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Not updated on the states webpage, but here is what the Eagle article says:
http://www.kansas.com/sports/outdoors/story/978018.html
State issues optimistic pheasant, quail forecasts
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BY MICHAEL PEARCE
The Wichita Eagle
Pheasant and quail forecasts are good for Kansas this fall.
The regular pheasant and quail seasons open Nov. 14 statewide. A special season for children 16 and under, accompanied by an adult without a gun, is Nov. 7-8.
Pheasant
Jim Pitman, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks small-game coordinator, credits good populations last year and mild weather across most of the state for getting things off to a good start.
"Our breeding counts were up 10 percent this year and it's our highest breeding population since we started the survey in '97," Pitman said. "All of our production indices are above average in all areas."
The biologist is basing his predictions on an April survey where KDWP personnel drove annual routes and listened for crowing rooster pheasants. A summer survey reporting numbers of adult birds and chicks was also used.
Northwest â?? Pitman said most of northwest Kansas will have good hunting. Some places, though, it could be much better.
He described a triangle in Cheyenne, Pawnee and Phillips Counties as tops. Other promising counties include Rawlins, Thomas, Trego, Ness and Rush.
"I think it has the potential to be awesome out there," Pitman said. "I'm getting outstanding reports from field staff and landowners. Indications are that area will have the best we've seen since the early '80s."
Kansas best pheasant harvest was in 1982 when more than 1.5 million roosters were killed.
North central â?? Overall north central Kansas should have pheasant hunting similar to last year, which was very good in spots. Pitman said the best hunting will be in the western parts of the region. Summer storms probably hurt production in Cloud, Republic and Washington counties.
Southwest â?? Pitman predicted significant improvement over last season but noted numbers took a severe hit in 2008 because of a serious drought.
"It's going to take a couple of years to get back up to outstanding numbers out there," he said. "But we're on our way."
South central â?? Overall, things look good but Pitman said there are some areas where pheasant numbers may have been hurt by weather conditions.
He said it's possible extreme snow last spring had an impact, as did some intense summer rains. Parts of Barton, Marion, McPherson, Reno, and Stafford counties could have localized lower populations.
Quail
Pitman's quail forecast pretty much echoed his predictions for pheasants â?? mild winter, good breeding stock, very good nesting and brood-rearing conditions over most of the state.
Western Kansas â?? Best numbers, he said, are where the birds find their best habitat in central and western Kansas.
He described a swath of Kansas from Meade to Comanche Counties northward to the Nebraska border. That includes places like Stafford, Edwards and Pawnee counties.
"The further south you go generally the more habitat," Pitman said. "The nesting seemed to produce some outstanding results. Southwest Kansas is going to be up from last year but it was really hurt by last year's drought, too."
The good news spreads eastward.
North central â??"People in north central Kansas are telling me they're seeing more quail than they've seen in years," Pitman said. He mentioned Jewell, Mitchell and Osborne Counties as good areas.
South central â?? He said most south central Kansans will find good quail hunting close to home, though the ultra-wet region from Reno to Marion Counties could have suffered from summer storms.
Southeast â?? It's good news and bad news in southeast Kansas. Quail numbers are up from last year but they're a still pretty low.
"That area's been so down for several years," Pitman said. "But people are saying they're at least seeing a brood or two compared to none the past few years."
http://www.kansas.com/sports/outdoors/story/978018.html
State issues optimistic pheasant, quail forecasts
Comments (0)
BY MICHAEL PEARCE
The Wichita Eagle
Pheasant and quail forecasts are good for Kansas this fall.
The regular pheasant and quail seasons open Nov. 14 statewide. A special season for children 16 and under, accompanied by an adult without a gun, is Nov. 7-8.
Pheasant
Jim Pitman, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks small-game coordinator, credits good populations last year and mild weather across most of the state for getting things off to a good start.
"Our breeding counts were up 10 percent this year and it's our highest breeding population since we started the survey in '97," Pitman said. "All of our production indices are above average in all areas."
The biologist is basing his predictions on an April survey where KDWP personnel drove annual routes and listened for crowing rooster pheasants. A summer survey reporting numbers of adult birds and chicks was also used.
Northwest â?? Pitman said most of northwest Kansas will have good hunting. Some places, though, it could be much better.
He described a triangle in Cheyenne, Pawnee and Phillips Counties as tops. Other promising counties include Rawlins, Thomas, Trego, Ness and Rush.
"I think it has the potential to be awesome out there," Pitman said. "I'm getting outstanding reports from field staff and landowners. Indications are that area will have the best we've seen since the early '80s."
Kansas best pheasant harvest was in 1982 when more than 1.5 million roosters were killed.
North central â?? Overall north central Kansas should have pheasant hunting similar to last year, which was very good in spots. Pitman said the best hunting will be in the western parts of the region. Summer storms probably hurt production in Cloud, Republic and Washington counties.
Southwest â?? Pitman predicted significant improvement over last season but noted numbers took a severe hit in 2008 because of a serious drought.
"It's going to take a couple of years to get back up to outstanding numbers out there," he said. "But we're on our way."
South central â?? Overall, things look good but Pitman said there are some areas where pheasant numbers may have been hurt by weather conditions.
He said it's possible extreme snow last spring had an impact, as did some intense summer rains. Parts of Barton, Marion, McPherson, Reno, and Stafford counties could have localized lower populations.
Quail
Pitman's quail forecast pretty much echoed his predictions for pheasants â?? mild winter, good breeding stock, very good nesting and brood-rearing conditions over most of the state.
Western Kansas â?? Best numbers, he said, are where the birds find their best habitat in central and western Kansas.
He described a swath of Kansas from Meade to Comanche Counties northward to the Nebraska border. That includes places like Stafford, Edwards and Pawnee counties.
"The further south you go generally the more habitat," Pitman said. "The nesting seemed to produce some outstanding results. Southwest Kansas is going to be up from last year but it was really hurt by last year's drought, too."
The good news spreads eastward.
North central â??"People in north central Kansas are telling me they're seeing more quail than they've seen in years," Pitman said. He mentioned Jewell, Mitchell and Osborne Counties as good areas.
South central â?? He said most south central Kansans will find good quail hunting close to home, though the ultra-wet region from Reno to Marion Counties could have suffered from summer storms.
Southeast â?? It's good news and bad news in southeast Kansas. Quail numbers are up from last year but they're a still pretty low.
"That area's been so down for several years," Pitman said. "But people are saying they're at least seeing a brood or two compared to none the past few years."
