Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 500 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 5 miles northeast of Jetmore, in Hodgeman 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 landWalk-in (WIHA)Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 500 (KDWP); 496 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 4 mi. E, 2 S of Jetmore |
| 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 | Hodgeman |
| Deer unit | Unit 17 |
What are the rules on Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Handicapped-accessible hunting area
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 12.
Which deer unit is Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 503 acres of KDWP land (this area included), and 323 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 3 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 160 acres 3.9 miles east (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 154 acres 3.3 miles southwest (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31) and 51 acres 4.9 miles southwest (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Hain State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (13 mi) and Stein Playa Wildlife Area (13.5 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Hodgeman County.
How do you get to Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 4 mi. E, 2 S of Jetmore. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 283.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Jetmore | 5 | southwest |
| Hanston | 7 | northeast |
| Spearville | 14 | south |
| Offerle | 17 | southeast |
| Burdett | 18 | northeast |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Hodgeman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 5 miles northeast of Jetmore, in Hodgeman 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.