Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the Governor and Secretary in formulating policies and plans of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The commission facilitates public hearings on rules and regulations proposed by the Secretary, ultimately voting to approve, modify, or reject those proposed rules and regulations. The Commission is a seven-member, bi-partisan board with four members appointed by the Governor, one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the President of the Senate, and one appointed by the Attorney General. The Commission is required by state law to preserve the right to hunt, fish, and trap wildlife, which is established in section 21 of the the Kansas Constitution's Bill of Rights.

All Commission meetings are accessible and open to the public, and each meeting includes two opportunities for public comment. No sign-up is needed, simply approach the microphone when invited. You can also submit public comment without attending Commission meeting by using this form.

See the links below to view a list of upcoming meetings dates or contact Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commissioners so your voice can be heard.

Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commissioners
Chair

Whitney Damron
Topeka, KS
785-224-6666 | Email Whitney
Term expires June 30, 2028

Commissioners

Representative Will Carpenter
El Dorado, KS
316-541-2932 | Email Will
Term expires June 30, 2026

Emerick Cross
Kansas City, KS
913-424-6767 | Email Emerick
Term expires June 30, 2027

Warren Gfeller
Russel, KS
913-221-1173 | Email Warren
Term expires June 30, 2027

Delia Lister
Pittsburg, KS
620-235-4805 | Email Delia
Term expires June 30, 2026

Keith Mark
Basehor, KS
816-803-2893 | Email Keith
Term expires June 30, 2026

Bruce Riedl
Ellinwood, KS
620-566-7263 | Email Bruce
Term expires June 30, 2026


You can email all Commissioners at once by using THIS FORM.

Upcoming Meeting Information

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commissions holds public meetings several times a year, at locations across the state. Click the links for details about upcoming meetings.

Archived Meetings

How to Attend Commission Meetings Virtually

Attendees can participate in-person or virtually.

Zoom

  1. Register in Zoom with your first and last name and email address.
  2. Once registered, you will be provided a link to join the meeting.
  3. Visitors will be muted upon entering the meeting. To comment or ask a question, use the Raise Hand feature or type your question in the chat.

Call In

  1. Call: 1-877-853-5257
  2. When a meeting ID is requested, enter  814 3800 8987#
  3. When a participant ID is requested, enter: #

Live Video/Audio Stream

     You can watch a live video/audio stream of the meeting without registering at https://ksoutdoors.com/commission-meeting.

Watch Meetings Here

Date: November 20, 2025

Time: 12:00 p.m. CST

Location:   Great Bend, KS - Camp Aldrich Conference Center, 884 NE 110th Ave, Claflin, KS 67525 - Instructions to participate in virtual meeting

Current Meeting Information

View Past Meetings

View the Commission meeting on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/live/FQiAnWdzI58?si=_FQ0y2Wrw-eNd8cE.

 

What do you think about our video broadcast effort? Use the KDWP Contact Form to send us your thoughts.

Commission Big Game Permits

Nonprofit organizations based or operating in Kansas that actively promote wildlife conservation and the hunting and fishing heritage are eligible to participate in KDWP's Commission Big Game Permit program. Through this program, eligible nonprofits get a chance to draw one of seven special big game permits, which can then be sold to raise money for conservation-based projects.

2026 Application Period Open Now Through December 26, 2025

Download:


Application Guidelines

Pursuant to K.S.A. 32-970, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Commission is authorized to issue up to seven Commission Big Game Permits per calendar year. Of the seven Commission Big Game Permits, up to one may be an elk permit, up to one may be an antelope permit, and the remaining balance may be any deer permits. Such permits are only available to nonprofit organizations that actively promote wildlife conservation and the hunting and fishing heritage. Only one Commission Big Game Permit may be issued to a qualified organization, but this limitation does not preclude active individual chapters of the same organization from being issued permits. Applications from individual chapters of the same organization must be completed and submitted by an active member of that chapter. Organizations are not eligible to receive a Commission Big Game Permit more than once in a three-year period. Organizations that oppose hunting and fishing shall not be eligible for award of a Commission Big Game Permit.

Applications must include:

  • Completed application form
  • Copy of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit status
  • Articles of incorporation
  • Mission statement
  • List of events held during the previous calendar year which promoted wildlife conservation and the hunting and fishing heritage in Kansas, including the event date and an estimated number of participants.

Organizations receiving Commission Big Game Permits must market the permit to the public to receive the maximum financial benefit available to both the organization and the department. Organizations awarded Commission Big Game Permits by random draw must pay to the department the price established by rules and regulations for the highest value of the type of permit awarded. If the organization is Kansas Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, not less than 15 percent of the amount retained by the organization must be remitted to the department for use on jointly approved projects. For any other organization, not less than 85 percent must be remitted to the department for use on jointly approved projects. The remainder may be spent at the organization’s discretion.

The completed application shall be submitted no later than December 26th, 2025, to:

     Sarah Navarro
     Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
     512 SE 25th Ave.
     Pratt, KS 67124
     sarah.navarro@ks.gov

The Commission shall conduct a random drawing from the pool of eligible organizations to award Commission Big Game Permits at the January 8th, 2026, KDWP Commission meeting held on location or virtually on Zoom.

Upon receipt of payment for the Commission Big Game Permit by the winning organization, the department’s licensing section will issue a voucher signifying the type of permit awarded. Once the voucher is obtained by the final recipient, the final recipient shall return the voucher to the Licensing Section of the Department, and a permit shall be issued in the final recipient’s name. After a Commission Big Game Permit is issued in the name of the final recipient, it shall not be transferred to any other individual for any reason. As a reminder, 115-4-11(b)(3) states, “If an individual is a final recipient of a commission deer permit, the individual shall not possess more than one regular antlered deer permit and one commission deer permit.” Any Commission Big Game Permit shall be subject to the restrictions of the season, sex, equipment type or hunt units as issued on the permit by the department.

Proposed Regulations Pending Commission Vote
Archived Meetings

Meeting minutes are not available to the public until approved by the Commission at the next scheduled meeting.

To view past meetings you can use the following links: