“DR. DEER” TO SPEAK AT KSU SEPT. 20

Guest lecturers are brought in from all over the U.S. as part of the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management program at KSU

PRATT ­­– Dr. James C. Kroll, also known as “Dr. Deer,” of Austin, Tex. will share his knowledge of private land deer management on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013 at Kansas State University in Manhattan. The lecture will be held at 4:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Lecture room of the Leadership Studies Building, preceded by refreshments at 2:45 p.m. in the first floor lobby of the Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center. The lecture is free and open to the public.

One of nation’s leading wildlife biologists, Kroll will cover a variety of topics in his lecture, including native and supplemental nutrition management; population management; demographics and increasing recruitment; genetics and culling, and more.

Apart from being a scholar and avid hunter, Kroll is also the Henry M. Rockwell Chair in Forest Wildlife, Director of the Institute for White-tailed Deer Management and Research, and Co-director of the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. He has taught courses in wildlife habitat management, wildlife management techniques, wildlife ecology, land management planning, white-tailed deer ecology and management, introduction to forestry, wildlife diseases and research methods.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and may be required to obtain a one-day parking permit, which can be purchased for $5.00 at the parking garage located at 17th and Anderson.

For more information on this event, contact Dr. Peg Althoff at (785) 532-1949.

BLACK GOLD CHAPTER OF PHEASANTS FOREVER TO HOST APPRECIATION EVENT

Participants can enjoy a day of shooting, socializing, and supporting youth during this annual event

RUSSELL - The Black Gold Chapter of Pheasants Forever will host its 8th Annual Appreciation Event Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 at LaSada Sporting Clays and Hunting Service, six miles southwest of Russell. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to both members and non-members. Proceeds from the event will go toward youth activities, local scholarships, and the Black Gold Pheasants Forever youth outreach trailer.

The event will kick off with a Lewis Class Sporting Clays Shoot at 9:00 a.m. There is a $50 fee to enter, with $10 of the entry fee going back to the Lewis Class Purse. Shooters may come and go as they please, and can shoot as much or as little as they would like. All participants will have a chance to win prizes, including a cash prize, and one lucky youth will win a youth-model shotgun. There will be free instructional shooting for youth 16 and younger and women, shells and targets provided.

Other activities for the event include a youth archery range with 3D targets, trail walks, and bird watching.

Lunch will also be provided to those in attendance from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For more information, contact Curt Counts at (785) 483-1627, LaSada at (785) 483-3758, or the Sportsman’s Corner at(785) 445-4000.

COMMERCIAL PHEASANT PRODUCER TO SPEAK AT KSU

Bill MacFarlane aided in the creation of the Wildlife Management Degree program at KSU

PRATT ­– Bill MacFarlane, Owner and President of MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc., will share his knowledge of commercial pheasant production at Kansas State University, Sept. 12, 2013. The lecture will be held in room 1018 of the Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center at 6:30 p.m., preceded by refreshments at 6:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend, and the lecture is open to the public.

Shipping birds throughout the U.S. and Canada, MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc. is currently the largest pheasant farm in North America. Some of his clients even include Kansas’ very own Flint Oak Hunting Resort. Topics covered in MacFarlane’s presentation will include running a commercial pheasant farm, breeding and hatching processes, and the raising of pheasants.

“It’s quite an operation,” said MacFarlane. “I think this is a great way for students and the public to learn what it looks like to be in commercial pheasant production.”

Apart from his extensive hands-on experience with gamebirds, MacFarlane has also been an active member of the North American Gamebird Association for several years, where he has served as president for three separate terms.

MacFarlane’s plans for this year include the production of 1.6 million pheasant chicks and 200,000 partridge chicks, the selling of 425,000 adult pheasants, 100,000 chukar and redleg partridges, and 50,000 Hungarian partridges. MacFarlane also has plans to process 150,000 pheasants for food production in 2013. For more on MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc., visit www.pheasant.com.

For more on this event, contact Dr. Peg Althoff at (785) 532-1949.

LOVEWELL STATE PARK SENDS OFF SUMMER WITH TWO DAYS OF EVENTS

Saturday, Sept. 7th, Lovewell State Park will host its first-ever “Tailgating Saturday”

PRATT ­­– Lovewell State Park will celebrate the end of the summer with two days of events Sept. 7 and 8, including a free park entrance day on Sunday. Events include a football-themed campsite decoration party, a chili cook-off contest and a 3D archery shoot.

The weekend will kick off with the park’s first-ever “Tailgating Saturday,” a friendly football-themed competition where campers will compete to see who can decorate their campsite with the most pride for their favorite team. No registration is required.

After taking in the scenic views of campers in all their pigskin-glory, park goers can fill up on good eats at the chili cook-off contest Sunday at the Lovewell Marina. Those wishing to compete in the cook-off must register with the park office no later than 9 a.m. Judging will be done by the first 100 people who contribute a $5.00 donation for a taste-testing ticket. Judges will have from noon to 1:00 p.m. to score entries and vote for their favorites. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place.

For park goers who would rather compete outside of the kitchen, a 3D archery shoot will be held Sunday for archers of all skill levels. Registration for the shoot will begin at 9 a.m., with course completion by noon. Shooters are asked to donate a $10 entry fee and will compete in men’s, women’s and youth divisions. Following the 3D shoot, archers may also participate in a steel deer competition, for a donation of $5. Prizes will be awarded for the first, second and third places.

For more information, contact the Lovewell State Park office at (785) 753-4971.

DEER SEASON DEBUTS WITH ARCHERY AND MUZZLELOADER

Hunters are always encouraged to refer to the 2013 Kansas Hunting & Furharvesting before hitting the field

Regulations Summary

PRATT­ – For some, the beginning of fall is heralded by leaves changing colors, for others it’s cooler temperatures and shorter days, but for hunters fall is marked by the start of deer season. In less than two weeks, hunters will take to tree stands and blinds throughout the state, bow in hand and powder horn packed.

The 2013 muzzleloader season will begin Sept. 16 and run through Sept. 29. New this year, hunters are allowed to use muzzleloading rifles, muskets and pistols, .40 caliber or larger.

The 2013 archery season will begin Sept. 16 and run through Dec. 31. New this year, crossbows are legal archery equipment for all archers. However, anyone who hunts big game or turkeys with a crossbow must obtain a free Crossbow Survey ID Number available online at www.ksoutdoors.com.

Hunter orange, a hat and vest, must be worn by all hunters during the muzzleloader season, and shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

The next deer season will be the new two-day Pre-rut Whitetail Antlerless Only season from Oct. 12 - Oct. 13, 2013, followed by the Regular Firearm season Dec. 4 - Dec. 15, 2013.

To download an electronic version of the 2013 Kansas Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, visitksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting / Hunting Regulations.” Printed copies can be found at local license vendors and at any Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism regional office.

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• Deer Hunting News - Kansas (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)

EARLY PRAIRIE CHICKEN SEASON REQUIRES LEGWORK

Early season prairie chicken hunters can cover miles in a day’s hunt

PRATT ­– The early prairie chicken season (Northwest and East units), Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2013, gives bird hunters a unique opportunity to walk up greater prairie chickens and work bird dogs long before traditional upland bird seasons open. The early season was established to provide additional hunting opportunity for this tallgrass prairie icon and let hunters enjoy a true one-of-a-kind grassland hunt.

The traditional prairie chicken season is Nov. 16-Jan. 31, 2014 in the East and Northwest units, and Nov. 16-Dec. 31 in the Southwest Unit, and during this season, most prairie chickens are taken by pass shooting. Hunters scout feed fields near large tracts of native prairie for feeding prairie chickens, and then take up stations around feed fields well before sunrise. As the sun crests the horizon, prairie chickens will lift out of the prairies and fly to feed. Hunters lucky enough to be positioned in just the right spot may get shots. However, prairie chickens are strong fliers and challenging quarry for expert wingshots. Prairie chickens rarely flush within shotgun range of walking hunters during the regular season.

During the early season, flocks of young birds are more likely to hold for walking hunters and pointing dogs. However, prairie chickens are truly birds of the prairie, and hunters will walk many miles of grassland to find birds. While it can seem like finding a needle in a haystack, the unique hunting opportunity, scenery and connection to the prairie keeps hunters coming back.

All prairie chicken hunters must have a $2.50 prairie chicken permit in addition to a hunting license. Permits may be purchased wherever licenses are sold and online. Information provided by hunters at the time of purchase will help biologists estimate prairie chicken harvest and hunting pressure.

During the early season, the daily bag limit for prairie chickens in the East and Northwest zones is 2, and the possession limit is 8. For more information and a map of prairie chicken hunting zones, go to www.ksoutdoors.com.

ZEBRA MUSSELS FOUND IN LAKE SHAWNEE, TOPEKA

Zebra mussel infestation on the walls of Arthur V. Ormond Lock on the Arkansas River near Morrilton, Arkansas, USA. The zebra mussels are an invasive species in North America and have caused significant damage to American waterways, locks, and power plants. Coordinates: 35°7′28.76″N 92°47′7.24″W  /  °S °W  / ; latd>90 (dms format) in latd latm lats longm longs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lake Shawnee the latest to be infested with invasive species

TOPEKA – Acting on a report from an alert angler, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Lake Shawnee. Zebra mussels are bean-sized mollusks with striped, sharp-edged, two-part shells. They were found at multiple locations on rocks and on underwater portions of a dock ladder. The discovery brings the total of Kansas lakes infested with zebra mussels to 19 and highlights the need for anglers and boaters to know the dangers of moving water and bait fish between lakes.

“We were notified about the zebra mussels by a conscientious angler who found them on a piece of wood he pulled from the lake,” said Jessica Howell, KDWPT Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator. “This is a perfect example of how important it is for the public to be vigilant and report anything they suspect could be an aquatic nuisance species,” she added.

Lake Shawnee is a heavily-used 416-acre lake owned by Shawnee County. “The presence of zebra mussels in Lake Shawnee will not in any way change the mission of Shawnee County Parks and Recreation of providing quality parks, golf courses and recreation facilities and opportunities to meet the recreational needs and interests of rural and urban residents throughout Shawnee County. Lake Shawnee will continue to be a gem in the area for recreational pursuits to hundreds of thousands of people yearly,” said Terry Bertels, Parks Director, Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.

The lake will be added to the list of ANS-designated waters in Kansas, and notices will be posted at various locations around the lake. Other lakes in northeast Kansas with zebra mussel infestations include Perry, Milford and Melvern reservoirs. Like those lakes, Lake Shawnee is safe to use for a variety of recreational activities. Since the sharp-shelled zebra mussels attach to solid objects, visitors should be careful when handling mussel-encrusted objects and when grabbing an underwater object when they can’t see what their hands may be grasping. Visitors should protect their feet when walking on underwater or shoreline rocks, a helpful precaution any time they are outdoors.

There is no known method to rid a lake of zebra mussels. According to Howell, prevention is the best way to avoid spreading ANS. “All lake users should take precautions to prevent the movement of ANS from those waters," she said. “The zebra mussels probably were accidentally carried to the lake from another location in the water from boats or bait buckets.” Anglers and boaters should thoroughly clean, drain and dry their boats and equipment after using any body of water. Regulations require that they drain livewells and bilges and remove drain plugs from all vessels prior to transport from any Kansas water on a public highway. Further, people should not take water away from the lake in bait buckets or for aquariums or any other use. Also, anglers cannot transport live fish from any ANS-designated water.

Zebra mussels can produce huge populations in a short time and do not require a host fish to reproduce. A large female zebra mussel can produce 1 million eggs, and then fertilized eggs develop into microscopic veligers invisible to the naked eye. Veligers drift in the water for up to two weeks before they settle out as young mussels which quickly grow to adult size and reproduce during their first summer of life.

After settling, zebra mussels develop byssal threads that attach their shells to submerged hard surfaces such as rocks, piers, and flooded timber. They also attach to pipes, water intake structures, boat hulls, propellers, and submerged parts of outboard motors. As populations increase, they can clog intake pipes and prevent water treatment and electrical generating plants from drawing water. In 2012, two Kansas communities, Council Grove and Osage City, experienced temporary water shortages from zebra mussel infestations before water intake structures could be cleaned up. Removing large numbers of zebra mussels to ensure adequate water flow can be labor-intensive and costly.

Zebra mussels are native to the Black and Caspian seas of western Asia and eastern Europe and were spread around the world in the ballast water of cargo ships. They were discovered in Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River in 1988 and quickly spread throughout the Great Lakes and other rivers including the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas and Hudson. In 2003, they were discovered in Kansas in El Dorado Reservoir. Despite public education efforts to alert boaters about the dangers of zebra mussels and how to prevent spreading them, the species continues to show up in new lakes every year. Moving water in boats and bait buckets has been identified as a likely vector.

Zebra mussels are just one of the non-native aquatic species that threaten our waters and native wildlife. Boaters and anglers must remember to follow regulations and precautions that will prevent their spread:

• Clean, drain and dry boats and equipment between uses
• Use wild-caught bait only in the lake or pool where it was caught
• Do not move live fish from waters infested with zebra mussels or other aquatic nuisance species
• Drain livewells and bilges and remove drain plugs from all vessels prior to transport from any Kansas water on a public highway.

For more information about aquatic nuisance species in Kansas, report a possible ANS, or see a list of ANS-designated waters, visit ProtectKSWaters.org