Is it as bad as everyone is saying?

Doesn't matter

I live in Pennsylvania. Have family in KS. have been hunting NW Ks every year since 1993. This year I am bringing my 2 sons, one of them will be able to hunt this year. Booked my plane tickets in July, not caring what the bird numbers are gong to be. I am looking forward to seeing family i only get to see once a year, paying some cards, drink some :cheers: and busting some Ba$$s, and oh yeah we also get to hunt that weekend! Pheasants shouldnt be the reason to go but the excuse to get out!!!!
 
Hey BRDHTR,
I grew up in NJ and my God Father lives in Fleetwood. I always loved going there as a kid in the 60's & 70's, that area used to be covered up with pheasant. I would watch the birds fly into a pine tree wind break on the edge of town on my God Fathers farm in the evening. Things sure have changed but I hear PA is doing a great job of bringing the birds back:cheers:
I too will be heading out to KS after the opeing weekend. You got it right, it isn't always about how many birds you shoot; its the whole deal that makes it special:10sign:
 
quanah labs said:
OK gove county britts, didn't mean to piss you off. Just trying to do the only kind of scouting I can possibly do.

I wouldn't call ask about Kansas pheasant hunting on the Kansas pheasant hunting forum begging or panning for information, thats a bit of a stretch!

But in order to not upset you,by my begging, I'll make a 1200 mile scouting trip up to Kansas when I get off work this evening.
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Or you could simply do a search and see the other multitude of threads on how bad the conditions are.
 
V-John said:
Or you could simply do a search and see the other multitude of threads on how bad the conditions are.
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Few of those posts are "boots on the ground" reports; more like pre-season speculation from the 30,000ft. view. I probably read every post in this forum and until I as able to finally get out there, I didn't really "know". There was a time I didn't think I would be able to make my annual trip. I make it only to satisfy my curiosity, not to decide if it is "worth" hunting this year or not. I like to hear "bird stories." Reading people's assumptions is fine, but I still prefer to hear about what they're actually seeing if they're fortunate enough to make a pre-season trip. KDWP's report keeps my mind busy/intrigued for a day or 2. After that I'm back looking for posts about someone seeing a covey of quail in their driveway or a rooster on the way home from work. Scouting reports stimulate day-dreams....day-dreaming about hunting makes me happy.

It's okay if we talk about things related to KS bird hunting here still, right? Even if some of it is re-hash, it certainly helps to pass the time. What a cold, cranky crowd we can be at times.......we're all going to be doing this alone if we're going to be unpleasant.
 
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V-John said:
Or you could simply do a search and see the other multitude of threads on how bad the conditions are.
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OR you could just answer the question like a decent person!

I figure that most questions posted on here could be answered by a search rather than a new thread, but that would turn this forum into an archive essentially killing it.

But I hear where you Kansas locals are coming from, it would get old telling people how bad things really are. You have to live with it then talk about it on the computer.

I have a wise aunt that once told me "It always rains at the end if a drought"
 
quanah labs said:
OR you could just answer the question like a decent person!

QUOTE]

V-john is a decent person. I'm pretty sure GCB is too. I guess they've just heard these questions too much and they can no longer respond with any grace/kindness. Maybe they're having bad days, maybe it is the drought.

You're right, if the site simply becomes a collection of archived posts, what's going to keep it interesting? Reading a post from August doesn't interest me much at this point.
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I'm sure your right about them being decent people, I guess I'm just getting frustrated too, but I meant no disrespect. I feel your pain guys I live here in Texas and we are dealing with the same drought conditions down here.
 
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quanah labs said:
I'm sure your right about them being decent people, I guess I'm just getting frustrated to but I meant no disrespect. I feel your pain guys I live here in Texas and we are dealing with the same drought conditions down here.
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Yeah, until this year I hadn't really seen either one of them respond in such a manor. V-john's patience have always been short with stupid posts, but I would consider this a very normal post for the KS forum. In fact, it's the very reason most folks join/visit our site.....to get information on the state they're thinking about hunting. I've hunted with V-john. He's a class-act. It's just too bad he's an intellect and has a hard time relating to some of us:D No really, he's too intelligent to appreciate everything that's said by those of us that "shoot from the hip" when posting.

GCB is a decent fella too. Catch him on the right day and he'll invite a stranger hunting. He's invited me, but my plans/schedule never allowed me to meet him face to face. It takes a pretty gracious/generous individual to invite a stranger to hunt with them. Everyone seems to be in a funk, on the site, at work, and at home. There are a lot of things going on in the world currently that could give a guy heartburn;). Once season starts the group will be all "high fives" as we share the stories and pics of our travels.
 
quanah labs said:
OR you could just answer the question like a decent person!

I figure that most questions posted on here could be answered by a search rather than a new thread, but that would turn this forum into an archive essentially killing it.

But I hear where you Kansas locals are coming from, it would get old telling people how bad things really are. You have to live with it then talk about it on the computer.

I have a wise aunt that once told me "It always rains at the end if a drought"
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I doubt it, I counted ten threads on the first page alone in relation to bird numbers and folks asking how the conditions were. So the danger of this forum turning into an archive is very minimal.

There are plenty of other topics on this forum that are active to prevent that.

I don't direct the following at you per se, because I understand your position. It is a very difficult one to be in, that's for sure.
You are a bit right in that I get tired of seeing all of these threads, it certainly is a catch-22 for someone in your position. I usually don't respond to them, in all actuality but felt a bit like doing so when GCB posted.

Good luck in your endeavours and travel safely wherever you go.

(Or maybe, all of us Ks residents got together and started a giant conspiracy to try to keep more of the birds for ourselves... :D Na. It really is very dry here.)
 
kansasbrittany said:
Few of those posts are "boots on the ground" reports; more like pre-season speculation from the 30,000ft. view. I probably read every post in this forum and until I as able to finally get out there, I didn't really "know". There was a time I didn't think I would be able to make my annual trip. I make it only to satisfy my curiosity, not to decide if it is "worth" hunting this year or not. I like to hear "bird stories." Reading people's assumptions is fine, but I still prefer to hear about what they're actually seeing if they're fortunate enough to make a pre-season trip. KDWP's report keeps my mind busy/intrigued for a day or 2. After that I'm back looking for posts about someone seeing a covey of quail in their driveway or a rooster on the way home from work. Scouting reports stimulate day-dreams....day-dreaming about hunting makes me happy.

It's okay if we talk about things related to KS bird hunting here still, right? Even if some of it is re-hash, it certainly helps to pass the time. What a cold, cranky crowd we can be at times.......we're all going to be doing this alone if we're going to be unpleasant.
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Bird stories and "how are the birds doing, is it worth my time to come hunt, will I see any birds, where are they" are two different things.

I'm in the same camp as you, I enjoy the bird stories too. I don't enjoy the other threads, especially ones started by folks who aren't regulars and just pop in to find some quick info and then leave.
We know who I'm talking about.
Not saying Q Labs is that fella or not, I don't know.
 
I see where you guys are coming from.

I plan on becoming a regular on this site, because I love bird hunting and when I'm not hunting I love reading about it, but only time will tell.

I'll learn the ropes on what to ask and not ask before too long.

PS Thanks for the heat map posted, it was very helpful, and it gave me a couple of places to really start considering.
 
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quanah labs said:
I see where you guys are coming from.

I plan on becoming a regular on this site, because I love bird hunting and when I'm not hunting I love reading about it, but only time will tell.

I'll learn the ropes on what to ask and not ask before too long.

PS Thanks for the heat map posted, it was very helpful, and it gave me a couple of places to really start considering.
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Great to have you in the forum! I think it's perfectly fine to ask the type of questions you asked. One of the purposes of this forum is to share hunting information including the prospects for an upcoming season. As far as I am concerned, your posts are just fine.
 
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I see where everyone is coming from in all directions on here. QL wants to make sure his long, expensive trip is going to be worth it but he's not the only one who's asked so guys like V-John and GCB get a little tired of hearing it repeatedly. I live in Texas and day dream of Kansas pheasant hunting all the time. My first hunt in 2010-2011 to Meade was the best hunting trip/vacation of my life. Awesome time, couldn't stay out of birds and I was with a good buddy an it was our first time to ever hunt pheasants period. Have to move NW last year was a bummer, we'll go back NW this year as well. And if we find the same amount of birds as we did last year, that's ok. It's about the overall experience with the top priority getting our dogs into birds. But a lot of people don't realize that pheasant hunting is a process, a learning process for you and the dog. You have to know what fields to hunt, what time to hunt them, what angles to come out, how to have good dog work so they don't push them and flush wild. It is NOT a game bird to where you can set your dogs down and boom, point, flush, shot. If you find 8 birds in a field and are disappointed that's all you found, guess what? There were more than like 15-20 birds in that field and you didn't find them for whatever reason, whether it be birds running, dog tracked a single bird while 10 went out the back door etc. There are so many variables and aspects of pheasant hunting it's unreal. It's not like quail hunting in Tx. Hunt into the wind and boom. Not much else to it. I think it's safe to say its going to be a tough year. But strap in a good pair of boots and walk your ass off and let your dogs have at it. It's all you can do in years like this.
 
quanah labs said:
I see where you guys are coming from.

I plan on becoming a regular on this site, because I love bird hunting and when I'm not hunting I love reading about it, but only time will tell.

I'll learn the ropes on what to ask and not ask before too long.

PS Thanks for the heat map posted, it was very helpful, and it gave me a couple of places to really start considering.
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I didn't find anything wrong with your original post. You didn't ask for specifics, you asked a general question. It's easy to say bird numbers aren't that important, when you live where you hunt or hunt 20+ days a year. I guess i am not noble enough. I too like to see a few birds when I go. I have spent many a day not seeing anything, I can do that close to home.
 
BritChaser said:
Great to have you in the forum! I think it's perfectly fine to ask the type of questions you asked. One of the purposes of this forum is to share hunting information including the prospects for an upcoming season. As far as I am concerned, your posts are just fine.
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Exactly, they were perfectly fine questions! There may be fewer birds this year but I have found it usually boils down to your dogs. If you have good ones, you will find a few birds!

As for folks getting tired of the repeated questions. There is no rule that says you have to respond to a post. Just read it and move on if it bugs you. Welcome to the forum and good luck with your hunt!
 
Well there's a bad year, here and there, what are you going to do? Quit. If the requirement is a bursting gamebag to make the trip worthwhile, go to a gamefarm. The old adage about, "you should have been hear last year", might be you, Lots of times we just don't know, till you get there. If you don't go, and it's rugged, it will be a story you tell the grand kids. " Walked miles, cover was sparse, birds to shrewd to approach, snow/rain a foot deep, got a couple of birds, etc." Hunt for the experience. I've gone 1000 miles each way, to hunt chuckars, and a miserable bird they are to hunt, but great on the cooker, when you got them cornered it's a blast to make you forget the pain of hicking lava rock at 6000'. Even tried the Himalayan snow cock around Elko, Nv. actually saw one in three days, as it blew over the peak and was gone. Lots of memories, the adventure, car troubles, the trip is worthwhile, the hunting is the reason. If I thought I was up to it, I do it again.
 
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quanah labs said:
OK gove county britts, didn't mean to piss you off. Just trying to do the only kind of scouting I can possibly do.

I wouldn't call ask about Kansas pheasant hunting on the Kansas pheasant hunting forum begging or panning for information, thats a bit of a stretch!

But in order to not upset you,by my begging, I'll make a 1200 mile scouting trip up to Kansas when I get off work this evening.
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ql im friends with joe now that was some funny stuff right there im sure joe even chuckled on that one lol just go nw and have fun i went my first time in the nw part of the state and had a blast took me all day to figure it out but i finally did just remember if your not seeing birds your hunting the wrong stuff birds are kind of like bass fishing they pattern well if you find them in thin cover keep looking for that type, if thick stay with it middle of day hit the feed go get them have fun
 
Man that V-John is a hard-liner. Can't get a straight answer from him and he hates us NR's. What's a guy to do?

Hey John, long time. How you been?
 
Cobblestone said:
Man that V-John is a hard-liner. Can't get a straight answer from him and he hates us NR's. What's a guy to do?

Hey John, long time. How you been?
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Livin' the dream. Working on finishing my Masters and want to pull my hair out. :)

Back to the topic, I don't know if I will get my 30 days this year.

I'll hunt a lot of public stuff and a lot private stuff.
Some of the private, I've been told it's terribly dry.

I'm sure we'll still find birds, but whether I shoot them or not is a different story.
That's probably as specific as I'll ever get.
 
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