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Float the Kansas River

July 16, 2016 8am-noon

Float the Kansas River in a canoe or kayak! Depart from the boat ramp at Linear Trail Head at 9am and arrive at St. George around 1pm. Hot dogs & t-shirts included!

Bring your own vessel or rent one. Lifejackets are required. Free bus rides available back to vehicles from St. George dock to Linear Trail Head parking.

$10 Bring your own vessel

$15 Rent single person kayak (lifejacket & paddles include)

$30 Rent two-person kayak or canoe (lifejackets & paddles included)

The float is sponsored by the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau. Register deadline is July 8. Register with Marcia Rozell at 785.776.8829 [email protected]. You can also get your Kayak Raffle Tickets when you register! $5/ticket $20/5 tickets

Agroforestry Field Day, May 12th, Ness County

Agroforestry is the integration of trees and shrubs into farming and ranching operations to maximize conservation benefits while simultaneously providing economic benefits for the overall operation.  Windbreaks and riparian buffers, are the most common agroforestry practices in Kansas.  Other examples include silvopasture and alley cropping. 

On Thursday, May 12^th Kansans will have the opportunity to experience agroforestry first hand at the 2016 Agroforestry Field Day scheduled for Thursday, May 12^th just east of Ness City. The field day will be hosted on Marvin and Twylia Sekavec’s 400 acre farm. 

The Sekavec’s have planted over 10,000 trees and shrubs over the last 20 years representing   over 30 different species.  These plantings have been designed as part of a holistic natural resource management system.  These plantings include windbreaks, wildlife habitat, and riparian buffers of bald cypress that improve water quality, reduce wind erosion and provide energy savings. 

Grassed terraces, waterways and multiple cover cropping systems all contribute to this model conservation landscape.  Special shrub and vine plantings around the house site attract a variety of song birds, butterflies, other critters. 

This setting provides a variety of hands-on educational opportunities that will be offered at the field day by a variety of natural resource professionals with wildlife, forestry, range expertise.  It is also an opportunity for farmers, ranchers and landowners to share their conservation project successes and projects. 

Marvin and Twylia Sekavec will kick off the field day providing an overview of their property and accomplishments.  Sessions on landscaping the farmstead, attracting songbirds, a tree planting demonstration, renovating old windbreaks, treating tree pest problems and controlling woody invasives are just a few of the topics that will be covered. 

The Sekavec’s farm is located 7.25 miles east of Ness City on HWY 96; then 3 miles north on County Road Z; then west 0.25 mile on County Road 160.  Their address is 25656 160 Road, Brownell, KS  67521.

Lunch and refreshments are provided as part of a $7 dollar registration fee.  Participants may register by mailing a $7 dollar check made out to the Ness County Conservation District, 18635  140 Road, Ness City, KS 67560-6196 or calling at 785-798-3614.  A brochure and registration are also available on the Web at www.kansasforests.org by clicking on News & Event and the calendar. 

Great Plains Nature Center to host O.K. Kids Day May 7

The Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, will host an O.K. Kids Day (Outdoor Kansas Kids) on Saturday, May 7, 2016. There will be a variety of outdoor/nature-related activities available for kids from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participation is free, but lunch will be available for $2.

This year’s theme is “D.I.Y. Nature (Do It Yourself)” where guests can learn how easy it is to be involved and active with nature. There will be games, crafts, displays, archery and fishing clinics, as well as live animal presentations.

O.K. Kids is a statewide program coordinated by the Kansas Wildscape Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving and perpetuating the land, the wild species, and the rich beauty of Kansas for the use of and enjoyment of all. O.K. Kids events are conducted around the state to get kids outside learning about nature and enjoying outdoor activities.

Join the fun at the Great Plains Nature Center and experience new things, gain some new skills, and enjoy nature!

For more information, call Breanna Sayers at (316) 683-5499, ext. 105.

Women On Target at Fancy Creek Range

The Friends of Fancy Creek Range are hosting a Women On Target event on Saturday, May 14. The shooting range is located at the Fancy Creek area of Tuttle Creek State Park, approximately one-half mile east and one-half mile north of the junction of U.S. Hwy. 77 and K-16 on county road 893, near Randolph.

This is a women’s-only event designed to provide shooters with instruction on basic handling and shooting skills for handguns, rifles, muzzleloaders and archery in a safe and comfortable environment. Beginners are welcome. Enrollment deadline is April 29, and there is a $50 registration fee, which includes lunch, eye and ear protection, loaner equipment, ammunition and instruction.

For more information and to register, contact Marci Ritter, (785) 293-4406, or [email protected]. Space is limited so register early.

Women On Target is one of the National Rifle Association’s programs for women shooters. For more information, visit www.women.nra.org.

Little Apple Pedal event at Tuttle Creek State Park

Tuttle Creek State Park invites families to attend the Little Apple Pedal, on Sunday May 1, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at the River Pond area. The day will include a bike rodeo for kids, a 6-mile slow ride through the park, bike safety instruction with the Riley County Police Department, free helmets for kids, and t-shirts for all registered participants.

Sponsored by the City of Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau and State Farm Insurance, the event will also feature a visit from Smokey the Bear and the Blue Township Fire Department.

Riders must pre-register online by April 26 at www.mhkprd.com/register. Fees are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, call Ryan at (785) 587-2768 or email [email protected].

Hunt safely for turkeys and mushrooms

The Kansas Spring Turkey Season opened April 12 and is in full swing through May 31. Reports from the field indicate that birds are plentiful and responding to hunters’ calls. However, the tradition of spring turkey hunting, where the hunter hides in full camouflage while imitating the call of a hen, requires special safety consideration.

Turkey hunting can be excellent on state wildlife areas, as well as the nearly 250,000 acres of private land  enrolled in the Spring Walk-In Hunting Access Program. Hunters on public land must always assume other hunters are there, too. Although hunting in Kansas is safer than playing golf, when you consider injuries per 100,000 participants, one tragic hunting-related accident is too many. A few simple precautions can help ensure you or another hunter don’t become a statistic.

First, never wear the colors black, blue or red, the colors prominent on a tom turkey as it displays for a hen. Set up to call with a good view in front and a tree wider than your shoulders at your back. A shoulder-width tree to lean against will protect you if another hunter stalks in from behind. If you see another hunter, whistle or call out; never wave or move, which could draw fire. Always assume a sound you hear is another hunter, and act accordingly. Many hunters will wear a fluorescent orange hat or vest when they walk out after hunting, or if they are successful, they may wrap an orange vest around their bird as they carry it out. Hunting-related accidents during the spring turkey season are rare, but let’s keep it that way.

Another kind of hunter in the woods this time of year is hunting morel mushrooms, and reports from the field indicate that hunters are finding them now. It is legal to pick morels on state and federal public hunting land as long as they are kept for personal consumption. Mushrooms collected on state and federal lands may not be sold commercially. Spring Walk-In Hunting Access land is leased for hunting access only. Morels found incidentally by turkey hunters on WIHA lands may be collected for personal use. Mushroom hunters should assume they will encounter turkey hunters on public lands, but potential conflict can be minimized by hunting mushrooms mid-day. Most turkey hunters prefer to be in the woods at daybreak and are often calling it a day by mid-morning.

Free entrance at Kansas State Parks April 23

Soak up the sun, hike a trail, build a craft, enter a 5K, shoot some archery – whatever floats your boat, chances are you’ll be able to enjoy it at a Kansas state park on April 23 during the 2016 Open House event and the best part is, it may only cost you the gas it takes to get there.

In an effort to showcase the many exciting and fun times that can be had at Kansas state parks, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) will host a free entrance day and open houses at all state parks on April 23. Visitors do not need to pay to enter the park on that day, and staff will be available to answer questions and give tours.

For details on what will be offered at each park, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “State Parks,” then “State Park’s Open House.”

Events are still being added, so be sure to check www.ksoutdoors.com  again at a later time for the most up-to-date information.

Kansas Bowhunters Association seeking volunteers for Conservation Day

Hunters understand the vital role quality habitat plays in the conservation of Kansas’ wildlife, and while Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism staff work diligently to provide the best habitat possible, partners are always appreciated. That’s why members of the Kansas Bowhunters Association invite anyone with an interest in improving our wildlife areas to join them for a Conservation Day at Milford State Park, Saturday, April 16. Volunteers from across the state will work together to complete a variety of outdoor projects to benefit wildlife, sportsmen and outdoor recreationalists, alike.

Volunteers are asked to wear clothing appropriate for working outdoors, bring food and drinks, and pack any garden tools or equipment they feel might be helpful.

The group will be camping near the Eagle Ridge Shelter. For information on camping, contact the Milford State Park office at (785) 238-3014.

If event is cancelled due to weather, it will be rescheduled for Saturday, April 23.

For more information, contact Greg Babcock at (785) 531-1829 or [email protected].

Volunteers do not have to pay a state park entry fee to participate.

Kansas Herpetological Society to host field trip at Clark State Fishing Lake

Members of the Kansas Herpetological Society (KHS) will be spending a weekend at Clark State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, 8 miles south of Kingsdown, to conduct a hands-on survey of reptiles and amphibians. Anyone interested is invited to participate in this fun and educational event. The field trip will take place from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 and pick back up from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Sunday, May 1. While some KHS members may gather as early as Friday evening, participants are welcome to stay for as much or as little as they desire. KHS membership is not required to participate.

Everyone attending should meet at the Clark State Fishing Lake group campsite (signs will be posted) at 9 a.m. While most specimens observed and counted during the KHS field trip will be released, select specimens will be collected by individuals with current Kansas Scientific Collecting Permits and kept for deposition in research collections at accredited institutions. Field trip participants wishing to assist in this research effort are encouraged to donate their specimens to those individuals qualified to receive them.

For more information on this event, visit the KHS Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/ksherp/, or contact Travis Taggart at (785) 650-2445 or [email protected].

Have fun, learn, and win at Great Migration Rally

Fly over to the Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s (KWEC)Great Migration Rallyfrom 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 30 to learn about migratory birds. Oh yeah, there will be prizes and food, too. Starting at KWEC, visitors will choose a card featuring a migratory bird worth points for prizes. They will then set off on their “migration,” driving through Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve, visiting various stations. At stops along the way, participants will receive situational cards, describing hazards or advantages encountered by “their” bird that subtract or add points. Several area businesses, artists and organizations have generously donated great prizes for those who migrate the most successfully with the highest point totals.

“It’s an event to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day,” said Curtis Wolf, KWEC manager. “The concept is to provide information about hazards birds face during migration with a fun and entertaining approach.”

This year’s Rally features Falconer Nate Mathews and his golden eagle, Isaiah. Mathews, currently the only falconer in Kansas hunting with an eagle, will share the remarkable story of Isaiah’s capture, training, loss and recovery.

Top prizes for adults are a WASPcam action-sport camera, Jansport backpack and binoculars and for the kids, a two-person tent, a pair of binoculars and fishing kit. Additional prizes include, sleeping bags, tent chairs, fishing poles, artwork, lanterns, head lamps and gift certificates from restaurants, hotels and other businesses.

Attendees will also be treated to a research drone demonstration, see Kansas birds of prey up close, make crafts, get a bird tattoo and learn about bird banding.

At two stops in Cheyenne Bottoms, visitors may use binoculars and spotting scopes to view migrating birds and discover the food they eat at a sampling station. Saints Peter and Paul Church will open for tours as the third stop on the “migration.”

At the migration destination, Camp Aldrich, Mathews and Isaiah provide their presentation, and dinner will be served before prizes are awarded.

Tickets are $5.50 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under age 5. Pre-register online at wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu or by calling the KWEC, 1-877-243-9268, by April 22.