State wildlife officials may bar the hunting of all prairie chickens in southwest Kansas to help the state comply with the federal government’s listing of the lesser prairie chicken as threatened.
The state Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism said yesterday that fewer than 100 lesser prairie chickens are taken each year, but the goal is to try to prevent any from being killed.
An advisory commission will consider the proposal in June.
In March, the federal government declared the lesser prairie chicken as threatened because its numbers have dropped dramatically.
Hunters seek the larger and darker greater prairie chicken but sometimes kill lesser ones.
The hunting ban would affect all or part of 28 counties.
The season is from Nov. 15 through Dec. 31.
