Oct. 13, 2011
Hunts to include instruction on pointing dogs, field safety, waterfowl hunting, much more
HAYS — On Oct. 29, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), in cooperation with Smoky Hill Pheasants Forever No. 424 and the Hunting Heritage Group Inc. (HHG), will host the sixth annual youth upland hunt in memory of former volunteer Darrell Brown. The event will be held at the Hays City Sportsman’s Club, 5810 230th Avenue in Hays (Exit 157 off I-70).

The hunt is for youth 12 through 18 years old. Each youth hunter will have the opportunity to harvest at least four birds while hunting over seasoned pointing dogs. Upland bird hunters 16 and older must have a valid Kansas hunting license and hunter education certification.

Participants not only hunt but receive instruction on how to hunt with pointing dogs, field safety, hunting dog training, gun handling, how to clean and prepare harvested birds, and what type of habitat to look for when hunting upland birds. The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program is also incorporated into the event.

For more information on this hunt, phone natural resource officer Jason Hawman at 785-483-0504. To register for the hunt, phone Shayne Wilson at 785-628-1415, 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday. There is no charge for the hunt.

In addition, KDWPT and HHG will host a waterfowl hunt on Oct. 22-23 for youth ages 12 through 18. The event will be held around Cedar Bluff Wildlife Area on both public and private land. Lodging for Oct. 22 will be at the Dream Camp Facility, near Cedar Bluff State Park.

Each hunting group will be accompanied by a guide. In addition to the hunt, participants will enjoy a variety of classes to further understand waterfowl hunting. Youth waterfowl hunters 16 and older must have a valid Kansas hunting license, a Federal Waterfowl Stamp, and Kansas Waterfowl Stamp, a Harvest Information Program (HIP) stamp, and hunter education certification.

To register for this hunt, phone Hawman at 785-483-0504 or Jeff Woodworth at 785-650-8263. There is no charge for the hunt, but space is limited.

Special hunts like these are part of the Kansas Hunter Recruitment and Retention Program called "PASS IT ON." This program addresses the need to recruit new hunters and retain existing hunters in order to ensure the future of hunting.
-30-

Back to 10/13/11 News