HUNTERS NEEDED FOR MANHATTAN-AREA YOUTH/HANDICAP DEER HUNT

Application deadline Aug. 1
MANHATTAN — The 10th Annual Youth/Handicap Assisted Deer Hunt is just three months away, and now is the time to sign up. The Riley County Fish and Game Association; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Reservoir are seeking participants for the hunt, to be held Sept. 8 and 9.

Kansas youth 11 through 16 years old and Kansas residents with a certified disability are eligible to participate in this hunt. Participants will need a Kansas hunting license, a deer permit, and, if required by Kansas law, to take or have taken an approved hunter education course. Sponsoring agencies and associations can provide assistance meeting these requirements, including scholarships to help purchase licenses and permits. Rifles and/or ammunition can be provided, as well.

Each hunt participant will be paired with an experienced hunter who will serve as guide. Arrangements have been made with area lockers, where basic processing of harvested deer will be handled free of charge. Other items provided for this hunt include accessible hunting blinds, access to hunting property, hunter orange hats and vests, and transportation to the field.

Hunt participants will also be required to attend a firearm safety presentation and sight-in at the Fancy Creek Shooting Range at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 19.

Other groups and organizations contributing to this hunt include the Friends of Fancy Creek Range, Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, Kansas State Rifle Association, and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

For more information or an application, phone Steve Prockish at the Tuttle Creek Lake Corps of Engineers Office, 785-539-8511, ext. 3167, or email stephen.e.prockish@usace.army.mil. Applications will be accepted thru Aug. 1.

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KANSAS LAUNCHES NEW BOBWHITE QUAIL INITIATIVE

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Efforts aim to increase eastern Kansas quail populations in focal areas by 50 percent

EMPORIA — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is launching a new quail restoration initiative aimed at making a difference in declining bobwhite quail populations at a landscape level. The state initiative includes the designation of two large quail management focal areas and as much as $500,000 of KDWPT wildlife fee funds over five years to attract landowner participation. Additional funding and support are being provided by the National Wild Turkey Federation, Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, Quail Forever, Safari Club International, Kansas Wildlife Federation, and The Nature Conservancy. Primary objectives are a 50 percent increase in bobwhite populations and a 5 percent increase in suitable quail habitat in each focus area.

“Bobwhite populations in eastern Kansas have declined by 50 percent or more in the past three decades or so and even more across other parts of its range nationally,” says Jim Pitman, small game coordinator for KDWPT. “Biologists have associated the declines primarily with land use changes and resultant habitat loss, and they have joined forces across the nation as the National Bobwhite Technical Committee to counter the trend at a landscape scale with the habitat-based National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI).”

KDWPT has targeted two regional bobwhite “focal areas” totaling nearly 310,000 acres for restoration over a five-year period. The focal-area strategy reflects the national consensus that working at larger landscape levels rather than on small, scattered projects provides the best opportunity to save the bird — along with a suite of other wildlife species that require the same habitat. Typically, focal areas are anchored by a large tract of public or private land as a core, and efforts are expanded outward to other interested adjacent landowners.

Kansas’ 194,911-acre northern focal area includes parts of Lyon, Wabaunsee, Coffey, and Osage counties and has a bobwhite habitat management potential of “high,” as rated in the national initiative. The core public lands are the 9,407-acre Melvern Wildlife Area and the 562-acre Lyon State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area.

The 113,711-acre southern focal area includes parts of Labette and Neosho counties. Its potential for bobwhite habitat management is rated “medium,” but Pitman adds that the additional sources of funding and potential partners available to assist the effort there make it a worthwhile target. Additionally, the public land centerpieces include the new Grand Osage Wildlife Area (formerly the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant) where approximately 9,000 acres will be managed by KDWPT when all the agreements are in place. The southern focal area also includes the 1,320-acre Big Hill Wildlife Area.

KDWPT will assist eligible landowners with enrollment in the appropriate U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cost-share programs and then cover the landowner share of approved practices with non-federal money.

The state has issued a list of acceptable quail-friendly practices, but each landowner project must have the approval of the appropriate KDWPT district biologist to receive the additional non-federal cost share. Bobwhite-friendly practices that are not eligible or accepted into USDA programs will be covered solely with non-federal dollars. Consequently, the landowners will be reimbursed for 100 percent of the estimated average costs for all approved quail-friendly work that they implement within each focus area.

For more information, call the KDWPT Region 4 Office in Wichita at 316-683-8069. To read the Kansas Quail Initiative plan, go online to goo.gl/VmdKd. For more information about NBCI, go online to bringbackbobwhites.org or https://www.facebook.com/bringbackbobwhites.

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.TUTTLE CREEK YOUTH/DISABLED DEER HUNT SEPT. 10-11

Image via Wikipedia

Application deadline Aug. 1
MANHATTAN — The 9th Annual Tuttle Creek Youth/Disabled Assisted Deer Hunt is just around the corner, and staff and volunteers with the Riley County Fish and Game Association, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), and the Tuttle Creek Lake Corps of Engineers are seeking participants for the hunt, which will be held Sept.10-11.

The application deadline is Aug. 1.

Kansas youth 11 through 16 years of age and Kansas residents with a certified disability are eligible to participate in this hunt. Participants need a deer permit, and, if required by Kansas law, a Kansas hunting license and an approved hunter education course. Assistance meeting these requirements, including scholarship assistance to purchase a hunting license and deer permit, is available through sponsoring agencies and associations.

Hunt participants will also be required to attend a firearm safety presentation and sight-in at the Fancy Creek Range on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 21. If participants do not have a rifle or ammunition for the hunt, these items will be provided. Each participant will be guided by an experienced hunter. Arrangements have been made with area lockers, where basic processing of harvested deer will be handled free of charge.

Other items provided for this hunt include accessible hunting blinds, hunting locations, hunter orange hats and vests, and transportation to the field.

Additional groups and organizations contributing to this hunt include the Friends of Fancy Creek Range, the Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

For more information or an application, phone Steve Prockish at the Tuttle Creek Lake Corps of Engineers Office, 785-539-8511, ext. 3167, or email Stephen.E.Prockish@usace.army.mil.

BUSSONE NAMED WILDLIFE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

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.

COMMISSION BIG GAME PERMITS AWARDED

Seven permits to be sold to raise money for conservation projects

LAWRENCE — Seven Kansas conservation organizations were awarded 2011 Commission Big Game permits in a drawing conducted at the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission meeting Jan. 6 at the Dole Institute, 2350 Petefish Drive in Lawrence. Ninety-one eligible applications were submitted for the seven available permits.

Winners of the permits include the following:

• National Wild Turkey Federation, Neosho River Struttin' Toms Chapter (deer) — Brandon Houck, regional biologist, 620-443-5906,bhnwtf@hotmail.com;
• National Wild Turkey Federation, Smoky Valley Strutters Chapter (deer) — Brandon Houck, regional biologist, 620-443-5906,bhnwtf@hotmail.com;
• Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Southeast Chapter (elk) — C. Douglas Blex, chapter coordinator, 620-289-4663,dblex@kaws.org;
• Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, I-70 Chapter (deer) — John Bond, 785-463-5804, jbond@kaws.org;
• Ducks Unlimited, El Dorado Chapter #027 (deer) — Roger Zettl, district chairman, 316-722-0951, rzettl@cox.net;
• Ducks Unlimited, Johnson County Chapter (deer) — Gary Mellard, area chairman, 913-851-1349, gary_mellard@yahoo.com; and
• Safari Club International, Kansas City Chapter (antelope) — Rodney D. Heinsohn, treasurer, 913-236-4490, rodney.heinsohn@sci-us.com.

Qualified applicants must be local nonprofit conservation organizations or Kansas chapters of national organizations based or operating in Kansas that actively promote wildlife conservation and the hunting and fishing heritage.

Commission Big Game permits were first awarded in 2006. Winners purchase the permits and typically auction them at their respective conventions and banquets to raise funds for conservation projects. After a permit is sold by an organization, the amount of the permit is subtracted, and 85 percent of the proceeds are sent to KDWP to be used on approved projects. After the projects are approved, the money is sent back to the organization for the project. The other 15 percent may be spent at the organization’s discretion.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks regulations allow someone who buys a Commission Big Game permit at auction to also purchase another deer permit valid for an antlered deer or, if the Commission Big Game permit is for an elk, to also draw (or have drawn in the past) an antlered elk permit. These would be the only situations in which an individual could have valid permits for two buck deer in one year, or to have previously drawn an antlered elk permit and still be able to obtain another one. One antelope and one elk Commission Big Game permit are offered in the drawing.

In 2010, permits were won by two National Wildlife Federation Chapters — Bonner Springs (elk permit sold for $9,500) and Mound City (deer permit sold for $5,500); Ottawa Pheasants Forever (deer permit sold for $3,500); Oberlin Gun Club (deer permit sold for $5,500); Ark Valley Ducks Unlimited (deer permit sold for $5,500); National Mule Deer Foundation (deer permit sold for $14,000); and Cowley County Friends of NRA (deer permit sold for $3,500). The permits sold for $47,000 — just $2,000 shy of the record, the first year the drawing was held.