Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 863 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 22 miles south of Dighton, in Finney County and deer Unit 17. 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)Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 863 (KDWP); 831 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 8 mi. N, 3 W of Kalvesta |
| Phone | (620) 276-8886 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | Yes, fishing and hunting only, when water is present |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Finney |
| Deer unit | Unit 17 |
What are the rules on Finney State Fishing Lake and 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 12.
Which deer unit is Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 17, 9,056 square miles, with 2,405 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Whitetail Antlerless-only permits are not valid in Unit 17.
Unit 17 gets 619 nonresident whitetail permits in 2026 (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 Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 876 acres of KDWP land and 21 acres of other public (this area included), and 1,768 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 7 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 480 acres 2.5 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 320 acres 2.3 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 320 acres 3.2 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31) and 320 acres 4.1 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Concannon State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (13.1 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Finney County.
How do you get to Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 8 mi. N, 3 W of Kalvesta. No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Dighton | 21 | north |
| Ingalls | 24 | south |
| Cimarron | 24 | south |
| Jetmore | 27 | southeast |
| Ness City | 29 | northeast |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Finney 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 Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Finney State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 22 miles south of Dighton, in Finney County and deer Unit 17.
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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.