Kansas public help?

[jbennett]

I know that most will even frown upon even asking for public land "help/info", but we have hunted Kansas two years in a row (strictly public groind) and have had a really tough time finding birds each time. If any of you guys have any public land info that you are willing to share and don't mind helping out it would be greatly appreciated. If you would rather inbox or email my email is jdbennett8004@hotmail.com. Thanks in advance!

[turkeyfoot]

Your finding what many are these days I've been hunting the area for close to 20 years and there is only a fraction of birds compared to what used to be. Ks is not the great destination it used to be way to many hunters and the birds are often so visible combined with all the internet hype has killed the quality hunting. 

[cutt down]

Your finding what many are these days I've been hunting the area for close to 20 years and there is only a fraction of birds compared to what used to be. Ks is not the great destination it used to be way to many hunters and the birds are often so visible combined with all the internet hype has killed the quality hunting.

AMEN! In the 10yrs I've hunted Kansas I've seen the hunting pressure increase like crazy. Don't see near as many birds as in the past. You used to hardly ever see anyone else turkey hunting & now there's people everywhere. Internet, social media, tv shows, etc have hurt Kansas hunting. I don't blame folks for wanting to go out there but it's no where near what it used to be & it's going to get worse.

[nativeks]

And when I tried telling you guys every body got bitchy. Kansas is a shell of its former self. I saw a stat on another website that since 2000 resident turkey hunters has remained constant while NR has went up 500%. This year they discussed dropping the spring limit to one bird or doing away with the fall season all together due to low numbers. The glory days of this state are behind us. Now just waiting on someone to come along and say "seemed like lots of birds where I hunt".

[SKYNET KC]

And when I tried telling you guys every body got bitchy. Kansas is a shell of its former self. I saw a stat on another website that since 2000 resident turkey hunters has remained constant while NR has went up 500%. This year they discussed dropping the spring limit to one bird or doing away with the fall season all together due to low numbers. The glory days of this state are behind us. Now just waiting on someone to come along and say "seemed like lots of birds where I hunt".

Where in Kansas are you? Missouri isn't a far drive. Lots of birds here.


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[turkeyfoot]

And when I tried telling you guys every body got bitchy. Kansas is a shell of its former self. I saw a stat on another website that since 2000 resident turkey hunters has remained constant while NR has went up 500%. This year they discussed dropping the spring limit to one bird or doing away with the fall season all together due to low numbers. The glory days of this state are behind us. Now just waiting on someone to come along and say "seemed like lots of birds where I hunt".

Where in Kansas are you? Missouri isn't a far drive. Lots of birds here.
Apples and oranges for 2 reasons most go to Ks hoping for Rio and the Missouri end is no where near Rio country number 2 different states heck you can go 50 miles in one state and see drastic differences in bird numbers let alone a state that regulates differently Missouri is fairly strict with half day hunts only 1 first week and way way shorter season than Ks there is no comparing the 2 states n this discussion

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[Bolandstrutters]

Ive bow hunted birds on Kansas public the last two years and have been on a lot of birds both times.  Birds didn't behave, but we were always on birds.  Last year I went back with a shotgun the second week of May and was able to get it done finally.  Things I've learned is be very mobile, and don't waste too much time on one bird.  Both years we has at least one loud mouth gobbler that wouldn't take a step toward you, but would gobble his brain off just about all day.  A shotgun would have been a different story possibly in that situation though.  Birds that gobble like that are more then likely pressured by other hunters as well.  Be prepared to do a lot of driving.  We spent almost an entire day driving through the middle of the state looking at walk in areas.  Most of them were a total bust, but some of them were worth coming back to.  I don't think we hunted at all that day.  If you can, get out there and scout prior to the actual trip.  i'm still learning, but im enjoying the challenge. 

[Hooksfan]

And when I tried telling you guys every body got bitchy. Kansas is a shell of its former self. I saw a stat on another website that since 2000 resident turkey hunters has remained constant while NR has went up 500%. This year they discussed dropping the spring limit to one bird or doing away with the fall season all together due to low numbers. The glory days of this state are behind us. Now just waiting on someone to come along and say "seemed like lots of birds where I hunt".

Where in Kansas are you? Missouri isn't a far drive. Lots of birds here.


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Terrible idea on Missouri. Most non-resident unfriendly place you will ever go. Only one bird for the first week and you can't make afternoon hunts. Don't know why anyone would want to go there.
Kansas was as likely as good as we will ever see when it comes to turkey hunting and the sun has gone down on that day. I have hunted it for the past 18 years and I am strongly considering not buying s tag this year.  It has gone downhill, especially in the past five years.
It's about time the Internet let's out the best kept secret as far as turkey destint ions our there......Alaska!!!!
Couldn't do much better than a turkey/halibut combo trip IMHO.

[SKYNET KC]

Just gotta time your days right. Hunt back to back days for first and second season. I'm not a fan of the 1:00 end to season, but 90% of the birds I've bagged have been before 9:00 AM.


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[Fullfan]

Your finding what many are these days I've been hunting the area for close to 20 years and there is only a fraction of birds compared to what used to be. Ks is not the great destination it used to be way to many hunters and the birds are often so visible combined with all the internet hype has killed the quality hunting.

AMEN! In the 10yrs I've hunted Kansas I've seen the hunting pressure increase like crazy. Don't see near as many birds as in the past. You used to hardly ever see anyone else turkey hunting & now there's people everywhere. Internet, social media, tv shows, etc have hurt Kansas hunting. I don't blame folks for wanting to go out there but it's no where near what it used to be & it's going to get worse.

Not to hijack, but this is what Missouri is becoming.

[Neill_Prater]

Resident of Missouri here. This Spring will mark my 41st year of chasing turkeys. I've also hunted Kansas since the early 90's, mostly in the SE portion of the state due to the proximity of my residence. Hunting was fantastic until around 2005 or '06, when the population started to drop in the areas I hunted. Then, in 2007, I think it was they had major flooding. One area I hunted had 13 inches of rain in 24 hours, which totally wiped out all the nests, and, I am guessing, lots of adult birds as well in low lying areas. I didn't even hunt there for a couple of years, then went to central Kansas when I did because the population was less effected there.

The birds have rebounded somewhat, but a good day there now is hearing a couple of birds. In the late 90's and early 2000's, hearing a dozen birds was a slow day. I think the extremely long season as well as the ridiculously liberal fall season they did have (I think it has changed somewhat) has also been a factor in lower numbers, but I figured out long ago that Mother Nature effects wildlife populations way more than us humans with regards to hunting pressure.