Wabaunsee County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
Wabaunsee County has 32 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 12,708 acres in all, 2.5% of the county's land. That ranks 30th of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to May 31 (24 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)Wabaunsee CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 32 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 12,708 (2.5% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 3,837, 1,361, 1,123, 751, 598 acres |
| Public land | 641 acres (0.1%) |
| Deer units | Unit 14 and Unit 9 |
| KDWP region | Region 2 |
| Towns | Alma, Eskridge, Alta Vista, Maple Hill, McFarland and Paxico |
When are Wabaunsee 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. Wabaunsee County's 32 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 24 | 6,451 |
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 4 | 1,443 |
| Sept. 1 to March 31 | 3 | 4,532 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 1 | 282 |
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 Wabaunsee County, by number of tracts: quail 24, deer 20, dove 18, turkey 15, prairie chicken 9, waterfowl 3, furbearers 2 and geese 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 Wabaunsee County?
The 12 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,837 | 5 mi southwest of Eskridge | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken, dove, waterfowl |
| 1,361 | 6 mi northeast of Alta Vista | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 1,123 | 4 mi southwest of Alma | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 751 | 6 mi west of Alma | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 598 | 2 mi southwest of Belvue | Unit 9 | Sept. 1 to March 31 | Species listed: waterfowl, geese |
| 502 | 6 mi northeast of Alta Vista | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | |
| 485 | 6 mi east of Alta Vista | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, prairie chicken, dove |
| 372 | 4 mi northwest of Eskridge | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: quail |
| 304 | 2 mi northwest of Harveyville | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove |
| 282 | 4 mi northwest of Maple Hill | Unit 9 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, quail, dove |
| 240 | 4 mi south of Eskridge | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: quail |
| 240 | 2 mi southeast of Eskridge | Unit 14 | Sept. 1 to May 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 Wabaunsee County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 641 acres of public land in the county, 0.1% of it. The walk-in tracts cover more ground: 12,708 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: Bolton Wildlife Area (641 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 641 | 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 1 | 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 Wabaunsee County?
Wabaunsee County is split between 2 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 14 | 77.8% | 10,232 (2021) | 45,762 |
| Unit 9 | 22.2% | 3,581 (2021) | 42,406 |
How does Wabaunsee County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 7 counties that touch Wabaunsee County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon County | 7,159 | 28 | 1.1% |
| Pottawatomie County | 5,807 | 31 | 3.4% |
| Osage County | 3,274 | 16 | 4.9% |
| Shawnee County | 2,195 | 18 | 0.9% |
| Morris County | 2,186 | 16 | 0.4% |
| Geary County | 1,351 | 4 | 5.8% |
| Riley County | 817 | 8 | 2.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in Wabaunsee County, Kansas?
12,708 acres on 32 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 2.5% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in Wabaunsee County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 14 and Unit 9). WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in Wabaunsee County?
641 acres, 0.1% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: Bolton 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.
Get a Kansas hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Kansas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Kansas included.
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.