Hunt for Habitat set for northwest Kansas
The inaugural John Leo Hayden Hunt for Habitat, a program to reward landowners, also adds to the local economy with monies outdoorsmen spend during pheasant season in northwest Kansas.
The program is straightforward: farmers enroll corners of their pivots, either receiving payment per acre from privately donated funds or by donating the acres for a tax deduction to Pheasants Forever, a 501(c)(3) organization, according to Hayden Outdoors, a real estate agency based in Goodland, Kansas.
First-year sponsors are Hayden Outdoors, Outdoor Bank, 24/7 Travel Stores, The Kansas Governor’s Ringneck Classic, Colby Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pheasants Forever Colby Chapter, High Plains Journal, S&T TV, NWKS Radio, Nutrien, Sherman County Community Development, and Art Castings of Colorado.
Dax Hayden, a managing partner with Hayden Outdoors, said the impetus for the program was influenced by his father, the late John Leo Hayden, the founder of the real estate company. John Hayden was passionate about the vibrancy of Goodland.
“He reminisced about street dances, the Elks Club, Sugar Hills Country Club, church organizations, the G Club, dragging Main [street], bird hunting and the wonderful friends who populated the town,” Dax Hayden said in a news release. “While Goodland is still full of incredible people and many of the same traditions, he lamented the lack of visitors and friends during pheasant season. My dad believed this was a fixable issue, and he insisted that it needed attention.”
The initial sign-up period is for five years, with farmers receiving $75 per acre, totaling $525 on a seven-acre pivot corner.
The Pheasants Forever Kansas Corners for Wildlife Program offers producers the opportunity to improve both their return on investment and habitat opportunities by providing five years of annual rental payments for planting enrolled acres into an approved conservation cover mix. The program is available to landowners in three counties in northwest Kansas (Sherman, Thomas and Logan). Pivot corners, playa and other in-field wetland buffers, field borders, waterways and other waste ground are eligible.
Public access is only granted with the landowner’s consent. Private businesses have already donated $500,000 for Sherman and Thomas counties to kickstart the program, supplemented by additional contributions from local businesses and farmers.
“It’s common knowledge that farmers are our finest land stewards, and they deserve to benefit from their participation,” Dax Hayden said. “A heartfelt thank you goes out to them for their years of commitment to hunting tradition and their willingness to provide access.”
Farmers and investors in the program will have the opportunity to hunt the enrolled lands during the first days of the pheasant season along with a fundraising banquet on the Saturday of the season-opening weekend, he said.
He said the program also includes the nearby community of Colby and other towns in northwest Kansas. Pheasant hunting season extends for about three months and into January.
“This program stands out because it calls on everyone who could benefit from the pheasant season to contribute to its success,” he said. “In simple terms, businesses sponsor, landowners participate, people visit and spend money, and everyone comes out ahead. We should bid farewell to the days of empty main streets during the opening weekend of the season and, frankly, the following 90 days.
“My dad and Ken Johnson hunted pheasants together for 68 opening days straight, demonstrating their passion and bond. Let’s give our youth, friends and families more reasons to cherish these longstanding traditions and memories by bringing them back to their ‘Goodland’ a few more times each year.”
Opening weekend events
Registration for hunters is planned for 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 8 at the NWKTC Price Convention Center in Goodland, Kansas. Hunters will receive their assignments, and guides are available for those interested. Afterward, they can relax and network at a cocktail hour with a cash bar and appetizers provided. Their support goes toward preserving wildlife corners in Sherman County.
On Nov. 9, an action-packed day starts with breakfast from 5:30 to 8 a.m., followed by the kickoff of pheasant hunting activities. Following a day in the field, a fundraising event will commence at 6 p.m. and is sponsored by Hayden Outdoors. The evening will feature a dinner, live music and a cash bar to unwind and enjoy the camaraderie. On Nov. 10, hunters will have independent access to the fields, allowing them to pursue their hunting activities at their own pace and discretion.
For more information, visit www.HuntforHabitat.com.
