KANSAS WILDLIFE, PARKS AND TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING OCT. 17

Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission to conduct last meeting of the year

PRATT – The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, 1100 N. Plum, Hutchinson, will be the location

of the next Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission public meeting and hearing Oct. 17, 2013. The afternoon session will begin at1:30 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m., with the evening session reconvening at 7 p.m.

The afternoon session will begin with time for public comments on non-agenda items, followed by a general discussion period. Topics covered in the general discussion include: Secretary’s remarks regarding agency and state fiscal status and an update on the 2014 legislature, a briefing on tourism, the Bass Pass program, a series of antelope and elk regulations, and an update on the potential federal listing of lesser prairie chickens.

During the afternoon session, commissioners will workshop items that were covered under general discussion at the August meeting. Workshop topics, which will be discussed for potential regulatory action at a future meeting, include permanent regulations pertaining to big game, a series of deer-specific regulations, and regulations regarding state parks.

The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location for the public hearing. The public hearing will be focused on youth permit fees; special provisions pertaining to fishing, as well as creel, size, and possession limits, and open season; and spring turkey season, including bag limits, permits, and game tags.

Time will be available in both the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics not on the agenda. If necessary, the commission will reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., Oct. 18, to complete any unfinished business.

A commercial-free version of live video and audio streaming of commission meetings will be broadcast through the KDWPT website, 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 commission meeting is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2014 at Southwestern College, 100 College St., Winfield.

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WILDLIFE, PARKS AND TOURISM COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING AUG. 29

Phone conference scheduled to approve last-minute changes to possession limits for migratory birds

PRATT – The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public hearing through a telephone conference on Thursday, August 29, 2013. The call will begin at 10 a.m., and members of the public can listen online atksoutdoors.com, or attend a satellite location listed below, where public comments may be heard.

The last-minute hearing is necessary to incorporate changes to possession limits in migratory bird hunting regulations for the 2013 seasons. Other than the late migratory bird seasons, which were set Aug. 1, seasons and regulations for doves, sandhill cranes, snipe, rail and woodcock were approved earlier this year. However, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released frameworks for migratory bird hunting regulations in July, the possession limit for all migratory birds was increased from twice the daily bag limit to three times the daily bag limit. Because potential regulation changes must be given published notice 30 days prior to a public hearing, the impromptu commission meeting was scheduled for Aug. 29. Commissioners will vote on a recommendation to adopt the maximum possession limit of three times the daily bag limit for doves, sandhill cranes, snipe, rail and woodcock as allowed under the USFWS frameworks.

The public is encouraged to listen to or comment during the hearing at any of the following KDWPT locations: Office of the Secretary, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka; Pratt Operations Office, 512 SE 25th

Ave., Pratt; KDWPT Region 1 Office, 1426 Hwy 183 Alt., Hays; KDWPT Region 2 Office, 300 SW Wanamaker Rd., Topeka; KDWPT Region 3 Office, 1001 W. McArtor, Dodge City; KDWPT Region 4 Office, 6232 E. 29th

St. N, Wichita; Neosho County Community College, 800 W. 14th

St., Oak Room, No. 209, Chanute; KDWPT Kansas City Office, 8304 Hedge Lane Terrace, Shawnee; KDWPT Research and Survey Office, 1830 Merchant, Emporia.

If necessary, the Commission will recess on August 29, 2013, to reconvene August 30, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.

If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter call the Kansas Commission of Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Any individual with a disability may request other accommodations by contacting the Commission Secretary at (620) 672-5911.

The next commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2013, Kansas Cosmosphere, 1100 N. Plum, Hutchinson.

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GARDEN CITY LOCATION OF UPCOMING WILDIFE, PARKS AND TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING

Live, commercial-free video and audio streaming of meetings now available for first time

The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing on Thursday, June 27, at the Lee Richardson Zoo, 312 Finnup

Dr., Garden City. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m., and the evening session will begin at 7 p.m.

The afternoon session will begin with time for public comments on non-agenda items. The general discussion period will cover the following topics: Secretary’s remarks about agency and state fiscal status and an update on the 2013 legislative session, a briefing on tourism, Spring/Fall 2014 turkey regulations, and youth license and permit fees.

During the afternoon session, commissioners will workshop items that were covered under general discussion at the April meeting. Workshop topics, which will be discussed for potential regulatory action at a future meeting, include regulations pertaining to fishing, parks, late migratory bird seasons, prairie chickens, and an update on the lesser prairie chicken federal listing.

The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location for the public hearing. The first portion of the public hearing will be devoted to bringing regulations related to agritourism into the KDWPT regulation system. Agritourism duties were transferred to KDWPT in 2011 when Gov. Brownback’s Executive Reorganization Order No. 36 moved the Division of Travel and Tourism into KDWPT. Other regulations that will be voted on include the KAR 115-5 series that deals with furbearers and coyotes. At the April meeting, commissioners heard comments on a recommendation that would prohibit coyote hunting with vehicles and two-way radios during the regular firearm deer season. After discussion, commissioners requested KDWPT staff to bring several options to the June public hearing. Regulations that cover the use of baiting, blinds and tree stands on public lands that required some clean-up will be heard and voted on. Deer season dates for Ft. Riley will be approved, and recommendations for early migratory bird seasons will be heard.

Time will be available in both afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics not on the agenda. If necessary, the commission will reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., June 28, to complete unfinished business.

For the first time, a commercial-free version of live video and audio streaming of commission meetings will be broadcast through the KDWPT website, 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 commission meeting is scheduled for August, 1, 2013 at the Woodson County Community Building in Yates Center.

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KANSAS WILDLIFE, PARKS AND TOURISM COMMISSION TO MEET IN TOPEKA

PRATT – The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing on Thursday, Mar. 21, at the Kansas Historical Society History Center, 6425 SW 6 Ave., in Topeka. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m., and the evening session will begin at 7 p.m.

Public hearing to include big game legal equipment,
Secretary’s Orders for deer permits

The afternoon session will begin with time for public comments on non-agenda items, followed by a general discussion period on the following topics: Secretary’s remarks about agency and state fiscal status and an update on the 2013 legislative session. Other general discussion topics include, recognition for a retiring K-9 officer, a year-end review of tourism activities, a report on roadside maintenance for wildlife, a webless migratory bird report, early migratory bird seasons, furharvester regulations, Fort Riley deer and other considerations, and an update on the federal proposal to list the lesser prairie chicken.

The afternoon session will also include a workshop in preparation for potential regulatory action, covering preliminary recommendations on regulations. Topics include upland bird regulations, public lands regulations, camping and utility fees, antelope and elk regulations, and agritourism.

The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location for the public hearing. Commissioners will consider regulations pertaining to fees; big game legal taking equipment; deer season dates; Secretary’s Orders for limited deer permit quotas; legal equipment and taking methods for turkey; and turkey season, bag limit and permits.

Time will be available in both the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics not on the agenda. If necessary, the commission will reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., March 22, to complete unfinished business.

Live video and audio streaming of this meeting will be broadcast through the KDWPT website,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 commission meeting is scheduled for April 25, 2013 at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita.

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