Osage County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Osage County has 16 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 3,274 acres in all, 0.7% of the county's land. That ranks 64th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (14 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 landArmy Corps of EngineersOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Osage CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 16 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 3,274 (0.7% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 640, 371, 357, 306, 253 acres |
| Public land | 22,577 acres (4.9%) |
| Deer units | Unit 14, Unit 10 and Unit 11 |
| KDWP region | Region 2 |
| Towns | Osage City, Scranton, Lyndon, Burlingame, Carbondale and Overbrook |
When are Osage 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. Osage County's 16 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 14 | 2,394 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 2 | 880 |
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 Osage County, by number of tracts: deer 14, quail 13, turkey 11, dove 10, furbearers 9 and waterfowl 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 Osage County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 640 | 6 mi west of Osage City | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 371 | 4 mi northwest of Waverly | Unit 11 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 357 | 3 mi northeast of Harveyville | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 306 | 2 mi southeast of Harveyville | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, waterfowl |
| 253 | 4 mi north of Burlingame | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 240 | 6 mi southwest of Burlingame | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 178 | 3 mi north of Burlingame | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 159 | 4 mi north of Burlingame | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 140 | 2 mi southwest of Osage City | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 120 | 1 mi west of Osage City | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 120 | 2 mi northeast of Harveyville | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail |
| 100 | 6 mi northeast of Harveyville | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
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 Osage County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 22,577 acres of public land in the county, 4.9% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 3,274 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Melvern Wildlife Area (13,676 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 12,360 | 2.7% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 10,217 | 2.2% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 514 | 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 Osage County?
Osage County is split between 3 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 14 | 57.8% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
| Unit 10 | 40.3% | 6,706 (2021) | 20,500 |
| Unit 11 | 1.9% | 15,611 (2021) | 25,147 |
How does Osage County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Osage County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabaunsee County | 12,708 | 32 | 0.1% |
| Lyon County | 7,159 | 28 | 1.1% |
| Coffey County | 2,310 | 15 | 3.2% |
| Shawnee County | 2,195 | 18 | 0.9% |
| Douglas County | 49 | 1 | 4.7% |
| Franklin County | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Osage County, Kansas?
3,274 acres on 16 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.7% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Osage 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, Unit 10 and Unit 11). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Osage County?
22,577 acres, 4.9% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Melvern 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.