Lyon County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Lyon County has 28 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 7,159 acres in all, 1.3% of the county's land. That ranks 42nd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (20 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 landNational wildlife refuge or WPAArmy Corps of EngineersOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Lyon CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 28 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 7,159 (1.3% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,133, 1,105, 523, 422, 403 acres |
| Public land | 6,241 acres (1.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 14 |
| KDWP region | Region 3 |
| Towns | Emporia, Americus, Olpe, Neosho Rapids, Hartford and Admire |
When are Lyon 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. Lyon County's 28 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 20 | 3,695 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 8 | 3,464 |
1 tract (304 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 Lyon County, by number of tracts: quail 23, deer 17, prairie chicken 8, turkey 2 and dove 2. 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 Lyon County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,133 | 3 mi west of Bushong | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: quail, prairie chicken |
| 1,105 | 3 mi west of Bushong | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken |
| 523 | 2 mi west of Bushong | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: quail, prairie chicken |
| 422 | 2 mi northeast of Dunlap | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail |
| 403 | 1 mi southeast of Allen | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 320 | 3 mi north of Allen | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail |
| 316 | 3 mi southwest of Bushong | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail |
| 304 | 1 mi southwest of Allen | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, quail |
| 198 | 3 mi east of Dunlap | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail |
| 162 | 5 mi north of Allen | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: quail, prairie chicken |
| 160 | 4 mi southwest of Bushong | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail |
| 160 | 5 mi south of Harveyville | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer |
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 Lyon County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 6,241 acres of public land in the county, 1.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 7,159 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Melvern Wildlife Area (774 acres here) and Lyon State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (452 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge or WPA | 4,977 | 0.9% |
| KDWP land | 1,246 | 0.2% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 368 | 0.1% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 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 Lyon County?
All of Lyon County is in Unit 14. 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 14 | 100% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
How does Lyon County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Lyon County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabaunsee County | 12,708 | 32 | 0.1% |
| Chase County | 6,325 | 7 | 0.1% |
| Osage County | 3,274 | 16 | 4.9% |
| Greenwood County | 2,520 | 7 | 2% |
| Coffey County | 2,310 | 15 | 3.2% |
| Morris County | 2,186 | 16 | 0.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Lyon County, Kansas?
7,159 acres on 28 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 1.3% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Lyon County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 14). 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 Lyon County?
6,241 acres, 1.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly national wildlife refuge or WPA. Wildlife areas here: Melvern Wildlife Area and Lyon 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.