Archery fall turkey season here in Kansas has been open since October1 and fall turkey gun season will open December 10. I see fall turkey season as the most under-utilized hunting season in Kansas; I shouldn’t preach, I haven’t hunted fall turkeys myself for years. But every time I think about fall turkey season, I think of this story from years ago.

Ordinarily being inducted into any sort of members-only club or organization is an honor; something to be proud of, something to be pleased about, a reason to hold ones head high. One weekend several years ago, however, I was unintentionally and involuntarily given membership in an organization I’m ashamed to be a part of… Let me explain.

It was dusk and a chilly wind blew from the west. I had finally aligned my priorities, and number one was labeled “bag a fall turkey.” Our hunting blind was tucked under some craggy low hanging trees in front of an old silo. An alfalfa field lay in front of me, and the river with its fringe of trees and scrub brush, lay behind. I couldn’t see much to my left, but the west wind had been bringing with it the clucks and cackles of wild turkeys for nearly an hour. Fall turkey hunting is as different from spring turkey hunting as east is from west. The turkeys are grouped in large flocks for the winter, often a hundred or more around here, and hunting them becomes a game of cat and mouse, (ideally the turkeys play the part of the mouse.) Maybe I hunt overly paranoid and ultra-suspicious turkeys, but when the dust settles, I often end up looking more like the mouse myself.

Anyway, there I sat, straining to see the birds I could hear. Slowly black specks appeared in the alfalfa until the field was black, like a pepper shaker had spilled onto a green tablecloth. In two distinct groups they ever-so-slowly filed across the field, strutting, flapping and twittering like school kids after recess. As the first group crossed in front of me they were too far away for a shot, and when they finally disappeared into the trees to my right, I thought my evening’s hunt was over. However, the sounds of turkeys still wafted on the wind and a second large group materialized through the branches to my left, this bunch much closer than the last. I slowly and quietly eased the 12 gauge barrel through the open slit in front of the blind, released the safety and waited, already tasting fresh wild turkey breast.

My best shot was through an opening in the trees about as wide as the blind, and one large hen in front of the flock soon stood there. As she cocked her head and looked my way, I put the front sight of the barrel on the base of her neck, and squeezed off the shot. Even as the sound of the blast still hung in the air, wild turkeys flew everywhere; I mean all the turkeys, every last one of them including the hen I’d shot at!.. I sat in the silence of the dark blind, somehow trying to deny the fact that I had just blown an easy shot. I walked around in the alfalfa as if I expected the earth to suddenly spew forth a dead turkey it had hidden from me as a cruel joke. I gazed in the direction of the fleeing birds as if I planned to see a dead turkey appear without warning somewhere in the distance. I had been told by other hunters that sooner or later every turkey hunter misses an easy shot, and I had just joined that club. I was now a card carrying member of TWITS (That Was Incredibly Terrible Shooting.)

Walking to my pickup, I had to chuckle and wonder what was going through that turkeys mind (since it was not pellets from my shotgun shell.) I knew I could count on a compassionate and understanding response from my wife at home, and, sure enough, she replied “How in the world did that happen?” Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Reflection is good for the soul. It allows you to see where you’ve been and hopefully chart a better course on where you’re going. During the Thanksgiving holiday I took the time to contemplate my early life in the small community where I grew up.

Located in northwestern Kansas, Seguin was a small farm/ranch community of approximately 50 hearty souls. It was located in Sheridan County, three miles south of Highway 24 and the Union Pacific railroad used to run through our small village.

Seguin was a community where families were raised and principles – good and sometimes bad – were instilled. Looking back, those fortunate enough to grow up there like I did in the ‘50s and ‘60s were surrounded by people with core values that helped guide us throughout our lives.

At the top of this list of virtues my community provided was spiritual in nature. A spiritual quality like, seek ye first this kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things shall be given unto you.
We all grew up with Monsignor Mulvihill and the Sisters of St. Joseph, went to mass six days a week and learned to abide by the golden rule.

Next, was the courtesy level of our town. This was measured by the ordinary civilities a total stranger could expect. Residents of Seguin and the outlying community always welcomed family and friends back for special events – many centered around our church and its congregation.

Transient laborers, especially during wheat, milo and corn harvest, were also treated well because of their valuable contributions during these critical periods.

Rootedness or a sense of commitment on the part of a town’s people was another cornerstone in our little community. Dependent on the fertile, sandy loam soil of the High Plains, Seguin’s families lived by the unspoken agreement that this was a place to stay, put down roots and build a family, a farm, a business and a future.

This quality is closely related to a sense of place, which now grows more rare with each passing day.
Diversity – not necessarily in the form of many nationalities – but rather in the form of creative disagreement was another building block in our community. This meant our little town enjoyed a certain confidence that all its inhabitants didn’t have to echo one another in order to make progress.

On the contrary, a community, like a country, can profit by its differences. Believe me, nearly everyone I ever knew in Seguin spoke up, voiced their opinions and let their ideas be heard.

Loyalty was the fifth attribute our community was blessed with. Loyalty is often confused with conformity, though the two are really opposites.

It is precisely loyalty to the community, to posterity and to principle that moves a citizen not to conform. A dissenter may never be so loyal as when refusing to go along quietly.

Loyalty is a virtue, but not a simple one. Certainly, it is not as simple as those who use it as a club to enforce their will on an individual or a community.

Generosity was the sixth attribute and not just with material support but a generosity of spirit akin to humility. This broader, deeper attribute sets aside not only personal interests for the sake of community, but personal grudges, slights and obsessions.

One might call this trait charity, but charity in our society has acquired an unfortunate connotation of being optional – not obligatory. Some believe charity is what you do with what you have left over. Those who believe they owe a debt to their community and embrace the opportunity to repay it practice charity, the real thing.

Pride in our little burg was also readily apparent. Self respect may be a better word for this civic virtue. It has to do with much more than clean streets, green lawns and painted buildings. It also explains good schools, honest law enforcement and other amenities that make for a proud, self respecting community.

Openness was the final attribute in our small northwestern Kansas community. Without openness all these other virtues would only be a façade. Our community was an open book. Everyone knew everyone else and everything that was going on. Candor, candidness, frankness, sincerity and plain dealing were the only way of doing business and conducting each day of your life.

Everyone who lived in Seguin was a member of the community and part of our town. Didn’t matter who you were, where you lived, how old you were or whatever else. Our community was a place of human and humane values.

Sometimes in the rush of every day life we forget to live by such values. Know your neighbors, coworkers and the members of your community. And, yes, it’s all right to argue and disagree with them about what is best for the community.

What is important is to care about your community. Think of its best interests and don’t let your mind be diverted by lesser concerns or scattered holdings.

Just like the little community I grew up in and the family and neighbors who helped shape who I am today, each of us live in communities that have values and fine traditions to uphold. Be part of yours.

John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.

By JOHN P. TRETBAR

Baker Hughes reported 1,079 active drilling rigs across the U.S. last week, a drop of three oil rigs. North Dakota and Texas were both down three, Louisiana was up four and New Mexico increased by three rigs. Oklahoma was down two rigs for the week. Canada reported 204 active rigs, up seven for the week. Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 15 active rigs in eastern Kansas, which is unchanged, and 33 west of Wichita, which is down one.

Operators filed 30 permits last week for drilling at new locations across Kansas, nine east of Wichita and 21 in Western Kansas, including two in Stafford County.

Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 45 new well completions last week, 1,396 so far this year. There were 11 in eastern Kansas and 34 west of Wichita. Three completed wells were reported in Barton County, two in Ellis County, and one each in Russell and Stafford counties.

The government said U.S. crude production continued to rise from record levels, last week topping 11.7 million barrels per day, an increase of four thousand barrels per day over the week before. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported inventories increased by 4.9 million barrels, and are now about six percent above the five-year average for this time of year.

North Dakota reported another crude-production record in September, 1.36 million barrels per day according to preliminary numbers from the state. But officials say those numbers could go down over the next three months or so, because of low oil prices, and the state’s disappointing gas-capture efforts. The state has decided not to change the scheduled increases in gas capture goals, and instead offer flexibility to operators in their efforts to meet them.

A judge in Oklahoma denied a motion to dismiss an earthquake lawsuit against producers in Oklahoma, but refused to give the suit class-action status. The Journal-Record reports said some clients will have to refile if they want to proceed with their damage claims. Plaintiffs attorney Scott Poynter said he was pleased that the judge denied motions to dismiss the case, but said the potential plaintiffs in the class should file individual petitions soon if they want to protect their rights under statutes of limitations laws.

U.S. liquefied natural gas exports are booming, and some new export facilities are in the works. Cheniere Energy officially opened its $15 billion facility in Corpus Christi, Texas earlier this month. The company won’t say when the first cargoes will set sail, but Reuters reports an LNG vessel currently docked at the plant was expected to take its first cargo soon. Corpus Christi is the third big LNG export terminal to enter service in the lower 48 states.

In Texas producers are worried about infrastructure and personnel. More than a dozen top U.S. energy companies have pledged $100 million toward easing stresses on health care, education and civic infrastructure from the shale oil and gas boom in West Texas and New Mexico. Pioneer Natural Resources is spearheading an effort called the Permian Strategic Partnership. Company CEOs warn that if worker shortages, road problems, healthcare and housing aren’t address soon, Permian development could be stifled.

Some pipeline relief is in the works in North Dakota, but it will be over a year before it bears fruit. Phillips 66 and Bridger Pipeline announced plans for a new pipeline to send Bakken and Rockies crude oil to Texas. The firms announced a joint open season for the proposed Liberty Pipeline, which, if approved, could move some 350,000 barrels per day by the year 2020.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court sided with the state’s oil and gas industry in a dispute over what kinds of water can be transported through temporary lines the county permits in ditches along roadways. The high court said Kingfisher County may not issue rules against moving only drinking water, and not produced wastewater, through those ditches. The court agreed with the industry’s assertion that state law gives state regulators the exclusive authority to regulate oil and gas activities.

Alberta gives carbon-tax breaks to oil and gas drillers, and a tongue-lashing to the national government in Ottawa. Premier Rachel Notley announced her government in Alberta will add oil and gas drilling to a list of trade-exposed industries exempt from the province’s carbon tax. The move is expected to provide $750,000 to $1.5 million per year in relief to the drilling industry. Notley later criticized a fiscal report for underplaying Western Canada’s oil price crisis, blamed on insufficient pipeline capacity to take away a glut of crude trapped in Alberta.

The boom continues in New Mexico, where the State Land Office announced a record for its monthly oil and gas lease sale, generating This month’s sale represents the highest single-month yield in the agency’s history more than $43 million for public schools and other trust land beneficiaries. The previous record of just over $30 million was set in July of last year.

Regulators in Alaska say the state held another record-breaking lease auction for oil and gas rights. The Alaska Division of Oil and Gas received 159 bids totaling $28.1 million for properties on the North Slope, the foothills, and the Beaufort Sea.