Few Changes:

1. Your CC wont be charged unless you draw. You will only be charged for your license and service fee up front.

2. Unit selection looks different. You’ll see a 19 by every selection. This threw me off. That’s unit 19 that is an urban unit that everyone can hunt. The original units are listed after that. My outfitter told me Saturday he had received a lot of calls about that.

#1 had me confused at first. Hopefully, this will be my year now that I went in with one point.

Still debating on whether or not to put in. Last two years have been an absolute cluster with the amount of people and pressure on the public land.

What part of the state?

If you're on the fence about applying, now is the time to do it.

I'm told that non-resident fee increases are being considered, possibly for 2024.

Not a for-sure thing but given all the interest in Kansas and how hunters continue to pay insanely stupid prices for licenses and permits, it shouldn't be a surprise. It's supply and demand, though, just like any other business.

I guess everyone knows they outlawed the use of game camera's on public land including WIHA.

It's not 100% final yet but will be once it's published in the Kansas Register, the official publication of the state's new laws/regs.

It will apply to the WIHA areas on private lands - which as a WHIA designated tract is thus public.

I'm told that other possible changes include a ban on baiting on public lands. Don't know if that would include WIHA but if the cameras are banned, I'd guess that baiting would be as well.

If so, unless landowners are copacetic with the government telling them more things they can do on their own property, we might see a loss of WIHA lands.

It’s my understanding that it’s a done deal Clem.

The camera ban is, other than the final required legal steps. I'm sure the others will be done, too.

I’d go ahead and apply for a point even if you don’t want to put in this year. With one point you are guaranteed to draw a tag. (As of now anyway)

SE Area. Unit 14 and all surrounding.

It’s changed a lot the last 10-12 years.

I’ve heard that Kansas is going to a one point draw for tags, but have no clue if that’s true. I’m curious to see if that happens. I’ve drawn tags 2 out of 3 years

I applied this weekend for the busy units mentioned. Are the big crowds more of a problem opening week and early season or is it pressured the whole season? I have heard similar things about other popular state's public lands like Illinois. Kansas was a bucket list for me. Guess I will get it out of my system before it gets any worse.

I've drawn a tag each year since 2009 except for 2021. In my part of the state, we used to have 275 or so left over tags up until 2019. Then we flipped and we had 275 or so folks that didn't draw in 2020. In 2021 we had over 1000 people that didn't draw.

We will see how this year goes.

i put in for my point this year with the intentions of going next season. Timing of work and personal obligations just isn't going to allow me to do multiple out of state hunts this year.

So, assuming I did it correctly, the NR point fee is $25 + taxes. So, what area(s) should we be looking at for next year?

Kansas has been a known hotspot for a long time. Why the recent difficulties in drawing a tag? My friend up there says this has only become a problem in the last several years.

Covid shut down the Canadian border and it stayed closed for a few years. The folks that hunted Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, etc. each year still had vacation time, money set aside, etc. for hunting trips. Those guys started applying in the midwestern states and hunting in OTC states. Lots of midwestern outfitters that were accustomed to having openings were booked full.

At least that's my professional opinion.

2nd time Ive heard this in as many days

I believe it is going to go back to normal this season or next because lots fo the outfitters that I work with in the lower 48 have openings again due to their "Canadian" hunters going back to Canada this fall.

Time will tell.