The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission approved early migratory bird seasons at a public hearing in Overland Park.

Among seasons set were:

• Dove — a split season of Sept. 1 through Oct. 14 and Nov. 1 through Nov. 16, with bag and possession limits of 15 and 30, respectively;
• rail — Sept. 1 through Nov. 9, bag and possession limit of 25;
• snipe –Sept. 1 through Dec. 16, bag and possession limits of eight and 16, respectively;
• woodcock — Oct. 16 through Nov. 29, bag and possession limits of three and six, respectively;
• September Canada Goose — Sept. 4 through Sept. 13 (around the cities of Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City), bag and possession limits of three and six, respectively.

Because early teal seasons will be affected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service season frameworks issued later this year, alternative season dates to be set in August were proposed. The commission approved a KDWP recommendation to consolidate the two management units for the running of rabbits, to coincide with similar regulatory changes made last year regarding furbearers. An open season for rabbits and hares of Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 was set, with daily bag limit of 10 and possession limit of three daily bag limits.

Commissioners took no action on a recommendation to change prairie chicken and quail seasons. As a result, those seasons will remain the same as in recent years. The recommendation was to increase the length of the lesser prairie chicken season by opening it on Nov. 1 annually, as well as moving unit boundaries. In addition, the recommendation proposed eliminating quail zones and changing the quail season opening date to the first Saturday in November.