KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs have claimed offensive lineman Hayworth Hicks off waivers.  The 6-foot-3, 336-pound Hicks entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Colts in April. He spent time on their practice squad before being acquired by the New York Jets on Nov. 6.  He spent three games on their roster but was inactive each week.

The former Iowa State standout takes the roster spot of linebacker Bryan Kehl, who was released earlier this week. He also provides additional depth if the Chiefs have to shuffle their line this Sunday against Carolina with Branden Albert and Ryan Lilja both ailing.

Kansas City also released kicker Matt Szymanski from the practice squad and signed Quan Sturdivant, a linebacker who has spent time with Arizona.

w/ Jim Field

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Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say heading into Iowa’s busiest outdoor “opening day,” shotgun deer season hunters should expect to see fewer deer. While that downturn is by design, the DNR says hunters should still fill plenty of tags, during the December 1st-through the 5th first shotgun season, or the December 8th-through 16th, second season. Tom Litchfield, DNR deer research biologist, says “Deer numbers are projected to be down at least ten percent from last year.” Litchfield says they “Have been working to decrease deer numbers since 2003. On a statewide basis, the herd is very close to objective,  which would be the levels seen in the mid to late 1990s.”

With a relatively short season (five or nine days), shotgun hunters often must adapt to the weather. Looking ahead to the next week, seasonal temperatures and a continued brown—not white—landscape lie ahead for hunters holding about 172,000 paid first season, paid second season and landowner tags. One strategy that remains constant is hunting with the wind. Deer rely primarily on their noses, to warn of danger. Hunters should keep that in mind, especially as they set up drives.

Somewhat of a ‘wild card’ this fall and winter in conducting the deer harvest, according to officials,  will be the impact of Epizootic Hemorrhaging Disease (EHD) across much of the state. Nearly 3,000 reports of suspected EHD have been received; with concentrations in central and southwest counties and several more western counties through the Loess Hills. In all, 63 counties have at least one suspected case. The hot weather, insect-carried disease has essentially run its course for this year; with heavy frost killing off the midge, which spreads it.

Still, hunters may find more dead deer, as they fan out across the landscape. With the emphasis on downsizing the herd, Litchfield sees about 60 of Iowa’s 99 counties ‘at objective.’ Another 20 should reach it after this season. The remainder likely would fall into place after 2013-14. He is concerned, however, that the EHD outbreak could change that dynamic—lowering hunter harvest and post-season counts—for some counties.

Audubon 37, Carroll 31
Audubon 42, Kuemper Catholic 36
Carroll 55, Kuemper Catholic 24

Rolling Hills:

• CAM 64, Orient-Macksburg 24
• Glidden-Ralston 55, Exira/EHK 40
• Grandview Park Baptist 60, Adair-Casey 51
• Ankeny Christian Academy 75, Paton-Churdan 31

Others:

• South Central Calhoun 72, Audubon 36
• Red Oak 63, Griswold 56
• Riverside 75, Bedford 48
• Sioux City East 75, Lewis Central 34
• Nodaway Valley 77, Clarinda 38
• South Page 42, Shenandoah 29
• Boyer Valley 59, Ar-We-Va 50
• Abraham Lincoln 69, Treynor 61
• Des Moines Christian 66, Coon Rapids-Bayard 13
• Glenwood 78, Thomas Jefferson 52
• Guthrie Center 57, Earlham 45
• IKM-Manning 85, Woodbine 57
• Kuemper Catholic 46, Carroll 36
• Lenox 62, Villisca 59
• Nishnabotna 56, Essex 43
• OA-BCIG 87, River Valley 45
• Storm Lake St. Mary’s 58, Denison-Schleswig 46
• Van Meter 68, Panorama 50
• West Central Valley 62, Woodward-Granger 59
• Woodbury Central, Moville 69, Charter Oak-Ute 34

Rolling Hills:

• CAM 33, Orient-Macksburg 28
• Exira/EHK 47, Glidden-Ralston 19
• Paton-Churdan 44, Ankeny Christian Academy 30

Others:

• ADM 55, Atlantic 29
• Harlan 68, Treynor 27
• Clarinda 45, Nodaway Valley 29
• Red Oak 54, Griswold 39
• Shenandoah 51, Corning 48
• Sioux City East 56, Lewis Central 26
• South Central Calhoun 56, Audubon 40
• Ar-We-Va 77, Boyer Valley 19
• Bedford 62, Stanton 50
• Abraham Lincoln 54, Glenwood 52
• Des Moines Christian 60, Coon Rapids-Bayard 15
• Essex 59, Nishnabotna 42
• IKM-Manning 86, Woodbine 24
• Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 59, West Harrison 29
• OA-BCIG 74, River Valley 13
• Panorama 61, Van Meter 27
• Villisca 69, Lenox 28
• West Monona 47, Logan-Magnolia 45
• Woodbury Central 74, Charter Oak-Ute 35
• Woodward-Granger 53, West Central Valley 35

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) – Former Kansas City Chiefs players, including Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Willie Lanier, are heading to Fort Leavenworth for talks with Army officials on traumatic brain injuries.  Wednesday afternoon’s meeting at the northeast Kansas post is part of an Army-NFL partnership on treating and preventing head injuries in both organizations.

Lanier, who played from 1967 through 1977, serves on an NFL player safety panel studying ways to make the game safer. Lanier suffered numerous concussions in his early playing days before converting to a padded helmet and changing his tackling technique.

The military has been looking at the impact of traumatic brain injuries as soldiers return from combat.