Home City Info Businesses Organizations History Waconda Lake GE State Park Links |
|
Waconda Lake |
Glen Elder State Park Phone...785-545-3345 |
GE State Park Fishing Hunting Lake History Waconda Springs Maps Photo Tour |
||
Updated 03-7-07 |
||
|
Consisting of almost 13,200 acres that surround the 12, 500 acre reservoir, the Glen Elder Wildlife Area provides a diverse wonderland for hunting enthusiasts. From the first of September and the start of dove season, through February and the close of pheasant season, hunters have a huge opportunity to discover hunting success. |
Turkey Hunting Opportunities Increase in North-Central Kansas
Wild turkey reintroduction efforts began in Kansas in 1962 and continued until the mid-1980s. The trapping and transplanting of turkeys to suitable habitat was deemed a huge success as Kansas now has one of the most liberal turkey hunting seasons and bag limits in the country. Today, huntable populations of turkeys exist in nearly every county, and in many north-central Kansas counties, the numbers continue to increase.
Due to the continued increase in turkey populations, the Kansas Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Commission have approved several changes for the 2007 spring turkey hunting season. The most noticeable change the KDWP Commission approved was the realignment of the turkey hunting units. This change moved several central and north-central Kansas counties or portions of counties from Unit 4, where permits are limited, and Unit 1, where no turkey game tags are available, to Unit 3, in which unlimited permits are available and an additional turkey game tag may be purchased in the spring. The KDWP Commission also approved an early archery-only season beginning April 1st that will run through the regular spring turkey season opener on April 11th.
Additional turkey hunting opportunities have been created through a partnership between KDWP and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to lease additional ground through KDWP’s Walk-In Hunting Areas (WIHA) program. The spring WIHA program, which was initiated in 2001, gives hunters public access to private land for turkey hunting. Through a NWTF donation, an additional 4,000 acres in north-central Kansas was leased in 2006. The donation was increased in 2007 so that an additional 9,330 acres could be leased. Since the expansion of the program state-wide in 2002, the spring WIHA acres in north-central Kansas have increased from nearly 5,000 acres in 2002 to over 30,000 acres in 2007.
The NWTF also recently approved a project proposal in north-central Kansas to utilize contract labor to trap and transplant 125 turkeys from high density areas into suitable habitat in western Kansas where marginal populations and hunting opportunities exist. Suitable release sites in western Kansas have been identified by Wildlife Biologist’s through landowner requests with the requests fulfilled as birds become available.
Although Kansas already has the highest success rate in the mid-west for harvesting spring gobblers, the increase opportunities provided by KDWP and the NWTF should make the spring season even more enjoyable.
PHEASANT SEASON Dates
October 27, 2007 - PF Youth Pheasant Hunt
Seasons approved for big game include the following:
DEER SEASON Dates
Application deadlines are May 31 for all nonresident deer permits, July 14 for limited draw resident permits (firearm and muzzleloader “Any Deer” permits), Dec. 30 for unlimited antlered permits (resident “Whitetail Either Sex,” “Archery,” and “Hunt-Own-Land” permits), and Jan. 30, 2007 for antlerless whitetail permits and game tags.
There are three notable changes from last year’s deer seasons, including:
|
NEW RULES AFFECT 2006 HUNTING SEASONS Big game, upland birds affected; crane ID test required; Department of Animal Health bans hog hunting PRATT -- Several new regulations and statutes will affect the 2006 Kansas hunting seasons. Hunters should be aware of these, as well as all other hunting regulations, which may be found in the 2006 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, available Sept. 1. The following is a list hunting of rules that are new in 2006: Big game
unlimited archery antelope permits are now available to nonresidents (firearms and muzzleloader permits still restricted to residents only); and
Upland birds
quail season opens the second Saturday in November; quail units have been eliminated; quail season ends the third Sunday in January 2007; and prairie chicken season opens the third Saturday in November, as it did last year. Sandhill cranes
Hogs
|
Hunter Survey
For the last 3 years, hunter surveys have been conducted on Glen Elder Wildlife Area. Only a small part of the 12,500-acre wildlife will be surveyed but the results provide interesting information about the hunters and the game harvested and will assist in future management. During the 2005/2006 season, hunter survey cards will be required in the Walnut Creek Area (Southeast Corner of Lake).
All hunters in the Card Survey area will be required to possess a free permit available at five Hunter Survey Stations installed at major access points. The free permit system will only be required for hunters. Person’s wildlife viewing, fishing and other non hunting users will not be required to have the permits.
Hunters must stop at the Hunter Survey Stations prior to hunting to pick up a two-part permit. The top portion of the permit must be completed before hunting and placed in the deposit box at the Survey Station. The lower portion must be in possession while hunting. After completing the hunt, the survey on the lower portion must be completed and placed in the deposit box or mailed to the address on the back of the permit. Hunter Survey Stations are conveniently located and display good instructions on site to comply with the process.
The permit system is simple and has already been tested at several other wildlife areas around the state the past few years. Anyone with questions should contact the Glen Elder Area Office at (785) 545-3345.
SPECIAL HUNTS
Managed hunts continue to provide quality opportunities for many hunters. Participants for the pheasant, goose, duck and deer hunts are selected from applicants in the statewide special hunts drawing. The “Kansas Special Hunts” brochure listing all available hunts are available in late May/early June with an application deadline of July 15 each year.
Glen Elder’s special hunts have become very popular opportunities with many applicants. Application brochures will be available at area sporting goods and other businesses. If you would like more information, contact the area office. Information on special hunts is also available at the Wildlife & Parks website: www.kdwp.state.ks.us.
During the 2004-2005 season, the number of upland and waterfowl hunts were doubled. Hunts were held on weekdays as well as weekends to allow more hunters the opportunity to participate. In order to continue the quality upland special hunts, the daily bag limits were reduced and hunts were only for ½ day. Archery deer hunts were also included in last year’s opportunities. Hunters were allowed to hunt in the State Park and on the refuges for 1 week periods beginning each Monday. Each archer could harvest 1 whitetail buck and 1 whitetail doe during their hunt.
Check in June 2006 for information on the 2006-2007 Special Hunts.
Walk In Hunting Program a Success
The Department of Wildlife & Parks is again accepting applications for their popular WIHA Program which opens private lands to public hunting through a lease agreement between landowners and the Department. A total of nearly 108,000 acres were enrolled in 2006.
Highlights of the program include:
• Money available to landowners, KDWP pays landowners/tenants to allow public hunting on their land;
• KDWP puts up special signs to mark the property;
• Department personnel periodically patrol the land;
• Access is by foot only - no vehicles allowed;
• State law assumes normal liability for landowners;
• Opportunity to increase payment for habitat improvements is available.
For more information about WIHA, contact Aaron Deters, phone: 785-545-3345
Home City Info Businesses Organizations History Waconda Lake GE State Park Links
