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Commission revises January deer seasons and antler‑only permit allocations; military‑unit exceptions approved
Summary
The commission adjusted January antler‑only seasons and permit allocations across multiple deer management units to respond to regional population differences and approved separate season exceptions for three military installations; one commissioner voted against changes to Unit 19.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks commission approved changes to statewide January deer seasons and to antler‑only permit allocations for several deer management units (DMUs), and separately approved exceptions to statewide seasons on three military subunits.
Levi Jaster, Emporia Research and Survey Office big‑game program coordinator, told the commission the season‑date adjustments are largely calendrical and intended to match opening days to the calendar; more substantively, the department proposed moving some western units out of the January season where deer numbers are low and reallocating antler‑only permits to units in southeast Kansas where deer numbers are higher. Jaster said the department expected only a small number of affected hunters — “623 people that bought all 6 deer tags last year” — would be materially affected by the reallocation.
Commission debate centered on Unit 19. Commissioner Mark said deer numbers in Unit 19 are lower and objected to placing that unit in the longer January season and to permitting additional antler‑only tags there. “If deer numbers are down, we don't overharvest that area,” Mark said, and he said he would vote no on the portion affecting Unit 19. Department staff responded that while Unit 19’s recent year was down, the longer‑term trend remained upward and the department would monitor the unit and could revisit the allocation in future rulemaking.
The commission adopted the January season and allocation changes by roll call (6 yes, 1 no). The record shows the department committed to additional monitoring in the affected areas.
Separately, the commission approved exceptions to statewide seasons for three military subunits — Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and Smoky Hill/airport ranges — to fit base mission schedules. The department described specific firearm, archery and antlerless date exceptions for each installation (for example, Fort Riley open firearm season exceptions and Fort Leavenworth firearm‑season windows) and said it will work with DoD to draft more durable language going forward. That regulation passed by roll call vote, 7–0.
What happens next: the department will implement the revised season dates, monitor Unit 19 and other units Jaster cited, and the commission asked staff to return with monitoring data in coming seasons. The commission recorded differing views publicly, including a formal no vote on the Unit 19 portion of the deer season regulation.
