Kansas Hunters getting screwed
05-15-2003, 03:52 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gypsum KS USA
Posts: 1,289
Kansas Hunters getting screwed
Just looked at this years regs, Kansas hunters are getting our extended season reduced 67%, down to four days. When it was twelve days you were guaranteed at least two weekends to hunt, now we' re not guaranteed any weekend days at all. Kind of puts a damper on MOST of KS hunters ability to get things done.
05-17-2003, 01:26 PM
#4
Join Date: May 2003
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Posts: 67
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
The extended season was instituted several years ago as an antlerless only season to control the population. All leftover tags regardless of sex are valid for 1 white-tail antlerless deer during the extended season, they have not restricted an any-deer season at all. The last couple seasons have been extremely successful in lowering the population so the KDWP has shortened it this year. At the same time they have opened an urban unit known as Unit 19 that runs the I-70 corridor from Topeka to the Missouri border and includes parts of Units 9, 10, 11, and 14, any tags valid in these 4 units are also valid in Unit 19. The extended antlerless season is open for archery equipment only from Jan 5-31 in this unit. At the same time they have actually set an early any-deer season in late October for firearms in Unit 19. This actually gives firearms hunters in Unit 19 8 more days this year to tag a buck. I think most rifle hunters would be happy with the trade-off of 8 doe-only days to 8 more days to hunt bucks. The 12 day extended season has acomplished it' s stated purpose of herd reduction. In my opinion the extended season has already lowered our herd too much and I am glad they have shortened it this year.
05-17-2003, 01:56 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gypsum KS USA
Posts: 1,289
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
You must be be hunting a different KS than I was this year, I hunted or helped hunt Units 17, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 during this year (archery and rifle), and saw more deer than any of the past, I spent 90% of my season scouting because I' d already filled all of my tags, but a bunch of buddies of mine who can only hunt the weekends left several tags unfilled, take away two of their weekends cuts their season at least in half, or they have to drive clear across the state to hunt new 19.
05-17-2003, 06:33 PM
#6
Join Date: May 2003
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Posts: 437
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
Yes Nomercy it is true, but it has always been that way. I have been working on this for several years. I am now and never have been a fan of " extended" or " special seasons" . It seems obvious to me that the need for an extended or special season is an admission by the Game managers that they are not or have not responded appropriately to the needs of the deer population or the State constituents demands.
The real problem is as follows: 1) There are way too many centerfire hunters on too little land for too short of time, 2) KDWP has reduced land open to centerfire hunting for the last 10 years according to the 5 year management plans (public record) for the public land holdings so we loose more prime state hunting land access, 3) NONE of the federal wildlife refuges in Kansas that are open big game hunting allow the use of centerfire of any kind including handgun, 4) 75,000 to 100,000 centerfire hunters (plus all the other unsuccessful method hunters that do not fill their tags and the upland and waterfowl hunters) are condensed onto that reduced land access. These four issues are what is driving hunting leasing in Kansas now.
Now on to the consequences: Centerfire success rate for the last year dropped to it' s lowest point since the late 70' s as 50.1 % where as archery has increased to 52% according to the Big game coordinator and the Bowsite.com/kansas. The centerfire permit demand has almost doubled as archery permit demand has receded about 10-12%. I have a lot of research on the subject if you would like to hear about it.
I too saw more deer this last season in the NW NC KS than I have ever seen during the centerfire season, but we did have a new moon during the season for the first time in 6 years.
Good Hunting All!!
The Rifle has portected our liberty, fed our families, and generated a sacred tradition. It' s rightful place is above the fireplace for all to see our gratitude.
The real problem is as follows: 1) There are way too many centerfire hunters on too little land for too short of time, 2) KDWP has reduced land open to centerfire hunting for the last 10 years according to the 5 year management plans (public record) for the public land holdings so we loose more prime state hunting land access, 3) NONE of the federal wildlife refuges in Kansas that are open big game hunting allow the use of centerfire of any kind including handgun, 4) 75,000 to 100,000 centerfire hunters (plus all the other unsuccessful method hunters that do not fill their tags and the upland and waterfowl hunters) are condensed onto that reduced land access. These four issues are what is driving hunting leasing in Kansas now.
Now on to the consequences: Centerfire success rate for the last year dropped to it' s lowest point since the late 70' s as 50.1 % where as archery has increased to 52% according to the Big game coordinator and the Bowsite.com/kansas. The centerfire permit demand has almost doubled as archery permit demand has receded about 10-12%. I have a lot of research on the subject if you would like to hear about it.
I too saw more deer this last season in the NW NC KS than I have ever seen during the centerfire season, but we did have a new moon during the season for the first time in 6 years.
Good Hunting All!!
The Rifle has portected our liberty, fed our families, and generated a sacred tradition. It' s rightful place is above the fireplace for all to see our gratitude.
05-17-2003, 07:15 PM
#7
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 437
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
Forgot another thing Nomercy, in addtion to the extra season reduction, the total Centerfire Deer tags were reduced....again, and they presented no population or hunter data...again. They KDWP have done this for the past four years. The only true increase if you call it that is the Game Tags...another topic that I am not a big fan of. If KDWP did have the appropriate data to set tag limits to regulate the population...What would be the need for game tags or extended seasons?
Good Hunting All!!
Good Hunting All!!
05-17-2003, 07:16 PM
#8
Join Date: May 2003
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Posts: 67
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
I agree that the biggest issue with our deer herd is land available for hunting. I also saw more deer last season than I have in recent memory but I guess it' s based on 3 reasons, the 160 ac. I hunt has good habitat( 40acres crop,80 of hardwood timber, 20ac. super thick bedding cover, it gets minimal hunting pressure (me and my wife, archery only) and the land on every side gets pounded by rifle hunters. I see more deer after rifle season than before. So I agree with you guys that there are pockets that have good numbers but from the other hunters I talk to overall I believe numbers are down. The KDWP and season lengths aren' t the reason we' re getting screwed it is leasing/ outfitters that are killing our opportunities.
05-17-2003, 07:37 PM
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 437
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
FFTJ
Loss of land is enven more of an issue for centerfire hunters, and that demand drives the leasing issue. The toatl number of Centerfire hunters and much less available land then archery hunters (who are also loosing land). I am including the quote from the previous post. Your statement that the the land gets pounded by rifle hunters IS my point. Lessen the pressure and allow more access to the land by extending the hunting season for the greatest number of hunters. THAT IS PRO HUNTING
Loss of land is enven more of an issue for centerfire hunters, and that demand drives the leasing issue. The toatl number of Centerfire hunters and much less available land then archery hunters (who are also loosing land). I am including the quote from the previous post. Your statement that the the land gets pounded by rifle hunters IS my point. Lessen the pressure and allow more access to the land by extending the hunting season for the greatest number of hunters. THAT IS PRO HUNTING
The real problem is as follows: 1) There are way too many centerfire hunters on too little land for too short of time, 2) KDWP has reduced land open to centerfire hunting for the last 10 years according to the 5 year management plans (public record) for the public land holdings so we loose more prime state hunting land access, 3) NONE of the federal wildlife refuges in Kansas that are open big game hunting allow the use of centerfire of any kind including handgun, 4) 75,000 to 100,000 centerfire hunters (plus all the other unsuccessful method hunters that do not fill their tags and the upland and waterfowl hunters) are condensed onto that reduced land access. These four issues are what is driving hunting leasing in Kansas now.
05-17-2003, 08:24 PM
#10
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 67
RE: Kansas Hunters getting screwed
The specific problem with that land will not be solved by extending the season. It is private land that is hunted by a single group of people. I just don' t understand why people feel like they' re getting the shaft when we can kill between 4 and 6 more deer this season than 10 years ago. There was no extended season and everyone felt lucky if they drew a tag, but today heaven forbid they cut back a doe-only season. In 1990 a guy in Unit 9 could draw 2 buck permits, in ' 91 very few who drew the year before were able to get any type of tag in that unit. Hunting is a management tool and for it to continue it has to be judiciously applied.