Who has any experience pheasant hunting Kansas? I'm in the planning stage for next year.
Solo Kansas Pheasants
- Thread starter Iglow
- Start date
Mattt
Well-Known Member
Yup. Fish and game website usually has reports on whistle counts for quail and brood/nesting conditions etc. reports for pheasant/prairie chicken also. I mainly quail hunt but ditch chickens are about the same be prepared to spend a lot of time driving and putting eyes on habitat or lack of. Crp changes quite often and a lot of the ground that is enrolled in hunter access may have crp but no crop planted. Still awesome hunting. Give the dogs a little extra time and be patient. A lot of them have to adjust to the different environment and scent sometimes takes a day or two. Pheasant probably gonna be central to western ks. All the old bird towns are still that. Hays or hutch would be decent starting points. I really like Kansas. They did a good job of putting the interstate in the ugliest part. If it's wet when u go better have 4wd and watch where u park.
yellalinehunter
Well-Known Member
Never hunted Kansas but I've hunted Iowa. Goin there end of October. I'd check areas that have water. Also don't be scared to knock on doors and get permission. Spend time driving earlier in the morning. They will seek out roads to dry the dew off their feathers
Displaced_Vol
Well-Known Member
I've only been once and we were mainly after quail but got to chase a few pheasants too. I think everything these guys have said above is right on track in my very limited experience.
We only had my friend one dog. Wouldn't hurt to have a couple if possible. It's obviously bigger country than anything around here.
We only had my friend one dog. Wouldn't hurt to have a couple if possible. It's obviously bigger country than anything around here.
I've hunted Iowa, Nebraska & Kansas and they can all be good. Kansas has a lot of quail and pheasants. Public land will probably have a lot of hunting pressure on it. Like said before don't be afraid to knock on doors of a good looking place and also be willing to pay to hunt on private land. Also, be nice that will get you a long way with the property owners and maybe take a few jars of good shine with you as a bargaining tool
Any pitfalls I need to prepare for beforehand?
MickThompson
Well-Known Member
What's your plan for dog power?
1 springer and possibly 1 lab
MickThompson
Well-Known Member
Expect a single dog to fall off hard after the second full, hard day in my experience. They're covering 4-5 times the distance you are. I'd plan something else for at least half of the third day to give them a little recovery time. I haven't done pheasants yet but we rotate and only hunt half the dogs at a time on grouse and usually try to take part of the third or fourth day off so the dogs can recover.
Also "doctor" their food up. Travel can knock them off their routines so you may need a little extra enticement to get them to eat.
I'm too old for full days anymore so it'll be for the experience of going, I won't be setting the plains on fire. I want to go just to see it and have the memories when I can't go anymore. Take a bunch of pics with a real camera, have some fun, see the plains and maybe shoot a few birds. I'm thinking of leaving out about 2:00 A.M. so I can see Kansas in daylight, I can probably get to Hayes in 14 hours.
yellalinehunter
Well-Known Member
Comfortable waterproof shoes. Quick drying pants. Tall grass with dew or melting frost gets wet quick. Be sure to mark your bird good. A solid hit bird can still take off running fast as the wind blows. Iowa had areas that were non toxic shot only. Not sure about Kansas, may want to have a box or two just in case. Your hip flexors will be on fire walking in the tall thick stuff.
Have been spending the night in Hays for years on my trips out west. 15 hrs from my place near Florence, Al.
Last time we were there, my nephew woke me up at 4:00 am with appendicitis. At hospital by 5, out of recovery & on the road to CO by 2 PM. Surgeon was a hunter & understood the urgency
. He was on a horse at 10 the next morning for 4 hr ride to camp! He was 26 years old, lifelong athlete, played college football & tough as a pine knot, but the sounds he made on ride in was like a 10 year old girl. 
Take an extra hour or two & stop at Cabela's and go thru their western & African taxidermy displays (rooms). The mounts you will see are awesome. Right on I70 after you cross MO River and next to the Nascar track. You can thank me later.
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