By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight Kansas

Reviewing the results from the 2025 <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/Kansas-Speaks/">Kansas Speaks</a> poll conducted by Fort Hays State University, one could easily assume that Kansas is dominated by a coalition of moderate and progressive politics. Consider:

● 70% of Kansans support Medicaid expansion, and about 72% say they think about Medicaid expansion at least a moderate amount.

● 58% support recreational marijuana legalization.

● 59% believe that the state should place no regulations on the circumstances under which women can get abortions.

● While detailed questions about gun policy were not asked this time, in 2024, 75% favored background checks for private gun sales and sales at gun shows, while 55% favored banning assault-style weapons.

● Majorities also favored raising the minimum wage (over 55%) and increasing state assistance for childcare (78%).

Those of us who conduct Kansas Speaks know how hard it is to get a representative sample of respondents these days, so the poll was carefully weighted to reflect the state’s political and demographic makeup. Among our poll respondents who reported voting in 2024, Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 10 points. But, why?

Maybe the answer comes down to Trump’s signature issue: immigration. Yet even when we asked specifically about the illegal immigration, we got the following results:

● Only 43% said illegal immigrants are a danger to public safety (21% neutral)

● Only 42% said illegal immigrants should be arrested and put in detention camps (16% neutral)

● Only 39% disagreed that illegal immigrants contribute more to society than they take (16% neutral)

Kansans are divided and ambivalent about illegal immigration. This does not explain support for Trump.

This puzzle brings to mind Thomas Frank’s 2004 book, What’s the Matter with Kansas? Frank suggested that Kansans vote against their true economic interests, instead choosing conservative candidates due to culture war issues like opposition to abortion and to LGBTQ+ rights. However, this is not borne out either by Kansas Speaks or by the state’s 2022 vote on abortion rights, where the pro-choice stance prevailed by an 18% margin.

Likewise, Kansas Speaks offers few clues as to why Kansans would continue to give supermajority support to Trump and his Republican allies. Is it because the Democratic Party is so unpopular these days? Probably not. Most of the Dems’ drop has come from their own supporters, angry at party leaders for not fighting harder against Trump. Also, the Republicans are similarly unpopular. 

Is there a “sleeper” issue missing from Kansas Speaks? Quite possibly. A recent Pew Charitable Trust poll of Americans found that the Republicans’ biggest advantage today is on fighting crime, and Kansas Speaks does not feature many questions about that.

Perhaps the simplest explanation lies in just how much Kansans hate our entire political system today. Kansas Speaks respondents’ ratings of all elected officials and institutions were abysmal. The highest rating was only 47% approval for Governor Laura Kelly, the lowest was 21% approval for the U.S. Congress. 

Kansans may have simply decided that they have nothing to lose by voting for Trump to send a message. Or, they may have reverted to longstanding party ties, even if these no longer reflect the state’s political realities. No matter the explanation, this year’s poll shows that many of Kansans’ policy views are sharply at odds with the way they vote, raising questions that deserve more attention from scholars, reporters, and citizens alike.

Michael Smith is a professor of political science at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751494323778.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight KansasReviewing the results from the 2025 <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/Kansas-Speaks/">Kansas Speaks</a> poll conducted by Fort Hays State University, one could easily assume that Kansas is dominated by a coalition of moderate and progressive politics. Consider:● 70% of Kansans support Medicaid expansion, and about 72% say they think about Medicaid expansion at least a moderate amount.● 58% support recreational marijuana legalization.● 59% believe that the state should place no regulations on the circumstances under which women can get abortions.● While detailed questions about gun policy were not asked this time, in 2024, 75% favored background checks for private gun sales and sales at gun shows, while 55% favored banning assault-style weapons.● Majorities also favored raising the minimum wage (over 55%) and increasing state assistance for childcare (78%).Those of us who conduct Kansas Speaks know how hard it is to get a representative sample of respondents these days, so the poll was carefully weighted to reflect the state’s political and demographic makeup. Among our poll respondents who reported voting in 2024, Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 10 points. But, why?Maybe the answer comes down to Trump’s signature issue: immigration. Yet even when we asked specifically about the illegal immigration, we got the following results:● Only 43% said illegal immigrants are a danger to public safety (21% neutral)● Only 42% said illegal immigrants should be arrested and put in detention camps (16% neutral)● Only 39% disagreed that illegal immigrants contribute more to society than they take (16% neutral)Kansans are divided and ambivalent about illegal immigration. This does not explain support for Trump.This puzzle brings to mind Thomas Frank’s 2004 book, What’s the Matter with Kansas? Frank suggested that Kansans vote against their true economic interests, instead choosing conservative candidates due to culture war issues like opposition to abortion and to LGBTQ+ rights. However, this is not borne out either by Kansas Speaks or by the state’s 2022 vote on abortion rights, where the pro-choice stance prevailed by an 18% margin.Likewise, Kansas Speaks offers few clues as to why Kansans would continue to give supermajority support to Trump and his Republican allies. Is it because the Democratic Party is so unpopular these days? Probably not. Most of the Dems’ drop has come from their own supporters, angry at party leaders for not fighting harder against Trump. Also, the Republicans are similarly unpopular. Is there a “sleeper” issue missing from Kansas Speaks? Quite possibly. A recent Pew Charitable Trust poll of Americans found that the Republicans’ biggest advantage today is on fighting crime, and Kansas Speaks does not feature many questions about that.Perhaps the simplest explanation lies in just how much Kansans hate our entire political system today. Kansas Speaks respondents’ ratings of all elected officials and institutions were abysmal. The highest rating was only 47% approval for Governor Laura Kelly, the lowest was 21% approval for the U.S. Congress. Kansans may have simply decided that they have nothing to lose by voting for Trump to send a message. Or, they may have reverted to longstanding party ties, even if these no longer reflect the state’s political realities. No matter the explanation, this year’s poll shows that many of Kansans’ policy views are sharply at odds with the way they vote, raising questions that deserve more attention from scholars, reporters, and citizens alike.Michael Smith is a professor of political science at Emporia State University.

Insight Kansas: Why do Kansans support Trump?

By TISA MASON Fort Hays State University President

At Fort Hays State University (FHSU), commitment to education runs deep, grounded in the rich soil of Kansas while simultaneously reaching across the globe. As we celebrate International Education Week, FHSU emphasizes its mission to prepare students for the complexities of a global society.

This week-long event not only demonstrates the university's engagement with students, faculty, and international partnerships but also highlights the significance of cultural exchange in developing the next generation of leaders. With over 4,000 international students from more than 40 countries, FHSU serves as a vibrant hub, allowing our campuses and the communities we serve to benefit from varied perspectives and experiences.

By bridging cultures and fostering collaboration, FHSU is not just nurturing local talent but also empowering students to tackle pressing global challenges. Ines Steeman, a senior from Belgium, Longwei Ngor from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Hugo Lopez from La Paz, Bolivia, each embody the theme "Rooted in Kansas — Reaching the World" at Fort Hays State University (FHSU). Their unique journeys reflect the university's mission to cultivate global citizens who appreciate their heritage while actively engaging with the wider world.

Ines Steeman is not only a student-athlete on the tennis team but also an active member of our Honor Society and the Public Relations Student Society of America. Her journey to FHSU began with a dream of studying in America, made possible by her passion for tennis. "I have always dreamed of studying in America but never thought I would have the chance to," Ines reflects.

Arriving with "an open mind, a lot of curiosity, and a little bit of fear," she quickly embraced the warm Midwestern hospitality and the close-knit atmosphere of FHSU. Ines was pleasantly surprised by the personal connections she established, stating, "Professors all know who I am, and I can go up to them with any questions." This contrasts sharply with her experiences in Belgium, where large classes made such interactions challenging. The sense of community at FHSU helped her grow into a more confident and resilient individual.

Her journey has deepened her understanding of cultural similarities and differences. "Studying abroad has enriched my life so much," she shares, acknowledging that while people may come from different backgrounds, "we are all more similar than different." Ines navigated challenges, such as homesickness, by forming supportive bonds with international students and initiating discussions about their shared experiences. "I opened up to my friends about this feeling, and it turns out we all felt that way," she recalls, highlighting how they created a space for each other to grow and support one another.

Looking ahead, Ines aspires to become a diplomat, equipped with skills she has honed at FHSU. "Fort Hays has given me the incredible opportunity of fine-tuning the skills of open-mindedness, adaptability, and cross-cultural communication." As an advocate for the transformative power of international education, she encourages others to embrace new experiences. "If you told me three years ago, I would be a Global Ambassador who studies Communications and does a lot of public speaking, I would have told you, 'No way!' And yet, here I am, doing all those things with so much joy!"

For Longwei Ngor, the path to FHSU began nearly 8,000 miles away at the American University of Phnom Penh, one of our global partners. He started his dual-degree program in Cambodia, taking FHSU classes online, before choosing to complete his senior year on our main campus. When he arrived in Hays, he discovered something unexpected: the peaceful atmosphere and warm, friendly community offered exactly the kind of American college experience he had hoped to find.

At FHSU, Longwei discovered a unique community where "professors and staff make you feel like part of a family," a contrast to the more formal educational environment he was accustomed to in Cambodia. This nurturing environment allowed him to flourish socially and academically, as he engaged more deeply in classroom discussions and campus life. He noted, "I’ve found myself hanging out and socializing way more than I used to, and it’s made campus life a lot more enjoyable."

Despite some initial challenges, such as adapting to the accelerated reading load and the interactive class format, Longwei's experiences helped him develop newfound independence and maturity. “The biggest challenge for me was keeping up with the reading and the pace of the classes, but ultimately, I found my rhythm.”

Longwei's experience in Kansas sparked a strong desire to actively share his cultural background. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed some regret about not having fully shown his heritage, admitting, "I kind of missed the chance to show more of where I come from." He did enjoy celebrating events like the Khmer New Year and highlighted the significance of cultural exchange: "Studying abroad helps build real connections between people from different parts of the world."

Longwei encourages others to embrace opportunities abroad, reinforcing the belief that "daring to challenge yourself and grow beyond borders" can lead to profound personal development and a broader perspective on the world. Currently back in Cambodia, working as an advocacy officer for AI and digital literacy at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Longwei applies the skills he honed during his studies abroad.

Hugo Lopez was born in La Paz, Bolivia, but spent most of his life in Santa Cruz, a city known for its entrepreneurial energy, biodiversity, and vibrant culture. His journey to FHSU began through a new dual-degree partnership with Univalle, his university in Bolivia. “I embraced this opportunity to challenge myself academically, improve my English, and gain global experience.”

One of the most significant contrasts he noticed between Univalle and FHSU is the infrastructure supporting student life. “In Bolivia, students typically live off-campus, and all the services are dispersed throughout the university. At FHSU, the university offers a full ecosystem designed for student life.” This integrated environment creates a “dynamic and immersive experience that supports both academic and personal success.”

Hugo proudly represents his heritage, stating, “With deep respect, I’ve shared the richness of Bolivian culture.” He loves to introduce classmates to Bolivian customs and celebrations, highlighting “our emotional warmth, devotion to family, vibrant musical traditions, resilience, and loyalty.” During new student orientation, he gifted traditional amulets from Santa Cruz as symbols of connection, passionately discussing their cultural significance and the breathtaking biodiversity of his region. My husband, Bill, and I were among the lucky ones to receive one of Hugo’s gifts.

“Studying abroad has made me more independent than ever,” Hugo reflects. "Overcoming homesickness and representing Bolivia has fueled my drive to excel.” Hugo has learned that while “we come from different religions, habits, and cultures, we all share common goals: to grow, succeed, and enjoy life.”

Hugo has come to appreciate the value of student organizations. “Through Alpha Kappa Psi and the Society for Human Resource Management, I’ve built a strong network, developed friendships, and gained professional experience.” As a Global Ambassador, he states, “I’ve gained real professional experience in the U.S., developing a marketing plan to promote FHSU’s partnerships with Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil.” This role not only utilizes his Spanish but also empowers him to engage future international students.

“My plan is to complete my optional practical training in a management-related role in the U.S., then pursue a master’s degree in Europe,” he articulates, emphasizing his belief that “international education is essential. Not just for individuals, but for society too.” Through education, he sees a foundation for “fostering global understanding, cooperation, and preparing us to lead across borders.”

Hugo offers valuable advice for future international students: “Be proactive and open-minded. This helps you adapt to new food, traditions, and behaviors.” He encourages class participation, reminding them that “your unique background adds value. Share your knowledge with humility and confidence.” He concludes with reflections on comfort: “Invest in comfort. A good pillow, blanket, or candle can make your space feel like home.”

“If I could go back,” Hugo muses, “I’d remind myself: time passes quickly here. The sooner you adapt, the sooner you can truly enjoy every moment of the experience.” Through his story, alongside those of Ines and Longwei, Hugo exemplifies how rootedness in his culture allows him to reach across the world, contributing to a more collaborative and inclusive global society.

These students exemplify the importance of cultural exchange in encouraging understanding. Ines's diplomatic ambitions, Longwei's cultural advocacy, and Hugo's entrepreneurial spirit reflect the significant impact of a supportive educational environment in shaping future leaders. They illustrate that education extends beyond the classroom, thriving through dialogue, shared experiences, and mutual respect. Their unique stories demonstrate how education can break boundaries, encourage global citizenship, and prepare individuals for an interconnected world. As they embark on their paths, they carry the spirit of FHSU, ready to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

As we celebrate International Education Week and Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be part of a vibrant University that promotes cultural exchange and the sharing of ideas. The friendships&nbsp;forged among students, faculty, and staff worldwide create a rich environment where differences are appreciated and common ground is found.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761318630494.jpeg" alt="Tisa Mason, Fort Hays State University president. Photo by FHSU" />
 <figcaption>Tisa Mason, Fort Hays State University president. Photo by FHSU</figcaption>
 </figure>By TISA MASON Fort Hays State University PresidentAt Fort Hays State University (FHSU), commitment to education runs deep, grounded in the rich soil of Kansas while simultaneously reaching across the globe. As we celebrate International Education Week, FHSU emphasizes its mission to prepare students for the complexities of a global society.This week-long event not only demonstrates the university's engagement with students, faculty, and international partnerships but also highlights the significance of cultural exchange in developing the next generation of leaders. With over 4,000 international students from more than 40 countries, FHSU serves as a vibrant hub, allowing our campuses and the communities we serve to benefit from varied perspectives and experiences.By bridging cultures and fostering collaboration, FHSU is not just nurturing local talent but also empowering students to tackle pressing global challenges. Ines Steeman, a senior from Belgium, Longwei Ngor from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Hugo Lopez from La Paz, Bolivia, each embody the theme "Rooted in Kansas — Reaching the World" at Fort Hays State University (FHSU). Their unique journeys reflect the university's mission to cultivate global citizens who appreciate their heritage while actively engaging with the wider world.Ines Steeman is not only a student-athlete on the tennis team but also an active member of our Honor Society and the Public Relations Student Society of America. Her journey to FHSU began with a dream of studying in America, made possible by her passion for tennis. "I have always dreamed of studying in America but never thought I would have the chance to," Ines reflects.Arriving with "an open mind, a lot of curiosity, and a little bit of fear," she quickly embraced the warm Midwestern hospitality and the close-knit atmosphere of FHSU. Ines was pleasantly surprised by the personal connections she established, stating, "Professors all know who I am, and I can go up to them with any questions." This contrasts sharply with her experiences in Belgium, where large classes made such interactions challenging. The sense of community at FHSU helped her grow into a more confident and resilient individual.Her journey has deepened her understanding of cultural similarities and differences. "Studying abroad has enriched my life so much," she shares, acknowledging that while people may come from different backgrounds, "we are all more similar than different." Ines navigated challenges, such as homesickness, by forming supportive bonds with international students and initiating discussions about their shared experiences. "I opened up to my friends about this feeling, and it turns out we all felt that way," she recalls, highlighting how they created a space for each other to grow and support one another.Looking ahead, Ines aspires to become a diplomat, equipped with skills she has honed at FHSU. "Fort Hays has given me the incredible opportunity of fine-tuning the skills of open-mindedness, adaptability, and cross-cultural communication." As an advocate for the transformative power of international education, she encourages others to embrace new experiences. "If you told me three years ago, I would be a Global Ambassador who studies Communications and does a lot of public speaking, I would have told you, 'No way!' And yet, here I am, doing all those things with so much joy!"For Longwei Ngor, the path to FHSU began nearly 8,000 miles away at the American University of Phnom Penh, one of our global partners. He started his dual-degree program in Cambodia, taking FHSU classes online, before choosing to complete his senior year on our main campus. When he arrived in Hays, he discovered something unexpected: the peaceful atmosphere and warm, friendly community offered exactly the kind of American college experience he had hoped to find.At FHSU, Longwei discovered a unique community where "professors and staff make you feel like part of a family," a contrast to the more formal educational environment he was accustomed to in Cambodia. This nurturing environment allowed him to flourish socially and academically, as he engaged more deeply in classroom discussions and campus life. He noted, "I’ve found myself hanging out and socializing way more than I used to, and it’s made campus life a lot more enjoyable."Despite some initial challenges, such as adapting to the accelerated reading load and the interactive class format, Longwei's experiences helped him develop newfound independence and maturity. “The biggest challenge for me was keeping up with the reading and the pace of the classes, but ultimately, I found my rhythm.”Longwei's experience in Kansas sparked a strong desire to actively share his cultural background. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed some regret about not having fully shown his heritage, admitting, "I kind of missed the chance to show more of where I come from." He did enjoy celebrating events like the Khmer New Year and highlighted the significance of cultural exchange: "Studying abroad helps build real connections between people from different parts of the world."Longwei encourages others to embrace opportunities abroad, reinforcing the belief that "daring to challenge yourself and grow beyond borders" can lead to profound personal development and a broader perspective on the world. Currently back in Cambodia, working as an advocacy officer for AI and digital literacy at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Longwei applies the skills he honed during his studies abroad.Hugo Lopez was born in La Paz, Bolivia, but spent most of his life in Santa Cruz, a city known for its entrepreneurial energy, biodiversity, and vibrant culture. His journey to FHSU began through a new dual-degree partnership with Univalle, his university in Bolivia. “I embraced this opportunity to challenge myself academically, improve my English, and gain global experience.”One of the most significant contrasts he noticed between Univalle and FHSU is the infrastructure supporting student life. “In Bolivia, students typically live off-campus, and all the services are dispersed throughout the university. At FHSU, the university offers a full ecosystem designed for student life.” This integrated environment creates a “dynamic and immersive experience that supports both academic and personal success.”Hugo proudly represents his heritage, stating, “With deep respect, I’ve shared the richness of Bolivian culture.” He loves to introduce classmates to Bolivian customs and celebrations, highlighting “our emotional warmth, devotion to family, vibrant musical traditions, resilience, and loyalty.” During new student orientation, he gifted traditional amulets from Santa Cruz as symbols of connection, passionately discussing their cultural significance and the breathtaking biodiversity of his region. My husband, Bill, and I were among the lucky ones to receive one of Hugo’s gifts.“Studying abroad has made me more independent than ever,” Hugo reflects. "Overcoming homesickness and representing Bolivia has fueled my drive to excel.” Hugo has learned that while “we come from different religions, habits, and cultures, we all share common goals: to grow, succeed, and enjoy life.”Hugo has come to appreciate the value of student organizations. “Through Alpha Kappa Psi and the Society for Human Resource Management, I’ve built a strong network, developed friendships, and gained professional experience.” As a Global Ambassador, he states, “I’ve gained real professional experience in the U.S., developing a marketing plan to promote FHSU’s partnerships with Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil.” This role not only utilizes his Spanish but also empowers him to engage future international students.“My plan is to complete my optional practical training in a management-related role in the U.S., then pursue a master’s degree in Europe,” he articulates, emphasizing his belief that “international education is essential. Not just for individuals, but for society too.” Through education, he sees a foundation for “fostering global understanding, cooperation, and preparing us to lead across borders.”Hugo offers valuable advice for future international students: “Be proactive and open-minded. This helps you adapt to new food, traditions, and behaviors.” He encourages class participation, reminding them that “your unique background adds value. Share your knowledge with humility and confidence.” He concludes with reflections on comfort: “Invest in comfort. A good pillow, blanket, or candle can make your space feel like home.”“If I could go back,” Hugo muses, “I’d remind myself: time passes quickly here. The sooner you adapt, the sooner you can truly enjoy every moment of the experience.” Through his story, alongside those of Ines and Longwei, Hugo exemplifies how rootedness in his culture allows him to reach across the world, contributing to a more collaborative and inclusive global society.These students exemplify the importance of cultural exchange in encouraging understanding. Ines's diplomatic ambitions, Longwei's cultural advocacy, and Hugo's entrepreneurial spirit reflect the significant impact of a supportive educational environment in shaping future leaders. They illustrate that education extends beyond the classroom, thriving through dialogue, shared experiences, and mutual respect. Their unique stories demonstrate how education can break boundaries, encourage global citizenship, and prepare individuals for an interconnected world. As they embark on their paths, they carry the spirit of FHSU, ready to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.As we celebrate International Education Week and Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be part of a vibrant University that promotes cultural exchange and the sharing of ideas. The friendships&nbsp;forged among students, faculty, and staff worldwide create a rich environment where differences are appreciated and common ground is found.

Heart of a Tiger: Rooted in Kansas–reaching the world

During a fishing trip on La Sal Mountain when I was 8, I caught my first mud puppy. Apparently, someone fished this pond using these oddly named amphibians as bait and lost enough that survivors reproduced. We found several that day. At 8, I considered them miniature dinosaurs and tucked that memory into my childhood Awesome Event folder. After that experience, I saw these only in bait shops.

My next sort-of-mud puppy experience occurred in 1993 when Big Creek threatened to burst its banks. Like many folks living in the flood plain, stacks of empty sand bags and giant piles of wet sand filled our driveway. While we stuffed seemingly endless containers, our daughter screamed bloody murder while pointing at an equally frightened tiger salamander with tail in the air to make itself look bigger. We calmed sis with the explanation that this was Kansas’ state amphibian, and we’d disturbed its home. Her dad shared stories of finding them when he was a kid. During that conversation he mentioned salamanders begin life as mud puppies with funny looking gills. Ah, memory retrieval time for mom.

As we tied stuffed sand bags designed to protect ours and the neighbors’ house from rising water, I envisioned 8-year-old snaggle-toothed me playing with goofy-looking amphibians on that Utah mountain. How interesting to learn the dark brown and yellow spotted critter with a tail that initiated our child’s screams was once a mud puppy.

Over years, we’ve spied more salamanders, but they’re shy. I’ve seen more in museum collections than in the wild. That is until recently.

My husband walks our little terrier morning and evening to work out her extra energy and help her digestive system function at peak performance. She came home one morning prancing and dancing more than usual. Clearly, they’d had an adventure.

Sure enough, she discovered treasure--a salamander outside our shed door. By the time I investigated her find, it had vanished. However, I noticed a little burrow in soft flower bed soil, which I attributed to a wolf spider winter den.

A couple weeks following this incident, the pooch and gramps returned from a dusk sojourn with treasure in hand. Gramps had picked up a salamander smaller than the previous visitor to show gramma. He also thought to snag a clothes pin for a photo reference.

We set the little guy next to the clothes pin in a small bowl and told it to pose. It definitely understood, letting me snap photos to send grandkids.

Once we released it, I googled salamanders to learn that this time of year local species migrate into spring breeding territories (Seems early, right?). Considering we don’t have a pond or creek in our yard, the water source where it will lay eggs next spring is nearby. Despite lack of an on-site water hole, we do have loose soil filled with roly polies and worms suitable for winter room and board. I guessed wrong about wolf spider holes--a salamander claims that winter home.

I’m guessing when I see morning sun reflecting off that pond to the east, it will be full of frolicking mud puppies. How many salamander spots will we count next fall?

Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763485076630.jpeg" alt="Salamander. Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Salamander. Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORIN During a fishing trip on La Sal Mountain when I was 8, I caught my first mud puppy. Apparently, someone fished this pond using these oddly named amphibians as bait and lost enough that survivors reproduced. We found several that day. At 8, I considered them miniature dinosaurs and tucked that memory into my childhood Awesome Event folder. After that experience, I saw these only in bait shops.My next sort-of-mud puppy experience occurred in 1993 when Big Creek threatened to burst its banks. Like many folks living in the flood plain, stacks of empty sand bags and giant piles of wet sand filled our driveway. While we stuffed seemingly endless containers, our daughter screamed bloody murder while pointing at an equally frightened tiger salamander with tail in the air to make itself look bigger. We calmed sis with the explanation that this was Kansas’ state amphibian, and we’d disturbed its home. Her dad shared stories of finding them when he was a kid. During that conversation he mentioned salamanders begin life as mud puppies with funny looking gills. Ah, memory retrieval time for mom.As we tied stuffed sand bags designed to protect ours and the neighbors’ house from rising water, I envisioned 8-year-old snaggle-toothed me playing with goofy-looking amphibians on that Utah mountain. How interesting to learn the dark brown and yellow spotted critter with a tail that initiated our child’s screams was once a mud puppy.Over years, we’ve spied more salamanders, but they’re shy. I’ve seen more in museum collections than in the wild. That is until recently.My husband walks our little terrier morning and evening to work out her extra energy and help her digestive system function at peak performance. She came home one morning prancing and dancing more than usual. Clearly, they’d had an adventure.Sure enough, she discovered treasure--a salamander outside our shed door. By the time I investigated her find, it had vanished. However, I noticed a little burrow in soft flower bed soil, which I attributed to a wolf spider winter den.A couple weeks following this incident, the pooch and gramps returned from a dusk sojourn with treasure in hand. Gramps had picked up a salamander smaller than the previous visitor to show gramma. He also thought to snag a clothes pin for a photo reference.We set the little guy next to the clothes pin in a small bowl and told it to pose. It definitely understood, letting me snap photos to send grandkids.Once we released it, I googled salamanders to learn that this time of year local species migrate into spring breeding territories (Seems early, right?). Considering we don’t have a pond or creek in our yard, the water source where it will lay eggs next spring is nearby. Despite lack of an on-site water hole, we do have loose soil filled with roly polies and worms suitable for winter room and board. I guessed wrong about wolf spider holes--a salamander claims that winter home.I’m guessing when I see morning sun reflecting off that pond to the east, it will be full of frolicking mud puppies. How many salamander spots will we count next fall?Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Mud puppies all grown up

In the wide, rural plains of Kansas, where small towns and farming communities form the backbone of our state, access to health care for children is far from guaranteed.

That’s why the Children’s Health Act of 2000 matters deeply here in Ellis County and the surrounding region, even if it wasn’t written with rural Kansas specifically in mind.

The act, signed into law in October 2000, set out to expand research on childhood conditions such as Autism, birth defects, developmental disabilities, environmental health, children’s health in clinical trials, and traumatic brain injuries; strengthen safety standards for clinical, child-care, and related services for children.

These are clearly goals worth pursuing in rural communities, where children face a unique barrier—less access to pediatric specialists, distance from providers, and higher populations of uninsured or underinsured families.

What impact does this have on rural Kansas? The act helped highlight children’s health nationwide, not just in urban areas.

By authorizing new research and directing federal attention to childhood health and conditions, this legislation laid the groundwork for later efforts to close health care gaps between rural and urban populations.

Yet while research foundations were strengthened, rural Kansas continues to struggle with the practical reality of delivering care.

Many surrounding clinics and hospitals in neighboring communities are stretched thin.

Efforts to recruit professionals and keep services flowing are increasingly difficult for smaller clinics and hospitals.

Even in our county and neighboring counties, doctor shortages, including pediatric care physicians, require a plethora of families in western Kansas to travel long distances—100 miles—to access specialty care for their children.

Not to mention that providers may set appointments weeks or months in advance, ready access to care is often limited to the area where families live.

Drive across western or central Kansas, and you’ll see the quiet strength of our rural counties—hard-working families and individuals supporting their communities. Yet behind this strength lies a silent, pervasive challenge that families face.

This challenge is shared not just by families but also by the physicians and health care professionals who serve them.

Rural doctors often carry enormous responsibility, acting as both primary care providers and, at times, de facto specialists due to the shortage of pediatricians and other specialists.

The Children’s Health Act helped shed light on children’s health, but it also highlighted the immense burden placed on rural practitioners.

They must juggle large geographic areas, long hours and limited resources, all while striving to deliver quality care to every child who walks in their door.

Burnout and recruitment hurdles are constant threats, making it harder to retain the dedicated professionals rural Kansas needs.

The effects ripple through entire communities: when doctors are stretched thin or clinics close, families lose trusted relationships, and children lose continuity of care.

These gaps make it harder to detect developmental issues early or manage chronic conditions, compounding the disadvantages rural children already face. It’s not just a matter of distance; it’s a matter of opportunity and outcomes for the next generation.

There are steps we can take. Expanding telemedicine programs can help bridge distances and bring specialists into rural homes virtually.

State and federal incentives to recruit and retain health care workers in rural areas are essential — from loan forgiveness to housing support. 

Medical schools must also play a role in encouraging students from rural backgrounds to return home to practice medicine and in ensuring that all trainees understand the rewards and challenges of rural care.

Ultimately, the Children’s Health Act was a start, but not a solution. We need to keep children’s health at the forefront of policy and investment — and that means supporting the physicians and clinics that are the lifeblood of rural health care.

Our rural families deserve to see their children grow up healthy, with the same opportunities as any child in America—regardless of their ZIP code. 

We owe it to our neighbors, our future, and the spirit of rural Kansas to make children’s health not just a legislative priority, but a lived reality.

Ensuring healthy futures for our children—and supporting the doctors who care for them—will strengthen the fabric of our rural communities for generations to come.

— Gabrielle E. Gibbs of Russell, Master’s in social work student, Fort Hays State University

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In the wide, rural plains of Kansas, where small towns and farming communities form the backbone of our state, access to health care for children is far from guaranteed.That’s why the Children’s Health Act of 2000 matters deeply here in Ellis County and the surrounding region, even if it wasn’t written with rural Kansas specifically in mind.The act, signed into law in October 2000, set out to expand research on childhood conditions such as Autism, birth defects, developmental disabilities, environmental health, children’s health in clinical trials, and traumatic brain injuries; strengthen safety standards for clinical, child-care, and related services for children.These are clearly goals worth pursuing in rural communities, where children face a unique barrier—less access to pediatric specialists, distance from providers, and higher populations of uninsured or underinsured families.What impact does this have on rural Kansas? The act helped highlight children’s health nationwide, not just in urban areas.By authorizing new research and directing federal attention to childhood health and conditions, this legislation laid the groundwork for later efforts to close health care gaps between rural and urban populations.Yet while research foundations were strengthened, rural Kansas continues to struggle with the practical reality of delivering care.Many surrounding clinics and hospitals in neighboring communities are stretched thin.Efforts to recruit professionals and keep services flowing are increasingly difficult for smaller clinics and hospitals.Even in our county and neighboring counties, doctor shortages, including pediatric care physicians, require a plethora of families in western Kansas to travel long distances—100 miles—to access specialty care for their children.Not to mention that providers may set appointments weeks or months in advance, ready access to care is often limited to the area where families live.Drive across western or central Kansas, and you’ll see the quiet strength of our rural counties—hard-working families and individuals supporting their communities. Yet behind this strength lies a silent, pervasive challenge that families face.This challenge is shared not just by families but also by the physicians and health care professionals who serve them.Rural doctors often carry enormous responsibility, acting as both primary care providers and, at times, de facto specialists due to the shortage of pediatricians and other specialists.The Children’s Health Act helped shed light on children’s health, but it also highlighted the immense burden placed on rural practitioners.They must juggle large geographic areas, long hours and limited resources, all while striving to deliver quality care to every child who walks in their door.Burnout and recruitment hurdles are constant threats, making it harder to retain the dedicated professionals rural Kansas needs.The effects ripple through entire communities: when doctors are stretched thin or clinics close, families lose trusted relationships, and children lose continuity of care.These gaps make it harder to detect developmental issues early or manage chronic conditions, compounding the disadvantages rural children already face. It’s not just a matter of distance; it’s a matter of opportunity and outcomes for the next generation.There are steps we can take. Expanding telemedicine programs can help bridge distances and bring specialists into rural homes virtually.State and federal incentives to recruit and retain health care workers in rural areas are essential — from loan forgiveness to housing support. Medical schools must also play a role in encouraging students from rural backgrounds to return home to practice medicine and in ensuring that all trainees understand the rewards and challenges of rural care.Ultimately, the Children’s Health Act was a start, but not a solution. We need to keep children’s health at the forefront of policy and investment — and that means supporting the physicians and clinics that are the lifeblood of rural health care.Our rural families deserve to see their children grow up healthy, with the same opportunities as any child in America—regardless of their ZIP code. We owe it to our neighbors, our future, and the spirit of rural Kansas to make children’s health not just a legislative priority, but a lived reality.Ensuring healthy futures for our children—and supporting the doctors who care for them—will strengthen the fabric of our rural communities for generations to come.— Gabrielle E. Gibbs of Russell, Master’s in social work student, Fort Hays State University

Opinion: Hidden struggle for children’s health in rural Kansas

By BILL FIANDER Insight Kansas

In a world of cancelled flights, SNAP ping-pong, gerrymanders run amok, and “Dancing with the Stars” blackouts, it was refreshing to see an old friend – the town hall budget meeting – could not be shut down last week.&nbsp;

Billed as a statewide listening tour to guide her penultimate 2026&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/796/55">“People’s Budget”</a>, I attended Governor Kelly’s fifth stop at the Leawood community center in Johnson County to hear some old-fashioned Q&amp;A about budget priorities.

Intimately adorned with only microphones, chairs, and ideas for muses, the Governor and Budget Director/Secretary of Administration (Adam Proffitt) went full MTV Unplugged to hear from Kansans.

But it was not stripped-down acoustic rock songs we heard. Instead, the respectful crowd heard a budgetary medley of old hits, new material, and deep cuts that included:

• “She Works Hard for the Money” – Kelly is a notorious budget wonk. She admitted her obsession with the budget, forged through years as a legislator during the Brownback tax experiment. She considers it to be the most important thing she does. She and Proffitt contrasted the “People’s Budget” tour with the part-time Legislature’s confusing, shortsighted, and rogue budget process last session to which few in the public and front-facing agencies were invited.&nbsp;

• “Mr. Brightside” – Due in part to Proffitt’s elimination of budget maneuvers and accounting tricks inherited from Brownback/Colyer, the rainy-day fund has gone from zero to $2B. Kelly and he contrasted paying cash for the state’s two new office buildings in downtown Topeka vs. the Legislature’s unnecessary bonding ($325 million) and 4% flat income tax path as ominous warnings of “dark days” nobody wants to go back to.

•  “Carry on Wayward Son” – While there was consternation about the welfare of children (childcare crisis, foster care, pre-K, etc.), Kelly hit a different note when asked about priorities to stem the state’s loss of younger adults. The focus on big economic development gains – like Panasonic in DeSoto and Hilmar Cheese in Dodge City – and attainable housing production must remain budget priorities to give young or boomerang Kansans a place to lay their weary heads.

• “Be True to Your School” – Fully funding public schools for the last seven years is certainly a greatest hit she does not mind spinning again. But maybe some notes were off key. Both the federal government and Kansas Legislature have woefully underfunded their statutory obligations to cover a percentage of special education costs in our school districts. This forces schools to rob Peter – general students - to pay Paul – special ed students. The angriest public rant (if you can call it that) also made it known retired schoolteachers have not seen a COLA increase since 1998.&nbsp;

• “Friends in Low Places” – For an encore, I asked Kelly about property tax solutions. Not a fan of caps and gimmicks, her main advice…sit down&nbsp;with&nbsp;local municipalities. They are the ones with the most to lose. Not the state. She pondered if state “unfunded mandates” on local government is a stone worth turning over. Given 100% of all property taxes ultimately goes to local government services, legislators might want to slip on down to the Oasis to visit their friends.

Budgets, not laws, deliver services. Good budgets don’t have to be rock shows. Stripped down, you’ll hear pitch perfect dynamics of people’s needs, values, and dreams. In a time where seemingly nothing worked as it should, it took meeting people where they are to bring meaning back to how it should.&nbsp;

Bill Fiander, Washburn University, is a university lecturer in Kansas specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757520322866.jpeg" alt="Bill Fiander, Washburn University, is a university lecturer in Kansas specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government.&nbsp; Photo by Megan Martin" />
 <figcaption>Bill Fiander, Washburn University, is a university lecturer in Kansas specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government.&nbsp; Photo by Megan Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BILL FIANDER Insight KansasIn a world of cancelled flights, SNAP ping-pong, gerrymanders run amok, and “Dancing with the Stars” blackouts, it was refreshing to see an old friend – the town hall budget meeting – could not be shut down last week.&nbsp;Billed as a statewide listening tour to guide her penultimate 2026&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/796/55">“People’s Budget”</a>, I attended Governor Kelly’s fifth stop at the Leawood community center in Johnson County to hear some old-fashioned Q&amp;A about budget priorities.Intimately adorned with only microphones, chairs, and ideas for muses, the Governor and Budget Director/Secretary of Administration (Adam Proffitt) went full MTV Unplugged to hear from Kansans.But it was not stripped-down acoustic rock songs we heard. Instead, the respectful crowd heard a budgetary medley of old hits, new material, and deep cuts that included:• “She Works Hard for the Money” – Kelly is a notorious budget wonk. She admitted her obsession with the budget, forged through years as a legislator during the Brownback tax experiment. She considers it to be the most important thing she does. She and Proffitt contrasted the “People’s Budget” tour with the part-time Legislature’s confusing, shortsighted, and rogue budget process last session to which few in the public and front-facing agencies were invited.&nbsp;• “Mr. Brightside” – Due in part to Proffitt’s elimination of budget maneuvers and accounting tricks inherited from Brownback/Colyer, the rainy-day fund has gone from zero to $2B. Kelly and he contrasted paying cash for the state’s two new office buildings in downtown Topeka vs. the Legislature’s unnecessary bonding ($325 million) and 4% flat income tax path as ominous warnings of “dark days” nobody wants to go back to.• “Carry on Wayward Son” – While there was consternation about the welfare of children (childcare crisis, foster care, pre-K, etc.), Kelly hit a different note when asked about priorities to stem the state’s loss of younger adults. The focus on big economic development gains – like Panasonic in DeSoto and Hilmar Cheese in Dodge City – and attainable housing production must remain budget priorities to give young or boomerang Kansans a place to lay their weary heads.• “Be True to Your School” – Fully funding public schools for the last seven years is certainly a greatest hit she does not mind spinning again. But maybe some notes were off key. Both the federal government and Kansas Legislature have woefully underfunded their statutory obligations to cover a percentage of special education costs in our school districts. This forces schools to rob Peter – general students - to pay Paul – special ed students. The angriest public rant (if you can call it that) also made it known retired schoolteachers have not seen a COLA increase since 1998.&nbsp;• “Friends in Low Places” – For an encore, I asked Kelly about property tax solutions. Not a fan of caps and gimmicks, her main advice…sit down&nbsp;with&nbsp;local municipalities. They are the ones with the most to lose. Not the state. She pondered if state “unfunded mandates” on local government is a stone worth turning over. Given 100% of all property taxes ultimately goes to local government services, legislators might want to slip on down to the Oasis to visit their friends.Budgets, not laws, deliver services. Good budgets don’t have to be rock shows. Stripped down, you’ll hear pitch perfect dynamics of people’s needs, values, and dreams. In a time where seemingly nothing worked as it should, it took meeting people where they are to bring meaning back to how it should.&nbsp;Bill Fiander, Washburn University, is a university lecturer in Kansas specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government.

Insight Kansas: The People’s Budget unplugged

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

By the time you are reading this, Veterans Day 2025 has come-and-gone, and I have used this column before, but I believe it is worthy of using again. 

I come from a family where many have served in the military in one way, shape or form. 

My dad was an infantryman in the Army during WW II and served in Italy for a time. His older brother served as Flight Engineer on a B-24, flying 13 missions over Germany during WWII. I was a Field Artillery Meteorologist, collecting atmospheric data for the artillery for 20 years in the Army National Guard, and was in Bosnia for six months. My wife Joyce spent eight years in the Air National Guard as a photographer and as a plane cargo loader. Three of her uncles, all from Mennonite families, served in the army and navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Two of my cousins were in the Air Force, one of my nephews was a marine and another nephew served in the navy. 

When asked by her siblings, (all who are also Conscientious Objectors,) why she joined the military, my wife Joyce replied “Cause daddy never told me not to.” 

I say all this not to brag, but to say that we are a family who believes in and supports maintaining a strong military in these United States.

The person who suggested I write this column a couple years ago, told me of an office conversation discussing whether or not to do anything special that year for Veterans Day in their paper. One coworker replied “Yes, absolutely. Patriotism has to be taught.” That got me thinking about ways we can teach our kids and new citizens to be proud of our country and of our military, both current members and veterans.

First of all, by example, teach your kids respect for our flag, for the pledge of allegiance to our flag and for our national anthem. When reciting the pledge of allegiance, honoring our flag as it is displayed or paraded past you or when singing the Star-Spangled Banner, stand, come to attention and face the flag with your right hand over your heart. 

Now, some will say the flag is only a piece of cloth, the pledge of allegiance only something we recite and the national anthem only a song. While those statements are true, these things are symbols of our freedom and of our country. Teaching our youth respect for these things will help teach them appreciation for God’s allowing us to live in a free country like the United&nbsp;States, appreciation for the soldiers that currently serve, soldiers that have served in the past and soldiers that have died protecting that freedom.

Most places you go, be it Walmart, the mall, a fast-food restaurant or some large event, you will see men and women wearing a hat or another item of clothing giving the appearance that they are military veterans. Ask those people if they are veterans, and if so, offer your hand and thank them for their service, and urge your kids to do the same. 

This is also a great gesture toward law enforcement personnel, firefighters and all manner of first responders, for they, like soldiers are the ones who run toward dangerous situations, allowing the rest of us to run to safety.

I agree with the assessment that “Patriotism has to be taught,” and we as parents and grandparents must be the teachers. 

Be creative with other ways to honor our veterans. Offer to pay for their Big Mac and fries, their morning coffee at Scooters or at the local café. Let them go ahead of you in line at Dillons, etc. Also, take your kids and grandkids to church and be the example of wholeheartedly thanking God for these freedoms we have. 

As Lee Greenwood so eloquently sang, “God Bless the USA.”

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762476787999.jpg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas OutdoorsBy the time you are reading this, Veterans Day 2025 has come-and-gone, and I have used this column before, but I believe it is worthy of using again. I come from a family where many have served in the military in one way, shape or form. My dad was an infantryman in the Army during WW II and served in Italy for a time. His older brother served as Flight Engineer on a B-24, flying 13 missions over Germany during WWII. I was a Field Artillery Meteorologist, collecting atmospheric data for the artillery for 20 years in the Army National Guard, and was in Bosnia for six months. My wife Joyce spent eight years in the Air National Guard as a photographer and as a plane cargo loader. Three of her uncles, all from Mennonite families, served in the army and navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Two of my cousins were in the Air Force, one of my nephews was a marine and another nephew served in the navy. When asked by her siblings, (all who are also Conscientious Objectors,) why she joined the military, my wife Joyce replied “Cause daddy never told me not to.” I say all this not to brag, but to say that we are a family who believes in and supports maintaining a strong military in these United States.The person who suggested I write this column a couple years ago, told me of an office conversation discussing whether or not to do anything special that year for Veterans Day in their paper. One coworker replied “Yes, absolutely. Patriotism has to be taught.” That got me thinking about ways we can teach our kids and new citizens to be proud of our country and of our military, both current members and veterans.First of all, by example, teach your kids respect for our flag, for the pledge of allegiance to our flag and for our national anthem. When reciting the pledge of allegiance, honoring our flag as it is displayed or paraded past you or when singing the Star-Spangled Banner, stand, come to attention and face the flag with your right hand over your heart. Now, some will say the flag is only a piece of cloth, the pledge of allegiance only something we recite and the national anthem only a song. While those statements are true, these things are symbols of our freedom and of our country. Teaching our youth respect for these things will help teach them appreciation for God’s allowing us to live in a free country like the United&nbsp;States, appreciation for the soldiers that currently serve, soldiers that have served in the past and soldiers that have died protecting that freedom.Most places you go, be it Walmart, the mall, a fast-food restaurant or some large event, you will see men and women wearing a hat or another item of clothing giving the appearance that they are military veterans. Ask those people if they are veterans, and if so, offer your hand and thank them for their service, and urge your kids to do the same. This is also a great gesture toward law enforcement personnel, firefighters and all manner of first responders, for they, like soldiers are the ones who run toward dangerous situations, allowing the rest of us to run to safety.I agree with the assessment that “Patriotism has to be taught,” and we as parents and grandparents must be the teachers. Be creative with other ways to honor our veterans. Offer to pay for their Big Mac and fries, their morning coffee at Scooters or at the local café. Let them go ahead of you in line at Dillons, etc. Also, take your kids and grandkids to church and be the example of wholeheartedly thanking God for these freedoms we have. As Lee Greenwood so eloquently sang, “God Bless the USA.”Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Veterans Day

By KAREN MADORIN As I get older, I find shorter days and cooler temperature trigger an overpowering urge to nest.

Reading friends’ posts; watching my hubs reorganize summer and winter closets, yard tools, and hunting gear; and comparing daily life stories with others tells me I’m not alone. Scores of humans have entered winter nesting mode. Note rolled up hoses, cleaned and tidily hung rakes and shovels, and bedding and pillows airing on clothes lines. 

Others reorganize dressers and closets to enable easy access to season-appropriate clothing. Industrious house-keepers empty cupboards to clean them thoroughly along with washing walls and ceilings. One friend who lived for years in the high Sierras shared that she prepares her pantry every fall so she has enough goods stored she can make soups 'til spring arrives.

Until I visited with her, I hadn’t realized it, but I start winter nesting in May when I chop and freeze three huge bags of Vidalia onions to last us through the year. Then I chop and freeze fruit and vegetables as they ripen throughout the summer. By fall my freezer bulges with supplies to feed us through coming cold months.

After Steph and I hung up, I scanned our pantry. While I may not buy supplies by the case, I unconsciously stock up each trip to the grocery store. By the time snow flies, those shelves contain ingredients enough to keep us in chili, chicken noodle soup, vegetable stew, ham 'n' beans, barley beef soup, and homemade cinnamon rolls and bread, no matter how deep the drifts.

This girlfriend chat sent me down a bunny trail. Remembering my favorite childhood 'Little House on the Prairie' book series. I recalled Laura writing detailed accounts of how Ma and Pa filled their attic with pumpkins, dried corn, smoked hams and bacon, and other supplies necessary to people who lived far from a market. We may not pack the attic, but cupboards and freezer burst at the seams.

That led to another off-trail trek when I thought about squirrels storing nuts to feed them through the winter and mountain pika packing away grasses and seeds to nourish them when snow buries food sources. Heavens, each autumn bears feast like there is no tomorrow to pack on fat to sustain them through winter hibernation.

Maybe this winter nesting drive is more than a human compulsion. Maybe it’s a mammal urge. Then I thought about woodpeckers that drill holes all over a tree to fill with acorns and eagles that cross national borders following migrating ducks to ensure an ample winter food supply. This need isn’t species limited.

Perhaps the Lord created all His creatures with a desire to store supplies to last through short days and long nights. 

Decades of what humans consider civilized life may lead some to think weekly grocery shopping, Amazon deliveries, furnaces, electric lighting, vehicles, and more are natural. However, others can’t ignore impulses triggered by generations of winter preparations. Short days, dropping temps, and falling leaves drive all creatures to ready themselves for whatever nature delivers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762879438684.jpeg" alt="Fall trees on Oct. 21 at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Fall trees on Oct. 21 at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORIN As I get older, I find shorter days and cooler temperature trigger an overpowering urge to nest. Reading friends’ posts; watching my hubs reorganize summer and winter closets, yard tools, and hunting gear; and comparing daily life stories with others tells me I’m not alone. Scores of humans have entered winter nesting mode. Note rolled up hoses, cleaned and tidily hung rakes and shovels, and bedding and pillows airing on clothes lines. Others reorganize dressers and closets to enable easy access to season-appropriate clothing. Industrious house-keepers empty cupboards to clean them thoroughly along with washing walls and ceilings. One friend who lived for years in the high Sierras shared that she prepares her pantry every fall so she has enough goods stored she can make soups 'til spring arrives.Until I visited with her, I hadn’t realized it, but I start winter nesting in May when I chop and freeze three huge bags of Vidalia onions to last us through the year. Then I chop and freeze fruit and vegetables as they ripen throughout the summer. By fall my freezer bulges with supplies to feed us through coming cold months.After Steph and I hung up, I scanned our pantry. While I may not buy supplies by the case, I unconsciously stock up each trip to the grocery store. By the time snow flies, those shelves contain ingredients enough to keep us in chili, chicken noodle soup, vegetable stew, ham 'n' beans, barley beef soup, and homemade cinnamon rolls and bread, no matter how deep the drifts.This girlfriend chat sent me down a bunny trail. Remembering my favorite childhood 'Little House on the Prairie' book series. I recalled Laura writing detailed accounts of how Ma and Pa filled their attic with pumpkins, dried corn, smoked hams and bacon, and other supplies necessary to people who lived far from a market. We may not pack the attic, but cupboards and freezer burst at the seams.That led to another off-trail trek when I thought about squirrels storing nuts to feed them through the winter and mountain pika packing away grasses and seeds to nourish them when snow buries food sources. Heavens, each autumn bears feast like there is no tomorrow to pack on fat to sustain them through winter hibernation.Maybe this winter nesting drive is more than a human compulsion. Maybe it’s a mammal urge. Then I thought about woodpeckers that drill holes all over a tree to fill with acorns and eagles that cross national borders following migrating ducks to ensure an ample winter food supply. This need isn’t species limited.Perhaps the Lord created all His creatures with a desire to store supplies to last through short days and long nights. Decades of what humans consider civilized life may lead some to think weekly grocery shopping, Amazon deliveries, furnaces, electric lighting, vehicles, and more are natural. However, others can’t ignore impulses triggered by generations of winter preparations. Short days, dropping temps, and falling leaves drive all creatures to ready themselves for whatever nature delivers.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Winter nesting

While the United States government currently remains shutdown, it has highlighted the importance of government programs that assist working class families across the country.

It may seem ambitious to discuss policy changes while the government is at a standstill. Still, it is a critical time to evaluate and advocate for appropriate changes to the government welfare programs that promote positive outcomes for families.

One of those cornerstone policies, the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), could prove to be increasingly useful if policy was adopted to unlock the potential of the act to provide housing support for families in need.

Allowing the act to address housing insecurity for the individuals who qualify would widen the overall mission of the act to preserve families in the same environment.

The act benefits from bipartisan support and has been a key piece of legislation in reducing the number of children who are placed into institutionalized care and preserving families who are navigating the challenges of substance use and mental health disorders.

The act, in its current deployment, provides resources for mental health disorders, substance use disorders and parental supports, all with the intention of keeping children in the home with their immediate families. 

While these resources are invaluable, individuals facing housing insecurity face further challenges that could ultimately prevent them from being able to access these resources.

Research and practical evidence demonstrate that housing security is a key component in positive outcomes and supports individuals being able to access treatment.

Imagine for a moment that you are the breadwinner for a family and need to access these supports, but they conflict with your working hours. How would you manage?

Taking a step further, imagine you and your family are without housing altogether – is your priority seeking treatment or securing housing? Housing security will always take precedence, especially when children are involved.

Those who may be concerned with this suggestion are likely concerned with the cost associated with including housing resources in the act. 

While an exact allocation of funds would need further exploration, the existence of housing programs that could partner with those who are administering act services should provide relief to those concerned about financial feasibility.

The cost associated with supporting housing for families should be offset by a reduction in the cost associated with children being placed into foster care or institutional settings.

The recommendation of including housing support in the act is not as simple as directing funds toward families in need.

Instead, funds would be used not only to provide housing support but also to allocate staff who can be trained to promote housing security and utilize interagency collaboration to connect families in need to already existing housing resources.

Including housing-specific resources for act providers is an example of creating an on-ramp to connect families in need with a broad scope of services.

The act was a tremendous step towards keeping children and families together and reducing the burden on our foster care and institutional structures.

The need to address housing insecurity for these families is critical to ensure a whole person’s approach to providing services.

The primary benefit of this change is simple: Ensuring housing security allows families to remain together and receive the support services necessary to establish a foundation to build upon and reduce the need to access to services in the future.

This is an ambitious suggestion for the current political climate, but an adjustment that could yield significant positive returns for our communities.

—Thomas Pike, Master of Social Work student at Fort Hays State University

While the United States government currently remains shutdown, it has highlighted the importance of government programs that assist working class families across the country.It may seem ambitious to discuss policy changes while the government is at a standstill. Still, it is a critical time to evaluate and advocate for appropriate changes to the government welfare programs that promote positive outcomes for families.One of those cornerstone policies, the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), could prove to be increasingly useful if policy was adopted to unlock the potential of the act to provide housing support for families in need.Allowing the act to address housing insecurity for the individuals who qualify would widen the overall mission of the act to preserve families in the same environment.The act benefits from bipartisan support and has been a key piece of legislation in reducing the number of children who are placed into institutionalized care and preserving families who are navigating the challenges of substance use and mental health disorders.The act, in its current deployment, provides resources for mental health disorders, substance use disorders and parental supports, all with the intention of keeping children in the home with their immediate families. While these resources are invaluable, individuals facing housing insecurity face further challenges that could ultimately prevent them from being able to access these resources.Research and practical evidence demonstrate that housing security is a key component in positive outcomes and supports individuals being able to access treatment.Imagine for a moment that you are the breadwinner for a family and need to access these supports, but they conflict with your working hours. How would you manage?Taking a step further, imagine you and your family are without housing altogether – is your priority seeking treatment or securing housing? Housing security will always take precedence, especially when children are involved.Those who may be concerned with this suggestion are likely concerned with the cost associated with including housing resources in the act. While an exact allocation of funds would need further exploration, the existence of housing programs that could partner with those who are administering act services should provide relief to those concerned about financial feasibility.The cost associated with supporting housing for families should be offset by a reduction in the cost associated with children being placed into foster care or institutional settings.The recommendation of including housing support in the act is not as simple as directing funds toward families in need.Instead, funds would be used not only to provide housing support but also to allocate staff who can be trained to promote housing security and utilize interagency collaboration to connect families in need to already existing housing resources.Including housing-specific resources for act providers is an example of creating an on-ramp to connect families in need with a broad scope of services.The act was a tremendous step towards keeping children and families together and reducing the burden on our foster care and institutional structures.The need to address housing insecurity for these families is critical to ensure a whole person’s approach to providing services.The primary benefit of this change is simple: Ensuring housing security allows families to remain together and receive the support services necessary to establish a foundation to build upon and reduce the need to access to services in the future.This is an ambitious suggestion for the current political climate, but an adjustment that could yield significant positive returns for our communities.—Thomas Pike, Master of Social Work student at Fort Hays State University

Opinion: Addressing critical blind spot in Family First Prevention Services Act

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

Today I want to pay homage to man’s best friend, for nowhere is man’s best friend appreciated more than in the world of outdoor sportsmen. They sit beside us in hunting blinds; often so close they’re nearly beneath us. They help us carry our gear to and from campsites, the boat, the woods and even back to the truck when the excursion is over. They are perfectly at home in the pickup, whether in the back, on the floor or in the seat beside us. They require very little in the way of maintenance, perhaps an occasional scrubbing to keep them squeaky clean. Yet, these stalwart companions provide us with years of dedicated, selfless service. Of course, I’m talking about man’s best friend, the plastic 5-gallon bucket.

I wish they had existed when I was a kid. Oh, we had 5-gallon buckets, but not plastic. Dad had a hanging feed bunk in the barn and if you couldn’t surprise the steers and beat them to the bunk at feeding time, the only way to survive the ordeal was to beat them out of the way with the bucket. I ruined more metal buckets that way than I care to remember. Had they been plastic, they’d have lasted forever. But, like I stated above, no one depends upon plastic 5-gallon buckets more than the outdoor sports enthusiast. They come in white, gray, green, black and camouflage. They can have metal handles or plastic. They are the ultimate seat / equipment carrier rolled into one.

No fisherman worth his or her fish and chips will have less than half-a-dozen, and that’s just in the boat. Be sure to designate one on the boat for those inopportune times when the need arises to relieve yourself of your morning coffee in the middle of the lake, an especially useful feature for your wife or girlfriend. Although a tad large, they also work well for bailing out water rushing into the boat when you fail to put the drain plug back into the drain hole in the transom before leaving the dock. When ice fishing, 2 nice white ones (to color coordinate with your surroundings) will carry your rods, tackle, bait and lunch onto the ice. One turned upside down will then become your seat, while the other holds your fish. Fitted with a lid of some description, one bucket can do both. When a fish is caught, simply jump up, lift the lid, deposit the fish then close the lid and repose yourself again. For you intense ice fishermen (you know who you are) this also hides your catch from prying eyes. In any fishing situation, plastic 5-gallon buckets are the ideal tool for transporting fish. Once home, they again spring into action as the supreme vessel to hold all the “by-product” when cleaning your catch. Bass Pro even sells a fish cleaning board specially made to fit the top of one. I also found a kit containing all the necessary parts to turn a 5-gallon bucket into an aerated bait container.

Though fishing seems to bring out the best in 5-gallon buckets, hunters also benefit from them. Again, they are the cat’s meow for carrying equipment to and from a blind or stand. To carry all my trapping supplies, I use one fitted with a canvas tool carrier. Though small camp chairs are probably more comfortable for a long wait, the buckets again excel as seats. Cabela’s offers a variety of seats, all made to fit 5-gallon buckets. One named the “Silent Spin Bucket Seat,” is equipped with bearings like a lazy susan, allowing a hunter to swivel and see in different directions. This seat can be purchased alone, with an added storage pouch that drapes around the bucket, or with an attached&nbsp;“stadium” seat, complete with back. Kits are also available with all the components needed to convert our friend the bucket into a hanging deer feeder (a nice camouflage colored number is probably best suited here.)

Not a hunter or fisherman, and feeling left out?... Wait, there’s more! What’s the most logical use for a plastic 5-gallon bucket around the campsite?... Right you are! I found several products to turn 5-gallon buckets into portable camp toilets. One called “Luggable Loo” is a toilet seat and lid that the company says, “effortlessly snaps on and off” any 5-gallon bucket, and allows you to “Stop dreading the call of nature when enjoying your next hunting, fishing or camping trip.” Now if you truly do dread “the call of nature” you may have some deeper problems than where to answer it. Anyway, they should probably make one in pink for the ladies and call it Luggable Louis. Just remember, these things won’t flush and don’t set over a hole in the ground so you become responsible for disposing of the contents! Please take the high ground here and empty them at the camps designated dumping station. Don’t nonchalantly toss it under the neighbor’s camper and try to blame it on their big dog.

Someone has said that there is no greater force in the universe than that force that holds 5-gallon buckets together when stacked. We buy them full of some product, use the product, and are left with the bucket, which, in some cases, is probably more useful than the product inside. So, after reading this, find you best friend and give them a little extra attention; kiss your wife and scratch the dog too while you’re at it…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735433168440.png" alt="Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas OutdoorsToday I want to pay homage to man’s best friend, for nowhere is man’s best friend appreciated more than in the world of outdoor sportsmen. They sit beside us in hunting blinds; often so close they’re nearly beneath us. They help us carry our gear to and from campsites, the boat, the woods and even back to the truck when the excursion is over. They are perfectly at home in the pickup, whether in the back, on the floor or in the seat beside us. They require very little in the way of maintenance, perhaps an occasional scrubbing to keep them squeaky clean. Yet, these stalwart companions provide us with years of dedicated, selfless service. Of course, I’m talking about man’s best friend, the plastic 5-gallon bucket.I wish they had existed when I was a kid. Oh, we had 5-gallon buckets, but not plastic. Dad had a hanging feed bunk in the barn and if you couldn’t surprise the steers and beat them to the bunk at feeding time, the only way to survive the ordeal was to beat them out of the way with the bucket. I ruined more metal buckets that way than I care to remember. Had they been plastic, they’d have lasted forever. But, like I stated above, no one depends upon plastic 5-gallon buckets more than the outdoor sports enthusiast. They come in white, gray, green, black and camouflage. They can have metal handles or plastic. They are the ultimate seat / equipment carrier rolled into one.No fisherman worth his or her fish and chips will have less than half-a-dozen, and that’s just in the boat. Be sure to designate one on the boat for those inopportune times when the need arises to relieve yourself of your morning coffee in the middle of the lake, an especially useful feature for your wife or girlfriend. Although a tad large, they also work well for bailing out water rushing into the boat when you fail to put the drain plug back into the drain hole in the transom before leaving the dock. When ice fishing, 2 nice white ones (to color coordinate with your surroundings) will carry your rods, tackle, bait and lunch onto the ice. One turned upside down will then become your seat, while the other holds your fish. Fitted with a lid of some description, one bucket can do both. When a fish is caught, simply jump up, lift the lid, deposit the fish then close the lid and repose yourself again. For you intense ice fishermen (you know who you are) this also hides your catch from prying eyes. In any fishing situation, plastic 5-gallon buckets are the ideal tool for transporting fish. Once home, they again spring into action as the supreme vessel to hold all the “by-product” when cleaning your catch. Bass Pro even sells a fish cleaning board specially made to fit the top of one. I also found a kit containing all the necessary parts to turn a 5-gallon bucket into an aerated bait container.Though fishing seems to bring out the best in 5-gallon buckets, hunters also benefit from them. Again, they are the cat’s meow for carrying equipment to and from a blind or stand. To carry all my trapping supplies, I use one fitted with a canvas tool carrier. Though small camp chairs are probably more comfortable for a long wait, the buckets again excel as seats. Cabela’s offers a variety of seats, all made to fit 5-gallon buckets. One named the “Silent Spin Bucket Seat,” is equipped with bearings like a lazy susan, allowing a hunter to swivel and see in different directions. This seat can be purchased alone, with an added storage pouch that drapes around the bucket, or with an attached&nbsp;“stadium” seat, complete with back. Kits are also available with all the components needed to convert our friend the bucket into a hanging deer feeder (a nice camouflage colored number is probably best suited here.)Not a hunter or fisherman, and feeling left out?... Wait, there’s more! What’s the most logical use for a plastic 5-gallon bucket around the campsite?... Right you are! I found several products to turn 5-gallon buckets into portable camp toilets. One called “Luggable Loo” is a toilet seat and lid that the company says, “effortlessly snaps on and off” any 5-gallon bucket, and allows you to “Stop dreading the call of nature when enjoying your next hunting, fishing or camping trip.” Now if you truly do dread “the call of nature” you may have some deeper problems than where to answer it. Anyway, they should probably make one in pink for the ladies and call it Luggable Louis. Just remember, these things won’t flush and don’t set over a hole in the ground so you become responsible for disposing of the contents! Please take the high ground here and empty them at the camps designated dumping station. Don’t nonchalantly toss it under the neighbor’s camper and try to blame it on their big dog.Someone has said that there is no greater force in the universe than that force that holds 5-gallon buckets together when stacked. We buy them full of some product, use the product, and are left with the bucket, which, in some cases, is probably more useful than the product inside. So, after reading this, find you best friend and give them a little extra attention; kiss your wife and scratch the dog too while you’re at it…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Man’s best friend, we love you!

Recently, local historians and metal detectorists Denis Vine and Gordon Solomon packed the museum when they shared a 7th Cavalry artifact PowerPoint with Trego County Historical Society guests. What a thrill to listen to their stories!

I love people whose imaginations allow them to think about this region sans section lines, county roads, state highways, I-70, neon lights, gas stations and quick shops, utility poles, and other modern development. Every attendee avidly imagined life’s difficulties with limited communication and supplies.

Once the government began building railroads and offering homesteads, military squads, platoons and companies frequently camped nearby to protect crews and settlers. Those troops required water and game so they identified creeks, rivers, and springs to establish location and supplies. If there was water, game used it too which simplified providing camp meat and forage. 

It also intensified resource competition with native occupants. While occupying stations for weeks or months, soldiers used canned and bottled goods, wore out their clothing and tack, and occasionally lost curry combs, knives or razors.

To find left behind artifacts, metal-detecting historians study old documents, maps, and the landscape to identify potential sites. Some share information so others can further research an area. As a bonus, relic hunters often discover communal trash pits full of bottles.

Following retirement, Denis and Gordon turned their inner history hunters loose, finding cans, tack, bullets, knives, military equipment like epaulets, buttons, cross sabers from hats, and more. They’ve also dug trash pits filled with tossed cans and bottles. According to Denis, cans offer a chance to familiarize the finder with specific soldiers roaming the prairies.

He noted industry canned food soldiers carried into isolated regions without supply depots. Unfortunately, no one had yet invented p-38 or p-51 can openers. As a result, these guys used knives or perhaps axes to access peaches and other canned goods. Looking at the artifacts, some cut the lid into quarters and peeled back edges to access contents. Others cut or chopped around edges until they could bend the left, right, top or bottom side enough to reach paydirt. 

You clearly saw patterns troopers used to open their can and could assume the same guy opened any container sharing such characteristics.

In addition to finding cans at former camps, Denis and Gordon have detected scores of buttons. Most are military but not always. They commented that either soldiers didn’t know how to sew buttons securely or they had weak thread. I’m guessing a combination of both resulted in thousands of U.S. Army buttons peppering miles of Kansas prairie. Some of their discoveries still had fabric attached to the shank, triggering guesses as to what happened. Possibilities multiplied the longer folks thought.

This presentation made me wonder about young men who joined the military and came West so soon after the Civil War. Our nation needed to rebuild financially and physically, so for many enlistees military life offered steady pay, regular meals, uniforms and transportation.

 In addition to U.S. citizens, immigrants enlisted to serve their new homeland. It’s not surprising to search military cemeteries or records and find Irishmen and Germans among Iowans, Missourians and other U.S. enlistees.

Few absolute answers exist to answer questions about men who spent months and sometimes years protecting this prairie we call home. We do know they opened cans without a can opener and more than a good share performed their job missing buttons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762277106308.png" alt="Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINRecently, local historians and metal detectorists Denis Vine and Gordon Solomon packed the museum when they shared a 7th Cavalry artifact PowerPoint with Trego County Historical Society guests. What a thrill to listen to their stories!I love people whose imaginations allow them to think about this region sans section lines, county roads, state highways, I-70, neon lights, gas stations and quick shops, utility poles, and other modern development. Every attendee avidly imagined life’s difficulties with limited communication and supplies.Once the government began building railroads and offering homesteads, military squads, platoons and companies frequently camped nearby to protect crews and settlers. Those troops required water and game so they identified creeks, rivers, and springs to establish location and supplies. If there was water, game used it too which simplified providing camp meat and forage. It also intensified resource competition with native occupants. While occupying stations for weeks or months, soldiers used canned and bottled goods, wore out their clothing and tack, and occasionally lost curry combs, knives or razors.To find left behind artifacts, metal-detecting historians study old documents, maps, and the landscape to identify potential sites. Some share information so others can further research an area. As a bonus, relic hunters often discover communal trash pits full of bottles.Following retirement, Denis and Gordon turned their inner history hunters loose, finding cans, tack, bullets, knives, military equipment like epaulets, buttons, cross sabers from hats, and more. They’ve also dug trash pits filled with tossed cans and bottles. According to Denis, cans offer a chance to familiarize the finder with specific soldiers roaming the prairies.He noted industry canned food soldiers carried into isolated regions without supply depots. Unfortunately, no one had yet invented p-38 or p-51 can openers. As a result, these guys used knives or perhaps axes to access peaches and other canned goods. Looking at the artifacts, some cut the lid into quarters and peeled back edges to access contents. Others cut or chopped around edges until they could bend the left, right, top or bottom side enough to reach paydirt. You clearly saw patterns troopers used to open their can and could assume the same guy opened any container sharing such characteristics.In addition to finding cans at former camps, Denis and Gordon have detected scores of buttons. Most are military but not always. They commented that either soldiers didn’t know how to sew buttons securely or they had weak thread. I’m guessing a combination of both resulted in thousands of U.S. Army buttons peppering miles of Kansas prairie. Some of their discoveries still had fabric attached to the shank, triggering guesses as to what happened. Possibilities multiplied the longer folks thought.This presentation made me wonder about young men who joined the military and came West so soon after the Civil War. Our nation needed to rebuild financially and physically, so for many enlistees military life offered steady pay, regular meals, uniforms and transportation. In addition to U.S. citizens, immigrants enlisted to serve their new homeland. It’s not surprising to search military cemeteries or records and find Irishmen and Germans among Iowans, Missourians and other U.S. enlistees.Few absolute answers exist to answer questions about men who spent months and sometimes years protecting this prairie we call home. We do know they opened cans without a can opener and more than a good share performed their job missing buttons.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: For lack of can openers and quality thread

Sometimes as I conjure up “OK Google” or check Fox News or the 7-day weather forecast on my smart phone, all while sitting in the Walmart parking lot, I wonder how we ever survived with phones that were only made to talk on. Then it hits me; we survived quite well, thank you very much.

I remember a few years back, as I rounded the corner on the gravel road on my way to refill the deer feeder in the draw below our high-rise deer blind, there were several hundred thousand dollars of excavating equipment rebuilding the terraces and forming new waterways in the fields that surround our blind. It looked as though our deer hunting could be permanently interrupted there that year, so I scouted out another property on which we have deer hunting permission. In front of that property was a wheat field that was traveled frequently by deer heading for the pond and trees on the property. I found a spot in a sharp corner of the field where it appeared deer were jumping the fence and entering the small woodlot. There was no blind built there and no good spot to set up a temporary blind to overlook that corner. The best option appeared to be the overhanging limbs of a cedar tree seventy yards away. I remember wondering aloud how I would ever survive not having a blind to hunt from, when it suddenly hit me; I had harvested more deer from a folding camp chair tucked beneath a cedar tree than from any other way, and again, I had survived quite well, thank you very much.

For those of you new to deer hunting that don’t have a blind from which to hunt, or for those of you wanting to try hunting deer for the first time but are not sure how to proceed without a blind, let me give you some tips from my experience.

Mr. Webster defines the word camouflage as “a disguise or deception; to disguise in order to conceal.” Camouflage does not have to make something or someone entirely disappear, it just has to make them blend in, and it does that by breaking up their outline. Examples of that would be sitting against a tree or sitting behind or under some broken overhanging limbs. Both choices camouflage you by breaking up the outline of your body. Joyce harvested her first deer ever as she sat on a camp chair behind a log in a big thick tree row. My point is that in the absence of a blind of some description, nature will provide you everything you need if you just learn to see it.

Not to sound over-simplistic here, but the most important element of hunting is to position yourself where there is game. So, when deciding upon a deer hunting location, choose a spot near a well used deer trail, where deer enter and exit a woodlot, etc. If you’re bow hunting, you want to be as close to the trail as possible, but if rifle hunting, choose a spot away from the trail seventy-five to a hundred yards or so. Then pay attention to where the sun will be in relation to you. You do not want the sun shining directly on you or in your eyes when it rises or sets, making it hard to see ahead of you as it shines into your eyes or lighting you up like a Christmas tree as it shines on you. Then check the wind direction, and try to position yourself where the prevailing north and west wind will blow your scent away from the trail. Next, look around you for anything that will conceal your form, like a broken-over or uprooted tree, a tree with large broken limbs that hang to the ground or a big cedar tree with long outstretched branches. Once you have found a natural blind, figure out how best to use it. Prune and remove limbs and branches until you can tuck yourself into whatever concealment you’ve chosen. Prune

away only enough to allow you entrance and to give yourself an open shooting lane. Use your imagination and move limbs and branches around if necessary to accomplish what you need. If you are firearm hunting, find a way to support your firearm. If none exists naturally, a couple 1x2’s bolted together near one end opens up into an “x” to make a cheap and dandy shooting stick to cradle your gun. Your seat can be whatever you want. If you’re young you can probably get away with sitting on a log or a bucket, but my choice is a cheap folding camp chair that gives me a back to lean against. It’s not always possible, but choosing to tuck yourself in amongst the branches of a big cedar tree will often help protect you from the north and west wind also.

There are still plenty of ways to conceal yourself to harvest a Kansas deer without a hunting blind or tree stand. Be creative; tree limbs stacked against a fence, a piece of camouflage fabric stretched around some fence posts, even digging yourself down into an old round hay bale at the edge of a field will all fill the bill. And by the way, sitting amongst the cradling limbs of a cedar tree, or in a spot carved out of an old round hay bale will offer great scent concealment also. The end result might even be more fulfilling knowing you used what God provided to fill your freezer. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas OutdoorsSometimes as I conjure up “OK Google” or check Fox News or the 7-day weather forecast on my smart phone, all while sitting in the Walmart parking lot, I wonder how we ever survived with phones that were only made to talk on. Then it hits me; we survived quite well, thank you very much.I remember a few years back, as I rounded the corner on the gravel road on my way to refill the deer feeder in the draw below our high-rise deer blind, there were several hundred thousand dollars of excavating equipment rebuilding the terraces and forming new waterways in the fields that surround our blind. It looked as though our deer hunting could be permanently interrupted there that year, so I scouted out another property on which we have deer hunting permission. In front of that property was a wheat field that was traveled frequently by deer heading for the pond and trees on the property. I found a spot in a sharp corner of the field where it appeared deer were jumping the fence and entering the small woodlot. There was no blind built there and no good spot to set up a temporary blind to overlook that corner. The best option appeared to be the overhanging limbs of a cedar tree seventy yards away. I remember wondering aloud how I would ever survive not having a blind to hunt from, when it suddenly hit me; I had harvested more deer from a folding camp chair tucked beneath a cedar tree than from any other way, and again, I had survived quite well, thank you very much.For those of you new to deer hunting that don’t have a blind from which to hunt, or for those of you wanting to try hunting deer for the first time but are not sure how to proceed without a blind, let me give you some tips from my experience.Mr. Webster defines the word camouflage as “a disguise or deception; to disguise in order to conceal.” Camouflage does not have to make something or someone entirely disappear, it just has to make them blend in, and it does that by breaking up their outline. Examples of that would be sitting against a tree or sitting behind or under some broken overhanging limbs. Both choices camouflage you by breaking up the outline of your body. Joyce harvested her first deer ever as she sat on a camp chair behind a log in a big thick tree row. My point is that in the absence of a blind of some description, nature will provide you everything you need if you just learn to see it.Not to sound over-simplistic here, but the most important element of hunting is to position yourself where there is game. So, when deciding upon a deer hunting location, choose a spot near a well used deer trail, where deer enter and exit a woodlot, etc. If you’re bow hunting, you want to be as close to the trail as possible, but if rifle hunting, choose a spot away from the trail seventy-five to a hundred yards or so. Then pay attention to where the sun will be in relation to you. You do not want the sun shining directly on you or in your eyes when it rises or sets, making it hard to see ahead of you as it shines into your eyes or lighting you up like a Christmas tree as it shines on you. Then check the wind direction, and try to position yourself where the prevailing north and west wind will blow your scent away from the trail. Next, look around you for anything that will conceal your form, like a broken-over or uprooted tree, a tree with large broken limbs that hang to the ground or a big cedar tree with long outstretched branches. Once you have found a natural blind, figure out how best to use it. Prune and remove limbs and branches until you can tuck yourself into whatever concealment you’ve chosen. Pruneaway only enough to allow you entrance and to give yourself an open shooting lane. Use your imagination and move limbs and branches around if necessary to accomplish what you need. If you are firearm hunting, find a way to support your firearm. If none exists naturally, a couple 1x2’s bolted together near one end opens up into an “x” to make a cheap and dandy shooting stick to cradle your gun. Your seat can be whatever you want. If you’re young you can probably get away with sitting on a log or a bucket, but my choice is a cheap folding camp chair that gives me a back to lean against. It’s not always possible, but choosing to tuck yourself in amongst the branches of a big cedar tree will often help protect you from the north and west wind also.There are still plenty of ways to conceal yourself to harvest a Kansas deer without a hunting blind or tree stand. Be creative; tree limbs stacked against a fence, a piece of camouflage fabric stretched around some fence posts, even digging yourself down into an old round hay bale at the edge of a field will all fill the bill. And by the way, sitting amongst the cradling limbs of a cedar tree, or in a spot carved out of an old round hay bale will offer great scent concealment also. The end result might even be more fulfilling knowing you used what God provided to fill your freezer. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Deer hunting the old-fashioned way

The Ellis County Farm Bureau Association recently hosted its annual Ellis County Kids Ag Day, welcoming area fourth-grade students to learn about the importance of agriculture and its role in everyday life. The event brought together local producers, businesses, and volunteers to provide a fun, hands-on learning experience centered around Ellis County’s strong agricultural heritage.

Students spent the day rotating through a variety of educational stations covering topics such as livestock care, crop production, water conservation, dairy and milking, farm safety, and the role of modern technology in agriculture. Presenters included local farmers, ag industry representatives, and members of the Fort Hays State University Collegiate Farm Bureau and FHSU Agriculture Department, who helped facilitate learning for students through interactive demonstrations.

“The goal of Kids Ag Day is to help students understand where their food comes from,” said Kayler Wiebke, Ellis County Farm Bureau coordinator. “Agriculture touches every part of our daily lives, and this event allows students to connect what they learn in the classroom to the people and processes that make it possible.”

The event not only provides valuable educational experiences for youth but also strengthens community connections between local agriculture and future generations.

The Ellis County Farm Bureau extends a special thank-you to the Copper family for the use of their farm, Pa’s Pumpkin Patch, as the host site for this two-day event. Their generosity provided the perfect setting for students to experience agriculture up close.

Kids Ag Day would not be possible without the generous support of community partners and sponsors. This year’s t-shirt sponsors included Equity Bank, Danny Dinkel Farm Bureau Financial Services, Culligan, LDI Fendt, Fort Hays State University Agriculture Department, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Carrico Implement, and High Plains Farm Credit.

The Ellis County Farm Bureau extends sincere appreciation to all volunteers, sponsors, teachers, and students who made this year’s Kids Ag Day a success. Through their involvement, Ellis County continues to invest in agricultural learning in classrooms, creating a bright future for the next generation of leaders in agriculture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761854444756.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Ellis County Farm Bureau Association recently hosted its annual Ellis County Kids Ag Day, welcoming area fourth-grade students to learn about the importance of agriculture and its role in everyday life. The event brought together local producers, businesses, and volunteers to provide a fun, hands-on learning experience centered around Ellis County’s strong agricultural heritage.Students spent the day rotating through a variety of educational stations covering topics such as livestock care, crop production, water conservation, dairy and milking, farm safety, and the role of modern technology in agriculture. Presenters included local farmers, ag industry representatives, and members of the Fort Hays State University Collegiate Farm Bureau and FHSU Agriculture Department, who helped facilitate learning for students through interactive demonstrations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761832702566.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“The goal of Kids Ag Day is to help students understand where their food comes from,” said Kayler Wiebke, Ellis County Farm Bureau coordinator. “Agriculture touches every part of our daily lives, and this event allows students to connect what they learn in the classroom to the people and processes that make it possible.”The event not only provides valuable educational experiences for youth but also strengthens community connections between local agriculture and future generations.The Ellis County Farm Bureau extends a special thank-you to the Copper family for the use of their farm, Pa’s Pumpkin Patch, as the host site for this two-day event. Their generosity provided the perfect setting for students to experience agriculture up close.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761832743052.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kids Ag Day would not be possible without the generous support of community partners and sponsors. This year’s t-shirt sponsors included Equity Bank, Danny Dinkel Farm Bureau Financial Services, Culligan, LDI Fendt, Fort Hays State University Agriculture Department, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Carrico Implement, and High Plains Farm Credit.The Ellis County Farm Bureau extends sincere appreciation to all volunteers, sponsors, teachers, and students who made this year’s Kids Ag Day a success. Through their involvement, Ellis County continues to invest in agricultural learning in classrooms, creating a bright future for the next generation of leaders in agriculture.

Ellis County Kids Ag Day connects students to local agriculture

Drive around prairie communities or rural farmsteads, and you’ll find numerous overgrown lilac hedges attesting to early residents’ fondness for this sweet-scented flower. These rows of easy-to-grow woody bushes require little attention even during harsh weather and when mature, break gusty winds around a house, outbuilding, or patio. As a bonus, they perfume spring breezes about the time housekeepers throw open windows to freshen winter-stale rooms. Like poppies, daffodils, iris, and other spring flowers, their short blooming season invites folks to appreciate them when those multitudinous tubular blooms are most glorious. To my surprise, Western Kansans got another chance to see a favorite flower during this autumn’s unusual second bloom.

A few weeks ago, I noted local lilac bushes producing their signature palm perfect bouquets—again…. To my marveling eye, hedges set enough blossoms a person could create several lovely lavender arrangements. Granted, these weren’t densely flowered like we expect each spring, but it was notable due to the number of out of season blooms on each plant. I made a point of driving around towns like Herndon, Oberlin, Hill City, and Atwood to note the same phenomena of lilacs blooming while tree leaves turned gold and orange. My first thought was Mother Nature is off her meds. Then I investigated.

Multiple horticultural journal articles explained stressed lilacs produce second blooms to guarantee survival of the species. My first thought was what stress? We had more rain and gentler temperatures this summer than we normally experience in Western Kansas. As I read university research articles, I discovered that just as humans experience continued stress with resulting symptoms, lilac bushes also suffer post-incident stress-induced consequences.

That made sense. Western Kansans have survived a sequence of drought years combined with periods of hot or frigid winds. To multiple those effects, most plains residents expect lilac hedges to take care of themselves. After all, that was one reason early settlers planted them. They don’t require focused attention to keep growing and blooming. Researchers suggest this possibly led to this year’s producing seeds twice to save the species reaction.

As a bonafide worrywart, I thought that this expenditure of extra energy in a second bloom might wipe out one of my favorite plantings. Those journal articles calmed my fears and let me know the hedges will most likely survive unless they have other issues. What did happen is the new buds that emerged after the spring bloom became this fall’s bouquets. This fall flowering will limit production of next spring’s blossoms. Next April and May, don’t count on as many perfumed breezes as we enjoyed this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761738281092.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINDrive around prairie communities or rural farmsteads, and you’ll find numerous overgrown lilac hedges attesting to early residents’ fondness for this sweet-scented flower. These rows of easy-to-grow woody bushes require little attention even during harsh weather and when mature, break gusty winds around a house, outbuilding, or patio. As a bonus, they perfume spring breezes about the time housekeepers throw open windows to freshen winter-stale rooms. Like poppies, daffodils, iris, and other spring flowers, their short blooming season invites folks to appreciate them when those multitudinous tubular blooms are most glorious. To my surprise, Western Kansans got another chance to see a favorite flower during this autumn’s unusual second bloom.A few weeks ago, I noted local lilac bushes producing their signature palm perfect bouquets—again…. To my marveling eye, hedges set enough blossoms a person could create several lovely lavender arrangements. Granted, these weren’t densely flowered like we expect each spring, but it was notable due to the number of out of season blooms on each plant. I made a point of driving around towns like Herndon, Oberlin, Hill City, and Atwood to note the same phenomena of lilacs blooming while tree leaves turned gold and orange. My first thought was Mother Nature is off her meds. Then I investigated.<figure>
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 </figure>Multiple horticultural journal articles explained stressed lilacs produce second blooms to guarantee survival of the species. My first thought was what stress? We had more rain and gentler temperatures this summer than we normally experience in Western Kansas. As I read university research articles, I discovered that just as humans experience continued stress with resulting symptoms, lilac bushes also suffer post-incident stress-induced consequences.That made sense. Western Kansans have survived a sequence of drought years combined with periods of hot or frigid winds. To multiple those effects, most plains residents expect lilac hedges to take care of themselves. After all, that was one reason early settlers planted them. They don’t require focused attention to keep growing and blooming. Researchers suggest this possibly led to this year’s producing seeds twice to save the species reaction.As a bonafide worrywart, I thought that this expenditure of extra energy in a second bloom might wipe out one of my favorite plantings. Those journal articles calmed my fears and let me know the hedges will most likely survive unless they have other issues. What did happen is the new buds that emerged after the spring bloom became this fall’s bouquets. This fall flowering will limit production of next spring’s blossoms. Next April and May, don’t count on as many perfumed breezes as we enjoyed this year.Nature has so many ways of keeping us on our toes if we pay attention. While I’ve seen the odd lilac bloom out of turn, this is the first time in 8 decades I saw entire hedges producing multiple blossoms. Since that won’t likely happen again during my lifetime, I’ve purposely sought those out of season flowers and rolled down the window on warmish autumn days to enjoy Spring in the Fall.