Elk City Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Elk City Wildlife Area is 8,730 acres of land and 3,510 of water by KDWP's count, centered about 4 miles southeast of Elk City, in Montgomery County and deer Unit 12. Camping: no; equipment: none (KDWP 2026-27). 3 managed dove fields 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)Elk City Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 8,730 land, 3,510 water (KDWP); 15,174 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 3 mi. W of Independence |
| Phone | (620) 431-0380 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | Yes, motorized boats prohibited in Wigeon and Simmons marshes |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Montgomery |
| Deer unit | Unit 12 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 3 (50 acres) |
What are the rules on Elk City Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Refuge closed to all activity Sept. 1-March 31.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 14.
Refuge or special-rule zones KDWP maps here: Elk City Wildlife Refuge (1,194 acres; Closed to ALL ACTIVITIES from September 1st through March 31st).
Source: KDWP refuge and special regulation areas at reservoirs.
Does Elk City Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 3 active fields here for 2026, 50 acres in all.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflowers | 20 | Mowing Prior to Dove Season | No | |
| Sunflowers | 15 | Mowing Prior to Dove Season | No | |
| Sunflowers | 15 | Mowing Prior to Dove Season | No |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Elk City Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 12, 2,687 square miles, with 6,449 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Extra Whitetail Antlerless-only permits (up to the unit's limit) are valid on this 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 Elk City Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 15,980 acres of KDWP land and 915 acres of state park or recreation area (this area included), and 2,007 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 12 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 412 acres 1.4 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to May 31), 398 acres 0.5 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to May 31), 346 acres next to it on the northwest side (Sept. 1 to May 31, archery and shotshell only) and 240 acres 0.5 miles north (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Dove Flats Wildlife Area (1.8 mi), Duck Creek Wildlife Area (2.4 mi) and Buffalo Ranch Wildlife Area (3.3 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 Elk City Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 3 mi. W of Independence. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 160, US 75 and KS-96.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Elk City | under 1 | northwest |
| Independence | 2 | east |
| Longton | 9 | northwest |
| Havana | 10 | southwest |
| Liberty | 11 | southeast |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Elk City Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Elk City Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Elk City Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 4 miles southeast 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.