PRATT – At its Jan. 17 meeting in Lawrence, the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission voted on just one item during the Public Hearing session. Commissioners passed a regulation setting the season for hunting on Controlled Shooting Areas to Sept. 1-April 30, extending the season one month, which was approved during last year’s legislative session.

The Commission heard a variety of briefings on proposed regulations during the Workshop Session, including:

• Allowing e-bicycles (pedal assist) on trails and in parks

• A change to the Public Lands regulations allowing portable blinds to be left out overnight

• Allowing the use of calls for squirrel hunting

• Changes to the furharvesting regulations, including increasing the season limit on otters to five

• The adoption of U.S. Coast Guard navigation rules

• A report on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)
• A recommendation to eliminate the $10 duplicate license fee

• Antelope season dates: Archery– September 21-29, 2019; Muzzleloader– Sept. 30-Oct. 7, 2019; and Firearm – Oct. 4-7, 2019

• Elk season dates: on Fort Riley – Firearm Any-elk, Oct. 1- Dec. 31, 2019; Antlerless-only, Oct. 1-31, 2019, Nov. 1-30, 2019, and Dec. 1-31, 2019; outside of Fort Riley – Muzzleloader, Sep. 1-30, 2019; Archery, Sept. 16-Dec. 31, 2019; and Firearm – August 1-31, 2019, Dec. 4-15, 2019, and Jan. 1-March 15, 2020

• Moving the application deadline for resident firearm either-species deer permits and Fort Riley elk permits to the second Friday in June, which coincides with the antelope firearm permit application deadline

• Deer season dates: Youth and Hunters with Disabilities – Sept. 7-15, 2019; Muzzleloader – Sept. 16-29, 2019; Archery – Sept. 16-Dec. 31, 2019; Pre-rut Whitetail Antlerless-only – Oct. 12-14, 2019; and Firearm – Dec. 4-15, 2019.

Each of these items will be voted on during the Public Hearing portion of the March 28, 2019 Commission meeting in Topeka, which will be conducted at the Capitol Plaza Hotel. For more information on the Commission, as well as future and past meetings, visit www.ksoutdoors.com.

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