Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 197 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 7 miles southwest of Dexter, in Cowley County and deer Unit 13. 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)Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 197 (KDWP); 136 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 16 mi. E of Arkansas City |
| Phone | (620) 876-5730 |
| 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 | Cowley |
| Deer unit | Unit 13 |
What are the rules on Cowley 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 Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 13, 966 square miles, with 1,603 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 13 gets 636 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 Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 159 acres of KDWP land and 59 acres of other public (this area included), and no WIHA walk-in land. Nearest wildlife areas: Kaw Wildlife Area (6.7 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Cowley County.
How do you get to Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 16 mi. E of Arkansas City. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 166.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Dexter | 6 | northeast |
| Parkerfield | 10 | west |
| Arkansas City | 13 | west |
| Winfield | 14 | northwest |
| Burden | 15 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Cowley 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 Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Cowley State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 7 miles southwest of Dexter, in Cowley County and deer Unit 13.
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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.