Western KANSAS Reports

[Bilbo Baggins]

My apologies, I certainly didn't intend to insult your tactics or hunting abilities. In fact I didn't even read your original post until now. I'm quite sure that you are very adept at discerning ditch parrot behavior. Once again, my last post was not aimed at you....I was simply giving a scenario as to why one person might come up empty in the same area that another strikes out in. It could also be very possible that the area you hunted in was affected by a hail storm last summer. All I can say is that I hunted for two hours today with 4 very inexperienced dogs that I am developing and was able to collect 4nice roosters. I don't participate in these sorts of forums very often for this exact reason. Someone more often than not takes something out of context, and things then cease to then be productive or entertaining.

Think I'll go back to my book on Theodore Roosevelt.....very interesting fellow!

Progundog, I appreciated your original post. Pheasant hunting is funny, it not only is a matter of being in the right spot where there are birds, but being in the right spot at the right time.

 

[Toad]

How far N and E of Dodge? My dogs and I didn't see a bird in the area we hunted, then we drove N a county and saw all kinds, so I don't think it is anything we're doing wrong. We've taken multiple limits each year from the area we hunt. I've harvested 4 birds from there in 4 outings. Send me a pm if you don't mind sharing Toad. I'm done with the SW for this season, but I'd sure like to know where NE of Dodge you're seeing birds.....cuz I ain't!

Sorry, haven't been on the forum in a while. I didn't intend to cause any controversy. When I said NE of Dodge City, here's what I mean. We basically hunted inside the traingle formed by Dodge City, Kinsley, and Jetmore. I was down there the weekend of December 12. We hunted 2 1/2 days Friday-Sunday. 99% WIHA.

Over the course of 2 1/2 days I personally shot 8 roosters. I could have possibly shot two more, but they got up into the sun and I couldn't tell if they were roosters or hens. My buddy called out "ROOSTER, DUMAZZ!!!", but not until they were out of my favored range.

Friday and Saturday were spent scouting/hunting. We picked up a few birds each day. Should have had a few more, but my buddy's shooting was a bit off and I missed identifying a couple roosters. I should have also bought an extra deer tag cause the does need some thinning out down there...

Saturday at sunset, we watched the motherlode of pheasants fly into a WIHA CRP field. It was a 1/4 section of CRP with feed on 2 sides and plowed field on 2 sides. I can't remember the number, but it was between Dodge City and Jetmore.

Sunday morning, might as well have been Christmas morning for us and the dogs. 2 of us and 2 dogs attempted to push the field towards my uncle, who hunts exactly one time a year. As soon as we stepped into the field, birds started getting up everywhere. The dogs managed to pin quite a few pheasants down, and luckily a couple of them were roosters. I got two, my buddy got two, and my uncle managed to get one. We saw over 100 fly out of the field through the 99% that was unblocked.

We headed back towards Dodge and hit a very small but productive private patch of ground. My buddy and I finished our limits and my uncle got another bird as well. The dogs pointed and held a LOT of hens so it was even more exciting than the numbers show. We quit at lunch on Sunday with 10 roosters for three hunters and 2 dogs, our best half-day of hunting in (and around) Dodge City, EVER.

Anyway, over the course of the weekend, we saw more birds in that area than we normally do, but most of them were very, very wild. The WIHA was hit-and-miss because the birds were bunched up.

The best part for me was seeing how much of my dog training and shooting practice at the trap park has paid off this year. My dog found more birds than she ever has before, and I shot 8 shells all weekend and collected 8 roosters!:thumbsup: It was the best shooting of my life, and I was very glad I had a witness.

 

[kansasbrittany]

Progundog,

Thanks for clarifying that! Don't get me wrong, I've seen the exact scenario you're talking about. Our group fills a limit in time to head into town for lunch, only to hear groups talking about "I just don't know what has happened to the birds." This year just wasn't that way for us and we were hunting all the same fields we always do. I drive 40 miles and I'm in the birds again. Same dogs and same strategies. There must have been some hail in the area I hunt that I didn't know about this summer.

Toad,

Thanks for sharing your report. Sounds like an awesome time! Congrats!

 

[Toad]

Friday and Saturday of the trip were good days also. We saw quite a few birds but they were very wild. We got lucky on a few birds each day. I think we got three birds both Friday and Saturday. We usually hunted until lunch, then scouted other WIHA in the afternoon. We hunted a spot or two in the afternoon, but mostly we just drove around with a WIHA map, highlighting some areas and crossing off others and making plans for the next morning. It was just two of us and two dogs those days, and we really needed some blockers badly. We watched a LOT of birds getting up waaaay ahead of us.

Like I said, though, I blew a couple chances by not being able to identify roosters, and my buddy had a couple MONSTER whiffs. One (pointed by dog) rooster LITERALLY got up BETWEEN HIS FEET and he whiffed 4 times. I laughed my arse off because he is normally an outstanding shotgunner.

Anyway, that was my experience in SW Kansas. Use that information for whatever it's worth to you. I'm DEFINITELY NOT claiming I'm a better hunter than anybody else. In fact, I am probably the guy that Progundog is talking about who is usually in the wrong place at the wrong time... I just happened to have a few good days out West.

Best of luck to all of you, wherever you decide to go!:cheers:

 

[sas]

Just returned from a couple days in SW. Again, I say there are birds. I saw more big flocks-50-150 than I have ever seen. However, they are spooky and I would rather have them a few at a time. When a big bunch starts going they pretty much all go and you are lucky to get a decent shot. It is fun to see them. We need to use our heads this time of year to give us a chance. They are not going to always do what we are accustomed to like roost-feed-loaf-feed-roost at this time of year. The pressure, the weather, available food etc may turn their habits around. They may get up earlier-later-never feed etc. The only bet is when you find 'em in a certain situation that is probably the scenario for that day. I think that for the rest of the season you will do better in the heaviest cover you can find close to corn stubble. Get in it before someone else does and don't work it 2 days in a row.

Happy hunting.