KDWP seeks public comment on draft deer recommendations
PRATT -- Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is seeking public input on ways to streamline, simplify, and improve current deer permitting processes and hunting opportunities. In 2005, the Kansas Legislature's House Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Committee requested that KDWP present ideas to simplify and condense deer-related statutes. In January of 2006, KDWP's Deer Task Force presented draft recommendations on deer permitting to the Legislature. The Task Force’s draft recommendations include some major changes in deer permit procedures and hunting regulations, and the group requested a year before final recommendations be presented. The Task Force wanted time to receive public input on the suggested changes.

Since January, the Task Force has received public comment through the KDWP web log , email, telephone, and mail, and more than 300 responses have been considered. The Task Force is also preparing surveys to send to hunters this month in an attempt to better understand attitudes about deer and deer hunting.

The final avenue for public input will be meetings held throughout the state. Beginning Aug. 1, 14 public meetings will be conducted in all regions of Kansas. Deer Task Force members will present the draft recommendations to the public and listen to opinions from public participants. Below is a complete listing of meeting dates, locations and times. The full Deer Task Force Draft Recommendations can be seen here under "Deer Task Force Legislative Report."

All meetings begin at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

• August 1 -- Medicine Lodge at the Heritage Center Community Room, 1056 SE Isabel Road;
• August 2 -- Wichita at the Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. North;
• August 3 -- Winfield at Southwestern College, Wroten Hall, 100 College Street;
• August 7 -- Salina at Kansas Wesleyan College, Peter Science Hall, 100 E. Claflin;
• August 8 -- Colby at the Community Building, 285 E. 5th;
• August 9 -- Phillipsburg at the Huck Boyd Center, 860 Park Street (7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.);
• August 10 -- Hays at the Hays High School Auditorium, 2300 E. 13th;
• August 14 -- Seneca at Valentino’s, 604 N. 11th;
• August 15 -- Topeka at the Historical Museum's Library Lobby, 6425 SW 6th;
• August 16 -- Kansas City at Cabela's, I-70 and I-425 (6 p.m.-8 p.m.);
• August 22 -- Garden City at Garden City Community College, 801 Campus;
• August 29 -- Iola at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 1021 N. State;
• August 30 -- Emporia at the Best Western Hospitality Room, 3021 W. Highway 50; and
• August 31 -- Independence at Memorial Hall, 410 N. Penn Ave.

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