Kansas legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Kansas HB2423: Allowing hunters who are federally licensed drone operators to use drones to locate wounded or recently deceased deer
Status: In committee, April 10, 2026
What the bill says
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.
From the introduced text, January 12, 2026:
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 …