Cimarron National Grassland

[RoosterTim]

I have never been in that part of the state and thinking about making a trip. Not necessarily to hunt but maybe make it a family trip. Does anybody have an information on this. My daughter loves nature and getting outdoors. Are there hiking trails and things for kids?

Thanks in advance.

 

[BritChaser]

Plenty of photos and info on the internet about the place.

 

[V-John]

Maybe his google is broken.



I went down there and hunted. Not knowing a damn thing about the area.
A couple things struck me.

Holy crap there isn't much down there.
It was a long drive.
There were areas to camp and such, but I don't remember much about them, I stayed in a cheap hotel.

 

[MAB7799]

A few years ago a buddy of mine went down there and they moved 9 coveys (2 of which were scaled quail) in 2 days. They said the scenting conditions were really poor so it was tough for the dogs to work. I want to say this was back in 2010-2011 though. Not sure how it would look now. They camped at the sites and just worked the areas around camp mostly.

 

[KSBrittman]

Hopefully Mr. Byrd will way in on this since it's closer to his area of operations .

I have hunted Prairie Dogs and quail in that area and to me it is beautiful area .

I u been there for about 4 years , I heard that the drought was tough on the habitat and some of the roads had drifted shut with sand and they had to use road graders to open them up .

If you are thinking you are going to see a lush tall grass Prairie with the Cimarron River flowing through with it . You will be disappointed .

Again I enjoyed the area and will defiantly be back .

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Well, out of luck with me as a good info source. This aged, worn out body hasn't been to the Grasslands in years. It is like 105,000 acres and is a tough hunt for me. Lots of things to poke you and your dogs there, so both need good boots.

There are maps that show the areas for the bob white quail, lesser prairie chicken(now no open season on them) and scaled quail. We have gotten into good bob white quail in the Cimarron River channel(dry river bed, BTW), but the sandburs were horrible that one year.

There are like 95 guzzler locations. There are maps that show these. As I remember many times there would be a windmill and a guzzler and some fenced in acres to keep the cattle out. I remember when my sons were pre-teen/teenage asking a guy about hunting scaled quail there since I knew he hunted there frequently. Their method was: Put a guy or two in the back of the truck as they drove up to a guzzler to watch for scaled quail and see what direction they ran, then everybody out and try to get ahead of them and cut them off, even surrounding them.

Actually the only scaled quail we shot there was a covey that we kicked up in heavy fireweeds at Wilburton Pond(I believe that is what it is called). We were surprised to see the blues there rather than bobs.

We have shot a good number of pheasant there in areas adjacent to private dryland crops.

If a person is wanting scaled quail, I don't know where else to send you in Kansas. If you are wanting bobs, there are better areas, IMHO.

I do remember our first hunt at the Grasslands, the big bull elk strolling down the river channel. Still the biggest bull I have ever seen alive.

Again, no recent experience with the Grasslands.

 

[Point!]

I've spent more than my fair share of time in Morton County, as a result, I've spent a considerable amount of time on the grasslands. At roughly 108,000 acres, it's a lot of ground to cover. In a nutshell, it's a tough hunt, but it can be a good hunt.

Here's what I can tell you:

1) It's hard on dogs. There are "things" there that can cause significant issues with a dog's health. This includes rattlesnakes, cacti, old machinery, unseen barbed fences, and rock outcroppings.

2) You'll need plenty of dog power. I don't want to get into a range discussion, but the grasslands are a good place for an all-age pointing dog. The more ground you cover, the more likely you are to find birds. This is a wide open space with few roads, if you don't know where to look, you're going to have a long day.

3) You can try the river....but so does everybody else.

4) The weather can/will wreak havoc on your dogs. Morton County is actually high desert. At approximately 3400 feet, the air is dry....very dry. Scenting conditions can be tough. It can also get hot...even in January. I've seen plenty of 60 - 70 degree days in January. Obviously it can get dang cold as well.

5) The wind will blow. If it blows hard, you'll need some eye protection.

6) If your dog's feet aren't tough, don't go. You can boot, but it cuts down on range and stamina.

7) Stay away from the snake areas when it's sunny and 40 degrees or above. They come out in droves and lay on the rocks. They're slow this time of year, but they can still bite.

8) Small animal vets are not handy, so it's a bit of a gamble.

9) You'll likely stay in Elkhart, make a reservation as they fill up quickly....even during the week.

10) Bring plenty of water for your dogs while hunting. Whatever you think you'll need....double it.

This may sound like a terrible place to go, but it's actually a wonderful place spot. Some of the best memories I've had as a hunter have been there. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think it's one of the prettiest spots on earth.

Don't expect to shoot limits, but it does contain some birds. Scalies are there, but are not the norm. However, like bobs, I've been hunting the same coveys for years. On of the main differences is the range. A scaled quail's range is significantly great than that of a bob.

You'll also find scaled quail in the sand hills south of Garden City. It's very common to see scalies on Southwind golf course.

Good luck,

Point!

 

[MAB7799]

Great post thanks for sharing.

 

[duckn66]

Thought he mentioned he was taking his kid hiking. Know nothing of the area but I bet you could take off and have one heck of a nice day walking and taking in nature.