Michael Pearce's Kansas Outdoors

Emporia’s Phil Taunton has been named “2012 Volunteer of the Year” by the National Wildlife Federation.

Emporia’s Phil Taunton has been named “2012 Volunteer of the Year by the National Wildlife Federation”. Taunton received the award last Saturday, at the conservation group’s annual meeting in Albuquerque.

A press release said Taunton was chosen because “his service and dedication to educating America on the importance of wildlife conservation.”

Taunton has been involved in many outdoors education programs in Kansas, including ECO-Meets, No Child Left Inside and the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman programs. He was also instrumental in publication of “Last Child on the Prairie: A Directory for Parents and Teachers for Returning Children to the Outdoors.” He has also been a leading member in several programs that have promoted youth enjoying the outdoors in honor of Beau Arndt, an area youth tragically killed by a poacher while he was hunting geese with his friends.

Taunton has also been active in creating anti-poaching legislation and pushes outdoors causes on his “What’s In Outdoors” radio show on KVOE, 14000 AM in Emporia.

It was always fun hunting with Mark Schulte, especially one trip when he had to leave the hunt while the rest of us were laughing. You see, it was just about the time the geese should start flying when our buddy Larry asked if Mark had a new hunting license for our first goose hunt of the new year. Nope, and New Year’s morning isn’t the easiest of times to find a license vendor, either.

So, here’s a reminder that you’ll need to renew hunting, fishing and furharvesting licenses before doing either of the three. Ditto for a trout stamp if you want to do some trout angling, third pole permits, too.

Your deer and turkey permits are still good, as are your waterfowl and HIP stamps.

Of course, you can JUST CLICK HERE and buy any of the above online.

ANNUAL ARK RIVER FLOAT CHANGED

The Arkansas River Coalition has announced their annual New Year’s Day float, at 2. p.m., has been changed to the Arkansas River because the Little Arkansas River is mostly covered in ice. Participants are now asked to meet just below the new Lincoln Street dam.  A press release said the river is shallow, and the use of kayaks is advised. The group can loan kayaks to those in need.

The final installment of news from last week’s Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission meeting at Flint Oak -

– Lloyd Fox, Wildlife and Parks big game program coordinator, said the department is pursuing offering non-residents a combination permit that pairs a whitetail antlerless-only permit with an any-whitetail permit. The legislature mandated the creation of some sort of combination permit in hopes that hunters would shoot more whitetail does if they already have an antlerless-only  permit. Fox said non-residents were picked because of the 21,000 permits sold to non-resident whitetail hunters, only 5,600 non-resident whitetail antlerless permits were sold. Also, many areas with high deer populations are leased for non-resident hunting opportunities. Fox suggested the combo permit could sell for $315. Currently it’s about $300 for an any- whitetail permit and $50 for an antlerless whitetail permit. The concept will be discussed in greater detail at future meetings.

– At the department’s request, the commission approved a new creel limit of 20 crappie per day at Glen Elder Reservoir, down from the usual 50 fish per day. Doug Nygren, fisheries chief, said the request was made by area anglers hoping to prolong good fishing from several good year-classes. Nygren said such a daily creel limit change has never been proven to help a fishery, largely because crappie are a short-lived species.

– The next commission meeting is Jan. 10, in El Dorado.