Kansas Quail Hunting

[Kevin McCormack]

Curiously enough, I never hunted quail in KS when I lived there for a few years in the early 1970s, but had great quail hunting just up over the border in southern Iowa with friends from KC. Went to Texas for guided wild quail way up in the panhandle twice, east of Dalhart and north of Darouzette, creeping over into OK once or twice near Slapout (yes we bought licenses!). Lots of driving from lease to lease, tailgate lunches in the field, and more wild birds than I ever saw anywhere. Big coveys but our guide never let us shoot more than 2 per man out of any one covey. Lots of walking and great dog work, when they said "all wild birds", they meant WILD!! Interesting flush characteristics; some held drum-tight till the very last minute then burst up all at once; a few times singles would trickle out for a few minutes before the mob flushed. No rattlers but plenty of cactus and thorny pear thickets, hard on the boots and the hands!

[Steiner]

Originally Posted by Kevin McCormack

Curiously enough, I never hunted quail in KS when I lived there for a few years in the early 1970s, but had great quail hunting just up over the border in southern Iowa with friends from KC. Went to Texas for guided wild quail way up in the panhandle twice, east of Dalhart and north of Darouzette, creeping over into OK once or twice near Slapout (yes we bought licenses!). Lots of driving from lease to lease, tailgate lunches in the field, and more wild birds than I ever saw anywhere. Big coveys but our guide never let us shoot more than 2 per man out of any one covey. Lots of walking and great dog work, when they said "all wild birds", they meant WILD!! Interesting flush characteristics; some held drum-tight till the very last minute then burst up all at once; a few times singles would trickle out for a few minutes before the mob flushed. No rattlers but plenty of cactus and thorny pear thickets, hard on the boots and the hands!

As usual Kevin, your description is eloquent and accurate. Fortunately I didn't move from lease to lease as the ranches I was huntng were thousands of acres. The cactus and plum thickets are hard on the dogs but the sand burrs did the most damage to my pups.