KDWPT Considers Closing Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area Due To Safety Concerns

PRATT – Concerns over high numbers of visitors, illegal activities, and complaints from area residents have staff from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Public Lands Division considering a temporary closure of Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area. The 59-acre area – which sits on Deep Creek just seven miles southeast of Manhattan – was donated to KDWPT in 1967. For more than 50 years, the area has provided day-use visitors with public access to one of the most scenic areas in the northern Flint Hills region, complete with a natural low-water crossing and waterfall. However, in recent years, the wildlife area has become a hot spot for activities not permitted on the premises, including alcohol consumption, off-road vehicle use, trespassing and other public disturbance-related issues. The recent uptick in visitation has also led to traffic congestion and overflow parking issues, which impact local traffic and first responders’ ability to quickly access the area in an emergency.

“This is a scenic area that was intended to be a peaceful spot for families to enjoy, but crowds are getting larger and alcohol-related issues are becoming common occurrences,” KDWPT Public Lands Division director Stuart Schrag said. “While our law enforcement staff continue to manage the area to the best of their abilities, Pillsbury Crossing may very well be closed if visitors continue to disregard posted notices and area regulations.”

Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. During normal stream flow, the area creek makes for a scenic half-mile float by canoe or kayak. Birdwatching, hiking, and fishing are also popular activities allowed on the area.

“We want everyone to enjoy Kansas’ public lands,” Schrag added, “But we’ll never place access over safety. We need area visitors to follow the public lands regulations in place and think twice before they engage in activities not permitted on the area. If we can’t get compliance, we’ll be forced to temporarily close off access.”

Activities not permitted at Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area that have led to staff and public concerns include:
-The consumption of alcohol and cereal malt beverages
-Swimming
-Accessing the area between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
-Operating vehicles outside of maintained roads

To view a complete list of regulations for KDWPT-managed lands and waters, visit https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Law-Enforcement/Regulations.

For more information on Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area, see https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Northeast/Pillsbury-Crossing.

KDWPT Considers Allowing Lights, Night Optics for Hunting Coyotes

PRATT – Though Kansas coyote hunters can already hunt at night year-round without the aid of lights, a new proposal will be discussed at the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Commission’s June 25 virtual meeting that would allow the use of lights, night vision, and thermal imaging to hunt coyotes. Parties interested in commenting on this proposal may do so by participating in the meeting through Zoom (details here: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Past-and-Future-Meetings) or emailing Commissioners directly (contact information here: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Contact-Commissioners).

“Most other Midwest states allow this activity in some form with apparently no more legal or safety issues than other types of hunting,” said KDWPT furbearer biologist Matt Peek, ”And pressure from hunters, and in some cases livestock producers, for us to allow this has really grown in recent years.” 

In response to requests from the public, Commissioners asked the department to develop recommendations for future consideration. KDWPT’s proposal – which will likely be voted on at the Commission’s August meeting – includes the following options:  

Allowing the use of artificial lights, night vision and thermal imaging equipment for hunting coyotes only, not furbearers like bobcats and fox.

• Season dates for use of this equipment would be Jan. 1 – March 31. 
• Use of this equipment would not be allowed from a vehicle. 
• Use of this equipment would be prohibited on department lands and waters, including Walk-In Hunting Area (WIHA) properties.
• And, a $2.50 permit would be required initially so that the department may learn more about demand and frequency of use.

For a complete June 25 meeting agenda – including specific instructions on how to participate virtually – visit https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Past-and-Future-Meetings/June-25-2020.

New Fisheries Program Logo Designed by El Dorado Resident

PRATT – Jarrett Deen of El Dorado was recently recognized by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s Fisheries Division for his artistic talents. Out of 94 qualifying entries, Deen’s design was selected as the winner of KDWPT’s Walk-In Fishing Access (WIFA) logo contest, earning him $2,500 and statewide display of his work later this year.

“After four hours of reviewing entries, the Fisheries Access Committee chose Jarrett’s logo to represent the newly-renamed Walk-In Fishing Access (WIFA) program,” Ely Sprenkle, KDWPT fisheries biologist and committee chair, said. “We had many great entries and it was difficult to narrow the logo down to one. Ultimately, we decided Jarrett’s logo best depicted the program and our branding goals.”

WIFA, formerly known as KDWPT’s Fishing Impoundments and Stream Habitats (FISH) program, was introduced in 1998. It was modeled after KDWPT’s highly successful Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) program, with the goal of increasing public fishing opportunities in Kansas.

In early 2019, Fisheries Division staff made the decision to rebrand the program in an effort to increase angler awareness and participation, as well as expand the total number of properties enrolled.

Thanks to fishing access programs like WIFA, Kansas anglers are able to enjoy nearly 57 miles of streams, 1,850 acres of private ponds and lakes, and eight river access sites that lead to public fishing that may not have been available otherwise.

For more information on fishing in Kansas, and to buy a license, visit ksoutdoors.com.