Dove Flats Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Dove Flats Wildlife Area is 206 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 4 miles east of Elk City, in Montgomery County and deer Unit 12. Camping: yes, in designated areas; 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 landArmy Corps of EngineersState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Dove Flats Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 206 (KDWP); 203 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 2 1/2 mi. E, 1 N of Elk City |
| Phone | (620) 431-0380 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | None |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Montgomery |
| Deer unit | Unit 12 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 1 (14 acres) |
What are the rules on Dove Flats Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. No other rule is listed.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 14.
Does Dove Flats Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 1 active field here for 2026, 14 acres in all.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflowers | 14 | Mowing Prior to Dove Season | No |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Dove Flats Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 12, 2,687 square miles, with 6,449 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 12 gets 2,303 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 Dove Flats Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 9,500 acres of KDWP land and 381 acres of state park or recreation area (this area included), and 1,325 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 6 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 398 acres 1.3 miles west (Sept. 1 to May 31), 346 acres 1.7 miles southwest (Sept. 1 to May 31, archery and shotshell only), 240 acres 0.8 miles south (Sept. 1 to May 31) and 141 acres 1.8 miles south (Sept. 1 to May 31, archery and shotshell only). Nearest wildlife areas: Elk City Wildlife Area (1.8 mi), Duck Creek Wildlife Area (2.1 mi) and Buffalo Ranch Wildlife Area (9 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Montgomery County.
How do you get to Dove Flats Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 2 1/2 mi. E, 1 N of Elk City. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 160.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Elk City | 3 | west |
| Independence | 9 | southeast |
| Neodesha | 12 | northeast |
| Longton | 13 | west |
| Havana | 15 | south |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Dove Flats 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 Dove Flats Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Dove Flats Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 4 miles east of Elk City, in Montgomery County and deer Unit 12.
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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.