Hill City Area

O

Old Hickory

New member
Coming out to the Hill City area the day after Christmas thru the first week of January. Checking to see what restaurant recommendations y’all have. I normally cook my own breakfast, have a tailgate lunch but it’s always nice to hit up a sports bar or steakhouse at the end of the day.Does this area have many sand spurs or cactus. I’ll be hunting by myself and I travel with 6-8 dogs so I like to be prepared if the dogs are going to be in sand spur country. It’s a headache when your by yourself and 3-4 dogs run thru a patch of sand spurs. I’ve hunted Kansas the last couple years and haven’t made it up this way yet so I thought I would give it a try and see some new country. Birds or no birds I’ll be running dogs from sunrise to sunset loving every minute of it. Looking forward to it.
 
You ought to find some birds, but that area gets pressured pretty hard. It has some of the most WIHA in the state, so naturally it attracts a pretty large crowd. There’s a few options for food in Hill City. There used to be a good Mexican joint, but it recently closed down. I know there is a sub shop, Pizza Hut, a bar and grill, and of course Casey’s. Good luck on your trip and be safe!

ETA: I’ve never encountered any burs up in that country, dog boots won’t be necessary.
 
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We ran into quit a bit more sand spurs last year then we ever have. Mostly the further west of hill city we got the worse they got.
 
Quite a few of KS reservoirs spent the year in flood stage. That means lots of land underwater for extended periods of time. I don't know about cedar bluff though.
 
The Public Lands manager does a really good job at Cedar Bluff. The habitat looks really good this year, as it always does. Cedar Bluff seems to always holds birds, both quail and Pheasant, but this time of year they have been pressured pretty good. If you hunt them right though, you'll get some birds! As far as the reservoir itself being above flood plain, I am not 100% sure. It was pretty low to start with, and I'm not sure they received enough rain to actually fill it this summer. As of right now, the lake is still 10' below normal pool. I have been out to the Trego County area twice this year, and have noted a significant amount of hunters compared to years past. Anyone seeing that in other areas of the state??
 
Places to eat other than in HC:

1. Prairie Junction in Morland, 12 mi. west; prime rib of beef or buffalo, et al. Beer only. Open Th. - Sun. or something like that.

2. Western Kansas Saloon & Grill, main street WaKeeney, 23 mi. south. Good food, full bar, and beautiful paintings of western scenery by a local artist. I always get lost in one of those paintings while I'm cuttin' the dust with a stiff one.

3. The store in Morland. Lunch only, soft drinks. Made to order sandwiches and a hot meal daily. Some good bulk candy.

4. The FDIC Club in Park, 23 south and 24 west of HC on I-70. Basic full bar and grill with a dinner special, often pretty good fried chicken.

5. The special place is the Elephant in Hoxie on main st., 30 west of HC. Get there early (opens @ 5) and take a little extra $$. Arrive at 5 and sit down directly at the bar and watch the drinks being made with the finest ingredients. Don't let being greeted by a bowtie-wearing maitre d' lead you to believe you're not welcome in your huntin' regalia. Go as you are. In fact, go as you are to any of these places.

Plenty of grass and cockle burs afield. Used to be lots of prickly pear around Cedar Bluff reservoir to keep an eye out for.

Have fun!
 
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