Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 473 acres of land and 135 of water by KDWP's count, centered about 5 miles southwest of Hoyt, in Shawnee County and deer Unit 9. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 473 land, 135 water (KDWP); 458 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 7 1/2 mi. N of Silver Lake |
| Phone | (785) 273-6740 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | Yes, fishing and hunting only |
| Equipment restrictions | Shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles. |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Shawnee |
| Deer unit | Unit 9 |
What are the rules on Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles. Its other rules:
- Alcohol prohibited. Shooting range open on specific dates; check KDWP website.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 11.
Which deer unit is Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 9, 3,251 square miles, with 3,581 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 9 gets 1,206 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 Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 458 acres of KDWP land and 152 acres of other public (this area included), and 16 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 2 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 76 acres 4.9 miles west (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31) and 76 acres 4.9 miles west (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Kansas River Wildlife Area (Topeka units) (9.4 mi) and Perry Wildlife Area (12.9 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Shawnee County.
How do you get to Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 7 1/2 mi. N of Silver Lake. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 75.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Hoyt | 5 | northeast |
| Silver Lake | 7 | southwest |
| Delia | 8 | west |
| Rossville | 9 | southwest |
| Mayetta | 10 | northeast |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Shawnee 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 Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
What guns can you use on Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Shotgun, archery and rim-fire only. No centerfire rifles.
Where is Shawnee State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 5 miles southwest of Hoyt, in Shawnee County and deer Unit 9.
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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.