Seward County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Seward County has 27 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 4,077 acres in all, 1% of the county's land. That ranks 59th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (25 tracts). 3 tracts are 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.
State park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Seward CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 27 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 4,077 (1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 320, 308, 302, 255, 240 acres |
| Public land | None mapped |
| Deer units | Unit 18 |
| KDWP region | Region 4 |
| Towns | Liberal and Kismet |
When are Seward 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. Seward County's 27 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 25 | 3,947 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 2 | 130 |
3 tracts (109 acres) are 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 Seward County, by number of tracts: pheasant 23, waterfowl 4, deer 4 and quail 4. 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 Seward County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 320 | 8 mi southeast of Satanta | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 308 | 4 mi east of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 302 | 5 mi north of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 256 | 5 mi southwest of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 240 | 7 mi northeast of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, quail |
| 219 | 6 mi north of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 160 | 7 mi north of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 9 mi southwest of Kismet | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 7 mi northwest of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 9 mi northwest of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 10 mi southeast of Sublette | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, pheasant, waterfowl |
| 160 | 8 mi northwest of Liberal | Unit 18 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: 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 Seward County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Seward County, so the walk-in tracts are the county's public hunting ground.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 2,697 | 0.7% |
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 Seward County?
All of Seward County is in Unit 18. 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 18 | 100% | 587 (2021) | 56,254 |
How does Seward County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 3 counties that touch Seward County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens County | 5,414 | 37 | 0.2% |
| Meade County | 2,889 | 15 | 0.1% |
| Haskell County | 800 | 5 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Seward County, Kansas?
4,077 acres on 27 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 1% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Seward County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 18). 3 tracts are archery and shotshell only. WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Seward County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show no public land open to hunting in Seward 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.