APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR SPECIAL HUNTS SEPT. 29- Kansas

Outstanding hunting grounds exist throughout the state, but for the average hunter, gaining access to private land ksoutdoors.com by clicking “Hunting/Special Hunts Information.” The deadline for Nov.-Jan special hunts is Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. 

areas may be difficult. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism designed the Special Hunts Program to ensure hunters have quality outdoor experiences. Special hunts provide hunters with temporary access to lands not normally open to unrestricted hunting. Hunters interested in experiencing a special hunt for this fall or winter can apply online at

Approximately 650 hunts are currently available for the fall and winter months, and a random computer drawing will be conducted within one week of the application deadline to determine who will be awarded special hunts. Lucky hunters can draw hunts that provide access to specific areas for just a day or up to the entire season.

During the application process, hunters will select what species they want to hunt as well as what type of hunt they prefer, be that an open hunt, a youth hunt, or a mentored hunt. Open hunts are available to all successful applicants, regardless of age or hunting experience. Youth hunts require parties to include at least one youth 18 or younger, accompanied by an adult 21 or older who will not hunt. And mentored hunts are open to both youth and novice hunters supervised by a mentor 21 or older who may also hunt.

Hunters are reminded that special hunt permits only provide access to the properties and do not include any licenses or permits.

For more information on the Special Hunts Program, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting/Special Hunts Information,” or contact KDWPT public land supervisor Mike Nyhoff at (785) 628-8614 or by email atmike.nyhoff@ksoutdoors.com.

DEER SEASON IS HERE

Kansas deer season is upon us and with a variety of seasons to choose from, it’s important hunters stay informed and organized. The 2014 deer season kicks off with the youth and Sept. 14, 2014, followed by the muzzleloader season, Sept. 15 - 28, 2014, and the archery season, Sept. 15 - Dec. 31, 2014. Resident hunters can obtain deer permits over the counter from any license vendor, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism office, and online at ksoutdoors.com. A resident hunter who purchases an Any-season White-tailed Deer permit can hunt during any season with equipment legal for that season. Other permits may be equipment and season specific, as listed on the permit.

disabled season going on now through

New this year, hunters can reference color-coded calendars found in the2014 Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summaryand online at ksoutdoors.com to keep track of season dates.

All hunters hunting deer during a firearm deer season and persons assisting, are required to wear blaze orange while in the field. A minimum of 100 square inches on the front and 100 square inches on the back must be visible. A blaze orange hat must also be worn.

Last year, more than 120,000 hunters pursued deer in Kansas, harvesting nearly 90,000 deer and spending 1.4 million hunting days afield. Overall success rate for active hunters was 51 percent.

For more information on the 2014 Kansas deer season, consult the2014 Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summaryor visit ksoutdoors.com

KANSAS NONRESIDENT DEER APPLICATION PERIOD OPEN

Nonresidents must apply online for limited deer permits

PRATT – Nonresidents who want to hunt deer in Kansas this fall must apply online for the limited number of nonresident deer permits by April 25, 2014. Season information, application instructions, permit quotas, as well as last year’s drawing statistics can all be viewed on the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) website,www.ksoutdoors.com.

Just more than 22,000 nonresident white-tailed deer combo permits were authorized for 2014, the same as last year. In addition, 266 mule deer stamps are allocated in Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 16, 17 and 18. Nonresidents who wish to hunt mule deer must apply for a mule deer stamp. If they draw a muzzleloader or archery whitetail permit in one of these units, they will then be entered into the drawing for a mule deer stamp. Those who draw a mule deer stamp will receive a combo permit valid for one white-tailed or mule deer, buck or doe, and one white-tailed antlerless deer.

Only online applications will be accepted, and applicants will be taken through the process step-by-step on KDWPT’s website. General nonresident white-tailed deer combo permits are $346.96, including application and convenience fees. The Mule Deer Stamp is $102.50. Nonresident youth white-tailed deer combo permits (hunters 15 and younger) are $116.34. All nonresident permits are combo permits and include one either-sex whitetail tag and one antlerless whitetail only tag.

For more information go to www.ksoutdoors.com or phone 620-672-0728.

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• Resident Firearm Either-species/either-sex Deer Permit Application Deadline July 12 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Nonresident Any-Deer Bow Licenses (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

WILDLIFE CHECKPOINT PLANNED IN CENTRAL KS

Joint effort will check drivers’ licenses and possession of wildlife

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT), KHP and local law enforcement will conduct a joint checkpoint in central Kansas in early October. The fall turkey season starts October 1, and the regular big duck season starts October 5. The checkpoint is intended to help enforce state and federal wildlife laws, as well as the state’s driver’s licensing laws.

Local law enforcement officers will operate the first stage of the checkpoint to be sure drivers are properly licensed to be driving. If a driver does not have a valid license, appropriate enforcement actions will be taken. Travelers should not expect major delays from this portion of the checkpoint.

Occupants of vehicles in the first check lane will be asked if they are hunters or are transporting wildlife. If yes in either case, drivers will be directed to a nearby KDWPT check lane where natural resource officers will check for required licenses and permits, count the game and gather biological, harvest, and hunter success information. This portion of the checkpoint should also cause minimal delay.

Additional wildlife checkpoints will occur around the state during the fall and winter hunting seasons.

For more information, contact KDWPT natural resource officer Matt Stucker at (620) 770-9330, or by email atmatt.stucker@ksoutdoors.com

Michigan Deer Hunting News
Michigan has put out a video on "Deer Management Units" in southern Michigan.  This will be of particular interest as hunters plan applications for the antlerless season.  The application period begins July 15th.

Kansas Deer Hunting News
The KDWPT has issued nonresident licenses and has 902 left over.  Visit for the details.

http://goo.gl/5DPYe

Kansas has hundreds of special hunts on areas not accessible as part of the regular hunting seasons.  These include deer hunts, but other hunts as well.  If you'd like to look into whther you'd like to apply for one of these, visit http://goo.gl/DZRFr.  The application period runs July 16th-August 11th.

When planning your Kansas deer hunts on lublic land a great tool is Kansas Public Hunting

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Finding Public Hunting Land in Kansas

You will find a new resource for locating public land on which to hunt in Kansas.  The idea behind this resource came about as the result of my research efforts in finding public land hunting in Missouri.

The MDC had done a great job of putting together information on conservation areas, but the structure was cumbersome.  So several years ago, I essentially put together the information in a way that at least for me made more sense.  That resource has received more traffic at family-outdoors.com than any other by quite a bit.

The same idea came to me when researching public land hunting opportunities in Kansas.  The public land options in Kansas are much more limited than Missouri, so you want to know every option available and have it in a handy format.  I came to the realization that a hunter using the KDWPT site as is would miss many opportunities due to "dead links" and other structural issues.

This resource has KDWPT wildlife areas as well as federally managed properties.  It is organized in a manner where the hunter can get all his or her preliminary research done on one page. The resource is at Kansas Public Land Hunting

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Kansas COMMISSION BIG GAME PERMIT DEADLINE JANUARY 1

Permits help conservation groups raise money
PRATT – Seven numbers will be drawn by Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism commissioners at their scheduled public meeting in January. The numbers will represent state conservation organizations that applied for the coveted Commission Big Game permits, which can be auctioned off to raise money for conservation projects.
Any Kansas-based nonprofit organization that actively promotes wildlife conservation and the hunting and fishing heritage is eligible to apply. Only one permit per organization will be awarded; however, individual chapters of the same organization may receive permits. A chapter or organization is eligible to receive only one Commission Big Game permit in a three-year period.
Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism commissioners will conduct the drawing when they meet on January 10, 2013 at Butler County Community College in El Dorado. Applications must be received no later than Jan. 1, 2013.
To apply, organizations must submit an application that includes a copy of their 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, articles of incorporation, and mission statement, as well as the organization’s preference for an elk, antelope or deer permit. Applications can be downloaded from KDWPT’s website, www.ksoutdoors.com; enter “2013 Commission Big Game Permit” in the search box. Mail applications to Sheila Kemmis, Commission Secretary, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, 512 SE 25th Ave., Pratt, KS 67124.
Seven permits will be issued, which may include one elk, one antelope and up to seven deer, depending upon the preferences of the drawn organizations. Organizations that draw a permit must pay KDWPT the permit fee, and they will be issued a voucher. The final recipient must remit the voucher to KDWPT’s licensing section to receive the big game permit. Permits may be issued to resident or nonresident hunters and are valid in management units and seasons listed on the permits.
Once an organization sells a permit, not less than 85 percent of the amount is returned to KDWPT to be spent on mutually agreed-upon projects. The remaining 15 percent can be spent at the organization’s discretion. (If Kansas Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (KFHFH) receives a permit, not less than 15 percent of the funds raised is remitted to KDWPT with 85 percent staying with KFHFH.)

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SUMNER COUNTY, KANSAS DEER DID NOT HAVE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

Initial test was false-positive
PRATT— In July, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) reported that nine deer had tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) during the 2011-12 testing period. The agency now reports that the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, after two different tests, did not detect CWD prions in the Sumner County deer, so initial testing in this case yielded a false-positive result. This reduces the total 2011-2012 positives to eight. Counties where CWD was detected during the 2011-2012 surveillance period include Wallace (one), Rawlins (one), Decatur (one), Norton (two), Trego (one), Ford (one), and Stafford (one).

The white-tailed deer in question was taken from Sumner County last winter. This result brings the total number of confirmed CWD cases in Kansas to 48 since testing began in 1996. In total, 2,446 animals were tested for CWD during the 2011-2012 surveillance period, Aug. 1, 2011, through July 31, 2012.
Annual testing is part of an ongoing effort by KDWPT to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in the Kansas free-ranging deer herd in 2005 in Cheyenne County.

More information on CWD can be found on KDWPT’s website, ksoutdoors.com, or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org.

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KANSAS: LEFTOVER NONRESIDENT DEER PERMITS STILL AVAILABLE

PRATT — After the initial nonresident deer permit drawing in May, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) had approximately 4,000 permits leftover in 11 deer management units for the 2012 season. The agency put these permits up for sale on a first-come, first-served basis, but as of July 11, more than 1,200 of these Whitetail Either-Sex permits were still available. Those hunters whose favorite unit does not have leftover permits may purchase a permit for an adjacent unit, if it has leftover permits, then select their favorite unit as the adjacent unit where they may also hunt.

As of July 11, leftover Nonresident Whitetail Either Sex Deer permits were available in the following units: Unit 10 — 354; Unit 11 — 27; Unit 12 — 247; Unit 13 — 350; and Unit 14 — 242. With these permits, the hunter designates equipment/season choice, as well as one adjacent unit, at time of purchase. They will be sold online through the KDWPT website to any nonresident who does not already have a 2012 permit at the ksoutdoors.com, under “License/Permits.”

Applicants can check the number of deer permits by unit that are still available online at the KDWPT website, ksoutdoors.com, under “Hunting/Applications-and-Fees/Deer/Quotas-and-Draw-Stats.” Department staff will update this site frequently.

Hunters who purchase a leftover permit will lose any preference points they may have accumulated for next year's drawing. Applicants who were successful in the nonresident drawing may not purchase a leftover permit. No hunter may purchase more than one permit that allows the take of an antlered deer. An antlered deer permit is required before purchasing a Whitetail Antlerless-Only Deer permit.

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Kansas: HUNTERS NEEDED FOR MANHATTAN-AREA YOUTH/HANDICAP DEER HUNT

Application deadline Aug. 1
MANHATTAN — The 10th Annual Youth/Handicap Assisted Deer Hunt is just three months away, and now is the time to sign up. The Riley County Fish and Game Association; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Reservoir are seeking participants for the hunt, to be held Sept. 8 and 9.

Kansas youth 11 through 16 years old and Kansas residents with a certified disability are eligible to participate in this hunt. Participants will need a Kansas hunting license, a deer permit, and, if required by Kansas law, to take or have taken an approved hunter education course. Sponsoring agencies and associations can provide assistance meeting these requirements, including scholarships to help purchase licenses and permits. Rifles and/or ammunition can be provided, as well.

Each hunt participant will be paired with an experienced hunter who will serve as guide. Arrangements have been made with area lockers, where basic processing of harvested deer will be handled free of charge. Other items provided for this hunt include accessible hunting blinds, access to hunting property, hunter orange hats and vests, and transportation to the field.

Hunt participants will also be required to attend a firearm safety presentation and sight-in at the Fancy Creek Shooting Range at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 19.

Other groups and organizations contributing to this hunt include the Friends of Fancy Creek Range, Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, Kansas State Rifle Association, and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

For more information or an application, phone Steve Prockish at the Tuttle Creek Lake Corps of Engineers Office, 785-539-8511, ext. 3167, or email stephen.e.prockish@usace.army.mil. Applications will be accepted thru Aug. 1.

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KANSAS NONRESIDENT DEER DRAWING COMPLETE

A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More than 4,000 permits left over, on sale June 18
PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has completed the nonresident deer permit drawing for the 2012 seasons, and for those applicants who were unsuccessful, there’s good news: more than 4,000 permits are left over from the initial drawing. These permits will go on sale first-come, first-served beginning June 18, online at ksoutdoors.com.
Nonresident hunters who were successful in the drawing should expect their permits in the mail about the second week in June. Those who were unsuccessful — more than 600 applicants — will be notified about the same time. Applicants can check the number of deer permits by unit that are still available online at the KDWPT website, ksoutdoors.com, under “Hunting/Applications-and-Fees/Deer/Quotas-and-Draw-Stats.” Department staff will update this site frequently.
Applicants will be able to check the status of individual applications at https://www1.ks.wildlifelicense.com/results_lookup.php about June 1.
June 8 is the deadline for resident-only firearm and muzzleloader antelope permits. Antelope archery permits may be purchased online and over the counter July 25 through Oct. 30. Archery antelope permits are available to both resident and nonresident.

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KDWPT SIGNING WALK-IN HUNTING CONTRACTS

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Signup deadline July 15 for landowners; new counties eligible for incentive payments

PRATT — Landowners interested in the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Walk-In Hunting Access Program (WIHA) — which pays landowners to allow public hunting access on their land — are reminded that the deadline for enrollment is July 15. The WIHA program, which began in 1995, has grown to include more than 1 million acres and nearly 3,000 contracts with Kansas landowners.

Almost anyone who owns, leases, or manages 80 contiguous acres of land with suitable wildlife habitat can qualify. A little more than half the land enrolled in WIHA is federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grass, but other lands are also considered, including native rangeland, weedy wheat stubble, milo stubble, and riparian and wetland areas.
After receiving applications, KDWPT biologists evaluate wildlife habitat on the applicants' land. Payment rates are based on the size and location of tracts and the number of months the landowner will open the land to hunting. A 50-percent additional incentive payment is offered for WIHA in the following urban counties: Butler, Coffey, Cowley, Douglas, Franklin, Harvey, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lyon, Miami, Osage, Ottawa, Reno, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sumner, Wabaunsee, and Wyandotte.

Counties that have had historically low or are declining in program participation are also eligible for the 50-percent additional incentive payment. The following counties are eligible under this criteria: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clay, Cloud, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Elk, Ellsworth, Geary, Greenwood, Harper, Jewell, Labette, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Republic, Rice, Riley, Stafford, Washington, Wilson, and Woodson.
Once enrolled, the property is posted with signs indicating access dates, and a map of the tract will be included in a free atlas provided by KDWPT. Natural resource officers periodically patrol WIHA properties. In addition, state law provides protection to private individuals who lease their land to the state for recreational purposes from liability for damages or injuries resulting from ordinary negligence.

Lease options include open periods running Sept. 1-Jan. 31 and Nov. 1-Jan. 31, with the option to run through March 31 in areas where habitat and hunt opportunities are appropriate. A popular spin-off is the Spring Turkey WIHA Program, with lease dates from April 1- May 31. For more information, phone 620-672-5911.

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KDWPT COMMISSION APPROVES BIG GAME AND TURKEY REGULATIONS

(Photo credit: SLV Native)

WICHITA — The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission met at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita on Thursday, April 26. During the Public Hearing portion of the meeting, the commission approved recommended changes to the management units for fall turkey hunting season. The recommendation adds two units for a total of six, and will allow biologists to adapt hunting regulations and bag limits to better manage the state’s turkey populations.
In other action, the commission approved recommendations for the season dates and permit allocations for the 2012 antelope seasons. Archery season for antelope is Sept. 22-30, and Oct. 15-31. Archery permits are sold over-the-counter to residents and nonresidents, and all antelope management units are open to archery hunting.
The muzzleloader-only antelope season is set for Oct. 1-8, and is open to residents only. Twenty-six muzzleloader-only permits are authorized for Unit 2; 12 permits are authorized for Unit 17; and eight permits are authorized for Unit 18.
The 2012 firearm antelope season is set for Oct. 5-8 and is open to residents only. One hundred firearm antelope permits are authorized for Unit 2; 40 are authorized for Unit 17; and 10 are authorized for Unit 18.
The application period for resident antelope muzzleloader and firearm permits is May 8-June 8. All applications must be submitted online through the KDWPT website, www.ksoutdoors.com.
In final public hearing action, commissioners approved recommendations for the 2012-2013 elk hunting season. Archery season: Unit 3 (statewide except Fort Riley and Morton County) — Sept. 17-Dec. 31; Unit 2a (Fort Riley) — Sept. 1-30. Firearm Season: Unit 3 — Nov. 28-Dec. 9, and Jan. 1, 2013-March 15, 2013; Unit 2a, either-sex holders — Oct. 1-Dec. 31; antlerless-only permit holders – Oct. 1-31, Nov. 1-30 and Dec. 1-31 (one-third of the permits valid in each season segment). Muzzleloader season: Unit 2 and Unit 3 – Sept. 1-30.
Ten either-sex elk permits and 15 antlerless-only elk permits are authorized for Unit 2. Only residents are eligible for elk permits, and applications for limited-quota permits must be submitted online by July 13, 2012. An unlimited number of antlerless-only and either-sex hunt-own-land permits are authorized for Units 2 and 3. An unlimited number of the antlerless-only and either-sex elk permits are authorized for Unit 3.
The KDWPT Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for June 21 in Kansas City.

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2012 KANSAS NONRESIDENT DEER APPLICATION DEADLINE APRIL 27

White-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Application deadline last Friday in April; no mail-in applications accepted
PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) reminds all nonresident deer hunters that the application period for 2012 Kansas Deer permits is April 1-27 (closing the last Friday in April. All applications must be made online through the KDWPT website, ksoutdoors.com, or by phoning 620-672-5911 and asking for Licensing. Mail-in applications are not available, and none will be accepted. Phone applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, April 27. The online application deadline is midnight on April 27. This application applies to nonresident either-sex deer permits only. Nonresident Hunt-Own-Land and Antlerless White-tailed Deer permits will be available beginning June 18 over the counter.

Nonresident either-sex deer permits allow the taking of one white-tailed deer buck, doe, or fawn. The cost of the permit is $322.50, and if successful in the drawing, the applicant must also purchase a nonresident hunting license, $72.50, prior to hunting. The hunter applies in one of 18 deer management units and may also select one adjacent unit in which to hunt. Applicants also select one equipment type and season choice (archery, muzzleloader, or firearm) at the time of application. Muzzleloader permit holders may hunt during early muzzleloader season and regular firearm season using muzzleloader equipment only. If unsuccessful in the draw, the hunter receives a $301 refund and a preference point for next year’s draw.

A nonresident who successfully draws an Archery or Muzzleloader either-sex deer permit in Unit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 16, 17, or 18 may also apply for one of a limited number of Mule Deer Stamps for an additional fee of $102.50, submitted at time of application; if drawn, the applicant’s archery or muzzleloader whitetail permit converts to an either-species/either-sex archery or muzzleloader permit. Preference points do not count toward this stamp. If unsuccessful in the Mule Deer Stamp draw, the hunter will receive a $101 refund and be issued the whitetail permit.

A nonresident hunter who doesn’t want to hunt in 2011 can purchase a preference point online for $22.50. The preference point will count toward a nonresident whitetail either-sex deer permit in a future drawing.

To apply for a Nonresident Whitetail Either-sex Deer permit, go to the KDWP website,www.kdwp.state.ks.us and click "Licenses/Permits" in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Then click "Buy your License/Permit Online" and follow the directions. To learn more about permits you may qualify for, go online to the KDWPT website, ksoutdooors.com, and click “Hunting/Big Game Information/Deer.”

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MOSSY OAK EVENT LURES MONSTER BUCK POACHING SUSPECT

Image via Wikipedia

Topeka man enters suspected illegally-taken deer in Monster Buck Contest
TOPEKA — On Jan. 27-29, Mossy Oak Properties of the Heartland presented the inaugural Monster Buck Classic (We are Kansas) event at the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka. The event was designed to promote deer hunting and outdoor recreation in Kansas and to provide Kansas hunters with the latest information and equipment related to deer hunting.

In addition, the event featured a Monster Buck Contest, open to all Kansas residents, in which hunters could enter officially-scored bucks, with prizes offered to the largest deer in typical and non-typical categories for both white-tailed and mule deer. Fortunately for all law-abiding hunters, the contest helped expose the suspected illegal shooting of a big buck.

One entry, which would have potentially been a new Kansas state record, drew suspicion of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) law enforcement officials, and after investigation, David V. Kent was charged with poaching the deer.

On Feb. 1, eight charges were filed against Kent by Osage County Attorney Brandon Jones in the District Court of Osage County, Fourth Judicial District, including criminal discharge of a firearm, criminal hunting, illegally hunting with an artificial light, hunting outside of legal hours, illegal hunting during a closed season, using an illegal caliber for taking big game, illegal hunting from a vehicle, and hunting without a valid deer permit.

Kent has been summoned to appear in Osage County District Court in Lyndon, Kan., on March 1, 2012, at 9 a.m.

“As a developer of the Mossy Oak Properties brand in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Iowa, I strongly condemn this type of behavior,” said Brian D. Smith, CEO of Mossy Oak Properties of the Heartland and founder of the Kansas Big Buck Classic. “In fact, we believe in the stiffest penalties possible for poaching, and we played a strategic part in exposing this case. We cooperated 100 percent.”

THREE KANSAS DEER CONFIRMED POSITIVE IN EARLY STAGES OF CWD TESTING

Image via Wikipedia

Numbers still low; no known threat to humans or livestock
PRATT — The number of cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) detected in Kansas deer continues to be low and is currently isolated to the northwest part of the state, according to the Shane Hesting, wildlife disease coordinator for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT). Samples from three white-tailed bucks taken during this year’s hunting season were confirmed positive for CWD in tests completed last week. Counties where the deer were taken include Wallace (new county of detection), Decatur, and Rawlins. KDWPT will continue testing some vehicle-killed and sick or suspect-looking deer, as well as deer taken with depredation permits, through July 31.

“This season’s testing results bring the total number of confirmed CWD cases in Kansas to 43 since testing began in 1996,” says Hesting. “About 2,400 samples were collected during the 2011-2012 deer seasons, but testing has been slow, and testing kits are continually on back order. We’re about 35 percent done. More importantly, U.S. Department of Agriculture funding will not be available for collecting and testing samples next season. Without federal financial assistance, surveillance will be very limited and less robust.”

Annual testing has been a part of an ongoing effort by KDWPT to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The disease, fatal in wild deer, was first detected in deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication, but in the later stages, signs may include decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans.

“It must be noted that many of the symptoms of CWD are indicative of other diseases,” Hesting explains. “Thus, a sick deer may or may not be infected with CWD. CWD is a serious deer disease but is still rare in Kansas.”

All but three of the 43 positive animals detected since 2005 were asymptomatic, meaning 40 animals did not show any symptoms of CWD at the time of collection. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWP office.

There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock in the natural environment. Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWPT’s website, www.ksoutdoors.com(Hunting/Big Game Information), or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website,www.cwd-info.org.

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