Where to hunt pheasants and quail in Kansas 2016

Where the birds at????

Just kidding :) I've lurked on this site for a while and I admit, I looked when I was starting out to get an idea of where to go. The site's changed over time, keeping info closer to the vest, but that's totally understandable these days. Now I just like to visit for general weather and crop info, hear stories, see pictures, and mostly dream of the day I get to visit the great state of Kansas again!!!

Thanks to all who contribute and wish everyone a safe and blessed season!
 
Jakeismydog2 said:
seems like there are lots of new guys on the board right now. I thought I would bump this back to the top.
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they'll go away after the start of the season.

They'll reappear when Mr Pierce finds it appropriate to write an article in the Eagle about how amazing the pheasants and quail are this year with a photo of a pile of birds from his locked up ground that rarely gets hunted.

Then they'll be gone again

:cheers::cool:
 
You know Mike hunts a lot of public ground as well. He has 40 years worth of connections and it seems to me a bit more humble than most. He joined us on a dove hunt after two days of scouting Birds. We were on WIHA and he often let my son take shots he could have easily taken.

Hot Spots this year.

Quail: Everywhere I have been has quail from the Grasslands to an Amazing hunt near Offerle where we found 15 coveys on two different tracts of WIHA.

Pheasant: Sw Kansas East of Ulysses was Phenomenal as was East of Elkhart on some WIHA with cut corn and strips of CRP. Our other hot spot was North of Hollyrood every WIHA tract we walked had birds. Still have not made it up to my Aunt and Uncles place in Smith Center 4500 acre cattle ranch but I am hearing good things from my cousins up there. All in all I think if a hunter scouts the right fields, knows what to look for water/food/cover, he/she will have a fantastic hunt this year.
 
Matte said:
You know Mike hunts a lot of public ground as well. He has 40 years worth of connections and it seems to me a bit more humble than most. He joined us on a dove hunt after two days of scouting Birds. We were on WIHA and he often let my son take shots he could have easily taken.
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I'm sure he's a fine person, we've never met before and I'd be pleased to make his acquaintance as we have friends in common.

I just dont agree with some of the context or location specific information. I find it rather ironic that less and less WIHA are in some of those same areas - maybe it has nothing to do with articles, but it cant help when they are blasted nationwide in an instant via Quail Forever, Pheasants forever and any about deer Im sure on the deer related social media outlets and I've noticed signs of increased traffic to some of those same areas after one of those articles has been published.

Like the writing, no faults there just disagree on a couple other points. I'm probably at a point where I dont need to depend on WIHA anymore if I didnt have to, but in HS and college it was all I could depend on....and the only thing that probably didnt make me hang up hunting....I hung up rifle deer hunting for a while due to all the leasing and an inability to afford driving 4 hours hotel stays etc away from Wichita.

Finding hunting spots is difficult enough, add in being younger, not having as flashy of a pickup and the evil SG on your license plate it makes it damn near impossible at that odd age of not young enough to be out with your dad, not old enough to look like a responsible parent, respectable member of society.



I still stand behind the fact deer hunting has ruined or degraded the hunting opportunities severely. I really wish our state reps/landowners and those with interests in the matter would have went the direction of emphasizing bird hunting instead - more people would visit, likely more hunting opportunities, and more emphasis on habitat that benefits more species rather than the antlered specifically. Birds are just more specific in the recipe they need for success, however their habitat recipe is rather more universal than that of others....call them the O- blood type of the game animal world.
 
My management emphasis is for quail, which pretty much benefits the rest of the wildlife. Then with my limited mobility, I hunt dove on the opener then go into deer hunting mode until tagged out or January 1st, then I still have the whole month of January to hunt upland birds. Can trap until February 15th. Can elk hunt until March 15th(unfortunately the elk have not been seen at the Ponderosa for a couple years, but I would travel for elk in Kansas.)
 
M. R. Byrd said:
My management emphasis is for quail, which pretty much benefits the rest of the wildlife.
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We need you and Troy to preach to the rest of the state!

:10sign:



I dont always see eye to eye with Mr Pierce, but I'd motion he look you up and write an article about your habitat....sure it would make a nice article and sounds like there'd be plenty for him to take photos of. Maynard, maybe you'd just agree to the writeup?
 
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Oh, I just do what I can with what has been entrusted to me.

As far as preaching, Drifter can preach and I'll be a voice in the choir.

This year has been a super year for quail. The timely rains and super weather brought everything together nicely. I see quail in places where I never see quail. Just a few days again, driving along a back road with no habitat on either side of the road for miles, I flush a nice covey of quail from the ditch. Good news, bad news. Nice to see, but unfortunately that covey in that location may not survive the winter.

On the other hand, my place has a bounty of habitat this year. Very nice after that prolonged drought. We are super dry at the moment, but those early rains this year really set up the growth of weeds, forbs and grasses to benefit the quail greatly. And the quail, doing what they can under favorable conditions, did multiply.

I offered my, "Praise the Lord", the other day as I changed the card in a deer camera and while doing that three separate flushes burst into the air, totally 40-45 birds.

Back to the point of managing for quail. Quail have the smallest range and if the management is good for them, the other species will benefit. Paraphrase of words of wisdom from Joe Kramer when he was a biologist with KDWPT in Dodge City. Joe helped get the habitat work started at the Ponderosa about 1986. Thanks Joe.
 
Just got back from a quick trip to KS. Found 6 coveys of quail in 1 1/2 days of hunting (5 were pointed and one was bumped by dogs). Also found 2 pheasants and 2 quail together. Coveys were all good size and all on walk-in ground. Had three dogs and hunted one at a time most of the time. Very little luck with finding singles. It was like they disappeared. Extremely dry and warm.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
Oh, I just do what I can with what has been entrusted to me.

As far as preaching, Drifter can preach and I'll be a voice in the choir.

This year has been a super year for quail. The timely rains and super weather brought everything together nicely. I see quail in places where I never see quail. Just a few days again, driving along a back road with no habitat on either side of the road for miles, I flush a nice covey of quail from the ditch. Good news, bad news. Nice to see, but unfortunately that covey in that location may not survive the winter.

On the other hand, my place has a bounty of habitat this year. Very nice after that prolonged drought. We are super dry at the moment, but those early rains this year really set up the growth of weeds, forbs and grasses to benefit the quail greatly. And the quail, doing what they can under favorable conditions, did multiply.

I offered my, "Praise the Lord", the other day as I changed the card in a deer camera and while doing that three separate flushes burst into the air, totally 40-45 birds.

Back to the point of managing for quail. Quail have the smallest range and if the management is good for them, the other species will benefit. Paraphrase of words of wisdom from Joe Kramer when he was a biologist with KDWPT in Dodge City. Joe helped get the habitat work started at the Ponderosa about 1986. Thanks Joe.
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I have some elk sausage for ya Byrd...my best friend got a nice 6 x 6 this year up by Buffalo Peaks (draw only, first rifle).....

We are hunting in between Dodge and Garden this year. My daughter's BF works in Garden at the Ammo training center (GCAPS)....so we are going to try some places he has private and walk in around there (it will be new areas for me)....hunted near Dodge since 1996....

Will try and get to the Bad Habit at least once and visit Angie....and get a nice Bad habit burger...

Meanwhile back at the Ranch...
 
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