1. (a) The open season for the taking of sandhill crane in the central crane hunting zone shall begin on the Wednesday after the first Saturday in November and shall continue for 58 days, including the opening day. The open season for the taking of sandhill crane in the west crane hunting zone shall begin on the third Saturday in October and shall continue for 58 days, including the opening day.

2. (b) The following areas shall be open for the taking of sandhill crane during the established hunting season:

   1. (1) Central zone: that part of Kansas bounded by a line from the junction of interstate highway I-35 and the Oklahoma-Kansas state line, then north on interstate highway I-35 to its junction with interstate highway I-135, then north on interstate highway I-135 to its junction with interstate highway I-70, then north on federal highway US-81 to its junction with the Nebraska-Kansas state line, then west on Nebraska-Kansas state line to its junction with federal highway US-283, then south on federal highway US-283 to its junction with state highway K-24, then east on state highway K-24 to its junction with state highway K-18, then southeast on state highway K-18 to its junction with federal highway US-183, then south on federal highway US-183 to its junction with state highway K-1, then south on state highway K-1 to its junction with the Oklahoma-Kansas state line, and then east on the Oklahoma-Kansas state line to its junction with interstate highway I-35, except federal and state sanctuaries.
   2. (2) West zone: that part of Kansas bounded by a line from the junction of federal highway US 283 and the Nebraska-Kansas state line, then south on federal highway US-283 to its junction with state highway K-24, then east on state highway 24 to its junction with state highway K-18, then southeast on state highway K-18 to its junction with federal highway US-183, then south on federal highway US-183 to its junction with state highway K-1, then south on state highway K-1 to its junction with the Oklahoma-Kansas state line, then west on the Oklahoma-Kansas state line to its junction with the Colorado-Kansas state line, then north on the Colorado-Kansas state line to its junction with the Nebraska-Kansas state line, and then east on the Nebraska-Kansas state line to its junction with federal highway US-283, except federal and state sanctuaries.
3. (c) Shooting hours shall be from sunrise until sunset.
4. (d) The daily bag limit shall be three sandhill cranes.
5. (e) The possession limit shall be nine sandhill cranes.
6. (f) Each person hunting sandhill cranes in Kansas shall first possess a federal sandhill crane hunting permit that has been issued through and validated by the department and shall complete the annual online sandhill crane identification examination.

(Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 32-807.)