Kansas

World-class prairie pheasant runs, giant Flint Hills whitetails, and extensive WIHA walk-in hunting lands.

Wildlife & Biodiversity

Native Species in Kansas

Official Regulatory Authority

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP)

Kansas is the agricultural and prairie heartland of North America, encompassing the rolling Flint Hills tallgrass prairie, the Smoky Hills mixed-grass hills, and extensive cottonwood river bottoms that produce legendary trophy wildlife.

Legendary Heartland Whitetail

Trophy White-Tailed Deer

Kansas is universally regarded as one of the premier destinations on earth for giant free-ranging whitetails. Rich agricultural crops (corn, soybeans, milo) combined with dense riparian timber corridors produce massive antler mass and heavy body weights exceeding 250 to 300 lbs.

Western Prairie Breaks

Mule Deer

Inhabits the open rolling prairie, sage flats, and canyon breaks of western Kansas. Mature bucks display wide, deeply forked antlers and browse on western shrubs, winter wheat, and prairie grasses.

High Plains Sage & Pastures

Pronghorn

Distributed across the expansive, open shortgrass rangelands of western Kansas along the Colorado border. Relying on open vistas to detect threats, pronghorn form large herds during winter months.

Cottonwood Riparian Belts

Rio Grande & Eastern Wild Turkey

Highly prized game bird abundant across Kansas river bottoms, shelterbelts, and oak woodlands. Kansas is famous among spring turkey hunters for high bird densities and expansive public walk-in access.

Premier Pheasant State

Ring-Necked Pheasant

Kansas consistently ranks among the top pheasant hunting states in the nation. Roosters inhabit agricultural field edges, grain stubble, conservation reserve program (CRP) grasslands, and shelterbelts.

Flint Hills Grassland Coveys

Northern Bobwhite Quail

Thriving in the native tallgrass prairie pastures, cedar draws, and hedgerows of the Flint Hills and central Kansas. Coveys feed on weed seeds, grains, and native insects.

Native Prairie Icon

Greater Prairie-Chicken

Iconic native prairie bird celebrated for its unique spring mating rituals on historic booming grounds. Inhabits extensive unbroken tracts of native tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie.

Keystone Grassland Predator

Coyote

Common across all 105 Kansas counties, ranging from sprawling open pastures to timbered creek bottoms. Highly intelligent and adaptable, coyotes play an important role in small mammal population control.