Diminishing pheasant population in KS

[ƒORTE]

Just got back from a barely successful pheasant hunting trip in NWestern KS. Bagged one rooster out of 3 that were within 40yds. Only saw 20 over the course of a week. What is happening to the pop out there. 20yrs ago would get their limit in the first hour of the first day. What's the deal?

 

[zoomie]

Corn isn't very good habitat.

 

[ƒORTE]

Not Nebraska...Kansas.

#1 wheat producer in the world(least it used to be), as well as milo(sorghum) and cane. There is some corn.

 

[Dr. A]

I've limited 4 times. My brother at least 6 times. Quail is good as well. Success can be regional. You were probably in a bad region. I hunt North Central. We are always done by 10:00

I have 100 acres of new CRP and 100 acres of regular non-grazed pasture with 70 acres of timber. It has at least 200 birds left on it right now.

 

[guntotin_fool]

One March or April ice storm can knock back an area for two or three years. And twenty miles away on either side it was snow or rain and the birds did just fine.

 

[hogdogs]

IIRC, we did suffer some pretty late season weather this spring too...
Brent

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Heck, in NY state the only pheasants that exist are stocked weekly by the DEC during the season. Few, if any, survive. It's a pretty rare event to see one outside the season. Even then it's only shortly after the season, before the winter kills them.

 

[zahnzieh]

In illinois pheasant are pretty rare - didnt always used to be that way though. Yotes, coons, mink and other vermin eat the eggs/young/adults. Nobody runs traplines anymore to control vermin and also habitat disappearing fast.