Championing the necessity of increased wildlife habitat, the advancement of conservation policies and programs, the expansion of public access, and the need of a larger, more informed upland community is at the heart of every Rooster Road Trip. As is the beauty and simplicity of packing your gear, loading up the dog, finding some spots on the map, and seeing what happens next.
The ethos of this year's trip is no different, but it did take a late season twist as we worked our way north through Kansas in search of publicly accessible coveys of quail – watch for yourself to see how it all played out!
The Rooster Road Trip is made possible by: Ruff Land Kennels, Browning firearms, Orvis apparel and dog products, Garmin training collars and watches, SoundGear hearing protection and enhancement, Federal Ammunition, Irish Setter boots, Purina Pro Plan dog food, and YETI coolers and storage.
Episode 1 — Podcast
Episode 1 — Photos from the Field
The first day of the 16th annual Rooster Road Trip found us getting back to our roots, our grassroots (if you will). That's because we linked up with Ryan Bass, Trish Miller, and Mark Miller from the local Ninnescah Pheasants Forever Chapter.
Unique among national conservation organizations, chapters of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever retain 100 percent decision-making control over their locally-raised funds. This allows chapter volunteers to develop wildlife habitat projects and conduct conservation events in their communities, while belonging to a national organization with a voice regarding state and federal conservation policy. And making a positive difference in their local community is exactly what the Ninnescah Chapter has been doing.
Recipients of the 2024 Polaris Habitat Stewardship Award, these chapter members have been instrumental in helping local landowners improve habitat while also spending time improving local Wildlife Management Areas. So, who better to show us around than a few folks with a ton or passion for, and knowledge of, the area?
Episode 2 — Podcast
Episode 2 — Photos from the Field
Accessible acres is the starting point for any public land adventure, but combine that with quality cover and abundant birds and you have the holy trinity of an out-of-state wild bird hunt. Luckily, Kansas' Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) program provides ample opportunity to put this puzzle together.
Beginning in 1995, WIHA quickly became one of the most successful access programs in the country, with more than 1 million acres being enrolled annually since 2004. Read "The Unsung Hero Behind State Access Programs" to learn more about how WIHA and other state access programs work via the federal Farm Bill's funding of the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).
Episode 3 — Podcast
Episode 3 — Photos from the Field
After experiencing the ups and downs that come with focusing on walk-in hunting areas, the Rooster Road Trip crew began this week's episode at a permanently protected, and publicly accessible property that was made possible by our Build a Wildlife Area (BAWA) program.
Any publicly accessible hunting opportunity is great, but being able to walk a piece of ground that members, donors, partners, and supporters helped produce is extra special.
Speaking of special, not only did this 480-acre land acquisition protect important habitat for upland game in Kansas, it also opened up an additional 550-acre tract of public land that had been previously inaccessible.
This means the net result of this single project was an astounding 1,030 acre increase for outdoor recreation and public hunting.