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Bird Numbers?

What are you guys seeing this year? I'm about the same on quail as last year. Pheasants seem better than the last two years. My landowner 15 minutes from the house said he had 2 dozen chickens coming in earlier in the season. I haven't seen them yet, but I did see about 40 in NCK. Cedars are taking over pastures everywhere in both the Smoky Hills and the Flint Hilks. I've cut close to a hundred small ones with the hand saw I carry in my bird bag.

I’ve been up there twice this season... opening weekend and last weekend. Hunted western sc portion of Kansas. My take was that birds were best in about 5 years where we were hunting. Saw a lot of quail (5-6 coveys a day) but didn’t chase them. We were pheasant hunting. I’ve hunted that general area from 2001-2009 and 2017 to present. Best numbers I’ve seen in a long time. Saw a lot of hens last weekend.

Having said that, the lack of CRP is really noticeable. We were hunting corners. Just don’t see the large fields of CRP anymore so I don’t see it going back to the “good ol days” unless something changes. Still having fun for sure.

My best spot near Scott City is horrible, but 15 miles away people are doing well.

Three years ago we were limiting in half-days if the weather was right...two bad years of hail and drought knocked them way back.

Most of my friends with serious dogs are doing well on both in NW KS. One moved seven coveys on a public spot last Sunday.

I've shot 4 roosters this year and was happy to get them. More than the last 2 years combined.

Spotty for me. Seems to be pockets of quite a few and then other spots I would expect to see birds are void of them. Definitely enough to have a good hunt where I have been hunting.

Matt

We noticed the spottiness as well. Sometimes just 5 or 6 miles would make a difference. I'd assume it was primarily due to local hail.

It has been a tough year for me. I had covid and could not hunt the first two weeks of up season. Then my Brittany that just turned 8 went blind. She still wants to hunt and tries but obviously is very limited on what she can do. I have killed 6 pheasants and 3 quail so far this season. Some spots have birds and some don't. We are seeing fewer quail than in past years. Unfortunately, unless something changes the loss of CRP is going to have a huge effect on the upland bird population going forward. At least half of the WIHA that we hunted in past years is either out of the program or has no cover. We are seeing the same thing on private land we got permission to hunt in the past. The cover is gone on many of those properties.

Hunted family farm 40 miles north of Dodge City opening day. Six of us killed three roosters and four quail. It was pitiful, as it has been for 6-7 years.

Up in NCK compared to the last few years. Unlike the deer IMO.

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