Outdoor Adventures
Phil Taunton
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks presented recommendations for the early teal season, mourning dove and deer seasons to the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission during its public hearing meeting in North Newton on June 26.
From these recommendations, seasons were set for those species starting this fall.
In case you are unaware, migratory bird seasons are set according to guidelines provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in treaty with Canada and Mexico. The guidelines for the early teal season depend on results of a blue-winged teal breeding population survey. If the population of breeding bluewings is more than 4.7 million, the USFWS allows for a 16-day early teal season. If the population is below that number, a nine-day season is allowed.
Teal season frameworks were not available at the time of the public hearing, but survey results were recently released reporting 6.6 million bluewings on the breeding grounds. Due to this report, the commission approved the 16-day season.
Overall, the preliminary estimate of total ducks from the 2008 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey was just over 37 million, according to USFWS. This reflects a 9-percent decline from last year’s estimate.
In the Low Plains Zone, the portion of Kansas east of U.S. Highway 283, the early teal season will be Sept. 13-28. In the High Plains Zone, which is everything west of Highway 283, the early teal season will be Sept. 13-20. The shorter season in the High Plains is mandated by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act’s 107-day limit on total duck season days. Under the liberal duck season frameworks, 97 days are available for regular duck seasons in the High Plains Zone. When the two-day youth season is added, that leaves only eight days for an early teal season. The daily bag limit for early teal is four and possession is eight.
2008 Mourning
Dove Season
The mourning dove season has been affected by two exotic species of dove now found throughout our state. The Commission voted unanimously to liberalize hunting regulations concerning the Eurasian collared dove and the ringed turtle dove. Neither of these doves are native to North America. Eurasian collared doves in particular have increased their range and numbers in recent years. This regulation will allow unlimited harvest of these species during specified seasons. Pictures of these birds for identification purposes will be found in the fall hunting regulation summary available around the first of September.
The Eurasian collared dove was first documented at Goodland in 1997. Numbers of collared doves observed on the statewide Christmas Bird Count have increased from 14 in 1998 to more than 3,000 in 2007. Collared doves have been reported in all 105 Kansas counties. There isn’t data yet to indicate what impact these non-native birds could have on native species, but they are neither migratory nor regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This allows for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to establish its own regulations for hunting these species without needing to follow federal guidelines.
Under the new regulations, there will be no bag and possession limits for Eurasian collared doves and ringed turtle doves during the dove season. However, if the take of these species causes a hunter’s daily bag of mourning doves to exceed 15, the exotic doves must be transported with a fully feathered wing attached.
The regular dove season opens Sept. 1, 2008, and runs through Oct. 14, then re-opens Nov. 1-16. A separate exotic dove season will open Nov. 20, 2008, and run through February 28, 2009. During this season, only Eurasian collared doves and ringed turtle doves may be taken; there is no daily bag or possession limit. Doves must be transported with a fully-feathered wing attached.
Deer Season
Also at the commission meeting, three additions were made concerning deer permits and seasons that will affect specific areas of northern Kansas.
In north central Kansas, any unfilled deer permit valid in units 7 and 8 will be valid in a special extended firearm antlerless-only season running Jan. 5-11, 2009. The season includes all or portions of Smith, Jewell, Republic, Washington, Marshall, Clay, Cloud, Mitchell, and Osborne counties. A detailed boundary map of this area will be included in the 2008 Kansas Hunting Regulations Summary.
On Fort Riley, three firearm deer seasons were set: Nov. 28-30; Dec. 19-23; and Dec. 27-30, as well as a special archery-only season (Sept. 1-21). In addition to these seasons, the regular statewide archery season (Sept. 22-Dec. 31) and the regular statewide muzzleloader season (Sept. 22-Oct. 5) are open on Fort Riley.
The final change involves Deer Management Unit 3 in northwestern Kansas. In addition to any other authorized permits, any hunter may obtain an antlerless-only, either-species deer permit valid in Unit 3. A limited number of these permits will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
For more information concerning the 2008 hunting seasons, visit the KDWP Web site or call (620) 672-5911.
Catfish Tournament
The John Redmond Chapter of Ducks Unlimited benefiting wetlands and waterfowl conservation will hold its fourth annual catfish tournament on Saturday, July 26, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on John Redmond Reservoir in Burlington. Entry fee is $50 per boat, with a two-person maximum per boat.
For more information, contact Robert Hammond at (620) 364-4059 or (620) 364-2953 or Martin Burgio at (620) 364-8089.
There are fishermen with boats looking for a teammate, so the opportunity is there if you are without a boat and would like to fish.
Come spend enjoyable day fishing for Mr. Whiskers and help support Ducks Unlimited, the leaders in Wetland Conservation.