License Fees, Duck Zones and Fishing Regulations on Commission Agenda

The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public meeting in Burlington on October 22, 2015 at the Coffey County Library, 410 Juniatta Street. The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. and will recess for supper at 5 p.m. The meeting will reconvene for the Public Hearing portion at 6:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend all portions of the meeting.

Items on the afternoon General Discussion agenda include a report on the fiscal status of the agency and state by Secretary Robin Jennison; the upcoming 2016 session of the Kansas Legislature; Kansas tourism, staff report on the Coffey County Lake fishery, the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge, and antelope and elk regulations. Workshop items include deer hunting regulations and big game permanent regulations.

The Public Hearing portion will begin at 6:30 p.m. Items to be discussed and voted on by the commission include hunting and fishing fees, big game and turkey permit applications, definitions concerning setline fishing, fishing regulations near fish ladders, length and creel limits and duck zone boundary changes.

Time will be available during the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on non-agenda items. If necessary, the commission will reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., October 23, to complete any unfinished business.

Live video and audio streaming of the 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 January 7, 2016 at the K-State Alumni Center in Manhattan.

Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission Approves Duck and Goose Seasons

Great Bend–The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission approved the duck and goose seasons at a Public Hearing, conducted Thursday, August 20 at the Kansas Wetland Education Center, Great Bend. Following frameworks provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the following seasons and bag limits were approved.

DUCK SEASONS

High Plains Duck Zone (see duck zone map at www.ksoutdoors.com)

           Oct. 10, 2015-Jan. 4, 2016 and Jan. 23-31, 2016

            Youth season: Oct 3-4, 2015

Low Plains Early Zone

           Oct. 10-Dec. 6, 2015 and Dec. 19, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016

            Youth season: Oct. 3-4, 2015

Low Plains Late Zone

           Oct. 31, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016 and Jan. 23-31, 2016

            Youth season: Oct. 24-25, 2015

Low Plains Southeast Zone

           Nov. 14, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016 and Jan. 9-31, 2016

            Youth season: Nov. 7-8, 2015

Duck daily bag limit: Six ducks, which may include no more than five mallards (no more than two which may be hens), three scaup, three wood ducks, two redheads, two pintails and two canvasbacks.

Canada Geese

           Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2015 and Nov. 4, 2015-Feb. 14, 2016

Canada goose daily bag limit (including brant): Six

White-fronted Geese

           Oct. 31, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016 and Jan. 23-Feb. 14, 2016

White-fronted goose daily bag limit: Two

Light Geese

           Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2015 and Nov. 4, 2015-Feb. 14, 2016

(Light goose Conservation Order: Feb. 15-April 30, 2016)

Light goose daily bag limit (including snow and Ross’ geese): 50

(No daily bag limit during the Conservation Order)

All waterfowl hunters 16 and older must have a Federal Duck Stamp, and all hunters required to have a hunting license must also have a Kansas Waterfowl Habitat Permit and Kansas Harvest Information Program permit.

Related articles

• Outlook Promising for Duck Hunters This Season (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• MDC announces waterfowl seasons and outlook (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Oklahoma Waterfowl Seasons Set; Youth Hunters Get Extra Days (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)

Outlook Promising for Duck Hunters This Season

PRATT – According the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) 2015 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations survey, overall duck numbers remain strong as we enter the 2015-2016 hunting seasons. The USFWS stated that total populations were estimated at 49.5 million breeding ducks in the traditional survey area, which is 43 percent above the 1955-2014 long-term average and the highest count on record. Last year's estimate was 49.2 million birds.

According to the report, current species estimates are as follows:

• Blue-winged teal: 8.5 million, 73 percent above the long-term average.
• Green-winged teal: 4.1 million, 98 percent above the long-term average.
• Northern shoveler: 4.4 million, 75 percent above the long-term average.
• Northern pintail: 3.0 million, 24 percent below the long-term average.
• Mallard: 11.6 million, 51 percent above the long-term average.
• Gadwall: 3.8 million, 100 percent above the long-term average.
• American wigeon: 3.0 million, 17 percent above the long-term average.
• Redhead: 1.2 million, 71 percent above the long-term average.
• Canvasback: 0.76 million, 30 percent above the long-term average.
• Scaup: 4.4 million, 13 percent below the long-term average.

Waterfowl hunting seasons in Kansas will begin with the teal season in the Low Plains Zones Sept. 12-27, followed by the High Plains Zone Sept. 19-27, 2015. Regular duck and goose seasons will be approved by the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission at the public hearing portion of its August 20 meeting, which will be held at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 592 NE K-156 Highway, Great Bend. The public hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m.Waterfowl hunters are required to possess a Kansas HIP permit, state waterfowl permit, federal waterfowl stamp, and Kansas hunting license, unless exempt.

For more information on Kansas waterfowl seasons, visit ksoutdoors.com.

To view a complete version of the data, and get a species-by-species breakdown, visit www.fws.gov/birds/news/150702trend.php, orwww.ducks.org/DuckNumbers.

2015-2016 Federal Duck Stamps On Sale Now

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA – The 82nd Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly known as the Federal Duck Stamp, is now on sale. Waterfowl hunters, birders, outdoor enthusiasts, artists, and stamp collectors can obtain the $25 stamp online, at select post offices, and wherever hunting licenses are sold. For all buying options, visit www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp/buy-duck-stamp.php.

Previous purchasers of the stamp will notice a price increase of $10 from last year. This is the first price increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has implemented in 24 years, and also the longest single period without an increase in the program’s history. The increased price of the duck stamp will allow the Service to devote more funds to conserving wetland habitat that benefits birds and many other species.

Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from duck stamp sales go to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which supports wetland acquisition and conservation easements for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the program’s inception, sales of the stamp have raised more than $800 million to protect more than 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The 2015-2016 Federal Duck Stamp features a pair of ruddy ducks painted by wildlife artist Jennifer Miller of Olean, N.Y. She is the third female artist in the program’s history to have her work featured on the stamp.

To learn more, visit www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp.php.

Two Kansas Duck Zone Boundaries Information Nights Left

 Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff are hosting a series of informational meetings to hear public input on duck hunting zone boundaries in the Kansas Low Plains Early, Late and Southeast Zones and two meetings remain. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend one of the informational nights listed below.

Potential changes to the current Kansas duck zone boundaries would go into effect beginning with the 2016-2017 season and remain in place through the 2021-2022 season.

For more information, contact Tom Bidrowski at tom.bidrowski@ksoutdoors.com or by phone at (620) 566-1456.

Dates and times for the remaining public meetings are as follows:

WICHITA

May 21, 6:30 p.m.

Great Plains Nature Center

6232 E.29th St. N

Wichita, KS 67220

ERIE

May 22, 6:30 p.m.

Tony’s Function Junction

10300 Highway 59

Erie, KS 66733

Kansas Duck Zone Boundaries to be Discussed During Information Nights

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff are hosting a series of informational meetings to hear public input on duck hunting zone boundaries in the Kansas Low Plains Early, Late and Southeast Zones. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend one of the informational nights listed below.

Potential changes to the current Kansas duck zone boundaries would go into effect beginning with the 2016-2017 season and remain in place through the 2021-2022 season.

For more information, contact Tom Bidrowski at tom.bidrowski@ksoutdoors.com or by phone at (620) 566-1456.

Dates and times for the public meetings are as follows:

GREAT BEND

May 14, 6:30 p.m.

KS WetlandsEducation Center

592 NE K-156 Hwy

Great Bend, KS 67530 

HARTFORD

May 18, 6:30 p.m.

Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

530 West Maple Avenue

Hartford, KS 66854

MCPHERSON

May 19, 6:30 p.m.

The McPherson Public Library

214 W.Marlin St

McPherson, KS 67460

OVERLAND PARK

May 20, 6:30 p.m.

Museum at Prairiefire

5801 W. 135th Street

Overland Park, KS 66223

WICHITA

May 21, 6:30 p.m.

Great Plains Nature Center

6232 E.29th St. N

Wichita, KS 67220

ERIE

May 22, 6:30 p.m.

Tony’s Function Junction

10300 Highway 59

Erie, KS 66733