2nd weekend reports.

I took Molly out yesterday around noon. We hunted for a few hours. Found two big coveys of quail. Started hunting singles, but Molly kept busting them. We got three, and as we hunted back to the truck, she pointed a rooster 20 yards from the truck. Brought him home too.
 
I'm hunting NE public land. About 15 hours of hunting this season, a few coveys, a couple of roosters, yet to see a hen pheasant. And that's not good.
 
We were out in the NW. We saw a decent number of pheasants and about 3 covey of quail. I think we had 10 pheasants between 4 of us in 1.5 days.


All on private ground.
 
Saturday morning was in a duck blind over by Fall River, our group of 3 shot 6 ducks in a couple hours. Got home and loaded up the dogs to look for some quail. Hit a new spot close to town and managed to find 4 coveys and 5 roosters in a half section. Ended up bringing a few quail home, roosters were a little out of range. All in all a great day of hunting.
 
Just got back from SC, Saturday was a beautiful day. We put up 4 covies 2 of them large 20-25 birds and killed 2 roosters out of the 5 we saw and 9 quail. This morning we put up 4 hens and I missed the only rooster hurrying my shots with the 28 ga because I left the forearm to the 12 sitting on the bench here at home where i'd cased it friday night. Classic!! ready made excuse:) as my partner remarked, that looked like a layup you just missed. I'd hunted here before and the quail were up and the pheasants down. Man it is dry, had a great time and will go back after some moisture.
 
Party of 4 shot 8 roosters on sat got pretty windy in the afternoon and the birds started getting funky
 
My hawk isn't ready to hunt yet, so we went out for a solid 3/4 day hunt.

Our shooting was as good as I've ever seen it, so that was nice. Pulled 2 quail from the only covey we flushed, and shot the only rooster that got up in range. All private ground. Nice sized covey, and the rooster was an old general with swords for spurs and some of the longest tail feathers I've seen from a Kansas bird.

We didn't kick up anything on several nice looking WIHA we stomped.

It was nice and cold Saturday morning, but seems to be getting pretty dry out there.

One neat thing that happened was we flushed an owl twice. I would guess a short-eared owl based on its size and location. It flushed from one waterway and flew to a different one, where we flushed it again when we walked that one. You're expecting to holler "hen" or "rooster" when a bird flushes, so it took us a second to process and yell "OWL!!!" :laugh:
 
Two roosters and 2 quail was the count for me this weekend. Better shooting would have gotten a couple more pheasants in the bag but it wasn't a bad trip. Saw more birds than I did opening weekend.
It is very dry and scenting conditions are not good. Also the sand burrs in the area I was in were very plentiful.
 
worst ever........

just got back from 4 days north and south of Russell, it was not good.
the pheasants are very, very spotty, we walked some great cover near cut milo and corn and never cut a track or scent.....no hens at all, not a good sign, the evidence of rain was seen in a great looking winter wheat crop, but the birds are just not there.......yesterday we didn't see a bird or pop a cap, no roosting sign or crap either, in some places there is just no evidence of bird life....that just doesn't happen.....saw a few quail the day before, had 3 dogs on the ground most of the time....last year was better, thought we were going to improve this season, but from my sample that is simply not the case.
good luck, i am sure there are some spots left where there are a few.
 
Hunted a private farm this weekend in Central KS didnt do to well....

A couple quail and 1 Rooster but I was able to add a first for me to my bag.


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Hunted SW on private ground. It was better than we did in central KS on opening weekend. My small group of 4 joined a couple other groups and it became an opening weekend sized-group. We found few birds in weedy wheat stubble and a decent number in grass. But, the big group was struggling to be organized and I noticed a kid carrying his autoloader off safe. I obviously corrected him, but after that we went our own way.

Nothing different than the pattern we've been hunting for several years. Find decent CRP with grain nearby and you'll find birds.
 
Hunted private ground Sat and Sun. Sat in NE KS found 3 coveys. Heard some phez but I was too tired to go chase them as it was after walking about 10 miles.

Sunday hunted NC KS. Farmer said he'd been seeing a couple roosters running back n forth between the CRP and his milo crop. Dog got scent and I believe was tracking, she locked on point but bird moved. Never put it in the air. Found 3 coveys, heard a 4th calling but was not able to find them. Milo was cut waist tall. Some of the thickest tallest milo I've ever seen.
 
If you guys wouldn't mind , somebody write a good story about how awesome it is and how the public land hunting has been unreal. I need some excitement. Headed out that way the week after thanksgiving. Even if its a lie , I will appreciate it!!
 
Bring a good dog, hunt in an area that has had timely rainfall or center pivots with corners. Ample water through late summer is a key factor. I have friends in Offerle who were seeing 100 bird flushes on WIHA next to cut milo
 
Thanks , We have been hunting up around Lucas for years. We are going a little earlier than the last few years. I have experienced the near impossible scenting conditions in dry years out there.
 
esetter said:
Thanks , We have been hunting up around Lucas for years. We are going a little earlier than the last few years. I have experienced the near impossible scenting conditions in dry years out there.
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The Lucas area gets hit really hard. I have hunted that area since 1988 and it has some real nice cover and nice farmers that will let you hunt on their land. Too bad Linda's closed as Gene served the coldest beer in Kansas.

Gary
 
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