Well our first trip to Kansas was cut short, my setter re-aggrevated her leg injury and came up lame on Tuesday morning which left me with only my Britt. My Britt probably could of handled the rest of the hunt but didn't want to push her that hard. This was very much a learning experience for me as it was my first trip hunting in Kansas. We hunted primarily WIHA areas and the cover was pretty good and showed signs that both quail and pheasant had used the areas we were in, unfortunately they were not there when we were for the most part. Havent hunted quail in probably 20 years and I need to get quicker and first time for my son to experience quail. I was impressed with the WIHA areas all had huntable cover some more than others. Did see some with cattle in the harvested milo fields so was uncertain how to handle those and just stayed out of them. Want to thank those forum members who reached out with tips to help make this trip a success, you know who you are.....I owe all of you a few drinks. If you are looking for a place to stay in Luray, I would highly recommend "the Roost", nice little 2 bedroom home that sleeps 6. Includes a home cooked meal by the owner and private land to hunt on. She also make killer chocolate banana bread....
The Hunt
Arrived on Sunday (12/17) afternoon and hunted a 1/4 section of WIHA of grass with some thickets. Dogs were wound up from the 2 day travel and weather was mid to hi 50's moderate wind. Didn't find any quail or pheasants, but my young setter bumped a flock of prairie chickens and my son was able to take one. It was his first Kansas bird and prairie chicken. We moved to another public area saw a chicken in a tree it flushed well ahead of us, we were able to reflush it but it flushed out of gun range but I sent a couple of volly's just cause you have.
Monday we hunted another public area that was adjacent to some private we had access too. Nice frosty morning and the dogs were working the field well. The cover had pockets of thick grass but it was thin enough that the pheasants already had their running shoes on. Dogs were able to track some birds that flushed ahead of the dogs about 30 yards, all hens. Moved to the private it was mostly picked milo with some draws, no birds in draws. Hunted a small "U" shaped public land and had 6 hens flush ahead out of gun range with one bird flushing probably 300 yards in front, guessing a rooster. Moved to another public area with a nice draw/weedy creekbed. Moved two nice coveys son dropped one in the picked milo, but bird was winged and never recovered I whiffed on my shoots. Second covey I connected on one and made the perfect quail corn hole shot. The quail I shot landed perfectly into a hole the size of a women's softball. My Britt tried to retrieve it but could reach it or open her mouth in the hole. The quail was dead. Funny thing. Both coveys good size of 15 - 20 birds. With the wind majority of coveys flew off property to private so no single follow ups. First full day of hunting sunrise to sunset 2 coveys and 11 hens.
Tuesday started again on public again, very nice piece with better cover dogs got birdy several time but never produced any birds. Did see tracks in road crossing into picked wheat. Hunted wheat field and had 2 birds flush way head, wheat also public. Only other hunters we saw hunted the same grass we did. Moved to another public area across street from private we had access to, this is the field setter hurt herself and britt tracked birds to road and into private milo field. Setter went into kennel and my britt did pin a hen. Hunted another private parcel and britt pointed a covey that flushed just ahead of us getting there, no kills but were able to take one on a follow up. Again I whiffed, son's first bagged quail. Moved to another public area could work the wind in our favor for the tree line I wanted to hunt, on the way to the line singles were flushing, dog never winded them. We did flush another covey and son killed another quail. Think this area had hunters in it earlier as the first birds we encountered were a busted covey i believe. Hunted another public parcel with good drawed surrounded by corn and milo. Rooster flushed wild I dumped it into the picked milo but I only winged him, not recovered. We then hunted the Wilson State Game area and had half dozen hens and a rooster ahead of us well out of gun range. Second day sunrise to set 2 coveys moved and few singles, 2 harvested. 10 hens, 2 roosters. Temp was 61 with winds 10-15 plus.
This was a great hunt as I don't believe in a bad hunts. My son was able to bag his first prairie chicken and quail, not to mention spending time with him is priceless. I always have high expectations for my dogs and they didn't preform the way I wanted or thought they should at the time, however, after playing videos back and replaying the hunt in my head they did the best they could for the conditions. As i mentioned above this was a learning experience for me, different cover and I hadn't though of hunting harvested wheat or milo fields. I think had we had cooler temps our production might have been better, cooler temps wouldn't have helped my shooting....I love the mixed bag potential and not knowing exactly what your dog has on point. My 2017 season is pretty much over with the exception of a few more days of grouse hunting assuming we don't get a lot of snow. My focus now is to get my setter healed up and start planning for my next trip out west for 2018. Again thanks to those that provided me help and insight for this trip, you all added to the success of our short trip to Kansas.
I think this link will show Thomas taking his p chicken.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdR3CPS9Q0U