Jim Champagne Hunting Guide

Retired Division Command Sergeant Major Jim Champagne was the keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet of Pheasant Fest 2012.

His presentation was about the development of the soldier mentoring program at Ringneck Ranch. He detailed how Ringneck Ranch was solicited by Pheasants Forever retired Central Region Director Barth Crouch to donate a hunt that was given away at a banquet for the 1st Infantry Division in Baghdad, Iraq.

Sergeant Major Champagne acquired information about Ringneck Ranch that he brought home to Fort Riley, Kansas, which was subsequently used for the development of a soldier mentoring program that has been ongoing for 4 years.

The program has been overwhelming successful and enthusiastically accepted by the soldiers in the program.

The now retired Sergeant Major Champagne also spends some weekends guiding Ringneck Ranch hunting guests with his new orange and white Brittany “Vic”.

However, there can only be one winner!

Congratulations to Tony Ifland of Cedar, Kansas! He has won a 2 person guided pheasant hunt at Ringneck Ranch for 1 day next fall. We look forward to having you here as our guest!

Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic is a trade show that will focus on wildlife conservation, upland game bird hunting, dog training, and wildlife habitat management and restoration. In connection with the trade show, Pheasants Forever holds seminars on habitat improvement, pheasant hunting, shooting sports, wild game cooking, dog training, conservation and lots more! (from Pheasants Forever website www.pheasantfest.org)

Owner Keith Houghton, Operations Manager Zach Miller and Office Manager Amber VanDoren spent Thursday through Sunday of this past week in Kansas City at the 2012 Pheasant Fest.

Thank you to all our friends, guests & suspects who stopped by our booth!

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Long time guest Tom Whitaker & Son with Keith Houghton of Ringneck Ranch, Inc.

National Pheasants Forever President Howard Vincent & Keith Houghton

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback & RIngneck Operations Manager Zach Miller

Guest Charlie Spinks & Wife and Ringneck Operations Manager Zach Miller

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ringneck Ranch Booth at Pheasant Fest 2012 in Kansas City

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie & Jose Silva & Tribe posing with Keith at Pheasant Fest 2012 in Kansas City

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dill Family, who were recent first time hunters at Ringneck, stopped by the booth to say hi at Pheasant Fest 2012.

http://www.kansas.com/2012/01/22/2185334/german-hunter-brings-traditions.html

Here is another article about a special hunting dog that prowls our ground with his guide partner Brad:

http://blogs.kansas.com/outdoors/

Enjoy!~

http://photosbyjosey.smugmug.com/RingneckRanchInc/Midway-Coop-2012-Hunt

Captain Keith Houghton of Tipton has retired after thirty-three years as a commercial airline pilot. Houghton made his last flight in May of this year and officially retired from American Airlines in July. Houghton logged over 33,000 hours of flight time in his long and illustrious career.

As a Tipton farm boy, flying was never really part of his career plans. Keith studied Animal Science at Kansas State University graduating in 1971. He also played football until an injury ended that endeavor. Not to be held back, Keith tried out for and became KSU’s mascot, Willie the Wildcat, a rare and very prestigious honor.

After graduating from college Keith was hired by a group in Ohio to supervise the calving of five hundred cows.  While there he took his first lesson in a small Cessna airplane and his passion for flying was ignited. While working in Ohio he acquired his private pilots license and flew whenever he could. He returned to Tipton and purchased his first plane, a Cessna 150, from Duane Vonada of Sylvan Grove. Still thirsting for more, he once again returned to Ohio and studied for and obtained his commercial, instrument, multi-engine and instructors licenses.

For the next two years Keith worked on the family ranch three miles south of Tipton and taught local people how to fly. Some of his students included Larry White, Mike Budke, Tracy Thull and Galen Seehafer.

In 1973 Keith went to work as a flight instructor for Aircraft Services Inc. of Salina. In a short six month period he became their Chief Pilot and Chief Flight Instructor, teaching Kansas Technical Institute students Steve Thompson, Alan Cordell and Danny Arnoldy to fly. Three years later he went to work for Ryan Aviation of Wichita, Kansas flying Lear jets for corporate clients. Then, in June of 1978, he was hired as a pilot by Ozark Airlines flying FH-227Bs and the DC9.

After eight years with Ozark, the airline was purchased by Carl Icahn, a business investor and corporate raider. Icahn liquidated the airline equipment and merged the Ozark operation with TWA. This was a terrible deal for Ozark Pilots and Houghton as they lost all seniority and took heavy pay cuts. Keith said, “I went from the 50^th percentile in seniority to the 96^th and took a 70% pay cut. It was not a good time.” Keith stayed with it, and persevered through attrition to eventually regain lost seniority.  TWA eventually was bankrupted into American airlines and Keith continued to make the complicated commute to St. Louis to report for duty.

Some of his airline time was spent flying charter flights, primarily college & professional sports teams. Keith chuckled about the time New York Yankee’s owner George Steinbrenner came to the cockpit and ordered him not to arrange for a limousine for a very high profile player who had earlier requested it. “He can ride the bus like the rest of us,” snarled Steinbrenner.

Commuting from Tipton was no easy feat for him; he flew his own Cessna 182 to Wichita and caught a commuter flight to St. Louis. When American eliminated flights from Wichita to St. Louis he was forced to fly from Wichita to Dallas or Chicago and then to St. Louis. The daily grind, the logistics in weather and space available transportation were eventually the impetus for retiring. “I just wore out with the challenging weekly commute to St. Louis,” said Keith. 

Keith reminisced over all the reasons for retiring. “Ya know, the job changed dynamically over the years.  9-11 dramatically changed the airline pilot’s profession. Locking the cabin door eliminated the relationship with crew and passengers. It was a different job after that.”  He also recognized that his health and the ranch were two important obligations needing his attention. “I’m okay right now, but the commuting was taking its toll.  It’s so nice having a routine at home again, I feel so much better.” He successfully battled prostate cancer several years ago.

Now Keith, with his wife Debra (former flight attendant) will continue to operate their world class hunting lodge Ringneck Ranch (www.ringneckranch.net). He started this business in 1983 with his father Clifford & brother Leon. Keith has been a community leader in both Tipton and Hunter. His time spent in “retirement” will certainly be a whirlwind of activity. “I’ll still do some corporate flying, I can’t give it all up,” he said with a grin.

This could not be more true anywhere than the beautiful state of Kansas that we call home.

Many of Ringneck Ranch’s staff members are also farmers, ranchers, farm wives and small town community members. Heck, Houghton Stock Farms, the home of Ringneck Ranch, was primarily a Hereford and Simmental cattle ranch when the pheasant hunting portion was established.

It is because of this heritage here and surrounding us in North Central Kansas, and because of the economic times we live in, it is more important than ever to support our local farmers and ranchers.

Many of you reading this blog may not be very familiar to the myths and truths about this great land’s agriculture population and what truly happens on a farm or ranch to produce the bountiful grains, fruits, vegetable and meat you find at your local grocer.

Here is a short list of facts you may or may not know from the “Real Farmers Real Food” initiative:

• 99 percent of American farms are owned by individuals, family partnerships, or family corporations.

• The average American farm is 418 acres.

• Farmers and ranchers make up less than 2 percent of the population.

• One farmer provides enough food and fiber for 155 people in the U.S. and abroad.

• U.S. agriculture and related industries account for one in 12 jobs nationwide.

• Every $1 billion in farm exports supports roughly 8,000 jobs in the United States.

• On average, Americans spend less than 10 percent of their disposable income on food.

More information on this initiative is at www.realfarmersrealfood.com and www.kfb.org

Dec. 15, 2011

Many seasons open during Christmas, New Year’s break

PRATT — Most people take some time off work during the Christmas and New Year holidays, and this is a perfect time to take advantage of cool-weather hunting with family and friends. It can be an excellent time to hunt because colder weather may hold game birds tight, bring mallards into the state, and fatten up squirrels and cottontails.

January antlerless deer seasons are especially popular for hunters who have not filled a permit or who want to put more deer in the freezer. Unfilled permits purchased in the fall of 2011 are valid for these seasons. All unfilled permits revert to Whitetail Antlerless Only and retain unit restrictions listed on the permit. All hunters should remember that a 2012 Kansas hunting license is also required beginning Jan. 1.

Cool weather not only makes game easier to locate, but competition for places to hunt is lighter than in the fall. For those looking for a good holiday hunt, the following season dates remain or will be open in late 2011and into 2012:

•fall turkey — Dec. 12-31 and Jan. 9-31, 2012

•archery deer — Sept. 19-Dec. 31

•extended firearm season (whitetail antlerless only, open statewide) — Jan.1-8, 2012

•special extended firearm season (whitetail antlerless only, units 7, 8, and 15 only) — Jan. 9-15, 2012

•extended archery season (whitetail antlerless only, Unit 19 only) — Jan. 9-31, 2012

•exotic dove (Eurasian collared and ringed turtle doves only) — Nov. 20-Feb. 28, 2012

•ducks, Early Zone — Dec. 17-Jan. 1, 2012

•ducks, High Plains Zone — Oct. 8-Jan. 2, 2012 and Jan. 21-29, 2012

•ducks, Low Plains Late Zone — Oct. 29-Jan. 1, 2012 and Jan. 21-29, 2012

•ducks, Low Plains Southeast Zone — Nov. 5-Jan. 8, 2012 and Jan. 21-29, 2012.

•Canada geese (including Brant) — Nov. 9-Feb. 12, 2012

•white-fronted geese — Oct. 29-Jan. 1, 2012 and Feb. 4-12, 2012

•light geese — Nov. 9-Feb. 12, 2012 and by special conservation order from Feb. 13-April 30, 2012

•pheasant — Nov. 12-Jan. 31, 2012

•quail — Nov. 12-Jan. 31, 2011

•prairie chicken — East and Northwest zones, Nov. 19-Jan. 31, 2012 and Southwest Zone, Nov. 19-Dec. 31

•squirrel — June 1-Feb. 29, 2012

•rabbit — open year round.

For detailed information on hunting units, bag and possession limits, and other information, consult the 2011 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, available wherever licenses are sold or on the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism website, http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/.

Most people these days just go out a buy one in the store, but going after one yourself can be a real thrill! Sitting quietly in the cool crisp morning air, just waiting and yearning to hear the call of a big strutting Tom headed your way!

In Kansas, we have two types of turkeys, the Rio Grande and Eastern turkeys. There is both a Spring and Fall hunting season.

Fall season opens on Oct. 1 – Nov. 29, Dec. 12 – 31 and Jan. 9 – 31, 2012.

Spring season opens for firearms April 11 – May 31, 2012.

At Ringneck Ranch, we offer Spring turkey hunts. Here is more information on our Turkey Hunts.

Fun Thanksgiving facts & Games

Thanksgiving Facts throughout History (from WHSV.com)

• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States.
• Sarah Josepha Hale, an American magazine editor, persuaded Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She is also the author of the popular nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
• Abraham Lincoln issued a ‘Thanksgiving Proclamation’ on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving.
• The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920′s.
• In 1939, President Roosevelt proclaimed that Thanksgiving would take place on November 23rd, not November 30th, as a way to spur economic growth and extend the Christmas shopping season.
• Congress to passed a law on December 26, 1941, ensuring that all Americans would celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
• Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey and two dressed turkeys to the President. The President does not eat the live turkey. He “pardons” it and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm.

Fun Facts about Thanksgiving Today

• In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations.
• Each year, the average American eats somewhere between 16 – 18 pounds of turkey.
• Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States.
• Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
• Although, Thanksgiving is widely considered an American holiday, it is also celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.
• Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, where it is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

 Here is the link: http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Hunting-season-opens-this-weekend-in-Kansas/VoOmxtZH9UKk1-oGSZHzgw.cspx

Check it out!