Prairie Dog help - KC area?

[Red Tornado]

GK1 and I are planning a p-dog hunt this summer, embarking from his place in KC. He called a few KS counties and it seems p-dogs aren't as numerous as they used to be. Does anybody know where we can find some good hunting? We'd kind of planned on Kansas relatively close to KC, but we don't mind driving several hours to NE or OK. We're open to all suggestions at this point.

Also, do you know if we need standard out of state hunting licenses for varmints?

Thanks,
RT

 

[jbkebert]

I would think about heading west instead of NE. I have good hunting around Great Bend and Russell also in Ellis all of which are a long ways west of KC. A good start would be to call to the counties of Graham, Russell, Wilson and Sheridan. There are some good prairie dog towns in this area all fall along I-70. If your heading south your still going to need to head west as well. I have hunted in these counties but always had a contact before just setting out.
If you head out to Ellis there is a little cafe on the south side of the interstate. The sunshine cafe I think its called. Stop and have lunch just get the buffet. They have these sausages that are wrapped in boiled cabbage. Your breath will smell like something died. The things are damn good though. You can call the KDWP they have a hunter referal program where farmers call wildlife and parks and allow hunting on there properties but it is set up through KDWP. I am on there list and it has gotten me into some pretty good hunting in the last few years.

 

[Red Tornado]

Thanks, those sausages sound delicious. If we go that way, we'll definitely stop in. NE is Nebraska, and we'd also be heading toward the western part. I"ll check all of the counties you mentioned. Staying on I-70 is always the easiest way to travel.

Is KDWP Kansas Dept. of Wildlife Preservation? I'm guessing, and that's what I came up with. I'll do some searching.
Thanks,
RT

 

[rcmodel]

25 years ago there were still farmers & ranchers living on the land in western Kansas.

Now, it almost behooves you to drive out west and do pre-hunt scouting & get written land-owners permission.

Much of western Kansas is owned by off-site corporations any more, and even finding the owner is problematic at best.
Let alone trying to ask someone if you can hunt there on the morning you get there.

And much more land has the hunting rights leased to groups, guides, or rich individuals and is strictly off-limits unless you belong to the club, or hire the guide.

I'd hate to drive 300 miles and start looking for permission when I got there to hunt anymore.

rc

 

[jbkebert]

here is a link to the hunter referal program. http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Hunting/Hunting-Programs/Hunter-Referral-Program

Yes KDWP is Kansas Department of wildlife and parks. I agree with rc that it would be real crappy to drive that far only to come up with no hunting ground. Do some homework call the county extension offices in the areas you want to try. They may have some kind of a contact with land owners who will let you hunt or charge a small fee. WIHA walk in hunting areas won't do you much good. Most of them are limited to archery or shotgun hunting only. Here is another link you might find useful. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Hunting/Where-to-Hunt-in-Kansas/Controlled-Shooting-Areas
This is pay the day hunting areas in Kansas with contact info. Good luck the region office for the areas mentioned is region 1.

 

[Red Tornado]

Due to the success of the eradication program and a suprisingly short season on CSA land, we've decided to hunt Nebraska. There seems to be more available shooting, and you can varmint hunt all year long. The CSA's are only available until 31 Mar, and we can't get it together that quickly.

Thanks for the help. I was laboring under the impression that KS was still overrun with the things.
RT

 

[iiranger]

Well,

Over the last 10 years there has been a drought. That is hard on furballs to start, much less food and water, and the ag types who want the grass for their business, feeding livestock, encourage poisoning...

Drop a line north south thru Pierre SD and Grand Island NE and you will need to be west of the line, pretty much. Yes, you will find a few east of their, BUT the population of people makes shooting the long shots ill-advisable.

SW corner of KS there is Cimmaron Nat. Grassland. Population varies, see paragraph #1. I would work the chambers of commerce in that area by phone. No experience with KS dept of wildlife. Extension is always a shot. Better, USDA/ADCA (United States Dept. Ag, Animal Damage Control Agents) the government hunter/trapper. Ask in the farm stores. NE. Real funny. Law passed around 1900 required 100% kill of p'dogs each year by Nov 1. That got expensive so no one did it much, but if you ask they worried you were a snitch and got cold and hostile and ... Law got repealed, 1996??? maybe. Attitude remains some. Nothing organized. Shame with Hornady in G.I. Very N.W. corner of NE, Toadstool Nat. Grassland. Awful long trip. Rosebud would be closer. But west of the line good possibility. Luck.

 

[Red Tornado]

Thanks iiranger, great information. I'm down in the swamps and my p-dog knowledge is obviously lacking. I appreciate the rundown. I've got a list of extension offices so I just need to do some calling, I guess.
Thanks again,
RT