[birdhntr]

Today's bag.Solid point from Dixie with a back on first rooster.The second Rooster was Annie's find.She stood it for me well.As I closed in to around 30 yards or so up went 3 roosters.I was pulling up and following the one that went right and could tell the two going left were roosters too.I dropped the first one and made an attempt for the third one but he was putting good distance between us and got away.The first one gave chase and Kate ran down and recovered her first cripple.We only moved two coveys and we did not chase them down.
We drove past this sign and I know many of you will enjoy it and get a laugh from this picture!

 

[birdhntr]

Dixie halfway through day 3 and still full of beans and wanting some tasty corn.lol
Here's a little information recap of the trip to help others if they do a Kansas trip.
Pay close attention to roads and use google earth to help determine better roads.Any road with a residence is gravel packed.No homes and it will be a "greasy road when wet"
Also remember that a road that's frozen in the morning can thaw while your out and be difficult to travel back a couple hours later.
Apparently it may require a road grader to pull you out because it is the only equipment that won't get stuck at times.
Walking can be slick on roads and fields especially sloped grounds so remember to be alert and safe while you carry your firearms.
Holes are everywhere so be careful and watch where you step.
You will also encounter more barbwire than you can imagine and a dog should be well seasoned around fence poles and associate them with wire.
The dogs easily traversed the barbwire a few hundred times but they know it.A young dog that doesn't handle well with no fence experience will get in trouble especially if they go after a bird.
My two each have one small scratch on top at the shoulder base from ducking under I believe.
We had totally different weather each of the three days so keep that in mind to be prepared.
Apparently a group was out and wanted that badge of honor with a picture of quails harvested so bad that they took two dogs in to be treated for shotgun wounds.First one then returned later with another one.SMH!Be safe!
Only one location did we not see a bird on but I found a couple roosts on it.
The ground is great and you can see your dog most of the time and traveling around on foot is easy with the thinner cover.Great cover for older hunters.You can really let them roll out in search of quail but may need to shorten their ground a bit if you feel pheasants are in the area especially later in the season.
A kansas license goes 365 days from purchase which is a nice bonus.
Overall we had a great time and didn't spend a lot.The drive was 15.5 hours and we did it in one day .

 

[Hackman]

thanks for info

 

[Trunkslammer]

Sounds like a great trip birdhntr thanks for the updates and advice. Always fun learning the ins and outs of new ground especially in a state far away. Those greasy roads are no joke, Ive heard stories.

 

[bowjack]

I experienced the same exact thing with the roads in South Dakota last fall. Should have went to a car wash before leaving for home and got the mud off that was caked to the inside of the wheels. Drove all the way back to Michigan with a vibration because the wheels were out of balance instead. Rain and wet highways on the return trip didn't phase the dried South Dakota mud lodged under the truck.

 

[Kevin Moeller]

Thanks for the pictures and info. I really enjoyed reading it. Looks like a lot of fun. Hopefully someday, I'll be able to pull off a similar trip.

 

[birdhntr]

I experienced the same exact thing with the roads in South Dakota last fall. Should have went to a car wash before leaving for home and got the mud off that was caked to the inside of the wheels. Drove all the way back to Michigan with a vibration because the wheels were out of balance instead. Rain and wet highways on the return trip didn't phase the dried South Dakota mud lodged under the truck.

I bet we stopped and backed out up to a quarter mile in reverse a dozen times.As I said the truck slid on it's own in park.My dad had a set of chains years ago and asked if I would want them.We came to the conclusion that we never needed them and sold them.I think they might get you out of a pinch there.I'm not sure that anyone can or would attempt to get you out.
When I said grease I mean it.lol.The suburban was floating all over similar to an ice patch but more back and forth movement jerky type movements.Glad I had weight over the rear tires unlike a pickup.

 

[birdhntr]

Thanks for the pictures and info. I really enjoyed reading it. Looks like a lot of fun. Hopefully someday, I'll be able to pull off a similar trip.

Here's a quick breakdown from my expenses.
250 for 4 nights lodging
101 for a license
250 gas estimate
100 for food eating out
I spent under 700 so I assume that my hunting buddy was the same amount.
Gas is a guess at 2.40 a gallon and can be off a bit and put more towards food .The 2002 z71 suburban hunting rig averaged 11.8 to the gallon.I guess I'm going to have to tolerate this for years since I'm just about to roll over to 67,000 miles.lol.
But it was very comfortable compared to my pick up truck and does better off road.The neatest thing is I can hunt next year up to January 21 on the same license.

 

[ab5228]

Here's a quick breakdown from my expenses.
250 for 4 nights lodging
101 for a license
250 gas estimate
100 for food eating out
I spent under 700 so I assume that my hunting buddy was the same amount.
Gas is a guess at 2.40 a gallon and can be off a bit and put more towards food .The 2002 z71 suburban hunting rig averaged 11.8 to the gallon.I guess I'm going to have to tolerate this for years since I'm just about to roll over to 67,000 miles.lol.
But it was very comfortable compared to my pick up truck and does better off road.The neatest thing is I can hunt next year up to January 21 on the same license.

Sounds like a good trip! That right there is why we hunters are living in a golden age.

 

[birdhntr]

I keep remembering more challenges.
Shot size,load, and choke selection is a touch tricky.I had an array of ammunition.I started day one with modified choke with two Remington XLR #7.5 backed with Remington XLR #5.We found quail on the first day.SMH!
So I switched to IC choke with 7.5 XLR for first two then 6 shot on day two.
All my opportunities were pheasants except for one covey.lol.
Day 3 I shot the same set up but with that choke selection getting that second rooster was a slim to none chance.
We found pheasants in more open cover and quail in thicker cover.lol.

 

[ab5228]

I just went mod/full with high speed 5’s. Had a pouch of 6’s for singles after a covey flush. Over gunned for quail but I figure that’s better than being undergunned for pheasants. None of the quail we got were destroyed.

 

[birdhntr]

Sounds like a good trip! That right there is why we hunters are living in a golden age.

Left on friday 4 am then home on Tuesday night by 9pm.And no traffic jams!

 

[FNC]

Good reports - thanks! Glad you had a safe trip and saw/bagged some birds.
A double barrel (with selective barrel safety) would take care of the shot/load dilemma!

Frank

 

[milmo1]

Great report. How was the hunting competition? Any trouble running into other hunters?

 

[birdhntr]

Great report. How was the hunting competition? Any trouble running into other hunters?

We did see other hunters quite often but I believe half were hunting private lands.

 

[zapper]

Thanks for the report it was great did you happen to run into any snakes that worries me with my dogs

 

[birdhntr]

I believe it was to cold.Even the day it warmed up I would think the most active a rattlesnake would be is to sun on a rock but being cold blooded they do not travel frozen or cold ground.
The only rattlesnake that I have encountered in all my years was at my parents property in Hubbard lake in late October (3rd week).It Nailed jack in the snout and he was fine besides some swelling giving him the jowls of a bloodhound.He acted like it never happened and wanted to hunt still.

The Massasauga rattler is known to have a foothold in north Oakland county where I have run dogs for over 33 years but I find one in late Oct way up north.A chest strike is the worst and most dangerous from what I have read.
I carry benadryl and locate veterinarian practices before a trip.I have spent 25 days in sw North Dakota and the 3 days in kansas.Primarily the snake of concern in those areas is a prairie rattler.They do make snakeproof chest and neck protection and snake boots.
Maybe others can chime in on western upland experiences and the topic on poisinous snakes

 

[bowjack]

I haven't spent much time upland hunting but have bow hunted the praries of the Dakotas, Wyoming and Alberta on numerous occasions for deer and antelope. The only rattlesnake I have ever seen was in the Badlands of North Dakota in September one year.

The couple we rented lodging from in South Dakota said one of their other hunter's dog pointed a big rattler the first week of pheasant season this year.

 

[FNC]

Stay clear of prarie dog towns....

 

[birdhntr]

Stay clear of prarie dog towns....

Yes.I have heard this statement many times as well as rock outcrops.
Also drought conditions bring all wildlife in.Everything under the sun can be concentrated.