Applications accepted only online or by phone; archery permits over the counter July 19
PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is now accepting applications for resident firearm and muzzleloader antelope permits. Applications may be submitted online through the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us. Click "Licenses/Permits" in the upper right-hand corner of the page to begin the process. Those without internet access may apply by phoning 620-672-5911 and asking for licensing. Paper applications are not available.

Open to Kansas residents only, more than 1,000 firearm applications are received each year, and hunters who are unsuccessful in the drawing receive a preference point. It may require six or more preference points for a general resident to draw a firearm permit, or three or four preference points to draw a muzzleloader permit, depending on the number of applicants. Half the permits allocated in each unit are set aside for landowner/tenant applicants. Those who do not want to apply for a permit and want to purchase a preference point only may select "preference point only" online for $6.50. Only one preference point may be obtained per year.

For the 2010 season, 138 firearm and 48 muzzleloader antelope permits are available in the following units:

• Unit 2 — firearm 94, muzzleloader 24;
• Unit 17 — firearm 36, muzzleloader 12; and
• Unit 18 — firearm 8, muzzleloader 12.

Archery antelope permits are unlimited, and both resident and nonresident hunters can purchase permits over the counter. One open archery unit comprises the same area as the three firearm units combined. On average, fewer than 200 archery permits are sold each year. Archery antelope permits will be available over the counter from July 19 through Oct. 30.

The 2010 antelope season dates are as follow:

• firearm season — Oct. 1 through Oct. 4;
• muzzleloader season — Sept. 27 through Oct. 4; and
• archery season — Sept. 18 through Sept. 26 AND Oct. 9 through Oct. 31.

Shooting hours for all seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Firearm and muzzleloader antelope general resident permits are $47.50, and resident landowner/tenant permits are $27.50. General resident archery antelope permits are $42.50; landowner/tenant archery permits are $22.50; and nonresident archery permits are $202.50. (For online purchases, add a $1 internet convenience fee and a 2.5 percent credit card processing fee.)

The first modern-day antelope (properly called "pronghorn") hunting season in Kansas was held in 1974. Nearly 500 hunters applied for 80 permits, and 70 animals were harvested. Today, hunting is restricted to three management units that include parts or all of Sherman, Thomas, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, Greeley, Wichita, Scott, Lane, Ness, Hamilton, Kearny, Finney, Gray, Hodgeman, Ford, Stanton, Grant, Haskell, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Meade and Clark counties.

For more information on hunting antelope in Kansas, go to Hunting/Big Game/Antelope on the KDWP website.
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