Cheney Wildlife Area
The Reservoir covers 9,537 surface acres and has 67 miles of shoreline. Its 849 square mile drainage basin encompasses parts of five counties: Reno, Stafford, Pratt, Sedgwick, and Kingman. The Wildlife Area consists of 5,439 terrestrial acres and 4,109 aquatic acres. The terrestrial acres consist of approximately 1,700 acres of cropland and 3,740 acres of prairie grasslands and riparian woodlands. The area also includes 2 miles of the North Fork of the Ninnescah River, 2 managed ponds, 1 strip pond, and several small streams that flow into the Reservoir. 22 miles of access roads traverse the Area.
Public Lands Manager: Spencer Putman
The shooting range may be closed without prior notice during periods of inclement weather. (e.g. rain, lightning, snow, sleet, icy road conditions, high heat, high heat index, high winds).
Area News
Manager Reminders:
- All vehicles must stay on maintained roads. This includes UTVs, ATVs, dirt bikes and E-bikes.
- No vehicles are allowed on the lakebed.
- The refuge is closed to all activities, including shed hunting, till April 1.
- There is no target practice on the Wildlife Area. The range is scheduled to open March 17.
- Camping is only allowed in Deweese Area and Fish Cove.
- Please remove all trash when you are done enjoying the area.
Cheney Shooting Range:
Target practice outside the range anywhere else at the Reservoir is unlawful.
2023 schedule: Range will open March 17, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays = 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sundays =1 p.m.-5 p.m.
2023 Summer Schedule effective July 7, 2023 to August 27, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays = 7 A.M. - 3 P.M.
Sundays = 9 A.M. - 3 P.M
Winter Closure: Range will close early December
Range may be closed without prior notice during periods of inclement weather. (e.g. rain, lightning, snow, sleet, icy road conditions, high heat, high heat index, high winds). Common examples only.
Range will continue to be closed to the public Monday through Thursday. No Trespassing when the range is closed. Criminal Trespass is an arrestable offense!
Law Enforcement certified Range Officers operate the shooting range and are present at all times when the facility is open to the public.
Shotguns are not allowed on the range
Target stands, backers, and tacks are provided. Bring paper targets only no exploding targets.
Read all posted range rules and obtain your shooting permit (on-site) before shooting!
.50 BMG rifles/rounds are not allowed
Muzzleloader's are allowed
No armor pirecing or tracer ammunition allowed!
Armor Piercing examples: M2 .30-06 163 gr., M61 7.62 150.5 gr., FNP80 7.62 150 gr., M993 7.62 126.6 gr., AP 485 .338 Lapua Magnum 248 gr., M995 5.56x45mm NATO 52gr., S.m.K. 7.92x57 Mauser 178.25gr (examples only)
This is a marksmanship range. No rapid-fire.One shot every 4 seconds. Rapid-fire and misplaced shots have created serious damage to the wooden ricochet bunker posts and target stands. Range officers will warn you once about rapid firing or misplaced shots that hit the target stands or bunker posts. If there continues to be a problem after you've been warned, you will be asked to leave the range. Intentionally shooting the target stands, wooden bunker posts, or any other range structure (criminal damage to State property) will not be tolerated. Do your part to ensure this range remains open to the public by making sure your shots are hitting your paper target and by not rapid-firing.
Target practice outside the designated shooting range is unlawful. This is a statewide public lands law and applies to all KDWP Public Lands AND Walk-In Hunting Areas (WIHA's). Target practice can only occur at a designated (posted) area.
Off-road vehicles:
Public Lands Regulations state that all vehicles must remain on maintained roads and parking areas. ATV's, UTV, and E-bikes are illegal anywhere on Public Lands, including maintained roads. Vehicles MUST remain on maintained roads and parking areas at all times in all public areas around the Reservoir, including the State Park. Help protect our natural resources by complying with this law. Please call 911 if you observe ANY violation of the Law on our Public Areas.
Refuge:
The refuge is closed to all activities Sept. 1 - April 1 and is closed to hunting year-round. The refuge gates will open April 1 for fishing access.
Baiting, Tree Stands and Blinds
Baiting on public lands is PROHIBITED. Each hunter is also allowed to place only 2 tree stands, 2 portable blinds or a combination of a portable blind and a stand. All stands and blinds must be tagged with the owner's name and address or KDWPT number on it, portable blinds shall not be left unattended overnight. Stands may not be placed more than 14 days prior to the season and shall be removed within 14 days of the close of the season.
Special Regulations: All statewide Public Lands Regulations are in effect at Cheney. Some of the most often violated regulations include the following:
- Target practice is allowed only at the designated shooting range (see special features).
- Vehicles must remain on maintained roads and parking areas. No off-road vehicle use, including ATV’s and UTV's
- Quiet hours on the area are from 11:00PM to 6:00AM.
- A “No Trash” policy is in effect. All trash must be taken with you when you leave the area.
- Dogs not engaged in the act of hunting must be secured on a leash or tether chain of not more than 10 feet in length.
- Fireworks are prohibited
- Tree stands or blinds must be portable/temporary or constructed with natural vegetation at the site. Stands may not be placed more than 14 days prior to the opening of that season and must be removed within 14 days of the close of that season.
- See Public Lands Regulations Summary for complete listing
Here is a complete list of Public Land Regulations or you can download the regulation summary.
The Bureau of Reclamation began construction of the Reservoir in 1962 with impoundments beginning in 1965. Reservoir construction was planned as a multi-purpose project. The primary purpose of the Reservoir was to regulate the flow of the North Fork of the Ninnescah River for downstream flood control and to provide supplemental water supplies for municipal and industrial needs for the City of Wichita. Recreation, fish, and wildlife opportunities were provided as secondary benefits of the project. Cheney Reservoir currently provides 60% of Wichita's water needs.
- Type of Facility: Primitive Camping
- Location of Facility: N37 48.913 W97 53.253
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Jetty
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N37 48.038 W97 52.711
- Type of Facility: Primitive Camping
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N37 48.110 W97 51.959
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N37 46.610 W097 48.454
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Shooting Range
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: 1001 E Parallel Rd. Pretty Prairie, KS 67570
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N37 45 46.37 W97 52 29.78
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Office
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N37 48.365 W097 51.763
| Waterfowl numbers | Very limited duck numbers with the recent cold fronts. |
| Water level | Lake level 8.81 ft. low |
| Hunting conditions | Poor There is ample food and habitat on the lakebed for waterfowl use. If we get rain for the lake level to come up it could be a great hunting season. However, if we keep missing the rains the hunting conditions will be similar to last season. There is currently no flooded vegetation and 50 yards or more between vegetation and water. |
| Expected hunting success | Poor |
| Comments | Vehicles are not to be driven on the lakebed. This includes UTV, ATV, and E-Bikes. Cheney Wildlife Area is located in the Low Plains Late Zone Daily bag limit: 6 Six ducks is the daily bag limit, with species and sex restrictions as follows: 5 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be females), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, and 1 scaup. The daily bag may comprise six of any other duck, such as six teal, six gadwall, six merganser or six wigeon. Possession limit: Three times the daily limit. The refuge at Cheney Wildlife Area, located on the south side of Pretty Prairie Rd between Obee Rd and Kent Rd, extends out from the shoreline 100 yards into the water. What this means is that water along the shoreline of the refuge is included in the restricted access area and is off limits to hunting. Accessing the refuge by boat or hunting near the refuge shoreline is not permitted. Remember Cheney Reservoir has ZEBRA MUSSELS. Make sure to Clean, Drain and Dry your equipment. Clean all visible vegetation and mud from decoys, bags, waders, etc. Drain water from decoy bags and boats. Allow equipment to Dry for a five day period before using it at another area, OR wash with high-pressure hot water. Many of the roads around the reservoir can get very greasy after rain, or melting snow, please use good judgement about which roads you try to travel on. Area roads have been upgraded with gravel. Please keep vehicles on maintained road and parking areas. Off road vehicle use is strictly prohibited. Please report all wildlife and public lands violations that you witness by calling the area headquarters at (620) 459-6922. Please leave a detailed message with violation specifics. In the event of an emergency, please call 911. |