Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 320 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 3 miles northwest of Latham, in Butler County and deer Unit 14. 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 landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 320 (KDWP); 350 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 3 miles W, 1 N of Latham |
| Phone | (316) 322-7513 |
| 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 | Butler |
| Deer unit | Unit 14 |
What are the rules on Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Alcohol prohibited
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 13.
Which deer unit is Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 14, 6,816 square miles, with 10,232 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 14 gets 2,079 nonresident whitetail permits in 2026, and its extended antlerless firearm season runs Jan. 1-24, 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 Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 350 acres of KDWP land (this area included), and no WIHA walk-in land.
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Butler County.
How do you get to Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 3 miles W, 1 N of Latham. No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Latham | 2 | southeast |
| Atlanta | 8 | southwest |
| Leon | 11 | northwest |
| Cambridge | 16 | south |
| Burden | 16 | south |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Butler 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 Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Butler State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 3 miles northwest of Latham, in Butler County and deer Unit 14.
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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.