Shoal Creek Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Shoal Creek Wildlife Area is 32 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 2 miles south of Galena, in Cherokee County and deer Unit 11. Camping: no; equipment: shotgun and archery hunting only (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landWalk-in (WIHA)Shoal Creek Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 32 (KDWP); 34 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 1/2 mi. S of Galena |
| Phone | (620) 231-3173 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | NA |
| Equipment restrictions | Shotgun and archery hunting only. |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Cherokee |
| Deer unit | Unit 11 |
What are the rules on Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: shotgun and archery hunting only. Its other rules:
- Off-road vehicle and horse use prohibited. Alcohol prohibited.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 15.
Which deer unit is Shoal Creek 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 Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 34 acres of KDWP land (this area included), and no WIHA walk-in land. Nearest wildlife areas: Spring River Wildlife Area (9.7 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts.
How do you get to Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 1/2 mi. S of Galena. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 400, KS-66, US 166 and KS-26.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Galena | 2 | north |
| Baxter Springs | 5 | west |
| Columbus | 14 | northwest |
| Scammon | 19 | northwest |
| Roseland | 20 | northwest |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
What guns can you use on Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Shotgun and archery hunting only.
Where is Shoal Creek Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 2 miles south of Galena, in Cherokee 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.