Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area is 90 acres by KDWP's count, centered just east of Buffalo, in Wilson County and deer Unit 11. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: shotgun/Archery Only (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
KDWP landOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 90 (KDWP); 93 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 1 mile S of Buffalo |
| Phone | (620) 637-2748 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | Yes, fishing and hunting only |
| Equipment restrictions | Shotgun/Archery Only |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Wilson |
| Deer unit | Unit 11 |
What are the rules on Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Equipment, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing: shotgun/Archery Only. No other rule is listed.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 15.
Which deer unit is Wilson State Fishing Lake and 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 Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 196 acres of other public and 108 acres of KDWP land (this area included), and no WIHA walk-in land. Nearest wildlife areas: Woodson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (8.8 mi) and Toronto Wildlife Area (12.9 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts.
How do you get to Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 1 mile S of Buffalo. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-39 and US 75.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | under 1 | west |
| Benedict | 6 | southwest |
| Chanute | 11 | east |
| Altoona | 12 | south |
| Coyville | 12 | west |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Wilson 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 Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
What guns can you use on Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
KDWP restricts equipment here: Shotgun/Archery Only
Where is Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area?
Its middle is just east of Buffalo, in Wilson 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.