Save your cash and gas....

[Uplandhunter67]

Ventured out to NW Kansas on Sunday. Fought my way through the snow covered roads only to find that Kansas was a dustbowl. Most of the cover was gone or mowed. One of my favorite spots I don't think a snake could hide. The weeds in some of the fields looked like they had been burned. The ends were charred black like there was a quick moving fire. The weather was brisk and the wind was decent out of the North. I usually stop and get permission from a land owner I know but when I drove by the place there was no cover in the good spots. He had corn cut but there was no cover around it......

As for birds....
I saw a 7 hens and 5 roosters. Took all day to do this but as a lone hunter I can hit small patches where you can't field an army of guys and the army was there. I saw a convoy of seven cars with at least four guys per car. I heard a couple of shots all day. Plus most of the time this is where the birds head after the shooting starts.
I didn't see the first bird which was a hen until almost noon. Killed the first rooster around one and the second closer to three. Took two shots at one later and watched him fly away with the dog glaring at me for such an awful missed shot. The dog was working some small Russian olives trees when a Flicka blew out just a few feet away. As I was watching the Flicka fly away there was some rustling and a big ole rooster came out of the same spot. The birds were holding really tight.
I think I am going to stay local this year and chase some quail and maybe work on some handloads, hunt coyotes, and hunt late season doe antelope. If the weather gets a bit cooler and there is some actual precip I might head back out.
If the winter is mild and the spring wet maybe next year there will be something to chase.....

PS:
Retrvrman the pic is for you.... I think you said something about wanting to see my lab by some roosters.
View attachment 3526....

 

[retrvrman]

Ventured out to NW Kansas on Sunday. Fought my way through the snow covered roads only to find that Kansas was a dustbowl. Most of the cover was gone or mowed. One of my favorite spots I don't think a snake could hide. The weeds in some of the fields looked like they had been burned. The ends were charred black like there was a quick moving fire. The weather was brisk and the wind was decent out of the North. I usually stop and get permission from a land owner I know but when I drove by the place there was no cover in the good spots. He had corn cut but there was no cover around it......

As for birds....
I saw a 7 hens and 5 roosters. Took all day to do this but as a lone hunter I can hit small patches where you can't field an army of guys and the army was there. I saw a convoy of seven cars with at least four guys per car. I heard a couple of shots all day. Plus most of the time this is where the birds head after the shooting starts.
I didn't see the first bird which was a hen until almost noon. Killed the first rooster around one and the second closer to three. Took two shots at one later and watched him fly away with the dog glaring at me for such an awful missed shot. The dog was working some small Russian olives trees when a Flicka blew out just a few feet away. As I was watching the Flicka fly away there was some rustling and a big ole rooster came out of the same spot. The birds were holding really tight.
I think I am going to stay local this year and chase some quail and maybe work on some handloads, hunt coyotes, and hunt late season doe antelope. If the weather gets a bit cooler and there is some actual precip I might head back out.
If the winter is mild and the spring wet maybe next year there will be something to chase.....

PS:
Retrvrman the pic is for you.... I think you said something about wanting to see my lab by some roosters.
View attachment 3526....

Sounds like someone who was a little bit spoiled by their grouse adventures!! The mighty grouse slayer sounds humbled

Seriously, thanks for sharing and nice pic. Why is it that your dog in pics is alwasy lying down

Just teasing. My son and I are heading the South Dakota this Thursday and we will return next Monday. I will try and update y'all while we are there or when we get back.

I hears Kansas was just one big ole dust bowl.

Greg

 

[Bigj]

I talked to a buddy of mine that hunted private around bird city on opening day. He said there were six guys and two dogs and the only managed to bag two roosters. He said it was really dry and not much cover out there.

 

[Uplandhunter67]

Greg,
Good luck to you and your son in SD... Heard it is pretty descent....

It wasn't humbling experience but an eye opener to the drought conditions that changed the face of the land. Weed pockets and ditches I have been hunting for decades looked as if they were mowed down with a weedeater. The birds have had a rough go of it. If the winter turns ugly they will have little cover to flee to.
I will go out there a few more times before the season ends but not nearly as often as last year. I'll chase some quail for sure here in Colorado and maybe after a very long hiatus some quackers.

I have tried to get the dog to sit for photos but he lays down to get closer to one of his favorite things (other than food). If left to his own devices he will pull the heads off the dead birds and eats them. Not that that is an issue with me but it tends to be tough on the wife when she has to clean up after him... A bit shocking to see something staring back at you...