PRATT -- For several years now, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has offered hunter education courses that provide a large percentage of the work online, followed by a day of mostly field training, including live fire. Several days before the class, students log on the International Hunter Education Association's (IHEA) home study website, http://homestudy.ihea.com. Here, they are taken through several pages of information regarding hunter education, including introduction to hunter education, hunting safety, hunter responsibility, outdoor safety, wildlife conservation, and hunting opportunities.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) will host the annual Southwest Youth Program at Scott State Park on Aug. 1 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Individuals attending the program will have the opportunity to draw one of 24 guided hunts, and two shotguns will be given away. To be eligible, youth must be at least 10 years old. Individuals older than 16 may participate in a guided hunt if they have never hunted before.

The Game, Fish and Parks Department has produced the backyard bird booklet to give readers tips on how to identify and attract birds. A bird checklist will help you document your growing bird list.

Wyoming- For more than 10 years Hunters in Wyoming and anglers The AccessYes program was set up shortly after the walk-in area program began as a method to provide a payment source to compensate landowners for providing access. Game and Fish state access coordinator Matt Buhler said that in 2008, hunters and fisherman gave $131,375 to AccessYes. An additional $45,261 was gifted by conservation organizations and sportsmen. "Most of the donations are made at the time of license purchase," according to Buhler.

The Flint Hills Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) will conduct its 14th Annual Hunting Heritage and Superfund Banquet/Auction on Saturday, June 20, at the American Legion Post No. 5, 2921 W. 12th Ave. in Emporia. This annual fundraiser supports the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks youth “Pass it On” events, as well as habitat improvement programs across the state. Special interactive educational opportunities for women, college scholarships for students, and hunter education programs also benefit from proceeds raised at this event.

Pratt's Annual Fishing Derby heads up a busy weekend in the State of Kansas

Pratt – We're getting to the heart of summer and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has plenty of fun outdoor activities for you to attend around the state. The weekend of June 13th is no exception and it is packed full of fishing derbies, OK Kids days, and more.

The National Wild Turkey Federation is introducing a brand-new, full-color publication-Turkey Country. The new magazine will take the place of the Federation's four main publications-Turkey Call, Women In The Outdoors, Get in the Game and Wheelin' Sportsmen-beginning in September 2009. "Turkey Country is not just a new name, it's an entirely new magazine," said Burt Carey, NWTF editorial director. "We're taking the best of all the NWTF's titles and rolling them into a brand-new, exciting book with a cutting edge look. It's the publication of the NWTF and all its programs."

EDGEFIELD, S.C.-The National Wild Turkey Federation distributed more than $314,000 in May 2009 as it continues to advance its mission of benefiting wildlife conservation and protecting hunting traditions. The monies are distributed to states and programs through the NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund.

The Hunting Heritage Super Fund supports the NWTF's multitude of conservation and education programs with money raised from NWTF Hunting Heritage Banquets, donated by corporate sponsors and given to benefit wildlife conservation.

Lake Quivira, Kans. - June 2, 2009 - Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) announce a $1 million pledge from Duayne Madl, 59, of Lake Quivira, Kansas to PF's Grassroots Conservation Campaign . A Patron Member of PF and a QF member, Madl made the significant financial commitment because of his strong belief in the wildlife habitat conservation mission of PF/QF.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced that there will be no paper applications or mail-in forms for 2009 antelope permits. All applications must be submitted online. The application deadline is midnight June 12. Those who applied last year will not receive an application in the mail this year.

With enough noise and grunting to wake a deaf man (which pretty much describes me), two bears came crashing out of the dense Canadian bush on a dead run and stopped suddenly, smack dab in the middle of the clearing my stand overlooked. I had spent the last five hours napping and reading the better portions of a Reader’s Digest magazine, while consuming too much hard candy.

Landowners interested in the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ (KDWP) Walk-In Hunting Access Program (WIHA) -- which pays landowners to allow public hunting access on their land -- are reminded that the deadline for enrollment is July 13. The WIHA program, which began in 1995, grew to more than one million acres in 2008, including almost 3,000 contracts.

So what is there to hunt in the spring and how does one go about participating in these hunts? For starters, there is the ever-growing pursuit of wild turkeys. Hunters who are a bit more hard core may wish to try their hand at one of Wyoming's more elusive species, the black bear. Wyoming does have spring hunts for black bear and has a very effective system for managing this species.

CODY--The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has unveiled a new grizzly bear management Web page on the department's Web site. The new page provides up-to-date information on grizzly bear conflict, research and education efforts, including weekly updates on bear management activities in Wyoming.

SUNDANCE-- A steady rise in the wild turkey population in the Black Hills over the past number of years has wildlife managers forecasting a good spring turkey hunt this coming season.

Black Hills area wildlife biologist Joe Sandrini said that beginning with average productivity in 2002, the Black Hills wild turkey population has had a substantial increase. Although there have been a few years where production has fallen, the turkey population has increased steadily to what was believed a 20 year high in 2007.

CHEYENNE-- If the winter of 2008-09 so far is any indication, wildlife should be entering the spring in good shape and biologists are looking forward to a good production year from Wyoming's major big game species.

However, game managers caution that more spring rains or snows are needed if the range is to be able to sustain the habitat improvements that were made with the moist conditions of the previous year. In general, it is an open winter in most parts of the state and the animals are getting through the cold months in very good condition.

Improved turkey habitat can conflict with needs of quail

Kansas spring turkey season is in full swing, and many hunters are enjoying the abundance of this large game bird. Other hunters who enjoy turkey hunting but also like to quail hunt may be wondering why turkey populations have surged in recent years while quail populations have declined in much of the state. Jim Pitman, small game biologist for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), has some answers.

In 2004, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) completed the nation's first statewide wildlife viewing trail, the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail. The purpose of the trail was to bring tourism dollars, based on wildlife viewing, into local communities. A key conservation goal was that the valuable tax revenue would allow these communities to support and even invest in habitat conservation efforts. Furthermore, by providing access to wildlife, the trail would build Virginians appreciation for wildlife and birds. Five years later, VDGIF and its partner communities are seeing success in a big way.

After the legalization of the crossbow in Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries responds in pure ignorance.

“Can you believe this?” I try to be a strict adherer to game and fish laws, I read and interpret every word so I personally don’t make a mistake. This is probably due to the fact that a large part of my Army career in the Military Police was being a Game Warden on military posts including Fort Richardson Alaska, Fort Sill Oklahoma, Fort Ord and Hunter Ligget in California and Fort Chaffee Arkansas. Needless to say I became very familiar with game and fish laws and ethics. Over the years I developed a sense of fairness and understanding when it comes to why things are done in the world of game and fish laws. The by word is compromise, while trying to please the grass roots hunters that do in fact stir up a lot of unnecessary problems stemming from many reasons to include special interest and just plain selfishness.

While the most severe blizzard to hit parts of Kansas in decades may have come the last week of March, warm weather will soon make this event a fleeting memory, enticing Kansans across the state to visit their favorite state parks. To enhance these visits, park staff conduct a variety of special events. Some events are scheduled in conjunction with Free Park Entrance Days, some celebrate a special historical event or geological attribute of an individual park, and others are just for entertainment. Each park sets its own dates for these events.

Events may include anything from a marathon race to boating courses and equestrian events. Many are educational and all make visiting Kansas state parks more fun. For more information on state park events, phone individual parks or visit the Event Calendar on the department's website.

CWD-positive deer reported from 2,693 samples collected by KDWP

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks reports a total of 10 chronic wasting disease (CWD) occurrences from among almost 2,700 deer tissue samples collected and submitted for lab analysis by KDWP in recent months.

CHANUTE -- On May 30, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Lil Toledo Lodge, the Kansas Wildlife Officers Association, and the Kansas State Rifle Association, the Women of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the Kansas Bow Hunter Association will join forces to conduct the area's fourth Women on Target Shooting Skills For Women shooting clinic.

PIERRE, S.D. – Chad Tussing, Education Services Coordinator for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department, has been honored by the South Dakota Science Teachers Association with the 2009 Friend of Science Award.


SDSTA presents the award each year to an individual for their support of South Dakota students and the work done by the association. “We are proud to work with such a generous educator,” Mark Farrand, executive board member for SDSTA said. “Chad gives of his time, energy and ideas selflessly for the betterment of learners of all ages across South Dakota.”

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites the public to comment on a proposal that would simplify regulations for hunting Canada geese during the early fall season in the metro and southeast parts of the state.

On March 28, the Flint Hills Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education Program will conduct its 8th Annual Spring Turkey Hunting Clinic. The event will take place at Camp Alexander, near Emporia, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is open to anyone interested in learning how to become a better turkey hunter, especially youth, and it's free.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced the distribution of more than $740 million to 56 state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies to fund fish and wildlife conservation efforts, boat access, shooting ranges, and hunter education.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking for the public's help in locating a group of feral hogs in Big Stone County.

Curt Vacek, DNR area wildlife manager at Appleton, said between 25 to 50 hogs are thought to be roaming in the vicinity of Big Stone Lake 11 miles north of Ortonville. They are thought to be of the pot-bellied variety that can reach weights of up to 300 pounds.

KDWP awaiting lab results on more samples from 2008 deer season
Five more Kansas white-tailed deer have been confirmed positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), bringing to eight the total number of CWD incidents from the 2008 Kansas deer seasons.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is still awaiting final lab results on about 100 more tissue samples from hunter-killed deer during the past deer season, according to Shane Hesting, KDWP wildlife disease coordinator.

The Alabama Conservation Advisory Board will meet Saturday, March 7, at The Mann Wildlife Learning Museum at the Montgomery Zoo, 325 Vandiver Blvd., Montgomery, Ala. Registration for those wishing to address the board will be from 8–8:30 a.m. The meeting will begin promptly at 9 a.m.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Sold! When the bidding frenzy finished, Pennsylvania National Wild Turkey Federation Board Member Jim Nyce, of Green Lane, Pa., had purchased the Pennsylvania Game Commission's inaugural conservation elk tag at the NWTF's National Convention in Nashville, Tenn., for $28,000.

The NWTF's National Convention and Sport Show, Feb. 19 through Feb. 22, drew a record 43,000 sportsmen and women from throughout North America. As part of its Grand National Celebrity live auction, NWTF put up for bid the antlered elk license, which is valid for use in any management zone open for Pennsylvania's upcoming elk hunt, Nov. 2-7.