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Kansas Deer Season 2024-2024: A Hunter’s Guide to Kansas Deer Hunting!

June 24, 2025

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In Kansas, deer hunting is a well-liked tradition. Kansas Deer Season 2024-2024 has plenty of opportunity for hunters to capture deer across multiple seasons and with various sorts of equipment. To help you have a great season, this guide includes important information about Kansas deer hunting dates, laws, licensing requirements, bag restrictions, and more.

Table of Contents

Kansas Deer Hunting Season Dates
Kansas Deer Hunting Regulations
Kansas Deer Bag Limits
Kansas Deer Hunting Licenses
Where to Hunt Deer in Kansas
Field Dressing and Processing Deer
Apply for Your Kansas Deer Permit

Kansas Deer Hunting Season Dates

From early September through January, Kansas offers specialized deer seasons for a variety of hunting equipment. The suggested dates for Kansas’s deer seasons in 2024 and 2024 are as follows:

KS Deer SeasonDatesDescription Youth and Disability SeasonSeptember 2 – September 10, 2024Early season for youth under 18 and hunters with disabilities to deer hunt with a permit. Muzzleloader SeasonSeptember 11 – September 24, 2024Deer may be taken with muzzleloader or archery equipment during this period. Archery SeasonSeptember 11 – December 31, 2024Bowhunting for deer is open for the longest duration of any season. Pre-Rut Firearm Whitetail Antlerless-OnlyOctober 7 – October 9, 2024Brief firearm season for harvesting antlerless deer. Regular Firearm SeasonNovember 29 – December 10, 2024General firearm deer hunting season in Kansas. Extended Firearm Whitetail Antlerless-Only – 1st SegmentJanuary 1 – January 7, 2024 (Units 6, 8, 9, 10, 17)Additional antlerless deer harvest after the regular season in specific units. Extended Firearm Whitetail Antlerless-Only – 2nd SegmentJanuary 1 – January 14, 2024 (Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 14, 16)Additional antlerless deer harvest after the regular season in specific units. Extended Firearm Whitetail Antlerless-Only – 3rd SegmentJanuary 1 – January 21, 2024 (Units 10A, 12, 13, 15, 19)Additional antlerless deer harvest after the regular season in specific units. Extended Archery Whitetail Antlerless-OnlyJanuary 22 – January 31, 2024 (Unit 19 only)Extra whitetail does can be taken in Unit 19 with archery gear. Fort Riley Military Base SeasonCheck specific datesSeparate deer season for permit holders at Fort Riley military base. Fort Leavenworth Military Base SeasonCheck specific datesSeparate deer season for permit holders at Fort Leavenworth military base.

See also The Dark Side… Night Fishing for Big Brown Trout Let’s Face It, in Most Cases Those Big Brown Trout in Your Local River Aren’t Falling Victim To a Size 10 Woolly Bugger or a 16 Prince NymphTo be honest, you’re probably unaware of what lies beneath the surface tucked against a log jam or wedged under that giant boulder mid-river that you’ve fished countless times. In most cases in my night fishing experience, there’s almost always a much bigger fish that shows itself at night than any other previous fish you’ve might have seen during the daylight hours.The majority of the largest trout I have ever seen were at night in less than 24” of water. Some of the most dominant predators on the planet feed at night… and brown trout are no different.Before we go further into tips, tactics, and tackle, I’d like to preface that night fishing obviously has its additional challenges and even dangers. Safety is by far the utmost importance when fishing, especially night fishing. Understanding every inch of the river you plan on night fishing is extremely important. Knowing every boulder, drop off/ledge, and casting obstruction can prevent you from going for an unexpected swim, broken rod, or even a hook to the face (speaking from experience). Always wear eye protection (clear or light illuminating lenses), two headlamps (you’ll drop one in the river), and try to take a fishing buddy with you just for peace of mind.Where I live in Pennsylvania as well as many places in the country, night fishing is more of a seasonal approach. By all means, you can night fish every month of the year and find some success, but there is definitely a “prime time” to be on the water. Typically, I personally begin my night fishing season during the “post hatch” season. After the majority of the caddis and mayflies hatch in May, and the water becomes skinny and shallow, this is when I find brown trout to be starved and more eager to eat larger meals.This Will Change the Way You Fly Fish Pressured WatersNight fishing in May, June, and even early July definitely produces plenty of fish, but not THE fish we’re all looking for. Once August rolls around and water temps begin to drop into safe fishing temperatures, that’s when you need to fish until the wheels fall off. Sleep becomes a thing of the past and coffee becomes your best friend. Your best shot at consistently catching brown trout 20”+ and even 24”+ is between August and October.The worst conditions for daytime fishing are your best conditions for night fishing. Low and clear water is by far the best water conditions to target big brown trout at night. Dominant brown trout adapt and hide so well during these conditions during the daytime which make them almost impossible to target. Once the sun begins to fade, the fish will migrate out of structure and move into feeding areas for the night.Swing It! Spey Streamer Fly Fishing TipsA mistake anglers often make is fishing the same deep hole they typically would fish during daytime. Brown trout will move into shallow sandy tail-outs, or push into the head of a run where the water might be less than 24” in depth. The inside seam of a deep pool also offers a great ambush point for a large brown trout.Tackle used when night fishing is very similar to fishing big streamers. Any 6wt, 7wt, or 8wt will suffice. On larger rivers, a trout spey or switch rod works great for swinging streamers or skating rodent patterns across the surface. A floating fly line is the most versatile line for night fishing in my opinion. You can fish surface flies, “pushers” that sit barely subsurface in the surface film, or even a streamer if you want to swing a baitfish into deeper pools. Your leader is extremely important when night fishing as well. Typically when fishing a surface style fly, keeping the leader short and stout is critical. Two feet of 20lb tippet to a blood knot, followed by three feet of 15lb tippet is typical when fishing surface style flies. Your leader needs to be strong and abrasion resistant. It’s not “if," it’s “when” you toss your flies into a tree.I have personally witnessed brown trout eat mice, rats, bats, baby birds, and even water snakes. A large brown trout over 24” is not much different than a musky. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when night fishing. The biggest brown trout I’ve hooked at night was on a 6” rat pattern. The most important aspect of fly design for night fishing in my opinion is how much vibration, water displacement, or surface disruption you can create while not sacrificing your hook gap. Thin, but wide profile deer or foam body mouse flies work great. If using streamers, a pusher style fly that rides high in the water column seems to be extremely effective as well.Tied with a Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper & Slider Body.How to fish you fly is totally dependent upon on moon phases, cloud coverage/ambient light, and speed of the current. A mouse is not going to swim upstream against the current.The two most effective retrieves are: Down and across just like you would swing a wet fly Casting upstream and working the fly back to youIf the current is a classic soft dry fly drift, I almost always work the fly down and across. Your rod tip height as well as your casting angle will dictate the speed of the fly. While fishing short and soft inside seams of a faster run/pool, orienting yourself downstream or below the fish will enable you to cast directly upstream and work the fly right to your feet. This is also a fantastic approach to work upstream along parallel with a heavily wooded bank. I have seen countless times where a fish will strike multiple times with this approach and ultimately eat the fly at your feet after missing 3-4 times in one drift.Be sure to always start your casts short, most fish are sitting right at your feet!At the end of a long night as the sun begins to rise; rest assure, that legendary fish most likely got away. More times than not, they have to make a series of mistakes in order for you to land them. Whether it ran you into a long jam, bent a 1/0 hook, or it came off just short of the net; the giants of the dark will keep you coming back for more. Tip your cap, swig some spiked coffee and keep after it. More often than not, they’ll leave you with a memory rather than a photo that you will never forget. Some nights, all you’ll have left is a fly patch full of chewed up foam. Want More Content Like This? Join the Flymen Mailing List at the bottom of the page!About Stephen Nymick:Stephen Nymick is owner of Stephen Nymick Fly Fishing LLC, and a Guide for Steelhead Alley Outfitters. He began fly fishing at just 5 years old on his local streams in Western Pennsylvania. The day his father took him out to get his first fly rod, he also came home with his first fly tying kit. Stephen has been fly fishing exclusively for over 20 years and has guided for 7 years. Throwing big streamers or mice for brown trout and swinging flies for Steelhead are Stephen’s true passions. You can follow Stephen on Instagram @stephennymick. For further questions, email Stephen at paflyco@gmail.com. To book a trip, contact Steelhead Alley Outfitters at 888-453-5899. Written by Stephen Nymick Filed under brown trout, fly fishing, fly fishing tips, fly tying, freshwater Tweet Comments on this post (8) Feb 26, 2024 Hi Sir/ We are manufacturers of fishing flies based in Uganda. We have qualified tiers who can maintain the best quality that a customer needs, we strictly deliver on time and use the right size of hooks.We tie all types of flies according to the customers orders.We are now looking for someone whom we can partner with for progress in both parties. Thank you as we wait to hear from you soon. under management by Fred— Fred luyali Apr 21, 2022 Hi,Re night time fishing for trout article.Thank you for a thoroughly informative article.Could you let me know what the chewed up flies in the picture are called and do you have any tying instructions you could send me?Kind RegardsDerek Coles— Derek Coles Oct 31, 2021 Dear Sir, I am Betty, a professional custom fly tier and the owner of a tube fishing flies fly group in business. With an experience of 20 years in fly tying in fulling mill company, I do produce all categories of fly patterns etc,Nymphs,Dries,Wets,Salmons,Saltwater, Pikes,Terrestrials etc. The quality of flies lies within my finger tips. I am always impressed with each and every fly that comes out of my vice.I have 20 good fly tiers who have experience in producing quality flies for the fly market globally. I will be glad if you would test my flies sample to match the quality of the same. I can assure you that with my flies you will emerge the best in the flies industry. If you are ready to foster flies business with me, I will be supplying you with a lower price per 1 dozen.I am eagerly waiting to hear from you. Best regards— Fred luyali May 04, 2021 This piece really got me thinking about my terminal obsession with netting three footers out of the Colorado where I live. I’ve actually landed a couple of those ghost browns @ zero-dark-thirty, and broke off even more. Your piece has me plotting already for some unconventional post-hatch, stealthy Ninja type spey missions.— Matthew Fullenwider Mar 18, 2021 I’m gonna be that guy and say that my biggest after dark brown came at 11:55 pm in mid-March…but overall I agree that late summer is the best time to raise fish in the late hours of the night. I would also add that a full moon is bad for mousing but great for streamers.— Patrick Houlton Mar 17, 2021 Nice article. Exactly what areas do you guide ?— John Kersting Mar 17, 2021 Great article, very insightful.— David Mar 17, 2021 Excellent article. I just started drifting my big tailwater after sunset last September to get the feel of casting streamers and catching fish after dark in big flows. Managing the boat and maintaining situational awareness is not for the faint of heart. One thing I wish the article had mentioned was technical specs on headlamps for night fishing— Drew Gilchrist Leave a comment Name Email Message

Kansas Deer Hunting Regulations

Regulations governing license, hunter education, corpse tagging, and general hunting guidelines apply to deer hunting in Kansas. Here are several important rules:

Both local and nonresident hunters need the appropriate licenses. There are special, reduced licenses available.
Anyone born after July 1, 1957, must possess a Hunter education certification.
Private lands need written authorization. Public road hunting is governed by unique restrictions.
Game regulations include issues including gifting or selling meat, using a car or drone, or making an electronic call.
It is necessary to properly tag deer corpses and keep the tag on them until the meat is prepared.
To avoid wasting game, hunters must make an attempt to recover fallen deer.
Seasonal requirements dictate the sort of equipment to be utilized.
During the seasons for muzzleloaders and firearms, orange attire is needed.
Officers have the right to examine licenses, tools, and harvested game.

For complete information on permitted deer hunting in Kansas, always refer to the summary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks rules.

Kansas Deer Bag Limits

Depending on the kind of permission you have, you may harvest a certain number of deer:

Permit TypeDeer Bag LimitDescription Resident Firearm (either species/sex)One deer of any kindResident hunters using a firearm may harvest one deer of any kind. Nonresident FirearmOne antlered and one antlerless whitetail deerNonresident hunters using a firearm may harvest one antlered and one antlerless whitetail deer. MuzzleloaderOne deer of any kindHunters with a muzzleloader permit can harvest one deer of any kind. ArcheryOne deer of any kindArchery permit holders may harvest one deer of any kind. Antlerless (any type)One antlerless deer of any speciesPermit holders can harvest one antlerless deer of any species. Property Owner/MaintainerOne deer of any kindPermit allows hunting one deer of any kind on properly owned or maintained property. Antlerless (does or fawns without antler protrusions)Check unit limitsOnly does or fawns without antler protrusions are eligible for antlerless licenses. Be sure to check the unit limits specified on your permit.

Note that only does or fawns lacking antler protrusions are eligible for antlerless licenses. Check the unit limits on your permit as well.

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Kansas Deer Hunting Licenses

In order to lawfully shoot deer in Kansas, you must have the appropriate hunting license in addition to the necessary season permits:

Kansas citizens must have a resident hunting license in order to hunt small game and waterfowl statewide, unless they are excluded.
For non-residents 16 years of age and older without exceptions, a hunting license is necessary. more restrictions than resident licenses.
For people ages 16 and above who have not yet finished hunter instruction, an apprentice hunting license is available.
License at a lower cost for Kansas citizens 15 years of age or younger.
Senior persons, handicapped veterans, and active military members may be eligible for special licenses.
Licenses: In addition to a regular hunting license, the proper deer licenses must be acquired.

Annual Hunting License

Residents: Unless exempted by Kansas law, all resident hunters between the ages of 16 and 74 must possess a resident hunting license.

Nonresidents: No matter their age, nonresident hunters must get a nonresident hunting license.

Fee: The data given does not specifically specify the costs associated with hunting permits for residents and non-residents.

Preference Points

Resident: A resident hunter who chooses not to participate in the current season may pay $12.50 for a preference point that will be used in a future drawing for a firearm-either-species, either-sex deer permit.

Non-resident: A non-resident hunter who wishes to forego the current season may buy a preference point that will be used in a future drawing for a white-tailed deer ticket.

Mule Deer Stamp Fee

Price: $152.50 (plus the above-mentioned nonresident white-tailed deer permit price).

An application for the Mule Deer Stamp must be submitted by a nonresident during the April application period. The applicant’s White-tailed Deer Archery or Muzzleloader Permit becomes an Either-species/Either-sex Archery or Muzzleloader Permit if it is pulled. There is no preference point system for this Mule Deer Stamp draw. If unsuccessful, the hunter will be given the permit for the successful draw unit for white-tailed deer taken with an arrow or muzzleloader.

Where to Hunt Deer in Kansas

Deer hunting is permitted on a lot of public property in Kansas:

Walk-in Hunting Access areas: The WIHA program is active on more than a million acres of private property. need a permission.

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Wildlife Management Areas: Nearly 400 WMAs, ranging in size from 40 to over 10,000 acres, are designated as wildlife management areas.

State Parks: Some state parks allow limited deer shooting, although there are limits.

Federal areas: When the season is right, hunting is permitted on federal lands such as national wildlife refuges, Army Corps lakes, and national forests.

Particularly for non-resident hunters, public areas provide good possibilities for deer hunting. Make careful to investigate several regions to identify those with thriving deer populations.

Field Dressing and Processing Deer

It’s crucial to field dress harvested deer properly:

Use latex gloves and handle brain and spinal tissue as little as possible.
Covering meat and washing your equipment in vinegar water will keep them clean.
Quickly calm down the deer and steer clear of dragging in mud or debris.
Before your hunt, understand the right field dressing methods by watching video lessons.

Many hunters do their own venison processing. Some people butcher deer at meat processors. Treat all meat with hygiene. Deer meat may be used in a variety of dishes by grinding it or creating jerky out of it.

Apply for Your Kansas Deer Permit

Applications start in April! Most deer licenses in Kansas must be applied for by both citizens and non-residents.

The application deadline for muzzleloader and weapon licenses is June 9, 2024.

Applications for whitetail firearms from non-residents cost $25.

After the draw, unused permits could be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Through October 1, 2024, archery licenses may be acquired over the counter.

If the quota allows, antlerless permits are limitless after the draw.

Create an account and submit your deer permit applications online at https://www.kshuntfishcamp.com. So that you don’t miss out, mark your calendar.

Your Kansas deer hunt will be successful if you do your homework and are aware of the rules, hunting seasons, and permit requirements. For a successful deer season in 2024-2024, use this information. For complete information and legal requirements, contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Happy hunting!

Frequently Asked Questions