The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has announced there will be no fall turkey hunting season due to declining populations at state and regional levels.

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission made the decision after hearing recommendations from staff during four public meetings.   KDWP small game biologist Kent Fricke said there have been consistent declines in turkey populations over the past 15 years, largely due to reduced production levels.  He said these trends are not unique to Kansas, and states across the Midwest and Southeast have had similar patterns.

Although far fewer turkey hunters participate in the fall season compared to the spring, wildlife biologists said the fall season was still an important part of the overall harvest.  The staff at Wildlife and Parks will continue to gather data in the hope of reversing the declining population trends.   A new research project set to begin in Kansas in January will look at wild turkey populations and ecology to provide better information for state harvest and habitat management practices.