Meade County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Meade County has 15 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 2,889 acres in all, 0.5% of the county's land. That ranks 65th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 (10 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 landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Meade CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 15 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 2,889 (0.5% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 320, 320, 320, 288, 160 acres |
| Public land | 837 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 18 |
| KDWP region | Region 4 |
| Towns | Meade, Plains and Fowler |
When are Meade 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. Meade County's 15 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 10 | 1,779 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 5 | 1,110 |
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 Meade County, by number of tracts: pheasant 14, deer 8, waterfowl 2 and dove 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 Meade 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 | 11 mi southeast of Meade | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 320 | 4 mi east of Plains | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 320 | 6 mi east of Meade | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 288 | 9 mi southeast of Plains | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 13 mi southeast of Meade | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 160 | 4 mi southeast of Fowler | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 160 | 6 mi east of Meade | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 160 | 5 mi east of Meade | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 2 mi southeast of Fowler | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, dove |
| 160 | 7 mi south of Fowler | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, waterfowl |
| 155 | 2 mi south of Fowler | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 153 | 4 mi northeast of Meade | Unit 18 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
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 Meade County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 837 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 2,889 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Meade State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (503 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 837 | 0.1% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 427 | 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 Meade County?
All of Meade County is in Unit 18. 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 18 | 100% | 587 (2021) | 56,254 |
How does Meade County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Meade County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 20,090 | 24 | 0.2% |
| Ford County | 7,692 | 37 | 0.1% |
| Seward County | 4,077 | 27 | 0% |
| Gray County | 2,604 | 15 | 0% |
| Haskell County | 800 | 5 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Meade County, Kansas?
2,889 acres on 15 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.5% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Meade County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 18). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Meade County?
837 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Meade 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.