WIHA acreage expansion ideas...

no matter what the improvement in habitat we seek, it is all about making it pay for the landowner, simple as that.
 
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/CONSERVATION-RESERVE-PROGRAM-CRP-SIGN-UP-DEADLINE-AUG.-27

If someone already posted this I apologize. Just found it and figured out what may have happened to a few of our favorite places that are missing. The WIHA places I noticed gone were CRP fields.......before....they may be crop fields now:(

If they re-enroll the 4.4 million acres they're calling out in this report, we're in good shape. I can't wait to see how many come out to enroll their properties on August 27!
 
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More CRP = More WIHA?

kansasbrittany said:
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/CONSERVATION-RESERVE-PROGRAM-CRP-SIGN-UP-DEADLINE-AUG.-27

If someone already posted this I apologize. Just found it and figured out what may have happened to a few of our favorite places that are missing. The WIHA places I noticed gone were CRP fields.......before....they may be crop fields now:(

If they re-enroll the 4.4 million acres they're calling out in this report, we're in good shape. I can't wait to see how many come out to enroll their properties on August 27!
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I hope new CRP enrollees grab the extra dollars by enrolling their new CRP acres in the WIHA. I wonder if new CRP enrollees are somehow made aware of KDWP's WIHA program.
 
BritChaser, all of the KDWP biologists work with the NRCS to promote WIHA. I believe we have at least 5 (maybe more) biologists that are stationed in NRCS offices to help maximize landowners involvement in federal programs beneficial to wildlife. Now, Pheasants Forever is also hiring biologists in Kansas whose entire responsibility is to maximize landowners use of federal programs to the benefit of wildlife. Hopefully, these PF biologists can fill the voids of our short staff and make big strides in enrolling acres in these beneficial programs. This should stabilize landowners income base by removing acres from production that currrently lose them money. Aside from the wildlife benefits, there will also be water quality and erosion prevention benefits from these programs. The neat thing is, these programs will be helping non-game species just as much as game species, thereby preserving our rural heritage for years to come.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
BritChaser, all of the KDWP biologists work with the NRCS to promote WIHA. I believe we have at least 5 (maybe more) biologists that are stationed in NRCS offices to help maximize landowners involvement in federal programs beneficial to wildlife. Now, Pheasants Forever is also hiring biologists in Kansas whose entire responsibility is to maximize landowners use of federal programs to the benefit of wildlife. Hopefully, these PF biologists can fill the voids of our short staff and make big strides in enrolling acres in these beneficial programs. This should stabilize landowners income base by removing acres from production that currrently lose them money. Aside from the wildlife benefits, there will also be water quality and erosion prevention benefits from these programs. The neat thing is, these programs will be helping non-game species just as much as game species, thereby preserving our rural heritage for years to come.
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great explanation to a very interesting thread.....thanks.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
BritChaser, all of the KDWP biologists work with the NRCS to promote WIHA. I believe we have at least 5 (maybe more) biologists that are stationed in NRCS offices to help maximize landowners involvement in federal programs beneficial to wildlife. Now, Pheasants Forever is also hiring biologists in Kansas whose entire responsibility is to maximize landowners use of federal programs to the benefit of wildlife. Hopefully, these PF biologists can fill the voids of our short staff and make big strides in enrolling acres in these beneficial programs. This should stabilize landowners income base by removing acres from production that currrently lose them money. Aside from the wildlife benefits, there will also be water quality and erosion prevention benefits from these programs. The neat thing is, these programs will be helping non-game species just as much as game species, thereby preserving our rural heritage for years to come.
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That is really great! Hats off again to the KDWP who are fantastic people who make hunting really happen big time in Kansas. We Kansans are very fortunate indeed to have the KDWP.
 
KS CRP Program

First, I want to thank everyone for putting together such an informative thread about how to improve the WIHA program. I currently live in Colorado and spend as much time chasin birds in CO and KS as my wife and daughter will allow, and up until last year, CO hunters paid a $20 WIHA fee. However, this year that fee has been waived and WIHA is free. This is only my guess, but without the additional funds I can only assume CO will begin to lose public hunting lands as a result.

Only speaking for myself, I think the $20 was more than reasonable to gain access to thousands of acres of public land. In addition, if KS instituted a similar fee (although we primarily hunt private land in KS) I would be more than willing to pony-up the extra money on top of my out-of-state license.
Last year while hunting with my family from Missouri, conversations arose about the CRP program being discontinued in KS altogether. Now before everyone jumps on me about the misinformation, please understand this is why I am here inquiring about such a statement. I am unsure if their truly is a change coming with CRP statewide, or if the land owners for the land we hunt around Great Bend are just choosing to farm to the road as opposed to enrolling it into CRP?

To some degree I can understand with our economy being in turmoil and budget shortages, that the government would decide to stop paying farmers to not farm their land as a good way to save a few bucks. However, with such a critical source of state revenue coming from in-state and out-of-state hunters I have a hard time believing that CRP is going by the wayside completely.

Any information I can receive will be welcomed. Hope everyone has had a good summer. Not much longer before we can throw on the orange and start chasin birds!
 
I'm looking into hunting ducks in Arkansas and there is an Arkansas duck stamp to buy in addition to the federal stamp. Your idea about a fee or stamp in Kansas would be similar. If the state had more money, the funds could be used to make more land available.

I think another idea that could help open up private land is to provide more protection to land owners from lawsuits for injuries occurred on their property. I know some are hesitant to allow hunters out of fear of liability. Blame the lawyers! (I am one, I can admit it).
 
OneEyedHunter said:
I'm looking into hunting ducks in Arkansas and there is an Arkansas duck stamp to buy in addition to the federal stamp. Your idea about a fee or stamp in Kansas would be similar. If the state had more money, the funds could be used to make more land available.

I think another idea that could help open up private land is to provide more protection to land owners from lawsuits for injuries occurred on their property. I know some are hesitant to allow hunters out of fear of liability. Blame the lawyers! (I am one, I can admit it).
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This is great input.....freaking lawyers!:D

Seriously though, I've been denied permission based on this very subject before. One lady said, would you let me bring my kids and go swimming in your pool in the city or would you be afraid of a lawsuit if we got hurt and deny us permission? Of course, I said sure I'd let you come and swim in my pool, but I get her point. She wasn't real excited about having another stranger knocking on her door, but the thought of having that stranger hurt himself, then come back and sue them was just too much for her.

Excellent point!!
 
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