Opening Weekend in Kansas

Sunday of opening weekend we hunted one field that was about 30 miles west of Dodge. It was decent, about the same as last year. Of course it was 1/3 of what it was pre-drought and pre-expiration of about 400 acres of CRP within a half mile. That landowner, a family friend, could host an opening weekend group of 15 with enough stuff to hunt for a solid day and a half. Frankly, we would get a little bored with pass after pass through those 400 acres of CRP and another quarter or so about 3 miles away, but it was productive. CRP contracts expired and now there's one field that kept a group of 7 of us busy for 3 hours.
 
NW Kansas numbers are most definitely lower but killing 4 roosters a day isn’t terrible. Find the cover they are in and focus on that. They are there. Play the wind with your dogs and you’ll do good.
 
westksbowhunter said:
Translation:. I would rather drive 9 hrs to Iowa vs chasing a couple pheasants around here. I saw a total of 3 birds here Saturday hunting mostly private ground.
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I’ll be driving past Iowa from Michigan to NW KS Thursday. 4 full days of hunting plus hopefully get an evening hunt in Thursday. I bet we’ll see more than 3 birds a day hunting only walk-ins. Worst case scenario the dogs will get plenty of exercise tho…
 
I thought the same thing too last year. Hit NW Kansas in January, first time to that part of the state in a while. Seen maybe 3-5 birds each day the first two days, moved areas and did a little better. Was walking good looking walk-in and nothing. A buddy I was with was invited out the following weekend to hunt private ground and he ended up going and they shot a 5 man limit by 2 in the afternoon. He was hunting stuff in the same area we were the weekend before, but it was private ground instead of walk-in. I think that stuff in that area gets pounded and it doesn't take long for the birds to quit using it.
 
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A buddy of mine had several hunts like this just a couple of years ago in Western Kansas. It’s certainly still possible (on private land, with good habitat); just less frequently than it once was, for sure.
 
KansasGsp said:
I thought the same thing too last year. Hit NW Kansas in January, first time to that part of the state in a while. Seen maybe 3-5 birds each day the first two days, moved areas and did a little better. Was walking good looking walk-in and nothing. A buddy I was with was invited out the following weekend to hunt private ground and he ended up going and they shot a 5 man limit by 2 in the afternoon. He was hunting stuff in the same area we were the weekend before, but it was private ground instead of walk-in. I think that stuff in that area gets pounded and it doesn't take long for the birds to quit using it.
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For sure, walk-ins are tough hunting. I guess it all matters what your expectations are. Some of us never experienced “the good ol’ days’ in Kansas. Warm, dry weather last year made it tough getting anywhere near birds. But we saw 15-40 birds a day. Most of which we’re getting up well out of range. Add in several coveys of quail pointed over 4 days and that’s enough to keep me walking. Going with a good friend and our 3 dogs. We’re from the non pheasant Mecca of Michigan. We’ll keep our expectations low and hunt hard.
 
ab5528 said:
I’ll be driving past Iowa from Michigan to NW KS Thursday. 4 full days of hunting plus hopefully get an evening hunt in Thursday. I bet we’ll see more than 3 birds a day hunting only walk-ins. Worst case scenario the dogs will get plenty of exercise tho…
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You are driving through better hunting in Iowa. More public land in Iowa and less pressure. NW Kansas is the last area I would hunt in this state. The crp got butchered this summer and much of it came out and plowed. I live here and have hunted Kansas since the late 70s. This has been about the worst year. I have shot 13 pheasants to date this year. From 2002 to 2011 I averaged about 75 per year. I hope to get 25-30 this season. Good luck.
 
westksbowhunter said:
You are driving through better hunting in Iowa. More public land in Iowa and less pressure. NW Kansas is the last area I would hunt in this state. The crp got butchered this summer and much of it came out and plowed. I live here and have hunted Kansas since the late 70s. This has been about the worst year. I have shot 13 pheasants to date this year. From 2002 to 2011 I averaged about 75 per year. I hope to get 25-30 this season. Good luck.
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From those that hunt up there, I’ve heard that Iowa has been off the chain for the last few years. The birds have really made a tremendous rebound up there. Glad to see it.
 
ab5528 said:
For sure, walk-ins are tough hunting. I guess it all matters what your expectations are. Some of us never experienced “the good ol’ days’ in Kansas. Warm, dry weather last year made it tough getting anywhere near birds. But we saw 15-40 birds a day. Most of which we’re getting up well out of range. Add in several coveys of quail pointed over 4 days and that’s enough to keep me walking. Going with a good friend and our 3 dogs. We’re from the non pheasant Mecca of Michigan. We’ll keep our expectations low and hunt hard.
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15-20 covey's a day was the norm in the 70s.
Kansan said:
From those that hunt up there, I’ve heard that Iowa has been off the chain for the last few years. The birds have really made a tremendous rebound up there. Glad to see it.
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I like to hunt different states plus I have a daughter that lives up there. Overall, the Iowa DNR does a much better job of management for all game than Kansas does, especially deer. More public land, and it seems as if they manage funds much better.
 
westksbowhunter said:
15-20 covey's a day was the norm in the 70s.
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Very Cool
westksbowhunter said:
You are driving through better hunting in Iowa. More public land in Iowa and less pressure. NW Kansas is the last area I would hunt in this state. The crp got butchered this summer and much of it came out and plowed. I live here and have hunted Kansas since the late 70s. This has been about the worst year. I have shot 13 pheasants to date this year. From 2002 to 2011 I averaged about 75 per year. I hope to get 25-30 this season. Good luck.
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I'll be sure to wave at those birds as I drive past...Sorry to hear it's been so tough this year. I don't doubt its down out there but for us getting out in the wide open after grouse hunting the woods all fall is a good change of pace.
 
ab5528 said:
Very Cool

I'll be sure to wave at those birds as I drive past...Sorry to hear it's been so tough this year. I don't doubt its down out there but for us getting out in the wide open after grouse hunting the woods all fall is a good change of pace.
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You may want to reconsider your trip now after this disaster!
 
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