By Trish Svoboda

On March 28, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) convened a meeting in Topeka to deliberate potential modifications to the hunting seasons and methods for raccoons and opossums. The proposed changes would include the expansion of the hunting season to be year-round while restricting the types of traps used beyond the current furbearer season to only cage traps and foot-encapsulating or dog-proof traps.

Matt Peek, KDWP Wildlife Research Biologist, presented on potential changes and said that talk of an extended season has been going on for years. He explained that the proposed modifications are under consideration to aid in the recovery of certain game species. He said that the escalating population of raccoons in Kansas adversely affects birds such as turkeys and quails.

Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the hunting season changes.

The statewide running raccoon and opossum hunting season is from March 1 to November 8, 2024.