Biologists from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism were on hand Thursday at the Kansas Wetland Education Center to discuss with the public proposed changes to current duck hunting zone boundaries. The meeting at KWEC was the second of seven public meetings scheduled across the state.

According to waterfowl biologist Tom Bidrowski, KDWPT is seeking public opinion on changing the boundaries of Kansas duck hunting zones. A KDWPT commission will make final their decision on selected zone boundaries during a meeting on October 22.

“Pending approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, any changes to the existing boundaries would be implemented starting in the 2016-17 duck hunting season,” said Bidrowski. “Those changes will remain in place through 2021-22.”

According to federal regulations, individual states may request boundary changes to hunting zones only once every five years.

The feds gave the green light to the state in 2011 to create a southeast duck hunting zone. The newly created zone stemmed from requests by hunters in southeast Kansas for a later season which, in turn, would produce large tallies of wintering mallards. That spurred protests from hunters in the northern section of the region because shallow marshes would freeze over shortly after the beginning of that particular zone’s season.

Presently, Kansas is divided into four zones: the High Plains Unit to the west, the Low Plains Early Zone which encompasses Cheyenne Bottoms and a short portion to the north and south, the Low Plains Late Zone and the Low Plains Southeast Zone.

According to Bidrowski options pertaining to the four zones include leaving the zones at the current boundaries, reducing the size of the zones, increasing the size of the zones or eliminating the zones entirely.

There is the possibility that if most of the hunting public is happy with the current boundaries, no changes would be made.

Other meetings scheduled around the state: HARTFORD-May 18, 6:30 p.m. (Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge, 530 West Maple Avenue Hartford, KS 66854), MCPHERSON-May 19, 6:30 p.m. (The McPherson Public Library, 214 W.Marlin St McPherson, KS 67460), OVERLAND PARK-May 20, 6:30 p.m. (Museum at Prairie Fire, 5801 W. 135th Street Overland Park, KS 66223), WICHITA-May 21, 6:30 p.m. (Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E.29th St. N Wichita, KS 67220), ERIE- May 22, 6:30 p.m. (Tony’s Function Junction 10300 Highway 59 Erie, KS 66733)

Comments and suggestions may also be shared with Bidrowski by calling 620-566-1456 or emailing tom.bidrowski@ksoutdoors.com.