2009 deer, antelope, elk seasons top evening public hearing agenda
OAKLEY -- The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission invites all interested persons to attend a public meeting and hearing in the Logan County Courthouse, 710 W. 2nd in Oakley, on Thursday, April 16. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m.; the evening public hearing will begin at 7 p.m.

The afternoon session will begin with overviews of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) fiscal status by agency staff, as well as progress of department-related action in the 2009 Kansas Legislature. The session will also include discussion by department staff of potential changes for 2010 of state park and fishing regulations, an update on chronic wasting disease in Kansas, a report on development of Horsethief Reservoir near Jetmore, and preliminary discussion of late migratory bird seasons.

The afternoon portion of the meeting will also include workshop session discussion, in preparation for potential future regulatory action, of preliminary recommendations on the following topics:
* 2009 early migratory bird seasons, including early teal and dove seasons;

* furbearer regulations;

* changes in the state’s listing of threatened and endangered species; and

* proposals for some deer season regulation changes, including proposed dates for firearm and archery season hunting at Fort Riley, maintaining antlerless-only permits in DMU 3, and extending the whitetail antlerless-only season by one week in DMUs 7, 8, and 15.
The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location for the evening public hearing. Topics on the agenda for the public hearing include the following:
* updating KAR 115-8-1, which establishes restrictions on activities allowed on each department-managed public wildlife area;

* 2009 antelope seasons, including proposed archery season dates of Sept. 19-27, firearm season dates of Oct. 2-5, and muzzleloader season dates of Sept. 28-Oct. 5;

* 2009 elk seasons, including proposed archery season dates on Fort Riley of Sept. 1-Oct. 4 (Sept. 21-Dec. 31 statewide, except Fort Riley and Morton County); firearm season dates on Fort Riley of Oct. 1-31, Nov. 1-30, and Dec. 1-31 (Dec. 2-13 and Jan. 1-March 15 statewide, except Fort Riley and Morton County); and muzzleloader season dates on Fort Riley of Sept. 1-Oct. 4 (statewide seasons, except Morton County, the same dates); and

* big game and wild turkey permit applications, establishing a bonus point system for the elk permit drawing.
Time will be set aside in both the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics which are not on the agenda. If necessary, the Commission will recess on April 16, and reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m. April 17 to complete its business.
If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter, call the Kansas Commission of Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Any individual with a disability may request other accommodations by contacting the commission secretary at 620-672-5911.
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