8 mi north of Coolidge | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, furbearers, other |
| 560 | 5 mi south of Syracuse | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, 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 Hamilton County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 710 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 33,613 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Hamilton State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (573 acres here) and Cottonwood Flats Wildlife Area (95 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 706 | 0.1% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 84 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 4 | under 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 1 | 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 Hamilton County?
All of Hamilton County is in Unit 17. 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 | 100% | 2,405 (2021) | 117,037 |
How does Hamilton County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Hamilton County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeley County | 16,648 | 50 | 0.2% |
| Stanton County | 15,430 | 69 | 0% |
| Grant County | 7,484 | 34 | 0% |
| Wichita County | 2,468 | 13 | 0% |
| Kearny County | 2,362 | 13 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Hamilton County, Kansas?
33,613 acres on 117 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 5.3% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Hamilton 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). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Hamilton County?
710 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Hamilton State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area and Cottonwood Flats 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.