WRTC annual field meet -January 19 to 22, 2008

[Chris L.]

WRTC annual Field meet-

When- January 19 to 22, 2008

Where- El Dorado, Kansas

Info-
There are good restaurants in the area. The hawking is phenomenal. The date for the extended duck season here in Kansas has been posted. For our area in southeast Kansas it is 19-27 January 2008. Ducks are in plentiful supply, plus a good number of pheasants and bobwhite quail. Remember, this is the heart of the greatest concentration of prairie chickens in North America. There are cottontails, and if you want to drive 3 hours for a day of jackrabbit hawking we might be able to arrange it. Keep in mind that Kansas has a Walk-In Hunting Access Program (WIHA) which provides hunting access to private property with over 1 million acres enrolled in the program. A WIHA Atlas is available at hunting stores where hunting licenses are available. You can get your non-resident license online at www.kdwp.state.ks.us (http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/) or pick one up at the Walmart next door to the Meet hotel.
For those who might wish to trap a prairie, merlin or ferruginous, please contact Tonya Urban, Fisheries & Wildlife Falconry Coordinator, at 620-672-5911 or email her at tonyau@wp.state.ks.us.
Bill Murrin has some outstanding ideas for guest speakers.

For more information please contact Ron Krupa ron.krupa@raptorconservancy.org




Hotel Info-
Holiday Inn Express
3100 W. El Dorado Ave.
El Dorado, Kansas 67042 Standard Room Rate is $89.00 per night provided reservations are made prior to December 19, 2007. Reservations are made under WRTC. After December 19 the rate goes up to the standard $99.00. There may be an additional $25.00 dog fee but this needs to be clarified. Kim Smith says it is OK to park self-contained RV's in the parking area around the hotel. If some have bigger rigs there is an RV Park at El Dorado Lake.
Contact for reservations
Kim Smith
General Manager
316-322-7275

[heathen]

Here is the most recent info.


Tune-up to the WRTC Field Meet 2008 in El Dorado Kansas from 19-22 January 2008 held at the new Holiday Inn Express.
Registration
Registration will be Saturday 19 January 2008. Registration will take place in the Conference Room at the Holiday Inn Express. Signs will be posted in the lobby to show the way. Registration Fee is $15.00 and $5.00 for anyone joining WRTC at the time of registration or any WRTC member who pays dues at this time or has already paid for 2008. The meet packet will include a meet print generously donated by Craig Hendee, a map of the region with a clear formula on how to find Prairie Chickens (ducks, pheasants, quail, bunnies and jacks too), a name tag (please wear them when in a social setting) and WRTC membership forms.



Activities
A Saturday Night Banquet will be held at the Red Coach Inn, Best Western (about a mile down the main highway east towards town) with two entrees offered - Chicken or Steak - starting at 7 PM. This is the time to share hawking information and to see how people fared in the field the first day. There will be a general meeting where Jim Ingram will share the preliminary agenda and his vision for WRTC with an open session accorded the participants to give input. Please RSVP Ron Krupa at ronkrupa@hotmail.com and state your preference.

SPEAKER: Brian McDonald has agreed to come from Texas (where he tells me he still traps the sands for Peregrine banding, not Padre Island) and will share his amazing trapping experiences of the last several decades on the Eastern Beaches. This will be a stellar presentation and will happen Sunday evening 20 January 2008 at 7:30 PM in the main conference room Holiday Inn Express.


We will provide a vendor room for those who wish to hawk their wares.


Weathering Yard
El Dorado has been kind enough to donate the material required for weathering facilities. This will be an unmanned yard and all participants who use it will be responsible for their birds. Please make sure your equipment is sound and your perches are anchored. Remember weathering yard etiquette: no dogs, no feeding of birds, no high perches and make note to get your birds in before dark.

Updates
It is my understanding some out-of-state falconers will be filtering into Kansas early to scope out hunting opportunities and some that will stay after the meet. The upland game populations appear good and, should the thaw continue, many ducks should grace the ponds and puddles. Bunny populations look good too and I understand there may be jackrabbit opportunities just northeast of El Dorado. For those who wish to avail of local talent, there are guide services in El Dorado and this contact information will be made available at registration.



Questions can be directed to Ron Krupa at 316 831 9601.



LETS HAVE FUN.



I include some other accommodations options:



Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites EL DORADO, KS MEET HEADQUARTERS
3100 W. EL DORADO AVE.
El Dorado, KS 67042
Nightly Rates: ($89.00 - $139.00)
2 Star



Best Western Red Coach Inn
2525 West Central Street
El Dorado, KS 67042
Nightly Rates: ($93.99 - $93.99)
2 Star



El Dorado Super 8 Motel
2530 West Central
El Dorado, KS 67042
Nightly Rates: ($60.00 - $60.00)
1 Star