Hwy. 56 Quail

W

whitewater

New member
I'll be driving up from La. to hunt the Thanksgiving week. My plan is to come up I-35, turn left at McPherson and head west along Hwy. 56 to my destination near Cedar Bluff. If I were to stray 15 miles or so to the north or south of Hwy. 56, would I likely find some quail on some of the public lands in that part of the state? I plan to be near Mcpherson for 1st light and spend that day hunting my way to Cedar Bluff.
 
yeah you should find some quail but if you were to come farther northeast you would be in better shape. the quail numbers are really up this year though so good luck to ya and hopefully you find some pockets of birds.
 
whitewater said:
I'll be driving up from La. to hunt the Thanksgiving week. My plan is to come up I-35, turn left at McPherson and head west along Hwy. 56 to my destination near Cedar Bluff. If I were to stray 15 miles or so to the north or south of Hwy. 56, would I likely find some quail on some of the public lands in that part of the state? I plan to be near Mcpherson for 1st light and spend that day hunting my way to Cedar Bluff.
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You've got a chance of finding a few quail just about anywhere in KS. Marion public land has always provided some decent quail hunting for me and some years there are decent numbers of roosters too. Go for the combo hunt; it is the most enjoyable IMO. Good luck!
 
kansasbrittany said:
You've got a chance of finding a few quail just about anywhere in KS. Marion public land has always provided some decent quail hunting for me and some years there are decent numbers of roosters too. Go for the combo hunt; it is the most enjoyable IMO. Good luck!
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Growing up in SE KS I never knew that the roosters made it that far east....will have to check that one out!
 
You should be able to find quail pretty much where ever you get to hunt this year. I have noticed over the past few years that the numbers are looking better each year. Good Luck...
 
southernblues said:
Growing up in SE KS I never knew that the roosters made it that far east....will have to check that one out!
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I can assure you there are some pheasants at Marion WA. There are a lot of people there on the opener. Don't expect to shoot limits of roosters there. It's not like W KS. BTW southernblues, I've harvested roosters in Lyon, Osage, Morris, and Wabaunsee counties. I even saw a couple of hens down by Hartford one time.
 
kansasbrittany said:
I can assure you there are some pheasants at Marion WA. There are a lot of people there on the opener. Don't expect to shoot limits of roosters there. It's not like W KS. BTW southernblues, I've harvested roosters in Lyon, Osage, Morris, and Wabaunsee counties. I even saw a couple of hens down by Hartford one time.
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I've shot my fair share of roosters and quail around Council Grove Lake. Just haven't made it that way to hunt for a few years.
 
We shot a few quail last year around Cedar Bluff but we never knew where we would find them. We shot them in creek bottoms, in stubble fields and on CRP hilltops. We did tend to see more of the side of the road in cedar thickets. What terrain types would ya'll not pass up?
 
I won't pass up any good cover along a creek that has alot of shrubs with some berries or something of the sorts. I also like good grass fields with cedars throughout it or some other shrubs of that nature. You will also do well along thorn apple thickets.
 
East Side Pheasant

kansasbrittany said:
I can assure you there are some pheasants at Marion WA. There are a lot of people there on the opener. Don't expect to shoot limits of roosters there. It's not like W KS. BTW southernblues, I've harvested roosters in Lyon, Osage, Morris, and Wabaunsee counties. I even saw a couple of hens down by Hartford one time.
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I wonder if wild populations of pheasant are developing out of or enhanced by controlled shooting area birds in these counties. When I see a controlled shooting area, I always look for nearby walk-in.
 
my experience with controlled shooting areas and birds is that most of the birds released that don't fall prey to us hunters usually just run back to the pen and kill themselves trying to get back in the net and if they don't do that then just sit along the pen.
 
kansasbrittany said:
You've got a chance of finding a few quail just about anywhere in KS. Marion public land has always provided some decent quail hunting for me and some years there are decent numbers of roosters too. Go for the combo hunt; it is the most enjoyable IMO. Good luck!
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I agree with Ks Brittany decent numbers of quail and phes at Marion.
 
HUNTIN4FUN said:
my experience with controlled shooting areas and birds is that most of the birds released that don't fall prey to us hunters usually just run back to the pen and kill themselves trying to get back in the net and if they don't do that then just sit along the pen.
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If 500 or more truly wild pheasants (with 70 or 80 generations of wild genes, that know how to escape from predators both ground and air) were wild trapped and relocated to the southeast corner of Kansas, a wild reproducing population could be established there.
 
Prairie Drifter,

I can't wait to hear your response to the Preston1's post. Do you think a wild population could be established in SE KS? I've been told that there isn't enough grit in the soil to help them digest their food. I'm not an expert, just sharing what I've heard. I think if they could live there they would. There are pheasants just to the W and to the N. Why wouldn't they have made it to SE KS if they could sustain a population there? Hopefully someone can elaborate. This could get interesting.
 
I haven't spent much time is SE KS, but the way I understand, it is due to to much rain during the nesting and brood rearing time and to much forest. I figure if pheasants haven't moved into those areas or haven't become populus in the last 75 years or so they probable won't. I'd look at pheasant in that country as a bonus during quail season.
 
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