Quail Spots in KS?

J

jjoel

New member
I'm trying to decide where to go for a quail hunt. I have a young vizsla pup (7 months) who is pointing everything and am ready to give it another go with her, but the question is where? I live in Kansas City and understand that I'll have to drive a little ways to have much of a prayer of running into coveys. In years past I've run into some in the NE section but the dry summer and the very harsh winter has really hurt the bird population so I think I'm going to skip this year.

My research has led me around two different areas. The yearly hunting report off of the KS website hints that the Salina area may be good for quail. Can anyone confirm this?

I've also thought about heading down towards Emporia/Council Grove area. Is this far enough Southwest to have any hope of running into a covey?

I would appreciate any input from quail hunters. I am really trying to not go any further than 2 1/2 to 3 hours away from KC, but I understand that it may not be realistic.

Picture of the pup is included. She is a bit bigger and has a bright orange collar now.
 
It's been quite a few years ago but we hunted around Council Grove, got into some quail, not many but who knows now. As far as Salina, you should have some luck around there. I usually hunt about an hour south and west of there and always get into decent numbers. Good luck.
 
Seen quite a few coveys up around the Cloud county area, and that's only about three hours away.

Central KS usually always holds good quail numbers as well, although I haven't been that way yet this year.

Good luck :thumbsup:
 
jjoel said:
any other input? i'm still not sure where i'm headed.
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grab a walk in map, drive 2 1/2 hours west of KC and hunt your way back on WIHA's....going north would probably not be too good due to the tough winter up that way last year...this should be all the the help you will need or can expect.......good luck.
 
jjoel said:
any other input? i'm still not sure where i'm headed.
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You dont need to go far i like valley falls and hillsdale people dont think therews birds there but there is i went to valley falls my first time last year and got into 2 coveys just look for the food and they will be there i even saw a few ditch parrots but very eduacted! Hillsdale on the other hand takes some work and a few days off work to getem but they are there.
 
thanks for the input everyone. i think i may hunt a bit northwest of manhattan. there is a spot down in hillsdale that i've hunted and have seen quail... during dove season. i might head back down to hillsdale sometime too.
 
Well I hunted some wiha around harington today. We saw one smaller covey on the road next to a wiha but that's pretty much it. I'm spending the night in Abilene and plan on hunting some spots up north unless I get any other ideas. Anyone ever hunt around abeline before?
 
we have been finding good numbers of quail around here wich is odd but what is odder is the places we are finding them in places they shouldn't be oh well not complaining at all
 
Gove,
Glad you are getting into a few even in strange places. I use to get into quail in the area where Missouri and Kansas meets but that was years ago.
 
Well just got back home. We kicked up one covey (by luck) and I did not get any birds out of that covey. Probably only 8 to 10 birds in the covey. I was actually about ready to pose for a picture on top of this big rock with the pup and as I was stepping on to the rock the covey flushed and flew far far away. I think the covey flew onto the bordering property, so we weren't able to follow.

Oh well... two days two coveys no birds. Going further west next year.
 
likely a good thing you didn't take any birds out of that covey.....anything less than 8 to 10 birds in a covey can have a hard time making it the rest of the winter.....this time of year i don't shoot the covey break, i wait until i can make a head count before i shoot and if the covey is big enough, i go after a few singles.......conservation for next season while i am loaded with #5's for a cagey rooster.
 
you're probably right. its been quite a long time since i've harvested any birds though. oh well still was fun.
 
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