State: Kansas

Species available to On Your Own hunters

When you think of Kansas giant whitetails will fill your mind but non-residents also have the opportunity to hunt some great mule deer. You will find Whitetails throughout the state but the primary range is the eastern side of the state. You will need to get in the Western units of the state to find mule deer, about the western 1/3^rd of the state. The Kansas state records show mule deer scoring upwards of 260 for non typical and over 200 inches for a typical mule deer.

While having access to private land is nice it can also be tough to come by. I have had luck knocking on doors and getting permission with a few land owners. The thing to remember is that Kansas also has a great Walk-in Hunting Access (WIHA) program where they lease private land for public hunting. These WIHA areas can be found on the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ website.

Big Game Seasons

Deer:

Applications Deadlines

Resident

Any-Deer Draw July 10, 2009

Whitetail Any season Permit Dec 30, 2009

Archery Jan 30, 2010

Nonresident

All Nonresident June 1, 2009

Antlerless Whitetail Jan 30, 2010

Upper Deck hit a home run with this 2008 Kansas archery buck

As a Nonresident you have the opportunity to hunt either Whitetails or Mule Deer. The way the Mule deer tags work is that if you have successfully drawn a muzzleloader or archery whitetail deer tag in the following permit areas you can apply for a mule deer stamp. The units that you may apply for the Mule deer stamps in are as follows 1,2,3,4,5,7,16,17, or 18. These are limited stamps but if you do draw one your tag converts to an either-species/either-sex permit archery or muzzleloader permit.

When you apply for a White-tailed deer permit you will apply in one unit and select one adjacent unit to also hunt, you will also have the season choice (archery, muzzleloader, or rifle).

Season Dates:

Youth and disability Sept12 - Sept 20, 2009

Early Muzzleloader Sept 21 - Oct 4, 2009

Archery Sept 21 - Dec 31,2009

Early Firearm (DMU 19 only) Oct 10 -Oct 18, 2009

Regular Firearm Dec 2 - Dec 13, 2009

Click here for Deer Management Maps

Antelope: (Resident Only)

Applications Deadlines

Firearm & Muzzleloader June 12, 2009

Archery Permit Oct 30, 2009

Seasons Dates

Firearm Oct 2 - Oct 5^th 2009

Archery Sept 19 - Sept 27 & Oct 10 - Oct 31 2009

Muzzleloader Sept 28 - Oct 5^th 2009

Elk: (Resident Only)

Application Deadline: July 10, 2009
HUNT-OWN-LAND Application Deadline: March 14, 2010

2009 Season dates OUTSIDE FORT RILEY:

Muzzleloader Season: Sept. 1 - Oct, 4, 2009
Archery Season: Sept. 21 - Dec. 31, 2009
Firearm Season: Dec. 2 - Dec. 13, 2009 and Jan.1, 2010 - March 15, 2010

2009 Season dates ON FORT RILEY:

Muzzleloader and Archery Season: Sept. 1 - Oct. 4, 2009
Firearm Season for Holders of Any-Elk Permits: Oct 1 - Dec 31, 2009
Firearm First Segment: Oct. 1 - Oct. 31, 2009
Firearm Second Segment: Nov.1 - Nov 30, 2009
Firearm Third Segment: Dec.1 - Dec. 31, 2009

Upland Game Birds

PHEASANT

Season: November 14, 2009 - January 31, 2010
Youth Season: November 7 - 8, 2009
Area Open: Statewide
Daily Bag Limit: 4 cocks in regular season, 2 cocks in youth season
NOTE: Pheasants in possession for transportation must retain intact a foot, plumage, or some part that will determine sex.

QUAIL

Season: November 14, 2009 - January 31, 2010
Youth Season: November 7 - 8, 2009
Area Open: Statewide
Daily Bag Limit: 8 in regular season, 4 in youth season

PRAIRIE CHICKEN

Early Season (East zone only): Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2009
Daily Bag Limit: 2
Regular Season (East and Northwest zones): Nov. 21, 2009 - Jan. 31, 2010
Daily Bag Limit: 2
Regular Season (Southwest zone): Nov. 21, 2009 - Dec. 31, 2009
Daily Bag Limit: 1

Turkey

2009 SPRING TURKEY:

Regular Season (firearm/archery): April 8 - May 31, 2009
Archery-Only Season: April 1 - 7, 2009
Youth/Disabled Season: April 1 - 7, 2009
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Legal Equipment: long, recurve or compound bows and shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns 20 gauge or larger using shot sizes 2 through 9.
Limit: Any individual who has purchased a spring turkey permit is eligible for one second turkey game tag. Spring game tags are valid for Units 2 and 3 ONLY.

2009 FALL TURKEY: [Dates not yet set.]

Season:
Fall Turkey Permits in Units 1, 2, and 3 and game tags for Unit 2 may be purchased over the counter at any license vendor from July 1 thru Jan. 30, 2010.
No permits authorized in Unit 4.
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Legal Equipment: Shotguns 20 gauge or larger using shot sizes 2-9; long, recurve or compound bows.
Limit: Each hunter may obtain no more than one turkey permit and three turkey game tags. Residents and nonresidents who purchase a turkey permit may also purchase as many as three turkey game tags valid in Unit 2 only. Fall turkey permits and game tags are valid for both male and female turkeys.

Turkey Management Map

Upper Deck with a double on Kansas archery turkeys - 2009

Walk In Hunting Access Program:

Kansas has one of the largest public access programs in the country. Millions of acres are available to wlak-in hunters through a state program, where landowners are paid to open their properties to public hunting. Hunting is walk-in only, and dates vary by property.

Public hunting maps can be found at the following site. This will show the tracts of land that are public land or that are included in the Walk-In Hunting Access program (WIHA). Click here to view the Kansas Walk-In Hunting Access Atlas (WIHA)