A glance at my WIHA map suggests that there are, very roughly, 120 mostly larger WIHA tracts in Mitchell county and the counties that directly abut it, alone. That makes me think that the preserve must offer services beyond what might be readily apparent, in order to sustain their client base. What feature(s) do you find most attractive at the preserve, compared with WIHA trekking?
Kansas Trespassing Fee for Private Land
- Thread starter Birdman2
- Start date
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
Pheasants
Ahh, yes. You mean "targets". I understand.Pheasants
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
Most of that wiha ground you speak of I believe is chicken ground
Mixed bag - all the better, and much easier to find pheasant than prairie chickens these days. Does the preserve allow one to bag a chicken if one should be encountered among the released birds? Just asking.
FWIW - Mitchell county and its surrounds lie in the area of densest wild pheasant populations in the state, per KDWPT:
Yes Brownback gutted all state entities -- Many state employees did not get raises for several years -- A couple state employees or a handful are on the board but not sure if they will speak up - think they may have given some inclination as to things that have went on. Our business depends on working hand in hand with and is highly regulated by state departments -- I can see the results of these cuts in how overworked the staff are and their constant turnover. So it's not just the KDWPT that dealt with these issues.
There is a podcast the former Secretary of the KDWPT did -- I've posted a link to it here before - Robin Jenison - - if you care to research the topic the podcast has quite a bit of information and how he had to look at running the dept during this time. Some of the changes were already a foot due to the lobbying by the KS Outfitters association and the Kansas Bowhunters Association -- I will thank the KBA for keeping T Tags from coming back though. I just hate the fact they seemed to IMO whine about not having a long enough archery season or they needed to be in the field before or at the same time anyone with a bang stick is out there.
There is a cure IMO - it would be painful initially - by actually managing deer populations and reducing tag allotments etc - cracking down on deer regs -- but the state could then throw it's weight 100% behind supporting upland, upland habitat on it's state owned lands etc. It's not cohesive statewide in what they emphasize -- but as I've said and we all know - what's good for upland birds is good for the rest of the critters everyone likes to chase.
I'm taking your screen name to mean you dont live here anymore - so I'll forgive the ignorance or possible sarcasm.
As far as how WIHA is paid for and funded -- I've seen some of the information posted online and in a couple FB groups I'm a member of that KDWPT employees are members of as well and have set the record straight...somewhere in this forum I believe it's been brought up as well. You'd need to call Pratt to get exact specifics on how it's funded - but my basic understanding it's funded primarily through Pitman Robertson funds - the state pitches in a percentage and anything done to charge for the privilege of accessing said WIHA would reduce funding the state receives from the FEDS (IE say charge a $5 WIHA access stamp charge etc)...as to Why charging an access fee or the state doing anything to increase their own source of funds to pay for WIHA access would decrease their Federal Money I dont know the answer to that and I've never seen one.
As we've also brought up - funding the KDWPT and some of the decisions the KDWPT makes are not all ran/determined by the employees of the KDWPT who know best -- some of the regs/things that happen are ran and voted on by our state legislature which is completely asinine IMO -- Politicians who care less and know nothing about our states wildlife resource should have no say in managing said resource - the KDWPT needs complete autonomy to let the experts run the dept as they see fit within their budgetary constraints.
I appreciate your forgiveness, and will accept it on one minor condition: please enlighten ALCON here as to the number of KDWPT employees the day your nemesis Brownback came into office, versus today. Show us that the problem is an under abundance of regulators in need of raises.
NO disrespect to hardworking KDWPT employees (of which my cousin - a great guy - was one, at a fairly high level, until his retirement) but the problem with an excess of non-resident deer permits is not the chap who was your governor three evolutions prior. Nor is it runamok state legislators (who, last time I checked, are accountable to YOU). I maintain that virtually all legislation is drafted by KDWPT, for KDWPT and is passed with few or no changes (read, rubberstamped) by the legislators you elected. I'd love to be wrong about this - show us, please.
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
Maybe but the orange and the brown patches tend to lean a little bit chickenFWIW - Mitchell county and its surrounds lie in the area of densest wild pheasant populations in the state, per KDWPT:
Your reply shows you have about zero clue along with the prior ignorant comments concerning Immigrants of which my wife is one of those "high reproductive rate" Immigrants you are talking about.
Let that go when you posted it initially and not even sure why I've continued to interact with a bigot. But you may want to do some research bud and rethink your stereotypes.
When the facts don't support you - just call the other party racist. Facts are not racist. I am not a racist but I've certainly been called one before when the ill informed are backed into a corner of their own making.
My wife of some 40 years is 100% minority. I dare you to call me a racist or bigot in her presence. I'll hold your beer.
Chestle
Well-known member
One would think KDWP would be aware of the potential to make truckloads of money off the pheasant and quail population, not just the deer.
Yes, KS gets a lot of ink as "the" deer hunting state. It is also routinely mentioned as either the 2nd or 3rd best pheasant hunting state (SD usually #1). Additionally KS usually ranks in the top three states for quail harvest, something SD really doesn't offer. The upland news seems to be overshadowed by the deer news though.
So with a stronger focus on creating more public hunting areas with greatly improved habitat KS could become a top tier destination for both deer and pheasant/quail. Habitat/acreage would benefit both deer and upland game.
Currently KDWP charges almost $550 for non-res deer hunting (hunting license + deer permit). Upland is just the hunting license, ~$100 for the entire season.
If they really worked at expanding public hunting acreage along with greatly improved habitat, KDWP could move to the SD method of licensing. Charge the non-res $100 for the 10 day license with the ability to split. Might be a pot-o-gold for the Department and the businesses in the small towns.
Just a thought. Bound to be unpopular with Non-res hunters. I get that. But SD non-res hunters willingly do it because....it's worth it. That's what KDWP needs to do...make it worth it.
Yes, KS gets a lot of ink as "the" deer hunting state. It is also routinely mentioned as either the 2nd or 3rd best pheasant hunting state (SD usually #1). Additionally KS usually ranks in the top three states for quail harvest, something SD really doesn't offer. The upland news seems to be overshadowed by the deer news though.
So with a stronger focus on creating more public hunting areas with greatly improved habitat KS could become a top tier destination for both deer and pheasant/quail. Habitat/acreage would benefit both deer and upland game.
Currently KDWP charges almost $550 for non-res deer hunting (hunting license + deer permit). Upland is just the hunting license, ~$100 for the entire season.
If they really worked at expanding public hunting acreage along with greatly improved habitat, KDWP could move to the SD method of licensing. Charge the non-res $100 for the 10 day license with the ability to split. Might be a pot-o-gold for the Department and the businesses in the small towns.
Just a thought. Bound to be unpopular with Non-res hunters. I get that. But SD non-res hunters willingly do it because....it's worth it. That's what KDWP needs to do...make it worth it.
You may not realize this but you couldn't be further from the truth. The Kansas Outfitter Association is powerful. Kansas Farm Bureau is one of the most powerful lobbyist in the state. Farm Bureau has been a huge driving force behind deer regs. I have seen the meetings when a Farm Bureau rep shows a bean field with 30 does in it and uses it as fodder to try and get more NR tags. In fact there is a legislative mandate to "meet demand" for NR deer tags. Representative Ken Corbet (owner of Ravenwood lodge) tried hard last session to get OTC non resident deer tags. Said its not fair that if his nephew wants to come down over a holiday and hunt but didn't put in for the draw he doesn't get to. Hell at the last KDWPT meeting I went to a rancher from Elk county got up and said he leases a bunch and last year his leasees did not draw a deer tag. He wants to do away with the draw or let them buy tags at increased cost. Said "these poor counties we need that money". OTC NR deer tags are coming. And the leasing isn't going away. Check out the KS Hunting lease facebook page. There is a huge demand. Land is being gobbled up at an alarming rate. I am actually looking to buy another chunk. Its already turning into a pay to hunt deal here in EC Kansas and I don't see anything stemming the tide.
FWIW rumor has it they are moving the Tourism branch back to the department of commerce. Also there are alot of duck hunters complaining about pressure this year on forums and they are bending the commissioner's ears on that issue. But when it comes to deer the legislature rules the roost.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
I'm almost done reading the book ROOSTER A Tribute to Pheasant Hunting in North America, and there are chapters dedicated to each of the great pheasant states. In the chapter on Kansas, it's mentioned that private access is generally easy to acquire with a door knock, but the author then notes that with the recent allowance of out of state deer hunting and the increase in out of state deer leases, it has become more difficult. I guess you guys weren't bullshitin' after all! The book was published in 2003, it's a good read, and cheap to buy online.
BRITTMAN
Well-known member
If it is deer control the FB needs then make all the KS nonresident deer licenses does only ... Bet there are few that will travel to KS and pay 5K - 20K to shoot a few does for the freezer.
No greater enemy to freelance hunters than the Farm Bureau ... Easily the biggest foe to resident hunters in North Dakota anyways.
No greater enemy to freelance hunters than the Farm Bureau ... Easily the biggest foe to resident hunters in North Dakota anyways.
GREAT discourse, and your post is enlightening as actual facts so often are.
I'm pro-farmer all the way, but clearly the pendulum has swung too far toward commercialization of the deer "resource". Ultimately, the legislature responds to the voters - at least, the ones who are informed and active on the issue. I was WOEFULLY ignorant of the issues -and I doubt I'm the only one.
Are there more hunters who vote in KS, or more farmers and outfitters? You attended KDWPT meetings, which says that you are both informed and a "doer", but were there more Farm Bureau/Outfitters or people like us in attendance? If the topic is not considered too political - this forum might be an excellent vehicle for communicating time/place/subjects of future KDWPT meetings. As you obviously know - we have to show up and be heard, to make a difference.
Chestle
Well-known member
Ok, I'm uninformed on Farm Bureau. Why are they so interested in deer licenses? Too much deer depredation on crops of their members? Not enough of their member's land getting leased?
I understand the interest of the Outfitters. $$$$$$$
Maybe KS should go to unlimited OTC res & non-res tags. Eliminate the herd as quickly as possible and leave nothing but forkies! Leasing would probably drop off then. (I jest)
I understand the interest of the Outfitters. $$$$$$$
Maybe KS should go to unlimited OTC res & non-res tags. Eliminate the herd as quickly as possible and leave nothing but forkies! Leasing would probably drop off then. (I jest)
Birdman2
Well-known member
Well said.