2nd Trip

[ctfisher]

My pops and I are headed to N Central Kansas again this year. I brought it up for discussion last year before we took the trip, but wanting to hear some opinions again (just talking about the trip has me giddy). Would you opt to hunt the weekdays following opening weekend, or the second full week of the season? Last year, we hunted the second Sunday of the season, and into the second full week, started the drive home on Friday mid day. We encountered only a couple of other hunters on the WA we spent most of our time on and never really had to race or fight for the spot we wanted to park and hunt. I'm hopeful that the amount of rainfall KS has gotten this summer will mean more good cover, thus maybe more birds to go around with more better places to hide out. Thoughts?

 

[Wind River]

Our group would get there the Sunday night of opening weekend and hunt the next four days. Never saw another hunter. Absolutely the best people. Access was almost always granted. Large grassy CRP fields are what we hunted. Your dog’s nose was tested and required persistent tracking. Work the birds into corners. We would never see big groups of birds, but plenty of opportunities to get four roosters. Quail were a bonus to us and we learned to appreciate their tenacity. But then came deer leases and things changed. Good luck and continue to absorb and learn.

 

[Carguy2Banker]

My pops and I are headed to N Central Kansas again this year. I brought it up for discussion last year before we took the trip, but wanting to hear some opinions again (just talking about the trip has me giddy). Would you opt to hunt the weekdays following opening weekend, or the second full week of the season? Last year, we hunted the second Sunday of the season, and into the second full week, started the drive home on Friday mid day. We encountered only a couple of other hunters on the WA we spent most of our time on and never really had to race or fight for the spot we wanted to park and hunt. I'm hopeful that the amount of rainfall KS has gotten this summer will mean more good cover, thus maybe more birds to go around with more better places to hide out. Thoughtswould be a good plan for those traveling long distances.

My pops and I are headed to N Central Kansas again this year. I brought it up for discussion last year before we took the trip, but wanting to hear some opinions again (just talking about the trip has me giddy). Would you opt to hunt the weekdays following opening weekend, or the second full week of the season? Last year, we hunted the second Sunday of the season, and into the second full week, started the drive home on Friday mid day. We encountered only a couple of other hunters on the WA we spent most of our time on and never really had to race or fight for the spot we wanted to park and hunt. I'm hopeful that the amount of rainfall KS has gotten this summer will mean more good cover, thus maybe more birds to go around with more better places to hide out. Thoughts?

I'm my area of Kansas, I always feel like the second week or 3rd week is better. The later in the season, the cooler it tends to get. Too many times the birds haven't seen enough cold weather "bunch" up.
I also feel like hunting during the week is much better, with less hunting pressure as you mentioned.
If I was traveling from out of state, I would avoid opening weekend in general. This may be the one and only weekend that some of the local guys will get their shotgun out entire season. They get pressured to go because it's a tradition. They are out of shape, it's too hot, and they are so sore after 2 days of walking they won't go out the rest of the year.
Everybody reserves their favorite spots for close friends or themselves until the aforementioned reality and pain convinces them to not do that again the rest of the season.... then, they repeat this same thing all over again 365 days later!