The biggest two hunting days of the year kept game wardens busy over the weekend.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism reported a number of violations during the opening weekend of the pheasant and quail regular season which began Saturday. The weekend reporting period ran from 7:00 p.m. on Friday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
No injury or fatal hunting incidents were reported. Wardens are investigating a boating incident that occurred at Stockdale Cove at Tuttle Creek Reservoir Saturday night. A 61-year old victim remains hospitalized at Stormont-Vail Healthcare in Topeka.
Across the state, wardens checked 704 hunters who had harvested 343 pheasants and 50 quail.
Game wardens and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers conducted a driver’s license and wildlife check lane on southbound US-81 in Ottawa County on Sunday night. Wardens checked 53 vehicles with 109 hunters who were transporting six deer, 111 pheasants (most were harvested in South Dakota), and 25 quail. One ticket was issued for failure to tag a deer.
Wardens arrested a man in Rice County Saturday night for trapping furbearers out of season, no fur harvester license, untagged traps, and felon illegally possessing a handgun. The furharvester season starts November 12.
A tip to Operation Game Thief Saturday night led wardens to three people in Greenwood County who are being investigated for multiple deer hunting violations. Charges are pending. The regular firearm deer season is December 3-14.
A warden in Osage County apprehended a man stealing diesel fuel from a farmer’s tractor late Friday night. He was booked into jail for theft and driving while suspended.
A warden in Pottawatomie County worked with sheriff’s officers to apprehend a group illegally hunting with artificial light Saturday night. In addition to three people charged for illegally hunting with artificial light, they were charged with no hunting licenses and transporting open containers of alcohol.
A summary of the weekend activity follows:
ACTIVITY
Total boat accidents investigated 1
Total boat violation citations 4
Total boat accident injuries 1
Total boat violation warnings 2
Assist other law enforcement incidents 19
Trespassing / hunting without permission citations 6
Trespassing / hunting without warnings 6
Illegal means to take deer / turkey citations 2
Illegal means to take deer / turkey warnings 0
Hunting game illegally from a vehicle citations 4
Hunting game illegally from a vehicle warnings 1
Hunting without a license citations 13
Hunting without a license warnings 8
Big game permit violation citations 3
Big game permit violation warnings 8
Other crime arrests 3
