KDWPT

At 9 a.m. Oct. 8, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will host an Angler Educator Certification Course at Fort Hays State University’s Albertson Hall ,Room 305. The KDWPT is looking for volunteers who would like to pass on their love of fishing, and the outdoors.

Due to budget cuts and staff reductions, the KDWPT is unable to meet all of its goals in the area for angler education without help from volunteers. So, just over three years ago, the Angler Education program using volunteers was started. The first certification class was taught at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita in 2013. Basically, the KDWPT is trying to do for angling what Hunters Ed has done for hunting.  To do this they need to build an army of volunteers.

David Breth is the Coordinator for Aquatic Education with the KDWPT.  He will be one of the instructors at the certification course. He maybe reached at [email protected] or (620) 672-5911.

There are currently around 400 instructors in the state of Kansas. The vast majority are in the eastern part, with only a handful living more than 25 miles west of I-135. There has only be one other class taught west of Salina and that was at Dodge City High School last summer. In an attempt to grow the program in Western Kansas, KDWPT is having the class in Hays and are looking for volunteers.

For more information on the course or how to help, contact Lynn Davignon at [email protected].

Additional details on the program also can be found at fishingsfuture.org.