Wildlife and Parks wants all deer hunters — resident or nonresident — to know that a new regulation requires the purchase of an antlered deer permit before an antlerless permit or game tag may be purchased.

The postmark deadline for nonresident deer applications is May 31. This includes applications for both archery and firearms.

This year, archery permits will be allocated by unit, with applicants being allowed to select and hunt in two of the nine units. Also new this year, nonresidents may purchase a preference point for $20 instead of applying for a permit.

Depending on unit and type of permit, it may take several preference points before an applicant draws a permit. Applicants who are unsuccessful in the drawing will be given one preference point for each unsuccessful application since their last successful drawing.

Preference points apply for the next year’s drawing. The more preference points accumulated, the better the chance of drawing a permit.

However, all preference points are lost if an applicant fails to apply at least once in five consecutive years or if a permit is drawn.

A nonresident deer permit costs $321. Those nonresidents who are successful in the drawing must then purchase a $71 nonresident hunting license before hunting.

Kansas residents who want to hunt antelope are reminded that permit applications will be accepted through June 10.

For antelope, an unlimited number of resident archery permits will be available over the counter.

The same preference point system that applies to nonresident deer permits also applies to firearms antelope applicants, except that the fee for purchasing a preference point is $5. Antelope permits are available to residents only.

Both deer and antelope application forms can be obtained from local Wildlife and Parks offices and area vendors or downloaded from the Web at www.kdwp.state.ks.us.