Shawnee County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Shawnee County has 18 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 2,195 acres in all, 0.6% of the county's land. That ranks 74th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (16 tracts). 7 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.
KDWP landArmy Corps of EngineersState park or recreation areaOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Shawnee CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 18 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 2,195 (0.6% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 435, 201, 174, 160, 156 acres |
| Public land | 3,135 acres (0.9%) |
| Deer units | Unit 10, Unit 9 and Unit 14 |
| KDWP region | Region 2 |
| Towns | Topeka, Auburn, Silver Lake, Rossville and Willard |
When are Shawnee 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. Shawnee County's 18 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 16 | 2,043 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 2 | 152 |
7 tracts (643 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 Shawnee County, by number of tracts: deer 7, turkey 7, quail 6, furbearers 6, dove 6 and waterfowl 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 Shawnee County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 435 | 5 mi west of Auburn | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove |
| 201 | 10 mi southwest of Lecompton | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, furbearers |
| 174 | 3 mi west of Auburn | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: waterfowl |
| 160 | 6 mi northeast of Carbondale | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 156 | 3 mi southwest of Delia | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 153 | 4 mi west of Auburn | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 145 | 4 mi west of Auburn | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 122 | 6 mi west of Auburn | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 111 | 7 mi west of Lecompton | Unit 10 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 80 | 6 mi west of Auburn | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove, furbearers |
| 76 | 4 mi southeast of Delia | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 76 | 4 mi southeast of Delia | Unit 9 | Sept. 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 Shawnee County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 3,135 acres of public land in the county, 0.9% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 2,195 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Clinton Wildlife Area (1,994 acres here), Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (457 acres here) and Kansas River Wildlife Area (Topeka units) (389 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 3,110 | 0.9% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 503 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 70 | under 0.1% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 25 | under 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 Shawnee County?
Shawnee 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 10 | 41% | 6,706 (2021) | 20,500 |
| Unit 9 | 30.1% | 3,581 (2021) | 42,406 |
| Unit 14 | 29% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
How does Shawnee County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Shawnee County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabaunsee County | 12,708 | 32 | 0.1% |
| Pottawatomie County | 5,807 | 31 | 3.4% |
| Jackson County | 3,997 | 23 | 0.1% |
| Osage County | 3,274 | 16 | 4.9% |
| Jefferson County | 1,462 | 12 | 8.6% |
| Douglas County | 49 | 1 | 4.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Shawnee County, Kansas?
2,195 acres on 18 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.6% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Shawnee County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 10, Unit 9 and Unit 14). 7 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 Shawnee County?
3,135 acres, 0.9% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Clinton Wildlife Area, Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area and Kansas River Wildlife Area (Topeka units).
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.