Rawlins County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Rawlins County has 96 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 37,681 acres in all, 5.5% of the county's land. That ranks 3rd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (43 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.
Walk-in (WIHA)Rawlins CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 96 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 37,681 (5.5% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 3,440, 2,222, 1,512, 1,480, 1,255 acres |
| Public land | None mapped |
| Deer units | Unit 1 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Atwood, Herndon and McDonald |
When are Rawlins 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. Rawlins County's 96 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 43 | 19,310 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 31 | 11,395 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 22 | 6,976 |
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 Rawlins County, by number of tracts: pheasant 80, deer 76, turkey 22, dove 5, quail 4 and prairie chicken 2. 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 Rawlins County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,440 | 5 mi south of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, prairie chicken |
| 2,222 | 11 mi southwest of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 1,512 | 12 mi southwest of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 1,480 | 5 mi southwest of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, prairie chicken |
| 1,255 | 6 mi west of Herndon | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant |
| 1,200 | 8 mi north of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 960 | 11 mi southeast of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 960 | 8 mi east of McDonald | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer |
| 800 | 6 mi north of Herndon | Unit 1 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 700 | 8 mi northeast of Atwood | Unit 1 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, dove |
| 690 | 4 mi north of Atwood | Unit 1 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant |
| 640 | 14 mi south of McDonald | Unit 1 | 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 Rawlins County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Rawlins County, so the walk-in tracts are the county's public hunting ground.
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 Rawlins County?
All of Rawlins County is in Unit 1. 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 | 100% | 1,830 (2021) | 170,924 |
How does Rawlins County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 4 counties that touch Rawlins County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne County | 45,054 | 82 | 0.2% |
| Thomas County | 32,327 | 98 | 0% |
| Decatur County | 22,913 | 41 | 0% |
| Sherman County | 19,535 | 49 | 0.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Rawlins County, Kansas?
37,681 acres on 96 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 5.5% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Rawlins 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). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Rawlins County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Rawlins County; the walk-in tracts are the public ground.
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.