Following a sudden halt to the sale of certain hunting permits for the elderly, Kansas wildlife authorities are thinking about offering other choices for this demographic.
At the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) commissioners’ final commission meeting of 2024, which was held in Wichita, the matter was brought up.
In response to an oversight, the KDWP declared on October 18 that it would no longer offer its combination hunting and fishing licenses for citizens of the state who are 65 to 74 years old.
During the conference, Kurtis Wiard, the chief legal counsel for KDWP, presented a possible solution to the issue of elderly persons not being able to obtain lifelong licenses.
The inclusion of three additional multi-year licenses targeted primarily at older individuals is part of this plan, which came from Chris Kennedy, the recently appointed KDWP Secretary.
Based on his existing statutory authority, Kennedy would be authorized to create these additional licenses in order to alleviate the financial burden of license payments on Kansas’ senior citizens.
The following are included in the proposed licenses:
- $50 for a senior hunting license for five years.
- $50 for a senior fishing license for five years of residency.
- A senior hunting and fishing license for five years is $90.
According to KDWP chief legal counsel, Kurtis Wiard:
“The prices are set based on current law, which permits the Secretary to offer senior licenses at one-half the price of regular licenses. There are still several steps required for this regulation to go into effect, including review by the Department of Administration, Attorney General, and Division of Budget. Following review by these agencies, the proposed fees will be presented to the Commission at a public meeting for a vote.
We understand that even this reduced rate may still be out of reach for some, and we continue to explore ways to bring back the deeply discounted 10-year senior license.”
