YOUTH WATERFOWL, LATE-MIGRATING DUCK SEASONS FLYING IN

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Despite dry weather, high duck numbers should draw hunters
PRATT — The summer of 2011 will be remembered in Kansas as one of the driest, hottest on record, and much of Kansas still needs rain this fall. However, high duck numbers will still provide hunters with options, and the early youth waterfowl seasons are just around the corner. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff at state waterfowl management areas are working hard to provide hunting opportunities, pumping available water into hunting pools.

As of Sept. 20, the following wildlife areas reported fair to good hunting conditions:

Northwest/Northcentral Kansas
Cedar Bluff — Fair
Glen Elder — Fair
Jamestown — Good
Norton — Fair
Wilson — Good

Northeast Kansas
Benedictine Bottoms — Good
Perry — Good
Tuttle Creek — Fair

Southwest Kansas
Cheyenne Bottoms — Good
Isabel — Fair
Texas Lake — Fair

Central Kansas
Council Grove — Fair

Southcentral Kansas
Elk City — Fair
Fall River — Good
Marais des Cygnes — Good
Melvern — Fair
Toronto — Good
Pomona — Fair

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, near Stafford, reported that the only open water within the area’s hunting zones is in Units 10 and 11 in the Reno County section of the refuge.

Duck season dates and zones include the following:

• Youth High Plains Zone — Oct. 1-2;
• Youth Low Plains Early Zone — Oct. 1-2;
• Youth Low Plains Late Zone — Oct. 22-23;
• Youth Low Plains Southeast Zone — Oct. 22-23;

• High Plains Zone — Oct. 8-Jan. 2, 2012, and Jan. 21-29, 2012;
• Low Plains Early Zone — Oct.8-Dec.4, and Dec. 17-Jan. 1, 2012;
• Low Plains Late Zone — Oct. 29-Jan. 1, 2012, and Jan. 21-29, 2012; and
• Low Plains Southeast Zone — Nov. 5-Jan. 8, 2012, and Jan. 21-29, 2012.

The Low Plains Southeast Zone, roughly the southeastern one-quarter of the state, is new for 2011-2012 and should provide excellent late-season hunting in this part of the state.

During youth seasons, hunters 15 and younger may take ducks, geese, coots, and mergansers while hunting under the supervision of an adult 18 years or older. The adult may not hunt.

In both youth and regular seasons, six ducks is the daily bag limit, which may include no more than one canvasback, two redheads, two pintails, two scaup, three wood ducks, and five mallards (only two of which may be hens). The daily bag may comprise six of any other duck, such as six teal, six gadwall, or six wigeon.

Depending on rainfall, good hunting may be found in many other areas of the state, both public and private. For weekly updates on public waterfowl management areas, visit the KDWPT website,www.kdwpt.state.ks.us, and click “Hunting/Migratory Birds/ Waterfowl Reports."

For a detailed map of the duck zone boundaries and other regulations, pick up a copy of the 2011 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, available at all Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offices and most license vendors, or download the booklet from the KDWPT website.

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STATE ASKING FOR INPUT ON SPECIES IN NEED OF CONSERVATION

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Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan under review
PRATT — The Kansas Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan was prepared in 2005 as a requirement for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) to be eligible to continue receiving State Wildlife Grants (SWG). Scheduled to be updated before its 10-year anniversary, efforts are currently underway for this revision.

The first element of this revision was updating the native species list in July. The next step is soliciting recommended changes to the list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), including suggestions that any species already on that list be taken off.

Also, an important new element of this revision will be the identification of priority areas for actions. By identifying priority Conservation Opportunity Areas, SWG funds may be most effectively applied to the most pressing issues and SGCN species. After nominations have been received, they will be considered for listing as SGCN species, or taken off.

The state of Kansas has received about $9 million in SWG funds since 2000. This plan revision and update will be finalized in 2013. Anyone interested in this process is welcome to provide input. Go online to tinyurl.com/cwcprevision to see the schedule and first actions as part of this revision.

With the help of many experts, KDWPT staff have updated the native species list. Within this listing, categories for the names, as well as whether a species is recognized as a state threatened (T), endangered (E), or an extirpated or extinct (x) species may be viewed. Also, the SGCN species are identified as yes (Y) or no (N) in the last column. A nomination form may also be found at this site.

FAMILY-OUTDOORS

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HEAT AND DROUGHT IMPACT 2011 UPLAND BIRD FORECAST

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While some areas of central, northcentral, and northwest Kansas may offer good hunting, drought and heat have reduced bird numbers
PRATT — Kansas upland bird hunters enjoyed a banner season in 2010, but this summer’s heat and drought in parts of the state have hurt upland bird prospects for 2011. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has released its 2011 Kansas Upland Bird Forecast, and although good numbers of pheasants and quail will be found in some areas, severe drought and record high temperatures throughout much of the birds’ range resulted in fewer birds overall.

Generally, the best pheasant hunting in 2011 will be north of I-70 in western Kansas, the best quail hunting will be in the central part of the state, and the best greater prairie chicken hunting should be in native grasslands from the northern Flint Hills westward throughout the Smoky Hills.

Central and western Kansas had a relatively mild 2010-2011 winter, and over-winter survival was very high for upland game throughout most of the state. Breeding populations in central and western areas neared all time highs, especially for pheasant. However, drought that began in the summer of 2010 and persisted through the 2011 nesting season (May through July) and the summer hampered growth of wheat — primary nesting habitat for pheasants — especially in western Kansas. Areas in northwest and northcentral parts of the state received rain in May, which improved nesting conditions in those areas but likely hurt nest success where rainfall was excessive. In July and August, some severe hailstorms hit these areas, possibly decreasing chick survival in localized areas.

The southern half of the state endured prolonged drought through the rest of the summer. Southwest and southcentral Kansas had particularly bad reproductive conditions for pheasants, quail, and prairie chickens.

So what does this mean for Kansas upland bird hunters this fall? Here’s the statewide breakdown by species.

Pheasants
Unfortunately, drought through much of the state hampered pheasant reproduction this year. A substantial number of hens nest in winter wheat in the primary pheasant range (western Kansas). This year, much of western Kansas, especially southwest, had much-reduced wheat production. Nest success was likely much lower in these areas due to poor vegetative structure. Additionally, earlier wheat harvest dates due to poor growing conditions likely caused losses to nests or young broods. Thus, like many other pheasant states, Kansas will experience a substantial decline in the pheasant population this year.
The timing and quantity of early summer precipitation also plays a direct role in game bird productivity. Success of nests and survival of young is generally best when rain comes slowly and in near average amounts during May and June. Most of the areas in Kansas’ primary pheasant range did not meet that prescription this year and had little or no precipitation. Additionally, a few areas where there was reproductive success (northwest and northcentral Kansas) received heavy rainfall and/or hail during the peak reproductive period. Although these storms were often localized, in some counties they occurred multiple times. Counties affected by hail include portions of Norton, Graham, and Rooks.
Compared to 2010, pheasant numbers will be considerably lower throughout their range. This will especially be true in northeastern, southwestern, and southcentral Kansas. In those parts of northwestern and northcentral Kansas not affected by severe summer storms, pheasant numbers will be relatively good compared to other areas of the state but still down from last year.
Quail
The bobwhite breeding population in 2011 was generally stable compared to 2010, except for southwestern Kansas, where there were severe declines. However, 2011 summer brood surveys indices were down throughout much of the state for quail, indicating a general decline. There were some indications of higher reproductive success in the northcentral, southcentral, and southeast parts of Kansas although good areas may be spotty.
Because quail breed later than pheasants and prairie chickens, early summer moisture may have provided better conditions for nesting and brood-rearing in central and eastern Kansas. In past years, heavy precipitation and flooding associated with summer storms has negatively impacted bobwhite productivity in many parts of central and eastern Kansas. Fortunately, these conditions were absent this year. Counties that reported higher quail reproductive success are Pratt, Reno, Woodson, Phillips, and Rooks.
The best quail hunting will be found throughout the central part of the state. However, extreme southcentral Kansas experienced prolonged drought, likely hampering reproduction. Quail numbers declined considerably in southwestern and northeastern Kansas, and opportunities will likely be limited in those areas. Bobwhite numbers in far northwestern Kansas continue to improve, but that portion of the state is at the fringe of the bird’s range, and densities will still be low compared to central Kansas. Although southeast Kansas may see an improvement in reproduction this year, numbers remain far below historic levels in that region.
Prairie Chicken
Kansas is home to greater and lesser prairie chickens. Both species require a landscape of predominately native grass. Lesser prairie chickens are found in westcentral and southwestern Kansas in native prairie and nearby stands of native grass within the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Greater prairie chickens are found primarily in the tallgrass and mixed grass prairies in the eastern one-third and northern half of the state.
The spring prairie chicken lek survey indicated that the lesser prairie chicken breeding population was similar to last year, except at the northern extent of their range in westcentral Kansas, where there were increases. This area is occupied by both greater and lesser prairie chickens. Nesting and brood rearing conditions for lesser prairie chickens were generally not good this summer throughout most of their range due to drought in southcentral and southwest Kansas. It is likely that populations will be down from last year, and the best hunting will be in the central and northern portions of the lesser prairie chicken range.
Greater prairie chicken breeding populations were generally down in the eastern parts of the state (Flint Hills), but up considerably in the northcentral (Smoky Hills) and northwest (grasslands in the northern High Plains) parts of Kansas. In the core of the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas, the majority of occupied habitat was burned again this spring, leaving little nesting cover. While periodic burning is essential to prevent woody encroachment into the prairie, burning the same acreage annually in early spring greatly reduces the potential for successful nesting, even when weather is favorable.
Conditions were comparatively better for production throughout the northern Flint Hills due to less spring burning and more rainfall. Conditions were good for production throughout most of the Smoky Hills region that spans across northcentral and northwest Kansas. The best greater prairie chicken hunting should again be found in native grasslands from the northern Flint Hills westward throughout the Smoky Hills.
A detailed 2011 Kansas Upland Bird Hunting Forecast is available online at the KDWPT website,www.kdwpt.state.ks.us. Click "Hunting/Upland Birds/Upland Bird Regional Forecast" for the complete report.
The following table includes the upland birds seasons for 2011. Possession limits are four times the daily bag limits.

Season	Open Dates	Daily Bag	Open Areas
Prairie chicken (Early)	Sep. 15 –Oct. 15	2	East of Hwy. 281
Youth Pheasant	Nov. 5-6	2	Statewide
Youth Quail	Nov. 5-6	4	Statewide
Pheasant	Nov. 12 – Jan. 31	4	Statewide
Quail	Nov. 12 - Jan. 31	8	Statewide
Prairie chicken East and Northwest Units	Nov. 19 –Jan. 31	2	North of I-70 & east of Hwy. 281
Prairie chicken Southwest Unit	Nov. 19 –Dec. 31	1	South of I-70 & west of Hwy. 281

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FALL RIVER RENDEZVOUS SEPT. 24

Park visitors will step back in time at this living history event
TORONTO — On Sept. 24, visitors to Fall River State Park have the opportunity to step back to the early 19th century at the Fall River Rendezvous. This historical event celebrates one of America's largest public land acquisitions, the Louisiana Purchase. Mountain men and American Indian encampments, blackpowder and archery shooting, tomahawk and skillet throws, living history presentations, and activities for all ages will be included.

Traders and artisans will ply their crafts, sell historical goods, and conduct demonstrations throughout the day. Contests for the whole family will make the day even more exciting.

The event coincides with Free Park Entrance Day at Fall River, so no daily vehicle permit is required. (Camping permits are still required.) The event runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The musical group Cedar Creek Crossing will perform live in concert on Friday, Sept. 23, and concessions will be available Saturday.

Enjoy the day learning about the 1800 to 1840 time period in American history. For more information, phone 620-637-2213 or email fallriversp@ksoutdoors.com.

PRAIRIE CENTER TO HOLD ARCHERY AWARENESS DAY SEPT. 24

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New archery range unveiled
OLATHE — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Prairie Center, 26325 W. 135th Street in Olathe, has opened a new family-friendly archery range, and to celebrate the facility, the center will hold an Archery Awareness Day on Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The range is free for public use and open from dawn to dusk seven days a week. It was developed to provide shooting opportunities for youth and their families, and to provide a practice range for local hunters.

The range boasts an ADA accessible static range and one walk-back range. Future improvements will include an elevated shooting stand and a second walk-back range. An ADA portable toilet and picnic tables are available, but there is no running water.

Range staff will be available to provide the public with archery equipment and to answer questions. Those who are interested but can't make it to this event are encouraged to come out as time permits and use this free outdoor range.

For more information, phone the Prairie Center office at 913-856-7669.

MONARCHS PAINT SEPTEMBER SKY

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Amazing migration covers thousands of miles; clusters often cover entire trees
PRATT — For those who love butterflies, September is the month to watch for masses of migrating monarchs in Kansas. The weather has cooled, and many people are seeing this regal butterfly in backyards, parks, and in the field. This familiar and popular insect species displays migratory behavior much like that of birds. Navigating on instinct, every monarch east of the Rocky Mountains flies toward a specific area of central Mexico to spend the winter.

Amazingly, several generations separate the southward-migrating monarchs from those that flew north the previous spring, so they do not have elders to guide them on this 1,000- to 3,000-mile journey. The monarchs that live north of Kansas begin moving south in late August. The trigger for their trek south is thought to be the declining angle of the sun as the days get shorter, and this "sun compass" also guides them as they travel.

As the migrating monarchs progress south, local monarchs join them, making the group larger. The observed peak for the Topeka-Kansas City area typically falls about the second or third week in September. The peak for the Wichita area may be a week or so later. On the right day in the right location, careful observers may see hundreds or even thousands of monarchs moving in a south-southwesterly direction on their journey to Mexico. During resting periods, tree branches may be so loaded with monarchs that branches bend and appear to be covered with orange and black leaves. Those lucky enough to have seen this display have witnessed one of nature's marvels.

Don't expect to see such gatherings in the same place every year. Monarch movement is strongly affected by prevailing weather patterns, so their migration routes vary annually. A good way to attract monarchs and help them refuel on their fall migration is to plant September-blooming plants around home. Asters, sunflowers, goldenrod, and sedum provide blossoms with nectar monarchs need.

The right habitat nearby may even attract overnight roosts of monarchs. They cease flying in the evening and look for sheltered sites in trees to cluster together for the night. These sites often have an easterly exposure, so the monarchs can warm up quickly in the morning sun and resume migration. Such overnight roosts are, in miniature, just like what may be seen at their over-wintering site in Mexico, where acres of trees are so blanketed with butterflies that the branches of trees bend low with their weight.

Monarchs head back north again in March, but they are seldom the same ones that went south the previous September. It is the first generation of their descendants, and they begin arriving around the second week of April. Nor are those that begin the migration the same butterflies that complete the spring migration. Spring migrating monarchs may only fly a few hundred miles, then lay eggs and die. These eggs hatch into caterpillars, pupate, complete metamorphosis into butterflies, and continue the migration. Thus, the spring migration is often a leapfrog of generations moving as far north as Canada. Some may end their northward migration in Kansas, as well, laying eggs and producing more monarchs throughout the summer in the Sunflower State.

Because the spring flight north is a dispersal with the purpose of laying eggs on newly emerging milkweed rather than the mass retreat from winter that occurs in the fall, large numbers of monarchs are not seen in spring.

For more information on monarch butterflies, including where to look for monarchs and their amazing migration, contact the Monarch Watch program at the University of Kansas online at www.monarchwatch.org.

NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAY SEPT. 24

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Events celebrate the contributions of hunters and anglers to conservation
PRATT — The 40th Annual National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) — designated by Congressional decree and Presidential Proclamation — will be held Sept. 24. The event is a nationwide celebration of hunters and anglers and their contributions to conservation.

This year, T. Boone Pickens is the honorary chair for National Hunting and Fishing Day. Pickens is one of America’s most prominent and influential businessmen. He is president and CEO of the investment firm BP Capital Management and founder of Mesa Petroleum.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Operations Office will host a NHFD event at its Pratt Operations Office located at 512 SE 25th Ave. (2 miles east and 1 mile south of Pratt) on Saturday, Sept. 24. The celebration will run from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. The event will include a kids' fishing derby, a casting contest, catch and release fishing, archery, a canoe race, and other outdoor events.

National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 under President Nixon, when Congress dedicated the fourth Saturday of each September to recognize the efforts of generations of hunters and anglers who support wildlife conservation and habitat improvements with billons of dollars collected through fees on hunting and fishing licenses and permits, excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, as well as donations. Many species such as white-tailed deer, turkey, pronghorn, elk, whooping cranes, and bald eagles were brought back from near extinction through management programs funded by sportsmen.

Celebrities traditionally lend their names to the National Hunting and Fishing Day cause by serving as honorary chairs. Previous honorary chairs include Jeff Foxworthy, Hank Williams Jr., Tom Seaver, Arnold Palmer, Terry Bradshaw, Karl Malone, George Brett, Robert Urich, Ward Burton, Louise Mandrell, Travis Tritt, Wade Boggs, Tracy Byrd, and Luke Bryan.

National Hunting and Fishing Day 2011 sponsors include Wonders of Wildlife, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Sportsman Channel, Realtree, Smith & Wesson, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Cabela's, GunBroker.com, Academy Sports + Outdoors, the Pope and Young Club, Yamaha Motor Corporation, and the Izaak Walton League.

For more information, including a detailed history of National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as a feature article on Pickens, go online to www.nhfday.org. For events in your area, contact the nearest KDWPT office.

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NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAY SEPT. 24

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Events celebrate the contributions of hunters and anglers to conservation
PRATT — The 40th Annual National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) — designated by Congressional decree and Presidential Proclamation — will be held Sept. 24. The event is a nationwide celebration of hunters and anglers and their contributions to conservation.

This year, T. Boone Pickens is the honorary chair for National Hunting and Fishing Day. Pickens is one of America’s most prominent and influential businessmen. He is president and CEO of the investment firm BP Capital Management and founder of Mesa Petroleum.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Operations Office will host a NHFD event at its Pratt Operations Office located at 512 SE 25th Ave. (2 miles east and 1 mile south of Pratt) on Saturday, Sept. 24. The celebration will run from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. The event will include a kids' fishing derby, a casting contest, catch and release fishing, archery, a canoe race, and other outdoor events.

National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 under President Nixon, when Congress dedicated the fourth Saturday of each September to recognize the efforts of generations of hunters and anglers who support wildlife conservation and habitat improvements with billons of dollars collected through fees on hunting and fishing licenses and permits, excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, as well as donations. Many species such as white-tailed deer, turkey, pronghorn, elk, whooping cranes, and bald eagles were brought back from near extinction through management programs funded by sportsmen.

Celebrities traditionally lend their names to the National Hunting and Fishing Day cause by serving as honorary chairs. Previous honorary chairs include Jeff Foxworthy, Hank Williams Jr., Tom Seaver, Arnold Palmer, Terry Bradshaw, Karl Malone, George Brett, Robert Urich, Ward Burton, Louise Mandrell, Travis Tritt, Wade Boggs, Tracy Byrd, and Luke Bryan.

National Hunting and Fishing Day 2011 sponsors include Wonders of Wildlife, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Sportsman Channel, Realtree, Smith & Wesson, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Cabela's, GunBroker.com, Academy Sports + Outdoors, the Pope and Young Club, Yamaha Motor Corporation, and the Izaak Walton League.

For more information, including a detailed history of National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as a feature article on Pickens, go online to www.nhfday.org. For events in your area, contact the nearest KDWPT office.

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KANSAS HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY FALL FIELD TRIP SEPT. 16-18

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Public welcome to join experts on scientific expedition
JEWELL COUNTY — The Kansas Herpetological Society (KHS) will conduct its annual Fall Field Trip Sept. 16-18 in Jewell County. They will use the KHS campsite at Lovewell State Park as event headquarters. (Kansas State Park vehicle and camping permits are required.) And Kansas nature lovers are being asked to participate by taking a hike across Jewell County this weekend and make a herpetologist’s day. Become the first to find and document the plodding presence of an ornate box turtle or the diminutive brown snake in this northcentral Kansas county.

On the group’s wish list of notable finds are some 28 species of reptiles, amphibians, and turtles that have yet to be officially documented in the county. Another dozen species that have not been reported in the area for more than three decades are also being sought.

The free event — one of two or three such trips coordinated by the group each year — assesses the herpetofauna (reptiles, amphibians, and turtles) of Kansas, and the public is encouraged to attend. KHS members and others will gather at Lovewell State Park campground northeast of Mankato; look for the KHS signs as early as Friday, Sept. 16, although the actual event will begin with off-site field surveys on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9 a.m.

"Jewell County holds a great deal of potential for significant herpetological discoveries," says Travis Taggart, curator of herpetology at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays and field trip co-chair for the KHS. "It supports great habitat yet little field work has been conducted there." According to Taggart, another impetus behind the visit to Jewell County is its proximity and geographic similarity to the smooth green snake’s range in nearby Nebraska. This weekend, KHS hopes to discover and document the snake’s presence in Kansas.

Folks joining the Jewell County field trip should to prepare for field conditions and the weather. Long pants and thick boots are advised, and leather gloves, a hat, sunscreen, drinking water, snacks, two-way radios or a cell phone, field guides, a map, and a camera are also good items to bring. Old pillowcases and gallon-sized freezer bags can be used to temporarily hold captured animals. Participants are responsible for their own meals and overnight accommodations. Contact the Lovewell State Park office at 785-753-4971 or email lovewellsp@ksoutdoors.com for information on camping and cabin rental. Visit www.travelks.com for information about accommodations and places to eat or visit in nearby Mankato or other cities in the region.

Non-venomous snakes and other animals will be captured and brought to a checkpoint for identification and documentation. Unless specially trained to do so, participants are discouraged from attempting to catch venomous snakes.

Most animals will be released where they are found although researchers with Kansas scientific collecting permits may retain individual animals for further study.

Since 1975, KHS field trips have allowed people of all ages an opportunity to aid scientists, teachers, naturalists, and students to search for, discover, and document some of the world’s most misunderstood animals. The events assess the distribution and abundance of herpetological species in the state and gain other valuable data. In addition, participants are given an excellent opportunity to photograph and observe closely many different kinds of amphibians, reptiles, and turtles.

A species count from the field trip is published in the KHS Journal of Kansas Herpetology and is also made available to agencies such as the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and other conservation groups.

COUNCIL GROVE YOUTH SHOOTING CLINIC SEPT. 24

Sept. 8, 2011
Event designed to encourage youth hunters and shooters; registration deadline Sept. 16
COUNCIL GROVE — Council Grove area youth are invited to attend a free shotgun, pellet rifle, and archery shooting and safety clinic on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Council Grove Reservoir. Sponsored by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), the Flint Hills Chapter of Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation (QUWF), and Morris County hunter education instructors, this special event will provide participants with the opportunity to enhance firearm and archery shooting and safety skills. Controlled live fire instruction will teach safe, responsible, and fun shooting techniques.

Participants will be provided safety and shooting instruction by certified firearm and archery skills instructors. All gear and supplies, including shotguns, pellet rifles, shells, bows, arrows, targets, and eye and ear protection will be provided by KDWPT’s “Pass It On” and Hunter Education programs. Teaching methods almost guarantee that students will break shotgun targets by the end of the session.

Anyone age 11 through 16 may participate. Participants are required to pre-register for the event by Sept. 16. Students are not required to have completed a hunter education course, but prior completion is preferred. The event will begin at 12 p.m. at the COE-managed area between Marina Cove and Neosho Park, approximately 1/4 mile west of the COE office at the west end of the dam. Check-in will be run from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., and QUWF will provide a free lunch during check-in. Instruction will begin at 12:30 p.m. and end at 4 p.m.

KDWP’s “Pass It On” Program is designed to increase the number of Kansans who hunt. Those interested are reminded to pre-register before Sept. 16. To register or learn more about this event, phone Brent Konen, Council Grove Wildlife Area manager, at 620-767-5900.

Hunting, Fishing, and Camping

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HUNTING BUSINESS WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER

Workshops designed to help existing hunting businesses, startups
BELOIT — Upland game bird season is just around the corner, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has developed an Agritourism Education Program to help both established hunting-related businesses and budding entrepreneurs considering starting one. As part of the program, KDWPT is sponsoring two Hunting Business Management Workshops in September to share money-making tips, techniques, ideas, and management tools. The first workshop will be held in Beloit on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Municipal Building, 119 N. Hersey Ave. The second workshop (a repeat of the first) will take place in Jetmore on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the King Center, 1312 Main Street. Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m., and the program runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Each workshop will cover a number of topics, including hunting guide tips and techniques, liability and risk management, marketing to reach the customers, food service and lodging rules and regulations, sales techniques, and habitat and game management. A variety of speakers and a panel of current hunting business operators will share information and discuss their experiences.

Registration is $40 per person, which includes lunch and workshop materials. For an information flyer and registration form, go online to travelksindustry.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=26 and click “Register.” For more information, phone Becki Rhoades, KDWPT agritourism manager, at 785-296-1847; email becki.rhoades@ksoutdoors.com; phone Jan Jantzen at 620-794-6647; or emailfhruraltourism@yahoo.com.

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MUZZLELOADER, YOUTH/DISABLED, ARCHERY DEER SEASONS ON TAP

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Sept. 8, 2011
Resident Any Season White-tailed Deer permits available over the counter
PRATT — Three deer seasons open this September: the muzzleloader season, which runs Sept. 19-Oct. 2; the archery season, which runs Sept. 19-Dec. 31; and the youth/disabled season, which runs Sept. 10-18. Resident hunters who have yet to obtain a Resident Any Season White-tailed Deer permit may still obtain one at Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) offices, select license vendors, online at www.kdwp.state.ks.us (click "License/Permits" on the top menu bar), or by phoning 1-800-918-2877 toll-free.

The Any Season permit is valid statewide and allows the hunter to harvest one antlered or antlerless white-tailed deer during any season with equipment legal for that season.

Resident hunting licenses, required of anyone age 16 through 64 in addition to the deer permit, cost $20.50. Resident Any Season White-tailed Deer permits cost $32.50. Antlerless-Only White-tailed Deer permits, which may be purchased only after an antlered deer permit has been purchased, cost $17.50.

After Dec. 30, deer hunters may purchase Antlerless-Only White-tailed Deer permits valid during January seasons without having first purchased an antlered deer permit.

There is no minimum age to apply for and receive a big game permit, and youth younger than 16 may hunt without hunter education, if supervised by an adult 18 years or older. For more information, visit the KDWPT website, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us, or phone 620-672-5911.

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KDWPT BRINGS OUTDOORS TO STATE FAIR SEPT. 9-18

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Aquaria, taxidermy, cabin, tourism information highlight exhibits this year

PRATT — The 2011 Kansas State Fair — Sept. 9-18 — offers a wide variety of sights, sounds, food, music, and other entertainment, but the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) brings a different kind of wild outdoor and travel experience to the fair. The KDWPT exhibit, located in the Eisenhower Building (north of the administration building and train station), gives fairgoers a chance to see replicas of state record fish and deer mounts, an aquatic nuisance species (ANS) display, aquaria teeming with dozens of fish species, and live snakes. Natural resource officers and staff from KDWPT education centers will be on hand to answer questions.

KDWPT’s mobile aquarium will set up next to Gate 9, on the southeast corner of the fairgrounds. The 40-foot long aquarium holds 3,200 gallons and displays many Kansas sportfish and nongame fish, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, striped bass, hybrid striped bass (wiper), bluegill, green sunfish, longear sunfish, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, buffalo, common carp, walleye, sauger, saugeye, redear sunfish, black crappie, white crappie, longnose gar, spotted gar, and freshwater drum.

Viewers have a special chance to see native live fish up close, and fisheries biologists are on hand to answer questions and demonstrate fishing techniques from the aquarium’s casting platform.

KDWPT also has a cabin on the fairgrounds, near Lake Talbot. This cabin is much like those available for rent at Kansas state parks and wildlife areas, and visitors may enter a drawing for free cabin weekends. Governor Sam Brownback will be on hand to draw the lucky winners for free weekend cabin stays on Thursday morning, Sept. 15. More than 90 cabins are now available at 20 state parks and five wildlife areas, offering visitors comfortable, convenient accommodations.

Kansas Tourism and KANSAS! magazine will share a booth in the Pride of Kansas Building (located west of the administration building). Visitors to the booth will have the chance to pick up a free copy of the 2011-12 Official Kansas Visitors Guide, sign up to win a basket of Kansas goodies, subscribe to KANSAS! and more. Most days a representative from a “Spotlight Community” will be present in the booth with information on what there is to see and do in their Kansas community. Fair attendees can learn more about products, places and things covered in KANSAS! from special guests who will be featured in the booth.

For more information on the KDWPT State Fair exhibit, phone 620-672-5911. For information about the Kansas Tourism exhibit, phone 785-296-2281.

Fishing, Hunting, and Camping Information

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KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR TO UNDERGO PERIODIC DAM INSPECTION

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Lake level being reduced to below conservation pool
MARQUETTE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Kanopolis Reservoir has scheduled a periodic inspection of Kanopolis Dam for Sept. 27-30. Conducted every five years, the periodic inspection provides multi-disciplined teams a routine opportunity to conduct a detailed assessment of the embankment, control tower, outlet works, and associated structures.

To prepare for the inspection, the lake level is being reduced to below conservation pool. A gradual drawdown of the lake began on Aug. 26, and it is expected that the lake will be near elevation 1462.50 feet mean sea level during the inspection.

Pumping and cleaning of the Kanopolis stilling basin is also a component of the inspection. Corps of Engineers staff will assist Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism staff with a basin fish salvage during the morning of Sept. 26. Nongame fish will be made available to the public while game fish species will be returned to the lake or other public waters.

It is anticipated that the Outlet Area of Kanopolis Reservoir will be closed to the public throughout the inspection. All other recreation areas will remain open. Questions regarding the periodic inspection should be directed to the Kanopolis Project Office at 785-546-2294.

Fishing Tips and Info

19th ANNUAL KINSLEY GUN CLUB KIDS KLASSIC SEPT. 17

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$100 bonds, shotguns, other awards await young shooters; registration deadline Sept. 12
KINSLEY — On Saturday, Sept. 17, the Kinsley Gun Club will host its 19th Annual Kids Klassic trap shooting tournament for young shooters. Each youngster will fire at 100 targets. A $25 entry fee will include a custom T-shirt, lunch, and a chance to win a door prize, including four guns — all provided by area businesses and the shooting fraternity. The entry fee does not include shells.

This event is open to all youngsters through high school. Shooters will compete for trophies, Olympic-style medals, shotgun shells, and other prizes in four age groups for individuals and five-person teams. Ten $100 savings bonds will be awarded by drawing, so everyone has a chance to win. Other awards include 19 flats of shotgun shells and individual trophies for four age groups with special awards to 4-H members. The top three five-shooter teams earn trophies and shells. A trophy and prize will be reserved for the top girl shooter, as well.

The shoot starts at the Dodge City Gun club with 50 16-yard targets, then moves to Kinsley for lunch, 50 handicap targets, and the prize presentation.

While everyone high school age and younger is welcome to attend, participants who enter must be strong enough to handle a shotgun safely and are expected to know the basic rules and etiquette of trapshooting. The shoot is not for beginners.

The registration deadline for the event is Sept. 12. Entries (including T-shirt sizes and number of adults for lunch) should be provided in advance. To enter, receive an official program, receive more information, or find out where to practice close to home, phone toll free at 1-888-324-5445, emailfranko@gbta.net, or write to Frank O’Brien, 115 Sunnyside Drive, Lewis, KS 67552.

TEAL SEASON BEGINS SEPT. 10

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Blue-winged teal migrating in record numbers
PRATT — The first waterfowl that hunters may pursue each year are teal, and their numbers are generally high. But this year is better than ever. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that blue-winged teal numbers are 91 percent above their long-term average (a record), and green-winged teal numbers, although down from last year, are still 47 percent above their long-term average. This could make for good hunting in the Sunflower State's two September teal hunting zones. A dry, hot summer has dried up many areas of the state, but there should still be plenty of good hunting in many areas. Weekly waterfowl reports on the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s website, www.kdwpt.ks.us, will begin Sept. 1.

In the Low Plains Zone (all of Kansas east of Highway 283), the season runs Sept. 10-25. In the High Plains Zone (west of Highway 283), the season runs Sept. 17-25.

The daily bag limit is four teal with a possession limit of eight. All waterfowl hunters 16 and older must have a federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, and all hunters who are required to obtain a license must also have a Kansas State Waterfowl Habitat Stamp and a Kansas Harvest Information Program (HIP) stamp before attempting to take ducks, geese, or mergansers. (Those not required to have a Kansas hunting license include people hunting their own land and residents 15 and younger or 65 and older.)

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY KANSAS CHAPTER NAMES NEW STATE DIRECTOR

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Rob Manes spent nearly 20 years with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
TOPEKA — The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has named Rob Manes the new Kansas state director of the conservation organization. Before attaining this position, Manes spent six years as TNC’s director of conservation for Kansas, where he was responsible for establishing conservation easements with private landowners, overseeing management of all TNC-owned properties in Kansas, ecological planning for all Kansas priority regions, and leading collaborative efforts for renewable energy and agricultural conservation issues.

Manes brings extensive experience in natural resource management, having spent nearly 20 years with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and five years with the Wildlife Management Institute in a variety of leadership positions. He is originally from Pratt and received his bachelor of science with a biology emphasis from Kansas State University in 1982 and master of environmental science from Friends University in 1991.

“The wild resources of Kansas are both rich and deep and, in many cases, threatened,” Manes notes. “Effectively conserving the state’s natural landscapes, waters, and wildlife is a costly, long-term challenge, but The Nature Conservancy has proven its ability to deliver lasting, large-scale results. My commitment to the Conservancy’s mission is founded on the firm belief that these resources are inherently worth saving, but equally important, conserving wild resources benefits people, economies, and cultures.”

Former state director Alan Pollom assumed a new role with TNC as senior conservation specialist for Kansas and the Central U.S. Division. In his new position, Pollom will focus on cross-border conservation planning and strategy relating to preservation of the Flint Hills tallgrass region, as well as representing TNC as a major stakeholder in wind energy issues.

Pollom opened the Kansas office in 1989, and during his tenure, he led the chapter through several acquisitions, including the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and three successful capital campaigns that raised nearly $30 million for conservation efforts in Kansas.

“The Kansas Chapter Board of Trustees is especially pleased that we can look forward to continuing exceptional leadership from the state director position,” says Bill Riley, chairman of the TNC Kansas Chapter Board of Trustees. “We all recognize the outstanding credentials Rob Manes brings to our conservation efforts in Kansas, including his recent years of outstanding service as the Kansas director of conservation. His appointment as state director promises to continue our upward trajectory as the largest and most effective conservation nonprofit organization in the state.”

SICK AND DEAD DEER REPORTED FROM EASTERN KANSAS

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Landowners, hunters urged to avoid attracting deer to feeders; concentrating deer spreads hemorrhagic disease
EMPORIA — Late August through early October is a time when people occasionally see sick and dead deer and wonder what is happening. The disease most often associated with these losses is a virus called hemorrhagic disease (HD). It is caused by a virus, and it is transmitted to deer and other ruminant animals by biting midges. People and their pets are not affected by this virus, and the disease stops in the fall after cold weather kills the midges.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is asking anyone who sees a sick or dead deer to contact local KDWPT staff and report where and how many deer are involved. So far this year, KDWPT has received reports from 12 counties in eastern Kansas, and most of these reports involve a single sick or dead deer. Samples have been submitted to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia. Initial results from two cases confirmed that the virus involved in this year’s cases is epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), serotype 2. (A serotype is a distinct variation within a subspecies of the virus.)

There are two related viruses that may cause HD; epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) and bluetongue virus (BTV). In the US, there are multiple serotypes of both EHDV (EHDV-1 and -2) and BTV (BTV-2, -10, -11, -13, and -17). Although all of these viruses can cause HD, the virus and serotype most often associated with death of deer is EHDV-2. Both BTV and EHDV infect cattle, but in North America, clinical disease in infected cattle is rare and generally mild. Sheep are not affected by EHDV, but severe disease can be caused by BTV. Midges can carry both viruses and feed on many species of ruminants, and the viruses may produce a variety of symptoms in deer.

When HD occurs, people normally find sick and dead deer along streams or near ponds. Midges reproduce in stagnant water, and deer are often found near those sites in the late summer. Deer with HD frequently have a high temperature and allow people to get very close to them. The deer may be standing or lying down, and they occasionally have an open mouth with their tongue hanging out and swollen.

The clinical signs of HD in deer can be highly variable depending on the virulence of the virus in a particular location or year and the susceptibly and immunity of the deer herd.

In late August, sick Kansas deer have responded severely to the disease. These animals will generally die within a couple days after they first show symptoms. That does not mean that all deer infected with the virus will die. Some deer will not show any symptoms, and their immune system will produce antibodies for this virus. Those antibodies give the deer protection from the disease in future years. Other deer will survive the initial problems with the virus but still develop chronic hemorrhagic disease.

The chronic signs typically observed by hunters in the winter or by people who encounter a sick deer in the spring include fever rings on the hooves (cracked or sloughed hooves on three or four feet) and emaciation. Thin deer are generally the result of the disease’s effects on the lining of the rumen (a digestive organ similar to a stomach in other animals). Those animals have no ability to digest food. Chronic HD can further lower the immune response of deer and leave them vulnerable to bacterial diseases such pneumonia.

What can be done about HD? There are no effective treatments or vaccines for HD. Even if there were, it would be nearly impossible to treat enough wild deer to have any effect on the annual outcomes of this disease. Some individual deer have high levels of immunity to the disease. Deer in western Kansas generally have antibodies for various serotypes of HD, and a significant die-off in that area is rare. Deer in eastern Kansas generally do not have antibodies for the disease, and when events like the one this year occur, there can be high numbers of sick and dead deer.

The best advice for people concerned about HD on their land is to make sure deer are not concentrated at feeders and that they are not being fed high levels of corn, which may lower their ability to mount an immune response if they become infected.

KDWPT will monitor the spread and extent of HD this year.

“HD probably occurs to some extent every year in Kansas,” explains Lloyd Fox, big game program coordinator for the agency. “Occasionally, there are years when the disease causes high mortality. This disease has been known to kill as many as 10 percent to 50 percent of a local deer herd. The department adjusts future management, such as antlerless-only seasons and numbers of permits, as a result of those events.”

Fox explained that HD is a traditional disease of deer, and while there may be high numbers of dead deer in a particular area, the deer herd will generally repopulate the area within a few years.