Kansas Pheasant Season 2026
Kansas's pheasant season runs November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027. The youth season comes first, Nov 7 to 8. The 2026 outlook has birds down on last year.
The 2026 Kansas pheasant outlook
The 2026 outlook from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has birds down on last year.
Pheasant densities decreased across all regions this year as there was heavy rain during peak hatch across most of the primary range limiting production. After 2 good years of production, spring crowing densities were as high as they had been in a decade.Upland Bird Forecast, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
- Northern High Plains (northwest KS)significant declines on brood survey this year
- Smoky Hills (north-central KS)trended down after improvements last year; still the highest regional density
- Glaciated Plains (northeast KS)recorded on 2 routes at low density
- Southern High Plains (southwest KS)slight declines this year in brood surveys
- South-Central Prairies (south-central KS)down substantially with almost all routes in this region declining
- Flint Hillsroadside index remained unchanged this year
- Osage Cuestas (southeast KS)outside the primary pheasant range
Kansas pheasant season dates and bag limit
Kansas's pheasant season opens Saturday, November 14, 2026, and closes January 31, 2027. The youth season comes first, Nov 7 to 8. The daily limit is 4 roosters and 16 in possession. Only roosters may be taken.
- KansasNov 14Season, Nov 14 to Jan 31; Youth, Nov 7 to 8
- General season
- Saturday, November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027
- Youth season
- Nov 7 to 8
- Daily limit
- 4 roosters a day
- Possession
- 16 in possession
- Which birds
- Roosters only
- Shooting hours
- one-half hour before sunrise to sunset
- Youth PheasantNov 7 to 8statewide; hunters 17 or younger, with a non-hunting adult 18 or older; daily 4, possession 8
- PheasantNov 14 to Jan 31statewide; set by rule as the second Saturday in November through January 31
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks regulations, read October 8, 2026.
Public land and walk-in access in Kansas
- Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA)just under 1 million acres enrolled for 2026
“Kansas WIHA program has just under 1 million acres enrolled for 2026”
- All land open to public hunting (Wildlife Areas, Federal properties and WIHA combined)almost 1.7 million acres
“Kansas has almost 1.7 million acres open to public hunting (Wildlife Areas, Federal properties, and WIHA combined).”
What it takes to hunt pheasants in Kansas
- Residents
- 1 Year Hunting License $25.00 (ages 16 to 64); residents 15 and younger need no hunting license
- Nonresidents
- Non-Resident 1 Year Hunting License $125.00 (ages 16 and older); Nonresident Youth (15 and younger) $40.00
Every Kansas license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the Kansas hunting license page.
Kansas pheasant questions
Pheasant season in other states
Kansas read October 8, 2026 from Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.