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State competition tests students’ plant and animal knowledge

Think you know Kansas’ flora and fauna inside and out? Would you be willing to put your knowledge to the test? Seventy-nine students from 12 schools across the state did just that during the 17th Annual Kansas ECO-Meet State Finals competition on November 5, and the results were impressive. Held at the Camp Wood YMCA, near Elmdale, the ECO-Meet tested students’ knowledge via a wetlands and aquatic ecosystems test, invertebrates test, live plant scavenger hunt, and an interpretive event.

To compete at the state level, students had to qualify at one of seven regional competitions held in September and October at Milford Nature Center, Lakewood Discovery Center, Dillon Nature Center, Wilson Lake, Great Plains Nature Center, Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, and Ernie Miller Nature Center.

At the state competition, a total of 21 teams participated, along with six students who qualified as individuals in the two test events. Schools represented at the state competition included Clay Center, Goddard, Goessel, Inman, Maize, Miltonvale, Nickerson, Pike Valley, Pratt, Salina South, Shawnee Mission South, St. Mary’s-Colgan of Pittsburg, Tescott, Tonganoxie, Wakefield, and Wilson.

2015 Kansas ECO-Meet State Finals Results are as follows:

Overall Team

1st – Shawnee Mission South High School Team A: Megan Jenkins, Joe Petty, Kara Pringle and team coach PJ Born – $300/student scholarships awarded.

2nd – Goddard HS: Sarah Tomtschick, Clara Towey, Brooke Wentz, Brooke Wetta and team coach Marylee Ramsey – $200/student scholarships awarded.

3rd – Wilson HS Team A: Anna Criswell Aaron Dlabal, Trey Fink, Kyle Goldwater and team coach Melanie Falcon – $100/student scholarships awarded.

Individual Events

Invertebrates

1st – Joe Petty, Shawnee Mission South High School A – $200 scholarship

2nd – Kara Pringle, Shawnee Mission South High School A – $100 scholarship awarded.

Wetlands/Aquatic Ecosystem

1st – Joe Petty, Shawnee Mission South High School A – $200 scholarship

2nd – Aaron Dlabal, Wilson High School A – $100 scholarship awarded.

Pheasant and quail seasons continue tradition

Kansas pheasant and quail seasons open November 14, honoring an opening-day tradition that draws hunters to Kansas from all parts of the country and from all walks of life. The second Saturday in November is marked on bird hunters’ calendars and holds the same excitement for them that Christmas Day holds for youngsters.

The seasons are Nov. 14, 2015-Jan. 31, 2016. The daily bag limit for pheasants is four roosters per day, and the possession limit 16 on and after the fourth day. The daily bag limit on quail is eight, and the possession limit is 32 on and after the fourth day. Pheasants must retain proof of sex while in transit. Unless exempt by law, resident hunters age 16-74 must have a resident hunting license and all nonresident hunters must have a nonresident hunting license. Hunter education certification is required except for youth under 16 hunting under the direct supervision of an adult. Hunters must carry the hunter education certificate while hunting until they reach 28 years of age. Hunters 16 and older without hunter education certification may purchase an apprentice license and hunt with adult supervision.

Pheasant populations have rebounded nicely in many parts of the state as drought conditions, which persisted from 2011 through 2013, have abated. Hunting prospects are much better this year than they have been in more than three years although the overall pheasant harvest may be below average. Bobwhite quail numbers have rebounded even better and in many areas will provide excellent hunting opportunities. With a return to more normal rainfall amounts, habitat conditions are good in most regions.

The Walk-in Hunting Access (WIHA) program has more than 1 million acres enrolled this year, much of it in prime pheasant country. Printed versions of the2015 Kansas Hunting Atlas, which includes maps of all WIHA tracts, as well as all state and federal public hunting areas, can be picked up at Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) offices and wherever licenses are sold.

For more information about regulations, license fees, and other season dates, consult the 2015 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, available at KDWPT offices and wherever licenses are sold. The regulations pamphlet and hunting atlas are also available online at www.ksoutdoors.com.

Kansas Game Wardens needed

If you want an office with a view, enjoy the outdoors and like working with both wildlife and people, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) may have an opening for you. KDWPT invites qualified applicants to test for entry-level game warden positions in the Law Enforcement Division. Successful applicants will enter a pool of eligible persons who may receive offers to become a Natural Resource Officer I, commonly known as a game warden or conservation officer.

Applications must be postmarked on or before December 11, 2015. The testing event will be held January 16, 2016 at the Crisis City Complex southwest of Salina, Kansas.

Interested applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in natural resources, or a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours of natural resources coursework. The preferred degrees include fisheries, wildlife, conservation ecology/management/biology, biology with field coursework emphasis, environmental ecology, wildlife range management, wildlife and outdoor enterprise management. Coursework in the following or similar courses is preferred: ornithology, ichthyology, mammalogy, entomology, limnology, fisheries/wildlife management, parasitology, population biology, wildlife and fisheries related ecology courses, conservation related coursework that covers wildlife and fisheries related topics, range ecology and management, and those courses that are closely related to the above listings. Wildlife law enforcement experience may be substituted for education as determined relevant by KDWPT.

Kansas game wardens are responsible for enforcing wildlife laws and regulations, patrolling the waters of Kansas, investigating hunting and boating accidents and conducting boat safety inspections and BUI checks. Wardens also promote outdoor safety by conducting hunting and boating safety programs and teaching hunter education and boating safety courses. As certified law enforcement officers, game wardens also assist other law enforcement agencies with search and rescue operations, fugitive searches, illegal drug investigations and more.

For complete information and application requirements, visit ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Jobs then click on “Current KDWPT Employment Opportunities – Permanent Positions.” Applicants can email their application information to [email protected].

Questions regarding the Natural Resource Officer I hiring process can be directed to the KDWPT Human Resources Section at the Pratt Operations Office, (620) 672-5911, or by email at [email protected], or contact Captain Marvin Jensen at the KDWPT Region 3 Office, 1001 McArtor Road, Dodge City, Kansas 67801, 620-227-8609 (office), 620-966-0073 (cell), or at [email protected].

Westar Energy Green Team hosting youth deer hunt

The Westar Energy Green Team invites young hunters with little or no deer hunting experience to apply for special deer hunting opportunities. Hunts will be conducted at Jeffrey Energy Center, located 7 miles north of St. Marys, during the firearm deer season, Dec. 2-13. Hunts are open to youth 12 and older, and each young hunter must be accompanied by an adult mentor. Hunts will be held in the early morning or late afternoon. Slots will be awarded to applicants on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to those who have little or no deer hunting experience.

Youths will hunt from blinds led by volunteer, experienced hunters. Hunters are encouraged to bring their own rifle, but one can be provided if needed.

Every hunter must have a Unit 9 deer permit. Hunters 16 and older must also possess a hunting license and hunter education certificate.

An orientation session will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21. Organizers will instruct on safety and deer biology and assist hunters with sighting in rifles.

The Green Team’s annual youth deer hunts are designed to encourage youth interested in learning about hunting to give it a try. The hunts provide safe and fun hunting experiences in an area with an abundance of deer.

Applications will be accepted through Nov. 6 and successful hunters will be notified by Nov. 13. To apply, contact Barb Cornelius at 785-575-8125.

Surplus buffalo to be auctioned at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) will auction off surplus buffalo at the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 beginning at 11 a.m.  Corrals are located 6 miles north and 1.75 miles west of Canton. Those interested in bidding are encouraged to arrive early to receive a bidder number. The auction is open to the public, and lunch and concessions will be served.

Each fall, surplus buffalo are sold as available habitat can support only a finite number of animals. This year, a total of 56 buffalo will be auctioned, including five cows, seven yearling heifers, 10 yearling bulls, eight two-year-old bulls, 13 heifer calves, nine bull calves, and two cow/calf pairs. Buffalo over 1-year-old will be brucellosis and tuberculosis tested and accompanied by a health certificate. Heifer calves will be vaccinated for brucellosis and certificates issued. Prices paid per animal range from several hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on market demand, condition, sex and age of the animal.

Cash and personal checks (if accompanied by a notarized authorization letter from the issuing bank) will be accepted. KDWPT reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Buyers must pick up the bison the day of the sale or make arrangements with the refuge manager prior to the sale. Animals become the buyer’s responsibility upon settlement on sale day. Load-out assistance is available until dusk the day of the sale. Stock racks and trailers should be covered or lined because bison transport best in dark conditions.

The sale will be outside and will take place rain or shine, so attendees are encouraged to dress accordingly. For more information, contact Maxwell Wildlife Refuge manager Cliff Peterson at (620) 628-4592, or KDWPT’s office in Wichita at (316) 683-8069.

Commission approves proposed hunting and fishing license fees

The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Commission approved a proposal to raise fees for fishing and hunting licenses at their public meeting in Burlington on October 22, 2015. The new fees will be effective January 1, 2016. KDWPT staff have been discussing fee increases since early last spring and presented a draft proposal before the Commission at their public meeting in August.

Fee increases were deemed necessary to ensure pivotal programs important to hunters and anglers can be maintained and enhanced. Basic hunting and fishing license fees haven’t increased since 2002, and the price of resident deer and turkey permits haven’t increased since 1984. Inflation has increased the cost of doing business by almost 30 percent since 2002, and the uncommitted balance of the Wildlife Fee Fund was beginning to decline. License and permit revenues go into the Wildlife Fee Fund to pay for wildlife and fisheries programs, which receive no State General Fund money.

By unanimously approving the proposed increases, the Commission ensured that programs such as Walk-in Hunting Access (WIHA), Community Fisheries Assistance (CFAP), Pass It On, Fishing Impoundment and Stream Access (FISH), and Wildlife Habitat Improvement (WHIP) will continue to provide hunters and anglers with high-quality outdoor opportunities. Increased revenues will also help fund day-to-day business such as operation of four fish hatcheries, law enforcement, public lands management and private land programs.

Beginning January 1, 2016 a resident annual hunting or fishing license will cost $25. The current fee is $18. However, value-added options are built into the new fee structure, including a discount for purchasing a combination hunt/fish annual license ($45) and an early-buy combination discount ($40) if purchased before February 1. Also included are multi-year hunting and fishing licenses that will provide savings. A five-year fishing or hunting license is priced at $100, and a five-year combination hunting/fishing license is $180, a savings of $70 if those licenses were purchased individually each year.

Nonresidents will pay $95 for an annual hunting license and $50 for an annual fishing license.

Resident deer permits will go from $30 to $40; nonresidents will pay $415 for the combination (one antlered deer/one antlerless whitetail) permit. Resident turkey permits are set at $25 and nonresidents will pay $50 for a fall turkey permit and $60 for a spring turkey permit.

Lifetime hunting and fishing licenses will go from $440 to $500 and $880 to $960 for a combination.

Youth license and permit fees were not changed, and the senior lifetime hunt/fish combination license ($40) will not change.

Vendor and convenience fees of $2.50 are added at the point of purchase. For a complete listing of fee changes see K.A.R. 115-2-1 at: http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Upcoming-Commission-Meetings/October-22-2015/October-22-2015-Approved-Regulations.

In other business, commissioners approved an amendment to the definition of a setline, allowing anglers to anchor a setline with a 25-pound weight, and use a closed-cell float to mark it. Amendments to the creel and length limit reference document were approved, including several changes to length and slot-length limits for blue catfish. To see all approved creel and length limits see K.A.R. 115-25-14 at: http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Upcoming-Commission-Meetings/October-22-2015/October-22-2015-Approved-Regulations

And in final action, commissioners approved staff’s proposal for duck zone boundaries. After months of public meetings, discussion and surveys, KDWPT staff proposed a new map that will go into effect for the 2016 fall duck seasons and remain in place for five years. The only change was a boundary shift to move Cedar Bluff Reservoir out of the Low Plains Early Zone and into the Low Plains Late Zone. All other duck zone boundaries remained the same.

Youth pheasant and quail season prime opportunity

Two days, November 7-8, 2015, should be marked on every young hunter’s calendar. The youth pheasant and quail season allows all youth 16 and younger to hunt, under the supervision of an adult 18 or older, for pheasants and quail statewide. The daily bag limits during the youth season are 2 rooster pheasants per day and 4 quail per day. All state and federal lands normally open to public hunting are open, and all Walk-in Hunting Access lands are open. Hunting pressure is generally light, ensuring high-quality and productive hunting opportunities for youth.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism established youth hunting seasons through Pass It On, the department’s hunter recruitment program. Special youth seasons are set for spring turkey, deer, waterfowl, pheasants and quail. The youth seasons open before regular season openers, giving young hunters first crack. Setting youth seasons separate from regular seasons allows mentors to work with young hunters without giving up their traditional hunts.

Resident youth 15 and younger do not need a hunting license, and while Hunter Education certification is not required when hunting under adult supervision, it is highly recommended. Sixteen-year-old residents and all nonresidents must have hunting licenses. The adult mentor may not hunt; however the youth season can provide a great opportunity to scout potential hunting areas and get dogs primed before the regular opener.

With improved pheasant and quail populations predicted this fall, the youth season will provide a fantastic opportunity to introduce a youngster to the hunting tradition. For many veteran hunters, that experience is more rewarding than the hunt itself.

Atchison County to host landowner stewardship workshop

Private landowners interested in improving their natural resources are encouraged to attend a Landowner Stewardship Workshop on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. Registration for the workshop will start at 5:30 p.m., with presentations starting at 6:00 p.m. Hosted by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), in cooperation with the Atchison County Conservation District, the workshop will take place at the Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area Office, 3.5 miles northeast of Atchison on River Road.

Natural resource professionals will discuss technical and financial assistance available to landowners through state cost-share programs and the federal Farm Bill. Attendees will also hear about current management activities on the wildlife area.   

Admission is free. For more information contact Tim Urban, KDWPT wildlife biologist technician at 913-422-1314 x 105 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Trout stocking delayed at some locations

Trout season opens November 1, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) will be stocking rainbow trout in selected waters across the state through April 15. More than 30 waters will receive regular trout stockings through the winter. However, initial stockings will be delayed at Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin and the Walnut River in El Dorado State Park. The Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin had yet to experience fall turnover, which occurs as surface water cools. When this happens, dissolved oxygen levels in the water can drop, making it difficult for trout to survive. Trout won’t be stocked in the Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin until December 1, 2015. Low water levels because of dam structure renovations on the Walnut River at El Dorado State Park will also delay trout stocking in the river until November 15.

Despite these delays, other area waters will be stocked with trout by November 1. However, it’s a good idea to check for updated stocking information before traveling to your favorite trout water. Visit the KDWPT website, http://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Special-Fishing-Programs-for-You/Trout-Fishing-Program/Stocking-Schedule.

During the November 1 to April 15 trout season, some waters stocked with trout require a $12.50 trout permit for all anglers 16 or older, whether they are fishing for trout or not (Type 1 Waters). Other waters require a trout permit only for anglers fishing for or possessing trout (Type 2 Waters). All residents 16-74 years old and all nonresidents 16 and older must also have a valid fishing license.

The daily creel limit is five trout unless otherwise posted (two trout for anglers 15 and younger who do not have a trout permit). The possession limit is three times the daily creel.

Trout permits are available online at www.ksoutdoors.com, at KDWPT offices, and license vendors.

Little Apple Glow Paddle on the Kansas River

If you’re looking for a unique outdoor experience, the Little Apple Glow Paddle should fit the bill. On Saturday, November 7, 2015, paddlers are invited for an evening canoe and kayak float on the Kansas River.

Sponsored by the Manhattan Parks and Rec Department, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau, the evening float will begin at 5 p.m. when paddlers will meet at the Linear Trail Head for a bus ride to Fairmont Park. At 5:30, canoers and kayakers will begin paddling back to the Linear Trail Head.

Paddlers can bring their own canoe or kayak or rent one at the event. All boaters must wear life jackets. There is a $10 registration fee for those who bring their own vessel, $15 for registration and rental of a single person kayak, $25 for registration and rental of a two-person kayak or two-person canoe. The float will conclude with s’mores around the campfire.

Spaces are limited, so register today by calling or emailing Marcia Rozell, (785) 776-8829, [email protected].