Southwind
New member
The Kansas Department of Wildlife started a Doves Field program on some Wildlife Management Areas within the last few years. Essentially planting some wma fields with sunflowers. From what I had read they had some pretty good success with one area producing over 1600 birds for 200 some odd hunters during the first three days of the season last year.
I had never tried one of these fields and decided yesterday to try it out. There are some within 30 minutes of the house but had decided to go to some others about an hours drive away. There is no map showing the location of the fields and I was unable to get ahold of the local f&g officer so I would just have to drive around and try to locate them. This area has 6 fields and I found three but with very recent flooding I wasn't able to get around everywhere.
Anyway, to the heart of the matter.
I found one nice looking field and with some birds flying around and decided to give it a try. As we were walking out to find spots to set up I was struck by the amount of trash left in the field. Empty shell boxes, empty water bottles, and of course piles and piles of empty hulls. The shear amount was staggering to me and very depressing. As I sat there I became more angry with my fellow hunters that had left this disgrace to the point it really did ruin the hunt for me. I also obsessed about this knowing that this area had been set aside the first three days of the season last week for youth hunters and hope upon hope that they were not part of this.
I did shoot birds, it was a beautiful day but I did even leave early so I could pick up some on the way out. I filled my 5 gallon bucket with 12 empty boxes I flattened and the rest with hulls and you couldn't even tell I had done anything.
I'm just really pissed! Here the F&G develops a nice program and people are slobs and just abuse the resource.
I don't know, I'm not done with this. I have some obligations this weekend but am thinking about going back with trash bags and trying to clean up.
I had never tried one of these fields and decided yesterday to try it out. There are some within 30 minutes of the house but had decided to go to some others about an hours drive away. There is no map showing the location of the fields and I was unable to get ahold of the local f&g officer so I would just have to drive around and try to locate them. This area has 6 fields and I found three but with very recent flooding I wasn't able to get around everywhere.
Anyway, to the heart of the matter.
I found one nice looking field and with some birds flying around and decided to give it a try. As we were walking out to find spots to set up I was struck by the amount of trash left in the field. Empty shell boxes, empty water bottles, and of course piles and piles of empty hulls. The shear amount was staggering to me and very depressing. As I sat there I became more angry with my fellow hunters that had left this disgrace to the point it really did ruin the hunt for me. I also obsessed about this knowing that this area had been set aside the first three days of the season last week for youth hunters and hope upon hope that they were not part of this.
I did shoot birds, it was a beautiful day but I did even leave early so I could pick up some on the way out. I filled my 5 gallon bucket with 12 empty boxes I flattened and the rest with hulls and you couldn't even tell I had done anything.
I'm just really pissed! Here the F&G develops a nice program and people are slobs and just abuse the resource.
I don't know, I'm not done with this. I have some obligations this weekend but am thinking about going back with trash bags and trying to clean up.