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Session of 2026
HOUSE BILL No. 2423
By Representative Schwertfeger
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AN ACT concerning wildlife; relating to hunting; allowing hunters who
are federally licensed drone operators to use drones to locate wounded
or recently deceased deer; requiring permission from the public or
private landowner, or such landowner's authorized representative, prior
to launching or landing a drone from or on such landowner's property;
prohibiting the use of drones to harass wildlife or the pursuit of any
wildlife that has been harassed by or with the aid of a drone; amending
K.S.A. 32-1003 and repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
New Section 1. (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as
the Kansas wounded deer recovery act.
(b) As used in this act and unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) "Drone" means an unmanned aircraft that is controlled remotely
by a human operator or operates autonomously through computer software
or other programming.
(2) "Harass" means disturb, worry, molest, rally, concentrate, harry,
chase, drive, herd or torment.
(c) A hunter may use drones to locate and recover wounded or
recently deceased deer if the hunter:
(1) Is a licensed federal aviation administration drone operator under
14 C.F.R. Part 107;
(2) possesses the appropriate hunting license, if required, and permit;
and
(3) strikes a deer with a projectile fired from a legal hunting method
during the open season.
(d) (1) Any hunter operating a drone under this act shall first obtain
permission from the public or private landowner, or such landowner's
authorized representative, prior to launching or landing a drone from or on
such landowner's property.
(2) Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize trespass to
locate and recover a wounded animal;
(e) (1) Drones shall be operated in a manner that does not harass any
wildlife.
(2) No hunter, whether acting individually or as part of a group of
persons, may pursue or take any wildlife that has been harassed by or with
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the aid of a drone.
(f) The use of a drone in accordance with this act is specifically
excluded from the definition of take, as defined in K.S.A. 32-701, and
amendments thereto.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 32-1003 is hereby amended to read as follows: 32-
1003. (a) It is unlawful for any person, unless authorized by law or rules
and regulations of the secretary, to:
(1) (A) Take any game animal or furbearing animal from a motorboat,
airplane, motor vehicle or other water, air or land vehicle unless such
person holds a valid handicapped hunting and fishing permit issued to such
person pursuant to K.S.A. 32-931, and amendments thereto.
(B) The provisions of subparagraph (A) do not apply to using drones
to locate wounded or recently deceased deer pursuant to section 1, and
amendments thereto;
(2) provide or receive information concerning the location of any
game animal or furbearing animal by radio or other mechanical device for
purposes of taking such bird or animal;
(3) use sodium fluoroacetate, commonly called formula 1080, except
as permitted by rules and regulations of the secretary;
(4) use poison, poisonous gas, smoke or ferrets, or any smoke gun or
other device for forcing smoke or any other asphyxiating or deadly gas or
liquid into the holes, dens, runways or houses of wildlife, except as
permitted by rules and regulations of the secretary;
(5) fish by placing in or upon any lake, pond, river, creek, stream or
any other water, bordering on or within the state of Kansas, any deleterious
substance or fishberries;
(6) place or explode any dynamite, giant powder, lime, nitroglycerine
or any other explosive of any character or kind in any waters of the state of
Kansas with the intent to take or stun fish; and
(7) throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, headlight or other artificial
light on any highway, roadway, field, grassland, woodland or forest for the
purpose of spotting, locating or taking any wildlife while having in
possession or control, either singly or as one of a group of persons, any
rifle, pistol, shotgun, bow or other implement whereby wildlife could be
taken, except that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit
a person from carrying a weapon while using artificial light for conducting
surveillance, actively caring for agricultural equipment or livestock or
conducting activities described in subsection (c)(2) of K.S.A. 32-1002 (c)
(2), and amendments thereto, when on land under the person's control, if
the such person owns such land, is in lawful possession of such land or is
regularly employed for purposes of livestock or agricultural production or
management on such land.
(b) Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section
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shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in K.S.A. 32-1031, and
amendments thereto, except as provided in K.S.A. 32-1032, and
amendments thereto, relating to big game and wild turkey.
Sec. 3. K.S.A. 32-1003 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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