Wednesday, February 23, 2011

COUNCIL GROVE YOUTH HUNT LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

From guides to cooks, helpers are needed for popular event
COUNCIL GROVE — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ (KDWP) Council Grove Annual Spring Turkey Hunt for youth hunters is one of the most popular events of its kind in the state. However, it’s become a victim of its own success. While the annual event enhances opportunities for beginning turkey hunters, it’s gotten bigger with time, and volunteers are needed to host the event.
“We are trying to enhance coordination efforts by asking potential volunteers to assist so that we may improve our ability to plan and ensure that we have enough volunteers to meet participant demand,” says event coordinator Brent Konen, area manager for Council Grove and El Dorado wildlife areas and Chase State Fishing Lake. “Past participants have truly appreciated our efforts to provide these opportunities, and we’d hate to turn anyone away because we lack volunteers.”
This year’s youth hunt has been planned during the youth season on Saturday, April 2. Levels of volunteer assistance needed are wide-ranging, from guides responsible for escorting participants into the field and assisting with the hunt, to assistants responsible for helping with tasks during shotgun firing and meal preparation.
Guides should have property access plans in mind before the event. Consider access plans that account for inclement road and field conditions and the needs of young participants. A few ATVs will be available to assist with transportation but will not be available to all parties. Because some past participants have requested that family or friends accompany them on the hunt, volunteer guides should consider hunting locations that provide concealment for hunting parties of two to four. Pop-up blinds will be available.
This years’ event will provide participating hunters (age 11 through 16) with an opportunity to become involved not only in the hunt but also its preparation. The event will begin on Friday, April 1, at 4:30 p.m. at Council Grove Reservoir. A brief informational meeting and a meet-and-greet session for all volunteers and participants will be followed by a complimentary meal. After the meal, participants may pattern shotguns, then accompany guides to hunt locations to scout for the following morning’s hunt. At 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, the group will meet for breakfast, and the hunts will conclude at 11:30 a.m., when participants will enjoy a free lunch.
“I would ask anyone who can to please consider assisting in any way,” Konen asks. “Volunteers will be provided with a complete event agenda in late March.”
For more information, phone Konen at 620-767-5900.


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KANSAS WETLANDS EDUCATION CENTER TO HOST TURKEY SEMINAR

Female wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) take...Image via Wikipedia
March 6 event features turkey calling expert, tips for hunters at every level of experience
GREAT BEND — The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC), located 10 miles northeast of Great Bend, will conduct a turkey hunting seminar on Sunday, March 6, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This event is designed for those with an interest in learning more about wild turkeys, what it takes to get started turkey hunting, or those just looking for some tips about turkey hunting or turkey calling.
The National Wild Turkey Federation JAKES program, in association with the Great Bend Recreation Commission, KWEC, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will sponsor this free, family-friendly event. All participants who bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the local food bank will receive a free mouth-diaphragm call from Rod Pettit, the current Kansas state turkey calling champion and Elite Hunting Team Pro Staffer for Knight and Hale Game Calls.
Pettit will give a seminar for adults and kids on how to use calls, as well as a program entitled “Hunter Versus 6 Toms,” which discusses different hunting scenarios and techniques, decoy use, equipment, and gear. KDWP’s Pass It On program will hold a free wingshooting clinic, providing all firearms, ammunition, and targets.
Door prizes donated by local businesses will be drawn throughout the event. Whether you are new to hunting or have hunted your entire life, there will be something for everyone interested in turkeys.
For more information, phone the KWEC at 1-877-243-9268 or email Eric Giesing at ergiesing@fhsu.edu.


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WINTER WEATHER HELPS ANGLERS TACKLE TROUT

PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks' (KDWP) trout program creates a popular winter opportunity for anglers across the state. This stocking program provides fish at more than 30 sites across Kansas and affords fast action when other fishing can be slow. Bitter cold temperatures across most of Kansas in late January and early February froze many of these trout waters, but unusually warm weather followed, breaking up ice and making water temperatures and access to trout ideal. And anglers are taking advantage of the situation.
Trout bite a variety of lures, jigs, and flies. They also take live bait and prepared bait, especially colorful pinch-on types. Most Kansas trout fisheries allow a creel limit of five fish per day, but because some regulations — including the use of artificial bait only — vary by location, be sure to read posted information at each site before fishing.
Kansas trout season runs Oct.15 through April 15. During this time, trout are stocked as often as twice a month at each fishing location. Most fish are 10 to 12 inches long, but contracts stipulate that a certain percentage of bigger fish also must be stocked. This gives Kansas anglers a chance to hook a trophy trout that might weigh 5 pounds or more.
During the trout season, trout anglers must possess a special permit in addition to a fishing license. This annual trout stamp costs $12.15 and is valid statewide. All trout anglers must have this stamp, which pays for the program. The exception is trout anglers 15 and younger, who may fish without a trout stamp but are restricted to a daily creel limit of two trout. With a trout stamp, youth anglers may take a full creel limit.
Rainbow trout, native to cold waters, can thrive in Kansas winter pools. However, after spring warm-up, most trout cannot survive in Kansas. The exception to this is the Mined Land Wildlife Area #30, near Oswego, with deep waters cold enough to allow year-round trout fishing. On this area, a trout stamp is required year-round.
Learn more about Kansas trout fishing at the KDWP website,www.kdwp.state.ks.us. Click “Fishing/Special Fishing Programs for You/Trout Fishing Program.”


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WILDLIFE AND PARKS COMMISSION MEETING MARCH 10 IN TOPEKA

Male wild turkey in Brookline, Massachusetts, ...Image via Wikipedia
Big game and turkey regulations to highlight public hearing; audio/visual streaming available
TOPEKA — The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing on Thursday, March 10, at the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Region 2 Office, 300 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m., and the evening session will begin at 7 p.m.
The afternoon session will begin with time for public comments on on-agenda items, followed by a general discussion period on the following topics:
  • Secretary’s remarks;
  • 2001 legislative update;
  • agency and state fiscal status;
  • Kansans for Children in Nature plan;
  • early migratory bird seasons;
  • furbearer regulations; and
  • trails grant update.
The afternoon will also include a workshop session, in preparation for potential future regulatory action, covering preliminary recommendations on the following regulations:
  • KAR 115-25-7, antelope — open season, bag limit, and permits;
  • KAR 115-25-8, elk — open season, bag limit, and permits;
  • KAR 115-25-9a, deer — open season, bag limit, permits, and additional considerations (Fort Riley);
  • potential regulation changes to address aquatic nuisance species; and
  • KAR 115-7-9 — weigh-in black bass fishing tournaments.
The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location to hear general public comments on non-agenda items, followed by a public hearing on regulations and Secretary’s Orders. Evening public hearing topics include the following:
  • KAR 115-2-2 — motor vehicle permit fees;
  • KAR 115-2-3 — camping and utilities fees;
  • KAR 115-4-6b — elk management units;
  • KAR 115-4-11 — big game and wild turkey permit applications;
  • KAR 115-25-9, deer — open season, bag limit, and permits;
  • Secretary’s Orders for deer;
  • KAR 115-16-5 — wildlife control permit operation requirements;
  • KAR 115-25-5, turkey — fall season, bag limit, and permits; and
  • KAR 115-25-6, turkey — spring season, bag limit, permits, and game tags.
Time will be set aside in both the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics that are not on the agenda. If necessary, the commission will recess on March 10 and reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., March 11, to complete unfinished business.
Live video and audio streaming of this meeting will be broadcast through the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us.
If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter, call the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Any individual with a disability may request other accommodations by contacting the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission secretary at 620-672-5911.
The next commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 21, at the Great Plains Nature Center Auditorium, 6232 East 29th Street North in Wichita.


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KANSAS, ILLINOIS AUTHORITIES COOPERATE IN TURKEY STING

Wild Turkeys, Central PAImage via Wikipedia
Effingham County, Illinois, men plead guilty in Kansas turkey poaching case
SPRINGFIELD, IL — A two-year, cooperative investigation among the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has resulted in the prosecution of 11 Effingham County, Illinois, men for violating multiple Kansas game laws. The case had been referred to Kansas by Illinois Conservation Police and the USFWS in 2009 after investigation of a case in Illinois revealed that the same people being investigated there were also illegally taking wild turkeys in Kansas. KDWP Law Enforcement Division investigator Doug Whiteaker assisted in the effort.
The investigation revealed that two groups of Illinois hunters had been traveling to Kansas to turkey hunt for several years. Among other game law violations, the group had been taking over the limit of turkeys. Illinois Conservation Police and the USFWS interviewed the group of men in May 2009 and seized eight whole turkeys, more than 20 sets of spurs, 24 beards, 19 packages of turkey meat, and five unused turkey permits at that time.
"This case involved the worst over-take of a wildlife resource that I have seen in 29 years as an enforcement officer for KDWP,” Whiteaker said. “With regard to the length of time over which the crimes were committed and the amount of wildlife illegally killed, this is the worst I’ve seen. This investigation clearly documented that the offenders in this case intentionally and knowingly violated the wildlife laws of the State of Kansas.
“My thanks goes out to Illinois DNR Conservation Police officers, USFWS special agents, KDWP natural resource officers, as well as the county attorneys and their staffs for Clay, Geary, and Osage counties,” Whiteaker explains. “They all played important roles. I would not have been able to bring this case to a successful conclusion without their help. This investigation is a good example of teamwork and cooperation among agencies and the benefits that come with it."
The following is a list of the defendants, their charges, and their penalties (Kansas county of prosecution in parentheses). Individuals charged in Osage County entered diversion agreements and paid fines of $493.50.
  • Ronald Esker (Geary) — misrepresentation to purchase a resident turkey permit, hunting turkeys without a valid license, and taking turkeys without a valid permit, fined $586 and lost hunting privileges in Kansas and Illinois for two years;
  • Shawn Lewis (Clay) — taking of turkeys without a valid permit, fined $636 and lost hunting privileges in Kansas and Illinois for one year;
  • Scott Huelsing (Osage) — unlawful possession of wild turkeys, failure to tag wild turkeys, and hunting from a motor vehicle;
  • Vincent Huelsing (Osage) — two counts of failure to tag wild turkeys;
  • Paul Althoff (Osage) — failure to tag wild turkeys and hunting turkeys without a valid permit;
  • James Dust (Osage) — two counts of taking wild turkeys without a valid permit;
  • Tom Edwards (Osage) — failure to tag wild turkeys and taking of wild turkey without a valid permit;
  • Jason Dust (Osage) — two counts of taking wild turkeys without a valid permit;
  • Justin Dust (Osage) — taking wild turkeys without a valid permit;
  • Frank Lee (Osage) — taking a hen turkey and hunting wild turkeys without a valid permit; and
  • Dennis Heuerman (Osage) — failure to tag wild turkeys and taking of wild turkeys without a valid permit.
Anyone with information regarding illegal hunting activity is urged to contact their local natural resource officer — listed in the 2010 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, the 2011 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary — or phone Operation Game Thief at 877-426-3843. A list of Kansas natural resource officer phone numbers by county may found on the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us. Callers may choose to remain anonymous.


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Friday, February 18, 2011

PRESIDENT REQUESTS $1.7 BILLION FOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IN FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2012

The President’s FY 2012 budget request of $1.7 billion for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (Service) will focus funding on the agency’s highest
priority conservation initiatives, such as the America’s Great Outdoors
initiative, while containing costs through management efficiencies and
other savings.  The requested $1.7 billion is a net increase of $47.9
million compared to the FY 2010 enacted budget.  The budget also includes
approximately $1 billion available under permanent appropriations, most of
which will be provided directly to States for fish and wildlife
restoration and conservation.

“In these hard economic times the Service recognizes budget requests are
very challenging as difficult choices have to be made,” said Acting Fish
and Wildlife Service Director Rowan Gould. “The investments considered for
this budget will support the Service’s mission to conserve, protect and
enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing
benefit of the American people and the great outdoors they love.”

Administrative Savings ($26.5 million decrease)
In support of the President’s commitment to fiscal discipline and spending
restraint, the Service is participating in an aggressive Department-wide
effort to curb non-essential administrative spending.  In accordance with
this initiative, the Service’s FY 2012 budget  assumes $26.5 million in
savings, built upon management efficiencies the Service began implementing
in FY 2011.  Savings will be realized in several areas, including travel,
employee relocation, and supplies.

National Fish Hatchery Operations – Mitigation ($6.3 million decrease)
The FY 2012 request contains a reduction of funding for National Fish
Hatchery Operations of nearly $6.3 million and 65 FTE.  At several of its
hatcheries, the Service produces fish to mitigate the adverse effects of
Federal water development projects constructed by other Federal agencies.
States depend on these activities to stock fisheries which provide
economic benefit to local communities. The Service has been working to
recover costs from the Federal agencies that built and operate these water
infrastructure projects, and will continue ongoing reimbursement
discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Tennessee
Valley Authority, Central Utah Project Completion Act, and the Bonneville
Power Administration.


National Wildlife Refuge Fund ($14.5 million decrease)
The Service proposes the elimination of the entire appropriated portion
($14.5 million) of this program.  Over time National Wildlife Refuges
(Refuges) have been found to generate tax revenue for communities far in
excess of tax losses from Federal land ownership.  Refuge lands provide
many public services, such as watershed protection, and place few demands
on local infrastructure when compared to development that is more
intensive.  Refuges bring a multitude of visitors to nearby communities,
providing substantial economic benefits. Recreational spending on refuges
generates millions of dollars in tax revenue at the local, county, State
and Federal level.  The mandatory receipts collected and allocated to
States under the program would remain.

The budget supports the President’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative
with $140 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for Federal
land acquisitions the Service has identified as having the greatest
conservation benefits, and $15.7 million, an increase of $2.5 million to
support Youth in the Great Outdoors by providing a platform and programs
to orient children and young adults to the importance of fish and wildlife
conservation and encourage careers in natural science.

The budget proposes an increase of $4 million for activities associated
with renewable energy development, including $2 million for the Endangered
Species Consultation program to support development of renewable energy
projects and $2 million for Conservation Planning Assistance (CPA).  The
increase for the CPA program will enable the Service to participate more
fully in priority landscape level planning to assist industry and State
fish and wildlife agencies’ siting of renewable energy projects and
transmission corridor infrastructure.

The budget will also support large-scale ecosystem restoration projects as
examples of the Service’s commitment to a landscape-scale, science-driven,
partner-engaged approach to conservation.

Additional highlights of the Service’s FY 2012 budget request include:

Cooperative Landscape Conservation ($10.2 million increase)
The requested funding increase of $10.2 million will enable the Service to
continue working with partners to conduct collaborative landscape-scale
biological planning and conservation design by completing the network of
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) initiated in FY 2010.

LCCs will continue to act as a focal point for collaborative work with
partners, especially the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Science Centers
to disseminate applied science products and tools for resource management
decisions across landscapes.  This collaboration allows partners to target
resources on activities that will produce the greatest benefits for fish
and wildlife for the American people.  Within the Service, LCCs help
support and augment many ongoing programs, including Endangered Species
Recovery Plans, Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans, fish passage
programs and habitat restoration.



Adaptive Science ($7.2 million increase)
With this additional funding the Service will be able to acquire the
necessary science to make better conservation decisions.  The funding will
be used to acquire risk and vulnerability assessments, conduct inventory
and monitoring, develop population and habitat assessments and models,
design conservation measures, evaluate management options for LCC
partners, and increase our understanding of conservation genetics.

Refuge Inventory and Monitoring Program ($8 million increase)
In support of LCC development and adaptive science management, the
requested increase of $8 million within the Refuge program will be used to
continue building the landscape scale, long-term inventory and monitoring
network that the Service began in FY 2010.

Endangered Species Act Petitions ($3.9 million increase)
The Service also is requesting an increase in funding for the Endangered
Species Listing Program, to reflect the increasingly large number of
Endangered Species Act (ESA) petitions being received. Between 1994 and
2006, the Service received an average of 17 petitions annually, covering
an average of 20 species per year.  In contrast, since 2007 the Service
has been petitioned to add more than 1,230 species to the list of
threatened and endangered species, more species than the Service listed
during the previous 30 years of administering the Act. With additional
funding, the Service projects to complete 39 additional 90-day and
12-month petition findings, while also initiating proposed listing
determinations for 93 species.

Coastal Impact Assistance Program
Under the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP), the Secretary of the
Interior is authorized to distribute $250 million to offshore oil
producing States and their coastal political subdivisions (CPS) for each
of the fiscal years 2007 through 2010.  This money is shared among
Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and is
allocated to each producing State and eligible CPS based upon legislated
allocation formulas.
This program has been implemented from its inception by the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), formally the
Minerals Management Service (MMS). However, in FY 2012, the Coastal Impact
Assistance Program will be transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service as
the purpose of the CIAP aligns more directly with the mission of the
Service.  The transfer will allow BOEMRE to focus on programs more
directly aligned with its regulatory and enforcement mission.
Details on the President’s FY 2012 budget request are available online at
http://www.doi.gov/budget/ .

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people.  We are both a leader
and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our
scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources,
dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more
information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit
www.fws.gov.
-FWS-

Kansas Deer Hunting
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President Obama Announces Plan for Community-Based Conservation through the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative

Logo of the United States White House, especia...Image via WikipediaWASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama today announced the
Administration’s action plan, under the America’s Great Outdoors
initiative, to achieve lasting conservation of the outdoor spaces that
power our nation’s economy, shape our culture, and build our outdoor
traditions. By making the Federal Government a better partner with
American communities, this initiative seeks to reinvigorate our approach
to conservation and reconnect Americans, especially young people, with the
lands and waters that are used for farming and ranching, hunting and
fishing, and for families to spend quality time together.  Recognizing
that many of these places and resources are disappearing and under intense
pressure, the President established the America’s Great Outdoors
Initiative last April to work with the American people in developing a
conservation and recreation agenda that makes sense for the 21st century.

Recognizing that the best ideas come from outside Washington, the report
released today outlines ways in which the Federal Government will help
empower local communities to accomplish their conservation and recreation
priorities. Last summer, senior Administration officials held 51 listening
sessions across the country to gather input from Americans about the
outdoor places and activities that they value most.  These sessions drew
more than 10,000 participants and more than 105,000 written comments,
shaping an action plan that, based on local initiatives and support, when
implemented will result in:

Accessible parks or green spaces for our children.
A new generation of great urban parks and community green spaces.
Newly-restored river restorations and recreational “blueways” that power
economic revitalization in communities.
Stronger support for farmers, ranchers, and private landowners that help
protect rural landscapes and provide access for recreation.
The reinvestment of revenues from oil and gas extraction into the
permanent protection of parks, open spaces, wildlife habitat, and access
for recreational activities.
A 21st century conservation ethic that builds on local ideas and solutions
for environmental stewardship and connecting to our historic, cultural,
and natural heritage.

“With children spending half as much time outside as their parents did,
and with many Americans living in urban areas without safe access to green
space, connecting to the outdoors is more important than ever for the
economic and physical health of our communities,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair
of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.  “Through the
America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, this Administration will work
together with communities to ensure clean and accessible lands and waters,
thriving outdoor cultures and economies, and healthy and active youth.”

“The America’s Great Outdoors Initiative is born out of a conversation
with the American people about what matters most to them about the places
where they live, work, and play,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
said. “It’s about practical, common-sense ideas from the American people
on how our natural, cultural, and historic resources can help us be a more
competitive, stronger, and healthier nation. Together, we are adapting our
conservation strategies to meet the challenges of today and empowering
communities to protect and preserve our working lands and natural
landscapes for generations to come.”

“America’s farmlands and woodlands help fuel our economy and create jobs
across the rural areas of our country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack. “This plan seeks to work in partnership with landowners,
conservation groups, states and others to conserve our working lands and
our public lands and to reconnect Americans – especially our nation’s
youth – with opportunities to stay active.  This blueprint was developed
with input from the over 100,000 Americans in all corners of our country
who joined our national listening sessions and who contributed their ideas
online.”

“This initiative is an effort to reconnect Americans with the valuable
resources all around them and shape a 21st century plan for protecting our
great outdoors,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “It is important
that our waters, lands and greenspaces are brought back into our daily
lives. President Obama’s initiative will help make these critical
resources a national focus once again, and involve people of every
background in conservation of the places that we hold dear.”

Specific recommendations and actions in the report include:

Calling for full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which
directs Federal revenue from oil and gas extraction for national, state
and local conservation and recreation projects.
Establishing a 21st century Conservation Service Corps to engage young
Americans in public lands and water restoration.
Extending the deduction for conservation easement donations on private
lands beyond 2011.
Establishing an America’s Great Outdoors National Recreational Blueways
Trails initiative to designate community-scale portions of rivers as
recreational destinations that receive special attention for restoration
and access.
Supporting collaborative efforts to conserve large landscapes across
working lands by targeting resources from incentive-based programs.
Increasing outdoor recreational opportunities and access.
Establishing an interagency America’s Great Outdoors Council to ensure
Federal agencies collaborate efficiently on conservation and recreation
strategies.
Launching the Partnership for Americas Great Outdoors, a non-governmental
body that will focus on forming strategic conservation partnerships across
communities, businesses and governments.
Partnering with communities throughout the country to establish and expand
urban parks and green spaces and to build on large landscape conservation
projects.

The full report and additional information is available at:
www.doi.gov/AmericasGreatOutdoors.


Fishing Tips
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QUAIL AND UPLAND WILDLIFE FEDERATION BANQUET MARCH 1

http://www.family-outdoors.com/Missouri-Game-Farms-Hunt-Clubs.htmlEmporia chapter’s event is 28th annual
EMPORIA — The Emporia Area Chapter of Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation (QUWF, formerly Quail Unlimited) is hosting its 28th annual fundraiser on March 1 at the Lyon County Fairgrounds in Emporia. The event is designed to raise funds for wildlife habitat improvement and youth outdoor appreciation programs.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and a steak dinner will be served at 7 p.m. A silent auction will run throughout the evening, and a live a auction for family/outdoor-oriented merchandise and services will begin at 8 p.m. The live auction will feature guided hunting and fishing trips, outdoor gear, wildlife prints and sculptures, Symphony in the Flint Hills tickets, two big game/wild turkey blinds, and numerous accessories. Banquet, auction, and QUWF membership tickets are $50 (spouse, son, or daughter under 18, $25). Silver and Major Sponsor tickets are $250 and $175, respectively.
Tickets and more information are available at Groh Printing, 702 Prairie in Emporia, at The Gun Den, 708 Commercial in Emporia, or by phoning QUWF committee members Robert Cuadra (620-757-1034) or Ron Whitney (620-343-3247).
For more information about all grassroots efforts of the Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, visit the organization’s national website, www.quwf.net.

Missouri Game Farms
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KANSAS FOREST SERVICE OFFERS CONSERVATION SEEDLINGS

http://www.family-outdoors.com/FISHING.htmOrder deadline March 7
MANHATTAN — The Kansas Forest Service’s (KFS) Conservation Tree Planting Program offers the public tree and shrub seedlings, as well as other items for use in conservation plantings. Plantings may function as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, woodlots, timber plantations, or Christmas tree farms.
Although seedlings are distributed in both fall and spring, spring distribution is by far the largest and offers both bare-root and container-grown seedlings for sale. Orders will be accepted through March 7, with seedling distribution beginning the second week of March. Non-plant items are offered throughout the year as availability allows.
The minimum order is one unit (25 seedlings). Orders must be placed in whole units — partial units or mixed units (such as one-half unit of eastern redcedar and one-half unit of Austrian pine) will not be accepted. There are limited numbers of seedlings available each year, and selling out is not uncommon for many species, so KFS recommends ordering as soon as possible.
To order online, go to https://www.kansasforests.org/public_saps/Welcome.aspx. (Be sure to include the “s” on “https”.) Orders may also be placed by phoning 888-740-8733 or by mailing downloaded order forms to Kansas Forest Service, 2610 Claflin Rd, Manhattan, KS, 66502. Orders are shipped via UPS anywhere in the lower 48 states but cannot be shipped to Post Office boxes.
More detailed information may be obtained at the KFS website, https://www.kansasforests.org, or by phoning the toll-free number above. (If the links in this text do not work, copy and paste the URLs into your browser.)

Family-Outdoors Fishing
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MINED LAND WILDLIFE AREA TO HOST FURHARVESTING WORKSHOP

Event to focus on beaver trapping and management; registration required
FRONTENAC — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and southeast Kansas furharvesters will conduct a furharvesting workshop on Feb. 26 at Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit No. 1, near the intersection of U.S. highways 69 and 160, north of Frontenac.
The workshop will begin with a short presentation at the area’s shelter house at 9 a.m. Speakers will discuss the regulated use of trapping as an efficient and acceptable means of managing and harvesting beaver. The beaver population is thriving throughout the United States, and in some cases, large beaver populations can be damaging to agriculture, woodlands, and man-made impoundments.
Following the short presentation, the group will head into the field with KDWP staff and local furharvesters to set a trap line and check traps that had been set on the area the night before. Fur handling, trapping methods, and furharvesting regulations will be covered throughout the seminar. Lunch will be provided, and class should be concluded by 3 p.m.
The event is free. For more information concerning this workshop, phone 620-827-6301 or 620-231-3173. Registration is required to attend the course. A furharvester certificate is not required to attend but is recommended. A furharvester education certificate can be obtained by going to the following website, studying the material, and taking the test online: kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Other-Services/Education/Furharvester.
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FURBEARER RUNNING SEASON BEGINS MARCH 1

Season runs through Nov. 1; firearms may not be possessed
PRATT — Although beaver trapping season runs through March 31, all other Kansas trapping seasons and furbearer hunting seasons are over for the winter. However, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) reminds hound enthusiasts that the furbearer running season begins March 1. This is the time for furbearer hunters and their dogs to hone skills necessary during the furbearer hunting seasons.
During the running season, no furbearer may be legally killed or taken. In addition, it is illegal for runners to possess any firearm or other weapon while pursuing furbearers during the running season. Legal hours for running furbearers are 24 hours daily, and a furharvester license is required. The running season is open through Nov. 1.
Furbearers may also be run during the open furbearer hunting seasons, which coincide with trapping seasons.
KDWP also reminds furbearer trappers and hunters that bobcats and swift foxes must be pelt tagged within seven days of season’s end, which was Feb. 15. Tags should be kept with mounted specimens.
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BUSSONE NAMED WILDLIFE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Modoc Count...Image via Wikipedia Compassion, dedication puts officer in elite company
PRATT — Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) natural resource officer Jim Bussone, Arma, has been honored with the Shikar-Safari Club International Wildlife Officer of the Year award. Bussone received the award in recognition of efforts above and beyond activities normally associated with game wardens.
In nominating Bussone for the award, Region 5 Law Enforcement Lieutenant Keith Rather said, "Year after year, Officer Bussone completes two or more times what is required of him. He organizes and participates in hunter education classes, Becoming and Outdoors-Woman events, and Women On Target shooting skills events. To date, 245 women have been through his region’s Women On Target program. Plus, he’s designed and presented programs to help women and young mothers identify poisonous plants, snakes, and spiders, with the goal of learning how to live with wildlife.”
Rather describes one incident that displays Bussone’s character, compassion, and willingness to help people while protecting the state’s natural resources.
“One night during deer season, Officer Bussone saw a flash of light in some trees. He turned a corner, and his headlights revealed a little boy standing at the side of the road. The boy disappeared into the ditch, so Jim drove to that location and lit up the area. In a field entrance was a small truck, and in front of the truck was a man with a small doe deer, no bigger than 80 pounds on the hoof. Jim asked the guy what he was doing besides killing deer. The guy told Jim that his family and kids were hungry. When asked for his license and permits, the guy told Jim he didn’t have any and told a story about being laid off, his wife being laid off and pregnant, having five kids and no utilities, and having no money and being at the end of his rope.
“After loading the deer and writing a ticket, Jim followed the guy to his house. It was a shambles, inside and out. There were no lights, and a wood stove was heating the house.
“Jim talked with some local people and learned that the guy was caught in a bad spot, but his pride wouldn’t let the people around make him a welfare case. Jim had some deer meat that had been seized earlier in the season and had been released for disposal, so he took a box of meat to the guy. Jim told him to never poach again but that if he was in a jam to let him know, and he would help him get deer meat. Later, Jim asked some local waterfowl hunters if they would bring the man some ducks or geese, which they did.”
And Bussone’s assistance didn’t stop with food.
“Jim asked several people to see if they could help the man find a job,” Rather explained, “and he soon had one and paid his ticket. When Jim saw the man after the incident, he shook Jim’s hand and apologized. Jim had sent a message that he was there to help just as much or more than to write tickets and take people to jail.”
Each year, Shikar-Safari honors one officer that each state believes has done the most outstanding job in enforcement of their game laws, protection of wildlife, and implementation of conservation programs. The group also provides a $20,000 death benefit for all recipients of Wildlife Officer of the Year award killed in the line of duty.
Formed in 1952, the Shikar-Safari Club International was formed as a social hunting organization but soon recognized its potential to contribute to conservation efforts. In 1973, the Shikar-Safari International Foundation was formed to raise money for various conservation efforts throughout the world.
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Salazar Announces Funding to States for Fish and Wildlife Projects

Ken Salazar with governors and delegatesImage via WikipediaHunting and fishing industry, as well as recreational shooters, hunters,
boaters, and anglers, continue to fund conservation in the nation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today
the distribution of more than -$749 million in excise tax revenues
generated by sportsmen and women to state and territorial fish and
wildlife agencies through the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration and
Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Programs.

“Hunters and anglers have provided the foundation for wildlife
conservation in America for more than 75 years. They continue to provide
dedicated, critical funding for fish and wildlife agencies across the
nation, especially at a time when many state budgets are under pressure,”
said Secretary Salazar. “These funds will support important fish and
wildlife management and conservation, recreational boating access, and
hunter and aquatic education programs.”

Program funds come from excise taxes paid by manufacturers, producers, and
importers on sporting firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing
equipment and tackle, and electric outboard motors. Recreational boaters
also contribute to the program through fuel taxes on motorboats and small
engines.

The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program apportionment for 2011
totals more than $384 million, of which more than $79 million is for
hunter education and safety programs. The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish
Restoration Program apportionment for 2011 totals nearly $365 million, of
which nearly $55 million is for recreational boating access facilities.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Program reimburses up to 75 percent of the cost of each eligible project
while State fish and wildlife agencies contribute a minimum of 25 percent,
generally using hunting and fishing license revenues as the required
non-Federal match.

“Our partnership with America’s hunting, fishing and boating community
through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs is the
cornerstone for funding fish and wildlife conservation,” said Curtis
Taylor, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and
Chief of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife
Resources Section. “Fish and wildlife can be conserved, protected and
restored through science-based management and this year’s apportionment is
critical in order for state fish and wildlife agencies to continue their
work on behalf of everyone who values our nation’s natural resources.”

Please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Program Web site at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/ for more
information on the goals and accomplishments of these programs and for
individual State, Commonwealth, and territorial funding allocations. Some
examples of activities planned by State fish and wildlife agencies in 2011
include:

Florida – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will
construct a restroom facility and a pavilion at the Escambia County
Archery Park. They will also construct a trap and skeet range and a .22
plinking range at Tenoroc Shooting Range. This will provide more
recreational shooting opportunities for the public.
Rhode Island – The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife will acquire
approximately 85 acres adjoining Carr Pond near North Kingstown, Rhode
Island. This property is a former Girl Scout property. The pond is the
site of an extremely productive herring and alewife run. The property will
provide protection of fish and wildlife habitat in the area and
recreational opportunities for the public.

Texas – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will construct a new
two-lane boat ramp, parking lot, courtesy dock, and lighting in Muenster,
Texas. The new facility will provide the only public access to the lake
for fishing and other recreational boating pursuits. This will be the
first public boat ramp in Cooke County.

Oregon – The agency will identify sturgeon population limiting factors,
develop responsive management strategies, and define pertinent monitoring
and evaluation activities as part of management plan development. They
will also measure juvenile recruitment through young-of-the-year sampling
in the lower Columbia River and carry out a pilot study of set line
sampling for adult and sub-adult white sturgeon. Sampling for
young-of-year white sturgeon will increase the effects of environmental
stressors on the population. A supplementary benefit of this task is the
opportunity to collect DNA tissue samples that represent fish in a single
year’s recruitment. DNA samples will be available for future
characterization of effective spawning population size and for genetic
stock comparisons with fish collected outside the Columbia River.

Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program funding is available to all
50 states, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. One-half of the 11 percent excise tax on bows, arrows, and
archery equipment and 10 percent excise tax on handguns, pistols, and
revolvers make up the funding for hunter education programs. The other
one-half of the excise tax are for wildlife restoration purposes,
including the 11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition.

Each state or territory receives a Wildlife Restoration Program
apportionment derived from a formula that incorporates its total land area
and number of paid hunting license holders. Each state or territory may
not receive more than 5 percent or less than one-half of 1 percent of the
total apportionment. Fish and wildlife agencies use these funds to manage
wildlife populations, conduct habitat research, acquire wildlife habitat,
enhance wildlife habitat, and public hunting access, carry out surveys and
inventories, administer hunter education programs, and construct and
maintain shooting and archery ranges.

The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Program funding is available to
all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico
and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of American Samoa,
Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. States receive funds through a formula
based on the land and water area of the state or territory and its total
number of paid fishing license holders. Sport Fish Restoration funds come
from excise taxes and import duties on sport fishing equipment, motorboat
and small engine fuels, and pleasure boats. No State may receive more than
5 percent or less than one-third of 1 percent of the total apportionment.

Fish and Wildlife agencies use the funds to pay for stocking sport fish;
acquiring and improving sport fish habitat; providing aquatic resource
education opportunities; conducting fisheries research; maintaining public
fishing access, administering the aquatic resource education program, and
constructing boat ramps, fishing piers, and other facilities for
recreational boating access.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs have generated a total of
more than $13.7 billion since their inception – in 1937 in the case of the
Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program, and 1950 for the
Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Program. to conserve fish and
wildlife resources. The recipient fish and wildlife agencies have matched
these program funds with more than $3.4 billion. This funding is critical
to continue sustaining healthy fish and wildlife populations and provide
opportunities for all to connect with nature.

Family-Outdoors
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