Hunting. Fishing, & Camping

Kansas Wildlife and Parks Office
1426 Hwy 183 Alt
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-8614
www.kdwp.state.ks.us

Kansas is consistently in the top three pheasant harvest states in the nation where about a million birds are harvested annually. Northwest Kansas is known as the "Pheasant Capital of the World," and is a prime location for ringneck pheasants.  Ringnecks thrive in grain fields, wheat stubble, shelterbelts, weedy areas, and the native grasses found throughout our region. Other popular small game in Northwest Kansas include: dove, quail, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit and prairie chicken.

Local landowners participate in a program with the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department to make private land available to hunters. Hundreds of thousands of acres of land are available to hunters with many prime areas located here in Ellis County. The department posts signs on the property and patrols the area. Hunters must obey the same rules and regulations that apply to public hunting areas. Parking is limited and roads and driveways must not be blocked. Hunters must respect the rights of the property owner and not leave behind trash.  The WIHA land may not be entered outside the posted hunting dates. For a copy of the Walk in Hunting atlas, contact the local KS Wildlife & Parks Department office or www.kdwp.state.ks.us.

Please contact our office for a Free information packet on hunting in our area, or check out the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Hunting website for more hunting information.

For information on Kansas Hunting Seasons explore the Kansas Sportsmen Calendar on the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks website.

Kansas Wildlife and Parks Office
1426 Hwy 183 Alt
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-8614
www.kdwp.state.ks.us

Three large lakes within 40 to 50 miles of Hays provide some of the best fishing in the state of Kansas. Fishing in northwest Kansas has something for everyone. From winding creeks and streams to big water reservoirs stocked with a variety fighting game fish, our area has it all. The three largest lakes near Hays include Cedar Bluff Reservoir which is know for it's bass fishing, Wilson Lake which is one of the deepest and clearest lakes in the area, and Webster Reservoir which is north of Hays nestled in the Solomon Valley. These lakes provide excellent crappie fishing as well as white bass, walleye and channel cat fishing. Reservoirs in northwest Kansas were restored to normal levels in the early 1990's after years of low water. The flooded timber and vegetation has provided excellent largemouth bass fishing as well as many other popular sport fish. Channel catfish are the most widespread and nearly every stream, reservoir and small lake has good numbers of channel catfish. For more information on fishing in Kansas please visit the Kansas Department of Wild Life and Parks Fishing website.

Cedar Bluff State Park - 6,300 Acres
RR 2 Box 76 A
Ellis, KS 67637
785-726-3212
E-Mail Cedar Bluff Park
www.kdwp.state.ks.us
www.naturalkansas.org/cedar.htm

Webster State Park - 3,740 Acres
1210 Nine Road
Stockton, Kansas 67669-8834
785-425-6775
E-Mail Webster Park
www.kdwp.state.ks.us
www.naturalkansas.org/webster.htm

Wilson State Park - 9,040 Acres
RR 1 Box 181
Sylvan Grove, KS 67481
785-658-2465
E-Mail Wilson Park
www.kdwp.state.ks.us
http://www.naturalkansas.org/ncks.htm#Wilson

F.I.S.H. Program – Fishing Impoundment and Stream Habitats is a program designed to increase the fishing opportunities in Kansas. The Kansas F.I.S.H. program began in 1998 and provides access to over 50,000 Kansas farm ponds and 10,000 miles of fishable streams. Each year more F.I.S.H. properties are added to the program to provide access for public fishing on private land from March 1 to October 31. Click here to download a free atlas showing the F.I.S.H. properties in Ellis County.  For a free state wide F.I.S.H. atlas, contact the KWPA – 620-672-5911 or http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishing. Anglers must obey all Kansas fishing rules and regulations and respect the rights of the landowners and others using the area. F.I.S.H. areas are for fishing only. Other activities such as hunting, shooting, camping, horseback riding, fires, or dog training are prohibited. Hours are from sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

Other smaller lakes and creeks available for fishing within an hour of Hays include:

Big Creek - 4 Acres South Main Hays, KS 67601 785-628-7377   Ellis Big Creek Lake - 100 Acres East 8th St. Ellis, KS 67637 785-726-4812   Rooks State Fishing Lake - 64 Acres 36 miles north of Hays, 2 ½ south and 2 miles west of Stockton   Plainville Township Lake - 158 Acres 22 miles north of Hays, 2 miles west of Plainville   Smoky Hill River - 4 Acres 10 miles south of Hays   Stone Lake - 25 Acres 24 miles south of Hays, 1 mile east of La Crosse

Kansas Wildlife and Parks Office
1426 Hwy 183 Alt
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-8614
www.kdwp.state.ks.us

Relax and spend an evening watching our famous western Kansas sunsets and enjoy camping under a star filled sky. That is what you will find at one of several campsites located in our area. There are two campgrounds located in Hays, and three camping areas within 30-40 miles of Hays.

Cedar Bluff State Park  -  Kansas State Park Facility
RR 2 Box 76 A
Ellis, KS 67637
785-726-3212
E-Mail Cedar Bluff Park
www.kdwp.state.ks.us
www.naturalkansas.org/cedar.htm

Webster State Park  -  Kansas State Park Facility
1210 Nine Road
Stockton, Kansas 67669-8834
785-425-6775
E-Mail Webster Park
www.kdwp.state.ks.us
www.naturalkansas.org/webster.htm

Wilson State Park  -  Kansas State Park Facility
RR 1 Box 181
Sylvan Grove, KS 67481
785-658-2465
E-mail Wilson Park
www.kdwp.state.ks.us
http://www.naturalkansas.org/ncks.htm#Wilson