Data show decrease in some contaminantsThe Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) are issuing revised fish consumption advisories for 2009. The advisories identify species of fish that should be eaten in limited quantities or, in some cases, avoided altogether because of contami ... Read More

Visitors travel long distances to enjoy light display, bonfire, hayrack ride, much moreThe Cedar Bluff State Park Christmas "Holiday In Lights" display is a popular western Kansas holiday attraction located about 45 miles southwest of Hays. Including miles of colorful lights lining the state park on the reservoir’s north shore, the di ... Read More

Event takes place April 8-10, 2009; youth application deadline Jan. 16, 2009A youth hunting program is a highlight of the Governor’s Annual One-Shot Turkey Hunt, held in Butler County April 8-10, 2009, and six youngsters from around the state are selected to participate. Youth participants in this hunt must have successfully completed a state h ... Read More

Fishing to return after three-year renovation projectThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced that Douglas State Fishing Lake, near Lawrence, will reopen for public fishing on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009, after a three-year closure for lake renovation.Construction projects completed include resurfacing the north side of the d ... Read More

Trespassers bag nothing but stiff fines, damaged landowner-hunter relationsFirearm deer season is in full swing, and all hunters are reminded that it is illegal to hunt on private land without the owner's permission, posted or not. Whether a "hunter" actually enters private land without permission or shoots onto it from the road or an ... Read More

Budget constraints, low usage force belt-tightening move; target shooting prohibited on rest of wildlife areaOn Dec. 15, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) shooting range on the north end of Cheney Reservoir will be closed to the public for the majority of the winter. The official closing dates will be Dec.15 through Feb. 28. Th ... Read More

Early purchases valid the remainder of 2008 and all of 2009Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks bargain days begin Dec. 15, when all 2009 KDWP licenses, permits, and other issues go on sale and are valid for the remainder of 2008 and all of 2009, adding more than two weeks to their value. This includes hunting, fishing, and park licenses and ... Read More

Testing, public information website part of continued monitoring effortDeer hunters or anyone with questions about chronic wasting disease (CWD) can find the information they need on the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks website. The website shows locations of positive CWD detections, a list of CWD check stations, and a link to check thei ... Read More

Magazine, early license sales among many offeringsEach Christmas, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) offers outdoorsmen and women -- or friends and families looking for gift ideas -- a chance to start the season right by taking advantage of many bargains. A perennial favorite is Kansas Wildlife & Parks magazine. Each issue i ... Read More

State parks open for use but some park offices closed during holiday periodThe Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced office closings for the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays. All KDWP offices will be closed Dec. 25-26 and Jan 1, 2009. State park offices will be closed weekends until March, 2009, and some state park o ... Read More

Water release from reservoir compromises formation of safe ice“It’s dangerous.”That’s what officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Marion Reservoir and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks are telling anxious ice anglers. In fact, a portion of the reservoir, near the outlet gates on the dam, will be closed to fishing. It’s been b ... Read More

Many seasons still open, offer excellent hunting opportunitiesThe Christmas and New Year holiday season is almost here, and for most people that means time off from work to spend with family and friends. For outdoorsmen and women, it is also a special time to go afield in pursuit of their favorite game. Cool weather often makes game easier to h ... Read More

Fall fish sampling data used for 2009 Kansas Fishing Forecast; improvements comingEach year, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) raises and stocks millions of fish throughout the state, providing anglers with special opportunities to catch a wide variety of species. To monitor the health of fisheries and help anglers find the bes ... Read More

Three deer seasons open the New Year's first monthPRATT -- The regular Kansas firearm deer season is over, but many deer hunters still look forward to hunting in January. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) will conduct a firearm extended whitetail antlerless season Jan.1- 4, 2009 (open for Deer Management Units 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 ... Read More

Where to fish, how to fish legally, what to fish for, and much more includedPRATT -- Printed copies of the 2009 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary booklet will be available in early January, and among other things, the publication will let anglers know what new regulations take effect Jan. 1, 2009. From new regulations on methods of fishing to ... Read More

Lakes may freeze in January, but anglers should approach ice cautiouslyPRATT -- December in Kansas is an unpredictable month; the weather is usually cold, with most days warming into the 40s, but occasionally, Mother Nature blasts an arctic front into the Sunflower State, pounding daytime highs into the low teens and nighttime temperatures into ... Read More

Virus found in five Kansas lakes; long-term impact unknownFARLINGTON -- In 2007, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) fisheries staff confirmed the presence of largemouth bass virus (LMBV) at Crawford State Fishing Lake in southeast Kansas. Testing of bass from the lake was conducted in response to a decline in the population. Now, fo ... Read More

Application materials for the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) are now available from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). The SWG is a federal grant program, which is funded in part by CFDA 15.634 Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior and administered in Kansas by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The prior ... Read More

Future big game regulations, Free Park Entrance and Free Fishing days on agendaTOPEKA -- The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing in Emporia on Jan. 8. The public is invited to attend all sessions of the meeting, which will be conducted at the Best Western Hospitality House, 3021 W. Highway 50 in Empori ... Read More

Small project application deadline Feb. 13PRATT -- The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Chickadee Checkoff Program has funded hundreds of nongame species projects through the years. These efforts range from very short, simple projects costing $500 to much more substantial projects requiring as much as $100,000. Most larger project ... Read More

Federal grant program offers as much as $400,000 for large conservation projectsTOPEKA -- Application materials for the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) are now available from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). The SWG is a federal grant program funded in part by CFDA 15.634 Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, an ... Read More

January events organized to educate participants about national symbolPRATT -- When bald eagles visit Kansas in the winter, avid and novice bird watchers are in hot pursuit. Bald eagles typically overwinter in the Sunflower State during January and February, providing an opportunity to observe one of the nation's most spectacular birds. To impr ... Read More