The Patch of Orange Tape: Why Walk-In Access Deserves More Than Gratitude

The Patch of Orange Tape: Why Walk-In Access Deserves More Than Gratitude

One overlooked piece of ground, one flushed covey, and one moment that reminded me that public access doesn’t mean free-for-all. We don’t just need more access. We need more respect for the access we already have.

📍 A Strip of Grass in the Middle of Nothing

I’d driven past it a dozen times: a 160-acre parcel of CRP posted with a plain “WIA” sign—Walk-In Access—nestled between two grain fields and a sagging barbed-wire fence. It never looked promising. No trees. No water. Just grass.

But the forecast was perfect. Cloudy, cool, light breeze. My Brittany, Scout, needed to stretch. And I needed a reminder of why we do this.

We parked. Boots on ground. Orange vest zipped.

🐦 What We Found in the Forgotten Grass

Half an hour in, Scout locked up tight—nose into a bunch of bluestem so plain I’d walked past it twice. No whistle. No call.

I stepped forward, expecting a false point.

Instead, a covey of 14 bobwhite quail erupted like a firework. Wings buzzing. Legs scrambling.

I dropped one bird clean. Missed the second. Scout retrieved, tail high.

It was the only flush of the day. But it didn’t need to be more than that.

🧠 What This Little Parcel Taught Me

✔️ Walk-in land is often overlooked—but holds birds
Because most people want glamour spots. Not ground that just quietly works.

✔️ Stewardship matters more than access
That bird was a gift. From a landowner I’ll never meet, on land I don’t own. It deserves my care.

✔️ Trash and ruts ruin trust
I found a crumpled can at the gate. Picked it up. Because that’s how we keep these gates open.

✔️ Every acre counts
One covey on 160 acres is enough. You don’t need a thousand acres to have a great day.

✔️ Say thank you—quietly, with respect
Take care of the land, log your birds honestly, and close the gate behind you.

🧰 Gear That Helped Make It Work

That little patch of grass gave me everything I wanted: solitude, a dog on point, a wild bird in hand. Not because I paid for it. Not because I leased it. But because someone offered it, and I treated it right.

🎙️ “We don’t just need more access. We need more respect for the access we already have.”

So the next time you see that simple WIA sign and think “not worth it”—go anyway. And walk like someone’s watching. Because someone always is.

📍Filed under: Access & Conservation
🕯️ Difficulty Level: Low Key, High Value
🐦 Result: 1 Bird, 1 Dog, 1 Reminder
🌾 Location: Midwest Walk-In Access Parcel, CRP Field