KANSAS HUNTER EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED AWARD

Jim Bussone of Arma has been recognized as the 2012 Instructor of the Year

PRATT – Jim Bussone, hunter education instructor and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) natural resource officer, has been selected as the 2012 Instructor of the Year. Each year, fellow instructors nominate and select an instructor who has demonstrated extraordinary, above standard actions that reflect favorably on hunters, the Hunter Education Program and the KDWPT.

In his 30 years as a volunteer instructor, Bussone’s “list of accomplishments is long,” said KDWPT Law Enforcement Lieutenant Keith Rather in his nomination of Jim. Among those accomplishments, Rather included Bussone’s active participation in 30 Hunter Education/Furharvester Education classes in 2012,

initiation of a Hunter Education class for the Amish Community at Fort Scott (an admirable feat given no electronic devices such as computers or projectors could be used), assistance with Chanute Hunter Education classes during an instructor shortage, and his implementation of the ever-popular Women on Target annual event, which is now in its eighth year.

Rather also credited Bussone with being a driving force in promoting, establishing and supporting the Kansas Hunter Education in Our Schools program, namely in Fort Scott, Arma, Pittsburg, and Girard.

“Jim Bussone teaches more than hunter safety, he teaches life,” said Girard High School health and physical education instructor Sunny Pierce. “He is a great educational resource for our school district and is deserving of our deepest thanks and any recognition he is given.”

In addition to the aforementioned roles, Bussone also serves as an area coordinator for the Kansas Hunter Education program, as well as a Hunter Education Advisory Committee member.

Bussone will receive a certificate of appreciation and a firearm as tokens of appreciation for his dedication.

Other award nominees recognized for their exemplary involvement, performance, and continued dedication to the program include:
-Gerry Giroux, Salina
-Albert Hermann, Garnett
-Jay Farwell, Leavenworth
-Rob Friggeri, Girard
-Robert Paramore, McPherson
-David Howe, McPherson
-Larry Weast, Hiawatha
-Hershel Martin, Kansas City
-Larry McAdow, Halstead
-Don George, Mound City

Each of the aforementioned individuals will receive a certificate of appreciation and an Order of the Buffalo award later this year.

For more information, contact KDWPT assistant Hunter Education program coordinator Monica Bickerstaff at monica.bickerstaff@ksoutdoors.com

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WEBINAR TO PROVIDE LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN UPDATE

Watch from home or visit one of 17 satellite sites to participate in webinar

PRATT – The potential listing of the lesser prairie chicken (LPC) as a threatened or endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has raised concerns for many landowners and land managers. State and federal agencies have conducted numerous public meetings to provide information, as well as gain input from the public. To keep the information flowing and to address landowner concerns, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and Kansas State Research and Extension are hosting a webinar on April 30, 2013, beginning at 7 p.m.

Speakers from KDWPT, the Farm Services Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service will

provide background on the LPC listing status, as well as updates on the state planning effort, goals of the plan and priority areas. Detailed information on the conservation value of land and allocation of offset payments to landowners will be provided. State and federal programs specifically designed to improve habitat for LPC and what a proposed listing means to those enrolled in federal programs will be explained.

A webinar is an online communication technique that allows those with high-speed internet access to connect with the host site to view and hear the speakers on their home computer and chat via the internet with any questions or comments. Those who don’t have high-speed internet access can participate at one of the 17 satellite sites listed below. Staff will be onsite to transmit questions and comments to presenters.

To view from home, log on to: http://connect.ksre.ksu.edu/ksuasi

For more information please contact your local county extension agent or Charlie Lee (clee@ksu.edu or785-532-5734). Below are the satellite sites:

Ashland Community Building, 800 Main St., Ashland
Finney County Extension Office, 501 S. 9th St., Garden City
Western State Bank Expo Center, 11333 Hwy 283, Dodge City
Grant County Civic Center, Lawson Room, 1100 W. Patterson, Ulysses
4-H Building, 17002 W. Hwy 50, Cimarron
Hamilton County Extension Office, 520 N. Hamilton, Syracuse
4-H Building, S. Atkin St., Jetmore
Kiowa County Commons Conference Room, 320 S. Main, Greensburg
Courthouse Meeting Room, 710 W. 2nd, Oakley
Morton County Extension Office, 625 Colorado, Elkhart
Ness County 4-H Building, 105 S. Pennsylvania, Ness City
KDWPT Office, 512 SE 25th Ave., Pratt
Williams Carpenter Building, East Fairground Road, Scott City
Seward County Activity Building, 810 Stadium Road, Liberal
Sherman County 4-H Building, 417 Main Street, Goodland
Stevens County Courthouse, Memorial Hall, 200 E. 6th, Hugoton
Wakeeney Public Library, 610 Russell Ave., Wakeeney

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KANSAS YOUTH RIGHT ON TARGET

Kansas Archery in the Schools program hosted the fourth annual state archery tournament, Saturday, April 6, at Fort Hays State University.

The Kansas Archery program operates under the umbrella of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and the National Archery in the Schools (NASP) program, a nonprofit foundation aimed at

Nearly 300 students competed in state archery
 tournament April 6 in hopes of making nationals

promoting international-style target archery among students in grades 4-12.

With the help of KDWPT and NASP, program coordinators are able to introduce archery as a fun, lifelong activity to young people who may have never taken up the sport otherwise. Currently, there are 223 Kansas schools involved with this program.

Out of the nearly 300 participants in attendance, a total of nine teams and nine individuals qualified to compete at the national level.

Students from 13 communities competed this year, including: Anthony-Harper, Clearwater, Erie, Greely County (Tribune), Healy, Hugoton, Jackson Heights (Holton), Kingman, Neodesha, Otis-Bison, Prairie Trail Middle School (Olathe), Rose Hill, and Stockton.

Competing in one of three grade divisions, elementary school (4-6), middle school (7-8), or high school (9-12), participants are required to shoot five arrows in each of the three rounds from a distance of 10 meters and a distance of 15 meters.

A score of 300 points is considered perfect, which would be scores of 10 on each of the 30 total arrows they can be scored on.

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FIVE-STATE LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN CONSERVATION PLAN SUBMITTED

Range-wide lesser prairie chicken conservation plan submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in hopes of precluding a listing under the Endangered Species Act

PHOENIX, AZ. – The lesser prairie chicken is a grassland grouse species native and once common to parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. However, declining lesser prairie chicken populations have brought state and federal agencies together in an attempt to better manage this iconic prairie species and its habitats. The result is a comprehensive range-wide lesser prairie chicken management draft plan.

Through a multi-state collaborative effort, with funding provided by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) grant and support from the Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative, the five state wildlife agencies completed the draft plan and submitted it to the USFWS. The federal agency is currently deliberating its proposal to list the lesser prairie chicken as threatened and states hope the conservation plan will influence the final decision and preclude listing, according to the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Grassland Initiative.

The lesser prairie chicken has been considered a candidate under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) since 1998, and USFWS proposed it for listing as threatened in December 2012. A final rule for the lesser prairie chicken is scheduled to be issued September 30, 2013.

The WAFWA Grassland Initiative collaborated with the Lesser Prairie Chicken Interstate Working Group, which is composed of biologists from the five state fish and wildlife departments within the species’ range, and other partners to develop the range-wide conservation plan. This management plan describes population and habitat goals to secure the species into the future and identifies voluntary conservation programs and practices to be applied to accomplish these goals throughout the lesser prairie chicken’s range (http://kars.ku.edu/geodata/maps/sgpchat/).

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commends the Lesser Prairie Chicken Interstate Working Group and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for their tireless efforts to develop a range-wide conservation plan for the lesser prairie chicken." said Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, regional director for the USFWS’s Southwest Region. "In the next few weeks, the Service will reopen the comment period in order to allow the public the opportunity to provide additional comments on the lesser prairie chicken listing proposal and the range-wide conservation plan as it relates to the USFWS’s listing proposal."

“While we do not need a chicken on every acre, we do need to have the right acres to conserve the species,” says Bill Van Pelt, WAFWA’s Grassland Coordinator. “We feel we have created a plan under which we can partner with landowners and industry to incentivize good land management practices.”

Throughout the planning process, which started in April 2012, the state wildlife agencies have reached out to the public. The states have received feedback about two previous draft plans and are encouraged to hear the support for a state-led effort to conserve this species. Prior to finalizing the management plan, the state agencies are requesting additional public input. The Range-wide Conservation Plan for the Lesser Prairie Chicken is found onhttp://www.wafwa.org/html/rangewide_lpc_conservation_plan.shtml and the states will be accepting written comments on this third draft of the plan. Please send comments via email to janc@gci.net or by mail to Jan Caulfield Consulting, 114 S. Franklin St., Ste. 205, Juneau, AK 99801. The states are also exploring the use of webinars to reach the public. These webinars and the closing period on the comments will be announced on the WAFWA website and other media outlets.



“Historically, we saw habitat conditions like the ones we are observing now back in the 1930s, and we thought the species went extinct,” Van Pelt added. “However, it is our opinion that with existing habitat conservation programs being implemented through various Farm Bill programs and enrollments in existing conservation agreements, we are seeing lesser prairie chickens maintaining themselves on the landscape and even expanding into new areas in some parts of their range. By coordinating these existing efforts and others proposed under this range-wide plan, we are confident we will be able to conserve this species into the future. This plan is written broadly enough to allow anyone interested in conserving the lesser prairie chicken to assist the states with conserving this grassland icon.”



For more information, contact WAFWA Grassland Coordinator Bill Van Pelt at (602) 717-5066.

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POTENTIAL GAME WARDEN CANDIDATES MUST COMPLETE TESTING

Applications for testing and assessment process due April 26

If you’ve ever thought about being a game warden for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, keep reading. The department is accepting applications for the testing and assessment process required of individuals who are interested in entry-level law enforcement positions, more accurately called natural resource officers. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications for the position will be screened, tested and assessed to be included in a pool of qualified applicants who may receive offers of employment.

There are three law enforcement vacancies eligible to be filled immediately, and additional openings may become available during the year. These are permanent, full-time positions, requiring the incumbent to live and work within an assigned area. Duties include enforcement of state and federal wildlife and boating laws and regulations, investigation, assistance to other law enforcement agencies, as well as delivery of a wide variety of other department information and education programs.

A complete application should be submitted electronically to kdwprecruitment@ksoutdoors.com or sent to Human Resources Office, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, 512 SE 25th Avenue, Pratt KS 67124, phone number (620) 672-5911. Applicants will be notified if they are selected to participate in the testing process. Potential candidates will have to complete a 1-mile run in 10 minutes or less and pass four written tests covering Kansas wildlife identification, general biological and outdoor knowledge, general wildlife law knowledge test and the Kansas Safe Boater test.

For more information concerning the written tests, minimum qualifications and what must be included in a complete application, go to www.ksoutdoors.com, click on “KDWPT Info,” then “Jobs,” then “Employment Application & Additional Info.”

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FORT RILEY TO HOST FREE YOUTH FISHING EVENT

Families are invited to attend an annual fishing day at Fort Riley free of charge

Kids of all ages are welcome to attend Fort Riley’s third annual Kid’s Fishing Day April 20 at Moon Lake from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The annual event regularly draws a strong crowd.

“Last year, we had about 200 kids there,” said Directorate of Public Works supervisory fish and wildlife

biologist, Shawn Stratton. “It’s a great time, even if the kids have no experience.”

Participants will be supplied with fishing bait, tackle, lunch and refreshments, as well as rods and reels for those without equipment. Youth anglers will also receive a free tackle box with lures.

Event sponsors include the Fort Riley Directorate of Public Works, the Fort Riley Directorate of Emergency Services, the Fort Riley Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, the Fort Riley Outdoorsmen Group, the 1-70 Bass Anglers Club, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, and TakeMeFishing.org.

There is no cost to attend and families can register any time during the event.

Participants age 16 and older must possess a valid Kansas fishing license.

For more information, contact the Fort Riley Conservation Office at (785) 239-6211, or the Fort Riley Outdoor Recreation Center at (785) 239-2363.

YOUNG WILDLIFE DESERVE TO BE LEFT WILD

“Rescuing” presumably-abandoned young really a death sentence

A lone fawn curled up amid tall grass in early spring can be an endearing sight, but it also can make an attractive target for more than just predators. Every year well-intentioned people attempt to “rescue” these presumably-abandoned young, often with deadly consequences. In almost all cases of young fawns found alone in the wild, the mother is typically feeding nearby, keeping a distant eye on her offspring. When concerned individuals decide to retrieve these young animals, they are unintentionally giving the fawn a death sentence.

The notion that a young animal found in the wild will die if not given care is wrong. Not only are most young found in the wild not abandoned, picking them up is against the law. Both the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have regulations against such activity that can result in a fine up to $1,000 or more. In addition to legal repercussions, wild animals can pose a number of health risks, including diseases such as distemper, rabies,

lyme disease, roundworms, tapeworms, mites, tularemia and more.

Additionally, if a “rescued” animal were to bite someone, it must be put to death and tested for diseases. Even if they don't bite, the young usually fail to survive in captivity because most people are not equipped to handle wild animals, especially as the they mature. On the off chance the animal does survive in captivity, it typically loses instincts that allow it to survive in the wild.

It is important to remember that although young wildlife may be cute, they belong in the wild. Wild animals cannot legally be inoculated by veterinarians, and few people really know how to care for them.

If you should see a young animal in the wild this spring or summer, observe at a distance and consider yourself lucky. But remember, just because they are temporarily alone, that doesn’t mean they are abandoned.

If you really want to help, leave young in the wild where they were born and belong.

If you find an injured animal, a list of licensed rehabilitators can be found on the KDWPT website, ksoutdoors.com, by clicking "Services/Rehabilitation."

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