Public bird hunting here runs through walk-in access and state wildlife areas

The Eastern Plains are pheasant and dove country, and Kit Carson County is part of it. But most land out here is private farm and ranch ground, so a hunter has to know where public access actually exists.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs two main tools for this. One is the Walk-In Access program, where landowners are paid to open enrolled fields to public hunting during set hours, without you tracking down the owner. The other is State Wildlife Areas. In Kit Carson County, the main one is Flagler Reservoir State Wildlife Area, north of Flagler off I-70 exit 395, where dove, pheasant, and waterfowl are among the listed game.

A common mistake is treating these like a city park you can wander into anytime. They are not. Walk-In Access fields are only open during the program’s hours and seasons, and a State Wildlife Area like Flagler now generally requires an SWA pass or a valid hunting or fishing license just to set foot on it. Which fields are enrolled also changes year to year.

So before a hunt here, do not guess where you can go. Check the current Walk-In Access atlas and the Flagler Reservoir page from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.