Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area is 12,200 acres by KDWP's count, centered about 9 miles southeast of Blue Rapids, in Marshall, Riley and Pottawatomie counties and deer Units 9 and 8. Camping: no; equipment: none (KDWP 2026-27). 4 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 landArmy Corps of EngineersOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Tuttle Creek Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 12,200 (KDWP); 17,172 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | N of Hwy 16 along Blue River to Blue Rapids |
| Phone | (785) 363-7316 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | Yes |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Required (Go Outdoors Kansas app or ksoutdoors.gov/check-in) |
| County | Marshall, Riley and Pottawatomie |
| Deer unit | Unit 9 and Unit 8 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 4 (43 acres) |
What are the rules on Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Handicapped hunting access area by permit; phone (785) 363-7316.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 11.
Does Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 4 active fields here for 2026, 43 acres in all. Fields marked nontoxic need nontoxic shot.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflower | 12 | Poor | Mow before season | Yes |
| sunflower | 12 | fair | Mow before season | Yes |
| Sunflower | 11 | Fair | Mow before season | Yes |
| Sunflower | 8 | Fair | Mow | Yes |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area in?
It spans deer Units 9 and 8. 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 Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 17,665 acres of KDWP land, 2,935 acres of Army Corps of Engineers and 46 acres of other public (this area included), and 8,071 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 43 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 894 acres 2.2 miles north (Sept. 1 to May 31), 720 acres 0.7 miles northeast (Sept. 1 to May 31), 560 acres 0.7 miles northeast (Sept. 1 to May 31) and 560 acres 2 miles north (Sept. 1 to May 31). Nearest wildlife areas: Blue Valley Wildlife Area (under a mile) and Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 1 and Wildlife Area (8.9 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Marshall County, Riley County and Pottawatomie County.
How do you get to Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: N of Hwy 16 along Blue River to Blue Rapids. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 77, KS-9, KS-16 and KS-99.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Rapids | under 1 | northwest |
| Randolph | under 1 | southwest |
| Frankfort | 3 | northeast |
| Waterville | 4 | northwest |
| Olsburg | 4 | south |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area?
Yes, before and after each hunt, in the Go Outdoors Kansas app or at ksoutdoors.gov/check-in.
Where is Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 9 miles southeast of Blue Rapids, in Marshall, Riley and Pottawatomie counties and deer Units 9 and 8.
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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.