Today in SW Kansas

M. R. Byrd

M. R. Byrd

Well-known member
I need to find some areas to hunt pheasants for some friends coming next week. I travel the back roads everyday and have not been seeing any birds, so decided to scout today.

An early morning scout found no birds. The early evening scout drew a blank also, except just before dark I spotted a lone rooster in a farm yard just outside Dodge. Total travel was 125 miles and over 5,000 acres of WHIA viewed along with everything in between.

Today's weather was nice. High was 65 degrees. A little snow left in drifts along road ditches, but melting fast.

I would say that half of the WHIA's that I looked at today had prime cover of grasses and weeds with lots of good adjacent food sources. On a good year those acres would have produced plenty of sizeable flushes.

I will scout again tomorrow in hopes of finding some pockets of birds. These last few years have been so tough on the bird numbers. I hope that the remaining birds will be fruitful and multiply and provide for future hunts in Kansas.
 
Maynard, I hope you have better success than I have. Some days I luck out and harvest a bird or two. Other days I hunt all day and see 0-8 birds at all. If you're trying to get 5 young dogs their first wild bird points, that doesn't cut it. We're still suffering from the effects of the drought. The young dogs are paying the price. I got Lark her first point Sunday last weekend. She got to see me take a rooster minutes later. Friday I hunted all day and saw 1 rooster at 150 yards ahead of the dogs, only bird all day. Saturday was much better, we moved 60-80 pheasants and took 2 between 2 of us. They were wild and hard to hit in 40mph winds. Sunday in the same area I think I saw 13. One rooster came home for dinner. After the first 2 patches, no further birds! Inconsistent is the description from me. Better days are ahead. I need to find some private ground to educate the pups on. There is a fine landowner out there that I need to meet. It'll happen. My dogs deserve it.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
I need to find some areas to hunt pheasants for some friends coming next week. I travel the back roads everyday and have not been seeing any birds, so decided to scout today.

An early morning scout found no birds. The early evening scout drew a blank also, except just before dark I spotted a lone rooster in a farm yard just outside Dodge. Total travel was 125 miles and over 5,000 acres of WHIA viewed along with everything in between.

Today's weather was nice. High was 65 degrees. A little snow left in drifts along road ditches, but melting fast.

I would say that half of the WHIA's that I looked at today had prime cover of grasses and weeds with lots of good adjacent food sources. On a good year those acres would have produced plenty of sizeable flushes.

I will scout again tomorrow in hopes of finding some pockets of birds. These last few years have been so tough on the bird numbers. I hope that the remaining birds will be fruitful and multiply and provide for future hunts in Kansas.
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There are some birds around. We saw more birds in the road ditches in the snow than I have in years.
We had a really good hunt, with 3 of us shooting 17 birds in 2 days. The last day we shot 10 and should have limited out. My wife has just started hunting and still can't hit them. I'm headed back this weekend and I am hunting the last 4 days of season.
 
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fsentkilr said:
When I was in Dodge two weeks ago, I was seeing a couple dozen roosters on the blacktop north of town. They were all from the very edge of town on Garnett road out to the Feedlot north of town. We saw them 2 mornings in a row. If you could get on some ground out that way I bet you would do pretty good.
We had a really good hunt, with 3 of us shooting 17 birds in 2 days. The last day we shot 10 and should have limited out. My wife has just started hunting and still can't hit them. I'm headed back this weekend and I am hunting the last 4 days of season.
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Honk as you go by, you'll be within 300 yards of the house! Unfortunately, I have a meeting on the 28th and 29th. I'll probably root a few the last days. I should be today, but 65+ can be a problem for the dogs. We'll see how this week develops. May get some days off yet.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
Honk as you go by, you'll be within 300 yards of the house! Unfortunately, I have a meeting on the 28th and 29th. I'll probably root a few the last days. I should be today, but 65+ can be a problem for the dogs. We'll see how this week develops. May get some days off yet.
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When my wife goes with me we stay in Dodge. I have a friend that lives about 40 miles north of town. We always take that road by the feedlot north up by the lake and on to his place.
 
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fsentkilr,

Thanks for the info. Actually, I have been working on some permission in that area. Will see how it comes together.

I am always a little cautious with bird dogs I don't know. Tuesday my plans are to hunt some areas that are pretty open to let the dogs have some time on the ground and all of us get settled in.

Tomorrow I hope to finish up plans, then put a couple pork butts on the smoker.
 
Heading back to the Promised Land

I will be back in Kansas for a few more days of pheasant hunting. Last time out brought home a nice limit on the one day I hunted. Hit the pool on the second day with Bilbo Baggins II. We saw 19 roosters and only one hen in the short time we hunted. Sad to think there weren't more hens in the area I hunt. Thought I might call it a year after the last hunt which had an excellent end. Unfortunately, when Feb 1 gets here I would have to kick myself a good one if I don't go back to close out the season properly. Already cleaned my guns and gear but it just doesn't seem right. I will buy my 2015 Out of State License in about two minutes from now. Good luck to all the next few days and safe travels.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
fsentkilr,

Thanks for the info. Actually, I have been working on some permission in that area. Will see how it comes together.

I am always a little cautious with bird dogs I don't know. Tuesday my plans are to hunt some areas that are pretty open to let the dogs have some time on the ground and all of us get settled in.

Tomorrow I hope to finish up plans, then put a couple pork butts on the smoker.
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Maynard you must be one helluva nice guy. Scouting land and smoking pork butts! We should all be so lucky to have friends like that.
 
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