Kansas wildlife officials approve changes to deer, elk hunting seasons

WICHITA (KSNT) - Kansas wildlife commissioners took action on items related to deer and elk hunting regulation changes Thursday during a meeting in Wichita.

Commissioners with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) met on Nov. 21 to discuss changes to existing hunting regulations for deer and elk. Commissioners approved the regulation changes at the outset of the meeting. These included the following:

• K.A.R. 115-25-8 elk 25-series regulations.
  • Establishes a firearm season from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31 next year on Fort Riley.
• K.A.R. 115-25-9a military deer seasons.
  • Establishes the deer season for the military subunits in the 2024-2025 season.
    • Fort Riley whitetail antlerless-only firearm – Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, 2024.
    • Fort Riley firearm – Dec. 14 to Dec. Dec. 22, 2024.
    • Fort Leavenworth firearm – Nov. 16 to Nov. 17, Nov. 23 to Nov. 24, Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, Dec. 7 to Dec. 8 and Dec. 14 to Dec. 15, 2024.
    • Fort Leavenworth extended firearm, whitetail anterless-only – Jan. 1 to Jan. 19, 2025.
    • Fort Leavenworth extended archery whitetail antlerless-only – Jan. 20 to Jan. 31, 2025.
    • Smoky Hill Air National Guard firearm – Dec. 4 to Dec. 15, 2024.

KDWP commissioners also heard presentations on the five-year review of threatened and endangered Kansas species, a general discussion on furbearer regulations and deer 25-series big game regulations. No action was taken on any of these items during the meeting.

The KDWP meeting from Nov. 22 can be watched here. Commissioners will meet again on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 at the Fossil Creek Hotel in Russell.

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