Upland hunting January in Kansas

Talking about going to Kansas in January to try to find some Bobwhite and Pheasants. Anyone hunt or live or have information in the South Central area south of Hays?

I would get as far North as you can. Definitely not the quantity of birds like the Dakotas have but they are around. If you can get there on one of the first snows it is FUN!

DO you find Quail in the northern part of Kansas?

Have quail in a few small pockets.

Fair hatch of quail in my area this summer

Haven't hunted quail in quite a few years but the last several I've been seeing a lot more. Can't hardly drive a mile on a country road here without jumping a pair. Starting to see a few broods the last couple of weeks. I'd stay south central if your wanting quail. But like I said I haven't hunted birds for quite a few years. The pheasant population has seemed really good in NW Ks were I deer hunt the last couple of years.

I live in north North Central Kansas. Our quail population seems really good this year. Pheasant is slim pickins.

Thanks for the replies so far

We don't hunt quail much around here anymore, I'm sure there are more than one thinks, but they seem scarce. I have been seeing more the last few years though, but A LOT of leased land in these parts, hard to find places to hunt at times. East central KS

Many pheasants in your neck of the woods, Danny?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say no. I live south and west of Danny, and we have zero.

I live in NE and used to have quite a few pheasants, but they have gotten scarce in the last five years. Quail have picked up a little the last few years, but are nothing like they were in my younger days. I'm afraid you would have to hunt very hard to get your limit!

western KS--- which would include Hays-- check map---- has virtually zero pheasants anymore and very few quail. 2010-14 drought kept hatches from surviving and the ding dongs at KDWP kept a season on them anyway---- This drought likewise--- not much of a hatch survived-------- South Dakota is the place to hunt pheasants.

I was talking to some guys and they said we're on our 4th hatch of pheasants this year, the bounty on nest predators and Covid really helped the birds.

I used to turkey hunt North Central Kansas and certain WIHA’s were quail central. They held more quail than turkeys. I honestly jumped 17 pairs walking one section. That was quite a few years ago, but the habitat should still be the same.

none ang. no quail either. never been pheasants. we used to have prairie chickens, quail, rabbits, big bull frogs and muskrats. all gone. meadow larks are getting mighty scarce now

Not as many quail there as there are pheasants from my experiences there but I do not live there.

I'd say there are definitely better places to go for upland than Kansas, but if I had to pick a place to go in Kansas it would be here

It's physically impossible for pheasants to raise more than one brood each year. If they loose their eggs, they may re nest, but lay less eggs, and have a lower hatch rate if they do.

That sounded suspicious to me too, Mark. But then, I'm a trapper and all I know about phesants is that they taste good!

That sounded suspicious to me too, Mark. But then, I'm a trapper and all I know about pheasants is that they taste good! [/quote]
I learned a little about ground nesting birds and waterfowl trapping for Delta Waterfowl. Here they say the Canada geese are on their second or third brood. It does not happen.

You are both correct. Pheasants raise one clutch a year if they are lucky. When you see different sizes of pheasant chicks standing in the road together, look closely, there are multiple hens there. Pheasants nest until they hatch a brood or body condition says no more eggs. They will try up to 4 times in a season, but they don't kick week old offspring to the curb to start the nesting process over. The idea of 2nd hatches etc is commonly accepted so don't feel bad, but it just ain't true.

Pheasants are awesome on the dinner table though.

The last quail I saw was about 10 years ago, and they flew across the road into a private preserve.

SW KS at one time, rivaled SD. Its over now with severe drought, but having hunted both SD and KS, Kansas was unbelievable and allowed 4 rooster bag limit. Access was simple and the WIHA stuff was great too. Lots of pheasants and quail. SD certainly had a lot of pheasants but access was much much tougher.

The simple fact now is pheasants are struggling nearly everywhere. Large scale drought, loss of CRP to haying and grazing or contract expiration have hugely reduced suitable habitat. Its got nothing to do with overhunting, its 100% habitat related.

sorry I wasn't more clear--- didn't mean to insinuate they were hunted out, just that when their habitat, but especially water is non-existent, perhaps it would have been prudent to shut the season down to save what few survivors existed to repopulate. Kansas use to be THE PLACE-- 40 yrs ago--- they also use to hatch and stock lots of birds. Main hatchery was near Meade. They no longer do that.

kdwp sucks for many reasons....very corrupt/inept agency.

Good post

Yep.

Coyote Clayton is from KS, he hunts birds there

He's s central I believe. More quail an less pheasant. Awesome area

160 acres of heaven equals plenty of pheasants

State park archery pavilion.





Told the manager when they were setting the forms that it looked very level. He bragged pn how he used a laser level. Told him it needed To ne pitched for drainage and he basically told me I to pass off.

Rookie on the power trowel I'd say. Level is fine if it's done right.

I never seen an outdoor concrete pad that was level....they did not use a power trowel...it was done in house by maintenance/park rangers. When they built a new guard shack at the entrance they framed it, put the windows and doors in and then put the wall sheathing over the window/door flanges. Talk to them and they will tell you how expert they are at everything...

I stand corrected, thanks for the clarification Marty.

I did not mean to correct you yukon....just giving my opinion. Appreciate your input and have a good evening.

I wasn't being sarcastic, obviously if a bunch of hair brains did the job, they deserve the criticism...I figured it was contracted. No hard feelings at all.

My pet peeve. Why does everyone feel like they are an expert at virtually everything? At some point ya gotta be willing to ask for advice or help. 95% of hirees now literally know everything, has built everything, invented the internet, overhauled any engine you might discuss, yet cannot check oil.

KS guys, I do have to point out that at least ks parks would build an archery pavilion. Over here we'd be $60-70 k in before deciding that the upkeep on a facility like that makes it unfeasible. Someone might have to go out there and empty the trash can and that's a deal breaker!

Yup the guy in charge of building that thinks he knows everything.

The number one job of Wildlife and Parks here in KS is to sell licenses. There has been some great programs in the past that get discontinued. Two biggies come to mind, Pheasant hatching and walleye rearing.

Ask them about rabbit, prairie chicken and quail decline, HABITAT, they all shout. But there is PLENTY of unchanged habitat the animals have disappeared from. Plenty.

Nobody from the state wants to talk about no worms or bugs anyplace with row crops. They dont want to talk about fewer bugs even where there are no row crops either. June here in Burg , at night, there would be tens of thousands of blinking lightning bugs. Now you dont see many at all. I dont see bees in my yard on the dandelions anymore either. Good luck finding a muskrat turd or a mink track any place around here. Turkey numbers are declining also. I think that goes back to the no bug thing

We have good numbers of pheasant and quail. Good numbers of 2 year old birds. The drought has hurt a bit but it will be a decent year.

Those are bird baths for the wildlife.