Well Kansas is trying to do some dumb stuff

[Aswob5]

I spend most of my time somewhat around the Hays area and I’m seeing the same with numbers. They are not even half of what they used to be. The number of quality bucks has decreased so bad. A lot of land is being transferred between guys and they wiping out what potential that was there. Also not really a deer problem but something you just hate to see is the Chinese have been buying up tens of thousands of acres

 

[Chris B]

I have hunted northeast of Hays since the mid 2000s . Have also seen a steady decline in both numbers and quality. It's depressing and I love that open prairie country.

 

[highcj5]

I have hunted around the same area as stated above. I’m a non resident and have always said I wouldn’t shoot a doe in that unit. Don’t see that many? Have heard from resi’s and people I know, that hunt that area, about the deer # decline.
Have not drew a tag the last two years. But have heard things haven’t changed or gotten better. Wish they would figure it out.

 

[AARONB]

For the 2025 season, the far west units don’t have antlerless tags or a January season. This change reflects the decrease in the deer herd out there. The commissioners supported these changes. If you feel the units you hunt in need similar changes, communicate with the staff and commissioners. Unfortunately, the state has lost 10’s of thousands of acres of CRP habitat. That land is now back in farm production. Those acres don’t provide the same level of habitat for deer.

 

[Dirtbag]

in the western units The decrease in doe tags will help. I’ve also noticed a decline especially on the public. Some farmers though have show. Me what they have on their cameras and there are still great bucks around. “The best they’ve seen in years”

 

[Thess87]

I’m in SE KS and our numbers are down as well. Hasn’t been the same since ehd 3-4 years ago.

 

[dribeerfeht]

This has nothing to do with biologists or KDWP. It was introduced by some crooked reps that have been pushing for a transferable tag program to come back, giving landowners the ability to sell their tags. The thought is this thing will change and include T-tags soon. It’s already moved committees as they didn’t find much support initially. And because the losers who drew it up can’t read a calendar it now includes a Tuesday before Thanksgiving start for rifle season and second “full weekend” closure. They didn’t realize a holiday on the 28th would cost them a week of the season with the original verbiage. That’s 8 more days than traditional structure and a significant portion of the rut most years. There is zero biology involved here. Simply self-serving wildlife politics.

I also think it is being pushed by a select gruop of politically connected large land owners who make a lot of money from hunters. They tried to pass the transferable tag program and failed.
Id like to hear the lawmakers intent of proposing this.

Unfortunately, Kansas is one if the states with the least amount of public land access for hunting #48/50.