Beginning in 2013, Kansas drivers can buy the new “Kansas State Parks Passport” along with their annual vehicle registration for a fee of $15. The new permit is available only at annual vehicle registration and is valid until the expiration of the registration.

Those wishing to buy standard permits still can at KDWPT offices. Prices will remain $25. Those drivers 65 and older displaying special disability placards will receive a discounted price of $13.75 on their annual permits.

A KDWPT Biologist visited the site and confirmed the photos today. This cat is the Ninth to be officially confirmed in the state of Kansas since 2007.

The KDWPT stated in a release, “ongoing research by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, dispersing mountain lions, which are primarily young males, feed mostly on medium-sized animals such as raccoons, raptors, coyotes, and turkeys. They feed on deer less frequently, which take days to consume and likely hinder their movement across the landscape as they search of the opposite sex and an area in which to establish a permanent home range. There is no evidence of a resident population of mountain lions in Kansas.”

The program, started in 1998, leases private waters for public fishing access. These sites are open for public access from March 1 to Oct. 31 or year-round with a 10-percent lease increase for those owners willing to allow year-long use.

The program takes three different access categories — ponds, streams and big river access.

Pond leases are contracted by the acre with base leases in the $75-$125 per/acre/year depending on the location of the pond. Ponds allowing carry in boats will receive an additional $10 per acre, and those allowing all boats receive a bonus of $25 per acre.

KDWPT aims to increase stream access by leasing streams at a rate from $500 to $1,500 per mile. Those sites allowing paddle-sports could receive a bonus of $500-$700 per mile. To be eligible for the additional paddlesports payment, the stream stretch must be at least one-mile, with put-in and take-out spots (bonus applies only between put-in and take-out spots), and signed up for a long-term lease (minimum five years).

The KDWPT is also trying to increase the number of big river access sites in the state. Landowners with adequate launch facilities on the Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri rivers can receive $1,500 per site. If the site is within 10 river miles of any other public access site a landowner can annually receive $2,000 per site.

For more information contact the KDWPT at 620-672-5911 or www.ksoutdoors.com.

This year is different. Thanks to a few close friends, I have a new addiction. An addiction that is flowing over the bounds of the traditional fishing season and taking over my sporting life.

This Rocky Ford Wiper was the first fish caught on my new 6-weight Ross/Sage rod and reel combo.

My Fascination with fishing on the fly started eight months ago with a cheap Cabela’s 5-weight kit rod, a still water fly box and the Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing. After making every neophyte mistake in the book, catching just enough fish to stay interested,  for nearly 6 months, I took an afternoon trip to Yager’s Flies in Lawrence. Owner, Ron Johnson, quickly snuck a 7-weight in my hands and forced me to learn a more correct cast.

Since then, my fly fishing hobby has grown into a borderline, or maybe straight-up, obsession. My obsession has engulfed a lifelong friend, led me to a couple new ones and cost me a solid amount of cash along the way. The scariest notion for an obsessed angler like myself, is that fish can be caught in any weather. I don’t buy in to the old adages like, “if the wind’s in the east, fish bite the least.” They aren’t true. You can catch fish at any time. Sure, sometimes are better than others, but here’s my case with a little help from the Kansas weather.

It was a beautiful, 70-degree autumn Sunday after another long week of Journalism

Rocky Ford provides a great fly fishing setting.

professors preaching deadlines and late college nights. After waking up somewhat early, I had fishing on the brain. After a short phone call and some persuasion, my friend Brenton of 18 years was procrastinating on homework to hit Rocky ford fishing area North of Manhattan, Kan..

The trip was fruitful, we caught and released 62 wiper among four fishermen, but one thing was obvious. Waderless fly fishing just wasn’t enough for my new addiction. So I petitioned my pocketbook and a Christmas advance to get a hold of a pair of Redhead waders, lightly insulated for versatile use.

The problem with insulated waders, however, is they give you a false sense of confidence to fish in adverse conditions. Thus began my recent weekend trek to my favorite quick hitter lake Douglas State Fishing Lake near Baldwin City, Kan. The thermometer read 38 degrees, but I’m an addict. The low temperatures only meant stocking caps, gloves and woolen socks under my waders.

Hold on, just hold on, it wasn’t that bad. With all the insulation the bulky nature of the clothing was more detrimental to my day than the cold.

Douglas County Largemouth provide great game on the fly.

After wading to one of our favorite spots, I struck the proverbial pay dirt. After a near perfect (Note Ron I said near perfect, but it was still pretty good) double haul cast a largemouth came to play on the first cast in the water. The fight was impressive considering the size of the fish. Six fish and an hour later, I decided enough was enough in the cold weather.

The cloudy day mixed with the crisp, frigidity of a late autumn afternoon have me day dreaming of getting back to the water in the midst of history class.

My guess is these day dreams aren’t stopping any time soon.

Trakker is a German shorthaired pointer owned by Gary, and Lesley Busboom of Fallon, Nevada. His history wouldn’t suggest talent at the highest level, but history is one thing that doesn’t faze the Busboom’s or the dogs they train.

Busboom prepares to fire after a successful point from his German Shorthair Trakker.

This particular shorthair was picked up by animal control after escaping the confines of his owner’s backyard three times. After three strikes with animal control, he was designated for euthanasia. Fortunately for Trakker, the veterinarian’s office contacted Leslie who promptly saved him, beginning the Busboom’s love affair with training rescue dogs.

“The pound, especially after hunting season, got several German shorthairs in,” Mrs. Busboom said. “We started to get pretty full, but I said when you’re ready to put a dog down call me. As it turned out, Trakker was on his last strike and was going to be put down when we adopted him.”

Trakker was one of four Busboom shorthairs competing at the 2012 Bird Dog Circuit World championships. The Busbooms have rescued dogs from as far west as Calif. to as far east as Texas. Training these rescued K9s to hunt in a field trial setting is met with several challenges.

“Some of these dogs, coming in, are bird shy or they’re gun shy,” Mr. Busboom said. “Everyone of them have come with issues. A lot of these dogs were abused so they’re skittish around even us for a while. The gun-shy dogs are the toughest to work with. Sometimes they just never get used to it.”

The couple trains their dogs on their own without the help of expensive trainers.

“I do the initial training, the feeding and exercise them everyday.” Mrs. Busboom said. “They’re all house pets so I take care of a lot of that as well.”

Trakker on point.

To some German Shorthair owners this may seem a bit odd as many Shorthairs, once allowed in the house, aren’t believed to perform at a high level. Mrs. Busboom said their dogs haven’t seen that dip in performance.

Mr. Busboom said boosting these dogs confidence throughout the training process takes hundreds of birds. But fieldwork isn’t the only thing the Busboom’s work to refine.

“They come with jumping problems, barking problems. Every dog is unique and every one of them have an issue. We’ve had dogs that weren’t socialized with other people to dogs that were rarely ever out of a backyard kennel.”

Although the couple’s shorthairs didn’t qualify for the finals at this year’s BDC World Championships, they did do well in the Pre-Worlds trial at Muddy Creek Game birds. His dogs won both divisions with Patch winning the Top Gun title and Pogo the Doubles.

For the Busboom’s it’s the challenge of giving these dogs a newfound confidence and direction that makes the added work worth it.

“It’s definitely a challenge,” Busboom said. “Anyone can hire a trainer, but when you train a dog yourself, especially a dog like these, there’s a lot more self satisfaction in it.”

In Trakker’s first round top gun run of the weekend event, he embodied his measured yet rebellious nature with a quick run, but a penalty for a trapped bird.

“That dog’s been doing it all of his life,” Busboom said. “You can go out in training and put five birds around him and he’s just steady. But as soon as somebody starts following him with a clipboard and a stopwatch he gets a bit aggressive. He knows when the bright lights are on.”

For Trakker, it’s been a life of pushing the limits. Whether it be a quest for unfenced territory or pushing for a faster time on the trial field. He’s on his fourth strike, but the Busbooms aren’t counting. To them it’s a labor of love.

Gary Busboom waits as Trakker retrieves a downed bird.

“You never have trouble feeding them,” Mrs. Busboom said. “In all seriousness though, I get more enjoyment from these dogs, because they, I think, are just more loyal. They become more attached to you when they come from a home of neglect.”

Pete on point during his final run.

A 28 hour drive from their home in Nevada, the pair stared down a field filled with six fresh birds and a couple of leftovers. The added pressure of competing in the 2012 Bird Dog Circuit World Championships was palpable.

English Pointers brought helicopter pilot, Matthews, and, farmer, Wesner together. The two live 100 miles apart, but for the past two years have been full-time doubles partners in BDC competition. With seven dogs at the BDC World Championships, the two showcased their veteran approach to doubles competition and the dogs that they live for.

“Our dogs have the same blood lines,” Matthews said. “It works out great because they handle to both of us. It doesn’t matter at this point whether it’s his dog or my dog they look at both of us as dads.”

Of the seven English Pointers Matthews and Wesner brought to the championships, the most unusual are the “Three Sisters” Lou, Jill and Gina. Jill, a year older than Gina and Lou, was the Puppy of the Year in 2009.

“They’ve been great dogs for us – all over the country,” Wesner said. “Jill especially really knows how to work the wind. They have the nose to pick up the bird from a long distance.”

Bryan takes a shot in Lou’s run.

But good dogs are only part of the equation to being a good doubles team. In a competition that emphasizes accurate shooting, safe dog handling and speed over the course of three birds. The two can flat-out shoot. During a mid-afternoon run in doubles competition, a chukar flushed quickly and flew high above Wesner straight into the sun. This is a shot few complete successfully, either losing the bird in the sun or taking a blind shot to no avail.

Bing and his trusted Browning after another successful shot.

“Sometimes when they get up into the sun you can take a shot and hit one.” Wesner said. “I decided to wait until I could actually see the bird, when it moved past the sun. When it did, I shot it.”

Wesner provides a grin and simple description for a process that requires a discipline that comes from years behind a shotgun. But for the Nevada duo, shots come second to their dogs.

For these two it’s all about the dogs. Their final run of the day featured a two-year-old pointer named Pete.

Pete’s run was a struggle. A combination of fast flying birds, windy conditions and a tough shooting day for Matthews, one in which Matthews claimed he missed for the first time since 2011 in competition, led to Pete’s elimination from the doubles portion of the four-day event.

“It’s not whether I win or lose.” Matthews said. “It’s how my dog worked. You can see it in this run – how happy he is.”

After struggling on the mid-field birds, the stats of this doubles run fell from importance, but Pete continued  to point bird-after-bird with magazine photo form. This run was a rare opportunity for Matthews and Wesner to train in the pressure of a trial run situation. Their dog may have missed the cut, but the exhibit of pure style in the field made the 28-hour drive worth every second for Matthews.

Bryan after a successful run.

“That’s a perfect example of why I do this,” Matthews said. “I said it once. It’s not about whether I win or lose, but seeing a dog that’s barely 2 years old perform like that. I lost track of how many birds he pointed, but if the dogs perform well, that makes them happy and Bing and I happy. That’s what this is about.

For the record, Pete pointed eight in his final run of the day.

Ada Finnell shoots a hard flushing bird over Jacob Edward’s Brewster. An early look at the birds in practice proved just how well the Muddy Creek Gamebirds products fly.

The field, featuring over 200 runs in four days, is filled with the best dogs in the nation. Matching the talented field with, the superb facilities and field conditions, the 2012 edition of worlds should offer several examples of text-book dog work.

After an early look at the fields and birds today, the star-studded field is preparing for tough shooting provided by the fast flying Muddy Creek birds.

Thursday’s slate includes the Pointing and Flushing division doubles slate and the Pointing and Flushing division Ladies match play. The trial starts at 7:30 a.m. and will run deep into the afternoon.

Kansas Afield coverage includes daily results and feature stories from the field. Follow @kansasafield on Twitter for results and the storylines of the day.

A recent survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed and increase of hunting and angling by 9 and 11 percent respectively. The accounts for 2.6 million person increase in participation in wildlife associated recreation. Bob Marshall’s recent Field and Stream article details the study.

KDWPT Releases annual hunting regulations

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism released the 2012 hunting regulations online today. Hard copies won’t be found in stores until Sept. 1, but for those that can’t wait the download is available on the KDWPT hunting regulations page.

Brent Chapman poised to win B.A.S.S. angler of the year

A recent article from Star outdoors editor Brent Frazee detailed Chapman’s rise to the top of the sport.

El Dorado state park named top “water park”

The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation voted El Dorado state park one of the eight best “water parks” in the country based on its many opportunities for recreational boating and solid fishery. The list included parks in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Florida, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Tennessee and New Hampshire.

For most Kansas outdoorsman dove season is a diversion — something to entertain until the upland and waterfowl seasons open. As a result, Kansans often make simple mistakes when it comes to the southern art of the dove hunt. No not everyone is expected to invite 40 friends out for a field hunt followed by the traditional barbecue, but there area few simple things to remember when hitting your favorite local dove locale.

Although not my favorite, the smooth swinging over-under matched with an experienced shooter is a great combination.

First, smaller guns aren’t necessarily a better idea when chasing the fast-moving species. Sure a lot of us started with a .410, but a 12 or 20-gauge gun works better in catching birds in the pattern of a shot-shell. Many western Kansas upland hunters make the mistake of choosing a smaller gauge to save weight, but dove hunting is a sedentary pursuit. There’s no need to walk three miles and no need for a light shotgun. Find a good water source, grab your five-gallon bucket, and wait.

Second, it doesn’t take four shot to take down a dove. Or a full choke for than matter. Personally, a modified choke with your choice of eight shot ammunition in 12 or 20-gauge has done the job for me over the years. Some prefer improved cylinder chokes in the dove field, but to take longer shots modified is preferable.

Finally, I’d like to list three of my favorite models and their equivalents to help you in the pursuit of the perfect dove gun. Over-under shooters will disagree, but semi-automatic guns — followed closely by pump actions — are your best option afield.  My favorite dove gun Is a wooden stock Remington 1187 12-gauge. Yes it’s heavy. For doves weight is irrelevant, and after all I’m just more manly than a lightweight Benelli man. That being said the Benelli Cordoba series is great for any dove hunt. In fact, the line is named for the Argentinean dove center of Cordoba. The stock pump-guns of most companies also make a formidable force in the dove fields.

So remember on Sept. 1 when you head out for the first hunt of the year, take it easy.  Grab a chair, an ample supply of shells and rejoice. The season is back. Let the fun begin.