Kansas private land hunting

Kansas upland bird hunts offers a range of habitat and overlapping pheasant and quail populations superior to that of Iowa and Missouri upland bird hunts. As a sideline it has been the Kansas bird hunters that have made more than a couple of Kansas deer hunters' season. Kansas bird hunter contributions have been first to inform us of deer found during bird hunts that will cover 400 acres each day. These deer sightings that were passed onto deer hunters have paid off to include the case of one of the highest scoring 8 point whitetails yet to be harvested. The second Kansas bird hunter contribution has been to push deer around from out of large fields to woodlots.

At this point the Kansas deer hunter will express concern that our hunting lease land is overrun by bird hunters adversely impacting deer hunting quality. That is not the case.

Our reservation system prevents hunter overlap and the bird hunters do not find quail or pheasant in the wood patches. What the Kansas bird hunter brings to the deer hunter is contribution through membership dues to pay for the land and the number of leases any one deer hunter will hunt in a season. Proof of this is simple.

A single deer hunter will have two to three private land farms he will want to hunt hard and maybe two more he will hunt if time allows. Take also that a deer hunter that hunts three different quarter sections or 480 acres each season. Add to that if we can pay only $5 an acre for that deer ground the cost of that land is $2,400. That deer hunter's membership dues are $1,000 (2007 costs). That same deer hunter that while he may hunt the same Kansas leases next year also has the opportunity to scout more land to find a better spot and keep that all too valuable of an asset of developing a range of hunt options to enhance his ability to get on a trophy whitetail. It is that both the deer and upland bird hunter are paying for the same land and using it separately that allows the deer hunter more places to hunt than we could offer if we were a deer hunter only organization.

This last illustration is how we are not the perfect answer for all who want to Kansas deer hunt, but it has been a very good option since 1965 for most deer hunters who understand that being locked into one Kansas deer hunting lease is an all or nothing proposition leaving the Kansas deer hunter with few worthwhile options during the hunt.

A Kansas pheasant hunt is an option for the deer hunter. Walking the tall grasslands that Kansas has in large acreage is possible without dog and by walking up the birds in shotgun range. Kansas tall grasslands concentrate pheasants in largest concentrations to be found in any habitat type and they will hold to be kicked up by the hunter. What may most appeal to the deer hunter is that a pheasant hunt breaks up the deer hunt and adds a bit to the trip, that is after a deer is tagged.

The same about a Kansas pheasant hunt does not apply to quail. Quail hunts without a dog is far more of a nature walk as the entire quail covey will be in thick cover that prohibits hunter access and they will also allow a hunter to walk by close without flushing.

For those on a deer hunt that look towards adding a bit of variety, the Kansas all turkey season is liberal and flocks easily scouted; pheasant are available and typically at not too far of a drive.

Kansas Hunter Account

Deer hunters take note of one special deer comment well into the letter. We added the text boxes to give more context to the member's comments.

John,

It was a pleasant surprise to talk to you this last week. This is a short note to follow up on some of the hunt and habitat we discussed.

We call members throughout the year simply asking for their feedback on the organization.

I must say that I have not experienced the poor conditions reported by others this year and especially last. I wouldn't want to sound like I am bragging because I am talking about bird points and contacts, not bagged... (The 157 mph winds in January 05 Ks. were, uh, challenging.)

We saw excellent numbers of Pheasant in [locations deleted]. This year I realized what part of the leasing program entails. Last year I scratched my head upon visiting some of the units. This year it was obvious why those pieces were held last year. Crop rotation: Fantastic bird numbers.

Even though the lease may stay the same for years, the habitat changes. True for birds and deer.

I did get a point on the largest rooster I've seen. I am new to the Upland Game game (not Dove) but I suspected the rooster was large and even commented to my wife as to the heft. Then I asked her to take a photo, just for documentation. Making a comparison the tail feathers were on the order of 27 inches. I showed the pics to some more experienced friends and they were disappointed to learn I had cleaned it, discarded the package and eaten it with a nice brown sugar and wine vinegar sauce over rice and yellow bell pepper... Apparently it should have been mounted. And, apparently, I'll never see one like that again. Maybe. Maybe not, the critics haven't seen the MAHA leases...

I also had the pleasure of seeing my nephew take his first wild rooster. Admittedly, I had to encourage him a bit (Shoot! Shoot!, It's a rooster, shoot!!) but he did get it over a staunch point and a textbook back. We also got to see both dogs on point on separate roosters simultaneously. Regardless of the shots, that alone will make a trip.

Deer hunters should all make friends with bird hunters as bird hunters cover far more ground during the season than any deer hunter does scouting and hunting.

On the lease south of [location deleted] I jumped up the biggest mule deer I've seen. It might help to get a graphic on that by realizing I grew up in NW New Mexico and I know what a big Muley looks like. (The first one I ever killed was eight points.) I don't hunt deer anymore so you can believe me, this was a big boy. Very big rack, thick base, very very long tines and real grizzley around the muzzle. He was with a doe and a smaller buck. Sorry, the camera was sitting on the dashboard...

In the three areas that I saw quail last year I saw none this year. None.

Self guided hunts do allow all of us to achieve the hunt we want. All may pick and chose where to put boots or dogs down and we do not always chose right.

I may need to redirect my quail hunting to the treed area in [location deleted]. It look promising but I was working with a young Pointer and didn't go down and in. It looked like it would have a million Pheasant on the fields to the east and south of the tree line. The uppermost fields in the [location deleted] had been mowed. That may have been detrimental to the quail. The pheasant were across the road in the WIHA. Just north east of the field was a large field of cut milo that had lots of pheasant. A little rain this coming year and that field will be out of this world this fall. (Shhhhh.)

I'm still learning the system and just realized how huge the web site is. I guess this should help next year as I prefer to chase the quail. I've got a couple of solid dogs that can handle the Blues in NM so I am really looking forward to putting them on some tight sitting Kansas Bobwhites. I'll make a point of checking the forecasts this spring and fall now that I am aware of the resource.

That's why we call it hunting. We'll buff up and be ready for next fall!

Thanks for the great job you guys do on getting so much fantastic habitat. I'd be willing to pay a little more if you guys could do something about getting some timely rainfall....

One last thing. I noticed elsewhere on the MAHA site an article about underhanded dealings by anti-hunting groups. Let the membership know that if they are holding the DU or QU or the RMEF Credit Cards that were issued by MBNA that MBNA was bought out by Bank of America. The CEO of MBNA was a big time Quail chaser thus the enthusiastic support from them. Now with BofA they are donating money to HSUS. That's right, the Humane Society of the United States. This is the same organization that has as it's goal the out-lawing of owning pets! They are actively and openly using lobbying and legislation to curtail hunting. Of course if they are against pet ownership they will do their damndest to stop hunting. Please help get the word out. Using that card is cutting our collective throats. Find another way to donate to your conservation organization.

Thanks, Eddie (2nd year member, 3rd year Uplander)

( I attached some pics.)
1) Coming in.

Kansas hunting private lease land