Registration Open for Assisted Deer Hunt at Tuttle Creek Lake

MANHATTAN—Youth and disabled hunters have until July 30 to apply for a limited number of spots in an assisted deer hunt at Tuttle Creek Lake.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Riley County Fish and Game Association, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) at Tuttle Creek Lake are accepting applications for the 2015 Tuttle Creek Youth/Disabled Assisted Deer Hunt, September 12 and 13. The hunt, which is offered free of charge, is open to resident youth age 11-16 and hunters with a certified disability. Applications are due July 30.

Participants will need a deer permit, and, if required by law, a hunting license and hunter education certificate. Assistance meeting these requirements, including scholarship funding to purchase a hunting license and deer permit, can be provided.

If needed, rifles and ammunition will also be available to hunters. Each participant will be guided by an experienced hunter, and arrangements have been made with area lockers to provide basic processing 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.

Participants will be required to attend a firearm safety presentation and sight-in at the Fancy Creek Shooting Range at 4 p.m., Sunday, August 16.

For more information, or to obtain an application, contact USACE natural resource specialist Steve Prockish at (785) 539-8511, ext. 3167, or by e-mail at Stephen.E.Prockish@usace.army.mil.

This event is made possible by Friends of Fancy Creek Range, Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, Kansas State Rifle Association and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

Tuttle Creek Lake Association To Hold Kids Fishing Clinic for 21st Year

For the past 20 years, the Tuttle Creek Lake Association (TCLA) has sponsored an event that teaches fishing skills to about 100 kids each year. This year’s Annual Youth Fishing Clinic, to be held May 29-30, marks the 21st year for this outstanding event, which is open to youth ages 8-12. All young anglers must be accompanied by an adult for the Friday evening class and the Saturday fishing experience. The TCLA and the City of Manhattan split the $3,000 purchase price for 700 to 1,000 harvestable-sized channel catfish that will be stocked in Jerry Dishman Lake in Anneberg Park, 3801 Anderson, Manhattan. A sizable number of these fish are lunkers and will provide real thrills for lucky young anglers. A three-fish limit is in effect for channel catfish during the clinic.

The event begins on Friday evening, May 29, with a two-hour education session. After the evening session, a drawing will be held for the kids and then each will receive a goodie bag of other fishing items. The TCLA realizes that this event couldn't happen without the parents’ support, so several nice prizes will be drawn for them, too.

Saturday morning starts with donuts donated by Varsity Donuts in Aggieville. Poles are handed out and the fishing starts. Each young angler will receive a rod-and-reel outfit, bait, and even a stringer free of charge. After about an hour and a half, the catches will be weighed to determine trophy winners. Trophies are given for biggest fish, smallest fish, and heaviest stringer in boy and girl divisions. After all this, the kids are treated to a pizza and soda lunch.

TCLA is funded mostly by donations from businesses, individuals and memorials. Raffle ticket sales account for a small portion of the income.

Preregistration is required to attend the clinic. For more information and to preregister, go to www.tuttlecreek.org.

YOUTH FISHING CLINIC JUNE 6 AND 7

The Tuttle Creek Lake Association invites youth age 8-12 to participate

MANHATTAN – The Tuttle Creek Lake Association invites youth 8-12 to participate in its June 6-7, 2014 at Anneberg Park Lake. Open and free to youth who have not previously attended, the two-day clinic will begin with an educational session Friday evening covering topics such as casting, hook tying, and water safety. Activities will pick back upSaturday morning with fishing from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., followed by an award ceremony, and free lunch. Each youth will be provided with a free rod and reel to take home, as well as hooks, bobbers, split shot, and bait.

20th Annual Youth Fishing Clinic

Opportunities to catch a fish will be plentiful as the Tuttle Creek Lake Association, in cooperation with Manhattan Parks and Recreation, will stock Anneberg Park Lake with 700 channel catfish ranging from 12-18 inches long and weighing up to 3 pounds.

Trophies will be awarded to girls and boys who catch the smallest fish, the largest fish, and the largest three fish.

Youth must be accompanied by an adult and must register to attend. Registration will be open the day of the event, however early registration is encouraged.

For more information, contact Paul Miller at (785) 341-0085.

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• Tuttle Creek Lake Association to Host 19th Annual Youth Fishing Clinic (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Kansas: HUNTERS NEEDED FOR MANHATTAN-AREA YOUTH/HANDICAP DEER HUNT (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Hunters Needed for Manhattan-area Youth/handicap Deer Hunt (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Kansas Deer Hunting: TUTTLE CREEK YOUTH/DISABLED DEER HUNT SEPT. 10-11 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
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KANSAS WILDLIFE, PARKS AND TOURISM COMMISSION APPROVES REGULATIONS

Public hearing held for wildlife and park regulation changes

WINFIELD – The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission conducted a public hearing in Winfield on Jan. 9 to consider amendments to several wildlife and park regulations. Public hearings are held to discuss and vote on regulation changes after recommendations have been proposed in two previous commission meetings.

In first action, Commissioners listened to recommendations on increases for utility and seasonal camping fees. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff recommended camping fee increases to accommodate rising utility rates. Current utility camping fees are $7.50 for one utility, $9.50 for two and $10.50 for three utilities per camping night. The commission approved raising the rates to $9 for one utility, $11 for two and $12 for three utilities per night.

Seasonal camping fees, which are charged by the month, were increased $30.50 to $270.50 for one utility, $330.50 for two utilities and $390.50 for three utilities per month at all parks except El Dorado, Milford and Tuttle creek state parks. The seasonal monthly fees at El Dorado, Milford and Tuttle Creek state parks were increased $30.50 to $310.50 for one utility, $370.50 for two utilities and $430.50 for three utilities.

Commissioners approved the recommended increases.

The second public hearing item was a house-cleaning issue on the regulation defining the scoring system used to determine restitution for big game animals taken illegally. The recommendation more clearly defined a measurable point to “a projection on the antler of a deer or elk at least 1 inch long as measured from its tip to the nearest edge of the antler beam and the length of which exceeds the width at one inch or more of length.” The commission approved this recommendation.

And in final action, the commission approved changes to the fall turkey season bag limits. Turkey populations declined in most regions from 2004-2008 because adverse weather impacted spring nesting success and brood survival.  Success rates for spring hunters dropped accordingly, triggering a change in regulations. KDWPT staff recommended reducing the fall turkey bag limit from four turkeys to one turkey in Turkey Management Units 3, 5 and 6. The fall limit remains one turkey for Unit 1 (northwest) and the season bag limit will remain four turkeys in Unit 2 (northcentral). Unit 4 (southwest) is closed to fall turkey hunting. Commissioners approved the season bag limit change, as well as proposed season dates of Oct. 1-Dec. 3, 2014 and Dec. 16, 2014-Jan. 31, 2015.

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TUTTLE CREEK LAKE ASSOCIATION TO HOST 19TH ANNUAL YOUTH FISHING CLINIC

 The Tuttle Creek Lake Association is hosting the 19th Annual Youth Fishing Clinic June 7-8, 2013 at Anneberg Park Lake. The event is open to the first 200 youth, age 8-12, who register.

Young anglers will learn about and fish for
 channel catfish during this two-day event

In addition to casting their lines, participants can enjoy special lectures on general fishing know-how and water safety.

In cooperation with Manhattan Parks and Recreation, Anneberg Park Lake will be stocked with channel catfish averaging 12 inches long and ranging from 3/4 pound up to 3 pounds.

Trophies will be awarded to the girl and boy with the smallest fish caught, the girl and boy with the largest fish caught, and the girl and boy with the largest three fish caught.

Thanks to generous sponsors, participants will get to take home a new rod and reel, hooks, bobbers, sinkers, bait, and a hat! Lunch will also be provided at no additional cost.

Only youth who have not previously participated in this event are eligible to attend and must be accompanied by an adult. Participants can register the day of the event, however early registration is encouraged as the event is limited to the first 200 applicants.

For more information, contact Leo Schell at (785) 539-6540.

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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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EAGLES SOAR AT TUTTLE CREEK, OTHER KANSAS RESERVOIRS

Image via Wikipedia

December 29, 2011

Wintering bald eagles a favorite of Kansas naturalists

PRATT — With the arrival of winter, the eagles have landed near many eastern Kansas reservoirs. Bald eagles have been migrating south, offering outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to see the national bird in its native habitat. To enhance this opportunity, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Reservoir has scheduled its annual Eagle Day 2012 for Saturday, Jan. 7, beginning at 9 a.m.

The program is free and open to the public. All participants are asked to meet at 9 a.m. in the large assembly room at the Manhattan Fire Station, 2000 Denison (the corner of Denison and Kimball) in Manhattan. At that time, Steve Walhe, a biologist with the U.S. Army Ft. Riley Conservation Office, will offer a short presentation on the nesting habits of bald eagles in Kansas. Vanessa Avara, assistant director of the Milford Nature Center, will then feature several live raptors in her discussion of eagles and other birds of prey.

Following the two presentations at the fire station, members of the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society will take participants on a bus tour through areas near Tuttle Creek Lake, with the goal of watching bald eagles in the wild. All participants should dress appropriately for the weather and bring binoculars, spotting scopes, and cameras.

For more information on this event, phone Steve Prockish at the Corps of Engineers office, 785-539-8511 ext. 3167.

Milford Reservoir Eagle Day will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 14 and will include viewing tours and live eagle programs.

Other Eagle Days include:

• Jan. 15 — F.L. Schlagle Library (on Wyandotte Lake);
• Lawrence — Jan. 21 — Jayhawk Audubon's 2012 Kaw Valley Eagles Day;
• Jan. 28 — Perry Reservoir; and
• Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 —Chaplin Nature Center, Wichita.

Other Eagle Days will be held throughout Kansas. Watch the Events Calendar on KDWPT’s website www.kdwpt.state.ks.us or check the Natural Kansas website, www.naturalkansas.org. To learn more about eagles and other raptors, visit the Great Plains Nature Center's "Raptor's Roost," www.gpnc.org/raptors.htm.

BLUE-GREEN ALGAE ALERTS UPDATED

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August 26, 2011

Water-based recreation prohibited at Milford Lake

TOPEKA — In recent testing of Kansas lakes by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), blue-green algae levels in several lakes remain high. Milford Reservoir, near Junction City, has been upgraded from “Advisory” status to “Warning” status. While state parks, campgrounds and area businesses will remain open at Milford Lake, officials are prohibiting any water-based activities, and lake access points will be closed because of blue-green algae levels.

Two new additions to the Warning list include the River Pond at Tuttle Creek State Park in Pottawatomie and Riley counties and Dillon Park Lake in Hutchinson. The Warning at Tuttle Creek’s River Pond, which is below the dam, does not affect Tuttle Creek Lake.

In some good news, however, Big Hill Reservoir, in Labette County, and Hillsdale Reservoir, in Miami County, have been removed from all listings.

Based upon the latest sampling results and established health risk levels, KDHE issues Warnings and Advisories. A “Warning” is issued when high levels of toxic blue-green algae have been detected. A “Public Health Warning” indicates that water conditions are unsafe, and direct water contact (wading, skiing, and swimming) should not occur.

Blue-green algae do not affect the drinking water in state parks, and all campgrounds, marinas, and other lakeside businesses remain open for business.

KDHE samples recreational bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency is alerted to a potential algae bloom. When harmful algal blooms are present, KDHE, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, responds by informing the public of these conditions.

Health effects from exposure to blue-green algae can vary. The most common complaints after recreational exposure include vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, eye irritation and respiratory symptoms. These toxins also cause deaths in pets. KDHE has confirmed that three dogs have died at Milford Lake due to blue-green algae exposure at Milford Lake.

Current concentrations of algae in the following waters exceeded the KDHE recommended level of less than 100,000 cells/ml for recreational water use and are currently under Warning:

• River Pond at Tuttle Creek State Park — Pottawatomie and Riley counties (new listing);
• Santa Fe Lake — Augusta, Butler County;
• Memorial Park Lake — Great Bend, Barton County;
• Rigg’s Park Lake — Haysville, Sedgwick County;
• Warnock Lake — Atchison County;
• Harvey County East Lake — Harvey County;
• Augusta City Lake — Augusta, Butler County;
• Logan City Lake — Phillips County;
• Milford Reservoir — Clay, Geary and Dickinson Counties (upgraded from an Advisory to a Warning); and
• Dillon Park Lake — Hutchinson, Reno County (new listing).

When a Warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

• do not drink lake water;
• do not swim, wade, or do anything with full-body contact with lake water;
• clean fish well, consume only the fillet portion, and discard all other parts; and
• keep pets from having contact with or drinking lake water.

An “Advisory” is issued when harmful blue-green algae have been detected. A “Public Health Advisory” indicates that a hazardous condition exists, but water activities such as boating and fishing may be safe. However, direct contact with water (wading, swimming) is strongly discouraged for people and pets.

KDHE has issued an Advisory for the following Kansas public waters:

• Marion County Lake — Marion County; and
• Cheney Reservoir — Reno, Kingman, and Sedgwick counties.

When a Advisory is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

• do not drink lake water;
• avoid swimming, wading, or other activities with full body contact with lake water;
• clean fish well, consume only the fillet portion, and discard all other parts; and
• keep pets from having contact with or drinking lake water.

KDHE will continue to monitor these public waters and will update statements as conditions warrant. More information on algae and algae blooms, including up-to-date advisories and Warnings, can be found at online at www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.