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2016 Fishing Regulations Summary available online

A new year means new seasons ahead, and it’s never too early to start planning. Anglers with an itch to get the low-down on all things fishing related in Kansas this year should check out the online version of the 2016 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary. Simply visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Fishing / Fishing Regulations” to download your copy of the free, easy-to-use, full-color pamphlet. Printed copies will be available wherever licenses are sold by mid-January.

Apart from a helpful section highlighting new regulations for the 2016 season, the summary also includes information on important fishing regulations such as special seasons, creel and length limits, license fees and legal fishing methods. Because creel and length limits vary from lake to lake, the2016 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary is a must-read for all anglers.

The summary also lists all public waters, along with their location and any special regulations in effect. At the turn of a page, anglers can see which community lakes don’t charge extra fees for fishing, as well as community lakes designated as Family Friendly Facilities (FFF) that will include flush toilet facilities, security patrols, security lighting, easy access to the water and do not allow alcohol.

Anglers can also read up on aquatic nuisance species (ANS), as well as regulations governing the use of live baitfish. Select pages are devoted to fish identification, featuring color illustrations by renowned fish illustrator Joe Tomelleri. Current state record fish are listed, and there is also a Master Angler Award Application for anglers who catch fish that qualify for this certificate award program.

For more information on Kansas fishing, visit www.ksoutdoors.com/Fishing .

2016 Fish Consumption Advisories issued

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) are issuing revised fish consumption advisories for 2016. The advisories identify types of fish or other aquatic animals that should be eaten in limited quantities or, in some cases, avoided altogether because of contamination. General advice is also provided to aid the public in making informed decisions regarding the benefits as well as the risks associated with eating locally caught fish from Kansas waters.

Statewide Advisories

The following consumption restrictions are recommended because of mercury in fish:

Women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are nursing and children age 17 or younger should restrict consumption of all types of locally caught fish, from waters or species of fish not specifically covered by an advisory, to one meal per week because of mercury.

Women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are nursing and children age 17 or younger should restrict consumption of largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (black basses) to one meal per month because of mercury.

The general public (men and women 18 or older)should restrict consumption of these species to one meal per week because of mercury.

Recommendations include not eating specified fish or aquatic life from the following locations:

  1. The Kansas River from Lawrence (below Bowersock Dam) downstream to Eudora at the confluence of the Wakarusa River (Douglas and Leavenworth counties); bottom-feeding fish such as buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, catfishes (except flathead catfish), sturgeons, and suckers because of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
  2. The Spring River from the confluence of Center Creek to the Kansas/Oklahoma border (Cherokee County); shellfish because of lead and cadmium.
  3. Shoal Creek from the Missouri/Kansas border to Empire Lake (Cherokee County); shellfish because of lead and cadmium.
  4. Cow Creek in Hutchinson and downstream to the confluence with the Arkansas River (Reno County); bottom-feeding fish such as buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, catfishes (except flathead catfish), sturgeons, and suckers because of PCBs.
  5. The Arkansas River from the Lincoln Street Dam in Wichita downstream to the confluence with Cowskin Creek near Belle Plaine (Sedgwick and Sumner counties); bottom-feeding fish such as buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, catfishes (except flathead catfish), sturgeons, and suckers because of PCBs.
  6. Antioch Park Lake South in Antioch Park, Overland Park (Johnson County); all fish because of the pesticides dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, chlordane, and dichlorophenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs).

Consumption of bottom-feeding fish such as buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, catfishes (except flathead catfish), sturgeons, and suckers should be restricted to one meal per month from the following location because of PCBs:

  1. The Little Arkansas River from the Main Street Bridge immediately west of Valley Center to the confluence with the Arkansas River in Wichita (Sedgwick County).

Women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are nursing and children age 17 or younger should consider restricting their total mercury intake for both supermarket fish and locally caught species. Concerned parents and other persons may wish to consult with a physician about eating fish and mercury exposure. Mercury exposure can be reduced by limiting the consumption of large predatory fish.  Larger/older fish of all types are more likely to have higher concentrations of mercury. Avoid the consumption of fish parts other than fillets, especially when eating bottom-feeding fish. Fatty internal organs tend to accumulate higher levels of fat-soluble contaminants such as chlordane and PCBs than fillets. Consumers can reduce their ingestion of fat-soluble contaminants such as chlordane and PCBs by trimming fat from fillets, and cooking in a manner in which fat drips away from the fillet. In waterbodies where watches or warnings related to harmful algae blooms have been applied, fish should be consumed in moderation and care taken to only consume skinless fillets. Avoid cutting into internal organs and rinse fillets with clean water prior to cooking or freezing.

To view the advisories online and for information about KDHE’s Fish Tissue Contaminant Monitoring Program, visit www.kdheks.gov/befs/fish_tissue_monitoring.htm

Application period for Unit 4 spring turkey permits Jan. 12-Feb. 12

It may not be spring yet, but it’s time to prep like it is. The application period for those looking to hunt turkeys in Unit 4 this spring begins Jan. 12. Spring turkey permits are sold over-the-counter or online for all but the southwest portion of Kansas, Unit 4. A limited number of permits are issued to residents only through a lottery drawing. Hunters can apply online only, or over the phone, from Jan. 12-Feb. 12 by visiting ksoutdoors.com. Hunters may apply for a Unit 4 Spring Turkey Permit or a Unit 4 Spring Turkey Permit/Game Tag Combo; however the game tag will only be valid in Units 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6.

Five hundred Unit 4 permits will be made available for the 2016 spring season, with half of those permits designated as landowner/tenant permits. Kansas youth (15 and under) may purchase a spring turkey permit valid statewide over the counter or online and will not need to enter the Unit 4 draw. Unit 4 spring turkey permits are also valid in adjacent Units 1, 2, and 5.

Unit 4 Spring Turkey Application Fees:

General Application: $32.50

Landowner/Tenant Application: $20.00

General Combo Permit/Game Tag Application: $42.50

Landowner/Tenant Combo Permit/Game Tag Application: $25.00

Nonresident Tenant Application: $ 37.50

Nonresident Tenant Combo Permit/Game Tag Application:  $50.00

Preference Point only: $6.50

There is a $6.50 nonrefundable application fee. Unsuccessful applicants will receive a refund check and be issued a preference point. If you do not want to apply for a permit and want to purchase a preference point only, you may do so online by selecting Spring Turkey Preference Point Application. Only one point may be obtained per year.

Any individual who has purchased a Spring Turkey Permit is eligible for one Second Turkey Game Tag. Game tags are valid in Units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 ONLY.

The spring turkey season will open April 1-12 for youth and hunters with disabilities, and April 4-12 for archery hunters. The regular spring season is April 13-May 31.

For more information, visit www.ksoutdoors.com, or call (620) 672-5911.

Prescribed Burning Workshop

The Jackson County Firefighter Association is hosting a prescribed burning workshop on Jan. 13, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the Holton Fire Department, 301 West 4th in Holton.

Prescribed burning workshops are conducted in cooperation with K-State Research and Extension, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Workshops are designed to help participants understand the nature and behavior of fire. Topics covered include reasons for burning, wildlife and prescribed burning, local and state regulations, fire weather, safety, liability, using burn contractors, as well as planning and conducting a burn.

This course will cover the new burn permit system implemented Jan. 1, 2016 in Jackson County. For more information, call (785) 364-3123.

Trapping and predator calling workshop at Tuttle Creek State Park

Tuttle Creek State Park will host a trapping and predator calling workshop on January 9, 2016. The class will be held from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the state park office, 5800 A River Pond Rd, Manhattan. There is no cost or preregistration required to attend.

The class is designed for trappers and hunters of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to seasoned hunters. Instructors will introduce the sport to those new to trapping and calling as well as provide some brush-up skill for those with experience.

Kansas is home to 14 furbearer species that may be hunted and trapped during the furbearer season, including badger, bobcat, gray fox, least weasel, long-tailed weasel, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, red fox, striped skunk, and swift fox. Beaver and otter may also be trapped.

Although coyotes are not classified as furbearers, they may be hunted and trapped year-round.

This class will not certify participants for a furharvester education certificate, but information provided will be beneficial for those interested in completing a furharvester education class in the future. The Kansas Furharvester Education course can be completed online at www.ksoutdoors.com/Services/Education/Furharvester.

For more information on this class, contact park manager Todd Lovin at (785) 539-7941.

Landowners invited to CRP sign-up workshops

A general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is open from Dec. 1, 2015 – Feb. 26, 2016 at Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices across the state and landowners are encouraged to attend a nearby workshop for details. Whether you have existing crop ground, expiring CRP, or expired CRP that is still in grass, FSA and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism staff want to work with you. New contracts will range from 10 and 15 years in length and will begin October 1, 2016.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, alongside state and county conservation partners, will be present at each workshop to deliver up-to-date information on the program.

For a complete list of workshops, visit the Kansas Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever website, www.kansaspfqf.org.

Landowners who have already made an appointment with an FSA office are still welcome to attend a workshop.

Sproul Family Receives 2015 Kansas Leopold Conservation Award

Bill Sproul and his family, who operate a 2,200-acre stocker ranch in Chautauqua County, received the first Kansas Leopold Conservation Award in November. The award honors Kansas landowner achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources, and was presented by the Sand County Foundation in partnership with the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas (RTK).

When the Sprouls purchased their land, it had a long history of being overgrazed and was rapidly transforming into woodland. After removing the invasive woody plants, they transformed the land back into native tallgrass prairie and implemented a patch-burn grazing program. While the cattle graze the burned areas, the unburned grass accumulates, providing habitat for wildlife and fuel for future burns.

Sproul always considers the long-term consequences of his decisions on prairie health. When drought reduced forage production, he reduced stocking rates to help the land recover, even if it meant deferring grazing altogether on some rangeland. When asked about his approach to conservation, Sproul said, “I let the prairie dictate what I do.”

Over the past eight years, Sproul has worked with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) to conduct annual breeding bird surveys on his ranch. He has also worked with Kansas State University to perform studies on the effects of patch-burn grazing on pollinator populations.

The Leopold Conservation Award is presented in honor of renowned conservationist and author Aldo Leopold, who called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage. Award applicants are judged based on their demonstration of improved resource conditions, innovation, long-term commitment to stewardship, sustained economic viability, community and civic leadership and multiple use benefits.

The $10,000 award, and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold, was presented to the Sproul family at the KACD annual convention in Wichita on November 23.

“The Sproul ranch is an outstanding example of conservation and truly exemplifies Aldo Leopold’s land ethic,” said Jim Krueger, KACD Executive Director. “Their careful stewardship of the land will help ensure their unique landscape is preserved for generations to come. As the first recipients of the Kansas Leopold Conservation Award, the Sprouls have set the bar high going forward.”

“The Ranchland Trust of Kansas is proud that one of our charter members was chosen as the first Kansas recipient of the Leopold Conservation Award,” said Bill Eastman, RTK Chair of the Board. “We know first-hand the conservation and stewardship of the Sproul family. It is a great pleasure to see their efforts and leadership being recognized with an award that epitomizes the conservation movement in America.”

The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Kansas is made possible thanks to the generous support of Clean Line Energy Partners, Ducks Unlimited, ITC Great Plains, NextEra Energy Resources, Westar Energy, KDWPT, DuPont Pioneer, The Mosaic Company and The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Kansas Wildlife and Parks magazine announces photography contest winners

For the third year running, Kansas Wildlife & Parks magazine staff have not been disappointed by the entries received in the “Wild About Kansas” photography contest. What used to be a contest only open to youth age 18 and younger was expanded to accept entries from photographers of all ages and skill levels.

A total of 124 participants submitted work this year in hopes of landing on the pages of Kansas Wildlife & Parks magazine, and 24 of them will realize that dream in the 2016 January/February photo issue. To obtain a copy of the special photo issue out in early January, call (620) 672-5911, or become a subscriber at ksoutdoors.com by clicking “Publications,” then “KDWPT Magazine.”

“Wild About Kansas is really about appreciating Kansas outdoors from all perspectives,” said Kansas Wildlife & Parks managing editor, Nadia Marji. “We’ve seen incredible photos taken from the heart of the suburbs, and we’ve seen equally stunning photos taken from the middle of the prairie. It’s just a true testament to the diversity of our state and all that our landscape has to offer.”

Photos were judged based on creativity, composition, subject matter, lighting, and overall sharpness. The 2015 “Wild About Kansas” award winners are as follows:

WILDLIFE

Adult

1st- Tony Pianalto, “Sumac Buck”

2nd- Chuck Gibson, “Great Blue Heron”

3rd- Dale Roark, “Towhee”

Honorable Mention- Aaron Thompson, “Focused Eagle”

Youth

1st- Amelia Kilmer, “Monarch”

2nd- Ross Ifland, “Upland Sandpiper”

3rd- Christina Craig, “Halloween Pennant”

Honorable Mention- Julien Reynard, “Moonlight Geese”

LANDSCAPE

Adult

1st- Aaron Thompson, “Wood Skeleton”

2nd- Tony Ifland, “Dewy Prairie Morning”

3rd- Robert Dilla, “Foggy Sunrise”

Honorable Mention- Jay Miller, “Kansas Night Sky”

Youth

1st- Christina Craig, “Almost Spring”

2nd- Grace Young, “Marais Des Cygnes”

3rd- Amelia Kilmer, “Tree Arch”

Honorable Mention- Julien Reynard, “Sunset in The Spring”

OUTDOOR RECREATION

Adult

1st- Tony Ifland, “Duck Season Training”

2nd- Darrell Skrdlant, “Flying High”

3rd- Ken Brunson, “Sylvie Spots Mushrooms”

Honorable Mention- Chuck Gibson, “Gone Fishin’”

Youth

1st- Katelyn Ifland, “Camping Moonrise”

2nd- Callie Bowley, “Kansas Winter Trout”

3rd- Christina Craig, “Fishing on Glass”

Honorable Mention- Andrew Fischer, “Hunting Sunset”

Details on the 2016 contest will be made available after the New Year on www.ksoutdoors.com.

Avian cholera detected at Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira

 

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in Barton County, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge just 30 miles to the south are closely monitoring waterfowl populations at the wetlands after dead geese were observed. Staff at both areas picked up dead birds last week and sent samples for testing.

 

Lab results confirmed that avian cholera, a contagious disease resulting from infection by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, was the cause of death. This strain of bacteria commonly affects geese, coots, gulls and crows. Most of the dead birds found have been snow geese. 

 

“We picked up about 30 dead geese on Monday, December 14,” said Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area manager Karl Grover. “Those birds had died between last Friday and Monday, so we’re seeing about 10 dead birds a day. We estimate that the Bottoms is holding between 75,000 and 150,000 geese, half of which are snows, and about 10,000 ducks.”

 

USFWS staff at Quivira NWR gave similar estimates. Refuge manager Mike Oldham said some geese moved off of the refuge after the weekend. 

 

“We probably have about 80,000 geese and about half of them are snow geese,” Oldham said. “We’re picking up about 4-5 dead birds per day.”

 

While it’s not uncommon for a contagious disease to affect waterfowl when large numbers are concentrated, avian cholera deaths are not common in Kansas. According to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, humans are not at high risk for infection with the bacteria strain causing avian cholera. However, it’s recommended that hunters and their dogs avoid contact with any sick or dead birds.

 

Avian cholera quickly overcomes infected birds, resulting in death in as little as 6-12 hours, although 24-48 hours is more common. Infected birds may exhibit signs such as convulsions, throwing head back between wings, swimming in circles, erratic flight and miscalculated landing attempts.

 

Avian cholera should not be confused with avian influenza, which is a highly pathogenic virus that infected millions of poultry flocks in the upper Midwest last summer. 

 

‘Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors’ get kids playing outside again

 

By Cameron Gray

Opportunity Lives blog

NRA News

When we were kids in the 1970s and ’80s, the rule was go outside and play, and don’t come home until sunset. We rode our bikes all over town, explored the woods behind our houses, set up forts, and had the time of our lives. Today, sadly, kids don’t get outside that much and parents are increasingly afraid of letting them out of the house unsupervised. Government authorities have detained children walking to the park or playing a block away from home. Technology, especially video games, has kept kids indoors and sedentary.

Lately, however, there has been a concerted effort by organizations around the country to fix this problem, and to get kids out of the house. One of those groups is Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors.

Pass It On started in 1999 as a partnership between the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks and Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kansas had just implemented the state’s first youth upland hunting season, and the Wildlife & Parks Department recognized a need for people to coax more children and teens outdoors for hunting and fishing. Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters hired Mike Christensen as director of outdoor mentoring in 2002.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters’ interest in setting up an outdoor mentoring program was seen as a way to attract more men to mentoring,” Christensen explained. “It was a win-win-win. Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks saw more kids getting outdoors, Big Brothers Big Sisters got more men as mentors and the kids got to go hunting and fishing with a positive role model.”

In 2006, Pass It On spun off from Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters, with Christensen left in charge of the program.

Pass It On has found that, typically, youth mentoring organizations have a standing list of kids who need or want a mentor. They are especially in need of men, as about three-quarters of waiting lists tend to be boys. Pass It On targets established outdoor organizations such as Pheasants Forever, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited to find men and women with an interest in sharing time outdoors with a child. Because safety is always crucial, Pass It On works closely with its partner organizations, who conduct background checks and manage the matches once they are made.

Christensen admits that it’s not always easy to get kids interested. “A couple of years ago, we had a young boy whose mom had to literally shove him out of her car when dropping him off for one of our events,” he recalled. “By the end of the day, he was all excited and couldn’t wait to go again. He had no idea what we were going to be doing that day. It was a day spent with the local bird dog club, who took everyone to a member’s ranch. We set up clay target shooting and the kids did some fishing. He was more than ready to go again.”

Pass It On takes kids on many and varied outdoor adventures, depending on the season. In the spring, it’s fishing, turkey hunting and shooting clays at the range. Summertime means fishing and target shooting. In the fall and winter, the mentors take kids deer, waterfowl, dove and upland hunting. Outings could be as small as one or two kids, or as large as 300 participants.

Christensen is proud of a new initiative, the First Hunt program, in which Pass It On offers a first hunt to new hunter education graduates.

“We take up to 20 new hunters at a time to the field, where we give them some shotgun instruction, and then have them ‘hunt’ for pheasants we’ve placed in bird launchers,” he explained. “This lets us conduct a very safe, controlled hunt for these new hunters, emphasizing what they have learned in the class. These First Hunt events are open to any and all new hunter education graduates.”

One of the many great things Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors sees is children and teens that continue with outdoor activities. Christensen says that the first boy he mentored, Dana, now hunts and fishes on a regular basis, taking his younger brother along with him on many occasions. Dana, along with other former participants, also volunteers to help mentor other kids, “passing it on.”

When Christensen asked about the nicest things he’s heard from people he has worked with over the years, he readily answers: “From the kids, ‘When can I go again?’ And we hear that a lot. Hearing that means that we did our job, providing a safe, memorable event and that they want more. The seed has been planted. Now we need to cultivate it! It doesn’t get any better than that,” he said.

“The kids get excited,” he added. “Their self-confidence grows. Their self-esteem is boosted. They see themselves in a different light having gone hunting and having spent time outdoors doing things that are way out of their comfort zone.”

Parents often say “thank you.”

“We really appreciate it when the parents see the positive changes to the kids from participating in these events,” Christensen said.

As for the mentors, Christensen said they often tell him they get more out of the program than the kids. “Mentoring a child can be a tremendously rewarding experience,” he said. “Getting to see the outdoors through the eyes of a child experiencing it for the first time is a truly neat and rewarding experience for the mentor.”

Pass It On covers all of the costs for the kids. The group asks the volunteers to cover any costs they may incur. Many of the kids they work with come from low-income families, and Christensen says they don’t want cost to discourage anyone from getting outdoors. Thanks to generous supporters, Pass It On can provide opportunities for kids who wouldn’t be able to participate otherwise.

But Christensen laments, “We never have ‘enough’ money. We use every penny we get to do as many events [and] activities as we can. Funding is always a struggle as I’m sure it is for most nonprofits. But we have a core of supporters who have been tremendous in their support of our efforts to get more kids outdoors. If we had more funds, we would be able to do more events and get more kids outdoors.”

If you want to help Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors, you can do so in two ways:

1) Give your time. Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors is always in need of men and women willing to share their time outdoors with a child a couple of times a month. Any outdoors activity to share with a youngster is great, like taking them hunting and fishing, going to the range, going scouting, setting up tree stands and planting food plots.

2) Donate your money. “We desperately need financial assistance,” Christensen said. “The funds we raise are put to use hosting events, that give those new to the outdoors a chance to gain experience with the assistance of a mentor. We never have enough.”

If you would like to find out more about Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors, and to donate, visit http://outdoormentors.org.

 

Cameron Gray is a contributor for Opportunity Lives. You can follow him on Twitter @Cameron_Gray.