Neosho Wildlife Area
Located on the broad, flat flood plain below the junction of Flat Rock Creek and the Neosho River, the wildlife area is a man-made marsh developed by the Department in 1960. The area covers 3,246 acres. The five largest pools on the area represent 1,675 acres of the 1,787 of intensively managed wetlands. There are sixteen independently managed wetlands throughout the area. The area was primarily designed, and is managed to furnish a resting and feeding place for migratory waterfowl.
Three of the sixteen pools are managed in a moist soil environment through a water level manipulation plan. Four green tree marshes ranging in size from five to fifteen acres offer a different type of hunting opportunity for the sportsman using the area. Area personnel plant an average of 400 acres of corn, milo, buckwheat or millet in the hunting pools. The grain is left in the field and inundated in the fall.
The 800-acre refuge pool is closed to all hunting, foot and vehicle traffic during the waterfowl season. The water level of this pool fluctuates naturally throughout the seasons and provides good aquatic habitat for waterfowl. Fishing is allowed from April 1 until August 31. Good fishing can be found at times in the Neosho River, Flat Rock Creek and Brogan Creek, existing in part on the wildlife area.
Manager: Monte Manbeck
Assistant Manager: Travis Ratliff
Phone: (620)-449-2539
From St. Paul travel east on Highway 47 2 miles to Wallace Rd.; turn south and travel approximately 1.25 miles. Office on west side of road
Area News
Neosho Wildlife Area
We have already had a couple of issues with drones this year. They are not allowed on public land in Kansas.
DAILY HUNT PERMIT:
Hunters can check-in / check-out here, https://ksoutdoors.com/checkin using your licensing login credentials.
NO ACCESS (FOOT, BOAT, ETC.) into the wetlands BEFORE 5:00AM, and MUST be out of the wetlands within an HOUR AFTER SUNSET (LEGAL SHOOTING HOURS).
Other regulations to keep in mind are parking in designated parking areas ONLY, boats must operate at no wake speeds in the boating canals, and watercraft are not permitted within the hunting pools until the day of waterfowl season at 5:00am. Also Pools 4A and 4B are open to NON-MOTORIZED boats only (Note: An electric trolling motor is a motor and will not be allowed).
Hunting Pool Habitat 2025-2026
| Pool | Acres | Beans | Corn | Millet | Moist Soil | Greentree | Buckwheat |
| 1 | 350 | 0 | 100 | 30 | 155 | 65 | 0 |
| 2A | 155 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 135 | 30 | 0 |
| 2B | 190 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 130 | 30 | 0 |
| 4A | 90 | 0 | 25 | 20 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| 4B | 65 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 20 | 0 |
| 6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| South Unit | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 40 | 0 |
As always, if you have questions please feel free to call the office at 620-449-2539. We are always happy to take your calls and please keep in mind that this is a field office, so if we do not answer please leave a message and we will get back in touch with you as soon as we can.
- Pool 8 is restricted to waterfowl hunters accompanied by a youth hunter, 16 years of age or less on weekends and holidays. The adults may hunt with the youth hunter.
- Non-toxic shot is required for all hunting.
- All hunters must obtain a free daily hunting permit utilizing the new "GoOutdoors KS" app. prior to the hunt and checkout after the hunt is completed.
Here is a complete list of Public Land Regulations or you can download the regulation summary.
In 1959, the Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Commission purchased the initial 2,975.5 acres. In 1988 an additional 270 acres were purchased through a fifty percent cost share agreement with Ducks Unlimited Inc. The area was first opened to waterfowl hunting in the fall of 1962.
- Type of Facility: Primitive camping
- Location of Facility: N37 30 38.475 W95 8 3.920
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- Type of Facility: Primitive camping
- Location of Facility: N37 28 47.403 W95 7 47.013
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- Type of Facility: Primitive camping
- Location of Facility: N37 30 1.196 W95 9 11.662
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- Type of Facility:
- Location of Facility: N37 30 35.356 W95 7 31.186
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- Type of Facility: Information center
- Location of Facility: N37 25 15.265 W95 7 28.138
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- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- Location of Facility: N37 29.430 W95 08.894
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- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- Location of Facility: N37 29.140 W95 07.480
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- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- Location of Facility: N37 28.797 W95 07.789
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- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- Location of Facility: N37 29.567 W95 08.944
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- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- Location of Facility: N37 30.036 W95 09.434
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- Type of Facility: Information center
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N37 30 49.903 W95 8 33.935
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| Waterfowl numbers | Hunters can check in here, https://ksoutdoors.com/checkin using your licensing login credentials or download the "GoOutdoors KS" app. Check-in / check-out is required for all hunters! NO ENTRY (by foot, boat, etc) INTO THE MARSH (water) BY ANY HUNTER UNTIL 5:00AM AND MUST BE OUT OF THE MARSH BY 1 HOUR AFTER SUNSET. (LEGAL SHOOTING TIME IS SUNSET). Migration is in full swing. Wood Ducks, Pintail, Mallard, Gadwall, Widgeon, Shoveler and Blue and Green Wing Teal are currently present on the area. |
| Water level |
Staff are continuing to move water into the hunting pools and are getting close to opening day levels.
Boat hunters should still utilize caution when navigating through the hunting pools as there is still extremely shallow water and getting stuck could be a real possibility. Please utilize common sense and respect to other hunters. Please see area news for habitat conditions Boats are NOT required to hunt Neosho. Walk-in hunting is readily available with very few areas over knee deep. Hunters should take caution during the regular waterfowl season wading the boat lane (south end) in Pool 1 (tractor roads/foot crossings are in place); the very east side of 2A, and the oxbow area of 2B. Pool 1- Acres Pool 2A- Acres Pool 2B- Acres Pool 3 (Refuge)- acres Pool 4A- Acres Walk in and non-motorized boat hunting only Pool 4B- Acres Walk in and non-motorized boat hunting only Pool 5- Acres Pool 6- Dry Pool 7- Dry Pool 8- Acres Please remember that this pool is youth/mentor ONLY on weekends and holidays. Pool 9- Acres South Unit-
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| Hunting conditions | Conditions will continue to improve over next couple of weeks.
Please see the area news page for a breakdown of habitat types within each pool.
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| Expected hunting success | SE ZONE REGULAR SEASON CURRENTLY CLOSED. Please be respectful of other hunters and allow space between hunting parties. We want to thank everyone for the continued cooperation with utilizing our new electronic check-in/out system. The agency continues to work diligently on improving the new system and are confident it will be working for the upcoming waterfowl season. Area staff look at and sort this data in many different ways to make management decisions for upcoming years and to also look at what management strategies worked during the hunting season. |
| Comments | ATTENTION: Federal waterfowl stamps purchased online are still required to be accessible to provide proof of purchase by the hunter if asked for by Law Enforcement! Reminder: Motorized watercraft are prohibited on the wildlife area until the day season opens. (5:00am, November 5,2022 for regular duck season.) DAILY REGULATION: NO ENTRY INTO THE MARSH (water) BY ANY HUNTER UNTIL 5:00AM AND MUST BE OUT OF THE MARSH BY 1 HOUR AFTER LEGAL SHOOTING TIME. DRONES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON PUBLIC LAND IN KANSAS All Boating regulations are enforced! (Lifejackets must be out and accessible, navigation lights, etc.) All boats must operate at no wake speeds within boating canals (signs are posted) No shooting is allowed from interior dikes Legal shooting hours are 1/2 hr before sunrise to SUNSET! Required Licenses/stamps: Hunting License, Federal Waterfowl Stamp, Kansas State Stamp, and Kansas H.I.P. Stamp. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the required licenses/stamps. You MUST also check in and check out here, https://ksoutdoors.com/checkin using your licensing login credentials or download the "GoOutdoors KS" app. Waterfowl hunting in Pool 8 is restricted to youth hunters and their mentor on weekends and holidays. There must be at least one youth per adult if the adult is hunting. (You can't have 5 adults and one youth). This applies during the Youth and Veterans season, this pool is for youth only during youth and veterans season, unless the veteran is taking a youth hunting. Atv's of any kind are not allowed on the area (side by sides, utv's, amphibious vehicles, "argos"; this includes electric bicycles) Campgrounds on the area are Primitive campground. (No electric, No water) Take your trash with you!! Please remember to fill out the permit with accurate information. THIS INFORMATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CURRENT AND FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF THE AREA. FILL OUT ONLY YOUR INDIVIDUAL HARVEST EFFORTS, each individual hunter needs to check in/out and report his/her harvest totals. i.e., NOT A GROUP HARVEST TOTAL. |