Commission To Discuss 2017 Turkey Hunting Regulations

PRATT – The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public meeting in Clay Center at Life’s Finer Moments, 1285 16th Road, on August 11, 2016. The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m. The evening session will convene at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend both sessions and time is set aside for public comment at the beginning of each for discussion of non-agenda items.

The afternoon session will begin with Secretary Robin Jennison’s report on the agency and state fiscal status and an update on pertinent 2016 legislative actions. The General Discussion portion of the meeting will include a review of big game regulations, a Tourism Division update, discussion on the Flint Hills Nature Trail Project, and an update on Ducks Unlimited wetlands projects in the state.

The evening portion of the meeting will convene at 6:30 p.m. for the Workshop Session where topics include 2017 turkey regulations, park regulations, fishing regulations, and regulations pertaining to threatened and endangered species will be discussed.

If necessary, the commission will reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., August 12, to complete any unfinished business. Information about the Commission, as well as the August 11 meeting agenda and Briefing Book, can be downloaded at ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Upcoming-Commission-Meetings.

Live video and audio streaming of the August 11 meeting will be available at ksoutdoors.com. 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, Parks and Tourism Commission secretary at(620) 672-5911.

The next Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism commission meeting is scheduled for October 20, 2016, in Liberal.

Register for Mentored Dove Hunt On Clinton Wildlife Area

PRATT – The Jayhawk Chapter of the Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation (QUWF) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) invite youth age 16 and younger to register for the 9th Annual Youth Dove Hunt. The Sept. 1 opening-day hunt will take place at Clinton Wildlife Area west of Lawrence and will begin at 3 p.m. Mentors will accompany all participants, but non-hunting family members are encouraged to attend, as well.

Non-toxic shells, and eye and ear protection will be provided to participants, who are encouraged to dress in camouflage or dark-colored clothing. Shotguns may be provided upon request.

Participants age 16 must have a Kansas hunting license, unless exempt by Kansas law, and a Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit. For more information, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Services / Education / Hunter.”

For more details and to register, contact Dr. John Hill at (785) 841-9555 or (785) 550-5657, or by e-mail at hills4ku@hotmail.com.

The 2016 hunting season for mourning, white-winged and exotic doves (Eurasian collared and ringed turtle) is Sept. 1-Nov. 29. The season for exotic doves only is Nov. 30, 2016 - Feb. 28, 2017 for the exotic dove season. For information regarding migratory bird hunting regulations, license and stamp requirements, legal methods of take, non-toxic shot and more, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting,” “Hunting Regulations,” then “Migratory Birds.”

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Youth Outdoor Festival In Hays August 20

ELLIS – If you’re interested in introducing your child to the world of shooting sports, hunting, fishing and other outdoor-related activities, mark your calendar for Saturday, August 20. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hays area businesses, conservation groups and shooting sports groups will offer a free day of target shooting and outdoor activities for youth 17 and younger at the 19th Annual Youth Outdoor Festival. The event will be conducted at the Hays City Sportsman’s Club, ¼ mile north of I-70 Exit 157.

Youth will learn about and experience trap and skeet shooting, archery equipment, air rifles and BB guns, muzzleloaders, small-bore rifles, and more. There will also be a casting competition, paintball target shooting, and a furharvesting demonstration.

Youth will be closely supervised at each station by expert volunteer instructors, and all equipment will be supplied. Hunter education certification is not required, but youth must be accompanied by an adult. Registration for the event can be completed onsite prior to participation. Lunch will be provided, and youth will have a chance to win prizes, including guns, fishing tackle and other outdoor equipment.

For more information, contact Kent Hensley at (785) 726-3212 or Troy Mattheyer at (785) 726-4212.

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Become A Certified Fishing Instructor In Salina

SALINA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and Fishing's Future will host an Angler Education Instructor Certification Course on Saturday, August 20. Class starts at 9 a.m. and concludes at 12 p.m. at the Lakewood Discovery Center, 250 Lakewood Dr., in Salina. It is free to any angler aspiring to teach fishing techniques to youth and families.

All participants are required to go online to programs.ksoutdoors.com/ans and complete the KDWPT Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Certification Course, and bring their ANS certification card with them to class. Students will also be asked to sign a release allowing KDWPT to run a background check to ensure the safety of the children.

Participants will receive valuable information regarding working with children, sample curriculums, and tips for preparing a class or clinic. Other subjects covered in the three-hour class include current fishing regulations, species identification, fishing ethics, equipment, knot tying, casting, fish habitat, aquatic nuisance species, and conservation practices.

Teens between the ages of 12 to 17 may attend and receive a Junior Ambassador card, the youth equivalent certification, upon completion. This requires a permission form to be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

For more information and to register for this class, please visit www.fishingsfuture.org

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Learn To Shoot At Gals-Only Event

RANDOLPH – Women interested in becoming more comfortable and familiar with firearms are invited by the Friends of Fancy Creek Range to attend a Women On Target (WOT) event on Saturday, Sept. 10. This women-only event is designed to provide female shooters with instruction on basic handling and shooting skills for handguns, rifles, muzzleloaders and archery in a safe and comfortable environment. No experience or equipment is necessary. The $50 registration fee covers loaner equipment, ammunition, eye and ear protection, instruction, and lunch. Deadline to register is Aug. 26.

Fancy Creek Shooting Range is located at the Fancy Creek area of Tuttle Creek State Park, approximately one-half mile east and one-half mile north of the junction of U.S. Hwy. 77 and K-16 on county road 893, near Randolph.

To register, contact Marci Ritter, (785) 293-4406, or hmm131616@twinvalley.net. Space is limited to 36 participants, so shooters are encouraged to register early.

WOT is one of the National Rifle Association’s programs for women shooters. For more information on WOT, visit www.women.nra.org.

Tuttle Creek Blue Catfish Tagged For Research

MANHATTAN – If you catch a blue catfish from Tuttle Creek Reservoir this summer, be sure to check for a little yellow tag just below its dorsal spine. A blue catfish tagging project is underway to help biologists learn more about blue cats in Tuttle Creek. Biologists are collecting blue cats with an electrofishing boat, weighing and measuring all of them. Any blue catfish longer than 14 inches will receive a yellow tag with a unique number so it can be identified.

The blue catfish population at Tuttle Creek Reservoir is still fairly young. Most of the fish being tagged measure between 16 and 22 inches. The largest fish tagged so far was 27 inches long and weighed 8.3 pounds.

The yellow tags have information printed on both sides. On one side of the tag will be the tag number and a phone number. The other side of the tag will have an email address. Anglers who catch tagged blue catfish are asked to report them using either the phone number or email address, or in person at the Tuttle Creek State Park Office. Biologists want to know the tag number, the general location where the fish was caught, the length of the fish, and if it was harvested or released.

As tagged fish are recaptured over time, biologists will be able to determine how well the fish are growing. The tagging study will also provide a better understanding of how far fish are swimming upstream of the lake and how many fish are migrating downstream out of the lake.

Fisheries staff want to thank anglers in advance for taking the time to share tag information. With help from anglers, biologists will continue to enhance fishing opportunities at Tuttle Creek Reservoir.

For more information, contact the Tuttle Creek State Park Office at (785) 539-7941 or ely.sprenkle@ksoutdoors.com.

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