Banding-Bird Hotline

Hunters are reminded to report all bands. Data obtained from band recoveries is very important in determining population characteristics and monitoring bird movements and distribution. This information is needed to establish and evaluate migratory game bird hunting seasons, and to improve habitat and harvest management strategies.

If you shoot a banded bird, please report it at www.reportband.gov. Once you report the band, you will receive information on where and when the bird was banded. Bands do not need to be returned to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is yours to keep. Help us learn more about migratory birds by reporting all banded birds.

Falconry

• Season: Same as regular seasons.
• High Plains Extended Season: None
• Early Zone Extended Season: Feb. 24 - March 10, 2026
• Late Zone Extended Season: Feb. 24 - March 10, 2026
• Southeast Zone Extended Season: Feb. 24 - March 10, 2026
• Daily Bag Limit: No more than three migratory birds, including coot, dove, rail, crow, snipe, woodcock, and any migratory species – in combination such as one dove, one duck, and one woodcock or three doves. (Falconers may not exceed other limits on migratory birds. Be sure to check bag limits in this summary.)

License & Stamps

All waterfowl hunters 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Waterfowl Stamp), and all hunters who are required to obtain a hunting license must also have a Kansas State Waterfowl Stamp and a Kansas Harvest Information Program (HIP) stamp before hunting ducks, geese, or mergansers. (Those not required to have a Kansas hunting license include people hunting their own land, and residents 15 and younger)

Annual Hunting License - All resident hunters age 16 through 74 must have a resident hunting license unless exempt by Kansas Law.  Nonresident hunters, regardless of age, must have a nonresident hunting license.  Annual hunting licenses can be purchased online by clicking here or through all license agents, or Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks offices.

Learn more about waterfowl licenses and fees here.

Methods of Take

Legal Methods

Bow and arrow, falconry, or shotgun no larger than 10-gauge. Shotguns must be incapable of holding more than three shells. Migratory doves may only be taken while in flight.

Illegal Methods

Sink boxes, live decoys, baiting, electronic calls, and pursuit with any motorized conveyance or sailboat are illegal. When hunting from a motorized craft or sailboat, the motor must be turned off or the sail furled and progress ceased. Decoys shall not be left unattended overnight on department-managed areas.

Non-Toxic Shot & Non-Toxic-Shot-Only-Areas

Non-Toxic Shot

Kansas requires non-toxic shot for hunting all migratory game birds except dove and woodcock. This includes ducks, geese, coots, mergansers, rails, sandhill cranes, and snipe. Legal shot is steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-iron, tungsten matrix, tungsten-nickle-iron, tungsten-iron-nickel-tin, and steel shot coated with copper, nickel, zinc chromate, or zinc chloride.

It is illegal to possess lead shot while hunting waterfowl or hunting in a Non-Toxic-Shot-Only area. “Possession" means that lead shot cannot be in a hunter’s gun, pockets, or in reach while in the process of hunting. Lead shot left in a vehicle is not considered “in possession.”

Non-Toxic-Shot-Only Areas

In these areas, non-toxic shot is the only shotgun load allowed, whether ducks, upland game, or other small game are being hunted.

• Benedictine Bottoms WA
• Cheyenne Bottoms WA
• Cherokee Lowlands WA
• Flint Hills NWR
• Gurley Salt Marsh WA
• Herron Playa WA
• Isabel Wetlands WA
• Jamestown WA
• Kirwin NWR
• Marais des Cygnes NWR
• Marais des Cygnes WA
• McPherson Wetlands WA
• Neosho WA
• Otter Creek WA
• Quivira NWR, Slate Creek WA
• Stein Playa WA
• Talmo Marsh WA
• Texas Lake WA
• Wild Turkey Playa WA
• Other areas as posted

Note: Birds such as pelicans, cormorants, grebes, herons, gulls, and shorebirds not listed in this brochure are illegal to take or possess under federal and state law.

Refuges

Many state and federal wildlife areas have refuges as well as public hunting areas. These refuge areas are usually closed to hunting from Oct.1-Apr. 1. Be aware of refuge locations and other regulations specific to hunting areas.

Transporting

One fully-feathered wing and/or head must remain attached to migratory birds (except dove) when transported.

Migratory game birds given to another person, taxidermist, storage facility, or commercial processor must be tagged with the signature and address of the hunter and the number, species, and date taken.

Migratory birds packed for shipping must be clearly marked with the name and address of the shipper and addressee, as well as the number and species of birds.