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Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, KS Events

March

2 - 3 Central Kansas Spring Expo Great Bend - Over 200 Booths with exciting products and services!! The Great Bend Spring Expo is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to showcase the serv ... more

30Annual Easter Egg Hunt Lyons - Easter Egg Hunt takes place on the historic courthouse and is free to all children up to the 2nd grade level. The Easter Egg Hunt takes place the Satu ... more

April

6City Wide Garage Sale Ellinwood - Sponsored by the Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce. This year, instead of a fall and spring event, the City Wide Garage Sale will only take place in the s ... more

May

3 - 5 All Year Lyons High School Reuninon Lyons - A return to Yesteryear with nostalgia galore. Social events everyday, evening events, Golfing and more Fun to be had by the events of the mind (re ... more

17 - 19 St. John Jubilee St. John - St. John Jubilee is a Memorial Day weekend celebration that has been a community event for decades. At this event, the community traditionally welcome ... more

June

24 - 26 K-96 June Jaunt Ellinwood - The K-96 June Jaunt, complete with arts, antiques, crafts, cuisine, music and more! Look for city wide garage sales and sidewalk sales from Tribune to ... more

1 - 2 K-96 June Jaunt Great Bend - The K-96 June Jaunt, complete with arts, antiques, crafts, cuisine, music and more! Look for city wide garage sales and sidewalk sales from Tribune to ... more

1Annual Quivira Fishing Clinic Great Bend - Annual Quivira Fishing Clinic, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Registration from 8:30 - 9 a.m., Kids age 14 and younger go through stations on casting, fish identifi ... more

26 - 30 Barton County Fair Great Bend - Experience and enjoy the fruits of rural Kansas exhibits, demonstrations, carnival, entertainment, and concerts, ... more

July

29Christmas In July Antique, Art and Handmade Craft Lyons - Christmas In July Antique, Art and handmade craft Fair. Saturday July 9, 2016 9am to 3pm. Indoor and outdoor shopping. Rain or shine. Celebration ... more

3Fourth of July Celebration Great Bend - The show will begin as soon as it is dark enough (around 9:30 or 10 p.m.). Spectators are asked to park at the Expo Grounds to watch the display. Volu ... more

4 - 6 After Harvest Festival Ellinwood - THIRD WEEK -A 39 year tradition of Ellinwood, the After Harvest Festival is a wonderful celebration that brings visitors from near and far. The festiv ... more

5 - 6 Annual PRCA Rodeo Stafford - The Rodeo is held on the 2nd weekend in July (Friday and Saturday Nights). This event is put on by the Stafford Saddle Club. Community Garage Sales, ... more

9 - 13 Stafford County Fair Stafford - Food, fun, friendly people - come on and enjoy the fair days. Demo Derby --- Saturday night ... more

August

20Sylvia Annual Show & Shine Sylvia - Cars / trucks / motorcycle / tractors / 1 til 4 pm/ for the Trails West EMS. ... more

September

12WWII B-17 Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey Great Bend - Thursday the B-17 Flying Fortress Sentimental Journeys will land at the Great Bend Airport at noon and will be on display until Sunday. The display ti ... more

13 - 15 Air Festival and Fly-In Great Bend - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Daily. Three days of Family Fun, Rides and Tours include: B-17, C-45, and C-47. On display will be: Phenom 100 Charter Jet; Rem ... more

14Annual Fair On The Square Lyons - FOURTH SATURDAY - The Fair on the Square is a day to enjoy arts, crafts, and food around the historic courthouse square. ... more

October

21Great Bend Renaissance Fair Great Bend - Come to the Great Bend Renaissance Faire, Where History Meets Fantasy! Four stages with 3 acts per stage repeating throughout the day, as well, as sev ... more

5Annual Rosewood Rodeo Great Bend - Rosewood's Riding Classes in a fine display of equine skill! The Magnificent Commanding General's Color Guard of Ft. Riley, KS will present a fine dis ... more

5Annual Stafford H.S. Alumni Assoc. Reception Stafford - This event is held on the weekend of Oktoberfest. First Saturday. ... more

5Stafford's Annual Oktoberfest Stafford - Always held the First Saturday in October. Parade, crafts, vendors, food, horse shoe tournament, kid's activities, inflatables, photo booth, NEW-Big ... more

26Zoo Boo Great Bend - The Great Bend Zoo & Raptor Center would like to invite the general public to attend Zoo Boo inside Brit Spaugh Park on Saturday. Fifty booths will be ... more

November

St. John's Victorian Tea St. John - Servers dressed in Victorian finery guide you to tables draped with linens and laces, set with the fine silver and china. Traditional tea foods will ... more

26Dominican Sisters' Annual Mission Bazaar Great Bend - The Dominican Sisters of Great Bend host their Annual Mission Bazaar on Saturday, from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. With coffee and rolls in the morning, soup ... more

2Veterans' Day Parade Lyons - The Parade is open to everyone and especially Veterans! The parade route goes around Lyons' Historic Courthouse. Closest Saturday to Veteran's Day. 10 ... more

16 - 15 Santa Visits Lyons - Santa has a house located up town and visits all children wishing to see him on Saturday and Sunday afternoons starting after Thanksgiving and running ... more

16Annual Lighted Christmas Parade, Bazaar & Chili Feed Lyons - The Christmas Bazaar & Parade are held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Bazaar is held out at the Rice County Community Building from 9am to 2p ... more

23 - 30 Holiday Trail of Lights Great Bend - Every year visitors from all over the Midwest hit the trail to Great Bend. Our holiday light displays are among the best in the nation. In fact, the t ... more

December

Christmas Magic Around The Square St. John - Crafts, carriage rides, live nativity, luminaries, soup supper, Santa, prizes, and games. 4-8pm. ... more

24Ellinwood Annual Christkindlmarket Ellinwood - Ellinwood will transform into an authentic German holiday village brimming with traditional Christmas activities at the Annual Christkindlmarket. The ... more

1 - 31 Holiday Trail of Lights Great Bend - Every year visitors from all over the Midwest hit the trail to Great Bend. Our holiday light displays are among the best in the nation. In fact, the t ... more

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Centers

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Visitors CenterLocated at the south end of the Refuge, the Visitors Center is filled with hands on displays for children and adults alike. The animal pelt table is of particular interest to children and the birdsong board is definitely attention grabbing. Imagine the delight in your children's eyes when they are told they CAN touch!

The diorama display will give you a preview of the different types of habitat and wildlife to be found on the Refuge. The Refuge has mudflats and wetlands, marsh edges and croplands, and prairie grasslands. Each of these three different habitats contains beautiful and life-like birds and animals for you to enjoy.

A beautiful exhibit was developed in the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center as a result of a generous donation in memory of the late George S. Armstrong, a noted Kansas sportsman and conservationist. The exhibit is a combination of a colorful mural, painted by Pratt artist, Gene Wineland, and a flushing covey of mounted bobwhite quail. The exhibit is located just inside the main entrance to the center and has received tremendous reviews by the visiting public. A plaque, located below the exhibit, tells about the life and achievements of George S. Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong was committed to Ducks Unlimited and was instrumental in helping to establish Ducks Unlimited throughout the state of Kansas. He went on to serve as the Kansas State Chairman for Ducks Unlimited from 1968 until 1973.

"Long Distance Travelers" provides visitors with information on the how and when of bird migrations, the routes they might take and some ideas as to why these birds habitually travel the same route every year. Learn about "flyways," which birds migrate and how we are able to track these birds through the use of "banding."

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Birdwatching

Quivira NWR Bird/Wildlife Viewing
Quivira NWR Bird/Wildlife ViewingBird watching and wildlife viewing opportunities abound at Quivira NWR. What you see Yellowheaded Blackbird - photo by Mike Rader, depends largely on the time of year as well as the time of day you are here. For optimum viewing, early morning or late afternoon are suggested. Bobcats, coyotes, and other mammals are often seen lurking about during the heat of the afternoon. At the extreme north end of the Refuge, a thriving prairie dog community can be found.

Quivira NWR has two large salt marshes, one located at the south end of the Refuge and the other at the far north end on the Wildlife drive. Both are excellent places to look for birds such as mallards, wood ducks, pintails, white pelicans and more. Fall is an excellent time to see large numbers of these birds. If you are more interested in shorebirds and water birds, the spring and early summer are the best times to visit. It is not uncommon to see large numbers of Great blue herons, American avocets, sandpipers, and snowy plovers, as well as the beautiful white-faced ibis, or the spinning phalaropes going round and round in circles stirring up the mud looking for a meal.

As you travel through the Refuge, keep your eyes open for white-tailed deer, beaver, raccoons, wild turkeys and other wildlife. There are many parking areas throughout the Refuge which afford visitors a chance to stop and walk around the Refuge or take photographs. No matter what time of year you choose to come, a sharp-eyed visitor will certainly see something worth remembering.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Hunting

Quivira NWR Hunting
Quivira NWR HuntingAutumn and winter are great times of the year for the hunters among you to come on out and test your hunting skills. Hunting for waterfowl, quail, pheasant, dove, snipe, rails, squirrels, and rabbits is permitted on Quivira NWR. It is always a good idea to call ahead or stop by the Visitors Center or one of the many information kiosks located around the Refuge to get a copy of the most recent Refuge hunting regulations which may differ from general state regulations. An example of this would be that non-toxic shot is required in all gauges when hunting any game on the Refuge. Parts of the Refuge are posted as "Public Hunting Area" and hunting outside of these areas is prohibited. Retrieving game from areas closed to hunting is prohibited. The use of dogs for hunting and retrieving is encouraged. You must be in compliance with the State of Kansas hunting laws and regulations, otherwise no specific permits or fees are required by the Refuge, and check in at Refuge Headquarters is not necessary. Check out the "Current Bird Information" section during hunting season for the current bird numbers and the "Looking Out the Window Weather Report" (updated Daily!) or e-mail. For information on State Hunting and Fishing regulations, please contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks at 620-672-5911.

Hunting Information and Seasons:

Hunting licenses may be purchased on-line from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) website. All you need are a credit card and a printer. For information on how to get your license, go to the KDWP website at www.kdwp.state.ks.us. Quivira is closed to deer hunting at all times, however, if you wish to hunt deer and you don't know where to go, KDWP now has a referral service. You can reach them at 1-888-497-8661 to get information on local landowners who may allow deer hunting on their property. All other questions about hunting and fishing should be directed to 620-672-5911.

Hunters are reminded that hunting areas may be closed without warning if endangered whooping cranes are present. It is advised that you check with Refuge staff during business hours or via phone or website after hours to see if these areas are closed before heading out here.

Dove Hunting Opens on Quivira

The first hunting season of the fall starts on Quivira National Wildlife Refuge on September 1st, with the opening of dove hunting. The 8000 acres of public hunting land on Quivira is open to hunting under Kansas State Regulations, hours and limits. Dove hunters are reminded that, as with all hunting on Quivira NWR, only non-toxic shot may be used. Possession of lead shot, while in the field, is a violation of Refuge regulations and hunters should be careful not to make the mistake of having lead shot shells in their hunting vest.

Hunters are reminded that hunting on Quivira National Wildlife Refuge closes each year on March 1.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Fishing

Quivira NWR Fishing
Quivira NWR FishingFishing is allowed on all bodies of water on the Refuge. In addition, we now have a "Kids Fishing Pond"...adults MUST be accompanied by a fishing child, 14 years of age or younger. This pond, located near the south entrance of the Refuge, is periodically stocked and affords the younger fisherfolks out there a chance to experience the thrill of landing a big one! Again, you must be in compliance with State fishing regulations and laws. Sorry, no boats are allowed.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks to afford persons with disabilities full accessibility or reasonable accommodation. We have made every effort to provide accessible activities for everyone including an accessible hunting blind, viewing scope, photo blind and fishing pier. The accessibility hunting blind needs to be reserved at least two weeks in advance so make your plans early. Contact Refuge personnel at 620-486-2393 for information or to address accessibility problems. For the hearing impaired, use your State Relay System for the Deaf.

Park Area Attractions

Stafford 7

Great Bend 18

Ellinwood 11

Sylvia 3

St. John 6

Lyons 8

Park Area Events

Great Bend 2

Ellinwood 1

Park Area Businesses

Stafford 19

Great Bend 39

Ellinwood 2

St. John 12

Lyons 14