Jefferson County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Jefferson County has 12 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 1,462 acres in all, 0.4% of the county's land. That ranks 81st of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (10 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 landArmy Corps of EngineersOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Jefferson CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 12 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 1,462 (0.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 320, 177, 160, 160, 142 acres |
| Public land | 30,521 acres (8.6%) |
| Deer units | Unit 10 |
| KDWP region | Region 2 |
| Towns | Oskaloosa, Meriden, Perry, Valley Falls, McLouth and Nortonville |
When are Jefferson 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. Jefferson County's 12 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 10 | 1,246 |
| Sept. 1 to March 31 | 2 | 216 |
1 tract (54 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 Jefferson County, by number of tracts: turkey 4, deer 4, waterfowl 4, dove 3, furbearers 3 and quail 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 Jefferson County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 320 | 4 mi south of Meriden | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, waterfowl |
| 177 | 3 mi north of Valley Falls | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, dove |
| 160 | 6 mi north of Valley Falls | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey |
| 160 | 1 mi north of Lecompton | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: waterfowl |
| 142 | 2 mi east of Lecompton | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: waterfowl |
| 114 | 3 mi northeast of Oskaloosa | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 80 | 2 mi north of Valley Falls | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, dove |
| 80 | 2 mi northwest of Oskaloosa | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: furbearers |
| 80 | 4 mi west of Perry | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: waterfowl |
| 56 | 7 mi northeast of Topeka | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | |
| 54 | 4 mi west of Ozawkie | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: furbearers |
| 40 | 4 mi north of Valley Falls | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: 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 Jefferson County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 30,521 acres of public land in the county, 8.6% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 1,462 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Perry Wildlife Area (26,765 acres here) and Buck Creek Wildlife Area (854 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 27,051 | 7.6% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 3,470 | 1% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 584 | 0.2% |
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 Jefferson County?
All of Jefferson County is in Unit 10. 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 10 | 100% | 6,706 (2021) | 20,500 |
How does Jefferson County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Jefferson County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 3,997 | 23 | 0.1% |
| Atchison County | 3,886 | 13 | 1.4% |
| Shawnee County | 2,195 | 18 | 0.9% |
| Leavenworth County | 1,481 | 8 | 0.3% |
| Douglas County | 49 | 1 | 4.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Jefferson County, Kansas?
1,462 acres on 12 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.4% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Jefferson County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 10). 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 Jefferson County?
30,521 acres, 8.6% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Perry Wildlife Area and Buck Creek 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.