Midwest Quail
- Thread starter Nasty-G
- Start date
The quail populations in Kansas are better than they've been since they began declining 30 years ago. I see and hear quail everyday on my farm in southeast Kansas. I hear similar reports all across the state. Tons of public land to boot. If you head to the western part of the state you'll get into pheasants too. For hunting bobwhite quail, there is no better choice than Kansas.
Crossing shot
New member
Early December is my favorite time. The vegetation is getting brown, dogs can smell well and the crowds are down. The good thing about this year is it looks like the entire state is going to provide good hunting.
You should have success any time during the season. Southeast Kansas, the Flint Hills, and the Smokey Hills are all solid areas, but you can find good numbers of quail state wide. The nesting cover looks superb, and I'm seeing lots of quail paired up. Hearing tons of whistling as well. Could be an excellent year next season. Good luck wherever you go, we're always delighted to have people enjoy the outdoors of our state. Just make sure you leave some for seed!:thumbsup:
outdoorslife89
New member
Id like to chime in here and ask a question or two if that's ok? In a year or two, I may be taking the trek west from NJ, for a vacation with Remi after a season or two here under our belts. Whether I choose the Dakota's or Kansas Im looking at roughly a 1day drive each way....
I saw mentioned, if heading to the western side of Kansas, one could run into some pheasants as well quail? Is this possible in the east side or south east corner of the state also? If I make the drive, Id try to stick towards the eastern sides for obvious reasons but not limited to this. All speculation and thoughts for us right now. Thanks in advance!
I saw mentioned, if heading to the western side of Kansas, one could run into some pheasants as well quail? Is this possible in the east side or south east corner of the state also? If I make the drive, Id try to stick towards the eastern sides for obvious reasons but not limited to this. All speculation and thoughts for us right now. Thanks in advance!
There are no wild pheasants in southeast Ks. You will find a few in the northeast corner but you will do better the further west you go.
outdoorslife89
New member
Thanks for the info Bama
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
While quail numbers have improved the last several years in southeast Kansas, numbers are still very low. The last decent year we had was 1986 but even then they were way down from the 70's. Back in the 60's and 70's we would move 15-20 covey's a day. Just don't expect to see more than a couple of covey's per day with a good experienced dog. Some days you may not find any. 90% of Kansas if private land, so you will have to knock some doors.
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I certainly wouldn't call them low. Not 60's numbers, but the best since then. Most people I know who hunted this area last year had great success. Often pushing ten coveys or more. Only one or two would be a poor hunt. I never got skunked last season, and I expect this year to be even better.
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
They are lower than they were during the 80's and will never return to that level again. We just don't have the habitat that we had then. Then small farms where quail thrived are gone. I know your young and enthusiastic but an improved population over the last 20 years does not represent terrific numbers of birds. I hunted them in the glory years, through the difficult years when they were virtually gone, and still hunt them today. It is nice to see a come back but numbers are still low.
I concur with bowhunter. Since 1983 I've opened bird season in SE KS. On the two farms we hunt the habitat is starkly changed in that time. Every year another hedge row was cleared out, fescue took over, cattle #'s way up.
In 80's 20+ covey per day. There were several years 13,14, 15 where we would move 2-3 covey per day. Last couple of years have been 6-7 covey per day. Not bad overall, but no way the ground can support yesteryears populations. Cover is all but gone.
Additionally covey are somewhat small. We're very careful on how many we shoot. My limited observations from a 1200 ac private parcel down that way.
In 80's 20+ covey per day. There were several years 13,14, 15 where we would move 2-3 covey per day. Last couple of years have been 6-7 covey per day. Not bad overall, but no way the ground can support yesteryears populations. Cover is all but gone.
Additionally covey are somewhat small. We're very careful on how many we shoot. My limited observations from a 1200 ac private parcel down that way.
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
I never shoot on a covey rise anymore, only singles. Coveys are smaller for the most part, 8-12 birds at the most. Anyone who claims 25 birds to a covey can not get past the excitement of the explosion when they rise. Large coveys are generally 2 coveys together which does happen. Quail numbers were so low from 86 til 2015 that any increase would seem like we had quail like never before. So for someone who has not hunted for very long it would appear that quail numbers are high but we old timers no better. Hunters used to harvest a million quail per year in Kansas. Now that number is around 250,000 birds per year. Quite low in comparison.
I do hunt in the Chautauqua Hills, where there is no shortage of cover, and is quite different from your part of the state. It may not be 60's numbers, but a 10 fold increase in numbers is no small increase. I can't speak for your area, but around here, the population is good and is increasing every year. We hardly ever used to see quail the past 30 years, and now I see and hear them every day, everywhere I go.
And as to harvest numbers, keep in mind there isn't near the numbers of quail hunters around anymore.
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
I have a place in southeast Kansas as well. Lived there for close to 50 years. Used to hunt your county. You will always hear quail in the spring and summer. Not a 10 fold increase. I believe KDWPT estimated numbers were up 25%-30% last year in SEK and the Flint Hills. Quail numbers are actually better where I am versus your area. Quail hunter numbers are down for 2 reasons, one being a low number of birds versus long term average and two being access and a lack of public land.
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Kansas Quail
Hey guys and great topic!
I would like to add my 2cents regarding bobwhite hunting in Midwest, bird numbers and habitat. First I'm 48 and had the great fortune to live in Nebraska and grew up bird hunting in the late 70's and 80's. I've long since moved away, but like many of us, I travel west each year to chase birds.
Most of my hunting since 1993 has been in southeast, south central and north central Kansas. Occasionally I return to Nebraska or Montana. But Kansas is my fav destination and I have made many great friends over the years, with farmers, ranchers, bar owners and just plain great folk!
Back in the 70's and 80's, I only had to travel outside of Omaha to find quail. Most of the farms had weedy draws, fallow pasture with plum thickets, thick fence rows and crop stubble tall enough to hold birds. We didn't count coveys, because quail numbers were very healthy. Each covey had 12 to 20 birds and often after a covey flush, the dogs would point a new covey as we pursued singles.
In 1993, I had graduated college and moved to Kentucky. I then began to travel west and my Grandparents lived in Kansas. I would visit them and started to make connections in south east Kansas. Iola, Garnett and Westphalia were my happy hunting grounds. I met a heck of a famer named George Frank, who farmed 5K acres with some of the best quail habitat I had ever hunted. George was a gentleman and very kind toward bird hunters. Often inviting me and my father for lunch or dinner. I soon met several other landowners near the Frank's farm and had access to thousands of prime quail hunting spots. From 1993 till 2006 the hunting was very good. 8-12 covey days were common and we had several 15+ covey days mixed in. Milo, wheat and beans were the crops with some corn. George left all of his fence rows thick with warm season grasses, plumb thickets and brush piles. Often you could get 2-3 coveys pointed per fence row. Them work across a pasture or stubble field toward the next fence row.
I began to notice a sharp decline in bird numbers around 2006/7....several flood events in the nesting season, hurt the quail and then we noticed more fescue planted, fence rows and fields plowed under and the gradual loss of prime habitat. Bird numbers were so low....maybe 1-3 coveys per day, that I moved across the state to try new areas.
North central and south central Kansas offered better numbers of birds from the late 90's up to 2010. I remember that in 2010 pheasant hunters harvested over 900,000 birds and that was a banner year. The habitat was still excellent and there was lots of CRP acres to hunt. Again we averaged 8-12 coveys per day and also lots of pheasants. Great Bend, Pratt, Russell, Smith Center and Clay Center were all areas that held good to excellent numbers of birds and lots of habitat.
Then came the massive draught of 2011 thru 2014. that really devastated pheasants and quail state wide! I stopped hunting Kansas from 2012 thru 2015! I was just so sad to see how the numbers had fallen from the effects of the drought and habitat loss....The CRP program allows for emergency haying and grazing during the droughts. And as a result the CRP was cut and plowed up coast to coast...We began to catch a break in 2015 and mild winters followed by good spring rains slowly began to help birds recover. However the recovery still has a ways to go....
Will Kansas hunters ever see the great numbers I once experienced or the incredible 15-20+ covey days from the 60's and 70's? In local areas with excellent habitat and farmers that practice good conservation....it may be possible on a small scale...However the national trend of clean farming, plowing under every damn fence row, wind break and pasture to make room for more crops....planted right up to the damn road is what we have to deal with! It's all about quality habitat, good conservation and educating hunters, farmers and our youth. I respect the farmer that has to make money on his land and provide for his family, However I want to cry when I drive country roads here in Kentucky or in Kansas and see the current state of our agriculture practices....mow and spray every damn weed, farm every acre, pull up fence rows and tree lined creek beds, and plant crops right up to the road!
Hey guys and great topic!
I would like to add my 2cents regarding bobwhite hunting in Midwest, bird numbers and habitat. First I'm 48 and had the great fortune to live in Nebraska and grew up bird hunting in the late 70's and 80's. I've long since moved away, but like many of us, I travel west each year to chase birds.
Most of my hunting since 1993 has been in southeast, south central and north central Kansas. Occasionally I return to Nebraska or Montana. But Kansas is my fav destination and I have made many great friends over the years, with farmers, ranchers, bar owners and just plain great folk!
Back in the 70's and 80's, I only had to travel outside of Omaha to find quail. Most of the farms had weedy draws, fallow pasture with plum thickets, thick fence rows and crop stubble tall enough to hold birds. We didn't count coveys, because quail numbers were very healthy. Each covey had 12 to 20 birds and often after a covey flush, the dogs would point a new covey as we pursued singles.
In 1993, I had graduated college and moved to Kentucky. I then began to travel west and my Grandparents lived in Kansas. I would visit them and started to make connections in south east Kansas. Iola, Garnett and Westphalia were my happy hunting grounds. I met a heck of a famer named George Frank, who farmed 5K acres with some of the best quail habitat I had ever hunted. George was a gentleman and very kind toward bird hunters. Often inviting me and my father for lunch or dinner. I soon met several other landowners near the Frank's farm and had access to thousands of prime quail hunting spots. From 1993 till 2006 the hunting was very good. 8-12 covey days were common and we had several 15+ covey days mixed in. Milo, wheat and beans were the crops with some corn. George left all of his fence rows thick with warm season grasses, plumb thickets and brush piles. Often you could get 2-3 coveys pointed per fence row. Them work across a pasture or stubble field toward the next fence row.
I began to notice a sharp decline in bird numbers around 2006/7....several flood events in the nesting season, hurt the quail and then we noticed more fescue planted, fence rows and fields plowed under and the gradual loss of prime habitat. Bird numbers were so low....maybe 1-3 coveys per day, that I moved across the state to try new areas.
North central and south central Kansas offered better numbers of birds from the late 90's up to 2010. I remember that in 2010 pheasant hunters harvested over 900,000 birds and that was a banner year. The habitat was still excellent and there was lots of CRP acres to hunt. Again we averaged 8-12 coveys per day and also lots of pheasants. Great Bend, Pratt, Russell, Smith Center and Clay Center were all areas that held good to excellent numbers of birds and lots of habitat.
Then came the massive draught of 2011 thru 2014. that really devastated pheasants and quail state wide! I stopped hunting Kansas from 2012 thru 2015! I was just so sad to see how the numbers had fallen from the effects of the drought and habitat loss....The CRP program allows for emergency haying and grazing during the droughts. And as a result the CRP was cut and plowed up coast to coast...We began to catch a break in 2015 and mild winters followed by good spring rains slowly began to help birds recover. However the recovery still has a ways to go....
Will Kansas hunters ever see the great numbers I once experienced or the incredible 15-20+ covey days from the 60's and 70's? In local areas with excellent habitat and farmers that practice good conservation....it may be possible on a small scale...However the national trend of clean farming, plowing under every damn fence row, wind break and pasture to make room for more crops....planted right up to the damn road is what we have to deal with! It's all about quality habitat, good conservation and educating hunters, farmers and our youth. I respect the farmer that has to make money on his land and provide for his family, However I want to cry when I drive country roads here in Kentucky or in Kansas and see the current state of our agriculture practices....mow and spray every damn weed, farm every acre, pull up fence rows and tree lined creek beds, and plant crops right up to the road!