For the first time in 25 years I did not head West for the opener. With the temps and the wind I decided to wait a week or two to head out. Deer hunted Saturday wishing I was bird hunting. I did head out around the house Sunday morning and fought the wind for 3-4 hours and put one rooster in the bag and missed another. Didn't see as many birds as I thought I would but none of the milo was cut and the cover was insane. Not looking for towns or even areas of the State you hunted, just curious what everyone's thoughts are after the first two days. I did hear one guy's dog got bit by a rattlesnake out around Norton, man I hate those things! Hope everyone got into a few birds. Bryan
Opening Weekend
- Thread starter KansasGsp
- Start date
nwkansnative
Active member
We hunted Rooks County. Very few hunters. Lots and lots of uncut Milo plus wind made it a pretty rough go. My preliminary opinion is that there are pockets of birds. Right now, they are nearly unfindable. 3 guys, two good dogs, a bird each on Saturday. Two guys, one dog on Sunday we got 3 roosters in two hours. Saw the largest covey of quail I have ever seen. Flushed into 6 foot tall standing feed and it was pointless to shoot because they would have been unfindable.
About the same for us. I have access to some private in central part of the state. We hunted 2.5 quarters of pivot corners and found decent numbers of birds in most. 9 of us had 8 birds by lunch. There were quail too, but with that many hunters we don't shoot at them. After that we drove by a couple of WIHA that have been productive in the past. There were trucks parked on both. Then we drove by a couple that have been less productive, and decided to pass. Our last place to hunt was another private spot--a pasture that is left more-or-less ungrazed. We found plenty of birds there but didn't knock any down.
Back out on Sunday much closer to Wichita with just one other guy--two guys, 3 dogs. The first WIHA had a truck parked on it so we drove on. The second produced three roosters. The third produced two nice coveys of quail, from which we killed two. Sunday was a good day for me, 4 for 4: 2 roosters, 2 quail. My buddy had some commitments in the afternoon so we were home by 11:30.
More birds for sure, but also more hunters.
Back out on Sunday much closer to Wichita with just one other guy--two guys, 3 dogs. The first WIHA had a truck parked on it so we drove on. The second produced three roosters. The third produced two nice coveys of quail, from which we killed two. Sunday was a good day for me, 4 for 4: 2 roosters, 2 quail. My buddy had some commitments in the afternoon so we were home by 11:30.
More birds for sure, but also more hunters.
CharBroiled
Active member
Socks and I slid out on Sunday morning for a walk just to usher in the season by strolling through the one field for which we have exclusive permission. He worked hard, and we moved four roosters and three hens, with one of the roosters going in the bag. I could have shot another, but I'm not sure he pointed it, so I refrained. Birds were running so I'm not sure how many escaped into the cut corn surrounding the field.
The only drawback was that Socks won't retrieve pheasants anymore. He'll go off to stand by them but he doesn't retrieve them for some reason. He'll bring quail all the way back but won't pick up rooster for me for some reason.
The only drawback was that Socks won't retrieve pheasants anymore. He'll go off to stand by them but he doesn't retrieve them for some reason. He'll bring quail all the way back but won't pick up rooster for me for some reason.
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I'm heading out this weekend because last weekend they were finally cutting the Milo on our land in NW KS. IMO Its not really worth it to hunt for birds until the crops are down, just too many hiding places while the crops are still standing.
Which brings me to stripper head harvested wheat....Pheasants love it since they have some waste grains and still knee high straw but damn is it frustrating to hunt. I would just watch as all the pheasants ran in straight lines down the rows and out of range.
Which brings me to stripper head harvested wheat....Pheasants love it since they have some waste grains and still knee high straw but damn is it frustrating to hunt. I would just watch as all the pheasants ran in straight lines down the rows and out of range.
Quailnerd
Well-known member
That is frustrating but at least it leaves good winter habitat… birds should do well this winter with food that is also cover..I'm heading out this weekend because last weekend they were finally cutting the Milo on our land in NW KS. IMO Its not really worth it to hunt for birds until the crops are down, just too many hiding places while the crops are still standing.
Which brings me to stripper head harvested wheat....Pheasants love it since they have some waste grains and still knee high straw but damn is it frustrating to hunt. I would just watch as all the pheasants ran in straight lines down the rows and out of range.
KSBrittman
Active member
I have hunted the stripper head wheat feilds good bird numbers , I have had my best luck hunting opposite direction of the combine tracks / cross row .
Otherwise I have had birds run down the combine track for nearly a quarter section and get up,out of range.
Otherwise I have had birds run down the combine track for nearly a quarter section and get up,out of range.
CharBroiled
Active member
I would guess it's been quiet because there's a combination of crops still out, warm weather for the opener and no one wants to say how the bird numbers truly are for fear of online scouting. Plus, this past week has been so ridiculously warm I would wager not may people tried their hand at walking.
Did one jab him with a few spurs and sour him maybe?
That is what I was hoping for, but they were still out in full force on Tuesday! Also looking forward to cooler weather.
Carguy2Banker
Well-known member
Most of the out of state hunters that I saw were connected to family and long traditions, but these groups were smaller. I visited with the hotel owner and his numbers have been trending down each year also. Some of this could be due to aging out hunters. Additionally much of this can be tied to losing WIHA acres as this ground was put back into grain production and low numbers from the past detouring those without family/friends connections.
However, I've heard more locals saying they are excited to hunt again this year. Most of these people didn't ever enjoy the chase.
It won't take long for them to start inviting the younger generation and friends if the numbers continue to improve as they have the last 2 years.
Personally, I like hosting friends. However, I don't like hosting friends of friends because this can get out of control quickly. Anymore more the 5 or 6 becomes a challenge to "guide" and "direct". Seems there is always 1 or 2 guys that can screw up the entire hunt.
