How did everyone do this season?

T

T_Man

New member
I know most of you are digging out of the snow right now, but if you are stuck at home cruising the board post up how you did. Down here in SE Kansas we have 0 wild pheasants, so I made my annual pilgrimage to Pratt to hunt with my uncle and cousin. This is the first year I can remember coming back empty handed, but it was still great to be with family. A few years ago my uncle was diagnosed with cancer and was given a slim chance to live. He was the guy who got me into hunting and was always more of a big brother to me than anything. A few months after that my Grandpa (His father) was also diagnosed with cancer at 90 years old. Last summer we lost my Grandpa after a hell of a fight. He was given 6 months, and he made it 2 years. My uncle on the other hand has made a full recovery. If you ever have a reason to doubt the Almighty, wait until something like this happens. My cousin came up from Texas with a few of his buddies and I brought one of mine over from the eastern part of the state for our annual shindig of hunting and pizza tacos. (If you've ever been to Pratt, you know what I am talking about). I only got to make one trip this year, and although I don't have a single ditch parrot in my freezer, looking at the big picture, it was still a fantastic trip.

So, If you are still reading my book, how were your seasons?
 
I did better when I was relatively new to hunting and never hunted with a dog in the 8th grade than I did this year.

Only brought 1 pheasant home, wounded 3 which I felt horrible about. 1 was poor shooting I'll admit, the other 2, myself or my buddy could not believe the birds kept flying, it looked like a pillow case of feathers was blown off the birds and one was almost knocked out of the air and literally knocked sideways, but they both kept flying. Saw vaguely where they landed and spent plenty of time looking for them but had no luck. The other wounded one flew to parts unknown.

Did get 2 prairie chickens and actually saw 2 covies of quail this year.

That being said I will be spending more time at the skeet range this year and dusting off my reloaders. Im still going to look forward to deer season. Ive got a grim outlook for birds for the next 2-3 years at least. If I spend any time chasing anything it will likely be prairie chickens next year. I had already given up on quail and pheasants after this year are going to make me give up on them.


Hoping the oven is not turned on this summer. My ac can use the rest.
 
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Glad you made the trip to be with family.

It was a sabbatical year here, letting the birds rebound.

As far as pizza tacos, never knew about them until I was asked to swing through Pratt on the way to KC to pick up a couple for a pregnant daughter-in-law that was craving them. I understand they are a local favorite, like the fried chicken in SE Kansas.

I hope 2013 will be a rebound year for the upland birds around Pratt and you will be back for phez and pizza tacos.
 
I didn't keep track on the exact number of birds, I hunted 17 days and averaged around 2 a day on pheasants out west. On quail here at home I shot several limits and averaged around 6 a day. The quail were all shot on our farms here at home, and the pheasants were all shot on private ground as well. I shot around a dozen or so of them on my farm in Finney County and the rest on private ground in Ness, Lane, Hodgeman and Scott. I did get skunked one day, and thats the first 0 I have gotten in years. It made a big difference on what kind of ground you had to hunt on pheasants this year. If you had a spot with good cover and feed, all the birds in the area would be there.

After I wrote the paragraph above I was sitting here thinking and realized I did shoot 2 roosters on WIHA in Hodgeman County nw of Jetmore.
 
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9 days 13 birds. 4 lost, 2 on me 2 the dog.Of those skunked twice. Should have limited once, could have another time. Barber, Reno, Mcpherson, and Lincoln countys. Public and walkin. Looking forward to next year. Always.:)
 
Absolutely my worst year hunting ever. Killed quail but I'm a waterfowl hunter at heart and it wasn't good this year. Could be that I chased more quail this year than I ever have. I think I may have missed 1 or 2 weekends quail hunting this year. So that is in part why my duck numbers sucked. But overall it was an enjoyable season for me.
 
Ok M Byrd Chicken Annie's of Chicken Mary's? Out on a limb here but I would have to say Bronson Chicken Shack and their onion string rings and German tator salad.
 
Maynard, somehow changed the Topic to FOOD! :rolleyes:
 
My season was mixed. But all in all it was really successful in the most important areas. Namely developing my pup Indy.

Stated the season in Oct iwith my first out of state hunt, in Montana. While we didn't shoot big numbers of birds we had some fair success. Shot my first Hun, Sharptail and Sage Grouse over point on the trip. But most importantly Indy really came into his own on the trip.

Then here in KS, it was a pretty tough season. Made one trip out around Beloit, and we got into a few pheasant, but way below average. Then I shot a couple of pheasants in some WIHA closer to home.

Quail, it was a slow season, but I did get into a few birds every time out. I got some really sound dog work from both my setters, but Indy stole the show most days out.

I also got a GoPro video camera from my wife before the Montana trip. It was fun to get to take some video of the hunts. Think many of you have already seen these but ....

https://www.youtube.com/user/SetterNutBirdHunting
 
turtle said:
Ok M Byrd Chicken Annie's of Chicken Mary's? Out on a limb here but I would have to say Bronson Chicken Shack and their onion string rings and German tator salad.
Click to expand...

I was just replying about the pizza tacos at Pratt.:) Bon appetit!

My years in Frontenac, saw me at Annie's mostly. Would eat the Steak Sandwich at Jack's(Tower Ballroom). Some time at Jim's and at least once a week at Otto's. Liked Spring River also. Veltri's right down the street. Of course, hot bread from the brick oven at the Frontenac Bakery.

Some abuse of game laws in the area before I got there.:)

Yesterday in our travels, my hired man and I saw a good number of pheasants along the road picking gravel. It is encouraging to see some seed and hope for a bountiful year for those critters.
 
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I live in Colorado but hunted only in Kansas as usual this season.
Normally I kill 30-40 roosters per season in Kansas. This season I managed to kill only 16 birds...not too bad considering the conditions, but not what I'm used to. I had 2 days where I managed to kill 3 birds...never did take a limit all season...I had my chances, but my shooting let me down. I'm hopeful that the weather will improve during the nesting and rearing season and that we'll have a better crop of birds and better cover next season. Keep your fingers crossed.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
I was just replying about the pizza tacos at Pratt.:) Bon appetit!

My years in Frontenac, saw me at Annie's mostly. Would eat the Steak Sandwich at Jack's(Tow Ballroom)er. Some time at Jim's and at least once a week at Otto's. Liked Spring River also. Veltri's right down the street. Of course, hot bread from the brick oven at the Frontenac Bakery.
All great place's to eat (or where)some are gone now

Some abuse of game laws in the area before I got there.:)
Something about doves and Chicago?:D:D

Yesterday in our travels, my hired man and I saw a good number of pheasants along the road picking gravel. It is encouraging to see some seed and hope for a bountiful year for those critters.
Click to expand...

Make me hungry for that jumbo steak sandwich,really good after a lomg night out.
 
turtle said:
Ok M Byrd Chicken Annie's of Chicken Mary's? Out on a limb here but I would have to say Bronson Chicken Shack and their onion string rings and German tator salad.
Click to expand...


You ask like its a question. Everyone knows its Marys. (If you want to see the western Kansas version of this argument, ask if it is pizza tacos from Charlies or the Chapeau :cheers: )
 
T_Man said:
You ask like its a question. Everyone knows its Marys. (If you want to see the western Kansas version of this argument, ask if it is pizza tacos from Charlies or the Chapeau :cheers: )
Click to expand...

My daughter-in-law had me pick up at Charlies, but she likes both.
 
My hunting season was awful. I didn't get any pizza tacos or fried chicken.

But I drive through Pratt at least once a season, so maybe next season will be better.

What was the question again? :laugh:
 
bird counts

hunted a little less this year than normal and my total kill was also less, in part cause of fewer birds and old age is starting to show. did well as i did cause i hunted for the most part by myself and didn't have to share very many birds. did give a few to pastor john and he actually did hit a few finally. the fun he had made the difference. limited out the last two days i hunted in late jan., skunked one day but all in all i averaged one rooster in just over an hour of hunting. think i did better than most but having two dogs and just me surely helped. some days i saw birds in numbers, other days were down in the 20's. never saw a quail nor chicken, mostly where i hunt they are a treat, mostly just don't see them, turkey i saw. i hunted quite a lot of days but many were for just a few hours, that age thing again

cheers
 
"Mixed" would be a generous term. The grand total of native bird solo kills is probably 4-5 quail, 1 rooster. Two other roosters fell to a team effort.

Glad to hear people are seeing birds right now. I saw a small covey (8 birds) on some of our ground and an encouraging number of pheasant and quail roosts when I was out goofing around a couple of weeks ago.
 
This year for me was all decided by cover. The places that had good cover I found birds. The cover just determined how I did. Over by Abilene, very good cover and I have to say excellent pheasant numbers---several days we saw 100+ birds. Now the rest of the story, in my normal places it was very tough. After several days some of the stuff that was mixed with good cover (thicker in spots) I could find birds. I did have several days of trying new spots or (better spots) and spent 6-8 hours only to see a handful of birds.
Quail were ok @ the star the of the season but, by the end I had lost them. The ones early on were not in good body condition---small and felt hollow when I put them in the vest.
Total for the year with mainly hunting by myself--
32 pheasants and 49 quail. all taken before January
 
I shot exactly ONE Quail and one Jake turkey..no roosters, chickens, deer, rabbits, squirrels. :mad:

2012 SEASON SUCKED ..That is all!
 
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