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Elk hunts provide agritourism opportunity on southeast Kansas farm By Lucas Shivers weapons of their choice from The Wehmeyers host elk Rather than hunting elk bows to black powder to ri- hunts from October to Feb- out west, Greg Stukey from fles, Wehmeyer said. ruary. Great Bend found an eastern “We have some people “Out in the open, hunters opportunity with Wehmeyer who have hunted out west may or may not see an elk, Elk Hunting near Cof- who are not successful on and even then they have to feyville. their trips,” Wehmeyer said. be a pretty good shot. That’s “Last year, I went hunting “They don’t want to climb nature,” Wehmeyer said. in Colorado and saw only mountains any more. They one herd in four days, and I just want the trophy.” Continued on page 3 never saw a shootable bull to match my tag,” Stukey said. “It was so expensive to hunt in Colorado.” Capitalizing on a local option at the Wehmeyer hunting preserve the previ- ous year in October 2009, Stukey hunted in Kansas and found many benefits. “You’re by yourself, and you don’t have to worry about others hunting on top of you,” he said. “The lodg- ing and meals are exception- Gerald and Carol Wehmeyer, pictured with their 40 head of elk resting in the timber, al. The cost is not at all out- operate Wehmeyer Elk Hunting near Coffeyville. rageous compared to the risks of being in the wild.” “We have a buddy with “The land we have is not prices and permit costs. We Using a high-powered diabetes who can’t walk far, all cropland so we wanted to help them to stay closer to rifle, Stukey, who has hunted so he can come with us on a find a way to make a good home to find exactly what since he was eight years old, four-wheeler,” Stukey said. use of it,” Wehmeyer said. they want.” said the elk hunt was one of “For someone wanting to go “We researched it out and Wehmeyers advertise his best. elk hunting without a lot of looked at different elk breed- their hunts on their “I didn’t see anything on equipment or time, Cof- ers in Kansas. It’s a form of www.trophybulls.com web- the first two days. But on the feyville is a very nice place agritourism.” site, by word of mouth and third day, I pushed into to go. You can’t be ashamed Creating the niche market with print advertising. heavy timber to get the ani- for the guarantee. We’ll be for their herd of 40 elk, “We have individuals, mal out and took my shot,” harvesting at least three elk Wehmeyer said they make couples, corporate groups he said. “It was a clean kill in this year.” connections with hunters and families with multiple the first shot.” Establishing Wehmeyer from across the state and generations. Everybody’s Instead of dragging the Elk Hunting in 2003, Gerald country to arrange for hunts. been great with many repeat animal out of the mountains, and Carol Wehmeyer, ranch- “A lot of hunters had customers. One son got a Stukey rolled the elk into a ers and producers, found a nowhere to go,” Wehmeyer high school graduation front-end loader bucket to creative, alternative way to said. “It was too far for most hunt.” drive it to a shed made to ac- use their rural southeastern hunters to travel out west to For hunters, no license is Greg Stukey, hunter from Great Bend shows off his elk commodate the elk’s mas- Kansas land. other states with higher gas required. Sportsmen can use trophy. sive size and fully equipped to dress it out. “The next day I came home with the meat iced down in my truck bed,” Milo harvest of days gone by Stukey said. “My butcher said it was the cleanest ani- mal he’d ever seen without any dirt or bruised meat.” Joined by friends with health concerns unable to brave mountainous terrain, Stukey said he will be re- turning to Wehmeyer’s again this year. Shawn Stewart, a member of the Clay County Antique Power Association, drives a 1937 Farmall Model F-20 tractor during a milo harvesting demonstration at the recent Clay County Pioneer Festival. He’s pulling a circa 1937 IH McCormick Deering binder owned by Duane Heimerich. Photo by Michelle Tessaro Page 2 Grass & Grain, November 1, 2011 Fly Your Fanny Flag High By John Schlageck, driver can react in a de- Kansas Farm Bureau fensive way that will keep By Meghan Muesler, Wichita ed? Was it competing in the Kansas farmers have both operators safe,” Hig- The leaves are changing Meats Judging contest? access to a safety tool that gins says. “We find that and the first freeze of the Stopping by and learning should always be used. when you mix these two fall is on the forecast as I about careers at the Stihl The slow-moving vehicle vehicles together without write this. Also, thousands booth? Learning how the (SMV) emblem can save the proper warning de- of the infamous blue and world of agriculture can lives and machinery. vices in place a number of gold corduroy jackets have and will impact their fu- A slow-moving vehicle things can happen.” invaded Indianapolis, Ind. ture? These are exciting emblem (fanny flag) is de- One such example is a for the 84th Annual FFA times! signed for one reason — to motorist who pops up over Convention, a true sign that Do you have a favorite notify the public that the a hill traveling 65 miles fall is upon us! FFA memory? Was it flying vehicle motorists are ap- per hour and finds a trac- Unfortunately because on a plane and taking a cab proaching is not traveling tor moving at 20 miles per of a recent foot surgery I for the first time with fel- more than 25 miles per hour. The driver of the wasn’t able to attend the low FFA members? Was it hour, says Holly Higgins, auto or truck may be convention this year, but learning how to identify with the advent of social different plants by their Kansas Farm Bureau safe- forced to run into the media and the widespread leaf? Or learning how to ty director. That in turn al- ditch, the back of the trac- use of other media it feels place a class of pork car- lows them to slow down tor or into the other lane like I was almost there. casses? Maybe it was learn- and proceed with caution of oncoming traffic. think about the first time I ing how many Hardee’s because the vehicle ahead “Hazard lights and was able to attend National there really are in the is moving slowly. SMVs are there to prevent Convention as a freshman state? “Once an approaching these types of accidents,” in high school. I may be dat- Why not share your own motorist sees the flashing Higgins says. ing myself a bit, but for memory with the FFA or- lights and SMV sign, the Anyone operating a many of us Indy was not the ganization? Currently the slow-moving vehicle home of convention but National FFA is running a (SMV) be advised, the fluo- Kansas City was our desti- campaign to get current rescent orange emblem nation. So for me the trip members, former members, The Learning Post must be properly mounted was a short one from the and anyone else who on the back of your vehi- farm in Powhattan but nev- shares in the passion of By Gordon Morrison cle. Every farm tractor ertheless impactful. I still FFA to connect. The HOW manufactured or assem- remember it like it was yes- is simple, just go to ffa.org/ Concordia Rancher and bled after Jan. 1, 1975, terday. I was a giddy fresh- connect, register, and for- Former Agriculture Educator shall be equipped with man soaking up the career ward to your friends, fami- hazard warning lights that showcase, workshops, ly, or anyone else you think are visible from a distance meeting fellow FFA mem- may have interest in con- Spellbound In Kansas of not less than 1,000 feet bers from across the coun- necting with the FFA. In to the front and rear in try, and reconnecting with addition to ‘connecting’ normal sunlight, which friends I had met through with the FFA, you have the Seeing the changes in the colors would guess to be the mayor ap- are to be displayed when- my livestock showing ca- opportunity to win several of tree leaves and grasses, now that pears to be cheering him on. That ever such a vehicle is op- reer. In particular, I re- great prizes, including the member at one of the gen- erated upon a highway. state FFA association with the fall season is in full swing, has picture has hung in our home ever eral sessions I ran into a the most ‘connects’ will re- One alarming trend reminded me of a trip I took about since I brought it back from that friend who was part of the ceive $1,000!! I just checked that has occurred in ‘Courtesy Core’ and he in- the leaderboard and Kan- twenty years ago. I had heard about trip. Kansas is the misuse of vited me to sit on the floor sas was in the lead by a how gorgeous the foliage in the New We then crossed over into New these signs.

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