Kansas turkey hunting help

[Sobry84]

I'm from Arkansas and a few buddies and I are wanting to hunt a different state this upcoming spring. We are looking at north central kansas and possibly south central nebraska. Was curious as to what turkey numbers were like in that area? It has to be better than the constantly declining Arkansas numbers. Never been out of state hunting so any info on the area would help. Thanks in advance.

[HookedonHooks]

Numbers are also in great decline in Kansas. There's still opportunity, I'd try to make it up as early in the season as you can, public in Kansas gets pounded with pressure.

If you're looking for a private land hunt swap PM me, I have good Kansas access and still looking for an Arkansas bird myself.

[huntineveryday]

I live and hunt in South Central Nebraska. Numbers have gone down over the last 2 years. We didn't shoot as many last year as we normally would because we didn't think the properties could handle it. Drought has hit us pretty bad, nesting success and chick survival hasn't been great from what I've seen. I'm guessing numbers will be lower again this year when we get out scouting in March.

[slave601]

Kansas is in the slumps! I'd try somewhere different in my opinion. I was there last year and you'd hear a few gobbles but it was mostly on private. We hunted 3 different wma's and it was the same all over. More hunters than gobblers

[Sobry84]

Its hard to think numbers in the area could be worse than Arkansas' in the last 4-5 years. It has gone from 10 years ago hearing 20 gobblers a on a decent day to if you hear one in the morning and doesn't work out the chances of hearing another aren't zero but they are slim. Our harvest numbers over the past few years is half of what it was a 8 years ago from 14k to 7k last year but I can not seem to find any info on Kansas harvest numbers in recent years.

[Hook hanger]

I would look at Oklahoma before I would go to ks if I was coming from Arkansas. Birds are way down disease has broke out and taken a toll on the number of birds in ks.

[jims]

I haven't hunted Central South Nebraska the past 2 years due to such horrible numbers.  Where I saw 100 to 200 roosting in trees I know see maybe 4 to 5 on a lucky day.  I think a combo of poor poult crops, predators, and disease has lead to the major decline.  Finally Nebraska has lowered the quota to 2 toms in the spring and also a drop in fall tags.  I've heard the same is true in Kansas.

[Sobry84]

We've also looked into western Oklahoma as a possibility. If anyone would be willing to share some tips and info on the area that would be much appreciated.

[GobbleNut]

We've also looked into western Oklahoma as a possibility. If anyone would be willing to share some tips and info on the area that would be much appreciated.

Here is my not-so-glowing reports about western OK public lands:
Although I haven't been there in a couple of years, western OK public lands are in the same shape as KS if not worse from what I saw.  Hunted four different lesser-known WMA's and I'm not confident there was a turkey gobbler on any of them from the evidence I saw.  Reports from other hunters about the more popular WMA's were similar, but with more hunters.  I haven't been back since,...and am not planning to go back again any time soon. 

[nativeks]

If it tells you anything I just got an email that they cancelled our youth turkey hunt at work due to low turkey numbers and a low youth hunter success rates. It was one of the special hunts kids could apply for and have to possibility of being selected.

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[olemossyhorns]

I would look at Oklahoma before I would go to ks if I was coming from Arkansas. Birds are way down disease has broke out and taken a toll on the number of birds in ks.

I have to agree with this and Kansas use to be one of my favorite states.

[TonyTurk]

I would look at Oklahoma before I would go to ks if I was coming from Arkansas. Birds are way down disease has broke out and taken a toll on the number of birds in ks.

I have to agree with this and Kansas use to be one of my favorite states.

Western OK is in rough shape fellas.  10-15 years ago, it was almost too easy to kill a gobbler.  They were everywhere.  On the small patch of private that I am allowed to hunt (150 acres), you could count on seeing 20 or more gobblers each day.

Last year I saw 1 mature gobbler in 3 days. 

[Sobry84]

Seems like every surrounding state is going through the same thing to some extent with the declining numbers based off of some of the harvest data ive seen. I think we all decided to just head to Missouri on Mark Twain this year.