Elwood Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Elwood Wildlife Area is 1,090 acres by KDWP's count, centered just southeast of Elwood, in Doniphan County and deer Unit 10. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: shotgun, archery and muzzleloader hunting only (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 landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Elwood Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 1,090 (KDWP); 1,354 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | Hwy. 36 exit 238 S of Elwood |
| Phone | (913) 367-7811 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | No |
| Equipment restrictions | Shotgun, archery and muzzleloader hunting only. |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Required (Go Outdoors Kansas app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in) |
| County | Doniphan |
| Deer unit | Unit 10 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 1 (10 acres) |
What are the rules on Elwood Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: shotgun, archery and muzzleloader hunting only. Its other rules:
- Electronic check-in/check-out required through the Go Outdoors Kansas mobile app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in. Upland bird hunting Tuesday, Thursday, and Sundays only. Alcohol prohibited.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 10.
Does Elwood Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 1 active field here for 2026, 10 acres in all. Fields marked nontoxic need nontoxic shot.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millet | 10 | Good | Mowed Strips | Yes |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Elwood 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 Elwood Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 1,354 acres of KDWP land and 27 acres of state park or recreation area (this area included), and 322 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 1 tract. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 270 acres 0.9 miles north (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area (11.3 mi) and Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (14.3 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Doniphan County.
How do you get to Elwood Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: Hwy. 36 exit 238 S of Elwood. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 36 and KS-238.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Elwood | under 1 | northwest |
| Wathena | under 1 | northwest |
| Troy | 9 | west |
| Atchison | 16 | southwest |
| Severance | 17 | west |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Elwood 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 Elwood Wildlife Area?
Yes, before and after each hunt, in the Go Outdoors Kansas app or at ksoutdoors.gov/check-in.
What guns can you use on Elwood Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Shotgun, archery and muzzleloader hunting only.
Where is Elwood Wildlife Area?
Its middle is just southeast of Elwood, in Doniphan County and deer Unit 10.
Get a Kansas hunt plan when they open
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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.