32-1002. Unlawful taking or dealing in wildlife; penalties; exceptions; carrying a handgun; use of suppressing devices. (a) Unless and except as permitted by law or rules and regulations adopted by the secretary in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, it is unlawful for any person to:

(1) Hunt, fish, furharvest or take any wildlife in this state by any means or manner;

(2) possess any wildlife, dead or alive, at any time or in any number, in this state;

(3) purchase, sell, exchange, ship or offer for sale, exchange or shipment any wildlife in this state;

(4) take any wildlife in this state for sale, exchange or other commercial purposes;

(5) possess any seine, trammel net, hoop net, fyke net, fish gig, fish spear, fish trap or other device, contrivance or material for the purpose of taking wildlife; or

(6) take or use, at any time or in any manner, any game bird, game animal, coyote or furbearing animal, whether pen-raised or wild, in any field trial or for training dogs.

(b) The provisions of subsections (a)(2) and (a)(3) do not apply to animals sold in surplus property disposal sales of department exhibit herds or animals legally taken outside this state, except the provisions of subsection (a)(3) shall apply to:

(1) The meat of game animals legally taken outside this state; and

(2) other restrictions as provided by rule and regulation of the secretary.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent:

(1) Any person from taking starlings or English and European sparrows;

(2) owners or legal occupants of land from killing any animals when found in or near buildings on their premises or when destroying property, subject to the following: (A) The provisions of all federal laws and regulations governing protected species and the provisions of K.S.A. 32-957 through 32-963, and amendments thereto, and rules and regulations adopted thereunder; (B) it is unlawful to use, or possess with intent to use, any such animal so killed unless authorized by rules and regulations of the secretary; and (C) such owners or legal occupants shall make reasonable efforts to alleviate their problems with any such animals before killing them;

(3) any person who lawfully possesses a handgun from carrying such handgun, whether concealed or openly carried, while lawfully hunting, fishing or furharvesting, if such person is either: (A) 21 years of age or older; or (B) possesses a valid provisional license issued pursuant to K.S.A. 75-7c03, and amendments thereto, or a valid license to carry a concealed handgun issued by another jurisdiction that is recognized in this state pursuant to K.S.A. 75-7c03, and amendments thereto; or

(4) any person who lawfully possesses a device or attachment of any kind designed, used or intended for use in suppressing the report of any firearm from using such device or attachment in conjunction with lawful hunting, fishing or furharvesting.

(d) Any person convicted of violating provisions of this section 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.

History: L. 1989, ch. 118, § 114; L. 1993, ch. 185, § 9; L. 2005, ch. 182, § 3; L. 2011, ch. 19, § 1; L. 2012, ch. 49, § 1; L. 2015, ch. 16, § 6; L. 2021, ch. 94, § 7; July 1.