Deer Hunting in Kansas
"A Sportsman Paradise"
Deer season remains one of Kansas' most popular hunting seasons, and the state is an ideal destination for those in search of a trophy buck! A variety of seasons exist for both mule and white-tailed deer, including special seasons for youth, hunters with disabilities, and veterans.
In Kansas, mule deer are mostly limited to the western part of the state, while whitetail can be found across Kansas. Whether you're an expert, a seasoned hunter, or a novice looking for new and thrilling adventures, Kansas provides some of the best deer hunting opportunities in the United States as well as travelers from all over the world!
The most common species are the white-tailed deer, which are generally found in all regions of Kansas. While mule deer are present, they prefer the terrain in Northwest and Southwest regions of Kansas. Check out the Kansas Hunting Atlas for an interactive and up-to-date look at where to find the best spots for deer hunting in Kansas!
Kansas maintains various deer seasons that usually begin in September and end in January. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Kansas Wildlife & Parks website.
Upcoming Seasons - 2024/25
- Youth & Disabled - Statewide:
- Early Muzzleloader Season - Statewide:
- Archery Season - Statewide:
- Firearms Season:
- 1st Extended Whitetail Antlerless Only:
- Jan. 1 - Jan. 5, 2025,
- (Units 6, 8, 9, 10, and 17)
- 2nd Extended Whitetail Antlerless Only:
- Jan. 1 - Jan. 12, 2025,
- (Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 14, and 16)
- 3rd Extended Whitetail Antlerless Only:
- Jan. 1 - Jan. 19, 2025, (Units 10A, 12, 13, 15, and 19)
- Extended Archery Whitetail Antlerless Only:
- Jan. 20 - Jan. 31, 2025, (Units 10A and 19)
- *Pre-Rut Firearm Whitetail Antlerless Season;
- Oct. 12 - Oct. 14, 2024
- Ft Riley Unit CLOSED For Pre-Rut Season.
- Any permit that allows the harvest of a white-tailed antlerless deer is valid during this season.
- Equipment and unit restrictions on permit imposed.
- Hunter orange clothing is required.
Archery Season
Many out-of-state hunters prefer the long archery season, which allows crossbows and encompasses the rut. It can be a time with bucks chase all day. Or, when hunters rattle antlers to spark a classic Kansas monster buck into running within range amid a testosterone-driven rage.
Sometimes such a sight sends the hunter into such a quaking case of buck fever, that shots are missed so badly that arrows are never found. At least in Kansas, another chance at a great buck might come along at any time.
Success Rates
Kansas deer hunters enjoy one of the highest hunting success rates in the nation. Opportunities range from do-it-yourself events on Kansas’ 1.5 million acres open to public hunting, to fully guided trips on vast ranches legendary for colossal bucks.
In Kansas, centerfire rifles in the firearms season legally allow hunters to shoot far across the open prairie, if needed. Muzzleloaders, of any style, can be equipped with scopes for a productive black powder season.
Two deer species thrive in Kansas – the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. Mule deer are restricted to the western one-third of the state, primarily on the High Plains, Smoky Hills, and Red Hills regions. As you travel west to east, mule deer are less abundant, and whitetail numbers increase. White-tailed deer numbers have increased dramatically in the last 20 years, and they can be found virtually statewide wherever suitable habitat exists. Highest whitetail densities are in the eastern one-third of the state. Whitetails have adapted well to Kansas’ modern landscape, finding cover in natural woodlands, shelterbelts, old homesteads and grasslands, and abundant food in crop fields. The selective management program has created a healthy deer herd, with excellent potential for trophy-sized bucks in all regions. (Credit: KDWP)
Hunting Outfitters & Lodges
