Statistics for the 2023-2024 hunting season can be found here.

Special hunts are part of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks' "Recruitment, Retention and Re-Activation (R3)" efforts. These hunts are conducted on lands not normally open to un-restricted hunting and include department lands, including state parks, wildlife areas, and refuges. The hunts also occur on national wildlife refuges, city and county properties, and other locations. These hunts limit the number of participants to ensure a quality experience or to achieve specific management goals, such as herd reduction.

Hunts are being planned on approx. 21 Wildlife Areas, 6 State Parks, 3 State Fishing Lakes, 2 Private Lands, 3 County owned properties, 2 National Wildlife Refuges, and 1 Corps of Engineers Lake. Special Hunts occur on areas not open to unlimited hunting.

Special hunts only provide access to properties; Licenses, permits, tags, stamps, and Hunter Education are required, unless exempt. 

NON-RESIDENTS must have drawn a deer permit to be eligible for special deer hunts (check the deer management unit on your permit to match the special hunt)

Instructions and Information for 2022 Fall/Winter Special Hunts can be seen below or downloaded HERE.

Some hunts on private county lands are now in the iWIHA program:

https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Hunting-Programs/iWIHA-Limited-Access-Hunts

- For more information, e-mail staff at: tessa.diedrichsen@ks.gov

The following is a rough outline of our Special Hunts Timeline for each fall/winter season. 

Applications open to Public - July (preceding fall season)

Fall/Winter Draw - All hunts from August to January

Spring Turkey Draw - March (following year; for turkey hunts beginning in April & May)