Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area is 2,109 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 4 miles northeast of Atchison, in Atchison County and deer Unit 10. Camping: no; equipment: non-toxic shot only (KDWP 2026-27). 1 managed dove field for 2026.
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary and 2026 dove fields; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 2,109 (KDWP); 2,012 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 2 mi. NE of Atchison |
| Phone | (913) 367-7811 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | Yes, limited |
| Equipment restrictions | Non-toxic shot only. |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Required (Go Outdoors Kansas app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in) |
| County | Atchison |
| Deer unit | Unit 10 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 1 (6.5 acres) |
What are the rules on Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: non-toxic shot only. Its other rules:
- Electronic check-in/check-out required through the Go Outdoors Kansas mobile app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in. Alcohol prohibited. Refuge closed to all activities year round. Hunting by special permit Oct. 1-March 31; application deadline July 15. Parking area restricted to daylight hours except by permit.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 9.
Refuge or special-rule zones KDWP maps here: Benedictine Refuge (191 acres).
Source: KDWP refuge and special regulation areas at reservoirs.
Does Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 1 active field here for 2026, 6.5 acres in all. Fields marked nontoxic need nontoxic shot.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflowers | 6.5 | Fair | Mowed Strips | Yes |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Benedictine Bottoms 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 Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 2,365 acres of KDWP land and 25 acres of other public (this area included), and 303 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 1 tract. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 292 acres 2.2 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Dalbey Bottoms Wildlife Area (4 mi), Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (4.7 mi) and Elwood Wildlife Area (11.3 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 Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 2 mi. NE of Atchison. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-7, US 73, KS-4, US 59 and KS-9.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Atchison | 2 | southwest |
| Lancaster | 11 | west |
| Wathena | 13 | northeast |
| Troy | 13 | north |
| Denton | 13 | northwest |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
Yes, before and after each hunt, in the Go Outdoors Kansas app or at ksoutdoors.gov/check-in.
What guns can you use on Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Non-toxic shot only.
Where is Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 4 miles northeast 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.