Daily Archives: December 1, 2016

Electronically register deer before leaving the field

You’ve been lucky enough to have a deer come within range. You take the shot, and it’s a good one. You take a moment, delight in your efficient and ethical shot placement, and breathe a sigh of relief. You did it. But your work isn’t over. Before rolling up your sleeves and unfurling your trusty field-dressing knife, use your clean hands to electronically register your deer. It’s voluntary, will just take a moment, and it will keep you legal during transport if you don’t have an either-sex permit and want to bone your deer out in the field.

Kansas regulations require a hunter to tag a deer before it’s moved from the kill site. Unless a hunter possesses an either-sex permit, the head must remain attached to the carcass while in transit to a residence, or to a place of commercial processing or preservation. For hunters who want to bone out their deer onsite prior to transport, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) offers a voluntary electronic deer check-in system that hunters can access using their smartphone. You’ll just need some basic information and photos taken at the harvest site. To access the electronic deer check-in system, go to www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Deer Check-in.”

The electronic registration process requires hunters to submit two photographs — one close-up clearly showing the completed tag attached to the deer and a second showing the entire body of the deer with the head still attached. Once in the system, and registration is complete, a confirmation number will be issued by e-mail. This confirmation number must be retained during transport.

Hunters need the following information when electronically registering their deer: KDWPT permit number, time and date of kill, and county where deer was taken.

If Internet access is unavailable at the kill site, hunters can retain the photographs while in transit and a registration number can be obtained later.

This system can be especially convenient for nonresident hunters who will take deer meat across state lines. Because chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in Kansas deer, some states may have special regulations limiting the parts of the deer that may be brought in. Boning a deer out in the field is the best way to prevent spreading diseases such as CWD.

For more information on Kansas’ big game regulations, consult the 2016 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, or visit www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting,” then “Hunting Regulations.”

Hunters: Ask permission

Hunting on private land in Kansas requires permission from the landowner, whether the land is posted or not. While Kansas ranks near the top among states for the deer, pheasant and quail hunting opportunities found here, it ranks near the bottom when comparing the amount of public hunting land available. It’s a fact that Kansas land is 97 percent privately owned, and although there are 1 million acres enrolled in the state’s Walk-in Hunting Access (WIHA) program, most hunting occurs on private land.

Getting permission before taking a single step on private land is one of the most important things you can do as a hunter, not only to keep you and your group from being charged with trespass, but also to ensure the future of our hunting heritage. Landowners fed up with trespassers may eventually close their land to all hunters. It’s simple: if you want to hunt, ask; if you’re not sure of a boundary, ask; if you don’t see Public Hunting or WIHA signs, ask.

Landowners may post their land with signs requiring written permission for hunting access, or they may simply paint posts or signs with purple paint, which also signifies that written permission is required. On this land, hunters must have a written permission slip from the landowner. This can be more convenient for landowners because they don’t have to press trespass charges. If a game warden encounters hunters who don’t have the required written permission, a citation can be issued onsite.

Hunters who treat Kansas landowners and their land with respect will enjoy some of the best hunting in the U.S., and they’ll likely create friendships that may last a lifetime. Hunters and landowners who witness any illegal activity, including trespassing, should call the toll-free Operation Game Thief number, 1-877-426-3843 or the local game warden, whose phone number can be found on Page 49 of the 2016 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary.