Norton County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Norton County has 52 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 14,404 acres in all, 2.6% of the county's land. That ranks 27th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 (41 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 landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Norton CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 52 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 14,404 (2.6% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 2,222, 640, 640, 540, 480 acres |
| Public land | 5,521 acres (1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 1 and Unit 3 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Norton, Almena, Lenora, Clayton and Edmond |
When are Norton 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. Norton County's 52 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 41 | 8,516 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 7 | 4,242 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 4 | 1,646 |
1 tract (640 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 Norton County, by number of tracts: deer 41, pheasant 38, quail 17, furbearers 4, turkey 2, dove 2 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 Norton County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,222 | 4 mi southeast of Edmond | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, prairie chicken |
| 640 | 6 mi southeast of Norton | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 640 | 6 mi north of Edmond | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, furbearers |
| 541 | 5 mi west of Lenora | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 480 | 5 mi north of Edmond | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, furbearers |
| 457 | 3 mi north of Edmond | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 400 | 7 mi northeast of Edmond | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 400 | 5 mi southeast of Norton | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 360 | 7 mi north of Almena | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 360 | 5 mi northeast of Edmond | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 320 | 11 mi northwest of Norton | Unit 1 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 320 | 4 mi west of Prairie View | Unit 3 | Nov. 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 Norton County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 5,521 acres of public land in the county, 1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 14,404 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Norton Wildlife Area (6,207 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 5,521 | 1% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 886 | 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 Norton County?
Norton County is split between 2 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 1 | 53.5% | 1,830 (2021) | 170,924 |
| Unit 3 | 46.5% | 3,394 (2021) | 81,918 |
How does Norton County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 4 counties that touch Norton County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham County | 29,209 | 111 | 0% |
| Decatur County | 22,913 | 41 | 0% |
| Sheridan County | 19,325 | 63 | 0.1% |
| Phillips County | 6,256 | 24 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Norton County, Kansas?
14,404 acres on 52 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2.6% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Norton County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 1 and Unit 3). 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 Norton County?
5,521 acres, 1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Norton 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.