Kansas Wild Bird Hunting: Family Traditions, Gun Dogs & A Trip Filled with Memories

Bridget’s Hunting Notes — Kansas Through Her Eyes

Pheasants, Quail & Snow Geese… Kansas Never Disappoints 🧡🦆

Every November, like clockwork, my daughter Bridget and her husband Eric load up the dogs and make the long-awaited trip to Kansas—her favorite place on earth. The planning starts early each year, and the excitement builds right up until the moment the boots hit the prairie grass.

Bridget has been part of the hunting world since she was a youngster. She used to tag along quietly, watching everything with wide eyes. By age seven she was taking her hunter safety course alongside her cousin Trevor—and yes, they both passed with flying colors.

Fast forward to now, and she’s still doing what she’s always loved: chasing wild birds with the dogs she adores. This year’s crew? Eight Springers, a Brittany named Rudy, and a Lab. All wild birds. All public land. All heart.

Some of the dogs are getting older, which tugs at the heartstrings, but their desire to hunt never fades. Clyde—15 years old and still everyone’s hero—took a special birthday walk in his beloved Kansas. Bonnie (DJ’s sister) was outstanding and showed the young dogs every hidden honey hole. Rudy, the new kid on the block, even got his very first wild rooster pheasant.

We’re so proud of the dogs, proud of Bridget and Eric, and grateful for the joy this trip brings them every single year. Kansas gives them memories. The dogs give them magic.

And as a funny side note—Bridget is exceptional at cleaning and butchering birds and deer. This horrified my father… which, of course, made it even more fun for her to describe every detail to Grandpa. 😂

A heartfelt story of hunting wild pheasants, quail, and snow geese in Kansas with a family pack of Springer Spaniels, a Brittany, and a Lab.

Memories, milestones, and the love of good dogs.

✨ Notes from Bridget — Straight from the Prairie

These feel like postcards from her heart, so I wanted to share them just as she sent them:

📌 “Fantastic day! Me and Eric both got a rooster today! The dogs all ran great and found us some birds! Tons of pheasants here this year! Perfect day!”

📌 “Happy 15th birthday to my boy Clyde! He gets to spend his birthday at his favorite place—Kansas! ❤️ Love this dog so much!”

📌 “Perfect day today! Rudy got his first rooster pheasant with the help of Flint! We also got 2 snow geese! The dogs were exhausted and had warm dinners tonight!”

📌 “Another fun day! 1 rooster and 4 geese! Dogs worked hard and loved every second!”

📌 “Such a Kansas adventure! Tons of hens flushed, no roosters today… but 7 snow geese! And yes—we got the truck and trailer stuck in the mud (my fault 😅) but we made it out!”

📌 “Visited the resting place of Patch, Claire, Speed, Trixie, Jett & Willie. We miss them so much. Long may you run.” ❤️

📌 “Great day traveling around to new spots! Ended up with 2 quail and a few geese! No mud mishaps today!”

These little updates are why this trip means so much. It’s not just the birds—it’s the dogs, the memories, the stories, and the simple joy of doing what you love with the ones you love.

Kansas… we’ll see you next November. 🧡

❤️ A Gentle Side Note

We’re often asked exactly where we hunt. Out of respect for the land, the wildlife, and the years of work that go into finding these special spots, we don’t share our locations. Everything we hunt is on public land, and with planning, scouting, and a little determination, wonderful opportunities are out there for everyone.

Thank you for being part of our Craney Hill family and for loving these dogs right alongside us. If you’d like to follow more of our adventures or learn how we train gun dogs with purpose, heart, and proven methods, visit us at www.spanieltraining.com. Long may they run. 🧡

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