Is it as bad as everyone is saying?

quanah labs

quanah labs

New member
I want to start this by saying I love hunting in Kansas, its been the highlight of my year, and as soon as its over its what I look forward to till next year.

I just want to know if the hunting conditions are as bad as I have been hearing all year?

Is the public hunting areas even going to have tall enough vegetation on them to hide a pheasant?

Is what little good public grounds going to be worth a crap in early December?

I have been going to the Hays area and hunting the WIHA in NW Kansas and would like to go back there since I am a bit familiar with the area.

I don't want to come across as a fair weather hunter, I do not mind walking my azz off to get on some birds, its just that I have a very limited amount of time I can leave work and home and I only get to go on a pheasant hunting trip once a year, so I need to go to a place where there is at least a chance to get some birds. I, by no means want or expect someone to give me their honey hole spot, just a honest assessment of this general area based on actual boots on the ground knowledge.

I'm scared that all the WIHA areas are going to have either been grazed or hayed, or so beat down by hunters that as soon as you pull up you know that there is no way there are birds there.

Thanks in advance, and good luck to all you lucky guys that get to hunt opening day!
 
quanah labs said:
I want to start this by saying I love hunting in Kansas, its been the highlight of my year, and as soon as its over its what I look forward to till next year.

I just want to know if the hunting conditions are as bad as I have been hearing all year?

Is the public hunting areas even going to have tall enough vegetation on them to hide a pheasant?

Is what little good public grounds going to be worth a crap in early December?

I have been going to the Hays area and hunting the WIHA in NW Kansas and would like to go back there since I am a bit familiar with the area.

I don't want to come across as a fair weather hunter, I do not mind walking my azz off to get on some birds, its just that I have a very limited amount of time I can leave work and home and I only get to go on a pheasant hunting trip once a year, so I need to go to a place where there is at least a chance to get some birds. I, by no means want or expect someone to give me their honey hole spot, just a honest assessment of this general area based on actual boots on the ground knowledge.

I'm scared that all the WIHA areas are going to have either been grazed or hayed, or so beat down by hunters that as soon as you pull up you know that there is no way there are birds there.

Thanks in advance, and good luck to all you lucky guys that get to hunt opening day!
Click to expand...

Hunting conditions....if you're referring to bird population, it is bad in the area I spent an evening and a morning scouting. The fact I didn't see birds doesn't concern me as much as not hearing them. I've always been able to hear birds cackling all around dad's house, but not this year. If you're talking about habitat, I was surprised how well it held up. The CRP looks a little better than one might think, but in said area 80% of it has been converted to cattle-grazing or cropland, whichever the farmer thought would be the most productive use of the land. There's a lot of weeds in the wheat stubble compared to recent history. SO, the cover conditions are pretty decent where it exists. Birds.....if there are birds there, they were invisible and on mute during my visit last w/e. I put boots on the ground after driving my route yeilded nothing. My boots on the ground yeilded nothing more than evidence that one had been eating in the milo field. Still, the farmers assure me there are a few around. I saw very few tracks on the sand roads.

Yes, pheasants will be able to hide on the public land w/o a problem. They can hide in 5" of wheat stubble. The cover doesn't concern me as much as the bird pop.

I suspect the masses of hunters will all be hunting somewhere N of I-70 and W of Russell, so I expect the Hays area to be very busy. There will also be some folks that choose to hunt E of Salina, but it won't take long for them to move on and some just won't want a 2nd visit to the area. While #'s there may have improved, that area doesn't hold enough birds to keep most folks interested. I believe I'll be enjoying some solitude in both areas, especially after many ppl have what they're bound to consider fruitless trips.

In a year like this one, I think late season hunts have the potential to be more productive (birds in the bag productive) than the opener in many places.

The face of the WIHA in "my" area has changed drastically and NOT for the better. The area I'm referring to is 1hr from Hays.

I wouldn't consider you a fair-weather hunter for asking. What good is hunting these birds if there is no cover for them to hide in, right?
 
The KDWPT website has an infrared photo of the state taken this summer.
 
Last edited:
better hurry, some of the kansas residents are going to petition to end the WIHA program :eek:......not really, it's just hard times this year and last, so many are down in the dumps over the drought and minimal bird production......wait until after Thanksgiving and do some door knocking....or go to SD.
 
I just got back from making sales calls the last 3 days from Dodge City up to Plainsville. Left the motel in the evenings to travel the back roads and only saw 6 pheasants and 1 small covey of quail and 6 pc. Very little cover and absolutely no water in any of the small ponds. Most CRP and waterways are mowed down to nothing. Looks like a bleak year but so was last year.

zeepo
 
There are absolutely no birds in the state of ks even if your good ol huntin buddy of 25 years says there are so dont bother ( Seriously if everyone hunts to just kill birds then why do it at all what happened to the comaradaree and the fun you used to have when hunting a day with no birds is better than a day with birds without my buddies)

Sorry for the rant just tired of peaple whinning and asking if they should hunt ks or if there are even enough birds to hunt just come out and find out for yourself
 
Gove County Britts said:
There are absolutely no birds in the state of ks even if your good ol huntin buddy of 25 years says there are so dont bother ( Seriously if everyone hunts to just kill birds then why do it at all what happened to the comaradaree and the fun you used to have when hunting a day with no birds is better than a day with birds without my buddies)

Sorry for the rant just tired of peaple whinning and asking if they should hunt ks or if there are even enough birds to hunt just come out and find out for yourself
Click to expand...

Crap not a single bird! Oh well maybe next year
 
Gove County Britts said:
There are absolutely no birds in the state of ks even if your good ol huntin buddy of 25 years says there are so dont bother ( Seriously if everyone hunts to just kill birds then why do it at all what happened to the comaradaree and the fun you used to have when hunting a day with no birds is better than a day with birds without my buddies)

Sorry for the rant just tired of peaple whinning and asking if they should hunt ks or if there are even enough birds to hunt just come out and find out for yourself
Click to expand...

lol you crack me up joe lol
 
well hell everyones worried about the birds and if they should come just make up your mind and do it stop asking about it if you don't believe what you read then just find out for yourself I myself like to kill a few birds every year but its not all about killing for me
 
Gove County Britts said:
well hell everyones worried about the birds and if they should come just make up your mind and do it stop asking about it if you don't believe what you read then just find out for yourself I myself like to kill a few birds every year but its not all about killing for me
Click to expand...

Damn, what a grumpy old man! Your reaction wouldn't seem over the top if maybe I went to your house and knocked on your door at 3am to ask you about bird numbers BUT on a pheasant hunting forum on the Internet! Come on man! If your tired of the questions don't click on the page and don't read it but if you think I'm not going to get as much info as I can before I make my one and only hunting trip of the year your crazy.
 
For the first time in my 15 years of pheasant hunting, I'm thinking about not hunting in the Southwest part of the state Opening Weekend. 3 buddies and I have always went out around Ulysses on private ground and have done very well. Spoke to my father in-law (who farms) and he said it's bad, as bad as he's ever seen it. Not many birds, but even worse is hardly any cover. CRP is bad, no milo because it was too dry to put in the ground and he said it was too dry for even the weeds to come up. The buddies and I are still trying to decide what to do. Never hunted WIHA Opening Weekend, but may not have any other choice.
 
It is going to be a rough year in Kansas this season. I have been trying to decide what to do but now my problem is solved. I just landed my dream job and will be very busy during the pheasant hunting season. Maybe I will get out later in the season but for sure I will miss the opener. Good luck to everyone.
 
quanah labs said:
Damn, what a grumpy old man! Your reaction wouldn't seem over the top if maybe I went to your house and knocked on your door at 3am to ask you about bird numbers BUT on a pheasant hunting forum on the Internet! Come on man! If your tired of the questions don't click on the page and don't read it but if you think I'm not going to get as much info as I can before I make my one and only hunting trip of the year your crazy.
Click to expand...

I don't blame you for wanting to know. If you're coming up here to hunt and not just planning a good time with friends, I don't know why you'd be interested in hunting a place with no birds. I understand everyone feels more noble saying they don't do it for the killing and that's fine, but I've never quite wrapped my mind around how pheasant hunting is really pheasant hunting, without pheasants. Whether you do it for the dog work or the wingshooting, doesn't it still require some pheasants:confused: I know none of my buddies will come with me if we don't see at least a bird or 2 a day.

ql, there are plenty of places you can come and see a few in a day still. However, if you pick the wrong area this season, you may have spent $1k to not even see a bird, especially if your only option is WIHA. If you're hunting in the area I was in, I'd be impressed if you take home 4 birds over the course of 3 days on WIHA (20-30 mile radius). I'm sure the bird #'s are a little better in NW KS. From what I've read, heard, and a little of what I've seen that's often the case anyway.

Good luck this season if you decide to visit KS. If you're not finding birds in good cover right away, move on to the next county. You may even want to move on 2 or 3 counties at a time;)
 
Im neither grumpy nor am i noble I pound country roads everyday and when i do go to new areas weather it be in kansas or in another state I don't beg everyday or pan for information i go with the intent on seing birds HUNTING for them if i am at all lucky i find some to shoot at I am as pleased as a fat kid in a chocolate factory if i don't find them well it wasn't meant to be but i always have a good time with friends and dogs
 
Gove County Britts said:
Im neither grumpy nor am i noble I pound country roads everyday and when i do go to new areas weather it be in kansas or in another state I don't beg everyday or pan for information i go with the intent on seing birds HUNTING for them if i am at all lucky i find some to shoot at I am as pleased as a fat kid in a chocolate factory if i don't find them well it wasn't meant to be but i always have a good time with friends and dogs
Click to expand...

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.
 
Gove you never answered his question. Is there any birds. Can I were my loafers this year or do I need boots. Just
Wondering as birds or not I will be out. May even pck a sports coat.
 
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.
Click to expand...

PM sent................
 
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.
Click to expand...

By the looks of things, you drive just about as far as I do when I hunt in Kansas. It is good common sense to ask a few questions before you spend a ton of money on gas and motels, I do too. Sure, you will find a few birds in Kansas this year but go there with low expectations and if you bag a couple roosters it would be a bonus!
 
I agree with qhanah labs. If its the only trip he gets I don't blame him for wanting to make the most of it. For me I will hunt 25 days or more, and if I get a fez or two a day I will I'm happy. Its a little different for me this year as I am startting 2 Gordon pups. If I can't find enough fez to start them on, the good news is we have more quail in east central Ks than we have had for years and I will hunt more close to home. Its easy to say come and find out whats its like it you have lots of hunting days like I do, but if you only have a few I uderstand why you would want to make the most of them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top