Enroll Land in Walk-in Hunting Access Program Through July 15

Landowners interested in sharing the joys of hunting with others, and receiving additional income, are encouraged to enroll in the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) program. Enrollment for the fall season is currently open and will close July 15. Land enrolled inWIHA still remains in private ownership and payment rates are often negotiable based on the number of acres, quality of habitat, and length of the lease access period. Landowners interested in enrolling can learn more by visiting ksoutdoors.com, or by calling (620) 672-5911.

Land used for the WIHA program is typically Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres, but land with similar qualities and hunting opportunities, such as native rangeland, weedy wheat stubble, milo stubble, riparian areas, and wetland areas are also considered for enrollment.

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KDWPT HITS RECORD ENROLLMENT FOR SPRING TURKEY HUNTING ACCESS

Nearly 214,000 Walk-In Hunting Access acres are available this spring

PRATT – Hunting for spring turkeys can have it’s own set of challenges, but this year, finding

a place to hunt shouldn’t be one of them. Thanks to the Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) program offered through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), hunters in search of this hardy bird will have access to nearly 214,000 privately-owned acres, in addition to the state- and federally-owned wildlife areas. And accessing maps to these locations has never been easier before. Hunters can locate 2014 Spring WIHA lands by:

-Grabbing a printed copy of the2014 Spring Turkey Hunting Atlasavailable wherever licenses are sold

-Downloading an online copy of the2014 Spring Turkey Hunting Atlasfrom ksoutdoors.com

-Uploading the locations directly to a Garmin GPS Unit

-Uploading the locations to the Google Earth digital globe, or handheld device through Google Earth Mobile

Prior to accessing any Kansas WIHA properties, hunters are reminded to review the WIHA Area Rules & Information section of the2014 Spring Turkey Hunting Atlas.

Although there are no additional fees or sign-up required to access Kansas WIHA properties, hunters are still encouraged to be courteous if someone else is already using the property. All enrolled tracts are marked with WIHA signs to designate boundaries. If a tract shows on the map but doesn’t have signs, don’t access it. WIHA land is enrolled voluntarily by Kansas landowners, who may remove their property from the program at any time, for any reason. If a tract is removed, the signs will be taken down. It is up to hunters to be responsible, respectful, ethical, and safe to ensure the future availability of these properties.

For more information on the WIHA program, visit ksoutdoor.com/wiha.

The 2014 spring turkey season will begin with the archery and youth/disabled season April 1-8, followed by the regular firearm seasonApril 9-May 31.

2014 Spring turkey permits­ for Units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are available online or at any license vendor through May 30.

Hunters who drew a Unit 4 (southwest Kansas) spring turkey permit earlier this year may also use their Unit 4 permit in adjacent Units 1, 2 and 5.

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SPRING TURKEY HUNTING ATLAS MORE THAN MAPS

2013 Spring Turkey Hunting Atlas features information valuable to all hunters

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) 2013 Spring Turkey Hunting Atlas is now available. In addition to maps, the 66-page atlas will also feature area contact information, sunrise-sunset tables, cabin locations, and information on Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) areas, making it a must-have for all hunters.

“Nearly 200,000 acres are currently enrolled in the spring WIHA program, so public hunting opportunities abound in Kansas this spring,” said KDWPT private lands coordinator Jake George. “In addition, the spring hunting atlas will look considerably different to those who recall the format used in previous years.”

The new layout will also be used in the Spring 2013 Fishing Atlas and Fall 2013 Hunting Atlas. The long-overdue changes include the addition of a shaded relief backdrop, county road names (where available), stream names and much more.

“It is our hope that the new atlas will make it easier for hunters to get out, locate, and utilize these WIHA tracts,” said George.

Hunters can download an electronic version of the atlas from the KDWPT website, and file downloads that can be loaded onto Garmin GPS units. There are also file downloads for Android and iOS devices that can be used with Google Earth.

The 2013 spring turkey season will begin with the archery and youth/disabled season April 1-9, followed by the regular firearm season April 10-May 31.

2013 Spring turkey permit for Units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are available online or at any license vendor through May 30.

Hunters who drew a Unit 4 (southwest Kansas) spring turkey permit earlier this year may also use their Unit 4 permit in adjacent Units 1, 2 and 5.

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