Prey and Play

Prey and Play. Hunting and Wildlife Watching Along the Byway. , For thousands of years, Native Americans relied on this region's wildlife for sustenance. Early settlers, too, depended on bison, deer, and birds drawn to the region's reliable water and forage. , As settlements expanded, unregulated hunting took its toll , by the early 1900s, market hunters were harvesting tens of thousands of ducks, geese, and shorebirds annually from local marshes. New game laws curtailed commercial hunting, and private hunting clubs became established , as many as seventeen in and around what is now the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. In 1955, the federal government purchased much of this hunting club land to form the Refuge. , Hunting, particularly for waterfowl, remains an important way of life along the Byway. In recent years, though, hunters have been joined by an increasing number of people who enjoy wildlife through viewing and photography. All these wildlife-related activities have a huge economic impact on local businesses and communities., Recreation and Conservation , Dollars generated by hunters and anglers through excise taxes, licenses, and permits fund important local conservation work through state and federal agencies. The Nature Conservancy and other non-governmental organizations assist in habitat restoration and land acquisition. Their efforts assure a fertile future for our wetlands and wildlife. , Motion and Change , More than 70 million Americans explore nature through watching birds. There's no better place to celebrate birds and birding than on our Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway, the nation's first Birding Byway! This region's on-going conservation commitment helps keep the Byway area a haven for wildlife and wildlife watchers. , [image captions] , . Wildlife Habitat at Cheyenne Bottoms/Ted Lee Eubanks , . Deer/Jerry Segraves , . Pheasant/Jerry Segraves