Ness County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Ness County has 64 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 16,025 acres in all, 2.3% of the county's land. That ranks 23rd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (50 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 landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Ness CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 64 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 16,025 (2.3% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,040, 600, 560, 480, 470 acres |
| Public land | 262 acres (under 0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 17, Unit 5, Unit 2 and Unit 4 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Ness City, Bazine, Ransom, Utica and Brownell |
When are Ness 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. Ness County's 64 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 50 | 12,502 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 9 | 2,343 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 5 | 1,180 |
4 tracts (965 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 Ness County, by number of tracts: pheasant 58, deer 40, quail 16, dove 7, turkey 4, waterfowl 1 and prairie chicken 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 Ness County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,040 | 14 mi southwest of Ness City | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 600 | 2 mi north of Ness City | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 560 | 2 mi northeast of Utica | Unit 2 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 480 | 6 mi southeast of Ness City | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 470 | 12 mi south of Ness City | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 460 | 18 mi southwest of Ness City | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, dove |
| 442 | 9 mi southeast of Ness City | Unit 5 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail |
| 387 | 10 mi south of Ness City | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 321 | 8 mi south of Ness City | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail, dove |
| 320 | 12 mi south of Utica | Unit 17 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 320 | 11 mi south of Ness City | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 320 | 5 mi east of Brownell | Unit 4 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, 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 Ness County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 262 acres of public land in the county, under 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 16,025 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Goodman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (262 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 262 | under 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 4 | 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 Ness County?
Ness County is split between 4 deer units. 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 17 | 45.3% | 2,405 (2021) | 117,037 |
| Unit 5 | 41.3% | 3,096 (2021) | 25,072 |
| Unit 2 | 10.5% | 1,540 (2021) | 157,235 |
| Unit 4 | 2.9% | 2,752 (2021) | 29,342 |
How does Ness County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 8 counties that touch Ness County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgeman County | 26,340 | 89 | 0.1% |
| Trego County | 23,735 | 93 | 1.3% |
| Gove County | 23,266 | 58 | 0% |
| Rush County | 19,674 | 95 | 0% |
| Lane County | 18,462 | 80 | 0.1% |
| Ellis County | 18,222 | 69 | 0% |
| Pawnee County | 5,594 | 23 | 0% |
| Finney County | 5,362 | 23 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Ness County, Kansas?
16,025 acres on 64 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2.3% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Ness County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 17, Unit 5, Unit 2 and Unit 4). 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 Ness County?
262 acres, 0% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Goodman 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.
Kansas hunting Every county's WIHA Unit 17 Unit 5 Unit 2 Unit 4