February 2006

Junction City resident first to be honored

Ed Augustine of Junction City has become the first inductee into the Kansas Hunter Education Instructor Hall Of Fame, sponsored by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and the Kansas Hunter Education Instructors Association. The honor is given to "Kansas instruc ... Read More

Fish and Wildlife Service order allows hunting through April 30

In 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a "special conservation order" to allow hunting of snow geese after the regular season through April 30. The move was made to address an ecological crisis caused by an explosion in mid-contin ... Read More

Public meeting set for March 9 in Scott City to discuss plans

SCOTT STATE PARK -- Wind, rain, and age are taking their toll on one of Kansas' most significant historic sites, but three state organizations have joined forces to protect it. The Kansas Society of the Daughter ... Read More

Lab testing on 51 deer indicates low prevalence of disease
ST. FRANCIS – None of the 51 deer collected in follow-up sampling for chronic wasting disease (CWD) tested positive for the disease. Kansas State University lab analysis was completed Monday, Feb. 20th.

“This suggests that the presence of CWD in this part of ... Read More

Kansas state parks face a significant challenge: Funding. The first state park – Kanopolis – was authorized by the Kansas Legislature in 1955. Since that time, 23 more state parks have been created across the state.

Historically, park user fees have been supplemented by the State General Fund (taxpayer dollars). From 1958 through ... Read More

Public preferences sought to help guide search for long-term solution

Extensive media coverage in recent weeks has described the funding challenges confronting Kansas state parks. Faced with a variety of important funding needs, Kansas citizens, legislators and state government officials must often make difficult decisions ... Read More

Claflin resident Ray Fischer receives top award

The Advisory Committee to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Hunter Education Program has named Ray Fischer, Claflin, as the 2005 Hunter Education Instructor of the Year ... Read More

Additional samples taken to monitor chronic wasting disease prevalence

ST. FRANCIS – Kansas Department Wildlife and Parks staff collected a total of 51 deer in Cheyenne County this week, in follow-up sampling after chronic wasting disease was detected in a whitetail doe taken during the 2005 firearms deer season.

... Read More

In anticipation of the warm summer months, many people are thinking about buying, selling, or trading boats. Among the first questions new boat owners have are, "Do I have to register my boat?” and “”How do I register my boat?"

Kansas law requires that all mechanically-powered vessels (including personal watercraft) and ... Read More

Two-way communications with constituents enhanced with new web log site

The development of web logs, or blogs, has created a useful communications tool for organizations and individuals around the world. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks wants to use that tool to assist two-way communication between the departmen ... Read More

Horse-friendly facilities join growing list of recreational opportunities

MILFORD STATE PARK – Last fall, Milford State Park staff began construction of a 21-site equestrian campground, using a National Recreational Trails grant. Ten o ... Read More

Group requests public input before final deer recommendations are made.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks presented a report on deer-related statute review to the Kansas Legislature Feb. 1 and 2. During the legislature’s 2005 session, the House Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Committee requested that the department r ... Read More

Free dates vary, allowing multiple park visitation opportunities

Kansas state parks offer a variety of scenic landscapes, from the Ozarkian forests of Crawford State Park in eastern Kansas to the rugged High Plains oasis known as Scott State Park in the west. Free Park Entrance Days offer Kansans an opportunity to sample t ... Read More

North Carolina men often shot bucks on Antlerless Only tags; crossed state lines
Eight hunters from North Carolina will pay more than $36,000 in fines and fees after pleading guilty to illegally shooting trophy deer in Kansas and taking them across state lines. The poachers were caught shooting 11 bucks out of season -- one mu ... Read More

KDWP to collect deer in vicinity of state’s first chronic wasting disease occurrence

ST. FRANCIS – Kansas Department Wildlife and Parks staff will conduct additional sampling of deer in Cheyenne County this month, in response to the recent confirmation of the state’s first occurrence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a w ... Read More