Mitchell County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Mitchell County has 50 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 9,924 acres in all, 2.2% of the county's land. That ranks 36th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (21 tracts). 4 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 ReclamationOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Mitchell CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 50 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 9,924 (2.2% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 480, 460, 350, 320, 320 acres |
| Public land | 13,158 acres (2.9%) |
| Deer units | Unit 7 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Beloit, Cawker City, Glen Elder, Simpson, Tipton and Scottsville |
When are Mitchell 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. Mitchell County's 50 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 21 | 4,849 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 14 | 2,302 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 11 | 1,900 |
| Sept. 1 to March 31 | 4 | 873 |
4 tracts (889 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 Mitchell County, by number of tracts: quail 41, pheasant 33, deer 28, dove 17, prairie chicken 8, turkey 7, geese 5 and waterfowl 3. 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 Mitchell County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480 | 5 mi northeast of Hunter | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 460 | 8 mi south of Glen Elder | Unit 7 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, prairie chicken |
| 350 | 6 mi southeast of Glen Elder | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 320 | 5 mi northeast of Tipton | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 320 | 5 mi northeast of Tipton | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 320 | 5 mi northeast of Cawker City | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 320 | 3 mi northwest of Cawker City | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, dove, geese |
| 320 | 2 mi east of Glen Elder | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail, geese |
| 320 | 9 mi north of Barnard | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken |
| 320 | 5 mi northeast of Hunter | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 308 | 6 mi east of Beloit | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 260 | 10 mi northeast of Hunter | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, dove, waterfowl |
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 Mitchell County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 13,158 acres of public land in the county, 2.9% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 9,924 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Glen Elder Wildlife Area (12,412 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 12,211 | 2.7% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 1,763 | 0.4% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 947 | 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 Mitchell County?
All of Mitchell 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 Mitchell County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 5 counties that touch Mitchell County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osborne County | 20,866 | 82 | 0.6% |
| Lincoln County | 13,004 | 40 | 0.2% |
| Jewell County | 11,753 | 64 | 0.7% |
| Cloud County | 11,539 | 56 | 0.7% |
| Ottawa County | 6,226 | 34 | 0.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Mitchell County, Kansas?
9,924 acres on 50 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2.2% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Mitchell 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). 4 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 Mitchell County?
13,158 acres, 2.9% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Glen Elder 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.