Image: western_whitetail_buck

Hunting more bucks can control the spread of chronic wasting disease, according to a new Wyoming study. Photo by John Hafner.

There’s been lots of news in the deer hunting world lately. Here are some highlights.

KANSAS: TRAIL CAMERA CONFUSION AND UPDATE

In August 2023, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks announced, “No person shall place, maintain or use a trail or game camera on department (public) lands,” infuriating many deer hunters. Earlier this year, KDWP agreed to reassess the ban, leading public-land hunters to hope that cameras would again be legal this season.

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With scouting time upon us, some tech-savvy Kansas hunters have gone on AI chatbots such as Grok to inquire about updates on the camera ban. They were overjoyed to read Grok’s response in July: “You can legally use trail cameras on public land in Kansas in 2025, but they must be labeled with the owner’s name or Kansas DWP permit number, as per the Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary. There’s no outright ban on trail cameras for deer hunting … .”

Great. But hold your horses. Earlier this January, commissioners with the KDWP reviewed the camera ban but decided to leave it in place. The 2025 Kansas hunting regs clearly state: “Trail or game cameras are prohibited on public lands and Walk-in Hunting Access Areas.”

Remember two things: No trail cameras are allowed on public land in Kansas (cams are still legal on private land). And don’t believe everything you read from AI. You still need to check your state’s hunting regulations.

TENNESSEE HUNTERS CAN BAIT DEER (BUT NOT FOR A YEAR)

Hunters in Tennessee will now be able to purchase a special bait license and hunt deer and hogs over a corn pile on private land. The bill, SB869, passed in the state legislature and allows for the creation of a special bait license to accompany a regular hunting license.

The bait license will cost $50 for residents and $100 for nonresidents. The TWRA can suspend bait privileges on a county, regional or statewide basis if needed to prevent the spread of disease — namely chronic wasting disease. This law applies to hunting and baiting on private land and leased private land. Baiting is not permitted on any public lands in Tennessee.

In another confusing state regulations twist, although the law went into effect July 1, 2025, Tennessee hunters will not be able to use bait until Aug. 21, 2026.

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NEW STUDY: SHOOT MORE BUCKS TO CONTROL CWD

Hunting more bucks can slow the spread of chronic wasting disease, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The study’s authors examined chronic wasting disease trends in 10 deer herds across central and eastern Wyoming. They analyzed 20 years of data gathered by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to understand whether increasing hunting pressure is effective at controlling the disease.

“We found that harvesting a high proportion of the adult males in the herd — around 40% every year for 20 years — is expected to keep CWD infections at low numbers,” said Wynne Moss, lead author and USGS scientist. The study also showed that harvesting a high number of bucks during a shorter period — say three consecutive years — still slowed the rate of disease spread within a population but was not as effective as harvesting high numbers of bucks through multiple decades.

“Our results suggest that the use of hunting is a promising, scientifically supported way to manage CWD,” said Paul Cross, co-author of the study.

SUNDAY HUNTING IN PENNSYLVANIA

On July 9, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 1431, which fully repeals the ban on Sunday hunting in the state. The ban was one of the last remnants of the so-called blue laws in Pennsylvania. This new legislation ends the archaic prohibition and brings more opportunity to hunters across the Commonwealth. The state’s Board of Game Commissioners will determine how and when Sunday hunting will be implemented. This is a big win for young hunters and deer conservation.

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TEXAS: 2025 DEER SEASON LOOKS GOOD

Biologists with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department forecast that the 2025-2026 whitetail season will be good and potentially above average, with a stable deer population and good hunting opportunities across the state. The experts point to an above-average fawn crop and good antler quality in many areas, particularly where spring rains boosted habitat conditions.

One region of particular interest is the Hill Country, which was hit hard by the devastating, deadly flooding in early July. Although the full impacts of the flood waters on wildlife have yet to be realized, biologists believe that most deer were able to retreat to higher ground and survive, and the overall population won’t be affected much. The Edwards Plateau has the highest deer density in the state, with an estimated 1.6 million animals, and could offer the best hunting in years.