Youth

Youth Outdoor Festival in Hays August 20

If you’re interested in introducing your child to the world of shooting sports, hunting, fishing and other outdoor-related activities, mark your calendar for Saturday, August 20. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hays area businesses, conservation groups and shooting sports groups will offer a free day of target shooting and outdoor activities for youth 17 and younger at the 19th Annual Youth Outdoor Festival. The event will be conducted at the Hays City Sportsman’s Club, ¼ mile north of I-70 Exit 157.

Youth will learn about and experience trap and skeet shooting, archery equipment, air rifles and BB guns, muzzleloaders, small-bore rifles, and more. There will also be a casting competition, paintball target shooting, and a furharvesting demonstration.

Youth will be closely supervised at each station by expert volunteer instructors, and all equipment will be supplied. Hunter education certification is not required, but youth must be accompanied by an adult. Registration for the event can be completed onsite prior to participation. Lunch will be provided, and youth will have a chance to win prizes, including guns, fishing tackle and other outdoor equipment.

For more information, contact Kent Hensley at (785) 726-3212 or Troy Mattheyer at (785) 726-4212.

Take Hunter Education now to hunt this fall

A right of passage, an initiation, a crash-course, call it what you will, but for those who have taken a Kansas Hunter Education course, they know it’s definitely one thing: worth it.

Because classes are offered in one of two formats – traditional and Internet-assisted – new hunters can find a class to fit nearly any schedule. Traditional courses are 10 hours, typically in a classroom setting, and are usually held over the course of two to three days. Internet-assisted courses involve online classwork that can be done at home, followed by a required field day, which includes live-fire, trail-walk and safe gun handing exercises before final testing and certification. Students must register for an Internet-assisted course field day before completing the online work. To view a current list of all upcoming classes, visit www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting,” then “Hunter Education.” Students must be 11 or older to participate.

Kansas Hunter Education classes cover a variety of topics including hunter responsibility, ethics, fair chase, history of firearms, firearms basics, ammunition, basic gun safety, field safety, bowhunting, conservation and wildlife management, wildlife of Kansas, outdoor emergencies, Kansas hunting regulations and boating safety for hunters.

Kansas law requires anyone born on or after July 1, 1957 be certified through an approved course in hunter education before hunting in Kansas, except that anyone 15 or younger may hunt without hunter education certification provided they are under the direct supervision of an adult 18 or older.

Sign up now, because classes fill up fast, and hunting season will be here before you know it. Invest time in a class now, so you, too, can enjoy opening day.

Register for youth and disabled hunter deer hunt at Tuttle Creek

Youth and disabled hunters have until July 21 to apply for an assisted deer hunt at Tuttle Creek Lake. This event is limited to 25 hunters. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Riley County Fish and Game Association and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Lake are partnering to conduct the 2016 Tuttle Creek Youth/Disabled Assisted Deer Hunt on Sept. 10-11. The hunt is free and open to resident youth ages 11-16 and anyone with a certified disability interested in hunting Kansas whitetails.

An experienced hunting guide will assist each participant, and hunters will be provided with accessible hunting blinds, transportation to prime field locations and hunter orange hats and vests. Area meat lockers will provide basic processing of harvested deer free of charge. Applicants will be notified following the July 21 deadline. All hunters must have a deer permit and those ages 16-74 must also have a Kansas hunting license.

Successful applicants are required to attend a firearm safety presentation and firearm sight-in at the Fancy Creek Shooting Range, Sunday, Aug. 21 at 4 p.m. Scholarship assistance for the purchase of licenses and permits is available, and rifles and ammunition are also available on request.

For more information, call Steve Prockish, Tuttle Creek Lake natural resource specialist at 785-539-8511, ext. 3167, or [email protected].

This event is made possible by Friends of Fancy Creek Range, Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, Kansas State Rifle Association and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

Register for youth and disabled hunter deer hunt at Tuttle Creek

Youth and disabled hunters have until July 21 to apply for an assisted deer hunt at Tuttle Creek Lake. This event is limited to 25 hunters. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Riley County Fish and Game Association and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Lake are partnering to conduct the 2016 Tuttle Creek Youth/Disabled Assisted Deer Hunt on Sept. 10-11. The hunt is free and open to resident youth ages 11-16 and anyone with a certified disability interested in hunting Kansas whitetails.

An experienced hunting guide will assist each participant, and hunters will be provided with accessible hunting blinds, transportation to prime field locations and hunter orange hats and vests. Area meat lockers will provide basic processing of harvested deer free of charge. Applicants will be notified following the July 21 deadline. All hunters must have a deer permit and those ages 16-74 must also have a Kansas hunting license.

Successful applicants are required to attend a firearm safety presentation and firearm sight-in at the Fancy Creek Shooting Range, Sunday, Aug. 21 at 4 p.m. Scholarship assistance for the purchase of licenses and permits is available, and rifles and ammunition are also available on request.

For more information, call Steve Prockish, Tuttle Creek Lake natural resource specialist at 785-539-8511, ext. 3167, or [email protected].

This event is made possible by Friends of Fancy Creek Range, Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, Kansas State Rifle Association and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

Dodge City team wins second straight state archery competition

Kansas Archery in the Schools hosted its 7th Annual State Archery Tournament,  Saturday, April 9, at Clearwater High School. Three hundred and fifty-five students from 16 schools vied for the state title and a chance to compete nationally. The top 10 male and female competitors from each grade division at the state tournament qualified to compete at the 2016 National Archery in the Schools Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, May 12-14.

The 16 schools represented at the Kansas state tournament included: Chapman Middle School, Heritage Academy (McCune), Service Valley Charter Academy (Parsons), Clearwater, Norwich Elementary and Middle Schools, Southeast Junior High School (Cherokee), Dodge City High School, Straight Up Archery (Clay Center), Erie Arrows (Erie), Jackson Heights (Holton), Pittsburg High School, Prairie Trail Middle School (Olathe), Chaparral High School (Anthony), Greeley County Schools (Tribune), and Rose Hill.

Divisions include Elementary School (grades 4-5), Middle School (grades 6-8), and High School (grades 9-12). Each competitor shoots 30 arrows over three rounds. A round consists of five arrows from 10 meters and five arrows from 15 meters. A bullseye scores 10 points, so a perfect score would be 300. A team is made up of 12-24 shooters, and the team score is the sum of the top 12 scores.

Team standings by division:

Elementary School

1st Place – Clearwater Team No. 1: 2,799

2nd Place – Clearwater Team No. 2: 2,017

Middle School

1st Place – Chapman Team No. 1: 3,182

2nd Place – Clearwater Team No. 1: 3,176

3rd Place – Service Valley Carter Academy: 3,063

High School

1st Place – Dodge City Team No. 1: 3,166

2nd Place – Pittsburg Team No. 1: 3,102

3rd Place – Erie Arrows: 2,888

Individual standings by division and gender:

GIRLS

Elementary – Kalea Gooch, Clearwater: 252

Middle School – Avery Schill, Clearwater: 269

High School – Jasmin Havens, Pittsburg: 277 *Top girls’ score

BOYS

Elementary – Bryson Snell, Clearwater: 251

Middle School – Zachery Ferris, Chapman: 280

High School – Justin Ostrom, Dodge City: 287 *Top boys’ score, top overall score

If the name Ostrom appears familiar, Justin’s older brother, Jhett won state last year with the top score of 279. Justin secured the top score this year using the first place awarded Genesis bow that Jhett won last year!

Operating under the umbrella of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and the National Archery in the Schools (NASP) program, the Kansas Archery in the Schools program promotes international-style target archery among students in grades 4-12. Program coordinators introduce archery as a fun, lifelong activity to young people who may have never taken up the sport otherwise.

A 3D archery range was also set up as a separate activity for the students to take their archery skills to another level. The 3D animal targets are made of high density foam and show scoring rings that are anatomically placed over the animal’s vitals. The 3D challenge was added by NASP to show students just one of the many options to grow in archery after NASP.

For more information, visit ksoutdoors.com or email Aaron Austin at [email protected].

Great Plains Nature Center to host O.K. Kids Day May 7

The Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, will host an O.K. Kids Day (Outdoor Kansas Kids) on Saturday, May 7, 2016. There will be a variety of outdoor/nature-related activities available for kids from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participation is free, but lunch will be available for $2.

This year’s theme is “D.I.Y. Nature (Do It Yourself)” where guests can learn how easy it is to be involved and active with nature. There will be games, crafts, displays, archery and fishing clinics, as well as live animal presentations.

O.K. Kids is a statewide program coordinated by the Kansas Wildscape Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving and perpetuating the land, the wild species, and the rich beauty of Kansas for the use of and enjoyment of all. O.K. Kids events are conducted around the state to get kids outside learning about nature and enjoying outdoor activities.

Join the fun at the Great Plains Nature Center and experience new things, gain some new skills, and enjoy nature!

For more information, call Breanna Sayers at (316) 683-5499, ext. 105.

Have fun, learn, and win at Great Migration Rally

Fly over to the Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s (KWEC)Great Migration Rallyfrom 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 30 to learn about migratory birds. Oh yeah, there will be prizes and food, too. Starting at KWEC, visitors will choose a card featuring a migratory bird worth points for prizes. They will then set off on their “migration,” driving through Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve, visiting various stations. At stops along the way, participants will receive situational cards, describing hazards or advantages encountered by “their” bird that subtract or add points. Several area businesses, artists and organizations have generously donated great prizes for those who migrate the most successfully with the highest point totals.

“It’s an event to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day,” said Curtis Wolf, KWEC manager. “The concept is to provide information about hazards birds face during migration with a fun and entertaining approach.”

This year’s Rally features Falconer Nate Mathews and his golden eagle, Isaiah. Mathews, currently the only falconer in Kansas hunting with an eagle, will share the remarkable story of Isaiah’s capture, training, loss and recovery.

Top prizes for adults are a WASPcam action-sport camera, Jansport backpack and binoculars and for the kids, a two-person tent, a pair of binoculars and fishing kit. Additional prizes include, sleeping bags, tent chairs, fishing poles, artwork, lanterns, head lamps and gift certificates from restaurants, hotels and other businesses.

Attendees will also be treated to a research drone demonstration, see Kansas birds of prey up close, make crafts, get a bird tattoo and learn about bird banding.

At two stops in Cheyenne Bottoms, visitors may use binoculars and spotting scopes to view migrating birds and discover the food they eat at a sampling station. Saints Peter and Paul Church will open for tours as the third stop on the “migration.”

At the migration destination, Camp Aldrich, Mathews and Isaiah provide their presentation, and dinner will be served before prizes are awarded.

Tickets are $5.50 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under age 5. Pre-register online at wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu or by calling the KWEC, 1-877-243-9268, by April 22.

Kick off Spring with 21 crazy fun ideas for you and your kids

Try these clever, creative, cool, and crafty ways to get the season going

By Mary Sears

Highlights for Children

Fishing’s Future to conduct instructor certification class

Most of us have had a mentor at some point in our lives who inspired us, taught us, and delighted in our successes. It’s a wonderful thing, but not everyone is so lucky, especially when it comes to having an outdoor mentor. By becoming a volunteer certified angler instructor through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s Angler Education program, you’ll not only have an avenue for sharing your passion for angling with others, but you too, could be someone’s mentor. To get you started, a certification course will be held from 2:30-5:30 in 2414 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center at Kansas State University, on Monday, March 21. Visitors will need a parking permit.

Topics covered will include current fishing regulations, species identification, fishing ethics, equipment, knot-tying, casting, fish habitat, aquatic nuisance species, and conservation practices. In addition to becoming certified, anglers will also receive a sample curriculum and tips for preparing a class.

Participants must be 18 years old and pass a background check prior to certification. Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 can also take the workshop and gain Junior Assistant Angling Volunteer status. This age group must work with a certified instructor when hosting an aquatic education activity, clinic, derby or outreach.

To register for this class, and to learn more, contact Sid Stevenson, Department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources at K-State by email, [email protected], or phone at (785) 532-1405; or contact Phil Taunton at (620) 794-5373 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Westar Energy hosts young turkey hunters

Westar Energy invites any eligible youth to hunt turkeys this spring, April 1-12, at Jeffrey Energy Center, 7 miles north of St. Marys. The event is open to 12- to 17-year-olds who have not harvested a turkey. The project is supported by Westar Energy Green Team volunteers, who are veteran hunters and available to assist the young hunters and their mentors.

Youth must be accompanied by an adult mentor, preferably one who does not have turkey hunting experience. Hunters, mentors and guides will hunt from enclosed blinds around small crop fields scattered throughout Westar property, and turkeys are abundant.

Hunters should bring a shotgun, but no special clothing, calls or decoys are needed. Those 15 and younger will need to purchase a Youth Spring Turkey permit. Hunters 16 and 17 years old must have a hunting license, and Hunter Education certificate or if they don’t have Hunter Education, an apprentice hunting license, in addition to a Unit 3 Spring Turkey Permit.

Hunts will take place primarily in the mornings and on weekends, but weekday and afternoon hunts are possible, depending on volunteer guide availability. Registration will be open through Friday, March 18, or until all slots are filled. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with preference given to inexperienced hunters. Please contact Barb Cornelius at 785-575-8125 to apply or for more information.

The Westar Energy Green Team is a group of employees and retiree volunteers who take on environmental projects across Kansas. The group completes between 50 and 70 projects per year on weekends and evenings. The Green Team also collaborates with conservation groups, agencies and schools in enhancing and fostering an understanding of the Kansas environment.