Rooks County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Rooks County has 57 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 16,061 acres in all, 2.8% of the county's land. That ranks 22nd of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 (33 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 landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Rooks CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 57 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 16,061 (2.8% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 1,280, 1,120, 1,045, 950, 880 acres |
| Public land | 5,444 acres (1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 3 |
| KDWP region | Region 1 |
| Towns | Stockton, Plainville, Palco, Woodston, Damar and Zurich |
When are Rooks 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. Rooks County's 57 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 33 | 5,790 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 14 | 4,180 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 10 | 6,091 |
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 Rooks County, by number of tracts: deer 37, pheasant 28, quail 26, turkey 9, dove 8, prairie chicken 3, waterfowl 2 and furbearers 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 Rooks County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,280 | 6 mi south of Woodston | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant |
| 1,120 | 5 mi southeast of Stockton | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 1,045 | 3 mi southwest of Natoma | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken |
| 950 | 8 mi south of Woodston | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey |
| 880 | 6 mi south of Woodston | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: turkey |
| 780 | 5 mi southwest of Woodston | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken |
| 740 | 7 mi south of Woodston | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail, dove |
| 425 | 4 mi north of Damar | Unit 3 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey |
| 400 | 3 mi southwest of Zurich | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 360 | 3 mi west of Plainville | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 320 | 3 mi south of Zurich | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, furbearers |
| 320 | 3 mi northwest of Plainville | Unit 3 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 |
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 Rooks County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 5,444 acres of public land in the county, 1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 16,061 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Webster Wildlife Area (6,294 acres here) and Rooks State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (308 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 5,444 | 1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 874 | 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 Rooks County?
All of Rooks County is in Unit 3. 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 | 100% | 3,394 (2021) | 81,918 |
How does Rooks County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Rooks County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham County | 29,209 | 111 | 0% |
| Trego County | 23,735 | 93 | 1.3% |
| Osborne County | 20,866 | 82 | 0.6% |
| Ellis County | 18,222 | 69 | 0% |
| Smith County | 14,219 | 76 | 0.1% |
| Phillips County | 6,256 | 24 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Rooks County, Kansas?
16,061 acres on 57 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2.8% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Rooks 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). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Rooks County?
5,444 acres, 1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Webster Wildlife Area and Rooks 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.