Jamestown Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Jamestown Wildlife Area is 4,729 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 3 miles northwest of Jamestown, in Cloud, Republic and Jewell counties and deer Unit 7. Camping: yes, in designated areas only; equipment: non-toxic shot for all shotgun hunting (KDWP 2026-27). 2 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 landWalk-in (WIHA)Jamestown Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 4,729 (KDWP); 5,024 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 1 1/2 mi. N of Jamestown |
| Phone | (785) 439-6243 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas only |
| Boating | Yes, motorized boats prohibited in Marsh Creek Wetland |
| Equipment restrictions | Non-toxic shot for all shotgun hunting |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Required (Go Outdoors Kansas app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in) |
| County | Cloud, Republic and Jewell |
| Deer unit | Unit 7 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 2 (30 acres) |
What are the rules on Jamestown Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: non-toxic shot for all shotgun hunting. Its other rules:
- Electronic check-in/check-out required through the Go Outdoors Kansas mobile app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in. Novice/Mentor areas: Puddler and Ringneck Marshes. Special hunts in selected areas. Refuge open by permit only, Oct.1-March 1.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 8.
Refuge or special-rule zones KDWP maps here: Refuge (960 Acres, 830 acres; Closed to all access Oct. 1 - Jan. 31).
Source: KDWP refuge and special regulation areas at reservoirs.
Youth mentor area: Jamestown Wildlife Area. Non toxic shot required. Youth/Mentor Only Area.
Access limits KDWP maps here: Electric Motor Only/Walk In; Walk In Only.
Does Jamestown Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 2 active fields here for 2026, 30 acres in all. Fields marked nontoxic need nontoxic shot.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unharvested wheat with cover crop | 16 | Fair | Mowing/planting of cover crops | Yes |
| Standing Wheat with cover crop planted in it | 14 | Fair | Mowing/planting of cover crops | Yes |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Jamestown Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 7, 4,806 square miles, with 4,641 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 7 gets 1,372 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 Jamestown Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 5,044 acres of KDWP land (this area included), and 1,888 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 11 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 405 acres 1.4 miles southwest (Sept. 1 to May 31), 240 acres 0.5 miles northwest (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 193 acres 4.3 miles north (Sept. 1 to May 31) and 176 acres next to it on the south side (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Lovewell Wildlife Area (10.8 mi) and Talmo Wildlife Area (11.7 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Cloud County, Republic County and Jewell County.
How do you get to Jamestown Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 1 1/2 mi. N of Jamestown. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-28, KS-148 and KS-9.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Jamestown | under 1 | southeast |
| Formoso | 4 | northwest |
| Courtland | 5 | north |
| Scottsville | 6 | southwest |
| Randall | 6 | west |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Jamestown 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 Jamestown 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 Jamestown Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Non-toxic shot for all shotgun hunting
Where is Jamestown Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 3 miles northwest of Jamestown, in Cloud, Republic and Jewell counties and deer Unit 7.
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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.