Osborne County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Osborne County has 82 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 20,866 acres in all, 3.6% of the county's land. That ranks 13th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (30 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 landWalk-in (WIHA)Osborne CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 82 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 20,866 (3.6% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,283, 760, 640, 560, 560 acres |
| Public land | 3,284 acres (0.6%) |
| Deer units | Unit 3 and Unit 7 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Osborne, Downs, Natoma, Alton and Portis |
When are Osborne 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. Osborne County's 82 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 30 | 8,069 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 28 | 5,335 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 24 | 7,462 |
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 Osborne County, by number of tracts: quail 68, pheasant 50, deer 44, prairie chicken 32, dove 19, turkey 12, waterfowl 5 and furbearers 5. 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 Osborne County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,283 | 3 mi northeast of Natoma | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken |
| 760 | 5 mi southwest of Portis | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 640 | 6 mi west of Hunter | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: quail, prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 560 | 5 mi northeast of Natoma | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 560 | 11 mi southeast of Alton | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail, furbearers |
| 520 | 4 mi north of Natoma | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: turkey |
| 480 | 4 mi northeast of Natoma | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 480 | 8 mi south of Alton | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken |
| 480 | 11 mi northeast of Natoma | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, furbearers |
| 480 | 9 mi west of Tipton | Unit 7 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, prairie chicken, furbearers |
| 440 | 11 mi south of Alton | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer |
| 438 | 6 mi south of Alton | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant, quail |
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 Osborne County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 3,284 acres of public land in the county, 0.6% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 20,866 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Glen Elder Wildlife Area (3,242 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 3,284 | 0.6% |
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 Osborne County?
Osborne 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 3 | 63.2% | 3,394 (2021) | 81,918 |
| Unit 7 | 36.8% | 4,641 (2021) | 65,866 |
How does Osborne County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 7 counties that touch Osborne County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellis County | 18,222 | 69 | 0% |
| Rooks County | 16,061 | 57 | 1% |
| Russell County | 15,514 | 59 | 2.4% |
| Smith County | 14,219 | 76 | 0.1% |
| Lincoln County | 13,004 | 40 | 0.2% |
| Jewell County | 11,753 | 64 | 0.7% |
| Mitchell County | 9,924 | 50 | 2.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Osborne County, Kansas?
20,866 acres on 82 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 3.6% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Osborne County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 3 and Unit 7). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Osborne County?
3,284 acres, 0.6% 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.