Mined Land Wildlife Area - Strip Pits, KS

The Mined Land Wildlife Area is one of South East Kansas's gems. It was acquired primarily by donation. The first donation was received in 1926. The largest acquisition, totaling 8,208 acres was donated by the Pittsburg and Midway Coal Company to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks in 1981.

At present the area is 14,500 acres in size, comprised of 13,000 acres of land and 1,500 acres of water. It is rugged country dotted with over 200 strip-mine lakes managed for fishing that vary in size from 1/4 acre to 50 acres. All but 2,000 acres of the property was surface mined for coal during the 1920’s through 1974 which has helped to create steep-sided hills with dense vegetation. The unmined areas consist of mature bottomland woodland and small crop fields.

Native grass and some cool-season grasses dominate 4,000 acres of the property. The remaining 9,000 acres of land is comprised of bur oak, pin oak, walnut, hickory and hackberry with a thick understory of dogwood, green briar, honeysuckle, poison ivy and black berry.

Primary terrestrial use on the property includes hunting, hiking, camping, wildlife viewing and mushroom/berry picking.

Species hunted include whitetail deer, eastern turkey, mourning dove, bobwhite quail, fox squirrel, cottontails and waterfowl.

Principal management practices on the area include prescribed burns, wildlife plantings, native grass restoration and water level management.

::Special Regulations::

1.Off Road Vehicle and Horse use is prohibited. 2.Special fishing regs in effect. 3.No firearms are allowed on units 1, 21, 23 and a portion of 22. Archery equipment may be used on these units for hunting. 4.Certain areas may be closed to hunting and fishing periodically. 5.Target shooting, trotlines and setlines are prohibited on all areas.

Visitors must take their trash with them.

Make sure to check the Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary and all posted notices before fishing or hunting.