Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area is 6,474 acres of land and 1,636 of wetland by KDWP's count, centered about 6 miles north of Pleasanton, in Linn County and deer Unit 11. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: non-toxic shot only (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landNational wildlife refuge or WPAState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Marais des Cygnes Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 6,474 land, 1,636 wetland (KDWP); 8,223 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 5 mi. N of Pleasanton |
| Phone | (913) 352-8941 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | Yes, Motorized boats restricted Check local regulations. No wake. |
| Equipment restrictions | Non-toxic shot only |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Required (Go Outdoors Kansas app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in) |
| County | Linn |
| Deer unit | Unit 11 |
What are the rules on Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: non-toxic shot only. Its other rules:
- Electronic check-in/check-out required through the Go Outdoors Kansas mobile app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in. Shooting from levees and dikes prohibited. Refuges closed year-round to all activities.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 15.
Refuge or special-rule zones KDWP maps here: Refuge (119 acres; Closed to all activities), Refuge (1,215 acres; Closed to all activities) and Refuge (88 acres; Closed to all activities).
Source: KDWP refuge and special regulation areas at reservoirs.
Which deer unit is Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 11, 6,559 square miles, with 15,611 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 11 gets 3,564 nonresident whitetail permits in 2026, and its extended antlerless firearm season runs Jan. 1-24, 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 Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 8,223 acres of KDWP land, 7,638 acres of national wildlife refuge or WPA and 34 acres of state park or recreation area (this area included), and 372 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 1 tract. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 372 acres 0.9 miles south (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: La Cygne Wildlife Area (6.5 mi), Miami State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (7.9 mi) and Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (13.3 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Linn County.
How do you get to Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 5 mi. N of Pleasanton. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 69, KS-52 and KS-152.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasanton | 2 | south |
| La Cygne | 3 | northwest |
| Linn Valley | 5 | north |
| Mound City | 8 | southwest |
| Fontana | 10 | northwest |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Marais des Cygnes 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 Marais des Cygnes 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 Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Non-toxic shot only
Where is Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 6 miles north of Pleasanton, in Linn County and deer Unit 11.
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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.