HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas fishing and hunting industry has seen a sharp increase in license sales since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Between March 1 and June 1, the state sold 11,049 residential combo hunting and fishing licenses, up from 8,870 in 2019, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

The increase comes as good fiscal news for the agency after the sale of out-of-state turkey hunting permits were suspended in April after Gov. Laura Kelly passed an executive order to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Widespread flooding also affected the state, preventing camping and cabin rentals in many state parks, according to The Hutchinson News.

“Last year was a down year for fishing license sales due to the flooding and loss of many access sites to launch…