Latest news with #KDWP
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mountain lion sightings rise in Kansas, here's where they've been spotted
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Mountain lions, while still rare in the Sunflower State, are starting to become a more common sight in Kansas. 27 News got in touch with Matt Peek with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) this week to find out how many people have sighted the big cats in the state recently. The KDWP received 50 confirmed sightings of mountain lions from 2007 to 2023. But that number has more than doubled in the past two years to 110 reported mountain lion sightings since 2007. Peek said that some of the sightings reported, such as the multitude of recent reports in Pottawatomie County, may have been the same cat seen multiple times by locals using trail cameras. He said it is also possible that more than one cat was present in the same county at the same time, leading to the increase in confirmed sightings. 'There's not any evidence there's one living there [Pottawatomie County] right now,' Peek said. Ticks with cloning ability and carrying blood parasite may already be in Kansas, pose danger to cattle industry Peek said biologists are closely monitoring the movements of mountain lions following recent evidence of the animals reproducing in nearby Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conversation (ODWC) confirmed the presence of mountain lion kittens in two parts of the state in October and December 2024. 'The populations in neighboring states are doing well,' Peek said. 'Long-established populations in Colorado and New Mexico are thriving.' The KDWP has yet to find any similar evidence of mountain lions breeding or living in Kansas. Peek said that periods where multiple sightings were confirmed in Kansas in a short amount of time recently, such as in Sedgwick or Pottawatomie counties, could indicate that mountain lions may be sticking around in some areas for an extended period of time before leaving. 'We know there's been multiple cats through there [Pottawatomie County],' Peek said. 'One or more slowed down in that area. Why there instead of other areas of the state isn't completely obvious.' Kansas game wardens share photo of very rare albino fawn Peek said that as mountain lion populations become more established in neighboring states, the opportunities to see the big cats in the wild go up along with the chances they may start sticking around long-term in Kansas. He said the recent discovery of mountain lion kittens in Oklahoma could mean that Kansas isn't far behind with getting its own native-born pumas. 'Again, there's nowhere in the state where the evidence would indicate there's one living there,' Peek said. 'The odds of encountering one are still extremely low.' The KDWP confirms mountain lion sightings mostly through help from the general public and the use of trail cameras. Peek said many of the big cats usually make a beeline through Kansas and are long gone by the time a sighting is confirmed. 'We're still in the monitoring phase,' Peek said. 'We try to keep track of where they're confirmed.' What to do if you see a mountain lion in Kansas The KDWP provided a map and corresponding list displaying when and where mountain lions were confirmed to be in Kansas going back to 2007. You can find the full list and map below: 2025 Grant – July 19. Riley – May 2. Geary – April, 23. Pottawatomie – March 26. Pottawatomie – Feb. 11. Sherman – Feb. 7. 2024 Pottawatomie – Dec. 14. Doniphan – Dec. 4. Pottawatomie – Nov. 17. Pottawatomie – Nov. 16. Pottawatomie – Nov. 9. Pottawatomie – Nov. 7. Pottawatomie – Nov. 7. Pottawatomie – Nov. 7. Sedgwick – Nov. 4. Pottawatomie – Oct. 20. Pottawatomie – Oct. 20. Pottawatomie – Oct. 16. Pottawatomie – Oct. 14. Pottawatomie – Oct. 14. Pottawatomie – Oct. 14. Pottawatomie – Oct. 11. Pottawatomie – Oct. 7. Logan – Sept. 8. Meade – Sept. 1. Riley – July 5. Jewell – July 3. Pottawatomie – July 1. Pottawatomie – May 28. Pottawatomie – May 17. Pottawatomie – April 15. Pottawatomie – April 13. Sedgwick – March 28. Sedgwick – March 15. Sedgwick – March 2. Sedgwick – Feb. 27. Sedgwick – Feb. 25. McPherson – Feb. 15. Saline – Feb. 13. Marshall – Feb. 12. Pottawatomie – Feb. 21. Pottawatomie – Feb. 5. Pottawatomie – Feb. 6. Russel – Jan. 31. 2023 Pottawatomie – Dec. 22. Marshall – Dec. 22. Pottawatomie – Dec. 12. Pottawatomie – Dec. 11. Pottawatomie – Dec. 6. Pottawatomie – Nov. 22. Pottawatomie – Nov. 18. Labette – Oct. 18. Riley – Nov. 4. Riley – Nov. 2. Labette – Oct. 17. Thomas – Oct. 20. Labette – Oct. 13. Allen – Oct. 9. Marshall – July 28. Pottawatomie – July 20. Pottawatomie – July 19. Riley – April 10. Pottawatomie – April 8. Jefferson – March 30. Riley – Feb. 23. 2022 Chase – Nov. 26. Morris – Nov. 4. Elk – Oct. 14. Chase – Oct. 13. Wabaunsee – Oct. 4. Shawnee – Sept. 26. Riley – Sept. 12. Nemaha – Aug. 29. Leavenworth – May 11. Washington – Feb. 18. Republic – Feb. 17. Republic – Feb. 12. Ellis – Jan. 20. Ellis – Jan. 18. 2021 Sedgwick – May 18. Sedgwick – May 10. Gray – Feb. 6. Gove – Jan. 25. 2020 Kiowa – Dec. 24. Barber – Dec. 20 Riley – Dec. 19. Gove – Dec. 19. Ellis – Dec. 13. Osborne – Nov. 13. Decatur – Oct. 27. Comanche – Oct. 24. Rawlins – Oct. 1. Kiowa – Aug. 25. 2019 Rooks – Jan. 27. 2016 Riley – Dec. 2. Geary – Nov. 9. Wabaunsee – Nov. 24. Shawnee – Nov. 20. Rawlins – Sept. 16. Ford – Oct. 23. Reno – Sept. 4. 2015 Sumner – Sept. 9. Barton – Aug. 23. Ellis – Aug. 15. Rooks – Aug. 3. 2014 Labette – Sept. 24. 2012 Stafford – Oct. 31. Washington – Jan. 18. 2011 Atchison – Nov. 14. 2010 Nemaha – Dec. 7. Republic – Oct. 19. Cheyenne – March 26. 2009 Trego – Oct. 9. 2007 Barber – Nov. 1. You can make reports of rare wildlife sightings in Kansas by heading to the KDWP's website. To learn more about mountain lions in Kansas, click here. Should you help a turtle cross the road? For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Weird animal spotted near Lake Shawnee in Topeka, what is it?
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A local Topeka couple spotted a bizarre-looking animal on their property near Lake Shawnee last weekend. Jenny Brown told 27 News her husband, Jason Brown, spotted something strange on their property on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 2 in the area of Southeast West Edge Road and Southeast 45th Street just south of Lake Shawnee. She said her husband snapped a photo of the animal which, at first glance and after consulting with sources online, appeared to be a small black bear. 'This was in the morning in broad daylight vs at night or shaded areas like a nocturnal animal would be out in,' Jenny Brown said. Why are so many strange catfish coming out of Milford Lake? The Browns took to social media in a search for answers as to what the animal could be. Jason Brown reported the animal appeared to be about 25 pounds with no visible tail and did not run away when it spotted him. Black bears, while rare in Kansas, are becoming a more common sight in the southern and eastern parts of the state. Data from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) obtained by 27 News in August 2024 shows no recent reported sightings of black bears in or around Shawnee County. A black bear was spotted in May 2025 in the Kansas City area, prompting some locals to share photos and videos of their sightings online. Woman shocked to find boa constrictor on front porch in Topeka 27 News reached out to experts at the KDWP for their opinions on the strange sighting. Wildlife Research Biologist Matt Peek said the animal wasn't a black bear but actually appeared to be a not-so-normal raccoon. Peek said the raccoon captured by the Browns does not appear to be very healthy and may be suffering from some type of illness that has caused it to lose its normal hair coloration. Some underlying issues, not immediately apparent from the photo, may be at play that have caused the raccoon to adopt its odd appearance. 'Black color phases of raccoon do exist, but this one appears to have some type of skin/hair ailment – and does not appear to be healthy,' Peek said. 'Depending on what exactly it has, it could be caused by a variety of things including fungus or parasites, though the exact issue isn't apparent based on this photo.' Ticks with cloning ability may already be in Kansas, pose danger to cattle industry Shane Hesting, wildlife disease program coordinator at the KDWP, said the animal looks like a melanistic raccoon that may be suffering from canine distemper virus (CDV). KDWP commissioners voted last year to allow for open season hunting on raccoons in Kansas partially due to the spread of illnesses like CDV and a need to bring their growing population back down. 'It is common for Kansas raccoons to be sick and dying from CDV,' Hesting said. 'The fur doesn't appear to have any bare patches or scabby/leather-like skin showing, so it likely doesn't have sarcoptic mange or a skin disorder.' Hesting said the photo is the first documented sighting he has seen of a melanistic raccoon in Kansas. He said albino animals are occasionally seen in the wild, such as a pure white Kansas fawn spotted in June, and are very rare in nature. Hesting said albino animals are about one in 30,000 in wildlife but he isn't sure how rare a melanistic animal is. Mountain lion sightings rise in Kansas, here's where they've been spotted For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘This is a true giant': Man breaks Kansas blue catfish record with 121-pound Missouri River monster
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Missouri angler has broken a more than decade-old catfish record in Kansas by nearly 20 pounds. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) reports on its website the record for blue catfish was broken on May 15 this year by a man from Agency, Missouri. He caught the big catfish using a rod and reel with common carp used for bait. The new state record, caught on the Missouri River, weighs in at 121.1 pounds and measures in at 59.75 inches. The previous record, caught by an Olathe man using a rod and reel with cut bait on the Missouri River in 2012, weighed in at 102.8 pounds and measured in at 56.75 inches. Why are so many strange catfish coming out of this Kansas lake? 27 News got in touch with the angler, Daniel Mayer, who shared details on how he landed the big fish and how he feels about setting a new state fishing record. Mayer described his catch as 'truly just a fish of a lifetime' that he caught while fishing with a Big Cat Fever rod on the Missouri River late at night before an upcoming tournament. 'I really struggled to get her into the boat myself,' Mayer said. 'It was all still setting in like 'oh my gosh, this is a true giant.'' Mayer said he was wrapping up fishing on the river that night when he hooked the blue catfish. He was shocked by the size and weight of his catch as he reeled it in. 'I didn't realize until I tried to lift her up and into the boat just how big she was,' Mayer said. 'At first I thought my net was stuck on the side of the boat. Then I realized it's just a really, really big fish. I got her into the boat finally like 'holy cow, she takes up half of the bottom of my boat!'' What are the rarest fish you can catch in Kansas and where can you find them? Mayer said he started making phone calls to try and find out how to get the catfish weighed on a certified scale and determine which side of the state line his catch was made on. He eventually got his catch weighed at a business in Kansas City and verified by staff with the KDWP's fisheries division. 'It was just a lot,' Mayer said. 'Everything started hitting, the process of getting it weighed and everything.' The KDWP told Mayer his fish was around 23-years-old after he brought it in. He said he tried to keep it alive as best he could but thinks the process of reeling it in put too much stress on the fish. 'What I didn't understand was a fish that big and that old just doesn't have the reserve capacity,' Mayer said. 'The fight just wore her out so much she didn't recover.' Exotic pet fish are turning up in Kansas lakes, where do they come from? Mayer said he wants to try and get a replica made to commemorate his record catch. He shared some advice for other anglers looking to land a potential trophy catch. 'One of the biggest pieces of advice that was given to me and took to heart is you've gotta put the time in,' Mayer said. 'You take that advice and mold it to what you believe. You can ask all the advice in the world but you have to get out there and put it to use. It's just time on the water.' The last state fishing record to be broken in Kansas was a Redear sunfish caught in 2023. You can learn more about what it takes to set a new state fishing record by clicking here. Biologists find, study what's left of the world record flathead catfish caught in Kansas For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
Body of 12-Year-Old Boy Killed While Running on Train Tracks Discovered in River
The body of a 12-year-old boy killed by an oncoming train in Kansas was discovered on Sunday, June 22 The body was identified as Kollin Showalter Showalter and 16-year-old Arthur Pollreis were killed in the accident togetherThe body of a 12-year-old killed after being hit by a train on Wednesday, June 18, was discovered in the Neosho River in Labette County, Kan., on Sunday, June 22. Neosho County Sheriff Greg Taylor confirmed he was notified by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) about a sighting of the body in the river, per local news outlet Fox 4. KDWP, the Labette County Sheriff's Office and several first responders arrived on the scene near the KGE Dam, a couple of miles south of Highway 400, just after 12 p.m. local time on Sunday, the outlet reported. Labette County Sheriff Darren Eichinger said a fisherman found the boy's remains, per Fox 4. 'This has been a very hard week for everyone involved. I want to express my gratitude to every first responder and our community who contributed to our recovery efforts,' Taylor told the news station. The body has been transported to the Neosho County Coroner, per KWCH. The victim has been identified as Kollin Showalter. Showalter and Arthur Pollreis, who was 16, were walking on a railroad bridge over the Neosho River near Erie, Kan., when they were hit and killed by an oncoming train. Authorities recovered Pollreis' body shortly after the accident, but were unable to locate Showalter's body for several days. Water rescue and recovery teams searched the Neosho River with boats equipped with sonar. On Friday, June 20, additional resources, including cadaver dogs, were brought in to assist. Search and rescue was suspended on Saturday, June 21, amid dangerous water conditions, before ultimately resuming and discovering the body on Sunday. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A memorial fund for the families of the two boys has been set up at Commercial Bank in Erie. Donations can be made at any Kansas Commercial Bank location. Funeral arrangements for Showalter and Pollreis are to be announced, per a Facebook post from local business Parsons Livestock Auction. Counselors will be available to the community on Monday, June 23, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Erie High School, per Fox 4. PEOPLE contacted the Labette County Sheriff's Office and the Neosho County Sheriff's Office but did not immediately hear back. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Why are so many strange catfish coming out of this Kansas lake?
GEARY COUNTY (KSNT) – Oddly-colored catfish that are considered rare in other parts of the nation are being caught much more frequently in a Kansas lake and a team of biologists are trying to figure out why. 27 News got in touch with Ben Neely, a fisheries biologist with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), this week to learn more about why there are so many leucistic and piebald blue catfish in Milford Lake. Biologists are trying to crack this mystery by studying the resident populations of the not-so-blue blue catfish in the water. Milford Lake is Kansas' largest body of water with 163 miles of shoreline, according to the Kansas City District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Its waters hold many varieties of native and sports fish, including a strong population of blue catfish. Neely said the KDWP first started stocking blue catfish into Milford Lake back in 1990. Biologists introduced more than 165,000 of these catfish to the lake in the following decade until a successful breeding population was established. What fish are bad for your health in Kansas? Anglers who are familiar with the lake may know that it's home to an unusually large population of blue catfish that appear completely white (leucistic) or black and white (piebald). While these fish are considered very rare outside of Milford Lake, often catching national attention whenever they are caught, they are not so uncommon for Kansas' biggest lake. Alex Bumgardner, an angler from Eureka in Greenwood County, was out fishing on Milford Lake on June 9 when he hooked a piebald blue catfish. He compared his catch to the appearance of a killer whale due to its black and white colors. 'I started yelling to everybody, 'come check this out!'' Bumgardner said. 'I was tickled to death.' Exotic pet fish are turning up in Kansas lakes, where do they come from? Bumgardner said this was his first time catching one of these weird-looking catfish. He released the catfish after snapping a photo to remember the special occasion, but thought it was still strange that so many anglers are catching piebald and leucistic blue catfish at Milford Lake. 'It's definitely weird to have that kind of population in that lake,' Bumgardner said. Neely and other biologists with the KDWP conducted an electrofishing study in 2024 to begin putting the pieces of the catfish mystery together and find out why there are so many blue catfish in the lake that have skin pigment mutations. The study not only included a survey of blue catfish in the water, but interviews with anglers as well. Neely said he was pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback he and others received while participating in the research. 'We've had some good positive reception on this,' Neely said. 'We're working with Emporia State University (ESU) to try to look at it a little deeper and the cause of it.' Will this legendary Kansas catfish world record ever be beat? Neely and his team members gathered some shocking results following the conclusion of the 2024 study. Of the 2,611 blue catfish pulled from the water, a total of 359 or 13.7% of them were either leucistic or piebald. Neely said these kinds of numbers haven't been seen anywhere else. 'Milford seems to be an anomaly,' Neely said. '13.7% of the fish we captured showed this, and that is high, very high.' The biologists hope that an answer might lie in studying the genetics of the blue catfish and the environmental factors present in the lake. Neely said it is possible that inbreeding in the lake's population of blue catfish might be the answer and that a larger-than-usual number of catfish were stocked in the lake initially that carried the genes which cause leucism or piebald colors to appear. He also said that many anglers, like Bumgardner, will release blue catfish that appear out of the ordinary while keeping normal-looking blue catfish. 'We've always noticed these fish in the population, but it seemed rare,' Neely said. 'One here, one there. To see that number, that over 13% are exhibiting these characteristics, is eye-opening.' What are the rarest fish you can catch in Kansas and where can you find them? Neely said the environment may be to blame with some unknown factor playing a part in the coloration changes, but that this shouldn't worry people who fish on or jump into the lake. He said that KDWP biologists will return to the lake later in June to begin a new round of research to tackle the secret behind Milford Lake's odd-colored blue catfish. For anglers like Bumgardner, the lake remains a popular fishing destination. Bumgardner said he plans to return to the lake again to try his luck with catching another piebald or leucistic blue catfish. 'Once someone hooks into something like that you get hooked on that spot,' Bumgardner said. Neely said KDWP biologists and geneticists with ESU will work together to try and solve the mystery in the days ahead. You can download a copy of the study conducted by the KDWP in 2024 by clicking here. Near-record fish caught, released in a northeast Kansas lake For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
