# Mined Land Wildlife Area



## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

Does anyone hunt the Mined Land Wildlife areas around West Mineral?


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## thefungusfinder (Mar 22, 2014)

Never hunted in SE Kansas before this year but I think I'll be making a trip down there. I'm up in NE Kansas, near KC. Been great up there the last 2 years if you know where to look. I have the 2nd weekend of April off and if they ain't poppin up here by then I'll be headed your way.


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## racuff (Mar 17, 2015)

Its not polite to post names of spots on the internet. Now I have no clue about the productivity of that specific spot, but I have always been curious about that general area myself. Im sure this website has atleast 10000 users and you should consider the people who actually put in the foot work or have been hunting a spot for 30 years. How would you like it if someone posted your spot on a website. This subject has been sacred for many years amongst morel hunters alike, and the internet is slowly ruining it for those people. Furthermore, no body is going to tell you whether or not a certain area is productive, unless they are messing with you and would like to get a good laugh. Do your own research and keep quiet, the last thing you want to do is potentially ruin your own spot, if you do not care about the feelings of others.


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

I totally understand your sentiment and would never jeopardize someones "spot", however, we are talking about the Mined Land area that consists of something like 15,000 acres, spread across probably 40 miles. The terrain is probably enough to keep most people from hunting anything other than the road sides, which probably get cleared pretty quickly. I was mostly curious because of the soil conditions on these properties. I spent a lot of time looking last year, but I was way too late in the season. I was really curious about the productivity due to the unique soil conditions on these properties. The soil is mostly overburden removed to access the coal and it consists of a large percentage of shale.


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

FungusFinder, if you do make it down this way you should holler at me on here. I'm pretty much a noob at this, but I do fish and hike the area a lot and could probably be of some value helping you find your way around. At a minimum, we could meet up and bullshit, then split off on our own, maybe meet back up at the end of the day to report our findings. Kinda cover more area that way. Anyway, happy hunting this year.


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## thefungusfinder (Mar 22, 2014)

Will do Bobby. Been talking to some friends in OK looks like we'll be headed south at least 1 weekend in April. If we have time to stop we'll hit you up and check out the Mined Land. 
Racuff, you need to chill a little. Bobby was simply asking a question, wasn't calling out anyone's spot. Besides I have a hard time letting anyone call public land, "their spot." If you don't own the land it ain't your spot. As far as the internet ruining shroom hunting... I kinda agree. This is a discussion I've had with plenty of veteran shroomers. Just my .02cents but the conclusion we came to is that there's nothing that can be done to stop it. Adapt to it, use it to your advantage. The days of no one even knowing what morels are let alone their value, are soon to be over.


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## racuff (Mar 17, 2015)

A question I have never scene anyone answer. If your curious about whether or not they grow there go look. Asking other mushroom hunters their input on a spot never got me anywhere. To trust the information given to you would be foolish. Your spot, There spot, Its spot, the point is you just dont label any spot on websites like this. Use regions, geographic characteristics, etc. to rephrase the question. It is out of respect for the veterans and other mushroom hunters alike you are refering to. Dont feed the fire, dont use names of spots. Im not trying to be a downer but it's one of the golden rules in the mushroom hunting world. Ask the veterans.


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## thegr8shroomonie (Apr 7, 2014)

I've hunted the mined land wildlife areas all around Pittsburg including the area your talking about for several years. some of the mined land areas produce quite well. Others I found nothing. Seems like the areas with lots of dense Cedars produce the best but dont be afraid to look under the dead grass in the wide open meadows that some of the areas have as well. I've never found any at the areas where you see coal still laying on the ground. Not saying they aren't there though. Hope this helps... good luck


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## thegr8shroomonie (Apr 7, 2014)

P.S....

Your best bet is to take a boat and float yourself to the places that aren't accessible by foot. Thats one of the best secrets to hunting the mined land areas.


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

That's actually one of the strategies I've been thinking about. I was just planning on avoiding the heavy shale/coal areas, not enough organic matter I would think. I probably put in 10 miles or so last year, but I was way to late in the season. This year I'm starting early and going hard through the whole season.


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## thegr8shroomonie (Apr 7, 2014)

A word of caution to you: Once you start getting off the beaten path in these areas, there are all sorts of hazards you can come across. Such as old wells covered up by trees that you can fall into as well as simply getting lost. It's easier to do than you think. You should take a friend with you or at least let people know where you're going to be hunting so if you don't come home they'll at least know where to look for you.


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## roldawg31 (Mar 19, 2015)

Great advice for anyone going into a new area


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## racuff (Mar 17, 2015)

no respect, no idea what information like this on the Internet is doing to these spots, one day when you can't walk 2 minutes into the woods and pick yourself a nice little bag of shrooms you will understand. Locals have been picking there for years only to have there little honey hole picked clean by some hunter trying to make an extra buck. Most people work hard to find these spots and you just spoil them on the worldwide web.


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

Look guy/gal, I've been nothing BUT respectful and as I've already mentioned previously, this area is 15,000 acres all across south east Kansas and south west Missouri. I happen to be one of these "locals" your talking about, I pay taxes, purchase hunting and fishing licenses every year, pick up all trash I come into contact with and most of my time fishing and hiking is spent in these areas. So don't lecture me about stewardship and respect. All you have done on this thread is complain. You yourself even said "Use regions, geographic characteristics, etc." Well, as far as I can tell, that's all that has been done, unless of course, you consider a 15,000 acre, state owned, public hunting and fishing land to be a "spot". Of course, it's always possible that I am, in fact, the delusional one, but in this instance my feet are planted on the firm rich soil of reasoning and responsibility.


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## roldawg31 (Mar 19, 2015)

I have a solution to someone clearing your honey hole.... wake up earlier!!!


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

shouldn't be long ,mid april. Last year was a real bad year. hot days, and not enough moisture


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

we uselly find them around dead cottonwood trees, in the bottoms or west facing slopes.always check the cedars also.
the pits can be very hard place to look, be careful look out for copperheads, as they are coming out about the same time as the shrooms are

good luck


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

Damn copperheads. Last year I started walking out on a rock dam while I was fishing. Stopped because I heard something at my feet, looked down and there were like 6-8 of them bastards taking off. Let's just say I didn't even get a cast in!


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

several years ago we where shrooming and walked into a little gold mine. Was down on all fours picking like crazy, looked betweem my arms, and a little copperhead about 8-10 inches long was coiled up. walked on air that day


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

talkedto a guy today said he saw a couple of beefsteaks today. Still to early, and the saturday morning freeze will slow things down, but its getting close


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## buckeyebowman (Mar 25, 2013)

Jeez racuff, give it a rest already! It's not like the guy is posting GPS coordinates! If I tell people that I'm finding them in the Grand River Wildlife Area, well, it's 9,000 acres so go ahead and look. I'm not going to take you by the hand and show you my best spots. You still have to do your own hunting. 

If you folks didn't recognize the name of that wildlife area don't feel bad, I live quite far away from you in NE Ohio! It was the title of the thread that caught my eye. I also hunt "mined land", that is my sportsman's club just over the line in Pennsylvania. A little over a hundred years ago it was quarried for limestone. So, we have lakes and spoil piles! This will be my third year hunting, but I did pretty well last year. I find most of mine near apple trees and a few near dead elms. Never had to deal with copperheads although we do have them here, but the ticks give me the heebie-jeebies!


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

went on a little walk this am, still to early, I think. Need rain, pitt's where dry, no moisture, and soil still to cold. Habitat looks great, just needs time and rain


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

Seen my first copperhead yesterday, found some small brown mushrooms, no morels. I agree, it was dry as hell, but it seemed like there was some moisture in the soil at least.


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

your right, not as dry as last year, hoping we get a couple inches thursday pm, temps willbe back up by monday, wednesday might be the day


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

It's too bad the night temps are going to drop down so low Friday and Saturday. If it wasn't for that it would probably be a good weekend. I think I will go try anyway, I'm a little worried I may burn myself out before they even start coming up!


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

thinking the same thing, with the rain today, still think some will flush, but looking ahead next week(wed) might be a good day to start


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

got the rain we needed, maybe to much, just need's to wram back up. Wonder, if anything popped after the rains last night? Going to be pretty cool for shrooms to pop, butt as soon as it warms back up, should be real good


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## mmmbobby (Apr 15, 2014)

Yeah, it's definitely not dry anymore  Cold snap really sucks, but I'm going to try sunday anyhow.


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## ricomorelo (Apr 25, 2013)

Come on rain.. ground temps are there but no moisture in Segwick county... Not looking good Good Luck everyone be safe...


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## ricomorelo (Apr 25, 2013)

http://kansasethanol.net/index.cfm?show=1&amp;mapID=20


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## dragon76 (Mar 21, 2015)

found a few false morels early this am, getting real close.


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