2006 Kansas Code - 32-969

      32-969.   Wild turkey permits. On and after January 1, 2005:

      (a)   Except as otherwise provided by law or rules and regulations of the secretary and in addition to any other license, permit or stamp required by law or rules and regulations of the secretary, a valid wild turkey permit and game tags are required to take any wild turkey in this state.

      (b)   The fee for wild turkey permits and game tags shall be the amount prescribed pursuant to K.S.A. 32-988, and amendments thereto.

      (c)   A wild turkey permit and game tags are valid throughout the state or such portion thereof as provided by rules and regulations adopted by the secretary in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto.

      (d)   Unless otherwise provided by law or rules and regulations of the secretary, a wild turkey permit and game tags are valid from the date of issuance and shall expire at the end of the season for which issued.

      (e)   The secretary may adopt, in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, rules and regulations for each regular or special wild turkey hunting season and for each management unit regarding wild turkey permits and game tags. The secretary is hereby authorized to issue wild turkey permits and game tags pertaining to the taking of wild turkeys. No wild turkey permits or game tags shall be issued until the secretary has established, by rules and regulations adopted in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, a regular or special wild turkey hunting season.

      (f)   The secretary may issue wild turkey hunting permits to nonresidents in wild turkey management units with unlimited wild turkey hunting permits available.

      (g)   Persons under 12 years of age may be issued a wild turkey permit. Such permits shall be valid only while the person is hunting under the immediate supervision of an adult 18 or more years of age.

      (h)   A wild turkey permit shall state the number and sex of wild turkeys which may be killed by the permittee. The secretary may furnish an informational card with any wild turkey permit and, at the conclusion of the open season, each permittee receiving such card shall return the card to the department, giving such information as is called for on the card.

      (i)   The permittee shall permanently affix the game tag to the carcass of any wild turkey immediately after killing and thereafter, if required by rules and regulations, the permittee shall immediately take such killed game to a check station as required in the rules and regulations, where a check station tag shall be affixed to the game carcass if the kill is legal. The tags shall remain affixed until the carcass is consumed or processed for storage.

      (j)   Fifty percent of the wild turkey permits authorized for a regular season in any management unit shall be issued to landowners or tenants, provided that a limited number of wild turkey permits have been authorized. A landowner or tenant is not eligible to apply for a wild turkey permit as a landowner or as a tenant in a management unit other than the unit or units which include such landowner's or tenant's land. Any wild turkey permits not issued to landowners or tenants within the time period prescribed by rule and regulation may be issued without regard to the 50% limitation.

      (k)   Members of the immediate family who are domiciled with a landowner or tenant may apply for a resident wild turkey permit as a landowner or as a tenant, but the total number of landowner or tenant wild turkey permits issued to a landowner or tenant and a landowner's or tenant's immediate family shall not exceed one permit for each 80 acres owned by such landowner or operated by such tenant. The secretary may require proof of ownership or tenancy from individuals applying for a wild turkey permit as a landowner or as a tenant.

      (l)   As used in this section:

      (1)   "Landowner" means a resident owner of farm or ranch land of 80 acres or more located in the state of Kansas.

      (2)   "Tenant" means an individual who is actively engaged in the agricultural operation of 80 acres or more of Kansas farm or ranch land for the purpose of producing agricultural commodities or livestock and who: (A) Has a substantial financial investment in the production of agricultural commodities or livestock on such farm or ranch land and the potential to realize substantial financial benefit from such production; or (B) is a bona fide manager having an overall responsibility to direct, supervise and conduct such agricultural operation and has the potential to realize substantial benefit from such production in the form of salary, shares of such production or some other economic incentive based upon such production.

      (3)   "Regular season" means a statewide wild turkey hunting season authorized annually which may include one or more seasons restricted to specific types of equipment.

      (4)   "Special season" means a wild turkey hunting season in addition to a regular season authorized on an irregular basis or at different times of the year other than the regular season.

      (5)   "General permit" means a wild turkey hunting permit available to Kansas residents not applying for wild turkey permits as a landowner or tenant.

      (6)   "Nonresident permit" means a wild turkey hunting permit available to individuals who are not Kansas residents.

      History:   L. 2004, ch. 99, § 12; Apr. 22.