Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area News
Area News
Teal hunters enjoyed a good season, even with the limited water area to hunt averaging about 2.8 teal per hunter.
The regular duck season is closed. For the season at Cheyenne Bottoms, duck hunters averaged 2.8 ducks per hunter. For the last week of December, goose hunters averaged 0.3 goose per hunter.
We currently estimate total duck numbers to be at best 4,000 with mallard and pintail being the most common species. Goose numbers are down from last week. Total estimated goose numbers are between a few thousand to no more than 15,000. The Area is about 50% and the roads are a bit muddy due to the recent rains and snow.
In spite of the hot, dry summer, we have managed to hold on to some water thanks to our early spring pumping of Pools 2 and 3B into Pool 1 and a few rains. Pools 2, 3A and 4A are dry and Pool 5 has very limited water. Currently Pool 4B has about 14 inches and Pool 3B is estimated at 11 inches. Current water depths are: 1A- 12 inches; 1B and 1C- 16 inches; Pool 4B is about 12 inches and Pool 3B is estimated at about 9 inches. Pools 2, 3A, 4A and 5 are dry.
A future project planned for Cheyenne Bottoms will increase efficiency of the inlet system. Plans are under development that will convert the open canal from Dundee to Dry Creek into buried pipe. This canal carries the water from the Arkansas River to Dry Creek. Tubing this strectch of the inlet will eliminate seepage of water from the canal, reduce illegal dumping, eliminate the loss of water to trees and reduce overall maintenance demands on that stretch of the inlet. A consultant engineering firm has been selected and they will develop the plans and specifications for the project. Construction may begin as early as January 2012.
Visit the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at Cheyenne Bottoms. They have educational exhibits directed at describing the role wetlands play in the natural world with a focus on Cheyenne Bottoms. Find out the wide variety of wetlands found in Kansas, you may be surprised at the diversity in this grassland state. Their location is in the southeast portion of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area along Kansas Highway 156. Their hours are Tuesday through Saturday 8 to 5, Sunday 1 to 5, and closed on Monday. The phone number is 620-786-7456.
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