kick them up
Active member
So back in 1991 I was invited by a friend to join an existing group of KSU guys who started hunting together in the 1983 for their annual Kansas upland opening weekend hunt out north of Hays. I meet our host Ed who married the farmer daughter, go figure! Back then we were a pretty rag tag bunch of eight hunters with pawn shop shotguns, and a couple of Lab's.
Since then we have continue that tradition every fall with some never missing a year, but this year will be different. Our friend had battled cancer and won before, but last year it reared it's ugly head again. He battled again, but last his fight in early summer 2025. Over the years some of my fondest memories were with him at the ranch and watching our kids grow. Hell, we even made the front page of the Hay's newspaper once when they were at the Bison pancake feed talking to hunter.
Ed welcomed folks into our group like me, and over the years became a family of hunters. So this year we will honor his wishes that we continue the tradition alive and his son will take the helm with a couple new hunter ( younger legs are good) joining us. I tell this story as it is how I became a pheasant hunter, and this year I encourage all to take someone new out, or start new traditions. Heck you may even shoot some birds this year!
Good luck this fall!
Kick!
This is the OG Eight circa 1994. Ed is second to the left, and I am third to the right.
Since then we have continue that tradition every fall with some never missing a year, but this year will be different. Our friend had battled cancer and won before, but last year it reared it's ugly head again. He battled again, but last his fight in early summer 2025. Over the years some of my fondest memories were with him at the ranch and watching our kids grow. Hell, we even made the front page of the Hay's newspaper once when they were at the Bison pancake feed talking to hunter.
Ed welcomed folks into our group like me, and over the years became a family of hunters. So this year we will honor his wishes that we continue the tradition alive and his son will take the helm with a couple new hunter ( younger legs are good) joining us. I tell this story as it is how I became a pheasant hunter, and this year I encourage all to take someone new out, or start new traditions. Heck you may even shoot some birds this year!
Good luck this fall!
Kick!
This is the OG Eight circa 1994. Ed is second to the left, and I am third to the right.