On Tuesday, November 15, we’ll focus our efforts on the
WIHA (Walk-In Hunter Area) lands of northern Kansas in search of public lands pheasants and quail. I’ve hunted this general region on two occasions, but it’s been a few years. Of all the destinations during the week, this will be the hunt where we’ll be most “blind” without much local intel on the area. Challenge accepted!
There are lots of things to love about upland hunting in Kansas, here are my top three:
1) 1 Million. That’s how many acres are enrolled in the state’s WIHA program providing public access to private property.
Complete Online Map of Fall WIHA
2) Mixed Bags. Prior to the state’s extended drought (2010-2015), Kansas was frequently the #2 state for both pheasant and quail harvests by hunters. While the bird numbers haven’t fully rebounded yet, the numbers are climbing and the state still provides an uplander with a tremendous opportunity to come home with pheasant and quail for the dinner plate.
3) Four Rooster Bag Limit! Kansas is the only state able to boast a daily bag limit of four roosters.
Rules, Regs and Licensing
- Pheasant & Quail Hunting Season: November 12, 2016 through January 31, 2017
- Prairie Grouse Season (Permit Required): November 19, 2016 through January 31, 2017
- Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
- Daily Limits: 4 rooster pheasants per day and 8 bobwhite quail per day
- Non-resident Licensing: $97.50 and it covers the entire season
Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Impact in Kansas
- Pheasants Forever Chapters: 36
- Quail Forever Chapters: 10
- Pheasants Forever Members: 5,627
- Quail Forever Members: 1,441
- Habitat projects completed in Kansas: 9,379 projects
- Total habitat acres improved in Kansas: 270,571 acres
Follow Rooster Road Trip 2016
Facebook – Daily contests, highlight videos and photo galleries /
www.facebook.org/pheasantsforever
Rooster Road Trip 2016 – Blog posts and reports /
www.pheasantsforever.org/Rooster-Road-Trip.aspx
Twitter – Real time updates /
www.twitter.com/pheasants4ever
Instagram – Feature photos from the field /
www.instagram.com/pheasants_forever
Bob St.Pierre is Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Vice President of Marketing. Follow Bob on Twitter @BobStPierre and listen to Bob and Billy Hildebrand every Saturday morning on FAN Outdoors radio on KFAN FM100.3.
Photo credit: Josh Dahlstrom / Pheasants Forever