Suggestions from a biologist for attaining Kansas’ Grand Slam and looking bobwhite, pheasants, and prairie chickens throughout the plains.
Kansas’ repute as a basic upland looking state has lengthy been recognized. Bobwhite quail looking right here is famous throughout increase years and stays strong throughout common years. Whereas pheasant looking in Kansas has decreased over the previous couple of years on account of habitat loss, the state continues to be constantly among the many high three to 4 states for roosters. Moreover, Kansas is the nation’s high larger prairie hen state, offering nice alternatives to reap the charismatic grassland dweller.
An opportunity to reap these three species on a single journey, perhaps even on a single stroll, makes Kansas a particular place to hunt within the fall. Listed here are a number of ideas that will help you plan your try on the Kansas Grand Slam.
Bobwhite Quail Searching in Kansas
Bobwhites are discovered statewide in Kansas. This gamebird’s habitat contains anyplace native herbaceous crops and low-growing, shrubby cowl coexist.
Southeastern Kansas
The southeastern portion of Kansas was as soon as the go-to space for excellent quail looking. I hunted there continuously within the ’90s and routinely had 10-covey days. However instances have modified since then. Fescue and tree encroachment led to substantial inhabitants declines within the japanese portion of that area. Nonetheless, good populations nonetheless happen within the Flint Hills.
Learn Extra: A Information to Bobwhite Quail Searching
Publicly accessible land is tough to come back by in southeast Kansas, so discovering accessible birds could be difficult. Contemplate introducing your self to a couple personal landowners earlier than the season begins, they usually might offer you entry to hunt their lands for quail.
Southwestern Kansas
Southwest Kansas has lengthy been the most effective areas for bobwhites. It has giant expanses of native prairies and good interspersion of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grass fields in a largely agricultural panorama.
This area is much like western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle as a result of it’s topic to periodic droughts. Drought years suppress populations, although birds can nonetheless be discovered. However when the rains come after a drought, quail populations increase, and looking in southwestern Kansas could be world-class.
Many acres are enrolled within the state Stroll-in Searching Entry (WIHA) right here, giving the typical hunter entry to spectacular chicken numbers when the circumstances are proper.
North-Central Kansas
Essentially the most constant area for high-quality quail looking is the north-central tier of counties from about Salina to Hays. This area nonetheless experiences boom-bust cycles, however much less dramatic than in southwestern Kansas. Meaning populations have a tendency to carry regular however are nonetheless able to reaching glorious ranges. This area contains native prairie intermixed with shrubs, CRP grassland, and agricultural fields. Throw in giant quantities of publicly accessible land, and you’ve got a recipe for excellent quail looking.
Ring-necked Pheasant Searching in Kansas
Whereas pheasants could be hunted statewide in Kansas, the very best populations happen within the western two-thirds of the state. Ringnecks choose thick cowl close to agricultural meals sources throughout looking season. Tall native grass plantings, cattail sloughs, weedy previous homesteads, and dense hedgerows are prime locations to search for birds so long as they’re inside a half-mile of a harvested grain discipline or fallow fields. Native grassland pastures in north-central Kansas may also maintain birds, particularly these with gentle grazing stress.
Learn Extra: Techniques to Enhance Public Land Pheasant Searching Success
Whereas CRP grasslands have declined during the last a number of years, a lot stay to be discovered, particularly in southwest and northwest Kansas. These areas routinely maintain the biggest variety of birds within the state, and there’s loads of WIHA entry right here, too. North-central Kansas additionally has good pheasant populations with first rate quantities of CRP and WIHA. The Kansas Division of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) additionally manages a number of giant public wildlife administration areas on this area. These areas encompass giant reservoirs, and lots of provide locations that take onerous work to entry, offering probabilities for much less pressured birds.
Larger Prairie Rooster Searching in Kansas
Whereas not as broadly unfold throughout the state as bobwhites or pheasants, larger prairie chickens can nonetheless be discovered and hunted throughout a large swath of Kansas. In truth, Kansas is house to the biggest larger prairie hen inhabitants within the nation. It’s a vacation spot for hunters searching for to chase these really particular birds. Personally, I maintain prairie chickens within the highest regard for his or her sense of wildness and the attractive locations looking these birds takes me.
Flint Hills
Japanese Kansas’ Flint Hills area was heralded because the prairie hen epicenter because of the huge native tallgrass prairies there. Whereas good numbers of birds can nonetheless be discovered, populations within the Flint Hills have declined long-term on account of vary administration practices lowering the quantity of excellent nesting cowl. Additionally, the Flint Hills has little or no state-managed public land or WIHA entry. That stated, I’ve had success knocking on doorways to realize entry, and good looking can nonetheless be present in America’s largest expanse of tallgrass prairie.
Smoky Hills
The very best ecoregion within the state to hunt larger prairie chickens is the Smoky Hills in north-central Kansas. A stupendous panorama that could be a combine of enormous tracts of native prairies and crop fields of wheat, soybeans, and corn, the Smoky Hills have seen a steady to growing inhabitants of prairie chickens over the previous twenty years. Non-public land entry right here could be good, particularly through the early prairie hen season, and a good quantity of WIHA exists.
Learn Extra: A Information to Larger Prairie-Rooster Searching in Kansas
A lot of the WIHA in north-central Kansas is thick CRP grassland higher suited to pheasants, however there are tracts of native prairie enrolled in WIHA that provide good looking. Prairie chickens choose shorter grass than pheasants, and native pastures provide the grass peak and density that chickens want.
Western Kansas
Northwest Kansas has not too long ago seen a rise in prairie hen numbers, providing good however restricted alternatives to reap birds. Attributable to decrease quantities of rainfall, the CRP on this area doesn’t develop as thick as in different components of the state. Chickens have taken benefit of the quick, sparse CRP right here, which has expanded and elevated chicken numbers.
Lesser prairie chickens, a federally protected species, have additionally taken benefit of western Kansas’s CRP and expanded their vary north. To cut back the potential for unintentional harvest, the KDWP has closed a lot of northwest Kansas to prairie hen looking. You may view KDWP’s map right here. However the place western lands are open, hunters can discover birds in CRP grasslands and native pastures.
Planning Your Kansas Grand Slam
Kansas offers nice upland sport chicken alternatives. It’s considered one of solely two states that provide the bobwhite-pheasant-greater prairie hen blended bag within the nation. (Nebraska is the opposite). Though at the least one chicken species affords nice upland looking alternatives throughout the state, if I have been going after my grand slam, particularly to get it completed on one journey, I might select the north-central area of Kansas.
This space affords the best alternative to search out all these birds in shut proximity and glorious public entry. Find good grassland habitat that features a mixture of low-growing shrubby cowl close to harvested grain meals sources. In habitat like this, you stand a superb opportunity of discovering pheasants and quail on the identical stroll. If the duvet is brief sufficient, you would possibly even leap prairie chickens.
To particularly goal chickens, hunt native grass pastures, stroll ridge traces on calm days, and lee sides of slopes when the wind blows. Additionally, look ahead to chickens flying from grasslands to feed in harvested crop fields within the mornings and evenings. Find the fields the birds are utilizing, preserve an in depth eye on the precise place they enter the sphere, and search permission to move shoot prairie chickens on subsequent days. This sort of hen looking affords thrilling capturing and is commonly the easiest way to constantly harvest birds, particularly late within the season.
Blended-Bag Hunts Are One thing Particular
Hunters searching for to finish Kansas’ upland chicken Grand Slam have ample entry and lots of areas to focus on every species individually. However what’s additional cool is the power to earn the slam on a single hunt. There’s simply one thing about coming house with a blended bag. The thrill of not figuring out what’s going to flush subsequent provides one thing particular to an already nice expertise. Kansas affords glorious alternatives for excellent mixed-bag hunts, which is only one purpose Kansas is such an iconic upland vacation spot.
For some additional enjoyable, problem your self. Are you able to get the slam on the identical day? What about the identical stroll? Nonetheless you go about it, simply give it a attempt!
Learn Extra
A Information to Larger Prairie-Rooster Searching in Kansas
The right way to Establish the Distinction in Prairie Grouse on the Hunt
E-Scouting for Prairie Chickens
Searching Prairie Chickens in September – The Kansas “Grouse” Opener
