The heat is on Kansas deer hunters

Deer season? In the sweltering heat we’re experiencing?

That’s right, it’s time … no matter what the weathermen might call for.

The Kansas deer season for youth and hunters with disabilities opens Saturday, the first whitetail hunt on the 2015-16 calendar.

That means hunters will have to put up sweltering heat, possibly inactive deer, chiggers and all kinds of other annoyances.

When the long-awaited deer season opens, hunters are able to put up with a lot.

“Nobody really wants to hunt when it’s in the 90s,” said Lloyd Fox, big-game biologist for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. “But we take what the weather gives us.

“When we set these seasons, the people with disabilities didn’t want late dates because of the their problems with the cold and circulation. And we wanted to give the youth first shot at the deer. So we set the seasons early.”

The youth portion is open to youngsters ages 16 and younger who possess deer permits and hunt under the immediate supervision of adults 18 years old and older. Hunters with disabilities must also have deer permits and licenses allowing them to hunt from vehicles or with assistance.

For Kansas hunters, this is only the start. After the youth-disability season closes Sept. 13, the archery and muzzle-loader seasons will open Sept. 14. The regular firearms season will be Dec. 2 through 31.

Fox urges the youth and disabled hunters to be prepared for the warm weather this weekend. They should be ready to bone-out the deer they shoot and transport the meat home on ice. Also, plenty of water and insect spray should be included in the supplies.

The hunting? It too may be affected by the hot temperatures.

“Deer don’t move around a lot in weather like this,” Fox said. “And with the heat, hunters might not last as long in the field.”

Last September, 8,253 hunters took part in the youth-disabled hunting season.

More early hunting

There also are plenty of early hunt dates circled on the calendar in Missouri and Kansas.

In addition to the dove, snipe and rail seasons that opened Sept. 1 in both states, the teal season will get underway Sept. 12. The archery season for deer and turkeys will begin Sept. 15 in Missouri.

Waterfowl application deadline

Missouri hunters who want to apply for spots to hunt on public wetlands managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation are facing a deadline. They have until Sept. 18 to apply online for hunting spots on 12 wetlands.

To apply, go to the website www.mdc.mo.gov and go to “Waterfowl Reservations” on the home page.

Urban American Outdoors honored

The team at “Urban American Outdoors,” a television show based in Kansas City, continues to break new ground.

Wayne Hubbard, the star of the show, was recently appointed to the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council, which advises the U.S. departments of the Interior and Agriculture on wildlife conservation, habitat conservation and hunting.

Earlier, “Urban American Productions” was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Environment-Program Feature category. The show was nominated for a segment that featured Leslie Weldon, deputy chief of the National Forest Service, talking about engaging the next generation of diverse leaders to manage natural resources.

This story was originally published September 3, 2015 at 12:48 PM with the headline "The heat is on Kansas deer hunters."