Stafford County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Stafford County has 13 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 1,983 acres in all, 0.4% of the county's land. That ranks 76th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (5 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.
National wildlife refuge or WPAWalk-in (WIHA)Stafford CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 13 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 1,983 (0.4% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 320, 320, 160, 160, 157 acres |
| Public land | 21,014 acres (4.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 5, Unit 16 and Unit 15 |
| KDWP region | Region 4 |
| Towns | St. John, Macksville, Stafford, Seward, Hudson and Radium |
When are Stafford 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. Stafford County's 13 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 5 | 636 |
| Nov. 1 to May 31 | 4 | 874 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 4 | 473 |
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 Stafford County, by number of tracts: pheasant 10, quail 3, turkey 3 and deer 3. 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 Stafford 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 | 4 mi east of St. John | Unit 5 | Nov. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 320 | 4 mi east of St. John | Unit 5 | Nov. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 2 mi southeast of Seward | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 160 | 2 mi southeast of Seward | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 158 | 2 mi southeast of Macksville | Unit 16 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail |
| 157 | 3 mi southeast of Macksville | Unit 16 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail |
| 157 | 5 mi southwest of Stafford | Unit 15 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | |
| 156 | 5 mi east of St. John | Unit 5 | Nov. 1 to May 31 | |
| 80 | 3 mi east of Seward | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 80 | 6 mi south of Radium | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 80 | 3 mi east of Seward | Unit 5 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: pheasant |
| 80 | 5 mi southeast of Stafford | Unit 15 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, 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 Stafford County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 21,014 acres of public land in the county, 4.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 1,983 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge or WPA | 21,014 | 4.1% |
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 Stafford County?
Stafford 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 5 | 65.8% | 3,096 (2021) | 25,072 |
| Unit 16 | 17.1% | 3,218 (2021) | 24,639 |
| Unit 15 | 17.1% | 6,569 (2021) | 6,628 |
How does Stafford County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 6 counties that touch Stafford County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edwards County | 12,491 | 24 | 0% |
| Pratt County | 6,131 | 14 | 1.6% |
| Pawnee County | 5,594 | 23 | 0% |
| Reno County | 4,960 | 39 | 0.7% |
| Barton County | 974 | 9 | 3.3% |
| Rice County | 0 | 0 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Stafford County, Kansas?
1,983 acres on 13 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.4% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Stafford County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 5, Unit 16 and Unit 15). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Stafford County?
21,014 acres, 4.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly national wildlife refuge or WPA.
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.