Cheney Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Cheney Wildlife Area is 5,249 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 8 miles southwest of Haven, in Reno County and deer Unit 15. Camping: no; equipment: none (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 landBureau of ReclamationOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Cheney Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 5,249 (KDWP); 5,463 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 7 mi. E of Pretty Prairie |
| Phone | (620) 459-6922 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | Yes |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Reno |
| Deer unit | Unit 15 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 1 (32 acres) |
What are the rules on Cheney Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Alcohol prohibited at the shooting range. Shooting range hours and days are posted at the area. Refuge closed to all activities Sept. 1- March 31.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 13.
Refuge or special-rule zones KDWP maps here: Cheney Wildlife Area (839 acres; No Access Sept.1 - March 31).
Source: KDWP refuge and special regulation areas at reservoirs.
Does Cheney Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 1 active field here for 2026, 32 acres in all. Fields marked nontoxic need nontoxic shot.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflowers | 32 | Poor | Yes |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Cheney Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 15, 5,163 square miles, with 6,569 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 15 gets 1,705 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 Cheney Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 4,885 acres of KDWP land, 1,336 acres of other public and 901 acres of Bureau of Reclamation (this area included), and 79 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 2 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 80 acres 1.9 miles southwest (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31) and 78 acres 5 miles west (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Reno County.
How do you get to Cheney Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 7 mi. E of Pretty Prairie. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 54, US 400, KS-251 and KS-17.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Cheney | 6 | south |
| Pretty Prairie | 6 | west |
| Garden Plain | 7 | southeast |
| Haven | 8 | northeast |
| Andale | 9 | east |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Cheney Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Cheney Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Cheney Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 8 miles southwest of Haven, in Reno County and deer Unit 15.
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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.