Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission Meeting Aug. 23 at Great Bend

Duck, goose season dates to highlight public hearing

The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing on Thursday, Aug. 23, at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 592 NE K156 Highway, northeast of Great Bend. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m., and the evening session will begin at 7 p.m.

The afternoon session will begin with time for public comments on non-agenda items, followed by a general discussion period on the following topics:

♦ Secretary’s remarks;

♦ agency and state fiscal status;

♦ 2013 Legislature;

♦ feral swine control efforts in Kansas;

♦ Tourism Division briefing;

♦ waterfowl management briefing;

♦ Cheyenne Bottoms signage project; and

♦ big game permanent regulations.

The afternoon will also include a workshop session, in preparation for potential future regulatory action, covering preliminary recommendations on the following regulations:

♦ fishing regulations;

♦ spring turkey regulations;

♦ park fees;

♦ alcohol on Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism property;

♦ scoring methods for poaching penalty;

♦ senior hunt-fish licenses/pass pricing; and

♦ agritourism regulations.

The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location for a public hearing on the following regulations:

♦ KAR 115-14 series on falconry;

♦ KAR 115-18-1 — wildlife rehabilitation permit, application, reporting and general provisions, new regulation; and

♦ late migratory bird seasons.

Time will be set aside in both the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics that are not on the agenda. If necessary, the commission will recess on Aug. 23 and reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., Aug. 24, to complete unfinished business.

Live video and audio streaming of this meeting will be broadcast through the KDWPT website, ksoutdoors.com.