Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 139 acres of land and 66 of water by KDWP's count, centered about 5 miles northwest of Atchison, in Atchison County and deer Unit 10. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: none (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 139 land, 66 water (KDWP); 204 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 3 mi. N, 2 W, 1/2 N of Atchison |
| Phone | (913) 367-7811 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | Yes, fishing and hunting only |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Atchison |
| Deer unit | Unit 10 |
What are the rules on Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Alcohol prohibited. Cabin available for reservation; phone (785) 273-6740.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 9.
Which deer unit is Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 10, 4,367 square miles, with 6,706 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 10 gets 1,304 nonresident whitetail permits in 2026, and its extended antlerless firearm season runs Jan. 1-17, 2027 (KDWP deer quotas and draw statistics; KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 30).
Harvest: KDWP deer harvest by unit (2017 to 2021).
What public and walk-in land is near Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 375 acres of KDWP land and 39 acres of other public (this area included), and 1,880 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 6 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 960 acres 1.1 miles west (Sept. 1 to May 31), 292 acres 2.4 miles east (Sept. 1 to May 31), 160 acres 1.1 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to May 31) and 160 acres 2.1 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area (4.7 mi), Dalbey Bottoms Wildlife Area (8.7 mi) and Elwood Wildlife Area (14.3 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Atchison County.
How do you get to Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 3 mi. N, 2 W, 1/2 N of Atchison. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-7, KS-9 and US 73.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Atchison | 5 | southeast |
| Lancaster | 7 | southwest |
| Denton | 8 | northwest |
| Huron | 9 | west |
| Severance | 10 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Yes, in designated areas, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing, for up to seven days in a row.
Do you have to check in to hunt Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 5 miles northwest of Atchison, in Atchison County and deer Unit 10.
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Sources: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 7 to 16; KDWP wildlife areas; USGS PAD-US 4.1; KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts; KDWP deer harvest by unit (2017 to 2021). General KDWP public land rules: all wildlife areas. FilledTag is not part of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.