Daily Archives: December 24, 2014

Kansas Trails Advisory Board to hold public meeting Feb. 5

Projects submitted for funding will be discussed

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Trails Advisory Board will hold a public meeting Thursday, February 5, 2015, at the Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29 Street N, Wichita. Projects previously submitted for funding under the Recreational Trails Fund Act will be discussed at the meeting, which begins at 1 p.m. in the Coleman Auditorium. Signs on the premises will provide directions to the meeting room.

Anyone interested in commenting on projects should attend this meeting. Grant applicants are encouraged to attend and discuss their proposals. Time for comments will be limited. Final decisions about proposals will not be made at this meeting. The board will review and evaluate all applications before making recommendations.

For more information, contact Kathy Pritchett, Trail Grant Coordinator, at (620) 672-5911.

If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter, call the TDD Service at 1-800-766-3777. Requests for other accommodations can be made by contacting Kathy Pritchett at (620) 672-5911.

2014 Hunting & Fishing licenses expire Dec. 31

Buy your 2015 licenses before hunting, fishing Jan. 1

Before hitting the outdoors this new year, check to make sure your Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) licenses are up to date. All 2014 hunting and fishing licenses will expire Dec. 31, 2014. While unfilled deer permits purchased in 2014 remain valid through the January 2015 seasons, hunters will need a 2015 hunting license before venturing out in January. Fishing licenses, trout stamps and third pole permits also expire Dec. 31. The only exceptions to this are HIP Permits, State Waterfowl Permits, and Federal Waterfowl Stamps, which expire June 30, 2015.

To make sure you start off the New Year on the right trail, update your licenses ahead of time by visiting your local license vendor, any KDWPT state park or regional office, or by visiting www.ksoutdoors.com and clicking “Licenses/Permits.”

All 2015 licenses and permits went on sale Dec.15, 2014. A new year means new seasons. Be prepared and buy ahead!

January ideal time to view Bald Eagles in Kansas

The nation’s symbol can be spotted in Kansas throughout winter.

Winter temperatures may have you hunkered down, but Kansas skies will soon give you a reason to look up. Throughout the months of December and January, the nation’s symbol, the bald eagle, can be viewed in Kansas, and with the right know-how, you might spot more than one. Because their diet consists primarily of waterfowl, fish, and carrion, bald eagles can commonly be seen along major river courses and reservoirs this time of year as severe weather pushes the large birds south. Look for them roosting in tall trees along the shoreline, especially near open water or large concentrations of waterfowl, or attend one of the organized eagle viewing events listed below.

2015 Eagle Day events:

TUTTLE CREEKSTATE PARK, Jan. 3

The 27th annual Tuttle Creek Eagle Day will start at 9 a.m. at the Manhattan Fire Station, 2000 Denison Avenue,Manhattan, with a program about bald eagles nesting in Kansas. This will be followed by a live raptor program featuring hawks and owls and a mounted bald eagle. Free bus tours through areas near TuttleCreekLake will be given throughout the day. Knowledgeable bird watchers from the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society will share information and assist with eagle viewing. Viewers should dress appropriately for the weather and bring binoculars and spotting scopes if they have them; however equipment will be available. There is no cost to attend. For more information, contact Steve Prockish at (785) 539-8511, ext. 3167.

MILFORD LAKE, Jan. 17

Eagle Day at MilfordLake will begin at 9 a.m. at the MilfordNatureCenter, 3415 Hatchery Drive, Junction City. Programs featuring live raptors begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be repeated throughout the day. Bus tours will depart from the nature center parking lot beginning at 10 a.m., with the last tour departing at 3:30 p.m. Popcorn and hot chocolate will be available, as well as a kids’ tent with activities and crafts. There is no cost to attend. For more information call (785) 238-5323.

LAWRENCE FREE STATEHIGH SCHOOL, Jan. 24

The Annual Kaw Valley Eagles Day will be hosted at Lawrence Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Up to 20 exhibitors will provide hands-on activities for kids including dissecting owl pellets, making eagle head bands, exploring “what’s in it” boxes, checking out skins and skulls of prairie animals, and turning pennies into copper eagles. Presentations will also be given throughout the day. For more information and to view a list of presentations and times, visit www.kawvalleyeaglesday.com. There is no cost to attend.

WYANDOTTE COUNTYLAKE, Jan. 24-25

Raptors Day will take place Saturday, Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Sunday Jan. 25 from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Schlagle Library, 4051 West Dr, Kansas City. Operation Wildlife volunteers will have live birds of prey on exhibit, including owls, hawks and falcons and will talk about the birds and their natural history. A craft area will also be available for children. Birdwatchers can enjoy viewing eagles and other water birds outside. For more information, please visit www.kckpl.org, or call (913) 299-2384.

Extended whitetail antlerless-only season begins Jan. 1

Unfilled deer tags may be used to take antlerless whitetails with legal equipment

The New Year may be ringing in, but there’s still time for hunters to use any unfilled permits from the 2014 deer season. Beginning Jan. 1, 2015, hunters make take antlerless white-tailed deer using any legal equipment. Deer Management Unit (DMU) restrictions listed on the permits are still in effect, and season length varies, depending on the DMU. While hunters must have a permit that allows the harvest of an antlered deer before purchasing antlerless-only permits during the regular seasons, whitetail antlerless permits can be purchased over the counter by anyone during the extended season.

Hunters may purchase up to five whitetail antlerless-only permits; however, unit and public land restrictions may apply. See your2014 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, or visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting/Big Game Information/Deer”, for details.

2015 Extended Firearm Season dates, by DMU, are as follows:

Units 6, 9, 10, 17: Jan 1-4

Units 1-5, 7, 8, 11-14, and 16: Jan. 1-11

Units 10A, 15, and 19: Jan. 1-18

There is also an Extended Whitetail Antlerless-only Archery Season in DMU 19 Jan. 19-31, 2015.

Holiday Gift to Help Birds (Catios)

Looking for that last-minute gift for someone who cares about birds?  The experts at American Bird Conservancy have a suggestion that can help solve that gift-giving dilemma and make a real difference for the thousands of bird species that call the Americas home.

Catios: There are 84 million owned cats in the U.S., and at least 35 million of them are let outside to roam. Unfortunately, in the course of roaming, those owned cats—as well as at least another 50 million feral cats—are devastating bird populations, killing about 2.4 billion birds annually.

The good news is that cat owners who wish to allow their cats outdoors without the worry of their pet either killing wildlife or getting injured from a variety of other predators have an alternative. It is called a “catio,” and it comes in a variety of configurations available in various sizes and finishes. Check out these sources for catios: Catio Showcase, Catio Spaces.