Department plans to collect samples from 3,200 hunter-harvested deer The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is working with dozens of individuals and organizations around the state to collect tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer during the 2006 hunting seasons. The department’s goal is to analyze tissue from 3,200 deer to monitor d ... Read More

Improvement of existing habitat most cost-effective; application deadline Dec. 15 The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for landowners who want to develop or improve wildlife habitat on private lands. The WHIP program provides both technical and cost-share assistance and is administered by the Natural Resource ... Read More

Cool it quickly so it’s good to eat For deer hunters, taking a deer is a satisfying adrenalin rush, often culminating several weeks of practice, scouting and preparation. However, once the deer is down, tagged and photos snapped, the real work begins: caring for the meat.
No matter the weather, cooling a deer soon after the kill is importan ... Read More

Hunters gear up for traditional opening day The 2006 Kansas firearms deer season opens Wednesday, November 29, and runs through Sunday, December 10, and to borrow a line from an old commercial, “We’ve come a long way, baby!” Just more than 40 years ago, Kansans went afield for the first modern deer season, and since then, we’ve seen many pos ... Read More

Birds expanding range, increasing hunting opportunity The return of the wild turkey from virtual extirpation to a healthy and growing population is one of the great conservation success stories in Kansas. In the 1950s, wild turkeys were almost impossible to find in the state, but thanks to a trap-and-transplant program beginning in the early ... Read More

Precautions pay for ‘off-season’ boaters Although "boating season" is generally thought of as the time between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, many boaters find that fall and winter are great times to enjoy area lakes. Lakes are less crowded this time of year, and mild temperatures make for pleasant days on the water fo ... Read More

Due to the Thanksgiving Day holiday, all Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks offices will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 in observance of the holiday. Read More

Outreach and education programs also funded by Kansas chapter The Kansas State Board of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently approved funding for habitat improvement projects at a variety of locations in Kansas. Among projects approved, pending availability of funds available through NWTF’s Hunting Heritage Super Fund, ar ... Read More

Herington’s Frank Meyer honored for volunteer participation, trails advocacy
American Trails has named Frank Meyer, Herington, a winner of the National Trail Award for 2006. Meyer, a member of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission since 2004, was honored at the 18th National Trails Symposium Oct. 21 in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Il ... Read More

Leftover deer permits on sale now The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced that about 1,100 nonresident deer permits are still available in several deer management units . The permits were not taken in the May nonresident application period. These permits are all firearms Whitetail Either Sex permits and are being sol ... Read More

KDWP website offers summary of 2006 deer permitting, hunting rules With the 2006 firearms deer season approaching, some deer hunters may have questions about regulations and permitting procedures governing this year’s hunt. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks recommends that hunters review the “ Deer FAQ ” section of the department’s ... Read More

Applications available online; deadline Jan. 5 Applications are now available for conservation organizations interested in applying for Commission Big Game Permits. Information and applications are available online at the KDWP website. Applications must be submitted no later than Jan. 5, 2007. Commission permits were authorized by the 2005 K ... Read More

Blog comments invited on changes in 2006 upland bird seasons The 2006 Kansas upland bird seasons are underway. Pheasant season opened Nov. 4 and runs through Jan. 31. Quail season opened Nov. 11 and runs through Jan. 21, 2007. Prairie chicken season opened Nov. 18, and runs through Dec. 31 in the southwest, and Jan. 31 in the east and northw ... Read More

Organizational meeting set for Nov. 15 in Abilene Quail Unlimited organizers are sponsoring a meeting in Abilene Nov. 15 to organize a new chapter. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the La Fiesta Restaurant. “I wanted to become involved with Quail Unlimited because of the different types of opportunities they can offer to the community ... Read More

Conservation Achievement Award deadline Dec. 1 The Kansas Wildlife Federation’s (KWF) Conservation Achievement Awards (CAP) program gives recognition to Kansans who have devoted themselves to conserving the state's natural resources. Whether through education, communication, or on-ground habitat work, such dedicated people are eligible for C ... Read More

Large fish eat zebra mussels, provide excellent angling opportunity In recent years, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has embarked on a project to stock blue catfish in many of the state's lakes. Blue catfish grow very large (the state record is 94 pounds), provide excellent table fare, and have the added benefit of browsin ... Read More

Eurasian watermilfoil found; capable of choking out native species For several years, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has warned the public about the dangers aquatic nuisance species (ANS) pose to native aquatic wildlife and plants. The campaign started when zebra mussels invaded the Midwest, finally infesting El Dorado Re ... Read More

Wildlife and Parks Commission also approves handler training requirements The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission has approved minimum standards for caging of certain captive animals, as well as training requirements for handlers of those animals. At its Oct. 26 public hearing in Chanute, the Commission approved a regulation establishing ca ... Read More

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission has finalized provisions for the 2007 spring turkey hunting season. At their Oct. 26th public hearing in Chanute, commissioners approved a regular season almost identical to 2006, but also approved a separate archery-only season, and modified turkey unit boundaries. The regular season, which allows the ... Read More

Handfishing, bass pass, paddlefish, and trout fishing regulations included The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission has approved a variety of fishing regulation changes for 2007. At a public hearing in Chanute Oct. 26, the commission approved the following regulations:

Handfishing – Establishes a handfishing season of June 15 – Aug. 31 ... Read More

Enhanced funding enables KDWP fee reduction effective Jan. 1 The cost of visiting Kansas state parks is going down in 2007. In a public hearing in Chanute Oct. 26, the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission approved changes in state park vehicle entrance fees, effective Jan. 1, 2007. The changes in fees at the state parks for calendar year 200 ... Read More

Pheasant, quail, prairie chicken seasons open consecutive weekends this year As November ushers in pheasant and quail seasons, the 2006 Kansas upland bird season forecast is promising. However, hunters should be aware that the structure of upland bird seasons is different than in past years, with each of the state's three upland birds having ... Read More