Stocking and Collection History of the Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) in Kansas with a Recent Record

Abstract

The Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) was first documented in Kansas at a United States Fish and Wildlife Service fish hatchery near Farlington, Kansas in 1955. Some early stockings occurred, but the full extent is unknown. Historical distribution information on the species was limited to three collection records deposited as museum vouchers and two records noted in early manuscripts. We performed a review of the species in Kansas, including information from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism's Fish Sampling Database, museum vouchers, and literature records to determine its known extent in Kansas. The Brown Bullhead has been documented from eleven water bodies throughout six counties. Eight of these records were from impoundments or government-managed wetlands and two records were from streams. Most observations in Kansas occurred in the 1990's, or earlier. The restricted timeframe of most of the collections leaves these populations in doubt, especially considering impoundment renovations that have occurred throughout the last several decades. However, we document a 2019 collection from Ottawa State Fishing Lake, Ottawa County, Kansas. We collected nine Brown Bullhead in this impoundment from June and July 2019. The species has not been documented at any other water body in Kansas since 2004.