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7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
1/35
Kansas HunterKansas Hunter
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7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
2/35
Dear readers,
Welcome to the rst edition of Kansas Huntermagazine. Thank you for checking us out. Inside, you will nd in-dstories, information and photos about hunting in Kansas. We hope you nd it both useful and interesting, and that it
ects and expands your interest in hunting and outdoor life.
There are a lot of hunting-related magazines out there, but none dedicated solely toward hunting in Kansas, wh
know is a mecca for a variety of species, and an important part of our states tradition and culture.
Kansas Hunteris based on Colorado Hunter, which a sister newspaper company helps produce for Western Color
Starting a magazine from scratch isnt easy. We could not produce such a high-quality publication without support f
the advertisers you see throughout the magazine, and other partners, who are listed in the credits on page 3.
Id like to specically thank Drew Palmer, owner of Mile North Outdoor Company, who provided expert guidancecontributed several fascinating stories and many beautiful photographs.
Soon after publication, the magazine will be available online. We also have a Facebook page, where you can kee
with the progress of our 2016 issue. We cant wait to see your latest hunting photos for the next Reader Photo sectio
we welcome feedback and suggestions. Just email [email protected], or call me at 620-442-4200. You can also co
ment on Facebook. Happy reading, and happy hunting!
David A. Seaton
President, Wineld Publishing Co.
!"#$"$ &'#()!"#$"$ &'#()*
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
3/35
2 Kansas Hunter Magazine Kansas Hu
DOVE(Mourning, white-winged, Eurasian collared, ringed
turtle)
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 and Nov. 7-17
EXOTIC DOVE(Eurasian collared and ringed turtle only)
Nov. 20 to Feb. 28, 2016
RAIL (Sora and Virginia)Sept. 1 to Nov. 9
SNIPESept. 1 to Dec. 16
WOODCOCKOct. 17 to Nov. 30
SANDHILL CRANENov. 11 to Jan. 7, 2016
PHEASANT/QUAILNov. 14 to Jan. 31, 2016
Youth: Nov. 7-8
GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKENSept. 15 to Oct. 15 and Nov. 21 to Jan. 31, 2016
TURKEYFall 2015:
Oct. 1 to Dec.1 and Dec.14 to Jan.31, 2016
Spring 2016:
Spring Youth/Disabled: April 1-12, 2016Spring Archery: April 4-12, 2016
Spring Regular: April 13 to May 31, 2016
WATERFOWL/GEESECanada: Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, 2015 and Nov. 4, 2015
to Feb. 14, 2016
White-fronted: Oct. 31, 2015 to Jan. 3, 2016 and
Jan. 23 to Feb. 14, 2016
Light (Ross, Snow, Blue): Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, 2015
and Nov. 4, 2015 to Feb. 14, 2016
Light Goose Conservation Order: Feb. 15 to April
30, 2016
WATERFOWL/DUCKSHigh Plains: Oct. 10, 2015 to Jan. 4, 2016 and Jan.
23-31, 2016
Low Plains Early: Oct. 10 to Dec. 6, 2015 and Dec.19, 2015 to Jan. 3, 2016
Low Plains Late: Oct. 31, 2015 to Jan. 3, 2016 and
Jan. 23-31, 2016
Low Plains Southeast: Nov. 14, 2015 to Jan. 3,
2016 and Jan. 9-31, 2016
SQUIRRELJune 1 to Feb. 28, 2016
RABBITS (Cottontail & Jack rabbit)Open year-around
CROWNov. 10 to Mar. 10, 2016
DEERYouth and Disability: Sept. 5-13
Muzzleloader-Only: Sept. 14-27
Archery: Sept. 14 to Dec. 31
Pre-rut Firearm Whitetailn Antlerless: Oct. 10-11
Regular Firearm: Dec. 2-13 Extended Firearm
Whitetail
Antlerless-only (Units 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17): Jan.1-3,
2016
Extended Firearm Whitetail Antlerless-only (Units
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14): Jan.1-10, 2016
Special Extended Firearm Whitetail Antlerless-only
(Units 10A, 15, 19): Jan.1-17, 2016
Extended Archery Whitetail Antlerless-only (DMU
19 only): Jan. 18-31, 2016
Kansas Hunting Seasons
SAFE HUNTING RULES1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
2. Control the guns muzzle at all times.3. Guns not in use should be unloaded and
stored with the actions open.
4. Be sure the barrel and action are clear of
obstructions and that only the proper am-
munition is carried.
5. Never point a gun at anything you dont
want to shoot.
6. Be sure of your target before you pull the
trigger, and always know what is beyond
the target.
7. Never climb a fence or tree or cross an
obstacle with a loaded gun, and never pull a
gun toward you by the muzzle.
-
face.9. Store guns and ammunition separately,
out of reach of people unfamiliar with safe
gun handling.
drugs.
!"#$"$ &'#!"#$"$ &'#+,#()#($ !"## %&'(Features
| 3-Species Classic hunt
New event invites hunters to bag a deer,turkey and duck over three days.
| The power of the ngerFinding a new way to wait for that trophybuck.
| 4 days of fury
Duck hunters use their knowledge andfriendships for an unforgettable huntingexperience.
| Welcome back, Bobwhite
After years of scarcity, quail and otherupland birds are making a comeback inKansas.
| Get that Thanksgiving turkey
The perks and strategies of fall turkeyhunting.
| Scratch that trapping itch
An experienced Kansas trapper tells howhe got started and continues to develop.
| A slice of humble pie
Antelope hunting in western Kansaspresents challenges for an experiencedwhitetail archer.
35
Departmen6 NEWS and EVENTS
12 DEER HUNTING
20 WATERFOWL
28 UPLAND GAME
37 PREDATORS
39 NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHO
43 TRAPPING
46 EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS
52 EXTRA SHOTS
56 READER PHOTOS
8
14
20
28
35
43
46
WritersDrew Palmer
Steve Gilliland
Tom Claycomb III
Dave Seaton
Rob Watson
Scott Johnson
David Seaton
PhotographyDrew Palmer
Steve Gilliland
Scott Johnson
Brian Broom
Donita Clausen
(c) brm1949/fotosearch.com
(c) natureguy/fotosearch.com
Tom Claycomb III
Dan Torrence
Bryan Eastham
Todd Sauers
Breck Cherry
Zach RaulieShaun Reid
Pheasants FNebraska GLakeside TaOklahoma D
Wildlife C
Composing
Ken BurrellMarsha Wes
Kay Batdorf
AdvertisingDavid NewmMarsha WesDavid A. SeArty HicksTeresa MooRebecca CoShelly Tapia
For advertising information:call 620-221-1050 or 620-442-4200
To get a copy mailed to you:call David A. Seaton 620-442-4200
or email [email protected]
Credits
Cover photoBowhunter
a brief mom
thoughts aft
mature Kan
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
4/35
4 Kansas Hunter Magazine Kansas Hu
Youth Waterfowl Season: In each of the duck zones,two days will be set aside for youth waterfowl hunting(ducks and geese). Hunters 15 and younger may hunt
under the supervision of an adult 18 or older. Theadult may NOT hunt.
Youth/Disabled Deer Season: September 5-13, 2015is a season for youth 16 or younger or anyone whohas a disability hunting permit to hunt deer. Residentyouth 16 years old and all nonresident youth musthave a hunting license unless exempt by law, as well asa valid deer permit, and youth must be accompaniedby an adult 18 or older.
All resident and nonresident permits are validin this season, and all permit, unit, and equipmentrestrictions apply, including hunter orange clothing.
The adult may NOT hunt.Youth Pheasant and Quail Season: Nov. 7-8, 2015
is a weekend for youth to hunt pheasants and quail.
Youth 16 and younger may hunt under the supervi-sion of an adult 18 or older. The supervising adultmay NOT hunt.
Daily bag limits are half the regular season limits.Youth Spring Turkey Season: April 1-12, 2016.
Youth 16 and younger can hunt with any legal equip-ment under the supervision of an adult 18 or older.
(Information from Kansas Department of Wildlife,Parks and Tourism. Visit ksoutdoors.com, or consult the2015 Kansas Hunting Atlas or 2015 Kansas Huntingand Furharvesting regulations summary.)
Start em young
iSPORTSMAN ELECTRONIC DAILY HUNT
PERMITSAt designated wildlife areas, paper card daily hunt
permits have been replaced with electronic hunt permitsthrough iSportsman.Te electronic permits will be more
convenient for hunters and much less labor intensive forarea managers. Information gathered through the per-mits helps managers to provide the best possible huntingopportunities.
Hunters can register to create a user-account at anytime by logging on to https://kdwpt.isportsman.net. Before hunting, a huntersimply checks in, providing a log-in IDonline with a computer or smar t phoneor by phoning with a cell phone or land-line. Afer the hunt, hunters use the samemethod to checkout and provide harvest
information.To learn more, log on to https://kdwpt.isportsman.net
or call (620) 672-5911 and ask for Public Lands.
Several wildlife areas have been added to the list ofthose requiring hunters to obtain free Electronic DailyHunt Permits: Benedictine Bottoms, Berentz/Dick,Bolton, Buck Creek, Cheyenne Bottoms, Clinton, El-
wood, Hillsdale, Jamestown, Kansas River, La Cygne,
Lovewell, Lyon, Marais de s Cygnes, McPherson Wet-
lands, Melvern, Mil ford, Neosho, Noe, Perry, Texas
Lake, Isabel, and Slate Cre ek Wetlands.
Te electronic permits will replace the paper card sys-tem currently in place.
DOGS TO RETRIEVE BIG GAMEDogs may be used to retrieve big game animals.
Dogs may be used to retrieve dead or wounded biggame animals with the following restrictions: each dogshall be maintained on a hand-held leash at all timeswhile tracking the big game animal; an individualtracking big game animals outside of legal shooting
hours shall not carry equipment capable ofharvesting the big game animal; and eachindividual harvesting a big game animalshall be limited to the equipment type forthe permit and season that is authorized.
Each individual participating in thetracking of a big game animal shall have a
hunting license, unless the individual is exempt by law.
ANTLERLESS DEER PERMITS
While deer hunters who have purchased a permit thatallows the harvest of an antlered deer m ay still purchaseup to ve whitetail antlerless only (WAO) permits andone antlerless only (AO) permit, the units in which theyare valid and the extended WAO seasons are new for2015-2016.
Consult page 20 f the Kansas Hunting and Furharvest-ing Regulations Summary.
New hunting rules for 2015
Butler SFL
Phone: (620) 876-5730.Location: 3 miles W, 1 N of Latham.
Acres: 320Camping: Yes, in designated areas.
Equipment Restrictions: None.
Other: Alcohol prohibited.
Cowley SFL & WA
Phone: (620) 876-5730.Location: 16 mi. E of Arkansas City.
Acres: 197
Camping: Yes, in designated areas.
Equipment Restrictions: None.Other: Alcohol prohibited.
El Dorado WA
Phone: (620) 767-5900.Location: 2 mi. E, 1 N of El Dora-
do.Acres: 4,258
Camping: No.
Boating: Yes.Equipment Restrictions: None.Other: Swimming (jumping) pro-hibited in Walnut River at NE
Chelsea road bridge.
Kaw WA
Phone: (620) 876-5730.
Location: 1 mile SE of Arkansas City.Acres: 4,341
Camping: No.Boating: Yes
Equipment Restrictions: None.
Slate Creek WA
Phone: (620) 876-5730.Location: 6 mi. S, 1 1/2 W of Oxfo
Acres: 827.Camping: No.
Boating: Yes, carry-in only.Equipment Restrictions: Non-tox
Other: Electronic daily hunt permregister at www.kdwpt.isportsma
Copan WA
Phone: (620) 331-6820.
Location: 1/2 mi. W of Caney.Acres: 2,360.
Camping: Yes, in deareas.
Boating: Yes, carry-Equipment Restrict
Dove Flats WA
Phone: (620) 331-68
Location: 2 1/2 mi. City.
Acres: 206.Camping: Yes, in de
areas.Boating: None.
Equipment Restrictions: None.
Duck Creek WA
Phone: (620) 331-6820.Location: 1 1/2 mi. E, 3 1/3 N of E
Acres: 246.Camping: Yes, in designated area
Boating: None.Equipment Restrictions: None.
Public hunting areas in south-central K
1020 S Kansas, Suite 200
Topeka, KS 66612-1327
(785) 296-2281
512 SE 25th Ave.
Pratt, KS 67124-8174
(620) 672-5911
6232 E 29th St.
Wichita, KS 672
(316) 683-8069
For more information contact contact Kansas Department of
Parks and Tourism (ksoutdoors.com):
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
5/356 Kansas Hunter Magazine
News release
Upland bird hunters have more room to roam
at the Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area in Pottawatomie
County.
Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, the Kan-sas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
(KDWPT) and the National Wild Turkey Federation
have completed a wildlife habitat project
that adds 480 acres to the wildlife
area in north-central Kansas.
Not only does the land
acquisition permanently
protect important habitat
for pheasants, quail
and prairie chickens,
the new tract opens
public access to a
550-acre tract of
Tuttle Creek Wild-life Area that had
been previously
inaccessible to
the public as it
was surrounded by
private land.
The net result
is this acquisition
opens 1,030 acres to
public hunting and out-
door recreation.
The 484-acre acquisition
expands Tuttle Creek Wildlife
Area to more than 12,600 acres,permanently conserving tallgrass prairie
in the states northern Flint Hills.
This project is the result of a new permanent
land conservation partnership between Pheasants
Forever, KDWPT and other Kansas conservation
partners.
The Tuttle Creek project is Pheas
nership project in Kansas.
en model of fundraising, protecting wand securing a permanent place for
Just 3 percent of land in K
public ownership, wild
tourism Secretary
son said.
owners an
groups w
tively w
life ag
succe
pubport
he s
F
the T
Wildl
sition
by KDW
funding
man-Rob
Restoration
equipment), Phe
gram, the Flint Hills Pheas
chapter, Fort Riley Pheasants Foreve
National Wild Turkey Federation Sup
Robert Ramsdale Memorial, Robert
merce Trust Co., and a donation from
Benton Lyman Trust.
Quail Forever is taking its annual celebra-
tion of upland hunting, National Pheasant Fest& Quail Classic, to Kansas City on Feb. 19-21,
2016.The event will be hosted at the
Kansas City Convention Center
with Federal Premium Ammu-nition as the presenting sponsor.
As the premiere quail event inthe country, Quail Forever is urging
hunters and members to take partand have a voice for quail conser-
prominent role at our 2016convention, and we invite
quail hunters and chapter mem-bers to join us for a celebration
of wildlife habitat conserva- -
addition to the convention, Quail For-
ever is celebrating its 10th anniversary -this is a special milestone and one we
wish to celebrate with all quail hunting
National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic2016 will be the nations largest tradeshow
and convention for upland hunters, landown-ers, sport dog trainers, and wildlife habitatconservationists.
with a Quail Summit hosted on Feb. 20, aswell as more seminars, vendors, and hunting
gear designed with quail hunters in mind as exhibitor area.
Early bird registration deadline is Dec. 1. -
tion or call 877-773-2070.
the landowner habitat help room, everyaspect of the show will have a quail
director of corporate sales for Quail
attendance of hunters through-
out the nation as we elevate the
More about the show:Quail hunters are encour-
aged to suggest vendors.
premium prices with adver-
tising included in the QuailForever Journal.
For more information regarding
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forevers cor-porate sales representative, at (763) 350-7362or email.
Quail and pheasant lovers
ocking to Kansas City
Blue Valley Wildlife Areacreated through conservation partne
More than 1,000 acres opened to public hu
NEWS and EVENTS
6 Kansas Hunter Magazine Kansas Hu
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
6/358 Kansas Hunter Magazine Kansas Hu
Deer. Turkey. Duck.
Hunt them all, over three consecutive days in
southeast Kansas.
Thats what a group of hunters and promoters are
cooking up in the Fort Scott area, hoping to create a
new, unique event that showcases Kansas hunting and
boosts tourism.
Called the SEKansas 3-Species Classic, the special
event is modeled after the Governors turkey and ring-neck hunts. It kicks offin 2015 with a three-day hunt
and celebration with a small invited group Nov. 27-29.
In 2016, the event will open to the public, hoping
to draw hunters and outdoor enthusiasts from in and
out of state.
Hunters will be taken on deer, turkey and duck
hunts over a Friday-Sunday weekend, and
enjoy a Saturday night banquet open to
the public.
Its a 3-day, action-packed hunting
adventure, and you get to hunt three
different species, said organizer Joe
Bisogno, owner of Timber Hills Lake
Ranch.
Bisogno, founder of the Mr. Good-cents restaurant chain, developed
Timber Hills Lake Ranch into a hunting
and shing destination and wants to promote
Kansas as an outdoor mecca.
With help from the Fort Scott Area Chamber of
Commerce, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife,
Parks and Tourism, plans are coming together for a
unique experience.
The 3-species hunt will include hunting locations
through- out southeast Kansas. Other
out- tters are on board, Bisogno
said. Hunting will be
done on ranches and
farms. Each hunter
will be accompaniedby a host or guide
during the three
days.
Southeast Kansas
is well known as being
trophy buck territory.
Were really trying to
allow people all over the
world, and the United
States, to know that
if youre looking
for a great trip, an
outdoor adventure
hunting, shing
Kansas is the place
to look.The Governors One
Shot Turkey Hunt in Eldora- do,
and the Governors Ringneck Classic, held in Goodland
in 2015, will be models for the three-species event.
The Governor is very interested in these types of
activities, as it promotes opportunity and economic ac-
tivity in the more rural parts of the state, DWPT
director Robin Jennison toldKansas Hunter.
Guests who y in for the event can
hunt Friday afternoon, Saturday, and
Sunday morning before ying out.
Hunters can choose their weapon
bow, rie or black power for deer.
Bow, shotgun or rie for turkey. Shot-
gun for duck.They can also choose to hunt all
three species, or hunt one species over
the three days.
Bisogno has attended the governors hunts,
and he recently participated in a 3-species hunt in
Scotland called the McNab, he said.
Hunters there seek to catch a salmon, harvest a red
stag, and down a grouse. They stay in a castle during
the trip.
The rst 3-Species Classic in Kansas will be kept
small as a test run to develop a larger, public event in
the years to follow. Outdoor and adventure people are
being invited this year, along with some government
dignitaries.
The banquet in Fort Scott on Saturday, though, willbe open to the public from the get-go. Plans call for
an auction to help fund a trolley that would help with
tourism in Fort Scott.
Its really about building commerce, building tour-
ism and building a community that is proud of what
they do. Bisogno said.
!" $%&'$ %( )*%+,-
3-Species Classic huntEvery fall and winter hunters roam the aisles of outdoor stores browsing the racks and aski ng
question, does this really work? Here are my its worth it picks for the fall that will cost you som
wont leave you disappointed.
+./0123/44 5/26/7 '89:4/9 ;)?@A
No more clinching your teeth in a treestand trying to feel your toes. No
more walking like a duck in the mud with 3-lb pack boots that are t for the ar-
tic circle. Its time to invest in some technology that works and works incredibly
well. Thermacells Heated Insole is the answer. They are completely wireless and
rechargeable, making ease of use a breeze. Drop them in your favorite pair ofboots and make numb toes a thing of the past. They feature a 5-hour continu-
ous battery life and a wireless remote. With three levels of heat, you can control
your comfort and use the heat all the time or only when needed, extending the
battery life. A USB charger and automotive charger make recharging on the go
simple and easy. The material can be trimmed to t, giving you added versatility
to t in all your different shoes regardless of the situation. Dont think they are
strictly for hunting either, they perform just as well for those late season football
games or fall festivals. Available at most major outdoor stores or online.
)3/86 B0C9./0 ,D:8/ E/20 !2F ;)?GG
If you are the detail oriented scent control freak, this bag will b
best friend. The days of crunching cedar brows and leaving your c
in a plastic tote are over. The Scent Crusher Gear Bag applies ozon
technology to kill bacteria and virus that ca use odor. You may be ta fancy line of uff, but its backed by science. Ozone, or 0 3, is the t
of oxygen. 03is one of natures most powerful oxidizers and is ext
at destroying odors. The Gear Bag comes with a wall charger and
charger allowing you to step out of your vehicle ready to hunt sce
able at most major outdoor stores or online.
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
7/35
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
8/35
12 Kansas Hunter Magazine
!"#$% !"''(
)*+ ,-$"#'%./+01+" 2340''"5 60#4'"
Myths about wildlife are probably as oldas man, and deer hunting has morethan its share. While many have likely
come and gone, others can still be
heard at deer camps.
One misunderstood deer is the
spike and the misconceptions go
both ways. Some say they can grow
into trophies while others think along
the lines of once a spike, always a spike.
Bronson Strickland of the Mississippi
State University Deer Lab said both can
happen, but neither are likely.
You can have lots of spiked bucks that grow to a
120- to 130-class buck, Strickland said. The probabili-
ty of a 150- to 170-class is much lower than other deer.With that, Strickland said the probability of a spike
becoming a trophy all depends on what the hunter
considers a trophy.
On the other end of the spectrum, Strickland sai d
it is also rare for a yearling spike to remain a spike i n
adulthood.
Its probably not going to happen,
but it can happen, Strickland said.
Most always, probably 99 percent of
the time, a yearling buck with spiked
antlers will have forked antlers later in
life.
The gene pool
I hear it all the time Im glad we got that man-agement buck out of the gene pool, Strickland said.
Removing what are considered to be inferior bucks
from properties is a common practice and many be-
lieve it will improve the herds genetics, but Strickland
says culling management bucks wont do it.
Culling is an ineffective tool, Strickland said. The
mother really has just as much to do with this as the
dad.
You cant control the mothers ability to produce
above-average fawns.At the same time, Strickland said cull-
ing can improve the herd. Removing a
mature six-point, 200-pound eating
machine is a good idea because the
groceries hes consuming can go to
other deer with greater potential.
Full moon folly?Many events in the wild are at-
tributed to a full moon and some still
feel it affects the rut, but Lann Wilf, Mis-
sissippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks Deer Program leader said thats not the case.
No, absolutely not, Wilf said. There have been
multiple studies done, and they dont correlate.Wilf explained that instead of a lunar event, it s
solar.
Its photoperiod, Wilf said. Its length of day.
Although a full moon does not affect the rut, Wilf
said he believes it does factor into deer movement.
Im just going to go on record as saying deer
movement around a full moon is
squirrely, Wilf said. Personally, I dont
like hunting around a full moon. They
just dont do right.
Among most hunters, the expla-
nation is that deer move more during
the night with a full moon than other
nights, but Wilf isnt so sure about that.
They move a lot on a full moon, but Ive seenthem move a lot on other nights, Wilf said. Nocturnal
movement is going to be dictated more by other fac-
tors than the full moon.
Even though Wilf believes the full moon does alter
deer movement, he said food ava ilability, hunting
!""# %&'() *"+,-."*
12 Kansas Hunter Magazine
P
hotosbyBrianBroom
around a full moon
DEER HUNTING
Continued on page 13
pressure and weather have much greater impa cts.
The old, barren doeAnother myth Wilf said he still hears is about the
doe that is too old to produce fawns.
There is no such thing as an old, barren doe, Wilf
said. Shes going to have fawns til she cant and
thats usually when shes dead.
If youre waiting on a doe with no fawns, youre
going to be waiting a while unless youre hunting a
really stressed deer herd.
Wilf said not being bred, disease a nd predation on
fawns are all factors that could lead to a doe without
fawns, but the main cause is nutritional stress.
Food grows big racksHunters routinely plant food plots and provide
high-protein supplemental feed in their
big antlers, and while it is important, Wi
trump genetics.
Nutrition allows them to express th
potential, Wilf said. Now, if hes suppo
inch 8-point, thats what hes going to b
Managing your food sources with
plots and summer food plots is not goi
every deer to 150. Even i n the Delta, th
ture buck is only going to score 135 to
And there are other factors that ho
growth. Wilf said drought, oods, late b
physical condition of the mother at birt
cles. Because of that, he said less than
bucks make it to the 150-class, and 170
about as rare as NFL players.
Everything is working against them
Every stress is working against them.
It takes a perfect storm to create th
Continued from page 12
Kansas Hun
!"#$ & '()*+,- $$. /(0)1,0 /2
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3 25:B >8(;5; *8076 B@= 7*@65
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7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
9/35
I can lead you to the exac t tree that changed my
outlook on bowhunting setups forever.
It was a skinny neck of trees that had no sign of
activity for 80 percent of the season.
In fact, without the knowledge I have now, I would
generally walk right past it while doing late summer orlate winter scouting.
It was a beautiful oak tree that sat in a 100-yard
section of scrubby timber in the middle of the pasture.
A seasoned pair of bowhunters a combined 40
years experience at the time selected that stand
location many years before I launched my rst success-
ful arrow from it.
Three, P&Y bucks out of the same tree withinve
days is pretty substantial evidence that there is some-
thing going on there.
Treestand theoriesThere are a million documented theories to tree-
stand setups. The real truth Ive learned over the years
is that every piece of property can demand different
tactics.
When selecting a stand location, its well knownthat inside corners, pinch points, creek crossings, and
eld edges all p roduce great results.
But you cant hunt those locations all year, every-
day. To me one of the easiest places to overlook is the
timber nger. Sometimes as bowhunters we tend to
think only about whats in front of us. Its easy to see
all the sign on the ground when we are doing our
pre-season scouting and loose sight of the big picture.
Things change quickly throughout the year and
The Power of the Finger
14 Kansas Hunter Magazine
!" $%&' ()*+&%Bow hunter recommends Painting the picture
to optimize your bow hunting experience
Continued on page 15
can leave us high and dry in terms of buck sightings
and encounters.
Not every piece of property we hunt or have access
to is going to strategically setup up the same. But
when the possibility of hunting a timber nger comes
into play, I jump at the opportunity.
ScoutingWhen scouting a new piece of property for the rst
time, I spend hours mulling over aerial images.
OnX Hunt Maps is an incredible app that I depend
on, and can help you with
your scouting, preparationand navigation. It has fea-
tures that allow you to see
property lines of private
and public land tracts, to
mark your treestand sites
or game cameras, and
also to document animal
sightings with precise GPS
accuracy.
One of the rst things
I look at on aerial maps is
how the winds may inu-
ence my entering/exiting
of possible stand setups.
Some of the mostprominent winds in
south-central Kansas
during the later part of
October and early November are southeast and nor th-
west.
Northwest winds typically involve cold fronts that
create a drop and sharp rise i n barometric pressure.
During the pre-rut times the sharp increase can get
those nocturnal bucks on their feet and present hunt-
ers with an opportunity or sighting to give us valuable
information on buck movements.
Youre probably wondering how i n the world does
this relate to treestand strategies or setting a stand in a
timber nger?
Theres more of a connection than you might think.A more in-depth strategy for selecting stand locations
that I p reach is painting the p icture.
EquationAerial imagery and weather forecasting help the
experienced bow hunter anticipate how the weather
and the stages of the season will move
We can take the things we know ab
behavior and look at them as an equat
then take that equation and apply i t to
to give us targeted areas.
Focusing on movements in the pre
that bucks in mid-fall often stay hidden
secure areas that have cover, minimal d
mast crops for the deer to sparsely feed
habitat.
They are beginning to create scrap
size up their competition, and establish
Perhaps the most dangerous thing
is develop
that allow
check vast
land for do
winds.
This is
ber nger
Even th
ber nger
bucks mos
all of their
they spend
time when
nerable to Bucks u
in early mo
evening ho
their feet and still stay out of sight.
You could relate these locations to
may use a bar on their way home from
The thicker the cover or size of a tim
greater chance dominant bucks may b
away from smaller bucks.
As the days transition closer to the
that bucks tend to use these ngers an
to lie in wait of does coming into estru
from bedding or feeding areas.
This creates the perfect opportunit
bowhunter, to
ll our tag. Also, dont cosame locations for hunting the tail end
Bucks commonly go back to the sam
frequented in the pre rut, looking for d
have not been bred.
Writer Drew Palmer is the owner of M
door Company. He lives in rural Arkansas
Kansas Hun
Continued from page 14
Photo by Drew Palmer
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
10/35
When it comes to putting your time in andracking up the hours in the stand, comfortmay be the toughest adversary.
If I had a dollar for every hour Ive spent sitting
on a cramped, cold, and uncomfortable stand ...
Id have enough money to buy a truckload of good
ones.
morning and that was a good looking spot, but I
Part of me has sympathy for when its one of
my cheap stands, and I feel a bit guilty.
But hey, I dont have a semi-truck coming every
fall delivering me the best of the best, either. Just
like a lot of other dedicated bow-
hunters, I have a lot of ground to
cover and have to make due with
what Ive got.
medium between lighting your
-
ing miserable in the tree for 10
hours?
InvestLets be realistic. You dont
have to buy a whole palate of
top-of-the-line stands to go
along with every location you
have an interest in hunting.
We all have several stand
that lead us to believe we could
see action all day there.
there is a strong chance you could be presented
with a shot opportunity at any point during the
rut throughout the day, then that spot is probably
worth putting in a premium stand.
Play the weather and pick your spots and
chances are youll be blessed with opportunity.
That brings me to my second point: Invest in
a couple top-of-the-line comfortable stands. It is
well-designed stand can make when it comes to
enduring those long sits.
Mentally, physically, and emotionally being
comfortable can change the way you hunt.
Instead of heading home at 9:45 a.m. because
your legs and rear end cant handle the misery
anymore, now you have a chance at maybe thebest buck of your life at 11:15 a.m. Pack your
lunch and a good book.
StrategyChris Keefer, co-host of the hit show Rival Wild,
has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it
comes to sitting all day.
He also has a stacked trophy
room of mature trophy bucks to
back up his know how.
and planning our sets, Casey
strategies that we rely on. One is
hunting what we call [outside in].
When we are hunting a farm we
use our aerial photos religious-
ly and scouting knowledge to
develop a strategy for selecting
stand sites that allow us to keep
our distance from where we feel
the deer are living.
super aggressive move in Oc-
tober and possibly booger that
buck that may make a few mis-
takes during the rut. We stick to
property to a minimum.
will start looking and planning what we call [rut
stands], those are our stand locations where we
know that at anytime there could be a stud walk
by, and we need to be there to seal the deal.
Treestand TipsMake your time in the stand pay off
!" $%&' ()*+&%
Continued on page 17
16 Kansas Hunter Magazine
point, but if youre not on stand when that hap-
The next part of the proven strategy that the
Keefer brothers employ relates to weather and
technology.
For the hunter who is limited on time and days
to hunt, soak this in:
-
system is going to move in. Those are the days
that you have to be out there and stay out there.
When that inclement weather comes, those deerare mentally and genetically engineered to get on
their feet.
prime time for big bucks cruising, especially when
-
cant time in advance, giving the job-steady hunter
a chance to schedule vacation or one of those
Trail camerasA bit of attention to detail can pay big divi-
dends in the bowhunting world.
cameras TOO much. This is somewhat against thetrend and has some ties to old-fashioned ideology.
everything is getting crazy, I dont rely on my trail
cameras to much.
-
as, that ultimately have a very small sample size of
what activity is actually taking place. Trail cameras
have revolutionized deer hunting, we know that.
-
ventory on which bucks are frequenting your p rop-
erty, but we cant get dependent. Think about how
much ground that buck covers when you see him
chasing a doe in the rut? Of course he isnt walk-
ing by your camera at the same time everyday.Nothing is more valuable than time in the stand in
GearThe guys at Rival Wild and I both depend on
Millennium treestands. Chris took the words right
not narrow minded and Im not goin
that other companies premium stan
They all work. This isnt a sales pitch
I use and what I know.
Being comfortable keeps our min
longer, and that is key for the crew a
and myself.
The Millennium M-50 is my go to
of stands and do a lot of it by mysel
safety into play. Being 20-feet up in
to wrestle ratchet straps around a h
hang on is a bit unnerving to me.
The M-50 eliminates that comple
the cam-lock bracket that is extrem
to use, and quiet.
The bracket goes around the tree
in ratchet strap that connects to the
next step is to drop the stand in the
en the lower tie-down strap and you
go. Thats it.
Chris and Casey both spend hun
in the stand every fall.
every year, the Cam-Lock system m
crew, we are able to hang the hunte
a camera stand with us, and we are
Game dayPlan your attacks wisely. Look fo
cious weather systems that create a
barometer and trigger the instincts o
Prepare the night before and pac
accordingly. A good rain jacket, a lu
eat quickly and quietly, maybe a han
kids Halloween candy, and an extern
charger are all items that can make
in the stand more tolerable.
Heck, Id be lying to you if I said watched college or NFL football on m
during the slow times.
It can be done, and the rewards
Get out there and put the time in, a d
stand is a day well spent.
Writer Drew Palmer is the owner
Outdoor Company. He lives in rural A
Continued from page 16
Kansas Hun
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
11/35
Kansas Hun18 Kansas Hunter Magazine
!"#$ &"'"($"
Bushnell, an industry-leader in
trail cameras and outdoor technology,
has partnered with biologists at The
Quality Deer Management Association
and leading outdoor access technol-
ogy developer Powederhook in the
creation of a revolutionary new deer
hunting tool.
QDMA Deer Tracker allows hunters
to submit reports based on observed
deer activity or deer they harvest. Us-ing this data, the app generates a heat
map estimating the likelihood of seeing
deer activity during hunting hours and
within a selected area.
Powderhook developed the app
with collaboration from biologists at QDMA and
teams at Bushnell, Cabelas and Hunting Lease
Network.
Designed with privacy in mind, Deer
Tracker never reveals your exact loca-
tion, yet crowd-sources a regional snap-
shot of deer activity that can be used to
judge rut timing, feeding windows and
optimum hunting periods.
fun and informative for everyone from
beginners to the hardcore DIY archery
giving way some cool prizes from our
The app is available in the Apple
App store and Google Play. Or vis-
it www.deertrackerapp.com for more
information.
New app
helps
track
deer
)&*+ ,-" ./01
American deer hunters are killing the highest-ev-
er percentage of bucks age 3and older, according
to data gathered by the Quality Deer Management
Association (QDMA) for its 2015 Whitetail Report, now
available online.
In the 2013-14 season, the most recent season with
complete deer harvest data available from all states,34 percent of bucks harvested in the states that collect
buck age data were 3or older. That statistic is up
from 32 percent the season before, and signicantly
up from a decade before i n the 2003-04 season, when
only 23 percent of the national buck harvest was ma -
ture. These gains have been made while the percent-
age of yearling bucks (1years old) in the harvest has
steadily declined, reaching a record-low of 36 percent.
This is a testament to how far weve come as
hunters in the past decade, said Kip Adams, QDMAs
Director of Education & Outreach, who compiles the
annual Whitetail Report. More hunters are choosing to
protect yearling bucks, and they are being rewarded
by seeing and killing more of them as mature animals.
This trade-offcan be seen in state-by-state data.The ve states with the lowest percentage of year-
ling bucks in the antlered buck harvest, according to
QDMAs Whitetail Report, are also the top-ve states
in percentage of mature bucks: Louisiana, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.
Though the age structure of the buck harvest is
improving, total numbers of bucks kille
are on the decline in several states. Nat
tal buck harvest declined 4 percent fro
2.85 million in 2012 to 2.74 million in 2
The 2015 Whitetail Report also exa
trends in total buck and doe harvest by
analysis, while the Northeast and South
relatively stable, the Midwest region sa
drop in deer harvest: 18 percent fewer 2003 to 2013, and 20 percent fewer do
Wisconsins buck harvest declined
during the last decade, Minnesotas dro
cent, and Iowas plummeted 43 percent
These are big declines, and hunters ar
taking notice.
While lower harvests in some areas
intentional efforts to reduce deer dens
eas deer populations have dropped be
the habitat can support in healthy cond
Whitetail Report explores the factors in
ing hemorrhagic disease o utbreaks, ha
habitat loss, and over-harvest.
There is good news and not-so-go
this years Whitetail Report, and thats e
monitor and report trends in the white
said Lindsay Thomas Jr., QDMAs Direct
cations. Its particularly important for h
hunting industry to be aware of threats
tail resource, so well continue to keep
radar.
(c) brm1949 / fotosearch.com
WATERFOWLl d i th d ! C l j t ilC ti d f p 20
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
12/35
WATERFOWL
20 Kansas Hunter Magazine
The migration resembled a giant blizzard making i tsway across the Kansas plains. It was the end of De-cember and for my small group of friends, the greatest
time of year. With a little extra Christmas cash in our
pockets and plenty of leftover sweets in the fridge, we
were ready to hit it hard.
I was curled up on the couch watching a football
game when I got a phone call with somebody on theother end stuttering on about how four birds turned
into 40,000 on a scouting trip and it was the craziest
eld theyve ever seen.
The caller used words like, epic, motherload, and
holy grail. It was my photographer/goose hunting
comrade Shaun, and he couldnt get across to me fast
enough that he wasnt exaggerating the estimate.
The next four days would be some of the most
incredible goose hunting weve ever been part of.
Im not going to lie. I had my suspicions about this
gig. I was still giving Shaun grief after the last slam-
dunk he took me on a few days prior. Which was a
day after he melted the memory card in his camera
taking pictures of hundreds of birds piling into thespread, after his party had a lready limited out. Banded
Specks, Rosss geese, and mondo wads of Canadas all
lled my text message inbox along with OMG you
would be in heaven. Well, the day I showed up we
killed three birds and watched thousands y around in
4 Days of Fury!" $%&' ()*+&%
4 Days of Fury
Continued on page 21
Photo by Shaun Reid
Kansas Hun
disarray. Part of the game.
Day 1
With the trailer in tow packed to the b rim, we
rolled out of town at about 3:15 a.m. with hot coffee
and the speakers blaring our favorite Aaron Lewis re-
cord. Joining me on this 120-mile trip i nto foreign ter-
ritory was my lifelong hunting partner Chase, whom
had just returned home from four years of service in
the United States Army.
We were chomping at the bit to see some new
country and hunt new bi rds. We were meeting the
other half of the squad in a little town I cant say
around 5:15 a.m. So at 5:45 a.m. in typical fashion, weall staggered out of the truck. We examined the eld
and began the scramble of designing a game plan to
get this monster spread into the right spot. With ve
of us one year removed or still ac tive college baseball
players, and Chase fresh out of the service, we legged
out a lot of gear a long ways in a short amount of
time. There were plenty of remarks in between deep
gasp for air about how we were already fat and out of
shape, but the truth was, this was no hunt for old men.
There was a pretty heavy coat of fog hovering
about the landscape and not a breath of wind. Two
factors that make me sweat and bite my nails. This was
a huge wheat eld with not an inch of cover anywhere
besides a hedgerow we were set up in. With darkness
still looming, we all stopped what we were doingwhen we heard a faint roar of a large group of Lesser
Canadas closing in on our position. At the same time
we all uttered our best goose hating slurs and curse
words with disbelief, as this was not normal for them
to be showing up in the dark. What in the world is
going on here? They were on the ground and it was
still 45 minutes from being able to shoot?
We nally scampered nearly 30-dozen decoys into
place, mostly Deception Decoy prototypes and silhou-
ettes. Tory, Kord, Chase, and Reese were all piled into
the homemade A-frame blind that Shaun, the master
engineer, was beating and slamming together. I nally
got settled into my cedar hide next to the blind and
threw on my trademark green ghillie suit. It wasnt
30 seconds after I red up my cameras and put my
headphones on that I heard the rst wave of shrieking
geese descending on our setup.
The shrieking got closer and a few choice words
came out of the blind. Are you kidding me? Already?
We havent been here for 5 minutes and those illegal
out of season (unmentionable word) want to come
land in the decoys! Cool, ya just pile on
party is here!
Specklebellys, which are our favorit
eat and hunt, were the subjects of the s
log. Out of season and uttering in the
somebody ran into the decoys, spookin
only out of fear that when the Canadas
could possibly be in the line o f re and
ticket from a KDWP warden.
Things slowed down for a bit and I
offleaning up next to my camera cases
bags. I was quickly awoken when an ab
high-pitched noise entered my headph
enticed the typical chatter of goose cal
only to reside after a bit when Shaun yLord, I cant even hear myself think! Ko
them?
The skies quickly turned into a clus
after wave of dark geese started bomb
spread. One balled up pass and several
the heavens, in typical fashion, sealing
rest of them. The main wad swung wid
and Shaun, in his typical excited humo
God, they are rallying up the troops. Ge
I didnt know where to point the ca
viewnder quickly turned into a black w
ing in anticipation. Finally, after hundre
peddled above the decoys, most of wh
just weeks earlier with our own two ha
you think its about that time? Five gu
over the top of the blind and cut into a
ardsons Canada geese. That familiar so
through my headphones and I tremble
ment feeling like I was 6 years old agai
It seemed like it only took a matter
in reality it was close to half an hour. Bi
ing in so fast we had to pass up shots t
and again to make sure we were still u
limit. I had been franticly trying to get
locked on all of this madness, as I knew
After one volley, Chase yelled in my dir
Dale, (my inside nickname) you might w
your pop gun out because Kordless ne
and then its your time to shine! I was s
disbelief as it seemed like I had only l
of shooting? After Kord picked up what
pride and dignity (he missed three time
at point blank, on camera) he folded hi
jumped in the blind to a bunch of jabs
at my absence for the majority of the h
Continued from page 20
Co
we moved a few dozen decoys to higher ground andContinued from page 21 both of those on this hunt Great equipContinued from page 22
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
13/35
the bushes with my cameras.
I quickly rattled offa few shots out of my 20 gauge,
semi-auto and put a few straggling Canadas on the
ground. Just like that. The day was done.
We didnt even have our guns unloaded when
somebody blurted out so who is coming to scout
tonight, the rest of those birds that didnt show up this
morning?
Laughter lled our
group, and Tory happily
volunteered. After a
leg-cramping trek out
of a slimy wheat eld,
we got back to the
truck and revived our
sleep-deprived bodies
with some good crack
as Shaun calls semi-fro-
zen Gatorade. It was
time for Chase and I to
tag and label our game
straps full of geese and
head south to regroup.
Day 2-3The next day we let
the birds rest, as con-
ditions were less than favorable. But that evening the
call came. Hey we found them, and theres more.Knowing the conditions and the large number of
birds we had to work with, my mind shifted into over-
drive and thoughts of a 100-bird day began to dance
in my imagination. We all rendezvoused at the same
intersection as the previous hunt and headed out to
the battlegrounds. This setup was an all hands on deck
event, as we were deploying a large number of full
bodies plus a grain sack lled with duck full bodies
as well. Torys report from scouting the night before
was that there were a healthy amount of greenheads
using the cut milo eld, but knowing the ducks were
typically only feeding once a day in the evenings, we
all remained a bit skeptical. A few drakes in the bag
would be icing on the cake.
As the sun came up over the frozen Ka nsas land-scape, we could hear the sounds of geese in every
direction. A few mallards bombed the spread out of
nowhere and we quickly downed a few greenheads
to get on the board. Soon after, lines of geese began
to trace the skyline. It was wave after wave after wave.
But we quickly realized we were in the wrong eld, so
we moved a few dozen decoys to higher ground and
the birds quickly changed their attitudes. Even though
the masses were still a mile away in the next section,
we started to gain the interest of some groups late to
the party.
By about 9 a.m., we got our rst tornado rotating
above us. A few stray Canadas began to work the
spread. That was all it took. With each group the vortex
of geese got bigger and bigger. It wasnt long before
somebody made the
executive decision and
we cut into a healthy
group of salt n pepper.
Snows and Canadas
began to hit the frozenmilo with a thud, and
our spirits were rejuve-
nated.
Day 4
Just as we were de-
bating what to do the
next day, our decision
was made for us. To the
southeast in the shad-
ow of a burning Kansas
sunrise, a roar and mas-
sive cloud of birds rose
up offsome poor farmers wheat eld. It was a sight
that every goose hunter dreams of. The only thing that
made it sweeter, was that another group just as big fell
in behind the rst storm of shrieking little geese. In a
quick discussion with a few intense verbs, our group
all came to the verdict that what we just watched
could have been the biggest ock of geese we had
ever laid eyes on.
That afternoon, Shaun and Tory put in the legwork
using the OnX Hunt Maps mobile app a nd a knock
on a farmers door. Once the farmer understood how
many birds were on his eld, he quickly stated I want
them all dead and gone. We like farmers with that
attitude!
The next morning was much of the same, I-35
was wide open at 3:30 a. m., and we had a truck full
of eager goose hunters. Joining Chase and I were my
former teammate, Cale, from southeast Oklahoma, and
our good buddy, Kyle. Coming from the hill country in
Oklahoma, Cale had never been part of a eld hunt. I
had buzzed Cale on short notice the afternoon before.
After rounding up his gear, he quickly ed the red
22 Kansas Hunter Magazine
Continued from page 21
Continued on page 23
dirt country and headed north to Kansas. Little did he
know what he was about to witness.
The setup was perfect, a half section of wheat with
a hedgerow that jetted into the middle of the eld
and stopped. We deployed a large spread of full body
decoys and mixed in some silhouettes for added num-
bers. The trek in was half the battle itself, as we drug
large grain sacks on beavertail sport sleds down the
edge of the hedgerow. Temperatures were in the teens
and a crisp frost laced the ground. The forecast was a
bit depressing, as Old Man Winter was about to get a
rm grip on the Midwest the next day. Lows in the sin-
gle digits would most likely freeze up all water, mov-
ing this massive concentration of birds farther southin search of open water. We settled into the A-frame
blind and anxiously awaited the birds arrival.
As I removed my green ghillie suit hood and
looked over my shoulder into the rising sun, I saw
what looked like the entire roost lift up over the hori-
zon. Hey, here comes the whole neighborhood boys,
I shouted. Cold, sunny mornings can make hungry
geese depart their nightly roost all at once, mak ing for
a feast or famine hunt. This morning we would feast.
As the birds closed in on us, it was evident we had
everything right. Some early birds fell from the sky like
they hadnt eaten in weeks, pitching in to within feet
of my position. The rest of the mob quickly rallied up
and began rotating the spread. With every turn more
and more birds hit the ground and began to feed.
At one point, I gazed through the viewnder of my
camera to see birds in focus, uttering at a few yards
away, and more birds backed up seemingly miles into
the sky.
There are two things that Im very thankful for ev-
ery time I get to go out and hunt: a great group of self-
less hunting buddies, and good equipment. We had
both of those on this hunt. Great equip
what I guessed to be about 2,000 to 4,0
within 30 yards of our homemade blind
did somebody attempt to rise up and s
a magnicent show of Mother N ature.
I melting the memory cards in our cam
some of our most incredible images, th
crew sat wide-eyed in awe.
It seemed like the rotating wall of g
eternity to land in the eld, but it was r
15 minutes. The mob of geese was so d
knew we wouldnt be able to shoot into
without going over the legal bag limits
Shaun and I had our ll of shooting ou
elected to wait for a goo d group of snowithin gun range.
Our group began picking offdisorie
Canadas left and right as they swarmed
Everybody lled their limit except me,
red a shot. But that was quickly accom
several more groups of geese dumped
tions a few yards in front of the blind. T
sort of fowl dream, the giant ocks of g
and began to swarm us again.
We fed our growling bellies at a sm
Braums, just offthe interstate. The verd
us was that we might never beat the la
hunting again. We hadnt killed more t
day, but we didnt have 10 guns going
success for us wasnt measured in how
put in the back of the truck, but in how
inuence group after group of educate
There are more great hunts ahead,
days of fury will surely remain promine
ory books.
Writer Drew Palmer is the owner of M
door Company. He lives in rural Arkansas
Kansas Hun
Continued from page 22
G tti f i d h k d
Continued from page 24
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
14/35
Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2014, was a special day formany reasons.Not only was it the celebration of all American Vet-
erans, it was also the start of a different celebra-
tion, one where two friends, Rob Watson
and Jim Champagne, would meet
in Kansas and enjoy camaraderie
over an icy decoy spread.
As a Marine Corps Veteran,this site was all too familiar
for me but for Jim Cham-
pagne, Command Sergeant
Major US Army Retired,
this would be his rst.
Jim has been an avid
hunter for whitetails, up-
land birds, and bears but
this would be his rst ever
waterfowl hunt. What better
place to start than the Chey-
enne Bottoms of Kansas.
Jim and I have spent count-
less hours in tree stands chasing
whitetails and many chilly mornings in
a ground blind listening to love-sick turkeys,
and watching Jims dog, Vic, lock up on pheasants in
the fence rows and ditches of the central Flint Hills of
Kansas.
But wed never chased waterfowl together.
Jim and I met a few years ago while working on
a project, instantly became friends and now several
years later are like brothers who share the same pas-
sion in the outdoors.
When planning this inaugural weekend, we knew
we would spend some time on Jims ranch trying to
harvest a whitetail and also chase some pheas-
ants at the Ringneck Ranch, where Jim
helps guide during the season.
But it wasnt perfect until we
called our buddy, Drew Palmer.
Drew invited us to join himand his crew for a hunt in the
bottoms, which caused us a
sleepless night for sure.
Jim and I typically
enjoy a good bourbon
and cigar in the evenings
when we get together, but
this being J imsrst shot
at waterfowl, we were like
kids on Christmas Eve and
didnt get much sleep in be-
fore the 3 a.m. wake-up ca ll.
Our steaming cups lled with
coffee and the truck loaded, we
drove to Hoisington, Kansas to meet
Drew, Shaun Reid and Grant Doyle .
We enjoyed a quick ride over to the bottoms to put
the boat in and a chilly ride to an awesome spot where
the setup began. Once decoys were out and blind was
brushed, we sat back and watched the show begin.
Jim was immediately amazed as ights of birds
passed by, and we enjoyed the unforgettable sound of
24 Kansas Hunter Magazine
Getting a friend hooked
on waterfowling!" $%& '()*%+
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Continued on page 25
Kansas Hun
whistling wings well before shooting hours.
For now, all we had to do was sit back and enjoy
the coffee while we watched birds land and take in the
view.
I cant describe the look on Jims face when take
em was called out the rst time, but I can tell you it
was the look of a now-hooked waterfowler!
Let me back up a little and share the amazing story
of who Jim Champagne is. He isnt your average new
guy you take out for the rst time. Jim is a US Army
combat veteran with 29 years of service to this great
country.
For more than half a decade, Command Sgt. Maj.
Jim Champagne has been a leader within the 1stInfantry Division and Fort Riley. He is a veteran of Iraq,
Afghanistan, has served in various units and has sever-
al decorations including two bronze stars.
He is a true American Hero and one of the most
humble men I have ever had the privilege to know.
He is always giving back to the troops, whether it be
providing solid advice to young soldiers or helping the
combat wounded adjust to their new lives through the
outdoors.
Its truly an honor to be hunting next to this man.
We were situated, all nice and warm, in Grants
boat with custom blind and portable heaters. While
being spoiled is great, it didnt take us long to forget
about the cold and get into the weather because the
birds were doing us right and ying into the decoys.When the shooting was done, we had a nice mixed
bag of ducks and specks to b e proud of. We had some
great conversation and enjoyed great company. But
the best part was sharing this hunt with friends and a
fellow veteran.
This was the start of Jim being hooked on water-
fowl and is certain to become an annual tradition, no
matter the distance.
Continued from page 24
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5 Tips For A Stress Free SeasonContinued from page 26
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
15/35
It seems like almost everyday I nd myself dis-
cussing tactics, gear, and just about every element of
waterfowl hunting there is with my colleagues and
hunting comrades. The one thing that we always nd
ourselves reminiscing is our best hunts of the year, and
what made them great. We also never seem to forget
about those hunts that could have been and why we
think they didnt pan out. The longer I do this the more
I cherish the hunting itself rather than the outcome,
but that doesnt mean success isnt sweet. Here are a
few outside the box tips to make this season one youcan enjoy forever.
Give yourself a roleJust like most of you, I nd myself sharing a blind
or pit with the same group of guys over and over. By
December, we are striking on all cylinders and our
hunts resemble a group of highly-trained special ops
warghters conducting a mission. Its not a rarity for
me to hardly speak to Chase the blind builder or
Shaun the decoy technician besides our usual pre-
hunt game plan huddle. Good communication can
make those sometimes-stressful pre dawn hours y
by and before you know it, the safeties are clicking
and its time to rock n roll. Most of the time we let the
scouter or the person whos seen the eld or body
of water last, design our plans. Then its a few quick
words of whos working with whom and we are off
to get the work done. Knowing each of our roles hasmade setting out 50 dozen decoys and grassing in 12ft
A-frame blinds seem like a walk in the park. This year
try to establish a role for yourself and par tners on each
hunt. Youll nd that things will come together quicker,
ultimately resulting in more hunts starting on time.
Dont abandon what worksThere are a million gadgets and gizmos in the
waterfowl world that ca n put more birds in your bag.
What they can also do is make you want to cuss and
spit when youre trying to get them to work right.
Weve all found ourselves deploying the motion duck
decoy only to have it run out of batteries or start clank-
ing with every rotation of the wings. More often than
not, we revert to the same old tried and true methodsfor motion and nd they still produce results. The
jerk string is simple and effective. Take advantage of
dependable, pre-rigged products like the RigEm Right
Jerk Rig or The Spreader from Motion Ducks. They take
the headache and the hassle of trying to hone your
homemade jerk rig into something that works just
right.
Go listen to the real dealThere is a lo t of pride and dignity i nvolved in
being a good caller for most waterfowlers. It can be a
long process to learn and become decent on a call. I
know it was for me, and I am mostly self-taught. This
year can be your biggest improvement yet! Call me
crazy, I really dont care, but I go to great efforts tolisten to live birds. Twenty minutes listening to the
real deal can teach you more than any audio CD or
recording. Every time I hear them and study them,
I pick up something new. My favorite thing to do is
roll down the windows and listen to them all talk it
up in feed elds. I am always learning new notes and
5 Tips For A Stress Free Season
26 Kansas Hunter Magazine
Continued on page 27
!" $%&' ()*+&%
Kansas Hun
sequences from LIVE BIRDS.
There are a few subtle things Ive heard over the
years that have changed the way I look at calling. The
rst one is that less is more. My good friend Wade
Walling, a Champion of Champions goose caller, told
me Dont touch a call unless you have to. If they are
coming in your direction, let them do it on their own.
Ive screwed up more birds from calling than I ever
persuaded. Youll be shocked at how much noise 1,000
geese on a pond DONT MAKE.
The other thing Ive noticed is that both ducks and
geese have different attitudes when they are on water
vs. a eld. The only time I consistently hear geese mak-
ing constant racket on water is when they are xing
to get up. Pay attention to your calling and dont call
like a human. Real birds rarely vocalize for longer than
10 seconds at one time. Hunters often create a wall of
sound with all of their favorite notes strung together.
Those sequences can last as long as the birds are in
the air within calling distance! Truth be told, a couple
basic sounds at the right time can b ring in the major-
ity of drakes or the war y gander into your spread. Use
sequences that mimic real birds on the ground, and
arent directed at trying to persuade every bird i n the
sky to come hang out.
Get your face out of sightIt absolutely drives me nuts when I see hunters
with pale faces staring at birds ying in the distance.
First off, comparing our eyesight to theirs, we are all
Helen Keller and they are all bald eagles. I can see your
face sticking out of layout blind at 300 yards. Do you
not think they cant see you, too? A study conducted
at Purdue University found that Canada Geese have
nearly a 330-degree eld of view. To break that down
into redneck logic, that means with a slight turn of
their head they can see you 99.999 percent of the
time. Whether its face paint, a head net, or a full con-
cealment blind, get your pasty pale face out of sight.
Youll have more birds in the bag.
Unfortunately not every hunter out there operates
on the same set of e thics we do, or has the respect forthe right way to do things. I shake my head when I see
people who are so eager for attention that they post a
picture of their recent success, with a giant recogniz-
able landmark plastered behind them on Facebook.
You might as well say attention all other shady hunt-
ers or rich guys who wouldnt think twice about sliding
in the back door with o r without perm
feel free to come over here where Im at
a photographer by trade and I spend a
of time guiding as well. I have to share
to promote my work or generate futurepart of it. I also have to protect the land
ritory where I spend 70 days a year in t
I read a comment on somebody s page
limit man! Where at? It makes me wan
like the Hulk. Cmon man.
Its not fair to you, or the very gener
let you hunt their land, to have to deal
comes from you plastering your where
social media. There is a great saying in
ships, and it holds true to our way of lif
much. Do you think the best hunting tr
Americans rode 100 miles over the land
neighbors that there is 50,000 buffalo h
Rock Canyon?
Most of us operate on a good handsmall gift to o ur landowners. We dont
to pay to play every weekend. I enjoy s
share our wonderful traditions, harvest
culture on social media the RIGHT WAY
sense and think twice about posting yo
photo 10 minutes after it happened.
f p g
UPLAND GAME2014 Where they are found mostlyContinued from page 28
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
16/35
Welcome back, Bobwhite!"#$%$&' $&) *+$,+,# -",-.#& &/01#+% /*2 '33
Afew years ago upland game bird huntingseemed a lost art in south central Kansas.Quail populations had been declining sincethe 1980s. Changes in farming practices, pred-
-
body has a theory and theyre all wrong, in-
One factor, the impact of no-till farming, re-
mains a question. Some hunters like the stubble
Burning pastures is not a factor in the decline
of the quail population, according to several
sources. Quail live in brush like sumac and inwoods on the edge of pastures.
Pheasants, too, nest on the edges of pas-
tures. He also discounted the introduction of
wild turkeys into Kansas as a factor, although he
noted the turkeys arrived about the same time
the quail population began its decline.
But this year the quail population is surging.
Most experts look to the weather to explain the
said Charlie Swank, regional biologist for the
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tour-
Swank is based at Cheyenne Bottoms in
Barton County.
After a dismal season in 2013, following
several years of drought, nesting conditions
-
!" $%&' ('%)*+
UPLAND GAME
Photo by Bryan Eastham28 Kansas Hunter Magazine
Continued on page 29
Experienced hunters agree the key to successfulquail shooting is leading the bird. The same is truefor pheasants and prairie chickens. But hunters dontalways agree on how to do this.
For safetys sake take an open stance as you ap-proach your dog on point, says Torrence. This will re-duce the chances of shooting toward your companions.
-vated and the butt stock held just below and in front of you will mount the gun and release the safety as your
Bird shooting tipsPhoto courtesy of Mendy Pfannestiel
Photo by Todd Sauers
Kansas Hun
wet summer in 2015 have further improved habitat
and nesting conditions, bringing a 170 percent
overall increase in the quail population, according
to Swank.
Coveys in the Cowley County area have grown
is seeing up to 22 or 23 birds in a covey compared
with16 to 18 last year. In Chautauqua County to the
east quail numbers are also up, though not quite so
much, according to game warden Clint Lee.
In western counties the pheasant population
is up 70 percent, Swank said. His colleague Chris
Stout has seen an increase of 10 percent in pheas-ant numbers in Sumner and Harper Counties.
Prairie chickens are up, too.
A KDWPT spring survey of prairie chickens
found a 12-13 percent increase in numbers over
2014. Where they are found, mostly
Kansas, Chickens usually follow Phe
ulation growth.
There are places where the uplan
population has not improved, often
storms and other big storms, Swank
as far west as Clark County quail nu
over 50 percent, according to farme
er Mike McCarty.
County area, according to Tom Schn
Quail numbers are up in north-ce
ma where the states August bird su
quail per 20 miles driven compared
There is more CRP land this year wthrive. Pastures have more cover for p
Edge land has more forbs (weeds) for
Just about everyone is optimistic
2015 season.
f p g
Following through with your gun assure below the bird. Your shot will rise to meshoot so low as to endanger your dog.
Torrence only aims at male quail, whicstripe on their heads. Females have a cFind a landmark where the bird falls so
your dog to that spot.
and hurry to that spot. A wounded pheaa rat.
on any quartering shot. They are large a
KDWPT 2015 upland bird Ph t d Q il F f
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
17/35
QUAIL This region generally has some of the highest quail densities in Kansas; however, popula-
tions are still recovering from the severe drought conditions experienced from 2011-2013. The breeding
population index rebounded this year by 50 percent and the brood survey indicated nearly a 170 per-
cent increase in quail density in the region this summer. This region should provide good bobwhite hunt-
ing opportunities this fall. Greatest densities will be found in the central and west-central counties, with
other opportunities for this species also likely in patches throughout the region where adequate habitat
exists.PHEASANT The spring pheasant crow survey index indicated a 52 percent increase from 2014.
The summer brood survey also showed an increase of nearly 70 percent. After four consecutive years
of CRP being released for emergency haying/grazing in nearly all counties of this region, no CRP was
released in 2015, which should improve the quality and quantity of cover on these acres this year. The
best hunting opportunities will be in the northcentral and central portions of this region.PRAIRIE CHICKEN This region is almost entirely occupied by lesser prairie chickens and areas
included in the Southwest Unit are closed to prairie chicken hunting. Greater prairie chickens may occur
in very low densities within the limited area of rangeland tracts in the northeast portion of the region.
KDWPT 2015 upland bird
forecast South Central PrairiesThis region has 19,534 acres of public land, and 65,224 acres of WIHA open to hunters this fall.
Photo courtesy Nebraska Game and Parks30 Kansas Hunter Magazine
PHEASANT Severe drought pushed Kansas
pheasant numbers to record lows in recent years.
The return of rain in 2014 and 2015 has helped
restore cover, food crops, and insects (though
rainfall in eastern regions was too heavy and hurt
brood survival). Statewide, summer brood counts
are 51 percent higher than in 2014.
With more birds, hunting should be better than
last year. But recovery from the drought will require
more time. This years harvest will probably remain
below average, according to Kansas Department
of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.Northern High Plains will provide some of the
best hunting. Pheasant numbers are up 130 per-
cent from last year (though still well below aver-
age). This region showed the highest numbers of
any region this year. The most birds will be found
in the northern half of the region.
Smoky Hills should also provide good hunt-
ing. The summer brood survey was up 40 percent
compared with last year. The highest bird num-
bers occurred in the northeast and southern tier of
counties.
Glaciated Plains started well, but heavy rain
in June and July hurt broods. Roadside surveys
indicate a 48 percent decrease compared with last
year.
South-Central Prairies showed an increase of
nearly 70 percent. No CRP land has been releasedfor emergency haying and grazing this year, so the
quality and quantity of cover will be better than in
recent years.
Southern High Plains pheasant population im-
proved by 47 percent, according to summer brood
surveys. Nonetheless, densities are low compared
with other regions.
Season Dates: Nov. 14, 2015 th
2016
Youth Season Dates: Nov. 7-8 (a
younger; daily bag limit 2, possessio
Daily Bag Limit: 4
Possession Limit: 16
QUAIL Kansas quail hunters
vastly improved hunting, with some
opportunities in the Flint Hills and so
specialist for the Kansas Departmen
Parks and Tourism.
The late summer roadside brood
showed quail to be 48 percent more
statewide than last year. (Note: The
distinguish between bobwhite quail
numbers of scaled quail in the south
the state.)
Because the survey protocol cha
years ago, no long-term average ha
lished. But spring whistle counts thi
above the long-term average for tha
Weather played the biggest role
creased abundance. A severe droug
years ago, and nearly normal precipthen has led to the growth of good n
Extremely heavy rains during a critic
nesting probably limited nesting suc
of the Glaciate Plains and Osage Cu
Prendergast.Season Dates:Nov. 14, 2015 th
2016Daily Bag Limit: 8, single specie
nation (bobwhite and scaled quail)Possession Limit: 32, single spe
combination (bobwhite and scaled q
Photo courtesy Pheasants Forever
Pheasant and Quail Forever forec
Kansas Hun
Photo by Breck Ch
b t Bi d D Continued from page 32
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
18/35
As bird season approaches, I and most all dogtrainers can expect soon to receive familiarcalls from frustrated and bewildered dog owners.
I hear the same scenario from bird hunters
this young dog that I have been working with, and
I took him out opening day. He hunted well and
stopped hunting and all he wanted to do was fol-
That is usually met
shy, he just stopped hunt-
ing and he stayed with us
Common belief is that
a gun-shy dog runs away
or hides in a dark place.
Even though some dogs
that way, most do not.
It is true when a dog is
seek safety.
In most cases that
means he will seek his owner and stay behind him.
After all, all he has ever know from a young age is
you to be his protector and provider.
To avoid gun shyness, we need to be able to
-
tively read our dogs.
Whenever I get a call for gundog training ser-
has the dog been shot around? Most times we
target shooting with me all the time and it never
bothers him. He just lays there at our feet while we
Would it not seem unusual that a puppy that
is normally very active suddenly curls up as if to
sleep to the sound of a 1-round clip of a .45 being
emptied?
First thing we need to understand is that gun
-
ral thing for any dog. Bird dogs arent born with an
Avoidance and association are key to most
aspects of dog training but especially so when it
needs to start from day one of owning a puppy.
Today, most of our bird dogs are also the family
pet. Therefore, they sometimes live in the house
(yes, a bird dog can also
be a house dog).
Lots of times people
will use noise for disci-
pline, not realizing they
could be starting a nega-
tive association. Say the
pup gets on the couch or
worse, starts to chew on
a table leg.
Many times fami-
ly members will chase
after the pup shouting
and loudly clapping their
hands. Pup can associate
loud clapping noise as a bad thing.
Loud noise should never be used for discipline
of a bird dog and should be avoided, unless it is
associated with positive things, such as treat or
feeding time.
If the owner was to gently clap hands when
calling his puppy to him for a treat, coupled with
of the clap as days progress), the puppy begins
to associate that type of noise with good things in
life.
Start slow and low with noiseAs time goes on you can increase the volume.
When you are sure (weeks later) that the pup has
no negative association to loud clapping, you can
32 Kansas Hunter Magazine
bout Bird DogsAvoiding gun shyness !" $%&'' (&)*+&*
Continued on page 33
start smacking two short pieces of 2x4 together,
but only at a time when he can make positive as-
sociation to the noise, such as feeding time.
Remember it is important to watch and read
your dogs reactions. If he shows no signs of re-
acting, you are doing it right. If your pup backs up
Take your time. You may have this dog for 15
years but you can ruin a good dog in an instant. If
you sense a negative reaction, you are probably
right. Dont take the chance on making it worse by
trying again just to see if you were right.
During the next several feeding sessions re-
duce the volume of the noise, or create more
distance between the pup and the source of the
noise.
FireworksNothing can cause fear in a dog like loud,
the night sky.
Just think about that for a moment. How is a
dog to understand this activity? With all the ac-
tivity of the kids running around with excitement
ramped up. The noise and the light must seem like
nothing our pup has ever known. This needs to be
avoided with young dogs. Find a kennel or a safe
place far away from Fourth of July celebrations.
Gun ranges/back yard target shootingThis is no place for a young bird dog to be. Not
until you have made the proper association to gun-
the shooting.
Even thunderstorms can be a contributing fac-
tor to gun shyness, particularly if a young dog is
-
derstorms or is itself gun shy.
Remember dogs learn by association. A dog
cant learn by watching an older dog. But a dog
can make association to another dogs action, beit bad or good.
Puppies like competition. Just as when one
dog might chase a ball, most times the pup will
want to also. This can be helpful when introducing
the gun.
It is important to remember to start slow and
intro, you will only want to shoot a c
with a starter pistol or a small calibe
(.410 or 22).
Its best to have someone else d
maybe a couple hundred yards awa
should be at least 5 months old whe
this process. By now most pups will
when thrown.
Again, an older dog can be very
for the pup. When you have the dog
throw the ball. When both dogs are
and the object you have thrown is a
Watch closely for a reaction in th
Repeat this exercise one more time
now. If you see a reaction in the pup
all means do not repeat the action.
Put the gun away and work on b
positive association to the game of f
next session, you may need to have
farther away or just smack the 2x4s
Another approach, sometimes into the previous exercise, is to take p
pasture or hay meadow, somewhere
of birds such as swallows, meadow
tails and the like.
Let him chase birds and have a g
Kansas Hun
Photos b
Co
Continued from page 33
Get that Thanksgiving tur
7/24/2019 Kansas Hunter Fall 2015
19/35
Watch him and read him. When he is in full chase,
focused on a bird, as long as he is several yards
youre doing your job well.
Repeat the exercise one or two more times,
then stop until the next session.
as a deterrent to chasing birds, but rather a collat-
-
dom shot, he should be looking for a bird. When
you have achieved this you are ready to begin your
gundog training.
Remember, start slowly. This is education, andthat should never be rushed. Just as in our chil-
dren and ourselves, dogs learn at their own indi-
vidual speed.
Finally and most importantly: When bird season
comes around, do not take your green dog out to
hunt with a bunch of gunners and dogs.
and a lot to absorb. To most young dogs, opening
day in western Kansas can seem like the Fourth of
July.
12 gauges over his head. This is a sure way to
training down the drain.
-
rience. Savvy bird hunting buddies will understand
that this is a young dog, and only one or maybe
encounters.
gun shy dog, not all is necessarily lost. Gun shy-
on the severity and if a total fear of birds has de-veloped.
I would recommend you let a professional train-
er evaluate and help work through the problem.
Good luck with your new hunting best buddy.
Remember, with p roper education and training,
you and your pup will have many good years
Scott Johnson is a professional trainer with
more than 30 years of experience in gun dogs and
outdoor shooting sports.
34 Kansas Hunter Magazine
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