Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission to Hold January Meeting in Council Grove
For Immediate Release
December 22, 2025
Media Contact:
Laura Rose Clawson, Chief of Public Affairs
Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission to Hold January Meeting in Council Grove
TOPEKA—The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will hold its first public meeting of 2026 on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at the Territory Ballroom in Council Grove. The meeting will begin at noon and continue until all agenda items are addressed.
The Commission will hold a public hearing and final vote for several regulations that have been discussed at previous meetings, including:
- K.A.R. 115-15-1 and 115-15-2, downlisting the broad-headed skink, northern map turtle, and shoal chub from Threatened species designation to Species in Need of Conservation;
- K.A.R. 115-25-8, increasing either-sex elk permit quotas; and
- K.A.R. 115-45-1, a new regulation that authorizes the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission to identify agenda topics and propose regulations for discussion.
The Commission will also conduct its annual random drawing from a pool of eligible nonprofit organizations to award Commission Big Game Permits. Seven big-game permits (deer, elk, and antelope) will be awarded to the winning organizations to raise funds for conservation projects.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks staff will share updates on the Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) program and waterfowl hunting season dates and limits for next year.
The public is invited to attend the meeting in person or virtually, with two opportunities for public comment. Instructions for joining the meeting virtually, a complete meeting agenda, and the proposed regulation changes can all be viewed at www.ksoutdoors.gov/commission.
An interpreter for the hearing impaired can be requested by calling the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Individuals with disabilities can request other accommodations by contacting KDWP at (785) 294-2645.
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The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of Kansas’s natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations. KDWP manages 29 state parks, 177 lakes and wildlife areas, more than 300 public waterbodies, and 5 nature centers. Other services include management of threatened, endangered, and at-risk species, law enforcement, and wildlife habitat programs. For more information about KDWP, visit ksoutdoors.gov.
The seven-member, bi-partisan Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission serves in an advisory capacity in formulating policies and plans for KDWP. The commission holds public hearings on rules and regulations proposed by the Secretary of KDWP and ultimately votes to approve, modify, or reject those proposals.
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