July 2008

Season dates concurrent for pheasant and quail The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission has approved a change in the opening date of pheasant season, moving it to the second Saturday in November, effective in 2009. At its June 26, 2008 public hearing, the commission also approved a recommendation to return the quail season closing date to Jan. ... Read More

Permit status just a click awayNonresidents who applied for Kansas deer permits may now view the drawing results online. Click here, then on "Search Draw Status."Results of the resident Antelope, Elk, and Either-species/Either-sex Deer permit drawings will be posted in early August.All other resident deer permits may be purchased thro ... Read More

Unit 3, Fort Riley, and nine northcentral Kansas counties affected At a June 26 meeting of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission in North Newton, three additions were made to deer permits and seasons that will affect specific areas of northern Kansas.In northcentral Kansas, any unfilled deer permit valid in units 7 and 8 will be valid in a s ... Read More

Exotic species impact dove seasonThe Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission voted unanimously to liberalize hunting regulations concerning two exotic dove species -- the Eurasian collared dove and the ringed turtle dove, neither of which are native to North America. Eurasian collared doves in particular have increased their range and numbers in r ... Read More

Sixteen-day teal season approved for Low Plains ZoneThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks presented recommendations for early the early teal season and early migrant seasons to the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission at its public hearing on June 26. Migratory bird seasons are set according to frameworks provided by the U.S. Fish and Wil ... Read More

Applications available online; Either-species/Either-sex permit allows take of white-tailed or mule deerThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) reminds resident hunters that 2008 Firearm Either-species/Either-sex permit applications are due July 11 and are available online. These limited permits allow firearm hunters to take a mule d ... Read More

Permits available online, at license vendors, or with toll-free callThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced that about 240 nonresident deer permits are still available for the 2008 season. All of the leftover permits are in Deer Management Unit 10. These are permits that were not taken in the May nonresident application ... Read More

More color, better resolution, ‘live’ updates enhance siteThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks website has a new look.While its new appearance is obvious, the site’s content and organization will be familiar to past visitors. Increased screen resolution accommodates more information and images, but navigating through the site is unchange ... Read More

First 75th anniversary stamp sold to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service director in MarylandThe first 75th Anniversary Federal Duck Stamp was sold to H. Dale Hall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) director, during a special ceremony hosted by Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, near Baltimore, Md., in June. The stamp features a pair of northern p ... Read More

Event completes two-part independent study processIn preparation for the 2008 archery deer season, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Hunter Education section is offering Advanced Hunter Education -- Bowhunter Education Field Day events. The Field Day completes the two-part independent study process required to attain the Kansas ... Read More

Sensitive areas may remain in program another 10 to 15 yearsAbout 1.7 million acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres will expire in Kansas over the next four years, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA). Cooperators still have the opportunity to maintain difficult-to-farm areas with continuous pra ... Read More

Course offers basic methods of harvesting furbearers and the preparation and marketing of peltsThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ (KDWP) Hunter Education section will offer a one-day furharvester education class on Saturday, Aug. 2. Students will gather at the KDWP Operations Office, 512 SE 25th Avenue, 2 miles east and 1 mile south o ... Read More

Class required of all hunters born on or after July 1, 1957; youngsters may hunt under adult supervision without course until age 16For most hunters, mid-summer is the time when thoughts turn to fall hunting seasons, which begins with dove season Sept. 1. For first-time hunters, preparation usually means taking a hunter education course prior t ... Read More

Estimate is 9 percent below last year but 11 percent above long-term averageThe preliminary estimate of total ducks from the 2008 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey was just over 37 million, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This is a 9 percent decline from last year's estimate but still 11 percent greater t ... Read More

Fundraiser supports youth hunting eventsThe Flint Hills Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will be hosting its 13th Annual Hunting Heritage Banquet and Superfund Auction on Saturday, July 26, at American Legion Post No. 5, 2921 W. 12th Avenue in Emporia. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with a turkey dinner at 7 p.m.The eve ... Read More

Hunt scheduled for Sept. 13 and 14Young and disabled hunters are invited to register to participate in the 6th Annual Tuttle Creek Assisted Deer Hunt.Sponsored by the Riley County Fish and Game Assocation, Tuttle Creek Lake Corps of Engineers, and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the hunt will be Sept. 13 and 14 on public and private la ... Read More

Volunteer instructors credited for enhancing safety of huntingThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) reports that there were 19 hunting accidents in 2007, with one fatality. This is an increase of two accidents over the previous year but still a very small number considering that some 271,000 hunters spend about 3 million days afiel ... Read More

Limited to 20 participants, course will teach basic to intermediate wingshootingThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will hold a three-session clinic entitled "Beginning Wingshooting" on Aug. 5, 12, and 19 at the Pratt Gun Club. The range is located one-half mile north of Pratt Community College, just east of Highway K-61 north ... Read More

Wildlife conservation group plans tournament at John Redmond ReservoirThe John Redmond Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will hold its Fourth Annual Catfish Tournament at John Redmond Reservoir on July 26 from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.“This is the first time we have tried a catfish tournament as a way to raise money for wetland conservation,” says Bob Hammo ... Read More

Conservation school application deadline extended to Aug. 6 for western schoolPrinciples of Rangeland Management: Grass and Animal Ecology in Kansas is a three-day school directed at ranchers, land managers, and others interested in knowing more about this vital natural resource. Conducted by the Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition, Inc. (KGLC), the ... Read More

Boater, angler precautions critical to contain further spreadThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Marion Reservoir. After an angler reported finding a single zebra mussel in the Cottonwood Point area of the reservoir, KDWP biologist Jason Goeckler investigated immediately, and found two more ... Read More

Final leg of trail complete; online video provides previewIn May of 1992, title of the 50-mile stretch of railroad right-of-way from Ottawa to Iola was transferred to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), and the agency developed a three-phase plan to develop the trail and open it to the public. Phase One -- from Richmond to Welda ... Read More

Increase in shooting sport participation sparks interest, need for rangesAccording 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. As firearm sales continue to increase, there is a growing need for new shooting rang ... Read More

Event limited to 10 youth; application deadline Aug. 22Thanks to the success of last year's TJ’s Memorial Youth Deer Hunt, the Hunting Heritage Group and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) will host another youth deer hunt during the special youth and disabled hunting season (Sept 13-21).This year, the hunt will be on Sept. 13 a ... Read More

Hunting skills seminar will also offer guided hunts and other prizesOn Aug. 16, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) will host a youth waterfowl program from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scott State Park. The program is designed to teach and improve hunting skills, including duck calling, shotgun shooting, trapping techniques, and waterfow ... Read More

Celebration highlights include archery shoot, mud volleyball, log races, cook-off The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and Lovewell Marina at Lovewell State Park are sponsoring the annual Lovewell Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 2. Events begin with registration for a 3-D archery shoot from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The tournament will conclude ... Read More

Second lake in a week to report presence of destructive musselsFollowing on the heels of a report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) that zebra mussels have been found in Marion Reservoir, biologists with the agency have now discovered a second lake infested with the aquatic nuisance species. KDWP biologists conducting a ro ... Read More