Pratt ? Kansas wildlife officials are reminding hunters they need a new permit to bag prairie chickens this year.

Prairie chicken season opens Nov. 17. Until now, Kansas bird hunters who weren’t exempt by law only needed a state hunting license to go after the chickens.

But this year they’ll need a special permit to hunt both lesser and greater prairie chickens. The $2.50 permit is available online or wherever licenses are sold.

The Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism says that some permit holders will be surveyed after the season to help the agency learn more about prairie chicken hunters, harvest numbers and distribution.