I hope Kansas does this!!!!!! That state has been kicked in the balls for 15 years now of poor regulation choices that have degraded what it used to be. (Like every other state). Crossbows with cell cams on bait piles…. That’s KS & a handful of states.
1) that model does not retain hunters. Hunters without woodsmen-ship & a major challenge, don’t stay with the sport. There’s data & there’s my common sense to back this up
2) the ecosystems, browse & deer health are greatly degraded after bait is pulled “when hunting ends”. Disaster & destructive to herd & habitat.
3) levels the playing field for neighboring landowners and the hunters vs deer. IMO.
4) bait sales are a tiny fraction of bushels grown for any farmer that farms over even 100 acres. Farmers will be just fine & bait sales are drop in bucket.
5) other bordering states don’t do it. I would argue kansas would take a step towards having a deer herd closer to Iowas (age class, etc) with removal of bait for hunting
6) I do support spring & summer supplemental feed for health of herd. Not the injection during hunting season.
7) KS has twice the forested acres of iowa & that’s not including the plains regions. The east half of kansas receives similar rainfall totals that iowa does. The dryer half of KS can still grow more drought tolerant crops like sorghum, Milo & alfalfa. It also still contains massive swaths of irrigated corn & beans.
8) milder winters than iowa & less need for feed. & again, the reality I see in KS over 20+ years is pulling the feed around December when deer are congregated & leaving herds with overbrowsed land from Jan to march- toughest months on deer & forest browse.
9) overall this is a NET WIN to kansas. Age class, quality of hunting, the pursuit & hunt, etc. Kansas has taken all hits to buck age class, hunters & management. FINALLY the deer get one in their favor!!!!!
I hope this passes. I know it’s a hot button issue. I get it!!! I get theirs 2 sides. If this passes- kansas will be a better state. & id argue that 2-3 years from now- things will improve & hunters will overwhelmingly not want to revert to corn pile madness.
Thoughts?
Here’s contacts if anyone wanted to reach out. Finding their emails I’m sure is easy & I can dig them up if needed. I’m sure emails to dnr of KS & legislators would be very helpful. I know we have some KS folks on here. I hunted a lot of places in KS last year…. Kansas deer herd is degraded vs the past & improvement is sure welcomed by me .
1) that model does not retain hunters. Hunters without woodsmen-ship & a major challenge, don’t stay with the sport. There’s data & there’s my common sense to back this up
2) the ecosystems, browse & deer health are greatly degraded after bait is pulled “when hunting ends”. Disaster & destructive to herd & habitat.
3) levels the playing field for neighboring landowners and the hunters vs deer. IMO.
4) bait sales are a tiny fraction of bushels grown for any farmer that farms over even 100 acres. Farmers will be just fine & bait sales are drop in bucket.
5) other bordering states don’t do it. I would argue kansas would take a step towards having a deer herd closer to Iowas (age class, etc) with removal of bait for hunting
6) I do support spring & summer supplemental feed for health of herd. Not the injection during hunting season.
7) KS has twice the forested acres of iowa & that’s not including the plains regions. The east half of kansas receives similar rainfall totals that iowa does. The dryer half of KS can still grow more drought tolerant crops like sorghum, Milo & alfalfa. It also still contains massive swaths of irrigated corn & beans.
8) milder winters than iowa & less need for feed. & again, the reality I see in KS over 20+ years is pulling the feed around December when deer are congregated & leaving herds with overbrowsed land from Jan to march- toughest months on deer & forest browse.
9) overall this is a NET WIN to kansas. Age class, quality of hunting, the pursuit & hunt, etc. Kansas has taken all hits to buck age class, hunters & management. FINALLY the deer get one in their favor!!!!!
I hope this passes. I know it’s a hot button issue. I get it!!! I get theirs 2 sides. If this passes- kansas will be a better state. & id argue that 2-3 years from now- things will improve & hunters will overwhelmingly not want to revert to corn pile madness.
Thoughts?
Here’s contacts if anyone wanted to reach out. Finding their emails I’m sure is easy & I can dig them up if needed. I’m sure emails to dnr of KS & legislators would be very helpful. I know we have some KS folks on here. I hunted a lot of places in KS last year…. Kansas deer herd is degraded vs the past & improvement is sure welcomed by me .