Jackson County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Jackson County has 23 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 3,997 acres in all, 0.9% of the county's land. That ranks 60th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (16 tracts). 5 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.
KDWP landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Jackson CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 23 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 3,997 (0.9% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 560, 400, 280, 240, 213 acres |
| Public land | 242 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 9 and Unit 10 |
| KDWP region | Region 2 |
| Towns | Holton, Whiting, Netawaka, Hoyt, Circleville and Mayetta |
When are Jackson 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. Jackson County's 23 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 16 | 2,957 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 3 | 453 |
| Sept. 1 to March 31 | 2 | 147 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 1 | 160 |
| Nov. 1 to May 31 | 1 | 280 |
5 tracts (581 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 Jackson County, by number of tracts: quail 6, deer 5, turkey 4, pheasant 4, furbearers 3, dove 3, geese 2, other 2 and prairie chicken 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 Jackson County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 560 | 4 mi south of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 400 | 7 mi northeast of Emmett | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken, geese |
| 280 | 3 mi northeast of Whiting | Unit 10 | Nov. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: turkey |
| 240 | 3 mi west of Circleville | Unit 9 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail |
| 213 | 2 mi west of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: quail, geese |
| 210 | 4 mi north of Denison | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: furbearers |
| 168 | 5 mi northeast of Circleville | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 161 | 3 mi east of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 160 | 2 mi east of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 160 | 2 mi southeast of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail |
| 160 | 2 mi northeast of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 160 | 3 mi south of Soldier | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey |
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 Jackson County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 242 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 3,997 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Nebo State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (76 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 242 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 8 | 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 Jackson County?
Jackson 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 9 | 61.5% | 3,581 (2021) | 42,406 |
| Unit 10 | 38.5% | 6,706 (2021) | 20,500 |
How does Jackson County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Jackson County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nemaha County | 11,456 | 70 | 0.2% |
| Brown County | 7,133 | 41 | 0% |
| Pottawatomie County | 5,807 | 31 | 3.4% |
| Atchison County | 3,886 | 13 | 1.4% |
| Shawnee County | 2,195 | 18 | 0.9% |
| Jefferson County | 1,462 | 12 | 8.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Jackson County, Kansas?
3,997 acres on 23 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.9% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Jackson County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 9 and Unit 10). 5 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 Jackson County?
242 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Nebo 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.