For Immediate Release:   
August 4, 2025 

Contact:   
Laura Rose Clawson, Chief of Public Affairs
Laura.roseclawson@ks.gov

Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission to Meet August 14 in Garden City

TOPEKA – The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will hold its next public meeting on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Finnup Center at the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City. The meeting will begin at noon and continue until all agenda items are addressed.

The meeting will begin with a report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, including a public hearing on the following regulations:

• K.A.R. 115-2-1 – Trout Fee and Senior License Fees
  • Establishing a 5-year Resident Senior Hunting OR Fishing License(ages 65–74) for $50.
  • Establishing a 5-year Resident Senior Hunting AND Fishing Combo License (ages 65–74) for $90.
  • Increasing the trout permit fee from $12 to $17.50.
• K.A.R. 115-4-4 – Nonlead Muzzleloader Shot
  • Expanding allowable projectile types for muzzleloaders, enabling use of modern, non-lead (non-toxic) options.
• K.A.R. 115-25-9 – Deer Seasons
  • Updating season dates, units, and permit limits for the 2025–2026 Extended White-tailed Antlerless-only Firearm Season:
    • Proposed Season Dates
      • Unit 3: Jan. 1–4, 2026
      • Units 4–10, 16: Jan. 1–11, 2026
      • Units 11–15, 19: Jan. 1–18, 2026
    • Proposed Permit Limits
      • One WAO permit: Units 1, 2, 17. 18
      • Four additional WAO permits: Units 4-10, 16
      • Nine additional WAO permits: Units 11-15, 19 (on non-KDWP-managed lands, except Beretz-Dick and Elk City Wildlife Areas)
• K.A.R. 115-25-9a – Deer Seasons on Military Units
  • Setting specific deer season dates for Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth, and Smoky Hill Air National Guard, including antlerless-only and extended firearm opportunities.
    • Fort Riley
      • Pre-rut White-tailed Antlerless Firearm: Oct. 11-13, 2025
      • White-tailed Antlerless-only Firearm: Nov. 28-30, 2025
      • Firearm: Dec. 13-21, 2025
      • Extended Firearm White-tailed Antlerless-only: Jan. 1-11, 2026
    • Fort Leavenworth
      • Firearm: Nov. 15-16, Nov. 22-23, Nov. 27-30, Dec. 6-7, and Dec. 13-14, 2025
      • Extended Firearm White-tailed Antlerless-only: Jan. 1-18. 2026
      • Archery White-tailed Antlerless-only: Jan. 19-31, 2026
    • Smoky Hill Air National Guard
      • Firearm: Dec. 3-14, 2025
• K.A.R. 115-25-12 – Coyote Seasons
  • Extending the night vision coyote hunting season to run from September 1 through March 31, excluding the following periods:
    • The first Saturday in September and the 22 consecutive days following (total of 23 days)
    • The Wednesday following Thanksgiving and the 11 consecutive days following (total of 12 days)
  • If approved, the 2025-2026 night vision coyote hunting season would begin September 29 and run through December 2, then resume December 15 through March 31, 2026. The September 1–5 window will not be in effect for 2025 due to regulatory timelines.
• K.A.R. 115-5-1 – Coyote Equipment, Taking Methods
  • Updating the season dates established by K.A.R. 115-25-12.

Commissioners will also receive updates on regulations currently in the promulgation process.

Other agenda items include:

• General public comment
• Remarks from KDWP Secretary Christopher Kennedy
• Informational updates on Kansas State Park camping fees
• General discussion on nonresident waterfowl hunting
• Review of additional topics that may be voted on at a future meeting

The meeting will conclude with an additional opportunity for public comment.

The complete agenda can be viewed HERE.

Attendees can participate in the meetings in person or virtually. Instructions for joining via Zoom, phone, or live streaming are available HERE under “How To Attend Commission Meetings Virtually.”

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 may request other accommodations by contacting KDWP at (785) 294-2645.

The date and location of the next Commission meeting has not yet been determined, but will be announced at ksoutdoors.gov and publicsquare.ks.gov.  

###

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, non-partisan Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission serves in an advisory capacity in formulating policies and plans for KDWP. The commission facilitates public hearings on rules and regulations proposed by the Secretary of KDWP, ultimately voting to approve, modify, or reject those proposed rules and regulations.

Back to 8-4-25 Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission to Meet August 14 in Garden City News