Quick report from a Virginian who drove 1,500 miles (one-way) to experience some pheasant and quail hunting. First caveat, is I love Kansas. Have bird hunted there before (two years ago) and had a great time and got into plenty of pheasants. Have also hunted turkey's there on three other occasions, so I obviously I'm willing to put the time in what I think is a great state.
Given the above previous positive experiences, three of us set out for Kansas from Virginia on New Years day. Our destination was Great Bend and I'd located a house to stay in not far from Cheyenne Bottoms. With a house, we could do our own cooking and not have to have three guys and 4 dogs cramped into a hotel room(s).
Arrived well armed, with WIHA maps and a Kansas Gazetter that we had marked probably a 100 WIHA's on. Used that system two years ago and it worked great. Might I add, that two years ago we also came in January as well.
First afternoon (Jan 2nd) we decided to hit some WIHA's close to CB. Weather very cold and windy. Found some decent looking WIHA's and some not so good looking. After road scouting to look for good cover with adjoining food sources out we went. An hour later we were done with the first cover with no birds seen and with three very disinterested dogs (two springers, one golden). We decided then to call it a day since we were pretty exhausted from the 22 hour plus drive to get there.
Next morning, hope sprung eternal and we decided to head SW from Great Bend and hit some WIHA's around Kinsley. We had had some real good luck at that particular WIHA two years ago. Got up before dawn and headed out and arrived at that WIHA at about 730. Got there and fortunately (or so we thought) no one was there. Turned loose the dogs and set up one person as a blocker. This WIHA had great thick nasty CRP, food source across the road and a creekbed running thru it. Working hard dogs, put up one hen. We hunted it hard and put up one rooster that flushed just out of range. I fired at it twice. Little did we know then, that that would be the only shots taken as roosters for the entire trip
Went from there to another WIHA not far away with great amounts of plum thickets and CRP both. Hit that real hard and were rewarded by watching one rooster fly off probably 200 yards away from us.
We then WIHA hopped for the rest of the day. Only putting up two hens and then two additional roosters at distance. No quail moved the entire day.
The following day we hunted not far from Rush. Once again, we found some lousy WIHA's (no food, no cover) and some great looking WIHA's (everything you could dream off). The problem was I think two fold. One, all the good looking WIHA's had been pounded to death. Lots of empty shells, lots of pheasant feathers laying to next cars were parked. Ton's of bird dog tracks in the snow. We also determined that unlike two years ago, bird numbers just weren't near what they were then. Back then, we had flushes of up to 50 birds on multiple occasions. Wasn't happening this time for sure.
The following day (this past Monday) we hit it hard again and with the same lack of results. We even hunted Cheyenne Bottoms. Flushed a few pheasants (far out of range) and once again determined if any place looked good it had already been hammered by hunters.
Before we had left from Virginia, I had also made a contact with someone local who said they had some private land for us to hunt. We were supposed to meet them at their place of work on Tuesday morning and get directions to the private land. Unfortunately when we got to where they worked, they had called in that they had a sick child and wouldn't be in that day. Given our demeanor at that point and the fact that they were calling for snow and heavy winds to move into the area we decided enough was enough and to head for home.
If anyone is planning a trip out that way, I'd go in with open eyes. I think if we had a pile of pointing dogs, we would certainly of done better. Our dogs aren't really set up for 100 acre fields of CRP. Also, if we had gone earlier we might have done better as well. Also, we determined a part of the problem (besides less bird numbers) was hunting pressure appeared to be way up. Seems as if every bird hunter who wants to chase pheasant is in Kansas with ND, SD and Iowa locked up tight with ice and snow.
Wanted to post our experiences and maybe prevent someone who is thinking about making a long trip to only hunt WIHA's to give it some careful thought.
PS. I think next year I'll stick with Maine Grouse and Woodcock. If there are no birds, I can at least eat some jumbo lobsters.
Given the above previous positive experiences, three of us set out for Kansas from Virginia on New Years day. Our destination was Great Bend and I'd located a house to stay in not far from Cheyenne Bottoms. With a house, we could do our own cooking and not have to have three guys and 4 dogs cramped into a hotel room(s).
Arrived well armed, with WIHA maps and a Kansas Gazetter that we had marked probably a 100 WIHA's on. Used that system two years ago and it worked great. Might I add, that two years ago we also came in January as well.
First afternoon (Jan 2nd) we decided to hit some WIHA's close to CB. Weather very cold and windy. Found some decent looking WIHA's and some not so good looking. After road scouting to look for good cover with adjoining food sources out we went. An hour later we were done with the first cover with no birds seen and with three very disinterested dogs (two springers, one golden). We decided then to call it a day since we were pretty exhausted from the 22 hour plus drive to get there.
Next morning, hope sprung eternal and we decided to head SW from Great Bend and hit some WIHA's around Kinsley. We had had some real good luck at that particular WIHA two years ago. Got up before dawn and headed out and arrived at that WIHA at about 730. Got there and fortunately (or so we thought) no one was there. Turned loose the dogs and set up one person as a blocker. This WIHA had great thick nasty CRP, food source across the road and a creekbed running thru it. Working hard dogs, put up one hen. We hunted it hard and put up one rooster that flushed just out of range. I fired at it twice. Little did we know then, that that would be the only shots taken as roosters for the entire trip
Went from there to another WIHA not far away with great amounts of plum thickets and CRP both. Hit that real hard and were rewarded by watching one rooster fly off probably 200 yards away from us.
We then WIHA hopped for the rest of the day. Only putting up two hens and then two additional roosters at distance. No quail moved the entire day.
The following day we hunted not far from Rush. Once again, we found some lousy WIHA's (no food, no cover) and some great looking WIHA's (everything you could dream off). The problem was I think two fold. One, all the good looking WIHA's had been pounded to death. Lots of empty shells, lots of pheasant feathers laying to next cars were parked. Ton's of bird dog tracks in the snow. We also determined that unlike two years ago, bird numbers just weren't near what they were then. Back then, we had flushes of up to 50 birds on multiple occasions. Wasn't happening this time for sure.
The following day (this past Monday) we hit it hard again and with the same lack of results. We even hunted Cheyenne Bottoms. Flushed a few pheasants (far out of range) and once again determined if any place looked good it had already been hammered by hunters.
Before we had left from Virginia, I had also made a contact with someone local who said they had some private land for us to hunt. We were supposed to meet them at their place of work on Tuesday morning and get directions to the private land. Unfortunately when we got to where they worked, they had called in that they had a sick child and wouldn't be in that day. Given our demeanor at that point and the fact that they were calling for snow and heavy winds to move into the area we decided enough was enough and to head for home.
If anyone is planning a trip out that way, I'd go in with open eyes. I think if we had a pile of pointing dogs, we would certainly of done better. Our dogs aren't really set up for 100 acre fields of CRP. Also, if we had gone earlier we might have done better as well. Also, we determined a part of the problem (besides less bird numbers) was hunting pressure appeared to be way up. Seems as if every bird hunter who wants to chase pheasant is in Kansas with ND, SD and Iowa locked up tight with ice and snow.
Wanted to post our experiences and maybe prevent someone who is thinking about making a long trip to only hunt WIHA's to give it some careful thought.
PS. I think next year I'll stick with Maine Grouse and Woodcock. If there are no birds, I can at least eat some jumbo lobsters.
