Kansas bans hunting and fishing guides on state-managed lands

Hunting and fishing guides will no longer will be welcome on state-managed public land in Kansas.

At its meeting June 23, the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission voted unanimously to ban hunting and fishing guiding on areas such as state wildlife areas, including those on federal reservoirs, state-owned fishing lakes, and walk-in hunting and fishing properties leased by the state.

The effects will be far-reaching. For example, guides will no longer be able to guide waterfowl hunters on popular areas such as the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area or deer hunters on wildlife areas. However, the ban will not affect fishing guides on federal reservoirs such as Perry, Clinton, Milford and others, or hunting or fishing on private lands and bodies of water.

The move had been discussed at past commission meetings, and final action was taken June 23.

“In the past year, we’ve had a number complaints from sportsmen who were unhappy with guides,” said Stuart Schrag, who is in charge of public-lands management for Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. “They felt they were being crowded out of good hunting spots by guides and they didn’t think it was fair.”

In the meeting, Commission Chairman Gerald Lauber said he thought the ban would be well-received by Kansas hunters and fishermen.

“I think universally that the elimination of guiding on public land has been accepted and embraced (by Kansas hunters and fishermen),” he said. “I think (the ban) is the thing to do.”

Missouri already has a similar regulation in place. The Wildlife Code specifies “guiding for pay is prohibited on Department (of Conservation) areas.”

Interim director named

Tom Draper, a longtime employee of the Missouri Department of Conservation, has been named the department’s interim director.

The temporary appointment comes after director Bob Ziehmer announced that he will be resigning July 15 to pursue a new career in the conservation field.

Draper has served as deputy director of resource management and as chairman of the regulations committee since 2010. Before that he was a regional supervisor in the department’s Forestry Division.

The Missouri Conservation Commission will continue to make a nationwide search for the agency’s permanent director position.

Outdoor Adventure Day

Families will get a crash course in the outdoors when Cabela’s and the U.S. Sportsmen Alliance Foundation team to produce Family Outdoor Adventure Day on July 9.

The event, which will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be based at the Cabela’s store in Kansas City, Kan. Twenty conservation organizations and businesses will join forces to help with the special program.

Activities will include an intro to archery, BB gun shooting, fish and animal identification, fly casting, minnow races, a backyard bass casting game, duck calling, instruction on how to set up a campsite, camp cooking, youth education stations and more.

Summer Family Camp

Summer camp is now in session at Bass Pro Shops across the country.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, families can participate in free workshops from noon to 4 p.m.

Topics include fishing, hunting, archery, camping, hiking, bird watching, water safety and gardening. Games and crafts will be included for children.

The weekly sessions will be held through July 24.

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 2:03 PM.