Kansas deer hunters now may purchase an antlerless-only deer permit or game tag after Dec. 30 without having first obtained a permit that allows taking an antlered deer.

That’s one of three changes made in state deer hunting regulations by Wildlife and Parks commissioners.

The state’s agency’s governing body also shortened the extended whitetail antlerless-only season by one day and decided that no check stations will be required during the 2006 season.

Here are the approved big-game seasons:

Deer

Early muzzleloader – Sept. 9-22.

Youth and disabled – Sept. 23-24.

Archery – Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.

Early firearms (urban units only) – Oct. 14-22.

Regular firearms – Nov. 29 through Dec. 10.

Extended whitetail antlerless-only – Jan. 1-7.

Extended archery (urban units only) – Jan. 8-31.

Application deadlines are May 31 for all nonresident deer permits; July 14 for limited-draw resident permits (firearm and muzzleloader any deer permits); Dec. 30 for unlimited antlered resident whitetail either sex, archery, and hunt-own-land permits; and Jan. 30 for antlerless whitetail permits and game tags.

Antelope

Archery – Sept. 23 through Oct. 1 and Oct. 14-31.

Muzzleloader – Oct. 2-9.

Firearms – Oct. 6-9.

Application deadlines are June 9 for firearms and muzzleloader permits and Oct. 30 for archery permits. One change is that unlimited archery permits will be available for nonresidents, as they are for residents. Firearms and muzzleloader permits are still restricted to resident hunters only.

Elk (Proposed)

Outside Fort Riley

Muzzleloader – Sept. 1-30.

Archery – Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.

Firearms – Nov. 29 through Dec. 10 and Jan. 1 through March 15.

On Fort Riley

Any-elk permit holders – Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.

Antlerless-only permit holders – Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, with one-third of permits valid in each of the months of October, November and December.

Units open for elk hunting were expanded to statewide use, except that Morton County is closed to elk hunting. Permit holders, upon harvesting an elk, are required to contact Wildlife and Parks staff within two days to arrange for collection of tissue samples to monitor for chronic wasting disease.