Southwest Kansas is the Place to Hunt Pheasant in 2023 through 2024
November 11, 2023, to January 31, 2024.
(Press Release- including rules)
Eight counties in Southwest Kansas announce the “Rooster Roundup” pheasant hunting contest
For Immediate Release
Southwest Kansas is the Place to Hunt Pheasant in 2023 through 2024
Cimarron, Dodge City, Elkhart, Garden City, Hugoton, Jetmore, Liberal, & Ness City Kansas (Gray, Ford,
Morton, Finney, Stevens, Hodgeman, Seward, & Ness Counties) are pleased to announce the 8th annual
pheasant hunting contest.
During this year’s hunting season, 500 pheasants will be banded on the leg and released in Gray County near Cimarron, Ford County near Dodge City, Morton County near Elkhart, Finney County near Garden
City, Stevens County near Hugoton, Hodgeman County near Jetmore, in Seward County near Liberal, and Ness County near Ness City. If you are lucky enough to bag one of the banded pheasants, bring your leg band to one of the approved locations to register the band and claim your prize!
Kansas consistently ranks as one of the top three compared to other states’ annual harvest of
pheasants. With 185,000 acres of walk-in hunting land open to hunters in southwest Kansas, this area
will give you a shot at cash and Eight GRAND PRIZES.
Once you register the leg band at an approved location (listed below), you will automatically receive a
“Rooster Roundup” hat and a community gift worth at least $10.00. At that time, your leg band will also be entered into a drawing to win a GRAND PRIZE of $500.00 in community gift certificate “bucks” (one per community) to be used for purchases of the winner’s choice.
The “Rooster Roundup” Pheasant Contest runs from November 12, 2023, to January 31, 2024.
If your bagged bird has one of the leg bands, you must bring the leg band to one of the approved
locations to register your band and claim your prize!
Drawing for the GRAND PRIZE for “Rooster Roundup” will occur after the contest’s end (January 31,
2024), and winners will be contacted by phone.
For a complete list of the rules for the contest, visit www.wildwestcountry.com, or contact the
Convention and Visitors Bureau at 620-225-8186 in Dodge City or any of the participating communities.
It’s all in the game – give it a shot!
Rules & Regulations
• 500 banded pheasants will be released in Ford County near Dodge City, Finney County near
Garden City, Stevens County near Hugoton, Hodgeman County near Jetmore, Seward County
near Liberal, Gray County near Cimarron, Ness County near Ness City, and Morton County near
Elkhart.
• No cost to enter.
• All licensed hunters are welcome to participate and collect a prize.
• Entries will be accepted from November 12, 2023, through January 31, 2024.
• Each leg band entry must be turned in at one of the approved locations in Cimarron, Dodge City,
Garden City, Hugoton, Jetmore, Liberal, Ness City, or Elkhart to be registered.
• A number is assigned to each leg band, and the GRAND PRIZE winner will be revealed the week
following the contest’s end on January 31, 2024.
• A valid hunting license should be presented when submitting your leg band entry.
• All-State and Federal firearms regulations apply.
Prizes include:
• “Rooster Roundup” hat per each registered leg band (500 TOTAL).
o Some communities will be releasing more than 50 birds.
• $10.00 community gift certificate ‘bucks’ per each registered leg band (500 TOTAL).
o Some communities will be giving gifts worth more than $10.00.
• $500.00 GRAND PRIZE community gift certificate ‘bucks’ or prize. (8 TOTAL – 1 per community).
• “Bounty Birds” prizes will only be given to winners who hunt in the Dodge City area.
o “Bounty Birds” will have a specific colored band and will be different from the “Rooster
Roundup” bands. Those bands are exclusive to a series of separate prizes.
• Please check each community for a full list of birds released and available prizes.
Banded pheasant entries must be registered at the following locations:
- Cimarron: City Hall / Community Development Director
Green Bands 119 S Main St
Cimarron, KS 67835
(620) 855-2215
620-855-0125 Cell Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm. Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day - Dodge City: Dodge City Visitors Center
Red & Gold 400 West Wyatt Earp
Bands Dodge City, KS 67801
620-225-8186
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Thanksgiving and the following Friday, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day - Elkhart: Morton County Chamber of Commerce
Silver Bands 451 Morton Street
P.O. Box 817
Elkhart, KS. 67950
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed: November 12 for Veteran’s Day, November 22nd and 23rd for Thanksgiving,December 24th and 25th for Christmas, December 31 at noon, and January 1 for New Year’s. - Garden City: Finney County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Orange Bands 1513 Fulton Terrace
Garden City, KS 67846
620-276-0607
Hours of Operation: Monday– Friday, 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Thanksgiving and the following Friday, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day - Hugoton: Hugoton Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Blue Bands 603 S. Main
Hugoton, KS 67951
620-544-4305 or 620-309-7828 (cell)
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. *please call before leaving
town*
Closed: Thanksgiving and the following Friday, the day before Christmas, Christmas Day,
and New Year’s Day - Jetmore: Hodgeman County Eco Devo Office (HCED)
Purple Bands 500 Main – 1st Floor
Jetmore, KS 67854
620-357-5561
(See Sailor-Anne Seiler)
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. or call on weekends - Liberal: Liberal Tourist Information Center
Black Bands 1 Yellow Brick Road
Liberal, KS 67901
620-626-0170
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Closed: Thanksgiving and the following Friday, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day - Ness City: Western Fuel and Supply
Turquoise 202 E. Sycamore St.
Bands Ness City, KS 67560
785-798-3290
Hours of Operation: Monday – Thursday 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
CLOSED: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and News Year’s Day (will be close early on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve)
Mailed entries will also be accepted (it is recommended to register the letter) please include:
- Pheasant leg Band
- Name
- Address
- Phone
- Copy of valid hunting
- license
- Email address
- Location of the shoot
Bands will be returned to the person who registered the entry at the end of the contest if requested.