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Deep in the Heart of Roosterland
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photo: Brent Humphreys
It Takes a Village: Each year during the opening weekend for Texas pheasants, small ranching crossroads across the Panhandle hold sprawling, open-to-the-public "community hunts." For a donation of $150 to $250, hunters gain access to thousands of acres of prime private pheasant land. In some areas, the community hunts are limited to opening weekend, but in others, the passes are good all season. For example, pony up $150 per gun for the hunt in Hart - a town with 1,000-plus Texans - and it's good across more than 30,000 acres for the entire four-week pheasant season.

These hunts are the lifeblood for nonprofit and service organizations in the Panhandle's sparsely populated counties. They've poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into cash-strapped communities, helping to build volunteer firehouses, buy ambulances, support senior citizens' groups, and underwrite college scholarships for local ranch youth. The money goes to locals who've fallen on hard times. It goes to kids who can't afford to take their prize steers to the next round of Future Farmers of America (FFA) competitions. It buys band instruments for local high schools.
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Comment on This Article

At 1:29 PM, 2008-10-30, tyler said:
SD is rooster land Mark comment offensive

At 6:46 PM, 2008-09-13, Dave said:
I grew up in Cotton Center, about 45 miles South of Nazareth. Moving to Dallas from the Panhandle when I was 10, my pheasant hunting experience was limited to hunting out of the back of a pick-up as my best friend's dad drove slowly along the bar ditches. I've been fortunate to participate in the Nazareth Lions Club hunts for 3 of the past 5 years, and I wait with great anticipation for December 6, 2008! The folks in Nazareth take great pride in hosting the "out-of-towners," even if some of us are actually comin' HOME to attend this great function. See y'all in December! Mark comment offensive

At 10:43 PM, 2008-09-10, Billy G said:
Dang it! I wish you would've written about Stratford, or Perryton, or anywhere else! Seriously though, We've been hunting Hart for 13 or so years, and have had a ball no matter how good or bad the hunting was. The folks in Hart work really hard to put on this fund raiser, and I owe them many thanks. There are many communities around the panhandle with similar programs, though. The Lazbuddie Fire Department, for instance, puts on a season-long hunt with a prorated fee, and we have enjoyed very much hunting their corners and tailwater pits in the past. Anyway, there should be plenty of opportunity for all. Mark comment offensive

At 8:54 PM, 2008-09-08, LUCKYGUY said:
Dag gumit, I was in Canyon Tx. in college at West Texas State in 1971 and missed all the fun, my loss. Pheasant forever. Mark comment offensive

At 11:30 AM, 2008-09-07, patrick said:
I always enjoy a fine story on pheasant hunting. Good job and keep up the good work! Mark comment offensive

At 5:54 AM, 2008-08-28, Daniel Edwards said:
My dad and I took part in the Hart Lions Club hunt from 1980-1996 and reading this article makes me want to go back and do it again. Mark comment offensive

At 12:25 PM, 2008-08-27, Bob White said:
Very enjoyable article! The small town, friendly atmosphere of the Texas Panhandle makes me want to hop in the car and tour the area. A Pheasant supper sounds good! Mark comment offensive

At 5:03 PM, 2008-08-08, Brian Klein said:
NAZARETH IS WONDERFUL LITTLE TOWN MADE UP OF 300+ OR MORE PEOPLE WHO LOVE SPORTS AS MUCH AS PHEASANT HUNTING, THEY ALSO TEND TO DRINK SOME Maybe A LITTLE TOO MUCH. I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE. BELIEVE ME I've tried LIVING IN OTHER PLACES including another country for a year as an English teacher in South Korea.When I was 18 I thought I would only visit Nazareth to see my folks, now that I'm thirty-eight it's clear to me that NAZARETH means much more to me than just where I grew up, or where I went to school. John MeLLENCAMP HAD IT WRITE WHEN HE SANG "At least I can breathe in a small town. Thanks for the article. Brian Klein resident of Nazareth since 1981 Mark comment offensive

At 4:15 PM, 2008-08-08, Jim Fry said:
Roosterland is Texas??? I beleive this surely a misnomer. There are probably more pheasants in one county of SD, then in all of Texas. Good to hear others get to enjoy pheasant hunting as we do in real Roosterland.. Mark comment offensive

At 10:43 PM, 2008-08-04, Keith Newsom said:
I really enjoyed your article however I would rather you kept quite about it. I was raised in Hart and have been hunting for the past 30 years. The less hunters the better but there are birds a plenty on the plains of Texas and If I have to share reluctantly I will only because The Lions Club in Hart is a great organization that helps many needy kids. Mark comment offensive

At 4:00 PM, 2008-08-03, Don T. Kelly said:
Enjoyed this article. We have many pheasants here in Iowa alth this past winter was very severe so the outlook on pheasant hunting this fall may be poor. Thanks again for all of the comments & anything about Texas is always good as I am a grad of Huntsville State Teachers College attentended during Worl War II. Mark comment offensive

At 9:48 PM, 2008-07-28, Judy Feldman said:
It was great to read about community, and about the sense of connection with the land on which we live. And, I admit, it was literally thrilling to see my brother's Chesapeake, Navarre, featured in your table of contents. It's given this progressive liberal new bragging rights within the 4-H Program I manage in Western Washington! Thanks for broadening the mindsets of lots of people. Mark comment offensive

At 1:25 PM, 2008-07-24, Greg Kurdys said:
I've been fortunate to have been invited down for several pheasant openers in Dalhart. I really enjoyed the article, but now I fear the secret is out! Mark comment offensive

At 9:50 AM, 2008-07-21, anonymous said:
The spirit of Texas is felt in this article. And that of community fun and fellowship. Great article. Maurine Hilding mhilding@sbcglobal.net Mark comment offensive

At 11:32 AM, 2008-07-17, dale freeman said:
Your piece on "Panhandle" pheasants brought back some dear and moving memories of hunting with Sheriff R.L. Mcfarland of Hansford County. The place reeks of history and pheasants. Thanks Mark comment offensive

At 2:54 AM, 2008-07-17, airforcewx said:
Just goes to show what a community can do when it damns the naysayers and pushes forward. Excellent article showing the true spirit of the heartland of this country. Mark comment offensive

At 3:25 PM, 2008-07-16, Johnny said:
Just reading all the stories here brought back vivid memories of my combine driving days in and around Sunray and Dumas, Texas. I would carry my 12 ga. in the cab with me and as I would get to the end of those Milo rows I'd step out onto the deck and blast a couple of those cacklers outa the sky, jump back in the cab,hit the variable speed and disengauge the machine, go pick'em up and head on down to the opposite end of the field and do it all over again. We would clean'em of an evening and the next morning we'd put'em in a crockpot with some wild rice and have a feast that afternoon when we got in. Dang, that's making my mouth water right now. Mark comment offensive

At 9:09 PM, 2008-07-11, Bob Fibber... said:
The author could have hit Hereford, could have hit Dumas, could have hit Perryton, could have hit Gruver or Spearman.....I just wish he'd hit my home town of Stratford....The Pheasant Capital of Texas. Still nice to see the small towns of the Panhandle get this regognition. Mark comment offensive

At 10:48 AM, 2008-07-10, Chris McClure said:
I grew up in that country. This article is a great and accurate description. Guiding hunts for the Olton Chamber of Commerce was always an enjoyable experience in my younger days. Mark comment offensive


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Come pheasant season, a few towns in the Texas Panhandle open private land to hunters. They don't ask for much - just a donation to the community. Beyond that, they just want you to have fun. Read the story by T. Edward Nickens from the August issue of F&S and check out photo outtakes by Brent Humphreys.

Plan a Panhandle Hunt

Most community hunts in the Texas Panhandle begin opening weekend, typically the first weekend in December. Get in line early. Reservations start filling up in August, and many are popular enough to maintain waiting lists.

I participated in the Nazareth Lions Club (806-945‑2592) and the Hart Lions Club (806-938‑2171) hunts. There are others in communities scattered across the Texas Panhandle. Contact a county extension agent for details. —T.E.N.

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