Wilson Wildlife Area: hunting, rules and access
Wilson Wildlife Area is 8,069 acres of land and 9,000 of water by KDWP's count, centered about 6 miles north of Bunker Hill, in Russell and Lincoln counties and deer Unit 7. Camping: no; equipment: none (KDWP 2026-27). 3 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 EngineersState park or recreation areaWalk-in (WIHA)Wilson Wildlife AreaOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 8,069 land, 9,000 water (KDWP); 8,182 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | 7 mi. N of Bunker Hill |
| Phone | (785) 483-5615 |
| Camping | No |
| Boating | Yes |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Russell and Lincoln |
| Deer unit | Unit 7 |
| Managed dove fields, 2026 | 3 (29 acres) |
What are the rules on Wilson Wildlife Area?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. Its other rules:
- Handicapped access area by permit; phone (785) 483-5615. Special hunts in selected area. Refuges open by special access permit only Sept.1- Jan. 31.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 9.
Refuge or special-rule zones KDWP maps here: Wilson Lake REFUGE (wildlife refuge, 810 acres; Closed to all uses September 1st through January 31st).
Source: KDWP refuge and special regulation areas at reservoirs.
Does Wilson Wildlife Area have managed dove fields in 2026?
KDWP lists 3 active fields here for 2026, 29 acres in all.
| Crop | Acres | KDWP's expected dove use | Field work | Nontoxic shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflowers | 17 | Good | Strips mowed prior to opener | No |
| Sunflowers | 7 | Good | Strips mowed prior to opener | No |
| Sunflowers | 5 | Fair | Strips mowed prior to opener | No |
Source: KDWP public land dove fields.
Which deer unit is Wilson Wildlife Area in?
Deer Unit 7, 4,806 square miles, with 4,641 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Only the first Whitetail Antlerless-only permit is valid on the area.
Unit 7 gets 1,372 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 Wilson Wildlife Area?
Within five miles: 7,835 acres of KDWP land and 6,569 acres of Army Corps of Engineers (this area included), and 3,618 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 13 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 640 acres 1.7 miles northeast (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 640 acres 4.3 miles northeast (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 628 acres 1.2 miles northeast (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31) and 480 acres 2 miles northwest (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Russell County and Lincoln County.
How do you get to Wilson Wildlife Area?
KDWP's directions: 7 mi. N of Bunker Hill. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-232, KS-181, I-70, US 40 and KS-18.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Bunker Hill | 4 | south |
| Sylvan Grove | 5 | east |
| Lucas | 6 | northeast |
| Dorrance | 6 | southeast |
| Luray | 8 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Wilson Wildlife Area?
No. KDWP's 2026-27 listing says no camping.
Do you have to check in to hunt Wilson Wildlife Area?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Wilson Wildlife Area?
Its middle is about 6 miles north of Bunker Hill, in Russell and Lincoln counties and deer Unit 7.
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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.