Francis Wachs Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Francis Wachs Wildlife Area is 800 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 11 miles north of Kensington, in Phillips and Smith counties and deer Unit 3. Camping: no; equipment: none (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Francis Wachs Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 800 acres (KDWP); 785 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 11 mi. N, 3 E of Agra |
| Phone | (785) 425-6775 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | NA |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Phillips and Smith |
| Deer unit | Unit 3 |
What are the rules on Francis Wachs 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 8.
Which deer unit is Francis Wachs Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 3, 4,307 square miles, with 3,394 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 3 gets 689 nonresident whitetail permits in 2026, and its extended antlerless firearm season runs Jan. 1-10, 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 Francis Wachs Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 863 acres of KDWP land (this area included), and 4,828 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 26 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 640 acres 4.7 miles east (Sept. 1 to May 31), 640 acres 4 miles north (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31), 480 acres 2 miles north (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31) and 400 acres 1.1 miles northeast (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Phillips County and Smith County.
How do you get to Francis Wachs Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 11 mi. N, 3 E of Agra. No numbered highway within five miles.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Kensington | 10 | south |
| Agra | 11 | south |
| Athol | 13 | southeast |
| Kirwin | 17 | south |
| Phillipsburg | 17 | southwest |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Francis Wachs Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Francis Wachs Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Francis Wachs Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 11 miles north of Kensington, in Phillips and Smith counties and deer Unit 3.
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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.