Tuttle Creek Lake youth/handicap assisted deer hunt Oct. 7th & 8th

Plans are underway for the 15th annual youth/handicap assisted deer hunt at Tuttle Creek Lake. The event is sponsored by the Riley County Fish & Game Association, Tuttle Creek Lake Association, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the Lloyd Johnson Outdoor Youth fund, and the Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Lake.

Participants wishing to qualify for this hunt as a disabled hunter are required to have a handicap identification card or similar proof of their permanent disability. Youth 11 through 16 years of age are also eligible to participate in this hunt.

The hunt itself will be held on October 7th & 8th, 2017 during the Pre-Rut Antlerless rifle season for 12 lucky applicants. This is a change from previous assisted hunts; during the Pre-Rut Antlerless rifle season hunters may only harvest a doe/antlerless deer.

Prior to the hunt we will hold a rifle sight-in at the Fancy Creek Range near Randolph on Saturday, September 16th at 4:00p.m. The sight-in is mandatory for all participants. We will be providing a meal that evening so bring your rifle, ammo (a rifle and ammo will be provided if you don’t have your own) and your appetite. During the sight-in, all participants will qualify for the hunt by demonstrating the ability to hit a “pie-sized” target (provided) 2 out of 3 shots at 50 yards. Don’t worry; you will have plenty of time to warm up before qualifying. On the afternoon of the sight-in we will also be addressing the hunting license and deer permit needs of each participant. Limited scholarships are available for those that need this assistance.

On October 7th & 8th, to begin the hunt, hunters and guides will meet at 5:00 a.m. at the Tuttle Creek Lake Visitor Center (located at 5020 Tuttle Creek Blvd. Manhattan) for breakfast. After breakfast, all hunters and their guides will disperse to their predestinated hunting blinds. All hunters will have a guide and a hunt location assigned to them well before the hunt. Guides will know the assigned hunting locations. Hunters who are unsuccessful during the morning hunt can make arrangements with their guides for afternoon/evening hunts on these days.

Hopefully eve1ybody will have the opportunity to harvest a deer. We have made arrangements to have the deer processed free of charge at area lockers for those participants that need these services. We also have made arrangements for the deer to be transported to these lockers.

If you would like to participate in this hunt, please contact Wyatt Cooper for an application and send it back to in no later than August 25th. Applications will be prioritized shortly thereafter and all applicants will be notified of their status.

If you have any questions about this event please contact Wyatt Cooper, Natural Resource Specialist, at 785-539-8511, ext. 3170, or at [email protected].