Dec. 2004 Tipton Times Article by A. E. Smith

Reprinted with permission from A. E. Smith

Hunting in Tipton, Kansas, is the best it has ever been. For hunter the vast open fields and bountiful supply of birds have made the 2004 hunt one of the most memorable in years. The past year’s weather conditions, the Conservation Reserve Program and food plot management have all combined to make ideal conditions for the ringneck pheasant.

Record numbers of hunters have descended on Tipton as was evident in the largest crowd ever at the annual K of C stag held the night before opening day. These hunters bring with them an economic boom to the community. They shop at the grocery store, they frequent the restaurant, they rent rooms, they buy gas and they support the schools via money spent at the stag. In return the good citizens of Tipton offer cheerful, small-town hospitality. Many of the out-of-towners come from large cities like Kansas City, Denver, Dallas, and Wichita. One man, Ken Holland, and his brothers, Dennis and Doug, traveled all the way from Cincinnati for the adventure. Locals often take for granted the quiet rural pace in which they live. For some of those visitors the open fields and vast blue skies are dreamlike. Throw in an abundance of pheasants and a few think they are in heaven.

One of the people responsible for the success of the hunting industry in Tipton is Keith Houghton. But Keith’s efforts don’t stop in Mitchell County. As a founder and president of the Kansas Sport HUnting Association, he is active all through the state. Their group promotes hunting as a tourist industry. This industry is responsible for some economic relief in hard-pressed rural communities. He has testified and actively lobbied the state’s legislature on laws helping the sport. His Ringneck Ranch operation is a nationally-renowned hunting lodge. It has played host to dignitaries and corporate executives from across the nation. Numerous sporting shows have been filmed there. It is a world-class upland game bird facility right here in Tipton, Kansas.

Well-known outdoor writer Mike Pierce wrote the following about Ringneck Ranch: “Wow, I have to give you an A for consistency because you always put on a five-star show! Considering the challenges we faced, late season birds, I would rate our recent hunt ‘outstanding’. Of all the bird hunting operations in Kansas, I definitely picked the right one for my guests. While many operations provide good wing shooting, the best of the rest ranks second to Ringneck Ranch when it comes to class.”

Houghton’s Ringneck Ranch has been the root of a lot of other small businesses. The economic contribution to the community is phenomenal. Over one dozen Tipton businesses work for or supply the ranch. Everything from the bright orange hats and “Controlled Shooting Area” signs from A. E. Smith & Company to the wood and supplies for all of the expansion from Tipton Lumber company. The economic viability of these companies is due in part to Ringneck Ranch.

The exposure of the community to so many “high profile” executives has also had an impact on the quality of services rendered. Most every businessman or woman realizes the importance these people bring to the community’s economy. Several of the guests have taken a personal interest in the Tipton schools. Last year when the basketball team was unable to get their uniforms from the school district, Ken Schmitt, of Mission, Kansas, bought and paid for all new uniforms. These urban visitors are enamored with the life style and principles of rural America.