PHEASANTS FOREVER, QUAIL FOREVER STATE CONVENTION MARCH 13-14

Two-day event for those interested in enhancing wildlife habitat in Kansas 

WICHITA – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever will host thefifth annual State Convention March 13 and 14 at the Wichita Marriot, 9100 E Corporate Hills Dr. The two-day event will kick off with the “Partners in Conservation Reception” starting at 7:30 p.m., followed by the main event, Saturday, March 14. Convention activities will include discussions from conservation leaders and breakout sessions based on three key topics—habitat, education & outreach, and chapters.

Speakers include Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever President and CEO; Theresa Vail, 2013 Miss Kansas, representative of Bass Pro Shops, and host of “Limitless” on the Outdoor Channel; and Richard McCabe, executive vice president of the Wildlife Management Institute, successful wildlife author, and son of Aldo Leopold’s first graduate student. Additionally, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will report on the status of pheasants and quail in the state.

Afternoon breakout sessions following the morning speakers include a cover crop roundtable with leading agency professionals and farmers, conducting wing-shooting clinics, how to be a successful chapter, and more.

"Through the Kansas State Convention, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever provide wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, landowners, youth educators, and habitat gurus a chance to get together and share their knowledge and passion for the outdoors,” explained Marc Glades, South Region field manager for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “Our chapter leaders, partners, staff, and guests are excited to be guiding this inspiring, information-filled, and interactive weekend that will refresh your wildlife conservation ethic.”

Register between Jan. 27 and Feb. 12 and earn a chance at a $250 Cabela’s gift card. Registration information can be found at http://www.kansaspfqf.org/2015-convention. Hotel rooms are available at a discounted rate of $99 by calling (316) 651-0333. Offer expires Feb. 27. 

2014 KANSAS BIRDING BIG YEAR RESULTS COMPILED

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nick Varvel took the overall high score, recording 302 bird species in 2014

PRATT – The second annual Kansas Birding Big Year came to an end on December 31, 2014. Forty-eight participants signed up for the competition, which is designed to get more folks outdoors and enjoying watching and counting birds. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Secretary, Robin Jennison, was intrigued with hosting such a competition after seeing the popular movie “The Big Year,” depicting avid bird watchers trying to see as many species as they could in a single calendar year. It looked like a fun way to get more people involved in wildlife watching in our state.

The competition was divided into three age categories: youth (17 and under), adult (18-64), and senior (65+).

Results for the 2014 competition are as follows:

Adult:    1st – Nick Varvel, Olathe, 302 species

            2nd – Jeff Calhoun, Dodge City, 291 species

            3rd – Glenn Caspers, Topeka, 286 species

Youth:   1st – Sam Schermerhorn, Wamego, 209 species

            2nd – Christian Becker, Marion, 202 species

            3rd – Joshua Keating, Milford, 103 species

Senior:  1st – John Row, Manhattan, 214 species

            2nd – Judith Collins, Salina, 210 species

            3rd – Dan Larson, Berryton, 209 species

Prizes for the competition were donated from several organizations, including Bass Pro Shop of Olathe, Bushnell Optics of Overland Park, Coleman Company of Wichita and Acorn Naturalists of Tustin, Calif., a supplier of resources for the trail and classroom. The winners of each of the categories will also each receive matted and framed original pencil drawings of native Kansas bird species, drawn and donated by Dr. Robert Penner of Ellinwood. Dr. Penner is the land steward and avian projects coordinator for the Nature Conservancy at Cheyenne Bottoms.

“Anything over 300 species in Kansas is considered a benchmark for a very good year,” said Mike Rader, KDWPT wildlife education coordinator. “Nick’s total is really outstanding.”

Rader added there is still plenty of time to sign up for the 2015 competition. For more information, visitksoutdoors.com and click “Services / Wildlife Diversity / 2015 Kansas Birding Big Year.”

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FLINT HILLS GOBBLERS TO HOST 14TH ANNUAL SPRING TURKEY HUNTING CLINIC

Event open to first 250 who register

EMPORIA – The Flint Hills Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold the 14th Annual Spring Turkey Hunting Clinic and Internet-Assisted Hunter Education Class on Saturday, March 28. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Dry Creek Sporting Clays, south of Emporia and is open to anyone interested in learning how to become a better turkey hunter.

Participants 17 years old and younger will receive commemorative t-shirts and JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) memberships. Prizes will also be drawn for youth at the end of the clinic. Lunch will be provided. There is no fee to participate; however, preregistration is required.

Participants will go through several education stations covering various aspects of turkey hunting, including:

Turkey biology and management • turkey hunting equipment and safety • turkey calling and locator calling • scouting and roosting • bowhunting for turkeys • shotgun hunting and safety • trap shooting • and target shooting.

An Internet-Assisted Hunter Education Class will also be taught during the clinic; however it will be limited to 24 students.

For more information or to register for the clinic or Internet-Assisted Hunter Education Class, contact Gib Rhodes at (620) 437-2012.

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2015 GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT BEGINS FEB. 13

Fifteen minutes or more of bird watching is all participants need to participate

PRATT – In lieu of conducting the Backyard Bird Feeder Survey this year, bird watchers around the state are asked to participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) taking place Feb. 13-16. The GBBC is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds. Participants are asked to count numbers and species of birds from any location for as little as 15 minutes on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.  Anyone can take part in the count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and there is no cost to participate.

It’s free, fun and each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and other bird conservation organizations learn more about population trends and distribution of various songbird species. 

Visit www.birdcount.org for more information.

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LEARN OUTDOOR SKILLS AT WOMEN-ONLY WORKSHOP

Three-day event is perfect place to learn ins and outs of outdoor recreation

PRATT – If you’re intimidated by the thought of picking up a bow, if you’re stumped at what lures to use when fishing, or if you’ve always wanted to kayak down a river, but don’t know how to get started, consider the Becoming An Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop May 15-17. Conducted at the Rock Springs 4-H Center near Junction City, the workshop will offer participants courses on everything from woodcarving and GPS basics, to rifle marksmanship and fly fishing. Participants get hands-on experience in several areas of their choice, while surrounded by peers with similar interests.

Offered through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, BOW is a non-profit, non-membership program designed for teaching women outdoor skills. The workshop will offer more than 30 different classes thanks to a core of volunteer instructors, including KDWPT employees, law enforcement officials, and even past participants, all of whom are considered to be experts in their field.

Cost for the three-day workshop is $250, which includes lodging, meals and class supplies. Three $100 scholarships are available to first-time participants based on financial need.

To register, visit www.ksoutdoors.com, click “Services/Education/Becoming an Outdoors Woman,” and download a registration form. Must be 18 or older to attend. Early registration will be open to first-time participants throughApril 3. If spots still remain, past participants may register beginning April 4. Applicants are encouraged to apply early as the spring workshop has limited space and the application period will close May 1.

For questions, call or email Jami McCabe at (785) 845-5052 or kansasbow@sbcglobal.net.

Learn more and view pictures of past workshops at the BOW Facebook page found under “Becoming an Outdoors Woman KANSAS.”

WITNESSES OF WILDLIFE-RELATED CRIMES CAN REPORT ANONYMOUSLY

One phone call can help catch wildlife thieves

PRATT – Countless wildlife, especially big game, will be illegally killed at the hands of poachers this season and unfortunately, these criminals are tough to catch. Game wardens work tirelessly to track down the men and women allegedly responsible for these crimes, but often a lack of evidence leaves officers with their hands tied. The good news is, one phone call can change this scenario. Operation Game Thief (OGT), 1-877-426-3843, is a program that provides a toll-free line available 24/7, 365 days of the year, for citizens to report wildlife-related violations. All calls received through the OGT line are quickly relayed to the natural resource officer nearest the violation, and callers can remain anonymous.

When reporting a wildlife crime, keep the following in mind:

• never confront suspects; and

• provide as much specific information as possible, such as vehicle model and color, license tag numbers, descriptions of people involved, locations, and the time the incident occurred.

OGT calls have resulted in numerous arrests and convictions on violations ranging from deer poaching to public lands vandalism. In many cases, poachers have been arrested within minutes of the call. If you think picking up the phone can’t make a difference, think again. Those who commit wildlife crimes aren’t just stealing from the land, they are stealing from us all. Help bring them to justice by calling OGT at 1-877-426-3843.

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HUNTERS ENCOURAGED TO UTILIZE iSPORTSMAN ELECTRONIC CHECK-IN SYSTEM

Fourteen wildlife areas currently utilize the system, more to come

PRATT – Since Sept. 1, hunters using select Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

(KDWPT) wildlife areas have been able to obtain free daily hunt permits electronically through the iSportsman system. To date, more than 4,500 individuals have registered for accounts and have “checked in” for 8,000 daily hunting permits. Although several thousand hunters have used the new system, a large percentage of hunters continue to use the traditional paper permit system. The iSportsman electronic permit system, which is more efficient and economical than the paper system, is in use at the following wildlife areas: Jamestown, Lovewell, Clinton, Elwood, Kansas River, Milford, Cheyenne Bottoms, Texas Lake, Isabel, McPherson Wetlands, Slate Creek Wetlands, Neosho, Melvern and Lyon. A similar system has already been in use at Fort Riley.

This is a reminder for hunters planning to hunt any of the aforementioned areas to register for an account at any time by logging on to https://kdwpt.isportsman.net. Upon completing the registration, hunters will obtain a general access permit. He or she can then log on or call in before they plan to hunt to “check in.” After a hunt is complete, the hunter can then log on or call in to report harvests and “check out” of the system. The system can be utilized from any computer, smart phone, cell phone or landline.

For more information on iSportsman, call (620) 672-5911 or visit https://kdwpt.isportsman.net.

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