Jewell County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Jewell County has 64 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 11,753 acres in all, 2% of the county's land. That ranks 33rd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (37 tracts). 3 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 landBureau of ReclamationState park or recreation areaOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Jewell CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 64 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 11,753 (2% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 630, 480, 400, 400, 397 acres |
| Public land | 3,956 acres (0.7%) |
| Deer units | Unit 7 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Mankato, Burr Oak, Jewell, Esbon, Formoso and Randall |
When are Jewell 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. Jewell County's 64 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 37 | 7,802 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 14 | 2,078 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 13 | 1,873 |
3 tracts (557 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 Jewell County, by number of tracts: quail 45, deer 41, pheasant 22, turkey 22, prairie chicken 15, dove 12 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 Jewell County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 630 | 9 mi northeast of Burr Oak | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 480 | 4 mi southwest of Mankato | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 400 | 6 mi northwest of Formoso | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: turkey |
| 400 | 3 mi southeast of Burr Oak | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: turkey |
| 397 | 3 mi west of Jewell | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail, prairie chicken |
| 360 | 9 mi north of Cawker City | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken |
| 340 | 7 mi northeast of Cawker City | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 320 | 4 mi east of Burr Oak | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: turkey |
| 320 | 9 mi northeast of Burr Oak | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 320 | 5 mi southwest of Randall | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail |
| 311 | 8 mi north of Cawker City | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, prairie chicken, dove |
| 292 | 3 mi southeast of Burr Oak | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove |
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 Jewell County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 3,956 acres of public land in the county, 0.7% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 11,753 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Lovewell Wildlife Area (4,529 acres here), Jamestown Wildlife Area (303 acres here) and Jewell State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (155 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 3,954 | 0.7% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 469 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 9 | under 0.1% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 2 | 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 Jewell County?
All of Jewell County is in Unit 7. 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 7 | 100% | 4,641 (2021) | 65,866 |
How does Jewell County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Jewell County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osborne County | 20,866 | 82 | 0.6% |
| Smith County | 14,219 | 76 | 0.1% |
| Cloud County | 11,539 | 56 | 0.7% |
| Mitchell County | 9,924 | 50 | 2.9% |
| Republic County | 5,221 | 36 | 0.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Jewell County, Kansas?
11,753 acres on 64 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Jewell County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 7). 3 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 Jewell County?
3,956 acres, 0.7% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Lovewell Wildlife Area, Jamestown Wildlife Area and Jewell 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.