Solo Hunting

FlyLow

New member
I am planning on hunting KS again this year for the 3rd year in a row. The only difference this year is that I will be hunting solo with my 2 dogs. I hunt WIHA areas, as I have not gotten permission to hunt any private ground. I just don't feel right knocking on doors for some reason (I'm sure they get plenty of out of state people like me bugging them all year).

I am hoping that you can give me any tips and/or suggestions. I am planning on hunting either the NW or SW part of the state and am open to any part of the season (early or late).

Thanks!
 
IF you go later in season. Knock on doors and ask. Some great people out there and we had good success knocking on doors and getting permission to bird hunt. Some of the people we met were happy we stopped and asked to hunt. I also think being by yourself will help finding private land to hunt. We have always found private land to be better bird hunting than public.
 
I have killed more birds solo with my dogs than any other way. Back when I used to hunt a lot of WIHA here are some things that I did. I would avoid the little patches because they get hunted a lot. On the big fields get clear to the back side. Most guys make a circle up along the road and back to the truck. I would glass the backside of big patches that was hard to access. If they had feed there is almost always birds there. Even if they don't have feed a lot of the roosters will fly a long ways to feed and then go back to where they haven't been being bothered. Also if you are out in January, especially alone I wouldn't think twice about knocking on doors. After Christmas in a lot of places I would bet that one respectful guy hunting alone would get access to half the places they ask. A lot of times I would catch guys out taking care of cattle and stop and talk. I may have had better luck them some because I farm so we would have a lot in common. When hunting the big patches by yourself trust your dog, if he is working a bird just get behind and follow. When people are hunting in a big bunch they want to keep there line straight, and birds that go through the line or around the end get away. I also have shot tons of birds right on the edge, I think a lot of hunters walk a ways from the very edge and birds that have been hiding there have been getting away.
 
I’ve had Kansans stop while I was out hunting and offer to let me hunt their land. The only time asking is totally unproductive in Kansas is if the landowner is absentee, or on opening weekend. I personally think it’s rude to bug people during mealtimes or on Sundays, but that’s probably a little quaint and naive of me. Just a personal hang up.

As for WIHA, it’s a great program, but be flexible. Don’t be scared of the big tracts just cause you are solo. Like fesentkiller, even though I have access to more private ground than I could probably hunt in a lifetime, I’ve killed more birds in my life solo on public ground behind 2 retrievers than I have on big group hunts on prime private ground.
 
I hunted last year solo with my Brittany. I actually liked it a lot more than the group hunting. I’ll be up there again this year as many times as I can. Probably hunt a few times with one other guy. I’ve only hunted the walk in areas, but I found pheasants and had great hunts. I agree about asking permission It’s not my personality, and I own land in western ok and get asked. Still don’t like it.
 
Best way to hunt is solo with your dogs. It is what I enjoy the most. Don't be afraid of the huge sections. I love hunting those the most.
 
I have killed more birds solo with my dogs than any other way. Back when I used to hunt a lot of WIHA here are some things that I did. I would avoid the little patches because they get hunted a lot. On the big fields get clear to the back side. Most guys make a circle up along the road and back to the truck. I would glass the backside of big patches that was hard to access. If they had feed there is almost always birds there. Even if they don't have feed a lot of the roosters will fly a long ways to feed and then go back to where they haven't been being bothered. Also if you are out in January, especially alone I wouldn't think twice about knocking on doors. After Christmas in a lot of places I would bet that one respectful guy hunting alone would get access to half the places they ask. A lot of times I would catch guys out taking care of cattle and stop and talk. I may have had better luck them some because I farm so we would have a lot in common. When hunting the big patches by yourself trust your dog, if he is working a bird just get behind and follow. When people are hunting in a big bunch they want to keep there line straight, and birds that go through the line or around the end get away. I also have shot tons of birds right on the edge, I think a lot of hunters walk a ways from the very edge and birds that have been hiding there have been getting away.

all the above, great advice. i hunt almost exclusively (WIHA) by myself, try using the roads for blockers and be silent and follow the dog! stop and help a farmer stretch a fence or chase a stray, giving a guy a lift, pick up some trash along the road....likely gets you an invite!
avoid the obvious path into a field.....go around and come in from a different direction, wind permitting.
 
A lot easier to be quiet by yourself which is really important. A lot of people don’t realize how important it is. Go slow and let the dog work. Hunt the big stuff! They’re in there.
 
A lot easier to be quiet by yourself which is really important. A lot of people don’t realize how important it is. Go slow and let the dog work. Hunt the big stuff! They’re in there.

You are exactly right, don't slam doors, don't yell at your dogs ect.
 
I hunted last year solo with my Brittany. I actually liked it a lot more than the group hunting. I’ll be up there again this year as many times as I can. Probably hunt a few times with one other guy. I’ve only hunted the walk in areas, but I found pheasants and had great hunts. I agree about asking permission It’s not my personality, and I own land in western ok and get asked. Still don’t like it.

The most successful pheasant hunters run Britt’s :10sign:
 
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Thanks for all of the help! I am really looking forward to it! I have 2 Drahthaars and this will be their 4th outing. They are really starting to put it all together. In all reality, I like watching them work more than anything else. Killing some birds is just a bonus. The only part I am not looking forward to is the drive from Utah!
 
Thanks for all of the help! I am really looking forward to it! I have 2 Drahthaars and this will be their 4th outing. They are really starting to put it all together. In all reality, I like watching them work more than anything else. Killing some birds is just a bonus. The only part I am not looking forward to is the drive from Utah!

Good luck this year. I won't bother chiming in on the advice because you've already received a ton of good tips. I will agree with most on the knocking on doors. I wouldn't hesitate, especially later in the year, and I agree that you probably have a better chance of receiving permission since you are solo. Have fun in Kansas.
 
A group of 4 of us are coming to Kansas for the first time in early January. Enjoy all the advice in this thread. I also never knock on doors. Always figure farmers are too busy to be bothered as hunting season usually means harvest season. I also think it stems from watching my dad (as a young hunter sitting in the station wagon) getting shot down time and time again. Staying in Lucas and willing to drive if anyone wants to point us in a direction.
 
Somewhere in this KS subforum, a poster talked about seeing pheasants in SW. Reports from wheat harvesters in NW are that there are not many pheasants, but some quail.
 
I learned an important lesson about being quiet in a popular WIHA on opening day.

The area was a good drive from home, and we arrived about 30 minutes before legal hunting time. We were sitting quietly in two trucks when another group of hunters arrived at the other end of our cover - and exactly a 1/2 mile away. They hopped out of their trucks and slammed doors and tailgates and then yelled for dogs.

It was a foggy morning and still 10 minutes until legal hunting time. However, only a few minutes after these guys arrived, we were amazed to watch at least 60 pheasants calmly walk past our trucks. If it was legal, I think I could have killed 20 hens and 3 roosters with a long tennis racket while still seated in the truck.

We were parked in a patch of mostly bare ground surrounded by really thick cover. So I am sure we had a pretty good view of any adjacent bird traffic, but I have no idea how many other birds snuck out of the field in other directions!

I think your odds of shooting these birds are much higher when you are hunting alone!

P.S. Of course the idiots in this story started hunting before legal hunting time. However, prior to that event, I am sure I was also an idiot on several occasions. I am pretty certain that even when we were "quiet", we still managed to push the pheasants just due to the noise of getting out of our vehicles and preparing to hunt.

I mostly hunted quail as a youth, and we had one spot where our dog would point a covey (most years) about 40 yards from the parking spot. I think noise scares the quail into a tighter covey in some circumstances. However, I am still amazed at how readily those WIHA pheasants exited the field a full 1/2 mile ahead of the hunting pressure.

I know this is 180 degrees off topic from the OP, but do the experienced "large group" pheasant hunters on the forum have any good advice on the best way to insert the blockers in a stealthy manner?
 
Yeah guys, solo hunting is more efficient. And because you’re alone you will hunt more animals and you will bring more meat home. But come on who now has four meat? I hunt to get pleasure, but I get much more pleasure than I hunt with my friends. And I really love them, they’re really nice guys and help me to choose a scope out of these five ones https://under-reviews.com/top-5-digital-rifle-scopes/
ACCUFIRE NOCTIS is a good one, which one did you choose?
 
a single hunter ups your chances of getting premission on private ground substanially. Have a group of guys and your chances won't be good. I know the landowners and most just don't want big groups, even when they know us. Good luck when it gets here.
 
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