Moved for better Hunting & Fishing

K

KansasGsp

Active member
Just got done reading a thread on Bowsite titled "Moved for better hunting opps". Any of you Kansas guys change communities for better fishing and hunting opps? My wife and I are in our mid 40's and live in Mulvane. Our kids will be out of the house in 5 years and we will be looking to downsize our home. We may stay in Mulvane as it's a good community but we're quite a ways from good fishing (40 min drive). The older I get the more I lean towards fishing instead of hunting. When I was younger I wanted to live closer to pheasant hunting, but with the pheasant population taking a turn for the worse and not looking like it's going to get any better, I'm thinking I may start fishing more during the winter months. I got a buddy that pretty much quit hunting (lost his ground) and fishes year round. He's always sending pics and just yesterday he sent a pic of their two man limit of big slabs they caught out of his boat. I've started mentioning to my wife how nice it'd be to live close to a lake or reservoir and she's acting like she's liking the idea. I went to Tabor College, 5 mins from Marion lake and that was absolutely heaven for a dude that likes to fish! There's a lot of good fishing in Kansas, and a lot of nice-smaller communities nearby. Any suggestions? Not sure if it'll happen but hey, a dude can dream! I've started mentioning the Andale area because it's close to Wichita but also close to Cheney lake. Paola is another community that interest me, small town feeling with Hillsdale lake nearby. Thanks in advance, Bryan
 
I had a buddy that I met via puppies. He lived at the north end of Tuttle Creek Reservoir at the time. At some point he had asked me where I would live if I had the choice to move closer to birds. I told him NW or NC Kansas. Before long he contacted me saying he had bought a place NW of Beloit and was moving. There he retained a quality fishery within a 15 minute drive and picked up better pheasant numbers as well. We hunted for years together around his place and further south where I had connections and had phenomenal success most years. We hunted together in 1997 when pheasants might have challenged black birds some days on the properties we hunted and for some years on. His own 40-80 acres often held close to 100 birds (pheasants). As I approach retirement I long to make a similar maneuver myself. There is a large hurdle to clear on that front.............grandchildren!
 
I can retire in May if I choose but my wife can't retire til next year. So a year away but I am headed to Iowa. Better fishing, better hunting. Oh I have grandchildren in Iowa.
 
My situation isn't that much different. My access and success bird hunting is still good enough that I'm not ready to shift to fishing just yet, but here are some suggestions.

Not knowing your budget, there are a handful of pretty nice homes overlooking wilson lake. A year ago there were none for sale, but I think there were a few lots available. I briefly thought about a weekend place up there. They are probably 5 minutes from the state park with the marina. Good chicken hunting in the area; quail pretty decent the last few years; pheasants in the area have struggled.

Also, don't overlook Big Hill. Cherryvale is right there. Parsons and Coffeyville are still under 30 minutes and offer a lot more amenities.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
I had a buddy that I met via puppies. He lived at the north end of Tuttle Creek Reservoir at the time. At some point he had asked me where I would live if I had the choice to move closer to birds. I told him NW or NC Kansas. Before long he contacted me saying he had bought a place NW of Beloit and was moving. There he retained a quality fishery within a 15 minute drive and picked up better pheasant numbers as well. We hunted for years together around his place and further south where I had connections and had phenomenal success most years. We hunted together in 1997 when pheasants might have challenged black birds some days on the properties we hunted and for some years on. His own 40-80 acres often held close to 100 birds (pheasants). As I approach retirement I long to make a similar maneuver myself. There is a large hurdle to clear on that front.............grandchildren!
Click to expand...

1997 - what a year for pheasants
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I teach/coach so when covid hit we had plenty of time to try different lakes & reservoirs. I fished Elk City and Wilson for the first time and loved both places. Both are nice lakes and wouldn't mind living around either one. Another area that has caught my eye is the Emporia area, lots of nice lakes relatively close and it's looking like my daughter will go to college there. Where we settle will probably be dependent on where our kids end up. Trying to fish as many different reservoirs as I can as I enjoy getting out and seeing new areas. Heading to Clinton over spring break to stay for a few days, I'll be our first time there. Also planning on Toronto is April. Had some friends over last night for a big fish fry, used up the last of our fish so I guess it's time to get the boat out!
 
Take a look at Bone Creek in SEK. Lot's of smaller towns, and Overland Park is only 90 minutes away. Has great bass and walleye and also good on catfish.
 
I would have to choose Salina area. You have Wilson, Milford, Tuttle, Kanopolis, glen elder, Marion, all probably within a 1.5 hour drive. Stretch that out a bit further by 30-45 mins and there is a host of other lakes as well.

Plus you’re close to good upland hunting and waterfowl hunting!
 
Hey guys, just wanted to give you an update. So, I pitched the idea to the wife and she is all onboard! We've been researching communities, it's been a lot of fun. Last weekend we went to Clinton lake (never been there) and that place is awesome! Beautiful lake, good fishing, nice community (I know SITO) near by. I'm not sure I'd want to live in Lawrence by maybe. On the way to Clinton we drove around Lake Kahola (outside Emporia). Most of you guys probably have never heard of the place, I hadn't either till a month ago. From there we went to Council Grove and drove around the reservoir and the city lake and then went in town to eat lunch at the Hays house. CG is a really nice town also, wouldn't mind living there at all. After lunch we made our way East to Osage City. Not real fond of the town but the location is awesome (in the middle of Pomona and Melvern). Our next place to visit is Burlington, like Osage City, you couldn't ask for a better location! Thanks duck for the suggestion on Salina. Not sure if any of this will pan out, but it's always good to dream and it's been fun!
 
KansasGsp said:
Hey guys, just wanted to give you an update. So, I pitched the idea to the wife and she is all onboard! We've been researching communities, it's been a lot of fun. Last weekend we went to Clinton lake (never been there) and that place is awesome! Beautiful lake, good fishing, nice community (I know SITO) near by. I'm not sure I'd want to live in Lawrence by maybe. On the way to Clinton we drove around Lake Kahola (outside Emporia). Most of you guys probably have never heard of the place, I hadn't either till a month ago. From there we went to Council Grove and drove around the reservoir and the city lake and then went in town to eat lunch at the Hays house. CG is a really nice town also, wouldn't mind living there at all. After lunch we made our way East to Osage City. Not real fond of the town but the location is awesome (in the middle of Pomona and Melvern). Our next place to visit is Burlington, like Osage City, you couldn't ask for a better location! Thanks duck for the suggestion on Salina. Not sure if any of this will pan out, but it's always good to dream and it's been fun!
Click to expand...

I moved from the Wichita area to Topeka area 5 yrs ago but still have some investments in Wichita -- if you want to maintain better bird hunting opportunities do NOT move NE - plus the RE market is considerably better in Wichita.

I dont know your financial situation - but in Lawrence your dollar will go about 2/3rds as far as Wichita on a house - looking for a house on Acreage - you better put in an offer day 1 - even if the market goes south which it will I'm guessing houses on acreage will still move really quick -- I've noticed NE KS is considerably different about houses on acreage than around the Wichita metro -- I think part of it is so many county roads are paved and specifically in Topeka it is not a very desirable place to live. We wouldnt be here if it wasn't for what brought us here. I like the area we are at now - but I dont know if we will ever feel at home here.

***If you really like the NE part -- check out Wamego and Manhattan area - that is the one exception I'd make to this part of the state -- Wamego is a hidden gem. You'd still be close to Council grove, lots of lakes etc. And you'd be 45 mins further west and closer to good bird hunting than the sterile NE. The sterile part of the state keeps expanding.

My true love is bird dogs - if that's yours stay put - you can drive 2-3 hours and be in far far better bird hunting and access opportunities than I can. Plus I hate mud, cloudy days and lots of rain - we get all that - impressive how different the climate is 2 hrs north.


I'd much rather live in Dodge, Salina area, Garden City area. Dodge and Garden are 100x better than Topeka - only benefit about Topeka is Mass ave in Lawrence is 30 mins from us and we can be in KC in an hour.

If you like fishing, lots of rain, mud - come up here - lots of that.

Not trying to pee in your cheerios - just a perspective from someone who lived by you and came here -- I'd like to be more positive on Topeka - lots of good people here - but the local govt, and how they get in the way of development and do not tackle problems I'd avoid -- Lawrence and Douglass county also try to regulate you to death. Jeff County, Osage would be better places to look -- closer to KC you get the more $$$ it takes now - it's amazing how much things have went up in 5 yrs -- KC wont stop growing.

Desert SW is where I see us going - access to lots of public land, amazing views and dry weather which I like. Likely will be when kids are done with school - having a 1 yr old I may be in one place for a while unless I uproot in 10 yrs or so.
 
Husker, thanks for taking time to respond. Some very good points you make. I too love Western Kansas (especially when the bird numbers were good) but my wife grew up in SW Kansas and I could never talk her into moving back out West. Bird dogs and pheasant hunting used to be my passion, still is but not like it once was. Due to the lack of birds, I've started waterfowl and deer hunting more and more. I still pheasant hunt almost every weekend, but not like I used to. Not sure what the bird numbers will look like in 10-15 years, but my guess is it's not going to be any better (hope I'm wrong). I also love to fish and just in general being at the lake. Right now I'd rather spend time on the prairie chasing birds or in the woods hunting, but I believe that may change the older I get. Who knows, just thinking and dreaming and it may all be for nothing. Again, thanks for the comments.
 
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