Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 538 acres of land and 180 of water by KDWP's count, centered about 2 miles northeast of Baldwin City, in Douglas County and deer Unit 10. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 538 land, 180 water (KDWP); 597 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 1 mile N, 3 E of Baldwin |
| Phone | (785) 887-6882 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | Yes, fishing and hunting only |
| Equipment restrictions | Shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles. |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Douglas |
| Deer unit | Unit 10 |
What are the rules on Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles. Its other rules:
- Alcohol prohibited
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 10.
Which deer unit is Douglas 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 Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 622 acres of KDWP land and 269 acres of other public (this area included), and no WIHA walk-in land. Nearest wildlife areas: Hillsdale Wildlife Area (9.6 mi) and Clinton Wildlife Area (10.7 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts.
How do you get to Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 1 mile N, 3 E of Baldwin. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-33.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Baldwin City | under 1 | southwest |
| Wellsville | 6 | southeast |
| Eudora | 9 | north |
| Edgerton | 10 | east |
| Lawrence | 12 | northwest |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Douglas 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 Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
What guns can you use on Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles.
Where is Douglas State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 2 miles northeast of Baldwin City, in Douglas 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.