The Kansas BHA Podcast

Today Marshal Loftus and Kurt Ratzlaff sit down with National Deer Association Director of Policy Catherine Appling-Pooler.  NDA does a great job of monitoring wildlife legislation in each state and letting their members know what is going on.  Catherine is a wealth of knowledge on wildlife commission issues and policy issues regarding wildlife. She has written some great articles which are linked below.

Kansas BHA Board Chair Marshal Loftus and Kansas BHA Legislative Chair Kurt Ratzlaff breakdown and summarize the most recent KDWP Commission meeting.  These meetings can be long and exhaustive so we thought this might be a good way to keep our members and listeners engaged!

KDWP Commission Meetings can be found HERE

Kansas BHA Chair Marshal Loftus sits down with Jeff Prendergast from KDWP, former KS BHA board member Jeff Hancock, and KS BHA board member Chad Woods.  We discuss habitat conditions, and the forecast for hunting Pheasants, Quail, and Prairie Chickens in 2024/2025.  Don't tell anyone, but it is looking pretty dang good folks!

The Official KDWP 2024 Upland Forecast is now live as well!

2024 KDWP Upland Forecast

Kansas BHA board members Marshal Loftus, Kyle Pokorny, and Kurt Ratzlaff sit down with former KDWP Commission member Lauren Queal Sill.  We discuss all things commission related including: How the commission works, misconceptions, rumors, changes to the commission, and much more!

Arn Eccles and Amy Keigher join the KS BHA podcast today along with KS BHA board members Chuck Bartlett and Marshal Loftus.  If you would like to learn more about the Extension Master Naturalist program, check out their website below.  Enjoy!

Extension Master Naturalist Program

On this episode we join KDWP as they collect walleye eggs at Hillsdale Reservoir to rear at the KDWP hatcheries and redistribute around the state!

Lyndzee Rhine drops some mushroom knowledge on us and discusses what is hot in the mycelial world. Pick up some hot tips on where to find them in the woods and understand what makes them pop!

The pocket guide we used:

https://gpnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GPNC-Mushrooms.FINAL_.pdf

Check out Lyndzee discussing mushrooms with pictures!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZQUQVUIFIs&t=958s

Kent Fricke, the Small Game Coordinator for KDWP, gives us an update on all things Turkeys in the state of Kansas.  

Today we sit down with Chris Mullins from Kansas Forest Service to discuss the variety of services offered by KSFS and much more.  Enjoy!

Kansas Forest Service

02/23/2024 UPDATE - HB 2671 & HB 2672 ARE DEAD.  PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS REGARDING HB 2582 & SB 347.

Another short episode detailing 4 bills that are currently alive in legislation that would be bad for the Kansas Outdoors.  Tune in to learn more about these and reach out to your legislator to oppose these bills!

BHA Blog Post Discussing the Bills: Click Here

Find your Legislator: openstates.org

SB 347 - Senate Confirmation of KDWP Commission

Bill Link: Click Here

HB 2582 - Changing the KDWP Commission Selection Process

Action Alert: Click Here

Bill Link: Click Here

Hearing Youtube Video: Click Here

Committee Passing of Bill Youtube Video: Click Here

HB 2671 - Refunding Nonresident Hunting Licenses

Bill Link: Click Here

Hearing Youtube Video: Click Here

Committee Passing of Bill Youtube Video: Click Here

HB 2672 - Issuing Landowner Appreciation Deer Permits

Bill Link: Click Here

Hearing Youtube Video: Click Here

Committee Passing of Bill Youtube Video: Click Here