August 2007

Celebrations continue through late summer As the final full month of summer beats down on Kansas, state parks across the state are still planning special events, some in conjunction with Free Park Entrance Days, some to celebrate a special historical event or geological attribute of an individual park, and others just for entertainment. Each ... Read More


Boating regulations also to be set; future regulations discussed OLATHE -- The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing Aug. 16 in Olathe at Bass Pro Shop, 12051 Bass Pro Drive. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m.; the evening public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. The afternoon meeting will begin ... Read More


Leftover deer permits on sale; first-come, first-served PRATT -- The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced that about 1,100 nonresident deer permits are still available for the 2007 season.These are permits that were not taken in the May nonresident application period. They are all firearms Whitetail Either Sex permits ... Read More


Atlas shows all Walk-In, public access land in state The 2007 Kansas Hunting Atlas, which includes maps showing locations of Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) and other public hunting areas, is now available online. Printed copies of the atlas will be available the week of Aug. 27 at department offices and hunting license vendors around the stat ... Read More


KDWP, irrigation district agree to ten-year contract establishing ‘minimum pool’ The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks and Almena Irrigation District have agreed to a contract that will help maintain recreational use of Keith Sebelius Reservoir. The ten-year contract allows use of water for agricultural irrigation when the lake level ... Read More


Bowhunter will not sit in tree to raise money for venison donations TOPEKA -- A recently-announced event to raise money for a Kansas Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) has been cancelled. Brian Hermann had planned to sit in a treestand at the corner of 45th and Adams in Topeka to raise money for the organization, but lo ... Read More


Milford Lake will host the first annual Extreme Outdoor Water Festival on August 18th. This free event is open to the public and will be held at the Milford State Park, south boat ramp from 10 am to 4 pm. Although the event itself is free, a vehicle day pass is required to enter Milford State Park. A variety of free, hands-on activities will b ... Read More


Hunters, motorists, taxidermists asked to help monitor chronic wasting disease The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) plans to collect 3,200 samples to test for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk during the 2007-08 hunting season. The effort will begin earlier than in previous years.
“We’re starting early this year be ... Read More


On Aug. 28, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will conduct a public meeting to discuss past, present, and future management of the Neosho Wildlife Area. The meeting will be begin at 7 p.m. at the Osage Mission Neosho County Museum in St. Paul. The public is encouraged to attend. Topics of discussion will include habitat conditions at ... Read More


Action taken at public hearing in Olathe The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission finalized 2007 waterfowl seasons in a public hearing Aug. 16th at Bass Pro Shops, Olathe. Seasons and limits include the following:
DUCKS
High Plains Zone: Oct. 6 – Jan. 1, 2008 and Jan. 19 – 27, 2008
Low Plains Early Zone: Oct. 13 – Dec. 9 and Dec. 15 – 30
Lo ... Read More


Removal of exemption aimed at maintaining funding base for fisheries management
PRATT -- Traditional outdoor recreation pursuits have experienced declining participation rates throughout the U.S. in recent years. Pastimes such as fishing reflect the changing face of American society, as a variety of new leisure-time activities compete for the ... Read More


Dove season marks the beginning of fall for many hunters KDWP Managed Dove Hunting Areas The Kansas dove season opened statewide on Sept. 1, and the first segment runs through Oct. 14. The final segment is Nov. 1-16. It’s no wonder hunters look forward to dove season so much. The mourning dove is the most abundant game bird in North America ... Read More


Action taken at public hearing in Olathe
OLATHE -- The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission finalized 2007 waterfowl seasons in a public hearing Aug. 16th at Bass Pro Shops, Olathe. Seasons and limits include the following:
DUCKS
High Plains Zone: Oct. 6 – Jan. 1, 2008 and Jan. 19 – 27, 2008
Low Plains Early Zone: Oct. 13 – Dec. 9 and Dec. ... Read More


Kansas premier outdoor magazine a treat for all outdoor people
PRATT--The September/October 2007 issue of Kansas Wildlife & Parks magazine will be in readers hands on September 1. As with all issues, this magazine has a variety of outdoor-related articles illustrated with color photography, as well as timely information on hunting, fish ... Read More


Park closure to continue until basic infrastructure can be replaced
ELK CITY STATE PARK – Out of commission since near-record flood waters covered it up in June, Elk City State Park is slowly being pieced back together so it can be opened in the next few weeks.
“We’d like to have at least some of the park open for Labor Day weekend, but it’s ... Read More


Flooding impact, road and water conditions among discussion topics All interested persons are invited to attend a public meeting to discuss the status of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28th, in Room F-30 of the Fine Arts Building on the campus of Barton County Community College. Primary topic o ... Read More


Increase in shooting sport participation sparks interest, need for ranges According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, more than 19 million Americans enjoy target shooting, and more citizens are turning to the shooting sports as a leisure-time activity. Unfortunately, there are not nearly enough public shooting facilities in Kansas ... Read More


Printed copies available at KDWP offices, license vendors around state Printed copies of the 2007 Kansas Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary are now available at Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) offices and license vendors around the state. Hunters can also view or download the summary here. “Printed copies of the s ... Read More


Although never detected in North America, caution is advised As the fall waterfowl migration approaches, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is ready to participate in a national surveillance program aimed at early detection of Asian bird flu if it finds its way into the Americas. Hunters will play a vital role in this effort. ... Read More


Provision would withhold subsidies from land converted from wildlife habitat to farm production Southcentral Canada and the northcentral U.S. -- commonly known as the Prairie Pothole Region -- contain some of the best duck nesting habitat in North America. This year, late-summer habitat in this region is in good condition, but if provision ... Read More


End-of-summer celebrations continue Summer is fading, and kids are back in school, but state parks across the state are still planning special events, some in conjunction with Free Park Entrance Days, some to celebrate a special historical event or geological attribute of an individual park, and others just for entertainment. Each park sets ... Read More


Overland Park event to focus on practical ways to protect wetlands On Sept. 20-22, the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS) will hold its annual conference, entitled “CPR for Wetlands and Streams III: More Practical Tools and Strategies To Create, Protect, and Restore Kansas Wetlands, Streams, and Riparian Areas.” The conference w ... Read More