United Van Lines: KS #5 U.S. State People Are Fleeing

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Originally Posted by Mattks

I think it should be noted that Kansas has a decent amount of private land open to public use, especially for hunting. I remember growing up hunting Pheasant and Quail out northwest of Wilson Lake and most of the public hunting lands are actually privately owned. Much of it by conservationist groups.

Not sure when you grew up, but a decent amount of private land open to public use, especially for hunting no longer exists.

At Thanksgiving yesterday, a retired KSU prof/farmer mentioned his surrounding land-owners were getting $2,000 in exchange for a padlock to put on their gate. The Texas leasees have a key & can walk in, but not drive; just like KDWP&T Walk In Hunting Areas (WIHA pdf atlas, Wilson Lake on pg. 23). WIHA landowners are paid per acre. The discussion then turned to WIHA lands: barren crop fields, or tracts of prairie without food plots nearby (no harvested soybeans, sorghum, corn fields).

Here's my own experience the last time I hunted on my own family's land, near Rose, S of Yates Center, Woodson County, ~ 1997. My mother & 2 uncles owned a section (640 acres). My aunt chose their parents' home as her share. When they moved into town from their farm N of YC, her husband leased hunting rights to two SE KS teachers.

On my family's section, my father posted No Hunting W/out Written Permission signs on 3 miles of fencing. When asked by the local auto parts store owner for permission to hunt his lands, that uncle gave them permission to hunt OUR land.

Not knowing this, we left that uncles' house Thanksgiving morning for a hunt. We arrived at our land, to find a pickup truck parked well within the pasture, with ~ 6 dead quail in the bed. We could see 2 hunters/dogs along a hedge row ~ .5 mile off. I laid on the horn repeatedly; they just kept hunting. As we knew they did NOT have written permission from the landowners, after 15 min., I removed the valve stems from the 4 tires & we went back to town. Upon arrival, my aunt told us the auto parts guy had called them; & had someone else save him with new valve stems & compressor. I'm thinking they were late to Thanksgiving, airing up 4 flats.

When my aunt admitted my uncle's "permission," I said goodbye, & we left for home immediately.

That's anecdotal; but that's what's happening to urbanites who previously had access to private lands through relatives. In the discussion yesterday, no one denied farmers' right to lease.

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

Kansas has 26 state parks and 5 federally run refuges/wilderness areas/museums. Throw in the fact that western Kansas isn't that far to the Rockies and eastern Kansas isn't far from the offerings in Missouri I wouldn't think Kansans would be that starved for outdoor activities. There are 3 or 4 state parks/preserves and several decent sized lakes here in Oklahoma that are probably within 30 miles of the Kansas line as well.

Eddie, you ever been to any of those KS state parks? Kansas has NO wilderness areas. Most state parks are on land given by the Corps. Unlike the Oklahoma Corps lakes, Kansas' Tulsa District CoE lakes are minimally staffed (AFAIK, John Redmond Reservoir has been down to one Ranger for over a decade. When I worked there in 75-79, there were ~ 10 (including maintenance). Those maintenance jobs went to contractors; & then the mgr & clerk positions were eliminated. These days, KS "area managers" control 3-4 reservoirs. No maintenance staff. Perhaps only a Ranger @ each lake; but more often split between 2.

My wife worked with the wife of the KC District's Tuttle Creek Reservoir Project Mgr. He still has a full maintenance crew; park mgr; Chief Ranger; at least one other Ranger.

In 2000, I had access to the Table of Distribution & Allowances for the Tulsa District CoE. There was a dramatic difference in the # of employees allowed @ the district's lakes in OKLAHOMA, compared to =<1/lake in Kansas.

Your remark about "starvation" consists of recommending Kansans leave their own state to recreate; spending $$$$ in where, OK, MO, CO . . . taking those $$$ out of Kansas. AFAIK, Missouri still has a $00.005/$ tax for conservation purposes. When we lived there, 1981-85, we enjoyed the vast variety of public lands. They're not all CoE reservoirs like in KS, with murky waters (Wilson Reservoir might be an exception).

The reliance on CoE reservoirs for recreation is resulting in the reduction of "boatable" waters every year. Tuttle Creek is so silted in, that the boat dealership in Manhattan closed. There's one in Junction City/Milford Reservoir, but then recreation was restricted to non-water contact again last summer due to bluegreen algae outbreak.

This month's issue of The Nature Conservancy's NATURE magazine notes that the KDWP&T has agreed to operate Little Jerulsalem as a State Park. So 332 acres more of public lands, which is not yet open to the public. Bain mentions the Chalk Pyramids & Castle Rocks. KS ignored the chance to make the Chalk Pyramids public land when that ranch sold @ auction (mentioned previously).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wApCJgWmYq0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVHFxtA6bG4

[Mattks]

Originally Posted by KSinmyrearviewmirror

Not sure when you grew up, but a decent amount of private land open to public use, especially for hunting no longer exists.

At Thanksgiving yesterday, a retired KSU prof/farmer mentioned his surrounding land-owners were getting $2,000 in exchange for a padlock to put on their gate. The Texas leasees have a key & can walk in, but not drive; just like KDWP&T Walk In Hunting Areas (WIHA pdf atlas, Wilson Lake on pg. 23). WIHA landowners are paid per acre. The discussion then turned to WIHA lands: barren crop fields, or tracts of prairie without food plots nearby (no harvested soybeans, sorghum, corn fields).

Here's my own experience the last time I hunted on my own family's land, near Rose, S of Yates Center, Woodson County, ~ 1997. My mother & 2 uncles owned a section (640 acres). My aunt chose their parents' home as her share. When they moved into town from their farm N of YC, her husband leased hunting rights to two SE KS teachers.

On my family's section, my father posted No Hunting W/out Written Permission signs on 3 miles of fencing. When asked by the local auto parts store owner for permission to hunt his lands, that uncle gave them permission to hunt OUR land.

Not knowing this, we left that uncles' house Thanksgiving morning for a hunt. We arrived at our land, to find a pickup truck parked well within the pasture, with ~ 6 dead quail in the bed. We could see 2 hunters/dogs along a hedge row ~ .5 mile off. I laid on the horn repeatedly; they just kept hunting. As we knew they did NOT have written permission from the landowners, after 15 min., I removed the valve stems from the 4 tires & we went back to town. Upon arrival, my aunt told us the auto parts guy had called them; & had someone else save him with new valve stems & compressor. I'm thinking they were late to Thanksgiving, airing up 4 flats.

When my aunt admitted my uncle's "permission," I said goodbye, & we left for home immediately.

That's anecdotal; but that's what's happening to urbanites who previously had access to private lands through relatives. In the discussion yesterday, no one denied farmers' right to lease.

I'm 30, the last time I went was just a few years ago. Maybe 2015. We went every year from maybe 2001 to 2008 or so. Yes, some owners put up signs and use the purple paint, but state maps exist that show what private land can be used for hunting. I dont know how much land, but its a significant amount. Just the Wilson Wildife Area is over 8,000 acres of public land.

I'm not sure if I would have admitted to that story, thats a pretty low thing to do, even to trespassers.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

No, the reality is that there is Johnson County and the rest of the state. A substantial gulf generally separates the two areas.

Person 1: Stereotype the whole state!
Me: That doesn't apply to the whole state.
You: Well the whole state isn't like that so let me rebuke you.

What the heck are you even posting?

I mean the fact that you are responding to me instead of the person making the statewide generalization is just a sad, sad commentary on this forum.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by KSinmyrearviewmirror

Not knowing this, we left that uncles' house Thanksgiving morning for a hunt. We arrived at our land, to find a pickup truck parked well within the pasture, with ~ 6 dead quail in the bed. We could see 2 hunters/dogs along a hedge row ~ .5 mile off. I laid on the horn repeatedly; they just kept hunting. As we knew they did NOT have written permission from the landowners, after 15 min., I removed the valve stems from the 4 tires & we went back to town. Upon arrival, my aunt told us the auto parts guy had called them; & had someone else save him with new valve stems & compressor. I'm thinking they were late to Thanksgiving, airing up 4 flats.

When my aunt admitted my uncle's "permission," I said goodbye, & we left for home immediately.

Yep, that sounds exactly like you.