Quail Initiative

BY AJ DOME

KVOE AM 1400

Elk burgers attracted landowners and state officials to the Fairgrounds Anderson Building on Tuesday, Oct. 29, for the Kansas Quail Initiative workshop. 

About 110 people from Lyon and surrounding counties attended, listening to state representatives and scientists discuss their plans for quail conservation and habitat management.

Presentations were given by various local officials from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, and other local conservation agencies, about the different aspects of protecting the quail population. State wildlife biologist Bob Culbertson says there are good incentives for people to join.

The cost-sharing initiative would reimburse landowners 100% of the estimated costs of turning some of their land into quail-friendly property. Landowner and rural Lyon County resident Richard Porter just got started with the process of clearing some of his acreage for wildlife habitat and says the process is going well so far.

Private landowners are the biggest partner with the KDWPT on this project and the state is committed to spending up to $100,000 a year on private land improvements. Porter says it's well worth the effort, especially if done smartly.

The Quail Initiative project was designed to improve habitats and foster changes in the quail population in eastern Kansas. That population, along with other grassland birds, has been declining steadily over the past 40 years.

The primary goals of the initiative are to increase the bobwhite quail population by 50%, and to see a 5% net increase in suitable quail habitat within each of the two focus areas in eastern Kansas.

More information about the Kansas Quail Initiative, and the focus areas, is available through the KDWPT. You can contact their Wichita office at 316-683-4464 or go to their website athttp://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/Services/Private-Landowner-Assistance/Wildlife/Technical-Assistance/State-Programs/KDWP-Conservation-Programs/Kansas-Quail-Initiative.

Public Buffalo Auction Nov. 20

Buffalo from Maxwell Wildlife Refuge herd are available for purchase

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) will auction off surplus buffalo at the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 beginning at 11 a.m. Those interested in bidding are encouraged to arrive early to receive a bidder number. The auction is open to the public and lunch and concessions will be served.

Each fall, surplus buffalo are sold as available habitat can support only a finite number of animals. This year, a total of 60 buffalo will be auctioned, including seven cows, 13 yearling heifers, eight heifer calves, 13 yearling bulls, eight two-year-old bulls, eight bull calves, and three three-year-old bulls. Bison over 1-year-old will be brucellosis and tuberculosis tested and accompanied by a health certificate. Heifer calves will be vaccinated for brucellosis and certificates issued. Prices paid per animal range from several hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on market demand, condition, sex and age of the animal.

Cash and personal checks (if accompanied by a notarized authorization letter from the issuing bank) will be accepted. KDWPT reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Buyers must pick up the bison the day of the sale or make arrangements with the refuge manager prior to the sale. Animals become the buyer’s responsibility upon settlement on sale day. Load-out assistance is available until dusk the day of the sale. Stock racks and trailers should be covered or lined because bison transport best in dark conditions.

The sale will be outside and will take place rain or shine, so attendees are encouraged to dress accordingly. For more information, contact Maxwell Wildlife Refuge manager Cliff Peterson at (620) 628-4592, or KDWPT’s Region 4 Office in Wichita at (316) 683-8069.

Endangered Species makes Appearance in Kansas

Whooping cranes are North America’s tallest bird, some reaching 5-feet when standing erect

The first migrating whooping crane was spotted on Oct. 24 at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, near Stafford in central Kansas. A rare and fantastic sight, this whooping crane is part of the only sustaining wild population estimated at 250 birds. Whooping cranes from this population will fly through the state in upcoming weeks, making their way to wintering grounds at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Past records indicate that most whooping cranes will pass through Kansas between Oct. 17 and Nov. 10, usually travelling in small family groups. However, on November 9 2012, 18 whoopers were spotted together at Quivira as they migrated south from their Canadian nesting grounds at WoodBuffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories.

As part of a cooperative monitoring program supervised by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) encourages anyone who has spotted a whooper to contact their local natural resource officer or KDWPT office. Sighting information can be used to alert managers of key areas along the flyway — such as Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in central Kansas — and to provide sighting records for the Whooping Crane Recovery Plan and for whooping crane research in the U.S. and Canada.

For more information, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website atwww.fws.gov/midwest/whoopingcrane.

Nov. 2-3 Youth Upland Bird Season

Youth hunters may hunt pheasant and quail free of competition during this special season

The beginning of November marks one of Kansas’ most prized hunting seasons - pheasant and quail - and for hunters age 16 and younger, a jump-start on the regular season can mean the difference between a decent hunt and an unforgettable season. Nov. 2-3 is the Kansas youth pheasant and quail season, which will be open to youth hunters under adult supervision.

Established as part of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s Pass It On program, the youth season provides young hunters and their mentors the opportunity to be in the field before the crowds of opening day. Public lands and Walk-In Hunting Access lands are open, and hunting pressure is usually light. Adult mentors may not hunt during the two-day youth season, but they can pass on their hunting knowledge without giving up their own opening-day.

Resident youth 15 and younger do not need anything other than an adult supervisor to hunt during the youth season, although a hunter education certificate is recommended. Hunters age 16 will need a hunting license and a hunter education certificate, unless they purchase an apprentice license, which is a one-time deferral of the hunter education requirement. However, adult supervision is required at all times for an apprentice license holder, even during the regular season.

Daily bag limits during the youth pheasant and quail season are half those of the regular season; two rooster pheasants and four quail.

Resident youth age 16-21 also have the privilege of qualifying for a multi-year hunting license at $42.50 and a multi-year combination hunting/fishing license at $72.50. A great bargain, this multi-year hunting license is valid through the year the hunter turns 21.

For more information, including where to hunt and to view the current upland bird forecast, visit www.ksoutdoors.com/hunting.

Outdoor Mentors Get Kids to the Outdoors

Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors is proud to announce that they have been named as a finalist in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program!

Now they need your support! Vote for Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors atwww.100carsforgood.com on November 3rd! 

If Pass It On is one of the 2 top vote getting organizations on that date, they will win a new Toyota Tundra! Having a new Tundra will greatly enhance their program, giving them a tremendous resource to travel about the state, taking kids hunting and fishing!

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will award 100 vehicles over the course of 50 days to 100 deserving nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public. Winning organizations will use the Toyota vehicles to help expand their reach and missions within their communities.
 

Please support Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors on November 3rd!

Voting will take place at www.100carsforgood.com
Put a reminder in your calendar today and please share this with everyone you know!

Thank you for helping Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors give kids a chance to get outdoors!

Women in the Outdoors: Numbers on the Rise

By Southwick Associates

            The traditional image of men escaping for the weekend to experience the thrill and challenge of outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and shooting may be as antiquated as the gender make-up in the boardroom in scenes from television’s Mad Men. Annie it seems has definitely got her gun, and hunting license and fishing rod and reel. In fact, according to Women in the Outdoors in 2012, an in-depth report on women’s participation in outdoor recreation compiled by Southwick Associates, women now make up more than a quarter of all anglers and represent the fastest growing segment within the hunting and shooting communities making up as much as nearly 11 percent of all hunters.

“Many people may be surprised to learn the traditional view of the outdoors person is changing, but to anybody who hunts, fishes and shoots, the presence of women on the water, in the woods and at the range is anything but new, and certainly not surprising,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates.

The Women in the Outdoors in 2012 report is a comprehensive snapshot of women’s participation in outdoor sports ever published. It examines the level and rate of participation of females in freshwater and saltwater fishing, hunting and shooting and compares women and men’s purchasing habits for hunting, shooting and fishing equipment. It also offers a unique glimpse at their outdoor media consumption, providing invaluable insight to advertisers, manufacturers and retailers into where today’s outdoorswoman gets most of the information that affects her purchasing decisions.

Southwick Associates utilizes proprietary market data from their own research combined with the most recent and reliable data from key government sources to compile the report.

While the decision-guiding data found in most Southwick Associates market reports are available for sale, the company is making the Women in the Outdoors in 2012 report available athttp://www.southwickassociates.com/portfolio-view/women-in-the-outdoors-in-2012/  

Cargill Cares Donates $10,000 to Pass It On Outdoor Mentors to Get Kids Outdoors

Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors announced today that it was awarded a $10,000.00 grant from the Wichita Cargill Cares Council. This generous donation will be used to supplement Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors' efforts to give more children the opportunity to experience the great outdoors with a caring mentor. Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors works with state fish and wildlife agencies, conservation groups and youth organizations to reach out to underserved youth, giving them the chance to experience the great outdoors.

"Too many children are spending too little time outdoors," indicated Michael Christensen, President of Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc. "It is up to the outdoor community to step up and introduce these children to the great outdoors that we all know and love if we are to see our outdoor heritage passed along to the next generation. This generous donation from the Cargill Cares will help young people in the Greater Wichita Metropolitan Area develop healthy lifestyles, understand the importance of their natural environment and avoid risky behavior through participation in traditional outdoor activities and practical environmental projects with carefully screened, caring adult mentors through programs provided in partnership with local conservation groups and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism."

"Cargill is a company with a long and rich heritage tied to agriculture, the land and nature, and we believe it is important for children to have an opportunity to experience outdoor activities and learn about, and appreciate, the importance and value of the natural environment," said Debbie Nece, Wichita Cargill Cares Council chairman. "We are pleased to be able to support such a worthy effort by an organization with the passion and commitment of Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc.

Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors has partnered with state fish and wildlife agencies, conservation organizations and youth organizations to give at-risk children outdoor opportunities they would not have had otherwise. "There are many organizations providing outdoor activities. It is imperative that we involve children who are not connected to these organizations to insure that they have the chance to experience the wonders and joys of the great outdoors that we all know and love," stated Christensen.

Win a Buffalo Hunt

Geary County Fish and Game Association

The Geary County Fish and Game Association is conducting their Annual Fund Raiser. The prize is a Buffalo Hunt or $500 cash. Tickets are one for $20 or six for $100. Enter for your chance to win a hunt for a 2-3 year-old Bull, estimated to weigh 1,000 pounds. Winner can us rifle, bow or black powder (if large enough caliber).

Hunt will be on a ranch in Dickinson County. You shoot, we help load on your trailer or truck. Winner pays for meat processing. Drawing will be held at the Geary County Fish and Game headquarters at Milford Reservoir at its meeting on November 11, 2013. Need not be present to win.

If you have any questions, call Tom Goudey, GCFGA Vice President, at 785-238-7845 or 785-761-7525. You may also call Ken Schortmann, GCFGA Director, at 785-210-9072.

Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission Approves Price Reduction for Youth Permits

Commission votes to significantly reduce resident and nonresident youth permit prices

At the public hearing conducted Oct. 17 in Hutchinson, the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission approved several recommendations including one that will significantly reduce the price of resident and nonresident youth big game permits starting January 1, 2014. Youth permits approved for a price reduction include deer, turkey, and antelope. In other public hearing items, the commission approved a special provision that will prohibit anglers from fishing or collecting bait from fish ladders, or any artificial barrier or dam that facilitates the natural migration of fish upstream. This provision was recommended in an effort to reduce conflict between boaters and anglers using the same passage way.

Commissioners also approved a variety of changes to fishing regulations including a 13- to 18-inch slot limit for largemouth bass at Grand Osage Wildlife Area and Howard-Polk Daniels Lake. The 15-inch minimum length limit on spotted bass will also be removed at Howard-Polk Daniels Lake. Floatline fishing will now be allowed at Elk City, Fall River, Glen Elder, and Lovewell reservoirs. A trout permit will be required for trout anglers at Meade State Fishing Lakefrom Nov. 1-April 15.

The last public hearing item presented to the commission included recommendations to change future turkey hunting regulations. Commissioners approved the creation of a youth/disabled season that will allow youth to hunt turkeys free of competition from April 1 to the first full weekend of the month starting with the 2015 spring season. Regular archery season will start the Monday following the youth/disabled season, and regular firearm season will start the Wednesday after the second Saturday. Bag limits for the fall turkey season will also be reduced in Units 3, 5, and 6 from four birds to one bird. Season dates for the spring 2014 turkey season will remain unchanged.

The next commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 9, 2014 at Southwestern College, 100 College St., in Winfield.

Migrating Waterfowl Bring Flocks of Hunting Opportunities

Daily bag limits increased for dark and light geese for 2013 seasons

“More is better” isn’t always true in a lot of instances, but for waterfowl hunters this season, “more” is a beautiful thing. New regulations now allow hunters to harvest greater quantities of waterfowl than ever before, increasing Canadageese bag limits from three to six birds, and light geese bag limits from 20 to 50 birds. Possession limits on all migratory birds was increased from two times the daily bag limit to three times the daily bag limit. The daily bag limit for ducks remained at six, but the number of scaup that may be included in the daily limit was reduced from three to two.

Oct. 26, 2013 is a big day for waterfowl hunters, marking the opening day of goose season, the first day of the Low Plains Late Zone season for ducks, and the first day of youth season in the Low Plains Southeast Zone. White-fronted geese may be hunted Oct. 26-Dec. 29, 2013 and Feb. 1-Feb. 9, 2014. The daily bag limit for white-fronted geese is two birds, and possession limit is six. Canada geese and light geese may be hunted Oct. 26-Nov. 3, 2013 AND Nov. 6-Feb. 9, 2014.The daily bag limit on Canada geese is six, possession limit is 18. The daily bag limit on light geese is 50, and there is no possession limit. The Low Plains Late Zone for ducks will run Oct. 26-Dec. 29, AND Jan. 18-Jan. 26, 2014. Following the Low Plains Late Zone, waterfowl hunters in the Low Plains Southeast Zone may hunt Nov. 2-3, 2013 AND Nov. 16, 2013-Jan. 26, 2014. Youth season the Low Plains Southeast Zone will run Oct. 26-27, 2013.

The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may include no more than five mallards, of which only two may be hens; two redheads; three wood ducks; three scaup; two pintails; and two canvasbacks.

Following regular goose seasons, hunters may hunt light geese during a special conservation period Feb 10-April 30, 2014. During the Light Goose Conservation Order there is no bag or possession limit. In addition, hunters will be allowed to use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls and take light geese from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset during the period of the conservation order.

Although not as widely sought-after as geese and ducks, sandhill cranes may be hunted from Nov. 6 2013-Jan 2, 2014 with a valid federal permit. All sandhill crane hunters must take an online crane identification test each year before obtaining a permit. The test can be found by visiting www.ksoutdoors.com and clicking “Hunting/Migratory Birds/Sandhill Crane.” The daily bag limit on sandhill cranes is three birds, with a possession limit of nine. Quivira and Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge are closed to crane hunting.

For more information on migratory bird regulations, visit www.ksoutdoors.com

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endorses Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Lesser Prairie-chicken Range-Wide Conservation Plan

Range-wide plan provides model for state leadership in conservation of a species proposed for listing under the ESA

On October 23rd the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) endorsed the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Lesser Prairie-Chicken Range-Wide Conservation Plan, a landmark, collaborative planning effort to conserve a species proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The range-wide plan (RWP) represents a dedicated effort by the five range states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma,Kansas and Colorado to conserve the lesser prairie-chicken. After an extensive review, the USFWS found the plan is consistent with criteria proposed last May for conserving the species, which is proposed for listing under the ESA. The plan calls for providing financial incentives to landowners who voluntarily manage their lands to benefit the species. It also includes a framework for mitigating the potentially harmful effects to lesser prairie-chicken habitat from development activity throughout its range.

“The unprecedented collaborative efforts of WAFWA and the five state wildlife agencies have produced a sound conservation plan for the lesser prairie-chicken,” said USFWS Director Dan Ashe. “We applaud the states’ commitment to lead conservation actions across the bird’s range.”

The endorsement is not a decision by the USFWS that implementing the plan will preclude the need to protect the lesser prairie-chicken under the ESA. The USFWS will carefully consider the plan, its implementation and effectiveness when it makes a final determination on whether to list the lesser prairie-chicken under the ESA in March, 2014.

Under the plan, agreements with participating landowners will aim to improve habitat conditions for the lesser prairie-chicken, increase populations and provide for long-term conservation of the species. The plan also establishes a framework for mitigating impacts from a wide range of activities with a goal of providing a net conservation benefit to the species.

“We are encouraged to see U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endorsement of the five-state, range-wide plan to conserve this iconic grassland bird and its native prairie habitat,” said Carter Smith, WAFWA president and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive director, speaking on behalf of WAFWA and the five state agencies. “Years of due diligence have gone into this plan, guided by scientific research and monitoring, and developed with input from landowners, agriculture, wind and oil and gas interests and other stakeholders. We can now work at the local level to implement the plan, facilitate more conservation for the bird while allowing sustainable land use and responsible economic development, and hopefully preclude the need to list this species.”

In the coming weeks, the USFWS will revise the May 6, 2013, proposed 4(d) special rule for the lesser prairie-chicken to more specifically identify the range-wide conservation plan as one that, when implemented, will address the conservation needs of the species. If the USFWS ultimately determines that the lesser prairie-chicken should be listed as a threatened species, the revised 4(d) rule would provide a mechanism for ESA compliance. Linking the plan to a 4(d) special rule would offer participating landowners and industry participants regulatory certainty, as actions carried out in accordance with the plan would be in compliance with the ESA, even if the species requires ESA protection.

The lesser prairie-chicken is a species of prairie grouse commonly recognized for its colorful spring mating display and orange eye combs. Once abundant across much of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado (the five range states), the lesser prairie-chicken’s historical range of native grasslands and prairies has been reduced by an estimated 84 percent. The substantial decrease in the range of the species is primarily a result of habitat fragmentation and loss caused by development and conversion of the species’ native grassland habitat to other uses. Last year, the population declined by an estimated 50 percent, primarily due to drought conditions in the West.

America's fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of imperiled species is a shared responsibility. The USFWS is actively engaged with conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species such as the Working Lands for Wildlife program. To learn more about the Endangered Species program, go to http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.

Trout Season Kicks off November 1

More than 200,000 trout will be stocked in select waters throughout the state this season

Outside temperatures may be cooling down, but for trout anglers, fishing season is about to heat up. From Nov. 1, 2013-April 15, 2014, anglers can enjoy some of the best fishing opportunities in the state as nearly 30 public fishing areas will be stocked periodically with this special species. Throughout a five-month period beginning Nov. 1 and ending March 31, over 202,000 trout will be stocked in select waters.

In Kansas, there are two types of trout waters: On Type 1 waters all anglers age 16 and older fishing during the trout season are required to have a trout permit, and on Type 2 waters anglers 16 and older who are fishing for or in possession of trout are required to have a trout permit. Anglers 15 and younger can fish for trout without a trout permit, but they may only keep two trout per day. The daily creel limit for anglers with a trout permit is five per day unless posted otherwise. All anglers age 16-74 must also have a Kansas fishing license. New for 2014, anglers fishing for trout in Meade State Fishing Lake will be required to purchase a trout permit.

Anglers fishing in ponds and lakes after April 15 may catch trout without a trout permit, but the limit of 5 trout a day and 15 in possession is still enforced. This does not include the waters that are stocked year-round, such as the Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit #30 (Cherokee County), which requires a trout permit year-round.

Some local governments in areas such as Topeka and Kansas City have their own trout stocking programs, which may require a fee, but the state permit is not required. Local city and county recreation departments should have details.

Trout waters and the total number of trout stocked at each throughout the season are listed below. To view a complete stocking schedule for a specific location, visit www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Fishing/Special Fishing Programs for You/Trout Fishing Program.”

Region 1

Webster Reservoir Stilling Basin: 10,500

Bellville City Lake (Rocky Pond): 7,500

Glen Elder State Park Pond: 3,300

Kanopolis Seep Stream: 8,500

Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin: 4,250

Salina - Lakewood Lake: 6,000

*At this time Smoky Gardens (Sherman County) has water and will be stocked as water quality improves.

*At this time the Solomon River above Webster is dry and will not be stocked.

Region 2

Ft. Riley - Moon Lake: 9,000

Ft. Riley - Cameron Springs: 12,000

Topeka - Auburndale Park Stream: 1,505

Tuttle Creek - Willow Lake: 12,900

Clinton State Park - Lake Henry: 5,075

Holton - Elkhorn Lake: 3,000

Atchison City Lake #1: 3,000

Shawnee Co. - Lake Shawnee: 14,000

Region 3

Scott State Fishing Lake: 8,860

Cimarron Grassland Pits: 5,800

Pratt - Centennial Pond: 4,000

Great Bend - Stone Lake: 6,650

Dodge City - Lake Charles: 5,080

Syracuse - Sam's Pond: 2,500

*At this time Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area is dry and will not be stocked.

Region 4

El Dorado State Park - River Area: 6,350

Sedgwick Co. - Vic's Lake: 14,076

Sedgwick Co. - Slough Creek: 10,944

Hutchinson - Dillon Nature Center: 5,785

Wichita - KDOT East Lake: 8,172

Region 5

Mined Land Wildlife Area - Unit #30: 15,895

Ft. Scott - Gunn Park East Lake: 4,725

Garnett - Crystal Lake: 3,000

NRCS Announces Deadline for EQIP Funding in Kansas

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Eric B. Banks announced an application evaluation cutoff date of November 15, 2013, for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

NRCS has provided over $26 million in financial assistance for fiscal year 2013 to helpKansas producers implement conservation practices through EQIP, the agency’s largest Farm Bill conservation program.   

“The Environmental Quality Incentives Program offers farmers and forestland managers a variety of options to conserve natural resources while boosting production on their lands,” Banks said.  “This conservation investment helps improve environmental health and the economy ofKansas’ rural communities.”

EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers through contracts up to a maximum term of ten years in length.  These contracts provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns and opportunities to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air, and related resources on agricultural land, such as cropland and rangeland, and non-industrial private forestland.

EQIP helps address the unique circumstances of socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers, who have natural resource concerns that need to be addressed on their land.  Qualifying Kansas producers compete separately and receive higher payment rates.

For more information visit the Kansas NRCS Web site www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs  or your local U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center. To find a service center near you, check your telephone book under “United States Government” or on the Internet atwww.offices.usda.gov. Follow us on Twitter @NRCS_Kansas.  

Kansas Red Fall Colors

Bleeding Kansas by Elby Adamson

The phrase bleeding Kansas usually refers to the violent period in the 1850s prior to the Civil War when Kansas was already a battleground between proslavery and free state forces. But those who love the outdoors can easily find a metaphor for bleeding Kansas as the fall foliage offers a definite sanguine appearance.

 Garlands of blood red Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) wrap around golden cottonwoods and ash trees and even an occasional red cedar.

                                               Photo by Elby Adamson

Swaths of crimson paint the flanks of the Flint Hills where smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) displays the color of blood in the autumn sun.

                                                Smooth Sumac Photo by Ted Beringer

Woody vines and shrubs aren’t the only artists putting red in the landscape.  Species such as pigweed (Amaranthus palmeri), smartweed (Polygonum hydropiper)

                                            Smartweed Photo by Hans Toom

 and pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)offer fall colors with their scarlet stems and in the case of the pokeweed its purple-red berries as well.

The gooseberry (Ribes spp. Saxifragaceae) has leaves that stand out as bright red patches in riparian areas and the coral berry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) adds tiny bits of purple and red as its berries dot the fall landscape. 

                                          Coralberry Photo by Tony Presley

Many other plants ranging from rough-leaved dogwood to both big and little bluestem grasses offer tints and hints of purples and reds as well.

Late in the fall wahoo brings a bright red in both foliage and bright three-part berries described as fuchsia colored. But sometimes this plant is startling red to those who find it along rocky outcroppings and as an understory shrub or small tree. The color is another welcome relief as fall moves toward the drab grey of November.

                                  Photo courtesy of the Kansas Native Plant Society

While the original term bleeding Kansas evokes memories of violence and tragedy, the fall colors of many Kansas plants and trees simply remind us of the beauty of our states’ natural wonders.

Treestand Hunters are Encouraged to Harness Up

Fall-restraint systems can be a life-saving tool when hunting from a treestand

The deer rut can be some of the best hunting all year for bowhunters, and in the whirlwind of activity that takes place during this special time, it can be easy to get lackadaisical about safety practices. Every year, a surprising number of treestand hunters fall from treestands, some suffering serious injury or death.

“I’ve found that approximately 50 percent of all treestand hunters do not use any form of fall arrest devise,” says Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism assistant hunter education coordinator Aaron Austin, “so it’s not surprising that up to 30 percent of hunters who hunt from treestands will have an incident sometime in their lives.” Since treestand incidents aren’t required to be reported the way firearm-related hunting incidents are, Austinbelieves the number is a lot higher.

“As a bowhunter, I feel that being 20 feet up in a tree is part of the tradition of deer hunting, but it is important for hunters to be aware of the dangers of treestand hunting,” says Austin. “There are some great products on the market that fix this problem such as the Hunter Safety System Lifeline used in conjunction with a safety harness. This system allows the hunter to stay attached to the tree from the ground to the stand using a simple Prusik knot that slides up and down the line while ascending or descending the tree.”

Apart from using a proper-fitting full-body fall arrest system, Austin recommends treestand hunters keep the following in mind to stay safe this season:

- Select a live, straight tree to hang a stand on, and never hang a stand on a power pole.

- While hanging a stand or climbing a tree for the first time, use a full-body fall arrest system that is equipped with a lineman style climbing belt. A climbing rope, such as a HSS Lifeline, can then be permanently attached above the stand and to the base of the tree so that the hunter is always attached to the tree.

- Permanent stands are particularly dangerous and should be avoided because nails always pull out over time.

- ALWAYS maintain three points of contact with your steps or ladder while climbing up or down the tree.

- Use a haul line to raise or lower hunting equipment instead of trying to carry it.

- While the hunter is seated, there should be little to no slack in the tether that secures the hunter to the tree. Failure to keep the tether above the hunter could result in the hunter being unable to reboard the stand platform after a fall.

- Cold weather can affect the body and mind in several ways, including a delayed down reaction time, tightened muscles, and numbness, therefore treestand hunters should take every precaution to stay as warm as possible while hunting.

- Hunters should be cautious of any surface on the treestand that is wet, frosty or muddy. Failure to take notice of this can cause a hunter to lose traction, creating a potentially serious hazard.

For more information, including videos and current statistics on treestand safety, visit www.projectstand.net.